The other shoe dropped: Clarks strikers defeat fire-and-rehire

Warehouse workers employed by Clarks have won after striking for eight weeks to stop the company’s fire-and-rehire plans, reports Shabbir Lakha

After striking for eight weeks, Clarks workers have been victorious in stopping the company’s fire-and-rehire plans. The deal which members of Community Union agreed to will protect hourly pay for established employees and increase pay for new workers.

While the exact details of the deal have not been made public, this is a huge win for workers who were facing a 15% cut to their wages.

The notorious tactic of fire-and-rehire has been a favourite tool used by employers to push the costs of the pandemic onto their workers and slash their working conditions. The victory for Clarks warehouse workers is significant in its own right, but will also strengthen struggles elsewhere against the bosses’ underhanded tactics.

Clarks workers have shown that concerted collective action can win and this will give confidence to others across industries to unionise, organise and fight back.