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Friday, February 27, 2009
National campaign to save car and manufacturing jobs
National campaign to save car and manufacturing jobs
Unite has launched a national campaign to save jobs in manufacturing in Britain as the jobs of up to 6,000 motor industry workers hang in the balance with the threatened collapse of van-maker LDV, and agency workers at BMW in Cowley continue to be laid off.
This week an estimated 500 agency workers at the BMW plant are expected to join 330 colleagues sacked last week in the ranks of the unemployed.
Unite, concerned that the recession is biting deep into manufacturing and is hitting the car industry especially hard, is launching a national campaign to save jobs across the sector.
It is also seeking to secure compensation for the Oxford workers already dismissed, backed by thousands of expressions of support for the workers and condemnation of BMW for the manner in which the agency workers, some of whom worked at the plant for six years, were sacked without a penny.
Unite has set up an online petition - www.savemanufacturing.co.uk - to channel support for a national strategy for manufacturing, and to maintain pressure on BMW to treat the sacked workers fairly.
Unite joint general secretary, Tony Woodley, said: “The sackings last week were shocking, with workers given barely an hour’s notice as they finished their shifts. This is no way to deal with the worldwide difficulties facing the motor industry and we expect far better from a company of BMW’s standing.
“Make no mistake, we are now in a battle to save jobs, to save our manufacturing sector and protect our communities from the ravages of unemployment. We urge workers everywhere to sign this petition. We can save jobs, but time is dangerously close to running out. The banks are failing to do the job taxpayers have funded them to do, which is get the cash to needy businesses.
"The government has some good ideas about how it can support this vital industry, and has set aside £1 billion to do so, but accessing this support is like cracking the Da Vinci code. This money needs to get into the hands of employers who need it most desperately, and get to them fast, so that workers can be kept in work and this industry can help drag our country out of recession.”
Tony Woodley condemned BMW for using the agency status of 520 workers at Cowley to allow them to be dismissed without proper notice or compensation: “We have been inundated with messages of support for these workers. People are shocked to learn that BMW can quite lawfully exploit these workers, who could be thrown on the dole without a penny and without forewarning because of their agency status. We are saying to BMW and to employers everywhere that you cannot treat your agency workers as second class citizens.”
Unite is pressing the government to establish a £13 billion strategic fund to support manufacturing through the recession. It also wants £100 million, already identified by the government as assistance, to be used immediately to introduce short-time working across the sector, and for the government to act to protect agency workers from sacking without compensation.
Unite has launched a national campaign to save jobs in manufacturing in Britain as the jobs of up to 6,000 motor industry workers hang in the balance with the threatened collapse of van-maker LDV, and agency workers at BMW in Cowley continue to be laid off.
This week an estimated 500 agency workers at the BMW plant are expected to join 330 colleagues sacked last week in the ranks of the unemployed.
Unite, concerned that the recession is biting deep into manufacturing and is hitting the car industry especially hard, is launching a national campaign to save jobs across the sector.
It is also seeking to secure compensation for the Oxford workers already dismissed, backed by thousands of expressions of support for the workers and condemnation of BMW for the manner in which the agency workers, some of whom worked at the plant for six years, were sacked without a penny.
Unite has set up an online petition - www.savemanufacturing.co.uk - to channel support for a national strategy for manufacturing, and to maintain pressure on BMW to treat the sacked workers fairly.
Unite joint general secretary, Tony Woodley, said: “The sackings last week were shocking, with workers given barely an hour’s notice as they finished their shifts. This is no way to deal with the worldwide difficulties facing the motor industry and we expect far better from a company of BMW’s standing.
“Make no mistake, we are now in a battle to save jobs, to save our manufacturing sector and protect our communities from the ravages of unemployment. We urge workers everywhere to sign this petition. We can save jobs, but time is dangerously close to running out. The banks are failing to do the job taxpayers have funded them to do, which is get the cash to needy businesses.
"The government has some good ideas about how it can support this vital industry, and has set aside £1 billion to do so, but accessing this support is like cracking the Da Vinci code. This money needs to get into the hands of employers who need it most desperately, and get to them fast, so that workers can be kept in work and this industry can help drag our country out of recession.”
Tony Woodley condemned BMW for using the agency status of 520 workers at Cowley to allow them to be dismissed without proper notice or compensation: “We have been inundated with messages of support for these workers. People are shocked to learn that BMW can quite lawfully exploit these workers, who could be thrown on the dole without a penny and without forewarning because of their agency status. We are saying to BMW and to employers everywhere that you cannot treat your agency workers as second class citizens.”
Unite is pressing the government to establish a £13 billion strategic fund to support manufacturing through the recession. It also wants £100 million, already identified by the government as assistance, to be used immediately to introduce short-time working across the sector, and for the government to act to protect agency workers from sacking without compensation.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Earth to Bosses - get real! Employers call for light touch on agency staff.
Well it looks like they will never learn will they?
Just as the Fat Cats argued why big city bonuses were a essential to retain the idiots who created the worst economic crisis ever, now we are getting cals for delays and a "light touch" (remember that in the financial sector?) from the bosses on Agency Workers - including the EEF and other trade bodies.
This from todays FT.....
A government-brokered deal between employers and trade unions to improve the rights of agency and temporary workers is under siege following last week's abrupt sacking of 850 agency workers at BMW's Mini car plant in Oxford.
The contracts of the workers, who were not entitled to statutory redundancy pay, were terminated immediately and they will receive only one week's pay in lieu of notice.
The sackings have prompted calls from trade unions and Labour backbenchers for ministers to enact immediately European Union rules providing greater protection for the country's 1.4m agency workers.
For most of the past decade, the UK has opposed the introduction of a temporary and agency workers directive, fearing it would undermine the country's flexible labour market, which has attracted jobs and investment to Britain that otherwise would not have come.
It supported the directive only in return for an agreement from European employment ministers that the UK would be allowed to retain its opt-out from other EU rules restricting working hours.
The agreement is now under threat after the opt-out was opposed last December by Brussels MPs.
The UK, meanwhile, is committed to incorporating the agency workers directive into British law by 2011.
It is in a position to do so because of an agreement reached almost a year ago between the Confederation of British Industry, the business lobby, and the Trades Union Congress that temporary and agency workers should be given the same basic pay and conditions as permanent staff after 12 weeks in a job.
This still begs the question of how far legislation should go in protecting the rights of temporary and agency workers.
Employers say it should go no further than equal basic pay and existing statutory rights, which already cover all workers.
Moreover, they want Britain to delay enacting the new rules until the last possible moment and economic recovery is well under way.
David Yeandle, head of employment policy at the EEF, representing manufacturers, writing to the Financial Times, said ministers should make full use of the three-year implementation period in the directive and not implement it in the UK until at least December 2011.
He warns that early implementation could coincide with the first signs that the economy is starting to recover and when employers might be starting to think about recruiting more people.
"Employers will be very cautious about the future," he says, "and, therefore, will probably want initially to recruit temporary agency workers rather than permanent employees.
"If at that time, the cost and administrative burdens associated with taking on agency workers was felt to be increasing, it could lead to employers putting off their recruitment plans and therefore slowing the recovery. "
Employers' calls for delay and light-touch legislation will not cut much ice with trade union leaders, who are demanding greater protection for "vulnerable workers", such as those at Oxford.
Derek Simpson joint general secretary of Unite, Britain's second largest union, says: "There is nothing to stop the UK government acting now to protect agency workers. The disgraceful sacking of 850 agency workers at BMW's Mini plant shows just how vulnerable these workers are to the current economic downturn.
"Employers treat them as second-class citizens, they have no rights to redundancy pay, sick pay or holiday pay."
Permanent staff, by comparison, are entitled to statutory redundancy pay, provided they have been in a job for two years. Maximum severance pay for older workers is £10,500 but only after 20 years of service.
Unions argue that employers have abused labour laws by employing agency workers as permanent staff in all but name.
But Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation in the UK, says that employing agency workers has allowed companies to adjust more easily to peaks and troughs in demand, protecting the jobs of valued permanent staff, who otherwise might have to be fired in a downturn.
Costs of hiring extra staff could become prohibitive if the scope of the directive "were to be extended beyond basic salary", he says.
"Occupational social security schemes such as pension contributions and sick pay over and above the basic statutory minimum . . . must be excluded from the definition of basic working and employment conditions," says Mr Green.
Equal pay also should be strictly limited to the "basic hourly rate" for the job and exclude fringe benefits such as gym membership, travel allowance and bonus schemes, says the REC chief executive.
Equal treatment should not be established on the basis of the terms and conditions offered to an existing comparable worker who might have 20 years experience in the job, but on the market rate for a new recruit, says Mr Green.
The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (Apsco) argues that large numbers of self-employed professionals, such as IT consultants, engineers and interim managers and directors are often paid more than equivalent permanent staff and should therefore be excluded from the legislation.
Ann Swain, the association's chief executive, says: "Apsco fully supports enhancing rights for 'vulnerable' workers, but just 20 per cent of temporary workers in the UK are at or near minimum wage level - what most people would consider to be 'vulnerable'.
"This legislation couldn't come at a worse time. It will add to employment costs when unemployment is skyrocketing and will be hugely damaging to the UK labour market and risk prolonging the downturn.
"Adopting a 'one-size-fits-all' approach and including professional temporary workers in this legislation would be a costly mistake.
"We need clarification that the government will include an opt-out for highly-paid temporary workers.
"It is clear from our discussions that most supporters of this directive did not intend for them to be included; to do so - almost by default - would be an outcome that nobody wants."
Employers and trade unions will be watching very closely to see how Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, has responded to all of these arguments, when the business department publishes its consultation paper on agency workers' rights next month.
Just as the Fat Cats argued why big city bonuses were a essential to retain the idiots who created the worst economic crisis ever, now we are getting cals for delays and a "light touch" (remember that in the financial sector?) from the bosses on Agency Workers - including the EEF and other trade bodies.
This from todays FT.....
A government-brokered deal between employers and trade unions to improve the rights of agency and temporary workers is under siege following last week's abrupt sacking of 850 agency workers at BMW's Mini car plant in Oxford.
The contracts of the workers, who were not entitled to statutory redundancy pay, were terminated immediately and they will receive only one week's pay in lieu of notice.
The sackings have prompted calls from trade unions and Labour backbenchers for ministers to enact immediately European Union rules providing greater protection for the country's 1.4m agency workers.
For most of the past decade, the UK has opposed the introduction of a temporary and agency workers directive, fearing it would undermine the country's flexible labour market, which has attracted jobs and investment to Britain that otherwise would not have come.
It supported the directive only in return for an agreement from European employment ministers that the UK would be allowed to retain its opt-out from other EU rules restricting working hours.
The agreement is now under threat after the opt-out was opposed last December by Brussels MPs.
The UK, meanwhile, is committed to incorporating the agency workers directive into British law by 2011.
It is in a position to do so because of an agreement reached almost a year ago between the Confederation of British Industry, the business lobby, and the Trades Union Congress that temporary and agency workers should be given the same basic pay and conditions as permanent staff after 12 weeks in a job.
This still begs the question of how far legislation should go in protecting the rights of temporary and agency workers.
Employers say it should go no further than equal basic pay and existing statutory rights, which already cover all workers.
Moreover, they want Britain to delay enacting the new rules until the last possible moment and economic recovery is well under way.
David Yeandle, head of employment policy at the EEF, representing manufacturers, writing to the Financial Times, said ministers should make full use of the three-year implementation period in the directive and not implement it in the UK until at least December 2011.
He warns that early implementation could coincide with the first signs that the economy is starting to recover and when employers might be starting to think about recruiting more people.
"Employers will be very cautious about the future," he says, "and, therefore, will probably want initially to recruit temporary agency workers rather than permanent employees.
"If at that time, the cost and administrative burdens associated with taking on agency workers was felt to be increasing, it could lead to employers putting off their recruitment plans and therefore slowing the recovery. "
Employers' calls for delay and light-touch legislation will not cut much ice with trade union leaders, who are demanding greater protection for "vulnerable workers", such as those at Oxford.
Derek Simpson joint general secretary of Unite, Britain's second largest union, says: "There is nothing to stop the UK government acting now to protect agency workers. The disgraceful sacking of 850 agency workers at BMW's Mini plant shows just how vulnerable these workers are to the current economic downturn.
"Employers treat them as second-class citizens, they have no rights to redundancy pay, sick pay or holiday pay."
Permanent staff, by comparison, are entitled to statutory redundancy pay, provided they have been in a job for two years. Maximum severance pay for older workers is £10,500 but only after 20 years of service.
Unions argue that employers have abused labour laws by employing agency workers as permanent staff in all but name.
But Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation in the UK, says that employing agency workers has allowed companies to adjust more easily to peaks and troughs in demand, protecting the jobs of valued permanent staff, who otherwise might have to be fired in a downturn.
Costs of hiring extra staff could become prohibitive if the scope of the directive "were to be extended beyond basic salary", he says.
"Occupational social security schemes such as pension contributions and sick pay over and above the basic statutory minimum . . . must be excluded from the definition of basic working and employment conditions," says Mr Green.
Equal pay also should be strictly limited to the "basic hourly rate" for the job and exclude fringe benefits such as gym membership, travel allowance and bonus schemes, says the REC chief executive.
Equal treatment should not be established on the basis of the terms and conditions offered to an existing comparable worker who might have 20 years experience in the job, but on the market rate for a new recruit, says Mr Green.
The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (Apsco) argues that large numbers of self-employed professionals, such as IT consultants, engineers and interim managers and directors are often paid more than equivalent permanent staff and should therefore be excluded from the legislation.
Ann Swain, the association's chief executive, says: "Apsco fully supports enhancing rights for 'vulnerable' workers, but just 20 per cent of temporary workers in the UK are at or near minimum wage level - what most people would consider to be 'vulnerable'.
"This legislation couldn't come at a worse time. It will add to employment costs when unemployment is skyrocketing and will be hugely damaging to the UK labour market and risk prolonging the downturn.
"Adopting a 'one-size-fits-all' approach and including professional temporary workers in this legislation would be a costly mistake.
"We need clarification that the government will include an opt-out for highly-paid temporary workers.
"It is clear from our discussions that most supporters of this directive did not intend for them to be included; to do so - almost by default - would be an outcome that nobody wants."
Employers and trade unions will be watching very closely to see how Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, has responded to all of these arguments, when the business department publishes its consultation paper on agency workers' rights next month.
Lindsay Hoyle MP's Bill on Better Statutory Redundancy Pay
On March 13th, in just two weeks time, Labour MP, Lindsay Hoyle will be putting forward a Bill to uprate the current cap on statutory redundancy pay - the minimum that workers can expect to be paid if they are laid off.
When it was first introduced, this was more than double the average weekly wage.
But because it has not been increased with inflation, it is now worth only half of average pay.
This is an important issue for working people and their families - more than ever in these turbulent economic times.
s
Because of the rules on Private Member’s Bills, Unions Together who are co-ordinating the campaign need enough MPs to turn up to support the Bill, or any MP who opposes it can just “talk out” the Bill, preventing it even getting to a vote.
It is crucial that we ensure there are enough MPs supporting the Bill in the House of Commons on March 13th so it can move forward.
You can help - spend just two minutes writing to your MP now, and make sure they support Linday Hoyle's bill.
Visit the Facebook site below and this will take you through the simple steps to email your MP.
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.unionstogether.org.uk%2Ffairplay
When it was first introduced, this was more than double the average weekly wage.
But because it has not been increased with inflation, it is now worth only half of average pay.
This is an important issue for working people and their families - more than ever in these turbulent economic times.
s
Because of the rules on Private Member’s Bills, Unions Together who are co-ordinating the campaign need enough MPs to turn up to support the Bill, or any MP who opposes it can just “talk out” the Bill, preventing it even getting to a vote.
It is crucial that we ensure there are enough MPs supporting the Bill in the House of Commons on March 13th so it can move forward.
You can help - spend just two minutes writing to your MP now, and make sure they support Linday Hoyle's bill.
Visit the Facebook site below and this will take you through the simple steps to email your MP.
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.unionstogether.org.uk%2Ffairplay
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Hundreds plan power station protest
From the Press Association
Hundreds plan power station protest
Hundreds of unemployed construction workers are to stage a demonstration amid claims they continue to be denied the chance to apply for jobs at a power station.
Unite's joint general secretary, Derek Simpson will lead a march to the Staythorpe power station near Newark in Nottinghamshire, while a protest will also be held on the Isle of Grain in Kent to highlight claims that over 1,000 jobs will go to overseas rather than UK workers.
Unions claim that sub contractors at the two sites planned to recruit entirely from overseas even though there were plenty of suitably skilled workers in this country.
The issue flared last month when a series of wildcat strikes broke out in support of workers at an oil refinery in North Lincolnshire who claimed they weren't being given an opportunity to apply for jobs.
Mr Simpson said: "The government must act now to level the playing field for UK workers. We need action which compels companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects to sign up to corporate social responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK labour.
"The UK needs to upgrade and build new power stations and there are huge opportunities to create thousands of well paid and highly skilled jobs. It will be a disgrace if UK workers are not even allowed to apply for jobs to build British power stations.
"There are still employers who are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on construction projects. No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite is calling on the Government to insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects sign up to corporate social responsibility agreements committing contractors to fair access for UK labour.
Contractors have insisted UK workers were not being overlooked for jobs at the two sites.
Hundreds plan power station protest
Hundreds of unemployed construction workers are to stage a demonstration amid claims they continue to be denied the chance to apply for jobs at a power station.
Unite's joint general secretary, Derek Simpson will lead a march to the Staythorpe power station near Newark in Nottinghamshire, while a protest will also be held on the Isle of Grain in Kent to highlight claims that over 1,000 jobs will go to overseas rather than UK workers.
Unions claim that sub contractors at the two sites planned to recruit entirely from overseas even though there were plenty of suitably skilled workers in this country.
The issue flared last month when a series of wildcat strikes broke out in support of workers at an oil refinery in North Lincolnshire who claimed they weren't being given an opportunity to apply for jobs.
Mr Simpson said: "The government must act now to level the playing field for UK workers. We need action which compels companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects to sign up to corporate social responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK labour.
"The UK needs to upgrade and build new power stations and there are huge opportunities to create thousands of well paid and highly skilled jobs. It will be a disgrace if UK workers are not even allowed to apply for jobs to build British power stations.
"There are still employers who are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on construction projects. No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite is calling on the Government to insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects sign up to corporate social responsibility agreements committing contractors to fair access for UK labour.
Contractors have insisted UK workers were not being overlooked for jobs at the two sites.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tony Woodley's Letter To BMW
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, wrote to the Chairman of BMW's Board of Management to protest in the strongest possible terms his union's outrage at the manner in which 330 BMW agency workers were summarily sacked this week - and warned the German car company that there will be no further repeats of last Monday's disgraceful sackings.
BMW is seeking to sack a total of 850 agency workers in total at its Cowley plant, 330 of whom were dismissed one hour before their shift finished on Monday of this week. The balance, 520 workers, face the sack when they return to work this coming Monday.
However, Tony has warned BMW that Unite will not accept any further dismissals. Instead, Mr Woodley says that the company must sit down with the union as a matter of urgency to discuss saving jobs at the plant. Unite is also accusing BMW of abusing the agreement on agency labour at Cowley, taking advantage of the workers' lack of rights to exploit working men and women, throwing them to the dole without further expense to or effort by the company.
In his letter to Dr Norber Reithofer, Chairman of the BMW Management Board, Tony said:
"You have treated your workforce with utter contempt. The difficulties of the car industry globally are well known, but the manner in which BMW has sought to address the reduction of its volumes at the Cowley plant in the UK is nothing short of disgraceful. You would not treat a dog this way, never mind loyal and committed employees.
"The dismissal of the weekend shift, with many workers who have worked at Cowley for up to five years, with only one hour's notice, has to rank as the most outrageous form of dismissal that we have experienced in the car industry in the UK.
"You have exploited not only our agreement on the use of agency labour, but also more importantly, you have exploited ordinary men and women who deserve better treatment from an employer of your standing."
Tony Woodley went on to say that Unite will not accept the dismissal of a further 520 agency workers when they return to work as expected on Monday, 23rd February. Many of these workers remain unclear as to whether or not they even have a job to go to on Monday as they have received no word from the company concerning its plans for them:
"Notwithstanding any announcements you may already have made to employees, permanent or agency, we do not expect you to confirm any dismissals until we have had proper negotiations about the situation."
Tony Woodley states that the agreement to allow the use of agency labour at the plant was "most certainly not to see the creation of second class citizens who do not have the entitlement to redundancy payments in spite of years of service.
"My members, be they permanent or agency, are workers with families and responsibilities, not some asset to be cast aside as cannon fodder."
Asserting that the company has been "secretive" with its plans to dismiss the workers, Tony Woodley is urging BMW to now change tack and instead work with Unite on ways to address the downturn and retain skilled workers:
"I not only speak for my members but I think for Britain, when I ask for a meeting with your company to find a more acceptable solution to what I appreciate is a difficult time for BMW and the industry."
BMW is seeking to sack a total of 850 agency workers in total at its Cowley plant, 330 of whom were dismissed one hour before their shift finished on Monday of this week. The balance, 520 workers, face the sack when they return to work this coming Monday.
However, Tony has warned BMW that Unite will not accept any further dismissals. Instead, Mr Woodley says that the company must sit down with the union as a matter of urgency to discuss saving jobs at the plant. Unite is also accusing BMW of abusing the agreement on agency labour at Cowley, taking advantage of the workers' lack of rights to exploit working men and women, throwing them to the dole without further expense to or effort by the company.
In his letter to Dr Norber Reithofer, Chairman of the BMW Management Board, Tony said:
"You have treated your workforce with utter contempt. The difficulties of the car industry globally are well known, but the manner in which BMW has sought to address the reduction of its volumes at the Cowley plant in the UK is nothing short of disgraceful. You would not treat a dog this way, never mind loyal and committed employees.
"The dismissal of the weekend shift, with many workers who have worked at Cowley for up to five years, with only one hour's notice, has to rank as the most outrageous form of dismissal that we have experienced in the car industry in the UK.
"You have exploited not only our agreement on the use of agency labour, but also more importantly, you have exploited ordinary men and women who deserve better treatment from an employer of your standing."
Tony Woodley went on to say that Unite will not accept the dismissal of a further 520 agency workers when they return to work as expected on Monday, 23rd February. Many of these workers remain unclear as to whether or not they even have a job to go to on Monday as they have received no word from the company concerning its plans for them:
"Notwithstanding any announcements you may already have made to employees, permanent or agency, we do not expect you to confirm any dismissals until we have had proper negotiations about the situation."
Tony Woodley states that the agreement to allow the use of agency labour at the plant was "most certainly not to see the creation of second class citizens who do not have the entitlement to redundancy payments in spite of years of service.
"My members, be they permanent or agency, are workers with families and responsibilities, not some asset to be cast aside as cannon fodder."
Asserting that the company has been "secretive" with its plans to dismiss the workers, Tony Woodley is urging BMW to now change tack and instead work with Unite on ways to address the downturn and retain skilled workers:
"I not only speak for my members but I think for Britain, when I ask for a meeting with your company to find a more acceptable solution to what I appreciate is a difficult time for BMW and the industry."
Woodley call for urgent Government action to save car jobs.
UK car plant 'at risk of closure'
From the BBC -
A UK car plant that directly and indirectly employs more than 6,000 people may be forced to close within days, Unite joint leader.
Tony declined to name the facility in question, but said it needed urgent state aid to stay open.
"We've got a car plant that, within just a couple of days, would have run of cash and needs serious financial help to stop over 6,000 people losing their jobs," said Mr Woodley. He said the government had to act to prevent "a catastrophe".
New car production in the UK fell dramatically in January from a year earlier, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
From the BBC -
A UK car plant that directly and indirectly employs more than 6,000 people may be forced to close within days, Unite joint leader.
Tony declined to name the facility in question, but said it needed urgent state aid to stay open.
"We've got a car plant that, within just a couple of days, would have run of cash and needs serious financial help to stop over 6,000 people losing their jobs," said Mr Woodley. He said the government had to act to prevent "a catastrophe".
New car production in the UK fell dramatically in January from a year earlier, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
March and Demo at Staythorpe and Isle of Grain
March for Fair Access to Jobs at Staythorpe
Date: 10.30am, Tuesday, 24th February, 2009
Time: Assemble at 10.30am. March commences at 11.00am.
Assembly point: Great North Road, Lorry Park. The workers will march from North Road, Lorry Park to Butter Market for a rally.
Route: March out of car park onto Great North Road heading toward Newark and down to roundabout. Turn left onto Bar Gate and right onto Kirk Gate. Follow the road and take next right into Middle Gate and left into Stodman Street to end the march in Butter Market for speakers.
Coaches can park free in Great North Lorry Park.
Cars can park next to lorry park in pay and display.
Leading a march of hundreds of unemployed construction workers will be Unite's joint general secretary, Derek Simpson.
The march is to campaign for fair access to jobs for unemployed construction workers being refused work at Staythorpe power station.
Demonstrations will also take place outside Grain power station in Kent between 6.30am and 9.30am
Grain Power Station
Isle of Grain
Rochester
Kent ME3 0AF
Background:
Alstom has been contracted by RWE to build the Staythorpe power station, a gas-fired power station near Newark. Two companies, Montpressa and FMM, have been subcontracted to carry out construction work on the site. These two non-UK contracting companies say they have no intention of employing any local labour to undertake the work.
Unite estimates that 600 jobs will be needed to build the power stations turbine and boiler (Montpressa will fit the turbine and FMM will fit the boiler), and another 250 to build the pipe connecting the two. None of these jobs will go to UK workers.
At the Isle of Grain, two sub-contractors, Remak and ZRE, have also refused to consider applications for work from UK-based labour. Unite estimates that the two sub-contractors will require 450 workers over the lifetime of the project. Alstom has been contracted by E.on to build the power station.
Unite is calling on the government to insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects sign up to corporate social responsibility agreements committing contractors to fair access for UK labour.
Date: 10.30am, Tuesday, 24th February, 2009
Time: Assemble at 10.30am. March commences at 11.00am.
Assembly point: Great North Road, Lorry Park. The workers will march from North Road, Lorry Park to Butter Market for a rally.
Route: March out of car park onto Great North Road heading toward Newark and down to roundabout. Turn left onto Bar Gate and right onto Kirk Gate. Follow the road and take next right into Middle Gate and left into Stodman Street to end the march in Butter Market for speakers.
Coaches can park free in Great North Lorry Park.
Cars can park next to lorry park in pay and display.
Leading a march of hundreds of unemployed construction workers will be Unite's joint general secretary, Derek Simpson.
The march is to campaign for fair access to jobs for unemployed construction workers being refused work at Staythorpe power station.
Demonstrations will also take place outside Grain power station in Kent between 6.30am and 9.30am
Grain Power Station
Isle of Grain
Rochester
Kent ME3 0AF
Background:
Alstom has been contracted by RWE to build the Staythorpe power station, a gas-fired power station near Newark. Two companies, Montpressa and FMM, have been subcontracted to carry out construction work on the site. These two non-UK contracting companies say they have no intention of employing any local labour to undertake the work.
Unite estimates that 600 jobs will be needed to build the power stations turbine and boiler (Montpressa will fit the turbine and FMM will fit the boiler), and another 250 to build the pipe connecting the two. None of these jobs will go to UK workers.
At the Isle of Grain, two sub-contractors, Remak and ZRE, have also refused to consider applications for work from UK-based labour. Unite estimates that the two sub-contractors will require 450 workers over the lifetime of the project. Alstom has been contracted by E.on to build the power station.
Unite is calling on the government to insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects sign up to corporate social responsibility agreements committing contractors to fair access for UK labour.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
United behind Simpson
From this morning's Daily Mirror.....
United behind Simpson
Kevin Maguire 18/02/2009
Unite co-leader Derek Simpson stood up for striking power station construction workers despite legal threats.
He recognised the dangers posed to British workers by hostile European Court rulings before other union chiefs.
Simpson's also at the forefront of the battle to get Labourre-elected and keep the Tories out of power.
Unite under his leadership's taking the fight to David Cameron in key marginal seats that will decide Britain's fate.
Which is precisely why the Tories are cheering on the motley crew in bed with Rupert Murdoch to tear Unite apart.
Conservatives will be the ultimate winners of the chaos if Simpson isn't re-elected as leader of Unite's Amicus section.
I tend to stay out of union elections but this contest is too important to ignore. Ballot papers have gone out this week and I agree with Mirror colleague Paul Routledge.
If I had a vote, mine would also go to Derek Simpson.
United behind Simpson
Kevin Maguire 18/02/2009
Unite co-leader Derek Simpson stood up for striking power station construction workers despite legal threats.
He recognised the dangers posed to British workers by hostile European Court rulings before other union chiefs.
Simpson's also at the forefront of the battle to get Labourre-elected and keep the Tories out of power.
Unite under his leadership's taking the fight to David Cameron in key marginal seats that will decide Britain's fate.
Which is precisely why the Tories are cheering on the motley crew in bed with Rupert Murdoch to tear Unite apart.
Conservatives will be the ultimate winners of the chaos if Simpson isn't re-elected as leader of Unite's Amicus section.
I tend to stay out of union elections but this contest is too important to ignore. Ballot papers have gone out this week and I agree with Mirror colleague Paul Routledge.
If I had a vote, mine would also go to Derek Simpson.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Unite response to ACAS inquiry into recent unoffcial action
Unite: The ACAS inquiry into the recent unofficial action :"The law wasn't broken the law was wrong"
Responding to the ACAS inquiry into the recent unofficial action at Lindsey oil refinery, Unite's joint general secretary Derek Simpson said: "The law wasn't broken the law was wrong."
"Unless European governments start to put working people first with protective legislation that applies across the whole of the EU, then protests like the ones we have seen in the construction industry will go on until they do."
Writing in a blog on Derek Draper's Labour List, Mr Simpson said: "At the root of the problem is that European employment law as interpreted by successive UK governments has provided little protection for UK workers from social dumping."
"The campaign for fair access to jobs for British workers in the construction industry has nothing to do with the exclusion of other EU nationals from work in Britain. It is in fact about protecting people working in Britain from exploitation regardless of where they come from. It is a class issue not a race issue."
"A short term solution to this situation is for the government to insist on corporate social responsibility clauses in all contracts on major infrastructure projects. This method is currently employed in France where Alstom, one of the companies at the centre of the dispute, are required to give consideration to local labour on all of its building projects."
The following comment from Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite has been posted on Derek Drapers, Labour List.
The campaign for fair access to jobs for British workers in the construction industry has nothing to do with the exclusion of other EU nationals from work in Britain. It is in fact about protecting people working in Britain from exploitation regardless of where they come from. It is a class issue not a race issue.
The ACAS inquiry has found that TOTAL had not broken any law at the Lindsey oil refinery and that's the point. The law wasn't broken the law was wrong. At the root of the problem is that European employment law as interpreted by successive UK governments has provided little protections for UK workers from social dumping. It has come in the form of the outsourcing of manufacturing and finance jobs to low wage economies or through the importation of migrant labour prepared to do all manner of jobs for minimum wages.
The second of these has tended not to affect organised skilled workers until now - and not because of rising unemployment or the credit crunch, the engineering construction industry is booming. It is because of EU employment law as it has been interpreted by the European Court of Justice. Three recent judgements have in effect made collective bargaining in the UK obsolete. The rulings enable service providers to obtain contracts in one EU state and bring a workforce from another and pay those staff at rates below those agreed with local trade unions. Which doesn’t sound like anything new but here’s the rub. The local unions cannot take action against the employer to protect the nationally agreed pay rates because it would be illegal.
The long term effect of this interpretation of the law will be to drive wage levels down across the whole of Europe to the lowest levels of EU accession states. The immediate effect is to deny local workers in Northern European countries access to jobs.
The solution to this issue is for the EU Commission to over turn the ECJ decisions in favour of a Posted Workers Directive with that protects ambient wage rates. The PWD as applied in the UK at the moment only protects the minimum wage.
Agreement for this action will take time and diplomacy. The accession states and those of the southern EU are enjoying a short term gain from access to work in the other EU economies. Of course the UK government is reluctant to let go of it ideological commitment to neo liberal economics and is still ducking the issue.
A short term solution to this situation is for the government to insist on corporate social responsibilities clauses in all contracts on major infrastructure projects. This method is currently employed in France where Alstom, one of the companies at the centre of the dispute, are required to give consideration to local labour on all of its building projects.
This is the kind of approach we need across the board in every industry. The alternative will result in a continued drive down to the lowest standards in pay and conditions in Europe. This trend had been hidden whilst we experienced a relatively benign economic environment but now working people across the continent have woken up to find their political masters have been working to undermine them to benefit the rich and powerful.
Working people are not in the mood to accept this situation any longer. So unless European governments start to put working people first with protective legislation that applies across the whole of the EU then protests like the ones we have seen here in the construction industry will go on until they do
Responding to the ACAS inquiry into the recent unofficial action at Lindsey oil refinery, Unite's joint general secretary Derek Simpson said: "The law wasn't broken the law was wrong."
"Unless European governments start to put working people first with protective legislation that applies across the whole of the EU, then protests like the ones we have seen in the construction industry will go on until they do."
Writing in a blog on Derek Draper's Labour List, Mr Simpson said: "At the root of the problem is that European employment law as interpreted by successive UK governments has provided little protection for UK workers from social dumping."
"The campaign for fair access to jobs for British workers in the construction industry has nothing to do with the exclusion of other EU nationals from work in Britain. It is in fact about protecting people working in Britain from exploitation regardless of where they come from. It is a class issue not a race issue."
"A short term solution to this situation is for the government to insist on corporate social responsibility clauses in all contracts on major infrastructure projects. This method is currently employed in France where Alstom, one of the companies at the centre of the dispute, are required to give consideration to local labour on all of its building projects."
The following comment from Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite has been posted on Derek Drapers, Labour List.
The campaign for fair access to jobs for British workers in the construction industry has nothing to do with the exclusion of other EU nationals from work in Britain. It is in fact about protecting people working in Britain from exploitation regardless of where they come from. It is a class issue not a race issue.
The ACAS inquiry has found that TOTAL had not broken any law at the Lindsey oil refinery and that's the point. The law wasn't broken the law was wrong. At the root of the problem is that European employment law as interpreted by successive UK governments has provided little protections for UK workers from social dumping. It has come in the form of the outsourcing of manufacturing and finance jobs to low wage economies or through the importation of migrant labour prepared to do all manner of jobs for minimum wages.
The second of these has tended not to affect organised skilled workers until now - and not because of rising unemployment or the credit crunch, the engineering construction industry is booming. It is because of EU employment law as it has been interpreted by the European Court of Justice. Three recent judgements have in effect made collective bargaining in the UK obsolete. The rulings enable service providers to obtain contracts in one EU state and bring a workforce from another and pay those staff at rates below those agreed with local trade unions. Which doesn’t sound like anything new but here’s the rub. The local unions cannot take action against the employer to protect the nationally agreed pay rates because it would be illegal.
The long term effect of this interpretation of the law will be to drive wage levels down across the whole of Europe to the lowest levels of EU accession states. The immediate effect is to deny local workers in Northern European countries access to jobs.
The solution to this issue is for the EU Commission to over turn the ECJ decisions in favour of a Posted Workers Directive with that protects ambient wage rates. The PWD as applied in the UK at the moment only protects the minimum wage.
Agreement for this action will take time and diplomacy. The accession states and those of the southern EU are enjoying a short term gain from access to work in the other EU economies. Of course the UK government is reluctant to let go of it ideological commitment to neo liberal economics and is still ducking the issue.
A short term solution to this situation is for the government to insist on corporate social responsibilities clauses in all contracts on major infrastructure projects. This method is currently employed in France where Alstom, one of the companies at the centre of the dispute, are required to give consideration to local labour on all of its building projects.
This is the kind of approach we need across the board in every industry. The alternative will result in a continued drive down to the lowest standards in pay and conditions in Europe. This trend had been hidden whilst we experienced a relatively benign economic environment but now working people across the continent have woken up to find their political masters have been working to undermine them to benefit the rich and powerful.
Working people are not in the mood to accept this situation any longer. So unless European governments start to put working people first with protective legislation that applies across the whole of the EU then protests like the ones we have seen here in the construction industry will go on until they do
Sunday, February 15, 2009
CUP and Foxes Biscuits demo's yesterday
An excellent rally and demo in Cambridge yesterday and also good support at the Foxes Biscuit's demo in Uttoxter
Show your support for Unite members fighting to save jobs by signing upto the Facebook campaign sites.
Sign up for CUP campaign at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78075841608
and the Foxes Biscuits Campaign at
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116996765187
Show your support for Unite members fighting to save jobs by signing upto the Facebook campaign sites.
Sign up for CUP campaign at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78075841608
and the Foxes Biscuits Campaign at
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116996765187
Friday, February 13, 2009
Unite confirm they have issued proceedings against Times Newspapers for libel
from the Unite communications department......
Unite Britain’s biggest trade union will today confirm that proceedings for damages for libel are being issued in the High Court by Derek Simpson against Times Newspapers Ltd in respect of a series of libels published in articles on the front page and pages 24, 25 of The Times dated January 17 2009 and on www.timesonline.co.uk
Unite Britain’s biggest trade union will today confirm that proceedings for damages for libel are being issued in the High Court by Derek Simpson against Times Newspapers Ltd in respect of a series of libels published in articles on the front page and pages 24, 25 of The Times dated January 17 2009 and on www.timesonline.co.uk
G20 demo website
New website for G20 demo March 28th, London
More information and download posters @
http://www.unitetheunion.com/g20demo
More information and download posters @
http://www.unitetheunion.com/g20demo
A better Europe for a better deal
Download the latetst Unite @ activist newsletter - European Parliamnetary Elections
http://unite.newsweaver.co.uk/-fck0wx0sj2-47daw5oyt3?email=true
http://unite.newsweaver.co.uk/-fck0wx0sj2-47daw5oyt3?email=true
Trust Derek Simpson to do the business for Unite
From the Daily Mirror, February 13th.......
Please pass on to your contacts etc.
Trust Derek Simpson to do the business for Unite
By Paul Routledge 13/02/2009
Democracy can be a chore, even a bore. But it’s always important.
And never more important in the trade union movement than in the election under way in Britain’s biggest union, Unite. Ballot papers for 750,000 former Amicus members arrive tomorrow.
It’s fiendishly complicated, but basically the poll’s been forced on Derek Simpson, the joint General Secretary. To stay in office for the next vital year, he needs the support of his members in an election the union doesn’t need but has to have.
Against the conventional wisdom of the time, I backed Derek Simpson when he first ran for the Amicus leadership. He won, after three re-counts.
Derek comes from Sheffield, and the Union’s sensible Left. He’s been on TV a lot, arguing the case for British workers to have full access to British jobs.
This was a delicate task, because under Tory trade union laws, Unite can’t lead unofficial strikers without risking court injunction and the seizure of its funds.
He handled the crisis well, working behind the scenes with ministers – including Gordon Brown – as well as articulating the concerns of skilled British workers in public. That’s why I stick to my original judgment that Derek Simpson is a man of integrity and experience. Members would be wise to stick with him rather than run the risk of electing an unknown novice.
He wants the Government to intervene more, adopting strategies that support workers, as the continentals have done to save their industries.
Simpson has been the target of a sustained smear campaign in the Murdoch Press, which to my mind is as good a reason as any to back him again.
He’s the best man to secure the future of the new Union formed by the merger of Amicus and TGWU.
Voting begins tomorrow February 14 and closes on March 6. To avoid the comedy that was very nearly a tragedy at his last leadership election, I urge all members to vote.
If I had a vote, it would certainly go to Derek.
Please pass on to your contacts etc.
Trust Derek Simpson to do the business for Unite
By Paul Routledge 13/02/2009
Democracy can be a chore, even a bore. But it’s always important.
And never more important in the trade union movement than in the election under way in Britain’s biggest union, Unite. Ballot papers for 750,000 former Amicus members arrive tomorrow.
It’s fiendishly complicated, but basically the poll’s been forced on Derek Simpson, the joint General Secretary. To stay in office for the next vital year, he needs the support of his members in an election the union doesn’t need but has to have.
Against the conventional wisdom of the time, I backed Derek Simpson when he first ran for the Amicus leadership. He won, after three re-counts.
Derek comes from Sheffield, and the Union’s sensible Left. He’s been on TV a lot, arguing the case for British workers to have full access to British jobs.
This was a delicate task, because under Tory trade union laws, Unite can’t lead unofficial strikers without risking court injunction and the seizure of its funds.
He handled the crisis well, working behind the scenes with ministers – including Gordon Brown – as well as articulating the concerns of skilled British workers in public. That’s why I stick to my original judgment that Derek Simpson is a man of integrity and experience. Members would be wise to stick with him rather than run the risk of electing an unknown novice.
He wants the Government to intervene more, adopting strategies that support workers, as the continentals have done to save their industries.
Simpson has been the target of a sustained smear campaign in the Murdoch Press, which to my mind is as good a reason as any to back him again.
He’s the best man to secure the future of the new Union formed by the merger of Amicus and TGWU.
Voting begins tomorrow February 14 and closes on March 6. To avoid the comedy that was very nearly a tragedy at his last leadership election, I urge all members to vote.
If I had a vote, it would certainly go to Derek.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Unite stands up to Cambridge University Press with rally at Guildhall
Unite is mounting a vigorous campaign to resist over 150 redundancies announced by Cambridge University Press.
A mass rally is being held on Saturday 14th February commencing at 12 noon, including guest speakers, supporters and Unite members.
The axing of 133 jobs in Cambridge Printing Services could spell the end of over 425 years of printing at the site.
Unite members have pledged to fight the job losses in both printing and publishing sections with consultations imminent.
Consultation and negotiating meetings with the management are now in process in an effort to stop the print management and the University from closing the site.
A mass rally is being held on Saturday 14th February commencing at 12 noon, including guest speakers, supporters and Unite members.
The axing of 133 jobs in Cambridge Printing Services could spell the end of over 425 years of printing at the site.
Unite members have pledged to fight the job losses in both printing and publishing sections with consultations imminent.
Consultation and negotiating meetings with the management are now in process in an effort to stop the print management and the University from closing the site.
Dirty Tricks - Morning Star Article
Excellent article in Monday's Morning Star by political editor John Haylett.
Pass it on to your contacts or post on your Facebook and blog sites as well.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/features/dirty_tricks
Pass it on to your contacts or post on your Facebook and blog sites as well.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/features/dirty_tricks
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Obama signs 4th Pro Union Order
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/07/obama-signs-4th-pro-union-regulation/
But will he get the Employee Free Choice Act through as the opposition/right wing gear up?
But will he get the Employee Free Choice Act through as the opposition/right wing gear up?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Fighting For Union Rights In The USA
Unions in the USA are campaigning for the Employee Free Choice Act that will give workers the right to choose to belong to a union.
Click or paste in the url below to see a video of the United Steelworkers President Leo Gerrard and supporters speaking at a rally in Washington in support of the EFCA last week.
http://www.usw.org/media_center/news_articles?id=0228
Click or paste in the url below to see a video of the United Steelworkers President Leo Gerrard and supporters speaking at a rally in Washington in support of the EFCA last week.
http://www.usw.org/media_center/news_articles?id=0228
Rally over CUP Job Cuts
Cambridge University Press job cuts rally
Unite is holding a rally to oppose plans to shed 133 jobs at Cambridge University Press.
The 425-year-old printing and publishing company announced the job cuts in january in response to what it says are the effects of globalisation.
The company are also proposing a further 20 losses in the publishing department.
All Unite members, trade unionists and supporters welcome to oppose these job losses particularly at a time when Cambridge University is celebrating it's 800th anniversary the Press it's 425th anniversary this year.
Details: Saturday 14th February, 12 noon - Guild Hall, Cambridge.
Unite is holding a rally to oppose plans to shed 133 jobs at Cambridge University Press.
The 425-year-old printing and publishing company announced the job cuts in january in response to what it says are the effects of globalisation.
The company are also proposing a further 20 losses in the publishing department.
All Unite members, trade unionists and supporters welcome to oppose these job losses particularly at a time when Cambridge University is celebrating it's 800th anniversary the Press it's 425th anniversary this year.
Details: Saturday 14th February, 12 noon - Guild Hall, Cambridge.
Simpson calls for German style "car scrapping scheme" to help car industry
On a visit to BMW in Oxford this week Derek Simpson, called on the government to introduce an "old banger bonus" scheme, similar to the successful German scheme as part of a comprehensive package to support the UK car industry.
The Autowrack Prämie (old banger bonus), introduced by the German Government as part of a £47bn stimulus package has proved to be an instant success. The scheme gives car owners £2,500 to trade in their old cars for new ones. The German government has put aside €1.5bn to finance the scheme – enough to buy 600,000 cars.
The UK government have committed to a £2.9billion package to support the car industry. However, Unite is urging the government to go much further. Unite is calling for £13 billion fund to be made available to provide interim relief for producers and to cover employment costs during the crisis period.This package could be used to support a similar scheme to the Germans but only as part of a wider, strategic and significant support package.
Derek Simpson said; "Car producers in the UK are hanging on by a thread because of a lack of credit from the banks and a dramatic fall-off in demand for cars. A scheme similar to the one introduced by the Germans would be a hugely popular way to boost car sales, but only as part of a wider, strategic and significant support package.
"The support that Lord Mandelson announced towards the end of January is a start. Underwriting loans from the European Investment Bank and making millions of pounds available to help with retraining for car industry workers during the downturn is to be welcomed but much more support will be needed.
"We now need to build on this initial phase of support. More has to be done to throw a lifeline to the car and components sector, and we need the sort of confidence-building measures that will stimulate demand for cars among the public. If no-one is buying cars, it makes it very difficult for a rescue package to work. "
The Autowrack Prämie (old banger bonus), introduced by the German Government as part of a £47bn stimulus package has proved to be an instant success. The scheme gives car owners £2,500 to trade in their old cars for new ones. The German government has put aside €1.5bn to finance the scheme – enough to buy 600,000 cars.
The UK government have committed to a £2.9billion package to support the car industry. However, Unite is urging the government to go much further. Unite is calling for £13 billion fund to be made available to provide interim relief for producers and to cover employment costs during the crisis period.This package could be used to support a similar scheme to the Germans but only as part of a wider, strategic and significant support package.
Derek Simpson said; "Car producers in the UK are hanging on by a thread because of a lack of credit from the banks and a dramatic fall-off in demand for cars. A scheme similar to the one introduced by the Germans would be a hugely popular way to boost car sales, but only as part of a wider, strategic and significant support package.
"The support that Lord Mandelson announced towards the end of January is a start. Underwriting loans from the European Investment Bank and making millions of pounds available to help with retraining for car industry workers during the downturn is to be welcomed but much more support will be needed.
"We now need to build on this initial phase of support. More has to be done to throw a lifeline to the car and components sector, and we need the sort of confidence-building measures that will stimulate demand for cars among the public. If no-one is buying cars, it makes it very difficult for a rescue package to work. "
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Statement on the Lindsey Oil Refinery dispute
Derek Simpson welcomed the deal at Lindsay Oil Refinery saying, "The workers involved in the unofficial dispute at the Lindsey Oil refinery will vote on a deal tomorrow morning to end the unofficial walkouts. Unite has assisted in attempting to broker a deal.
"We hope this deal will be accepted by the workers at the refinery.
"No Italian worker will lose their job as a result of this deal. Unite officials emphasised the importance of this throughout the negotiations.
Lindsey is part of a much wider problem that will not go away if the unofficial strikers go back to work.
"The government is beginning to grasp the fundamental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
"The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We have seen the backlash as the recession bites. The government must act to level the playing field for UK workers.
"No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite has proposed a three point plan for dealing he current problems taking place across construction sites in the UK.
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
The current proposals to be put to the workers at Lindsey will mean that 102 additional jobs will be created for UK workers.
"We hope this deal will be accepted by the workers at the refinery.
"No Italian worker will lose their job as a result of this deal. Unite officials emphasised the importance of this throughout the negotiations.
Lindsey is part of a much wider problem that will not go away if the unofficial strikers go back to work.
"The government is beginning to grasp the fundamental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
"The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We have seen the backlash as the recession bites. The government must act to level the playing field for UK workers.
"No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite has proposed a three point plan for dealing he current problems taking place across construction sites in the UK.
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
The current proposals to be put to the workers at Lindsey will mean that 102 additional jobs will be created for UK workers.
ECJ Cases - MEP's threaten to veto the European Commission
More pressure is on the EU and the UK Government to reverse the recent ECJ Judgements via MEPs who are arguing that there should be a veto of the incoming European Commission unless they protect workers rights.
The MEPs from UK, Germany and Italy, representing Socialists, Greens and European Left Groups are gearing up to veto this year's incoming European Commission unless there is a reversal of the ECJ Judgements.
Glyn Ford (Labour, SW England) said: "The situation is clear, if we are to end 'social dumping' within Europe we must change the law. British and other European workers should not have to compete within factories and companies with those forced to work for lower wages and in poorer conditions".
He added: "Talking is not enough. Here MEPs say we will veto the incoming Commission unless they commit to the necessary changes".
Stephen Hughes (Labour, NE England) added: "We believe it's important that British, Italian, Portuguese or any other EU workers should have the freedom to move, live and work in any EU country. But we do not accept that any worker should be open to exploitation as a consequence of exercising the right to free movement. Such workers should be guaranteed the same pay, terms and conditions as indigenous workers."
The MEPs have produced a Written Declaration to express their position, co-signed also by Italian Socialist MEP Luisa Morgantini and Green Germany MEP Elizabeth Schroedter.
The MEPs from UK, Germany and Italy, representing Socialists, Greens and European Left Groups are gearing up to veto this year's incoming European Commission unless there is a reversal of the ECJ Judgements.
Glyn Ford (Labour, SW England) said: "The situation is clear, if we are to end 'social dumping' within Europe we must change the law. British and other European workers should not have to compete within factories and companies with those forced to work for lower wages and in poorer conditions".
He added: "Talking is not enough. Here MEPs say we will veto the incoming Commission unless they commit to the necessary changes".
Stephen Hughes (Labour, NE England) added: "We believe it's important that British, Italian, Portuguese or any other EU workers should have the freedom to move, live and work in any EU country. But we do not accept that any worker should be open to exploitation as a consequence of exercising the right to free movement. Such workers should be guaranteed the same pay, terms and conditions as indigenous workers."
The MEPs have produced a Written Declaration to express their position, co-signed also by Italian Socialist MEP Luisa Morgantini and Green Germany MEP Elizabeth Schroedter.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Staythorpe Power Station Workers Tell Alstom to Give Them Fair Access to Jobs
Staythorpe Power Station Workers Tell Alstom to Give Them Fair Access to Jobs
- Demonstration: Alstom HQ, 175 High Holborn, WC1V 7AA
- 11am Until 2pm, Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Unemployed construction workers refused work at a Nottinghamshire power station are taking their fight for fair access to jobs directly to the London HQ of Alstom, the company at the centre of the row, tomorrow (Thursday).
Carrying placards bearing the message "Alstom, give us a chance", the workers will be pressing Alstom to ensure its sub-contractors, Montpressa and FMM, open up their contracts to UK workers so that they can contribute to the construction of the Staythorpe power station.
Unite estimates that 600 jobs will be needed to build the power station's turbine and boiler (Montpressa will fit the turbine and FMM will fit the boiler). A further 250 workers will be required to build the pipe connecting the two.
Unite is seriously concerned that none of these jobs will go to UK workers, and believes that this dispute further demonstrates the concerns of workers across the construction sector that UK interpretation of EU law could be preventing UK workers from applying for local jobs.
Following the admission by FMM to Unite officials that they would supply their workers directly from abroad and would not be giving any consideration to local construction workers, even though the workers had years of experience of building power stations throughout the Trent Valley, Unite has been organising regular demonstrations outside Staythorpe power station.
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson, said: "Our members are not asking for special favours - they are demanding fair play. The UK needs to upgrade and build new power stations and there are huge opportunities to create thousands of well paid and highly skilled jobs. It will be a disgrace if UK workers are not even allowed to apply for jobs to build British power stations.
"Alstom has the power to insist that the sub-contractors end this scandalous situation. UK workers must be given a fair chance to get a cut of the action to build a new generation of UK power stations."
- Demonstration: Alstom HQ, 175 High Holborn, WC1V 7AA
- 11am Until 2pm, Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Unemployed construction workers refused work at a Nottinghamshire power station are taking their fight for fair access to jobs directly to the London HQ of Alstom, the company at the centre of the row, tomorrow (Thursday).
Carrying placards bearing the message "Alstom, give us a chance", the workers will be pressing Alstom to ensure its sub-contractors, Montpressa and FMM, open up their contracts to UK workers so that they can contribute to the construction of the Staythorpe power station.
Unite estimates that 600 jobs will be needed to build the power station's turbine and boiler (Montpressa will fit the turbine and FMM will fit the boiler). A further 250 workers will be required to build the pipe connecting the two.
Unite is seriously concerned that none of these jobs will go to UK workers, and believes that this dispute further demonstrates the concerns of workers across the construction sector that UK interpretation of EU law could be preventing UK workers from applying for local jobs.
Following the admission by FMM to Unite officials that they would supply their workers directly from abroad and would not be giving any consideration to local construction workers, even though the workers had years of experience of building power stations throughout the Trent Valley, Unite has been organising regular demonstrations outside Staythorpe power station.
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson, said: "Our members are not asking for special favours - they are demanding fair play. The UK needs to upgrade and build new power stations and there are huge opportunities to create thousands of well paid and highly skilled jobs. It will be a disgrace if UK workers are not even allowed to apply for jobs to build British power stations.
"Alstom has the power to insist that the sub-contractors end this scandalous situation. UK workers must be given a fair chance to get a cut of the action to build a new generation of UK power stations."
Unite's statement on the Lindsey Oil Refinery dispute
Unite's statement on the Lindsey Oil Refinery dispute
4 February 2009
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said, "The workers involved in the unofficial dispute at the Lindsey Oil refinery will vote on a deal tomorrow morning to end the unofficial walkouts. Unite has assisted in attempting to broker a deal.
"We hope this deal will be accepted by the workers at the refinery.
"No Italian worker will lose their job as a result of this deal. Unite officials emphasised the importance of this throughout the negotiations.
Lindsey is part of a much wider problem that will not go away if the unofficial strikers go back to work.
"The government is beginning to grasp the fundamental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
"The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We have seen the backlash as the recession bites. The government must act to level the playing field for UK workers.
"No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite has proposed a three point plan for dealing he current problems taking place across construction sites in the UK.
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
The current proposals to be put to the workers at Lindsey will mean that 102 additional jobs will be created for UK workers.
4 February 2009
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said, "The workers involved in the unofficial dispute at the Lindsey Oil refinery will vote on a deal tomorrow morning to end the unofficial walkouts. Unite has assisted in attempting to broker a deal.
"We hope this deal will be accepted by the workers at the refinery.
"No Italian worker will lose their job as a result of this deal. Unite officials emphasised the importance of this throughout the negotiations.
Lindsey is part of a much wider problem that will not go away if the unofficial strikers go back to work.
"The government is beginning to grasp the fundamental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
"The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We have seen the backlash as the recession bites. The government must act to level the playing field for UK workers.
"No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite has proposed a three point plan for dealing he current problems taking place across construction sites in the UK.
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
The current proposals to be put to the workers at Lindsey will mean that 102 additional jobs will be created for UK workers.
Strikes and the question of fairness - Guardian letters
Two letters from yesterday's Guardian which set out the arguments against the ECJ Judgements and the way the employers are exploiting the Posted Workers Directive.
Strikes and the question of fairness
The Guardian, Tuesday 3 February 2009
Commentators dismissing wildcat strikes as protectionist and xenophobic might be interested to note that union leaders throughout the EU have been discussing what action should be taken against the posted workers directive [a posted worker carries out work for a limited period in another EU country - the worker pays tax and social security in their country of origin] and European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases for the last two years (Ministers to look at 'distorted' EU employment law, 2 February).
Today, for example, unions and the SPD are meeting in Berlin to discuss possible action, including a request to the German constitutional court to cease to apply European law.
Article 39 of the EU treaty guarantees movement of workers throughout Europe and no union leader has a problem with it. Article 49 and the directive, by contrast, allows firms to move their workers as a part of a service agreement and herein lies the rub: the European court of justice has confirmed that, whereas workers under Article 39 will be subject to all of the labour conditions of the host country, service providers under Article 49 may bring their own labour regimes with them.
The only minimum requirement that may be applied by a host state is minimum wage and health and safety regulation; collective bargaining agreements are deemed to be a potential barrier to trade. Likewise, strikes seeking to enforce collective bargaining agreements must be "proportional". In effect, this entails the dismantling of national labour regimes established in the post-war period. When we see barges full of accountants, journalists and politicians established on the Thames in order to provide more cheaply for our white-collar labour needs, will our chattering classes wake up and realise that this is not protectionism, but rather a fight for the soul of the European social state?
Michelle Everson
Professor of European law, Birkbeck College, University of London
There is growing confusion as to exactly why European law is at the heart of the current wave of unofficial disputes. The fact is, that even if Total had given guarantees that it will not exclude UK workers, or undercut UK conditions, the recent European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases have thrown doubt on how such companies will behave in the future.
UK and EU trade unions and Socialist Group MEPs are concerned that the ECJ has interpreted European employment law, including the posted workers directive, as giving a higher priority to the freedom of capital movements over the rights of both UK and EU workers in the UK to work under settled UK collective agreements, wages and conditions.
These judgments are, in our view, getting the balance badly wrong. Free movement of workers is intrinsic to the idea of the EU, and protectionism is wrong. But if current European law and its impact on current disputes and major construction projects is to be fair to UK, and non-UK workers alike, these interpretations of European employment law must be reviewed urgently.
There are some who want to see the problem as one of the free movement of workers, created by the EU, turning sour in the midst of recession - or worse, as we have seen with the BNP response. In fact, it is a growing imbalance, exacerbated by recession, in the way workers are posted, that lies at the heart of the current problems.
Claude Moraes MEP
Labour, London
Strikes and the question of fairness
The Guardian, Tuesday 3 February 2009
Commentators dismissing wildcat strikes as protectionist and xenophobic might be interested to note that union leaders throughout the EU have been discussing what action should be taken against the posted workers directive [a posted worker carries out work for a limited period in another EU country - the worker pays tax and social security in their country of origin] and European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases for the last two years (Ministers to look at 'distorted' EU employment law, 2 February).
Today, for example, unions and the SPD are meeting in Berlin to discuss possible action, including a request to the German constitutional court to cease to apply European law.
Article 39 of the EU treaty guarantees movement of workers throughout Europe and no union leader has a problem with it. Article 49 and the directive, by contrast, allows firms to move their workers as a part of a service agreement and herein lies the rub: the European court of justice has confirmed that, whereas workers under Article 39 will be subject to all of the labour conditions of the host country, service providers under Article 49 may bring their own labour regimes with them.
The only minimum requirement that may be applied by a host state is minimum wage and health and safety regulation; collective bargaining agreements are deemed to be a potential barrier to trade. Likewise, strikes seeking to enforce collective bargaining agreements must be "proportional". In effect, this entails the dismantling of national labour regimes established in the post-war period. When we see barges full of accountants, journalists and politicians established on the Thames in order to provide more cheaply for our white-collar labour needs, will our chattering classes wake up and realise that this is not protectionism, but rather a fight for the soul of the European social state?
Michelle Everson
Professor of European law, Birkbeck College, University of London
There is growing confusion as to exactly why European law is at the heart of the current wave of unofficial disputes. The fact is, that even if Total had given guarantees that it will not exclude UK workers, or undercut UK conditions, the recent European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases have thrown doubt on how such companies will behave in the future.
UK and EU trade unions and Socialist Group MEPs are concerned that the ECJ has interpreted European employment law, including the posted workers directive, as giving a higher priority to the freedom of capital movements over the rights of both UK and EU workers in the UK to work under settled UK collective agreements, wages and conditions.
These judgments are, in our view, getting the balance badly wrong. Free movement of workers is intrinsic to the idea of the EU, and protectionism is wrong. But if current European law and its impact on current disputes and major construction projects is to be fair to UK, and non-UK workers alike, these interpretations of European employment law must be reviewed urgently.
There are some who want to see the problem as one of the free movement of workers, created by the EU, turning sour in the midst of recession - or worse, as we have seen with the BNP response. In fact, it is a growing imbalance, exacerbated by recession, in the way workers are posted, that lies at the heart of the current problems.
Claude Moraes MEP
Labour, London
Simpson warns ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK
Derek Simpson warns ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK
In a condemnation of the British National Party, Derek Simpson the joint leader of Unite, will warn ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK.
Derek Simspon said: "The unofficial action taking place across the UK is not about race or immigration, its about class. Its about employers who exploit workers regardless of their nationality by undercutting their hard won pay and conditions. These are rights that trade unionists have fought long and hard for while ultra right wing groups did nothing but stoke hatred in our towns and cities".
"Trade unionists stand against everything the BNP stand for. We have warned union members on construction sites to remain vigilant when it comes to ultra right wing leeches. These right wing groups do not support trade unions. In fact, they're probably taking down the names of trade unionists involved in the unofficial action and adding them to their list of left wing enemies."
In a condemnation of the British National Party, Derek Simpson the joint leader of Unite, will warn ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK.
Derek Simspon said: "The unofficial action taking place across the UK is not about race or immigration, its about class. Its about employers who exploit workers regardless of their nationality by undercutting their hard won pay and conditions. These are rights that trade unionists have fought long and hard for while ultra right wing groups did nothing but stoke hatred in our towns and cities".
"Trade unionists stand against everything the BNP stand for. We have warned union members on construction sites to remain vigilant when it comes to ultra right wing leeches. These right wing groups do not support trade unions. In fact, they're probably taking down the names of trade unionists involved in the unofficial action and adding them to their list of left wing enemies."
Monday, February 2, 2009
Support UK engineering construction workers!
UK engineering construction workers demand the right to work
At Staythorpe Power Station in Nottinghamshire Alstom has sub-contracted two overseas companies to carry out construction work on the site.
Unite believes that the two overseas companies refused to accept applications for work from UK workers, intending instead to use more than 600 workers from other countries on the project.
With local workers from the engineering construction industry now unemployed, this cannot be right.
All UK workers are asking for is the right to be considered for work on this construction project.
Unite the Union is calling on the government to ensure that all engineering construction employers recruit local labour, especially those out of work, onto all work in major construction projects.
For more information and to sign the Unite petition visit:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=9914
At Staythorpe Power Station in Nottinghamshire Alstom has sub-contracted two overseas companies to carry out construction work on the site.
Unite believes that the two overseas companies refused to accept applications for work from UK workers, intending instead to use more than 600 workers from other countries on the project.
With local workers from the engineering construction industry now unemployed, this cannot be right.
All UK workers are asking for is the right to be considered for work on this construction project.
Unite the Union is calling on the government to ensure that all engineering construction employers recruit local labour, especially those out of work, onto all work in major construction projects.
For more information and to sign the Unite petition visit:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=9914
Unite statement on unofficial strike action
The press and media have been portraying the unofficial walkouts in the construction engineering industry as "anti foreign worker". Here is press statement issued by Unite today.
Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action
2 February 2009
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action taking place across construction sites in the UK.
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite said: "Unite is proposing a three point plan that the UK government should follow to resolve the wave of unoffical unrest gripping the UK. There needs to be a systematic aproach which deals with the immediate problem of the current unoffical strikes and then addresses the root cause of the discontent. "
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreeements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
Mr Simpson continued:
"The government is failing to grasp the fundemental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We are now seeing the backlash as the recession bites. The government must ensure that employers do no not raise barriers to UK based labour applying for work. There should be a level playing field for workers who wish to apply for work on Britain’s engineering and construction projects. No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
The Viking case concerned the re-flagging of a Finnish ship to Estonia with the aim of applying lower standards to the seamen on the ship; The Laval case concerned the application of Latvian wages and working conditions on Latvian workers employed by a Latvian company on a Swedish construction site.
More information on the ECJ Judgements can be found at:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/lavalvikingruffert/
Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action
2 February 2009
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action taking place across construction sites in the UK.
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite said: "Unite is proposing a three point plan that the UK government should follow to resolve the wave of unoffical unrest gripping the UK. There needs to be a systematic aproach which deals with the immediate problem of the current unoffical strikes and then addresses the root cause of the discontent. "
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreeements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
Mr Simpson continued:
"The government is failing to grasp the fundemental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We are now seeing the backlash as the recession bites. The government must ensure that employers do no not raise barriers to UK based labour applying for work. There should be a level playing field for workers who wish to apply for work on Britain’s engineering and construction projects. No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
The Viking case concerned the re-flagging of a Finnish ship to Estonia with the aim of applying lower standards to the seamen on the ship; The Laval case concerned the application of Latvian wages and working conditions on Latvian workers employed by a Latvian company on a Swedish construction site.
More information on the ECJ Judgements can be found at:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/lavalvikingruffert/
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Road To Resistance - US Style
The Road To Resistance - US Style

Late last year an inspiring group of American trade unionists staged a six-day occupation of their company in Chicago, Illinois - a success story that continues to resonate throughout the USA and the world. The sit-in, by member of the the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers’ Union of America (UE), sent a potent message on how to defend jobs when a company is foreclosed by banks.
The occupation at Republic Windows and Doors ended on 11th December when a negotiated settlement came together between the union and a consortium of capital entities. The plant takeover started on 5th December when 200 workers occupied the Chicago factory after being given only three days notice of Republic closing the plant.
American law requires 60 days pay for workers victimised by plant closures that are the size of Republic. Union Local 1110 members were denied this in the liquidation of their factory, and they were denied accrued and unused holidays as well. The employer, pleaded it could not pay because Bank of America had cut off the company’s line of credit, while the credit-troubled bank claimed it was the company’s responsibility to pay workers.
After six days occupying the plant, union members and workers won a backpay settlement that included accrued holidays and job benefits, and they won much more. Bank of America agreed to guarantee pay to cover the lawful plant-closing requirement, JPMorgan Chase – 40% owner of Republic Windows and Doors – agreed to contribute US$400,000, and Republic itself agreed to come up with US$114,000 to meet its payroll obligations for the week leading up to the plant takeover.
Also in the negotiated settlement, workers will receive extended health insurance coverage. The victory inspired the union to open a “Window of Opportunity” fund in order to find a way to keep the factory operating.
The occupation won the support of then US President-elect Barack Obama, who said, workers were “right” to occupy the plant, because they “understand that what’s happening to them is reflective of what’s happening across the economy.”
Following the plant occupation, another, reward awaits the 300 union members: they may get their jobs back. A small eco-friendly building materials company that likes the plant, the equipment, but more importantly, likes the grit of the workers, is in serious negotiations to buy the plant, reopen it under a UE collective agreement, and produce energy-efficient building materials.
The good news comes as union members from the closed Republic factory travel the USA on a “Recovery And Resistance” tour. They are telling their story and developing a campaign that puts a priority on jobs as the jumpstart to economic recovery. The workers, in hand with their union, are touring American cities under the broad-based banner of the labour-community coalition group, "Jobs With Justice".
Unite and USW (Workers Uniting) members attending the International Chemical Energy and Mineworkers Pulp and Paper Conference, during the occupation, moved an emergency resolution supporting occupation in Chicago as well as congratulating Barak Obama on his support for the workers.
Road to Resistance Website can be found at http://www.ueunion.org/ue_republicworkerstour.html

Late last year an inspiring group of American trade unionists staged a six-day occupation of their company in Chicago, Illinois - a success story that continues to resonate throughout the USA and the world. The sit-in, by member of the the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers’ Union of America (UE), sent a potent message on how to defend jobs when a company is foreclosed by banks.
The occupation at Republic Windows and Doors ended on 11th December when a negotiated settlement came together between the union and a consortium of capital entities. The plant takeover started on 5th December when 200 workers occupied the Chicago factory after being given only three days notice of Republic closing the plant.
American law requires 60 days pay for workers victimised by plant closures that are the size of Republic. Union Local 1110 members were denied this in the liquidation of their factory, and they were denied accrued and unused holidays as well. The employer, pleaded it could not pay because Bank of America had cut off the company’s line of credit, while the credit-troubled bank claimed it was the company’s responsibility to pay workers.
After six days occupying the plant, union members and workers won a backpay settlement that included accrued holidays and job benefits, and they won much more. Bank of America agreed to guarantee pay to cover the lawful plant-closing requirement, JPMorgan Chase – 40% owner of Republic Windows and Doors – agreed to contribute US$400,000, and Republic itself agreed to come up with US$114,000 to meet its payroll obligations for the week leading up to the plant takeover.
Also in the negotiated settlement, workers will receive extended health insurance coverage. The victory inspired the union to open a “Window of Opportunity” fund in order to find a way to keep the factory operating.
The occupation won the support of then US President-elect Barack Obama, who said, workers were “right” to occupy the plant, because they “understand that what’s happening to them is reflective of what’s happening across the economy.”
Following the plant occupation, another, reward awaits the 300 union members: they may get their jobs back. A small eco-friendly building materials company that likes the plant, the equipment, but more importantly, likes the grit of the workers, is in serious negotiations to buy the plant, reopen it under a UE collective agreement, and produce energy-efficient building materials.
The good news comes as union members from the closed Republic factory travel the USA on a “Recovery And Resistance” tour. They are telling their story and developing a campaign that puts a priority on jobs as the jumpstart to economic recovery. The workers, in hand with their union, are touring American cities under the broad-based banner of the labour-community coalition group, "Jobs With Justice".
Unite and USW (Workers Uniting) members attending the International Chemical Energy and Mineworkers Pulp and Paper Conference, during the occupation, moved an emergency resolution supporting occupation in Chicago as well as congratulating Barak Obama on his support for the workers.
Road to Resistance Website can be found at http://www.ueunion.org/ue_republicworkerstour.html
USW Oil Workers Postpone Strikes
Unite's sister union in Workers Uniting, the United Steelworkers is in dispute in the oil refining industry in the USA. Here's an update from the Morning Star.
24,000 US workers postpone strike for talks
(Sunday 01 February 2009)
A STRIKE by 24,000 US oil refinery workers was averted on Sunday after both sides had agreed to extend negotiations.
Workers at refineries near New Orleans, Houston and Billings, Montana, will turn up for their shifts on Monday, after negotiations resumed on Sunday.
United Steel Workers Union (USW) spokeswoman Lynne Baker said: "We have made progress in that there was no strike at midnight.
"But there are still issues that need to be worked out and notice of a strike could be given at any time if that progress stalls."
The USW, which is in a strategic alliance with the British union Unite, represents more than 30,000 oil workers in the US.
The union agreed to a rolling 24-hour extension, which allows it to give the required one-day notice to strike.
On Thursday, union negotiators turned down a 2.5 per cent wage increase offer for each of the next three years, in addition to changes in medical coverage.
A strike would affect 60 producers, including the nation's biggest refiner Valero Energy and BP.
24,000 US workers postpone strike for talks
(Sunday 01 February 2009)
A STRIKE by 24,000 US oil refinery workers was averted on Sunday after both sides had agreed to extend negotiations.
Workers at refineries near New Orleans, Houston and Billings, Montana, will turn up for their shifts on Monday, after negotiations resumed on Sunday.
United Steel Workers Union (USW) spokeswoman Lynne Baker said: "We have made progress in that there was no strike at midnight.
"But there are still issues that need to be worked out and notice of a strike could be given at any time if that progress stalls."
The USW, which is in a strategic alliance with the British union Unite, represents more than 30,000 oil workers in the US.
The union agreed to a rolling 24-hour extension, which allows it to give the required one-day notice to strike.
On Thursday, union negotiators turned down a 2.5 per cent wage increase offer for each of the next three years, in addition to changes in medical coverage.
A strike would affect 60 producers, including the nation's biggest refiner Valero Energy and BP.
Nottingham Meeting Update
A packed meeting in Nottingham on February 1st heard Unite Joint General Secretary speak on the current issues facing the union including the policies that are winning support from Unite members, the new democratic structure agreed by the Unite NEC last week and the attacks on himself and the union by newspapers such as the Times.
He outlined the policies Unite is fighting for including defending jobs inmanufacturing, finance, the car and steel industries and explained the current situation in the engineering construction industry where members have protesting against some sub-contractors refusuals to offer employment to UK skilled workers. He also talked about the need to get Unite activists to become involved politically and stand as MP's to reflect the real issues working people faced.
In outlining Unite policies he demanded more support from the Government to protect employment and jobs and outlined the steps the Unite NEC had taken in recent weeks. These included the 10 point economic plan presented to the Goverment much of which was being enacted; an increase in redundancy pay as agreed in the manifesto; help for members facing job losses including training and re-skilling, help for the car industry and in the steelmaking industry as well as in the public sector and manufacturing. He said Unite's political influence has helped and we have made progress, but it hasn't been enough!
He outlined the creation of Workers Uniting with the USW in the USA and Canada saying: "We need to fight on the same playing feild as global companies and the USW is a similar union to Unite and faced the same problems". This had been the case in the papermaking industry where the Unite GPM sector is working well with the USW in developing policies to handle global companies in that sector.
Recent discussions in Germany had shown that IG Metall Germany's biggest union faced similar problems as Unite. However the Government in Germany, is providing help to the car and steel industry, via scheme to scrap all cars over ten years old and help with discounted new cars, and providing help to workers facing short time working over an 18 month period. Why couldn't the UK goverment undertake a similar programme. He said that Unite discussed these problems with its own members, IG Metall, discussed the same issues with its own members, so why why don't we sit down in a formal way and discuss these issues jointly - not just at one-off conferences and meetings?
In regard to the Times articles, he said these articles were not just an attack on himself, but also on Unite. The Times and the establishment had nominated the candidate they wanted to win the election - in order to get a return to the past, when the union didn't fight for its members. The NEC were now taking legal advice on the Times articles as they contained defamatory reporting.
Derek Simpson said the new democratic structure within Unite was now agreed and would be in place soon following a breifing for Regional Secretaries and National Officers last week. Whilst it was true he and Tony Woodley had disagreements, it was not true that they were at "loggerheads" and the office and departmental issues have been resolved.
On the "walkouts" he said that that the members were construction engineering workers, who worked from project to project. Despite warnings to the Government including Gordon Brown, they had ignored these warnings. Sending Italian workers home as the press were saying, was not the answer - UK workers have worked with overseas workers for years. This was about UK construction workers being direcly debarred from working on various sites and gave an example of a report of one subcontractor saying that they would go anywhere in the world other than the UK to hire labour.
The recent ECJ decisions protected these practices. Some of the companies had said that they were paying the "going rate", however if that was the case, the costs would be higher given the cost of transport, accommodations, travel etc. He made it clear that what was being sought was social protection for UK workers to stop social dumping.
Discussion took place on the problems in the car industry, manufacturing, the personal attacks on Derek Simpson and the attacks on the union and those person's who had been providing information to the Times and Derek's elction campaign.
He outlined the policies Unite is fighting for including defending jobs inmanufacturing, finance, the car and steel industries and explained the current situation in the engineering construction industry where members have protesting against some sub-contractors refusuals to offer employment to UK skilled workers. He also talked about the need to get Unite activists to become involved politically and stand as MP's to reflect the real issues working people faced.
In outlining Unite policies he demanded more support from the Government to protect employment and jobs and outlined the steps the Unite NEC had taken in recent weeks. These included the 10 point economic plan presented to the Goverment much of which was being enacted; an increase in redundancy pay as agreed in the manifesto; help for members facing job losses including training and re-skilling, help for the car industry and in the steelmaking industry as well as in the public sector and manufacturing. He said Unite's political influence has helped and we have made progress, but it hasn't been enough!
He outlined the creation of Workers Uniting with the USW in the USA and Canada saying: "We need to fight on the same playing feild as global companies and the USW is a similar union to Unite and faced the same problems". This had been the case in the papermaking industry where the Unite GPM sector is working well with the USW in developing policies to handle global companies in that sector.
Recent discussions in Germany had shown that IG Metall Germany's biggest union faced similar problems as Unite. However the Government in Germany, is providing help to the car and steel industry, via scheme to scrap all cars over ten years old and help with discounted new cars, and providing help to workers facing short time working over an 18 month period. Why couldn't the UK goverment undertake a similar programme. He said that Unite discussed these problems with its own members, IG Metall, discussed the same issues with its own members, so why why don't we sit down in a formal way and discuss these issues jointly - not just at one-off conferences and meetings?
In regard to the Times articles, he said these articles were not just an attack on himself, but also on Unite. The Times and the establishment had nominated the candidate they wanted to win the election - in order to get a return to the past, when the union didn't fight for its members. The NEC were now taking legal advice on the Times articles as they contained defamatory reporting.
Derek Simpson said the new democratic structure within Unite was now agreed and would be in place soon following a breifing for Regional Secretaries and National Officers last week. Whilst it was true he and Tony Woodley had disagreements, it was not true that they were at "loggerheads" and the office and departmental issues have been resolved.
On the "walkouts" he said that that the members were construction engineering workers, who worked from project to project. Despite warnings to the Government including Gordon Brown, they had ignored these warnings. Sending Italian workers home as the press were saying, was not the answer - UK workers have worked with overseas workers for years. This was about UK construction workers being direcly debarred from working on various sites and gave an example of a report of one subcontractor saying that they would go anywhere in the world other than the UK to hire labour.
The recent ECJ decisions protected these practices. Some of the companies had said that they were paying the "going rate", however if that was the case, the costs would be higher given the cost of transport, accommodations, travel etc. He made it clear that what was being sought was social protection for UK workers to stop social dumping.
Discussion took place on the problems in the car industry, manufacturing, the personal attacks on Derek Simpson and the attacks on the union and those person's who had been providing information to the Times and Derek's elction campaign.
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