The latest in a series of protests and action by electricians and their supporters took place on wed 2nd Nov. Assembling at 6.30am for a blockade of the site at 110 Cannon Street run by Gratte Brothers, they found the site already shut. Whilst the cops declared their protest illegal and threatened arrests the sparks entered Cannon st tube station and held a short rally, before marching to the OccupyLSX protest camp by St Paul's Cathedral.

A major national day of action has been called in London for 9th November [2] with plans to shut down several high profile construction sites. The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) has also called a national demonstration in London "Defend Education - Fight Privitisation" on the 9th with the financial centre of the City of London as the target. NCAFC said they "stand 100% behind the sparks, and want to work with electricians to make sure that the protests converge".

See: Police could arrest sparks at Pinnacle protest
http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2011/11/02/police-could-arrest-sparks-at-pinnacle-protest/

VIDEO: Sparks protest - Canon Street November 2 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZOn8Wp2vPw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihwgTy6Gpbw

London sparks break media black out
http://www.shopstewards.net/news.184.htm

See also:
Sparks protest forces Balfour Beatty off Carrington site
http://www.shopstewards.net/news.182.htm

Plus

Text produced by London Anarchist Federation and distributed to construction workers:
http://afed.org.uk/blog/workplace/261-sparks-special.html

The Cautiously Pessimistic blog takes a look at the current struggle of electricians in the UK and puts it in the context of struggles against austerity around the world:
http://libcom.org/news/chance-start-writing-ourselves-back-story-28092011

See also Wed 19th Blocakde Report / Wed 26th Oct blockade report

http://www.jibelectrician.blogspot.com
http://union-news.co.uk/tag/sparks/

Balfour Beatty, who run the Blackfriars construction project, are not only the driving force behind the 35% pay cut and withdrawal from the JIB National Agreement. They are also one of the main culprits in the blacklisting of construction workers for taking part in trade union activities. Other employers are Bailey Building Services, Tommy Clarke, Crown House Technologies, Gratte Brothers, SES and Spie Matthew Hall.