Fred Lepiat, UNISON Committeo (in a personal capacity) One of the most important dispute in UNISON's brief history has been sold out when a subcommuuce or toc unions National Executive voted to withdraw official support.
On Monday January 6, оле month before an Industrial Tribunal was to hear the remaining 34 cases, Pall Mall made a "final' offer at an ACAS meeting £250,000 (double last year's offer) to end the dispute. This sum was be distributed berween the 53 strikers On Wednesday January 8, the Industrial Action Committee voted by 4 votes to 3 to withdraw support with effect from the 16 January. This was despite UNISON conference policy adopted unanimously til they secured reinstatement.
Since October 1995, this strike has been a focus for UNISUN miemH bers and the rest of the labour movement in the fight against private contractors in public services.
Six months after winning a cleaning, portering and catering contract at Hillingdon Hospital, Pall Mall proposed a devastating cut in pay and conditions to the 200 strong workforce.
Wage cuts
These changes meant cuts of £25 to £35 a week to some of the lowest paid staff in the NHS. Fifty six women, did not accept the changes and were sacked tor refusing the new terms and conditions.
Although UNISON's leaders rapidly arranged for the strike to be themselves wholeheartedly into curamg tac aisputc into tae national political focus it deserved to be. A national demonstration was organised in July 1996, but only 30,000 leaflets were printed, when UNISON has 1.4 million members.
UNISON members employed by Pall Mall elsewhere in the country were not organised to take some action, even indirectly, in support of the strikers at Hillingdon Hospital. here was a national mectins of stewards in Pall Mall in December conference decided it should take place. At the meeting the strikers were then prevented from moving a resolution for a claim for a minimum wage of £4.26 per hour in Pall The decision of UNISON's In. dustrial Action Committee to pull the plug was taken without a vote or ballot of the strikers on whether to accept Pall Mall's offer of £250,000. A national official for UNISON members in health stated there was no point in balloting the strikers as he knew they would turn down the offer. When a majority strikers met on Sunday anuary y at their (coula! meeting, they unanimously voted strikc.
Sell-out
In selling out the dispute the national officials are attempting toarcss up rai mairs ouer as some sort of victory. It has been described as a 'substantial achievement' and that 'there was insuficient support from our members ... for widening the action'. We can now expect that the officials will put more effort in justifying their decision than they have in supporting the strike.
But for the strikers, the dispute A political campaign COHUHUC around a strike such as this one during the general clection could put pressure on Pall Mall and a Labour Government. Harriet Harman. wach babours spokcspeison on Health, stated that a Labour Gorinstatement of the strikers.
The strikers now need urgent financial and practical support if they are to continue their fight against Pall Mall. UNISON members and branches should protest to the National Executive and Rodney Bickerstaffe. There will be a lobby of the next National Executive. The strikers have also called a conference on Sunday 9 February to discuss the way forward.
What you can do: * Send donations and messages of support to Hillingdon Strikers Support Campaign, c/o Councillor Kennedy. Hillingdon Civic Centre, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1UW. * Come to the Strike Support Conference on Sunday 9 February at Hillingdon Civic centre from 11am to 2pm. Lobby UNISON's NEC on the 14 February at Mabledon Place, London