Electricians have won an important victory in their fight against a group of the major construction contractors, forcing Balfour Beatty to back down.
A group of 7 of the leading construction firms withdrew from the JIB national agreements, and set up their own BENSA grouping, attempting to smash national terms and conditions, and cut wages by 35%!
Electricians at some of the major sites in London and across Britain organised themselves, and led a campaign against these brutal attacks, with demonstrations and walkouts. As the momentum and disruption grew, so did the rank and file organisation, with the establishment of a National Rank & File committee to organise the fight.
Unite the Union organised a ballot of its electrician members working for Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES), the largest of the 7 firms, in November lat year, and workers voted 81% for strike action. However, the bosses rushed to court and the judge found 'irregularities' in the ballot. Unite withdrew support for the proposed strike on 7th December, but the rank and file still held a fantistically well supported day of action, linking with students and occupy activists.
The workes kept up their fight, organising across the country, and Unite reballoted in late January. Meanwhile the activity around sites continued, and last Wednesday (15th Feb) 300 construction workers took their fight to the Electrical Contractors Association dinner in Park Lane - watch the video here.
electricians When the result was announced 67% again voted to strike; BBES again rushed to court, but this time lost!
On Friday this week (17th Feb), the Unite website announced that BBES had withdrawn from BENSA, withdrawnthe contracts and threats to sack worker, and would commence high level talks with Unite.
Meanwhile, ballots continue in two other firms - NG Baileys and SPIE Matthew Hall.
This is a major victory for all construction workers, where after years of attacks on union organisation, blacklisting, sub-contacting and sackings, the rank and file workers have said enough is enough, and have stood up to their bullying bosses.
It is vital that the Rank & File committee keeps up the pressure on the other companies, and is involved in agreeing any settlement.
This dispute also demonstrates that trades unionism is not just confined to the public sector, and that where workers fight, they will increase union organisation and can beet the bosses.
