Bristol Solidarity Federation picketed a branch of giant employment agency and arch strike-breakers Adecco last week in solidarity with striking workers at the Asea Boveri Brown (ABB) factory in Cordoba, Spain. The strike was called in protest at ABB plans to make workers employed at the factory by subcontractors EULEN redundant and replace them with EUROCEN non-union labour with no experience or qualifications. EUROCEN is the logistics division of the ADECCO Group of companies. The dispute was fuelled by serious breaches of health and safety in the factory and by management's refusal to honour collective agreements. Adecco has been providing scab labour to try and break the strike.

The picket, called to coincide with others around the UK, was joined by a comrade from Spain so it was solidarity and new friendships formed on the pavement as well as across the IWA. Leaflets were handed out to passers by and Adecco staff were given a few copies to expose them to the unscrupulous activities of their employer and to let them know that we're onto them. One youthful passer-by asked us if we were getting paid for handing out leaflets. When our negative response drew a bemused expression we tried to explain the concept of solidarity. "Well, I'm sure you help your mum out don't you?" asked one of our number. "Not really no" he replied a bit too quickly, "I get paid to wash up"....