Hillingdon: 3 years on the picket line

Hillingdon: 3 years on the picket line

STOP PRESS!!!!

We understand that the Industrial Tribunal has ordered Granada (the current contract holders) to reinstate the strikers!!! Watch this space for details - Granada may appeal…

A small but important demonstration of about 200 people assembled at Hillingdon hospital on Saturday October 3 to mark the third anniversary of the HIIingdon hospital workers’ strike.

Led by a full contingent of the women on strike, the demonstration marched to a rally at Uxbridge town hall with a range of speakers including a delegation of Tameside care workers

The achievements of the strikers are truly remarkable. Not only have they stuck unflinchingly to the struggle and become an Inspiration to other groups of workers resisting the attacks of the employers, but they have reversed, at conference a previous decision of UNISON to deprive them of membership of the union. This decision. however, has still not been carried out, and they are not yet reinstated.

At the same time they made a major breakthrough at their Industrial Tribunal hearing when their previous employer Pall Mall (which no longer operates on the Hillingdon site) admitted unfair dismissal.

The women were sacked for refusing to sign a Pall Mall contract that drastically reduced their wages and conditions

The Tribunal concluded in July, and undertook to produce its report within four weeks. Nearly four months have now gone by, but the result is still not published.

The strikers meanwhile show absolutely no lack of resolve. They want full reinstatement, and refuse to settle for anything less.

The strike is an important focus of resistance and deserves the full support of the trade union movement.

The lack of support from the official movement was a major lost opportunity, since the strike could have been made a rallying point against privatisation and PFI.