Our union rep was suspended for trying to uphold the framework in our workplace and was informed by our manager that he would run the office as he saw fit. We considered the suspension the last straw, and feeling all other avenues exhausted, staged a protest. We realise we may have fallen into a trap, but had to draw the line somewhere. The suspension was merely the last in a long line of ill-informed dictats from above.
Management has now said we cannot go back to work unless we tear up our agreed way of working and agree to new practices which greatly reduce our earning potential; these include punitive overtime arrangements for those involved in the strike. We are sorry for the disruption. We do want to go back to work, yet it seems unfair that having been pushed into a corner, we are punished financially for making a stand against such aggression.
R Black
London
