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From The Socialist newspaper, 9 February 2022
Just Eat couriers drive chief exec out of town as strike spreads
Just Eat protest, photo Alistair Tice (Click to enlarge)
Alistair Tice, Sheffield Socialist Party
Striking Just Eat/Stuart couriers and supporters scared off a McDonald's big cheese from visiting the Sheffield Hillsborough restaurant recently. This chief executive was due at midday, but despite suits and police present he didn't show, so the surprise welcome went ahead anyway.
Insiders reported afterwards that the CEO had been advised by his security not to visit due to flares (only one was lit up one hour after he was due!) and that he demanded that his store manager meet him in Doncaster 20 miles away. Staff were told that they weren't allowed to talk about what happened!
The delivery drivers, some organised in the independent union the IWGB, are fighting against a pay cut imposed by Stuart, the delivery contractor for Just Eat takeaways, part of the DPD logistics group, which in turn is owned by the French state-owned La Poste.
As well as continuing targeted strike action against Just Eats' biggest clients like McDonald's and now Greggs, the Sheffield drivers and the union are improvising new tactics to increase pressure on Stuart and clients. After the successful car blockade of Archer Road McDonald's on 30 January, a KFC and then another McDonald's were blocked on 6 February. And in London, 20 IWGB activists invaded a DPD warehouse for half an hour, much to the consternation of the managers.
These high profile actions have helped publicise the strike which is spreading beyond Sheffield again, with 30 drivers in Middlesbrough joining the strike. The IWGB has been contacted by drivers in Dewsbury, Leicester and Manchester as well. There are now plans to call on the trade union movement, especially trades councils, to support a national day of action against JustEat/Stuart by organising protests and pickets in as many towns and cities as possible, which can help spread the strike further and put Stuart under more pressure to reverse the pay cut.
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In The Socialist 9 February 2022:
TUSC
No one in Westminster backs a pay rise for us...
Preparing for the council and Erdington elections
News
Cut our fuel bills - nationalise energy
'I'm dreading trying to live on a nurse's salary'
Cuts created NHS waiting list crisis
Oxfam 'Inequality Kills' report
Tories' 'levelling up' falls well short
Tories' 'partygate' crisis continues - kick them out
What we think
Catastrophic energy bill hike - a crisis made by capitalism
Workplace news
Force back Serco and Barts management!
Support the university strikes!
Tesco slashes jobs and customer service
Just Eat couriers drive chief exec out of town as strike spreads
Scunthorpe scaffs mark 100 days of strike action with protests
Perfect storm brewing in education
PCS consultative pay and conditions ballot - vote 'Yes'
Campaigns news
King's student union refuses to back staff strike and NUS walkout
A socialist voice in Stanwell North
Tamil Solidarity protest against repressive Sri Lankan regime
Socialist Party youth meeting: Mood is changing - socialist ideas growing
Swansea Trades Council pledges to fight local government cuts
The Socialist: 25 years of assisting workers' struggles and fighting for socialism
International news
Pro-market Socialist Party wins Portugal's election
Debate
Does the fight for Trans rights conflict with women's rights?
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