North Devon strike report

The national strike action called by UNISON Local Government workers met with a great response in North Devon. Pickets were out in force in a variety of places and were upbeat and in good humour.

Around 35 were present at the Works Unit in Seven Brethren and about 15 at the main entrance to the Civic Centre. Other places picketed included the Social Services offices near Bear Street car park.

Barnstaple library, Lynton House and several schools (including Ilfracombe College, Pilton Community College, Hatfields, Chaddiford Lane and Forches) were closed.

Very few UNISON members went into work. At the Civic Centre, only 3 'exempt' members did so, because they are in their last year of retirement and even these made their support for the strike known by wearing stickers. Only 2 UNISON members went into the Works Unit, much to the disgust of pickets who feel that these people should resign from the union. After all, why should they expect any future help and support when they have let down the strikers and flagrantly flouted the democratic ballot that decided on the strike.

The use of agency staff at the Works Unit has been called into question by UNISON. Colin Lewis, a UNISON steward at the Works Unit, quoted on the North Devon Journal website, says that agency workers were deployed to perform tasks they are not contracted to perform, and have never done so before. For instance, two agency workers who usually work on recycling vehicles had been working on refuse lorries on Wednesday. UNISON are threatening legal action because of this. The agency in question, Abacus, have denied strikebreaking, but it's interesting that no agency workers turned up to the Works Unit today.

Despite affecting their pay on these two days, UNISON members are convinced they are right to strike because they have reached the point where they have no alternative, to stop their living standards deteriorating further. Their resolve is even stronger given the recent figures revealing the inflation rate is rising even further, compared with the pay offer.

Their contempt for New Labour was clear. They no longer see it as the party for working people and one of them suggested that the time had come for the unions to stand their own candidates in elections.

By DL, a North Devon UNISON Health member