Veolia refuse workers strike outside Sheffield Town Hall for joint union recognition

The Star, Sheffield

Transcript

00:00What do we want? Workers' rights!

00:02When do we want them? Now!

00:04We all need them! Shame on you!

00:06We all need them! Shame on you!

00:08We all need them! Shame on you!

00:10Our feeling is that

00:12we cannot go back until we get

00:14what we want, otherwise we're acquiescing

00:16to everything that we're protesting

00:18about. Lack of recognition

00:20unfair dismissals

00:22morale's strong

00:24there's often a carnival atmosphere

00:26but it's not always as lively

00:28as this, but in general

00:30spirits are very good

00:32we would rather be back at work

00:34but on the other hand

00:36we're on an indefinite strike

00:38we're prepared to stay

00:40until we get what we want. We have

00:42come this far, we can't possibly go

00:44halfway up to the top of the elephant right now

00:46so it's a determined and strong

00:48resolute

00:50feeling among my colleagues.

00:52What do we want?

00:54Workers' rights!

00:56What do we want?

00:58Workers' rights!

01:00Could you tell us a little bit

01:02about what Unite are doing here today

01:04with Veolia? Yes, we're

01:06sitting outside Sheffield City Council

01:08there's a council meeting and it's

01:10about talking to the councillors and

01:12asking them to support our case

01:14in that we want recognition at Veolia

01:16which is an outsourced company.

01:18Okay, so how

01:20what is the feeling amongst

01:22everybody here today? Well I think you can see

01:24behind me they are solid

01:26and they are strong and they have the whole of Unite

01:28behind them. Fantastic, and why

01:30is it important for Unite to be here as well today?

01:32It's about having a voice at the table

01:34it's about ensuring that

01:36our reps, we have reps on site

01:38we have health and safety reps on site

01:40but we're not allowed a seat at the table

01:42and we need to have a seat at the table to

01:44represent our members, to negotiate on their

01:46behalf to ensure that we can improve

01:48their terms and conditions of employment

01:50it's a simple ask, we're not asking for

01:52anything more and it's in the hands of Veolia

01:54to give it to us.

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