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 01/05/2005Film director, Ken Loach along with Respect's candidate for Manchester's Cheetham Ward, Dr Kay Phillips, joined staff from the housing charity Shelter on their second day of national strike action. Shelter staff who are members of the UNITE union are in dispute with their bosses who want to cut their annual pay by over £3000 and increase the working week by 2 &1/2 hours. This is to enable their bosses to bid for government contracts. Ken's visit helped raise the profile of the strike in Manchester with the local and national media. It was his film of 40 years ago, Cathy come home, that helped launch Shelter. Dr Kay Phillips worked as a GP for the street homeless for 8 years. Both Ken and Kay give their wholehearted support to the Shelter staff and wish them victory in their strike. Statement
of support for Shelter workers from George Galloway MP I have long felt proud to be support the work you do in Shelter, which has done so much to highlight the national scandal of homelessness and overcrowding. Both those issues blight the lives of large numbers of my constituents in East London. They need Shelter to be a strong, campaigning organisation – that requires a staff which is properly and fairly rewarded, well motivated and respected. Ken Loach – a fellow leading figure in the Respect party – has already spoken out powerfully in your support, on Radio 4 and elsewhere, and I have no hesitation in joining him. It is almost beyond belief that you are being forced to sign new, inferior contracts. These are the kinds of neo-liberal measures which on a social scale contribute to the housing crisis Shelter does so much to address. I know you have not taken the decision to take strike action in defence of your pay and conditions lightly. But you have done so overwhelmingly. I have had over 30 years membership and association with the TGWU – now part of Unite – and I know it has always acted not only for its members but for the wider social good. As a longstanding friend and supporter of Shelter, I would appeal to the management to meet with your union representatives, withdraw these attacks on your conditions and pay, and together with you seek to win the funding that the charity deserves to do its vital work. In solidarity, George
Galloway
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