Bristol Solidarity Network is very proud and pleased to announce our second win with Anglian Home Improvements caving in after a mammoth and slightly premature one call communications blockade! Marta has won her fight and has been paid in full with local management comedy duo Bill & Phil making the long journey from Avonmouth to Easton to meet with Marta and a Solidarity Network rapid response team to handover the cash and beg for no more attention directed at their company. This is how we did it!

On Monday 28th April, Bristol Solidarity Network visited the company’s Avonmouth offices to deliver Marta’s demand letter with 10 day deadline. Despite management aggression Marta confidently read out her demand letter and we left with a promise of payment that day.
Quote of the day from the regional manager – “I like a bit of solidarity myself!”

The money owed was not transferred as promised so we moved onto the next stage and planned a communications blockade for the 9th of May. Word spread like wild fire around various networks globally and one have a go hero from Manchester jumped the gun a day early and helped secure us a quick win – thanks comrade! Management tried some Jedi mind tricks on the one caller, insisting they “felt threatened by a group of angry Poles, armed with Lightsabers”. The reality was a 5 year old participant in the action had brought his toy with him.

At 9am on Thursday the 8th May Phil & Bill repeatedly phoned Marta in a bit of a fluster, desperately seeking to meet up and make it all stop. Later that day at a cafe in Easton humble pie was on the menu as they handed the cash over! Direct Action gets the goods! Next ……..

“I cannot believe it was so easy. It would not be without Bristol Solidarity Network. This fantastic group of people is able to win anything! I am so grateful for every minute spent by you to help me! It is too hard for me to express my feelings now because I am still so excited. Just thank you for everything. Everyone should join this group. They are the best inspiration ever.” – Marta.

UPDATE, 8TH MAY 2014. COMMS BLOCKADE IS NOW OFF. SEE HERE FOR DETAILS OF WIN.

Bristol Solidarity Network is accompanying Marta in her fight to reclaim wages stolen by Anglian Home Improvements. Marta is owed £670 for 14 days work she did between January and March 2014. Despite many promises the company has continuously evaded it’s responsibility to pay what they owe.
Following an initial visit to their Avonmouth offices to deliver a letter demanding payment management again made assurances that the wages would be paid that day, 28th April. To this date Marta has received no payment.

We are now calling for a communications blockade of Anglian’s local offices, showroom and management.
Please join this action to put pressure on the bosses to pay up. Let them know what you think throughout the day on 9th May, the day after the payment deadline.
Below are phone numbers, facebook, twitter, and email address to contact. Please express your support and solidarity for Marta and recommend they pay what they owe and stop wage theft.

Marta’s boss, Philip May – 07865 083562 / 01452 835613
Philip’s boss, Bill – 07918 640523
Avonmouth office – 0800 500600
Winterbourne showroom – 0800 393673 / 01454 772404
Customer care line – 0800 9889398

facebook.com/AnglianHomeImprovements
customer.services@angliangroup.com
Twitter: @AnglianHome

We would appreciate it if you can let us know how your conversations went by emailing bristolsolidaritynetwork@riseup.net or on facebook.com/BristolSolNet.

Bristol Solidarity Network are happy and proud to announce our first win!

Together with Bristol IWW, we accompanied Generosa, a courageous and determined woman fighting spurious claims made against her by the bullying management of St. Christopher’s school. This was a clear example of attempts to make the job intolerable and to force a worker out of their job as part of “restructuring”. Management were understandably unnerved when they saw that Generosa had accompaniment at her “disciplinary” meeting, and all the more so when the inconsistencies and dubious nature of both the process and the allegations against her were quickly and effectively exposed. On the back foot and under serious pressure from the off, management finished the meeting saying that they would have to investigate further. In reality this meant beating a hasty retreat and discontinuing the groundless and vindictive attack on this worker.
Generosa showed a great example that standing up to the bosses and not taking it lying down can get results. We also see here the strength of accompaniment and solidarity, as the management’s tune changed dramatically when they realised that this woman was not an isolated, easy target but instead had determined and committed back up.
Our solidarity and best wishes go out to Generosa and all like her who choose to fight to win!