Unite Taxi Drivers Continue Fight Against Station Taxi Rank Changes

Over 50 taxi drivers and supporters protested in Leeds on Wednesday 10th November against proposals by network Rail and West Yorkshire combined authority to relocate the hackney carriage taxi rank to a space beneath the station. Kevin Pattison (Chair, Leeds & Wakefield Unite Community) This is the 3rd protest which was again supported by Leeds and Wakefield…

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Optare: Right to strike defended against bullying management and the police

Unite members at Optare in Yorkshire returned to the picket lines on 16 November for the first day of their now escalated four-days-a-week strike at the bus manufacturers. Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party Threats from the police to fine strikers if they continued to picket, citing the new Covid restrictions, had prevented picketing, until the…

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Covid law used against striking workers – for workers’ control of safety measures

On the very first day of the new national lockdown, police issued dispersal orders to a picket line of striking workers, on the grounds of breaching the new rules. Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party Unite members at Optare in Sherburn-in-Elmet have been social distancing and wearing masks, in contrast to contractors the company employs, who…

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Leeds TUC conference discusses fight against austerity in our city

Leeds TUC organised a successful anti-austerity conference on Saturday 24th November. Kevin Pattison, Leeds TUC Vice-President It is part of our campaign to show the damage austerity is doing to local services, and to raise alternatives. We started with reports from groups affected by austerity Fearnville Fields – succesful campaign to save playing fields DEAL…

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