The first London solidarity picket for the 2 Polish Tescos workers sacked last week in Dublin took place on Thursday evening. Around 20 people turned out to leaflet shoppers and staff at the Tesco’s store on Morning Lane in Hackney – the same store targeted by the Precarity Assembly for action on Mayday this year.

The picket was very well received by shoppers, many of whom were approaching us for leaflets rather than the other way around! One staff member, leaving the store after finishing her shift told us “I shouldn’t be seen talking to you lot here, but I just wanted to say I totally support this.”

Tescos managers on the other hand were not so impressed. As the first pickets arrived just before 6pm, a line of 6 managers were spread across the entrance to the store, possibly fearing a repeat performance of the Mayday antics. The picket had no plan for such action - on this occasion. We hope that Tescos will make the sensible choice and agree to the demands put forward by the Committee of Defence of Temp Workers in Tesco which are:

1. Cancel the layoff for the fired workers
2. Making a rule that a temp worker who worked longer than 3 months gets a permanent contract with all benefits
3. Tesco must get rid of the daily norm of 1000 boxes.

This campaign is just beginning and we hope that many more pickets and protest will take place at Tescos’ stores while they continue their attacks on the terms and conditions of their fulltime workers and continue to ill treat and ignore the demands their agency workforce.