South and East Devon strike report

This strike had a very local feeling with many picket lines within easy reach in many of the small towns in Devon. The holiday resorts of Teignmouth and Dawlish had four picket lines resulting in the closure of three schools and very dubious lack of Health and Safety cover in the other. Classroom assistants, technicians and caretakers were at the forefront in a determination to make a stand against low pay. This was their first taste of strike action and many felt that this was not the last against what they see as a paycut. What was surprising was how quickly they have learned to organise themselves into effective pickets given how little industrial action has occurred in this area over the past decades.

Towns such as Torquay, Totnes also saw schools and libraries close with disruptions in bin collections. In North Devon, Barnstaple Civic Centre had only a few going in but there was reports of agency staff covering for normal staff. Unison is following up this 'scabbing' with legal action. It was reported that one of the UNISON members was calling for unions to put up their own candidates in elections. Socialist Party members donated to the strike fund. These are things that the Campaign for a New Workers' Party fully supports.

Plymouth and Exeter saw fairly well attended demonstrations. However the impression of the 48hr strike was that this was about workers taking widespread strike action in their local area. As one picket said "We did not take serious action against pensions - but now our backs are against the wall and this is serious business, our bills have gone through the roof and we must defend ourselves and our families."

Report by SB, Secretary of Devon and Exeter Socialist Party