“If we all rise together, there’s nothing they can do.” These were the words of a striking Unite binworker, speaking to comrades on the picket line at the Lamby Way depot in Cardiff.
It was 6:30am, and we were standing huddled around a burning barrel in the freezing rain. Together with one of our comrades in the BMA, we were discussing coordinated union action with the binworkers there.
Just 24 hours prior, we were standing outside the main hospital in Cardiff with these same Unite members, having the very same conversations. That time we stood alongside striking BMA junior doctors.
Refuse workers in Cardiff have been undertaking a colossal strike since September over pay. They are also protesting frequent mistreatment and bullying by management.
The BMA in Wales have also been out on strike for the first time ever, also over pay. Both groups of workers have experienced pay erosion of around 30% since 2008.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Unity
Over the past few weeks, Cardiff comrades have collaborated with Unite and BMA members to arrange these visits to each other’s picket lines, in solidarity.
Our comrade in the BMA has been instrumental in reaching out to Unite members, helping to arrange two consecutive meetings to discuss how these strikes could be brought together, and how ultimately their action could be coordinated.
These meetings have involved BMA and Unite members, as well as the Cardiff communists. Later gatherings have expanded to include the Cardiff Trades Council also.
It was through these meetings that the above-mentioned picket visits were arranged. Speaking about the BMA strike, one Unite member noted: “This is why we’re here today, to show support from Unite, as another union. We’re on the same conditions; we’re on low pay.”
The visit seemed very welcome, with one junior doctor commenting that: “We feel really energised by the spirits of the strikes…it’s brought a lot of people together.”
“We’ll probably be back around this table again next year,” said one worker at one of these coordinating meetings.
This demonstrates that workers can see the road ahead. And they know that, barring a breakthrough, they are in for the long haul.
This is precisely why, in order to stage a successful fightback against the bosses, workers across different unions need to band together and struggle collectively.
By building traditions of solidarity locally, these strikers can prepare the ground for this, and pave the way for such united action on a wider scale.
Potential
Our comrades have raised the perspective of actively rebuilding the old traditions of solidarity between workers. We have put forward the idea of a solidarity network, where if one group of workers are attacked by their employers, then other sectors will also come out in support also.
These efforts are already bearing fruit, after weeks of effort. At that first-mentioned (rainy, 6.30am) visit to the binworkers’ picket line, one Unite organiser suggested that once they had finished their strike, they’d do a whip-round to raise money for the BMA strike fund.
This shows the tremendous potential that exists – a precursor of larger coordinated action to come.
If workers can sustain these connections, and build on them further, then not only can we resist the coming attacks of the bosses, but we can turn the tables and take the fight to them!
