Special announcement - Unite Equality Structures
HAVE YOUR SAY! - Unite Equality Structures
Unite Reps will shortly receive an invite to the Unite Regional Equality Conferences which are scheduled to take place in October 2009. Siobhan Endean, Unite National Officer for Equalities explains the importance of these Conferences.
"Unite equality structures are an important part of our union's formal democratic decision making processes and are a central part of our union's rule book. These structures are an opportunity for workplace reps to have their say in the way our union works and the issues that the union tackles in the workplace.
The equality structures are an important aspect of our union's positive action agenda to ensure that all voices are heard when we are determining our union's policy, and to tackle the under representation of members who face discrimination in the workplace.
The Unite Executive Council has decided to hold the first Unite Equality Conferences in each region in October 2009. These conferences are new to many workplace reps and it is important to spread the word on how to get involved.
All Regions will be holding Regional Equality Conferences for:-
• Women members who are reps who can attend the Regional Women's Conference
• BAME members who are reps who can attend the Regional BAME Conference
• Disabled members who are reps who can attend the Regional Disability Conference
• LGBT members who are reps who can attend the Regional LGBT Conference
Delegates to these Conferences will be able to raise issues that they feel the union should be campaigning on which will help to formulate an action plan and organising strategy in their region. The Conferences will also discuss motions that will be forwarded to the National Committee and elect a Regional Committee that will take forward the issues that are discussed at the Conference.
In order to be nominated to stand for election for a Regional Equality Committee, Workplace reps will need to be nominated by their Area Activist Committee or Regional Industrial Sector Committee . If you wish to stand for election for any of the Regional Equality Committees you must attend the Area Activist Meetings and Regional Industrial Sector Conferences that will be held in July and September in your region in addition to attending the Regional Equality Conferences in October. We would also recommend that you stand for election for your Area Activist Committee and Regional Industrial Sector Committee. You will need to inform your Regional Office that you wish to stand for election for a Regional Equality Committee prior to your attendance at the Area Activist Meeting and Regional Industrial Sector Conferences. Nominations will not be accepted on the day of these events.
It's very important to Unite that your voices are heard in the regional industrial and equality structures of our union. I hope that you will be able to attend and raise the issues that are most important to you. I look forward to meeting you at the regional equality conferences in October. " Siobhan Endean, Unite National Officer for Equalities
Please follow the link to find out more about the Regional Equality Committees and Conferences http://www.unitetheunion.com/resources/equalities/equality_structures.aspx
Please e-mail Karen Cole on karen.cole@unitetheunion.com if you require further clarification about the Regional Equality Conferences and Committees.
Unite Equality Reps' Project
Summer School, Durham 2009
The first ever Unite Equality Reps' Project Summer School was held at Durham University from 10-16 June, and was a huge success. We have included some pictures from the event for you.
History was made for the first ever Unite Equality Reps Summer School. 55 elected work place Union Equality Reps (UERs) gathered for this significant occasion, to be trained and accredited as UERs, and learn about the 3 cornerstones of Unite vision in our international, political and organising work.
Just before the Summer School, tutors and UERs attended the Durham Miners Gala, an event which attracted hundreds of thousands of trade unionists from across Europe . This was one of the biggest gathering of trade unionists from across Europe . The photo's from the event show just how awesome this event was, but nothing could come close to being there.
UERs were provided with a variety of learning materials including the new Equality Reps' Negotiators Guides, which was launched at the Summer School. UERs were clearly impressed by the level of resources on hand to assist them with learning and tackling discrimination in their work places.
Dahlia Mukherji, Unite Equality Rep with Barclay's Bank said "This Summer School was such an empowering experience, especially meeting with other colleagues from other work places in Unite. Equality issues at work are so important, especially in these uncertain economic times, and are the key to improving our members working lives, terms and conditions. The course was very well resourced and tutors were extremely helpful. A lot of work clearly went into making the week the success it was. I particularly enjoyed the Miners Gala, which was an unforgettable experience."
Whilst UERs do not currently enjoy Statutory Rights, many UERs are existing Work Place, Health & Safety and Learning Reps. Following the success of the Summer School, the Unite Equality Reps' Project team is embarking on working with Public Sector UERs, to develop their understanding and knowledge of the Single Equality Bill, which cover Public Sector Duties.
Les Bayliss, Unite Assistant General Secretary, said "Unite continues to put equality at the very heart of the union, and through holding this Summer School it is clear that our UERs are committed and enthusiastic. I was highly impressed by the hard work, commitment and dedication UERs are engaged in with the Equality Reps' Project. I had the pleasure of speaking at the plenary session of the Summer School, and am proud to be associated with the project. The event was filled very quickly, which demonstrates that our UERs are eager tackle equality and discrimination issues in their workplace."
More information about the Equality Reps' Project is also available at the Unite website:
http://www.unitetheunion.com/resources/equalities/
equality_reps_project_amicus.aspx
Join one of our equality networks:
http://www.unitetheunion.com/resources/equalities/
equalities_resources/unite_equality_email_networks.aspx
You can also join our Equality Reps' Facebook site at:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=41019575344&ref=ts
Sign the Hope Not Hate petition – NOT IN MY NAME
Although the BNP received a smaller share of the vote than in 2004, Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons were elected to the European Parliament. Following their shock election we must sign the petition below, to show the BNP and other MEPs that the BNP do not represent us, and their actions do not represent the majority of hard working people in the UK .
http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/page/s/notinmyname
Equality and Discrimination Law News
Decisions of the European Court of Justice: Implications for UK labour law
Professor Keith Ewing has written a briefing highlighting four major decisions of the European Court of Justice which impact on UK labour law and where these may impact of the work of trade unions ability to negotiate a living wage agreement in local government and elsewhere such as projects connected with the Olympics.
http://www.ier.org.uk/system/files/Decisions+of+the+ECJ
+and+implications+for+UK+laws.pdf
Sex discrimination inquiry in the finance sector
The Equality & Human Rights Commission has called for people to come forward with evidence to offer around the issue of sex discrimination in financial services sector.
The EHRC would be particularly interested to hear from existing or former employees, employers and trade unions.
http://cecollect.com/ve/ZZ94i79n7272Lnn83CZ/VT=0/page=11#1
Other News
Virgin Atlantic - Equality Rep success story
David Smith is the lead Equality Rep at Virgin Atlantic, and reports back on his first year in the role.
"Since I was elected last year, there have been key areas for improvement. Most notable has been the negotiations for staff members, who are in registered Civil Partnerships, receiving an upgrade on company benefits. This is for instances such as honeymoons. The same rights are afforded to 'married' couples in heterosexual relationships, and Virgin has extended this in recognition of Civil Partners.
This has made a real difference to the lives of many of our members".
You can find out more about by contacting the South East Regional Office on 01293 613 795
Organising Guide to Equality
Please take the opportunity to view our latest Campaigning and Organising guide to Equality. The document is a great way to identify key dates for your diary and to organise around issues in your workplace as well as finding out more about the work Unite is undertaking on equality.
A PDF version of the guide is available at
http://www.unitetheunion.com/pdf/Campaigning%20on
%20equality%202009%20.pdf
Equality Reps Negotiators Guides
Please see the link below for the latest publication on Union Equality Reps. This is a negotiators guide on the development, recognition and resources for union Equality Reps
http://www.unitetheunion.com/resources/equalities/equalities_resources/
negotiators_guides_on_equalit.aspx
All of these guide's can also be ordered through publications in the normal manner.
Unite lobby's to save London bendy buses
Please sign the petition, the link for which is below. Over 600 workers were sacked at Visteon (part of Fords) at a moments notice with no redundancy pay or the pensions they worked hard for all their lives.
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/news/entry/
unite_lobby_at_city_hall_to_save_londons_bendy_buses/
ITUC report - Gender inequality
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) represents 170 million workers, 40% of whom are women, in 157 countries and territories and has 312 affiliates.
The report highlights the average pay gap is around 22.4% and that trade union membership has a positive influence on wage equality, showing the pay gap is smaller for those who are trade union members compared to those who are not.
To see the full report, please click on this link:
http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/GAP-09_EN.pdf
Support Unite's call for more trains to be built in the UK
Unite is seeking to support and save the one remaining UK train builder, Bombardier. Please register your support which will be sued to call on the government to support UK train building. More information and the petition can be found at:
http://www.unitetheunion.com/campaigns/build_trains_in_the_uk.aspx
Events and Training
Government Equalities Office (GEO) is holding four events on the Equality Bill in September in 2009.
The events will be held on Tuesday 1 September in Wales , Wednesday 2 September in central England , Thursday 3 September in Scotland and Friday 4 September in the south of England . Full details, including precise locations, venues and how to register to attend will soon be available on the GEO website, the link for which is below.
http://www.equalities.gov.uk/
Unite the union supports Brighton Pride
Unite' South East region is proud to support this years Pride event in Brighton . Unite will be taking part in the parade and the event in Preston Park on August 1, 2009, which is the single largest event in the South East and possibly the large st LGBT event in Europe.
To support Unite at this event you can participate in the parade or help out on the union stall at Preston Park.
Parade - meet at 10am on Madeira Drive
Park - the stall will be located within the Community Village section of Preston Park and will be open from noon onwards.
Brighton Pride is an opportunity to promote the union's equality and diversity agenda to a wide audience so please come along and support us.
If you require additional information please email Claire Simpson Regional Officer at: claire.simpson@unitetheunion.com
Burston Strike School Rally Sunday 6th September 2009, 11:00am to 4:00pm
Organised by Unite and SERTUC (South East Region TUC), and Burston Strike School Trustees, this event commemorates the longest strike in history, and celebrate the campaigns trade unionists are engaged in, the fight for trade union rights, working class education, democracy in the countryside and international solidarity.
To find out more, and apply to join the Rally, please click on the link below: http://www.unitetheunion.com/news__events/
events/burston_strike_school_rally.aspx
Dates for your diary August
4th Krishna Janmashtami - Himdu
22nd Ramadan begins - Islam
23rd International Slavery Remembrance day
Pride Events
Leeds, 2 August contact - Sue Pollard on 0113 236 4830.
Contact Claire.simpson@unitetheunion.com if you would like to help with Unite activities
8th Cornwall Gay Pride, Truro - Cheltenham Pride
15th Swindon Pride
Doncaster Pride. 16 August - contact Sue Pollard on 0113 236 4830.
21st -31st Manchester Gay Pride Festival
29th Barnsley Gay Pride, Manchester Gay Pride
UK Black Pride 2009 is on Saturday 15th August from 12.00pm - 9.00pm .
Regents College,
Inner Circle
Regents Park, London NW1 4NS
For further information on materials, information on your rights at work, please click on the link below:
http://www.unitetheunion.com/resources/equalities.aspx
If you would like to receive the e-equality Newsletter on a regular basis and are not doing so already, please contact Bridget Clemson, National Administrator, Equalities, with your e-mail address, to be added to our contact list. Her e-mail address is bridget.clemson@unitetheunion.com
Contact Wayne Lawlor, Unite Amicus Project Development Officer, about any best practice or action in your organisation in relation to equality issues which can be included in the Newsletter. e-mail Wayne on wayne.lawlor@unitetheunioncom
Please feel free to circulate this bulletin shop stewards and members.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Workers Uniting Group - News Update: Rolls Royce, Guardian, Local Government Pay
Rolls Royce Investment Welcomed
Rolls-Royce’s announcement of investment in four new factories and two advanced research programmes in the UK has been welcomed by Unite.
The investment by Rolls-Royce and the government is expected to create or secure over 800 jobs in the high-value manufacturing programmes in Rolls-Royce’s aerospace and civil nuclear markets.
Rolls-Royce will invest over £300 million in four factories in the UK, with £45 million of support to be provided by the UK government.
Unite national officer for aerospace and committee Bernie Hamilton who is also chair of the Confederation of Shipbuilding Engineering Unions (CSEU), said: “These announcements by Rolls Royce and the government are a ringing endorsement to the skills and abilities of the current and future UK aerospace workforce. This is a welcome investment for the UK manufacturing base including new sites for aerospace and civil nuclear which will secure and create jobs in communities badly hit by losses of employment in the UK manufacturing base and in other sectors of the UK economy."
Bernie said: "Unite and the CSEU stand ready to make these investments a success. We recognise the challenge of building world class manufacturing facilities but we will reach this goal and with it secure the future for Rolls-Royce workers for decades to come. Of course, we would have liked to have seen all the investments Rolls-Royce has announced today made in the UK, but the significant money announced today for UK projects is nonetheless an excellent indicator to all of its UK employees that this country is still at the heart of the company.”
Industrial action at Guardian Print Centre "on hold" for talks.
Industrial action at the Guardian Print Centre has been put on hold as negotiations continue.
Unite has refused to rule out the possibility of action. Steve Sibbald Unite National Officer for Newspapers said that since the threat of industial action was put to the publisher, it has been more willing to negotiate.
Steve said: "The ballot is suspended, but it could still go ahead next week pending further negotiations – it really depends how they go."
Local government pay
Unite, GMB and Unison, have formally agreed to consult members on an improved pay offer for 2009/2010, calling it the “best available through negotiation."
The results of the unions’ consultations will be available in early to mid September.
The unions are warning that, after years of below inflation pay awards, local government workers are angry about the way they have been treated. They will be gearing up for a campaign to protect national bargaining and fight for a higher pay award next year.
Rolls-Royce’s announcement of investment in four new factories and two advanced research programmes in the UK has been welcomed by Unite.
The investment by Rolls-Royce and the government is expected to create or secure over 800 jobs in the high-value manufacturing programmes in Rolls-Royce’s aerospace and civil nuclear markets.
Rolls-Royce will invest over £300 million in four factories in the UK, with £45 million of support to be provided by the UK government.
Unite national officer for aerospace and committee Bernie Hamilton who is also chair of the Confederation of Shipbuilding Engineering Unions (CSEU), said: “These announcements by Rolls Royce and the government are a ringing endorsement to the skills and abilities of the current and future UK aerospace workforce. This is a welcome investment for the UK manufacturing base including new sites for aerospace and civil nuclear which will secure and create jobs in communities badly hit by losses of employment in the UK manufacturing base and in other sectors of the UK economy."
Bernie said: "Unite and the CSEU stand ready to make these investments a success. We recognise the challenge of building world class manufacturing facilities but we will reach this goal and with it secure the future for Rolls-Royce workers for decades to come. Of course, we would have liked to have seen all the investments Rolls-Royce has announced today made in the UK, but the significant money announced today for UK projects is nonetheless an excellent indicator to all of its UK employees that this country is still at the heart of the company.”
Industrial action at Guardian Print Centre "on hold" for talks.
Industrial action at the Guardian Print Centre has been put on hold as negotiations continue.
Unite has refused to rule out the possibility of action. Steve Sibbald Unite National Officer for Newspapers said that since the threat of industial action was put to the publisher, it has been more willing to negotiate.
Steve said: "The ballot is suspended, but it could still go ahead next week pending further negotiations – it really depends how they go."
Local government pay
Unite, GMB and Unison, have formally agreed to consult members on an improved pay offer for 2009/2010, calling it the “best available through negotiation."
The results of the unions’ consultations will be available in early to mid September.
The unions are warning that, after years of below inflation pay awards, local government workers are angry about the way they have been treated. They will be gearing up for a campaign to protect national bargaining and fight for a higher pay award next year.
Vestas eviction attempt fails
Vestas workers are to continue their fight after a legal attempt to evict them failed.
Adjourning the hearing to evict the occupyers until Tuesday next week, the judge,said papers had not been properly served on individuals occupying the property.
Papers were served last Thursday to Mark Smith, a worker at the factory.
In the court papers, Vestas named 13 individuals and "persons unknown" it believed had occupied the office space in the building. Three of those are now thought to have left.
However, lawyers for the company conceded the company could not be sure who else had barricaded themselves inside the property.
Vestas lawyers asked the judge to fast-track the possession order, saying "emotions are running high" at the factory and there was a real risk of disturbance. They said the police presence at the site was evidence of the risk of disorder.
The judge said "I see no evidence of any threat of violence to property or person by reason of the individuals who are occupying the property remaining there." The judge added he was "distinctly uncomfortable" with the way the company was seeking to bring proceedings, which he described as an attempt to "get around the rules. I am not satisfied that any named person other than Mark Smith has been personally served," he said.
The adjournment resulted in celebrations for the occupying workers, who were told by mobile phone. They had expected bailiffs to arrive soon after court proceedings.
"Everyone in here went absolutely ballistic," said one of the workers inside. "It's given us another week to spread the word and given our legal team time to strengthen the case."
"We have just heard that the case has been adjourned to 4 August," Steve Stotesbury, a 29-year-old blade maker, announced to the crowd. "As we have said from the outset, this is a peaceful demonstration." He added: "We're extremely jubilant. This was the decision we were hoping for. It goes to show the fight is not over."
Vestas has been criticised for the way it informed the protesting workers that they had been sacked. The termination letters were delivered to the factory beneath slices of pizza.
Adjourning the hearing to evict the occupyers until Tuesday next week, the judge,said papers had not been properly served on individuals occupying the property.
Papers were served last Thursday to Mark Smith, a worker at the factory.
In the court papers, Vestas named 13 individuals and "persons unknown" it believed had occupied the office space in the building. Three of those are now thought to have left.
However, lawyers for the company conceded the company could not be sure who else had barricaded themselves inside the property.
Vestas lawyers asked the judge to fast-track the possession order, saying "emotions are running high" at the factory and there was a real risk of disturbance. They said the police presence at the site was evidence of the risk of disorder.
The judge said "I see no evidence of any threat of violence to property or person by reason of the individuals who are occupying the property remaining there." The judge added he was "distinctly uncomfortable" with the way the company was seeking to bring proceedings, which he described as an attempt to "get around the rules. I am not satisfied that any named person other than Mark Smith has been personally served," he said.
The adjournment resulted in celebrations for the occupying workers, who were told by mobile phone. They had expected bailiffs to arrive soon after court proceedings.
"Everyone in here went absolutely ballistic," said one of the workers inside. "It's given us another week to spread the word and given our legal team time to strengthen the case."
"We have just heard that the case has been adjourned to 4 August," Steve Stotesbury, a 29-year-old blade maker, announced to the crowd. "As we have said from the outset, this is a peaceful demonstration." He added: "We're extremely jubilant. This was the decision we were hoping for. It goes to show the fight is not over."
Vestas has been criticised for the way it informed the protesting workers that they had been sacked. The termination letters were delivered to the factory beneath slices of pizza.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Cadbury's Due To Announce "Huge Profits".
Unite members at Cadbury's will demonstrate outside the chocolate manufacturer's sites as the firm releases its half-year results.
Cadbury's plans to renege the final year of a three-year pay deal, despite expecting to register huge profits.
Cadbury had agreed a deal in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) plus 0.5%, but with a minimum of 2% for 2009. However, as the RPI in February was 0%, Unite claims the company is breaking the original agreement and instead imposing a deal of 0.5%.
The workers will protest at Bourneville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale plants.
Jennie Formby, Unite national officer for the food and retail sector, said: "The company has breached the agreement, which was to pay workers in line with the cost of living for three years.
"We have repeatedly offered to enter into meaningful negotiations and still will. We say to the management, talk to us because we can work this out. We do not want to take any action and it is very unusual for Cadbury, so to be demonstrating on Wednesday shows the strength of feeling among these workers."
More than 1,000 workers across Cadbury's sites are currently being balloted on the prospect of industrial action to force the company to uphold the agreement. The ballot result is expected towards the end of August.
Cadbury's plans to renege the final year of a three-year pay deal, despite expecting to register huge profits.
Cadbury had agreed a deal in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) plus 0.5%, but with a minimum of 2% for 2009. However, as the RPI in February was 0%, Unite claims the company is breaking the original agreement and instead imposing a deal of 0.5%.
The workers will protest at Bourneville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale plants.
Jennie Formby, Unite national officer for the food and retail sector, said: "The company has breached the agreement, which was to pay workers in line with the cost of living for three years.
"We have repeatedly offered to enter into meaningful negotiations and still will. We say to the management, talk to us because we can work this out. We do not want to take any action and it is very unusual for Cadbury, so to be demonstrating on Wednesday shows the strength of feeling among these workers."
More than 1,000 workers across Cadbury's sites are currently being balloted on the prospect of industrial action to force the company to uphold the agreement. The ballot result is expected towards the end of August.
Vestas Occupation Latest - Pizza and the sack
Eleven staff at Vestas who are taking part in the occupation at the wind turbine blade factory on the Isle of Wight have been sacked according to news reports.
Vestas says it had sacked 11 employees who it had identified as being inside the office.
Mike, one of the workers, said that dismissal letters - telling them they had lost their jobs and their redundancy packages - were delivered with their evening meal - a slice of pizza.
He said: "We're obviously disappointed but we kind of expected this. It's not going to deter us and we're not going to leave. We're not doing this for us now, we're doing this for everybody else."
On Wednesday, the company will make an application at Newport County Court for a possession order to remove the protestors from the factory.
Vestas says it had sacked 11 employees who it had identified as being inside the office.
Mike, one of the workers, said that dismissal letters - telling them they had lost their jobs and their redundancy packages - were delivered with their evening meal - a slice of pizza.
He said: "We're obviously disappointed but we kind of expected this. It's not going to deter us and we're not going to leave. We're not doing this for us now, we're doing this for everybody else."
On Wednesday, the company will make an application at Newport County Court for a possession order to remove the protestors from the factory.
YouTube If You Want To....
TUC YouTube contest - win one of 3x £250 of video kit prizes
Video sharing has become one of the most exciting parts of Internet culture. Trade unions have been quick to get involved. Sending out videos through YouTube, social networking sites, virals and blogs, unions have been able to get their campaign and organising messages out to tens of thousands of people.
We want to take this further. So we have launched the 'TUC 60 Second Challenge'. This is a competition open to everyone and anyone who wants to make a short video advert (no longer than 60 seconds) that promotes the role that trade unions play in the world today.
We're not looking for the next Spielberg. Fresh and creative ideas that are well presented are what matters both. Telling the trade union story and making an impact on YouTube means far more than any previous experience you may have.
There are 3 prizes to be won to the value of £250 each and the winning video will be broadcast at TUC Congress.
To find out more go to:
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.tuc.org.uk/tucadvertcontest
Video sharing has become one of the most exciting parts of Internet culture. Trade unions have been quick to get involved. Sending out videos through YouTube, social networking sites, virals and blogs, unions have been able to get their campaign and organising messages out to tens of thousands of people.
We want to take this further. So we have launched the 'TUC 60 Second Challenge'. This is a competition open to everyone and anyone who wants to make a short video advert (no longer than 60 seconds) that promotes the role that trade unions play in the world today.
We're not looking for the next Spielberg. Fresh and creative ideas that are well presented are what matters both. Telling the trade union story and making an impact on YouTube means far more than any previous experience you may have.
There are 3 prizes to be won to the value of £250 each and the winning video will be broadcast at TUC Congress.
To find out more go to:
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.tuc.org.uk/tucadvertcontest
Vestas Gets £6m - But Says It Will Still Close IoW Plant
The government yesterday awarded Vestas Technology £6m but the cash injection will not stop the Danish owned turbine manufacturer from closing its Isle of Wight factory!
The £6m award will go towards Vestas's offshore research and development division.
Vestas workers continue to occupy the factory and energy secretary Ed Miliband was heckled by protesters over the closure of the business while he was in Oxford on ministerial business.
A possession order will be sought by Vestas to regain control of the factory at court on tomorrow.
Ed Miliband said: "The money … will help us generate green jobs on top of our success as the leading country in the world for generating offshore wind. Alongside these proposals, we are reforming planning laws, finding new ways of working with local communities and are determined to persuade people that we need a significant increase in onshore wind as part of the UK's future energy mix."
Too little too late!
The £6m award will go towards Vestas's offshore research and development division.
Vestas workers continue to occupy the factory and energy secretary Ed Miliband was heckled by protesters over the closure of the business while he was in Oxford on ministerial business.
A possession order will be sought by Vestas to regain control of the factory at court on tomorrow.
Ed Miliband said: "The money … will help us generate green jobs on top of our success as the leading country in the world for generating offshore wind. Alongside these proposals, we are reforming planning laws, finding new ways of working with local communities and are determined to persuade people that we need a significant increase in onshore wind as part of the UK's future energy mix."
Too little too late!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Diago - We Can Win!
Rally 'puts pressure' on Diageo
Yesterday's march and rally against Diageo's plans to cut 900 jobs has forced the company to pay attention to public opposition said Jim Winters.
20,000 people took part in the demonstration in Kilmarnock. The size of the demo, surprised many union members.
Jim Winters of Unite told BBC Scotland: "I think yesterday's march and rally was a clear demonstration of the depth of feeling, not only in Kilmarnock, but across Scotland. There is an air of confidence that this can be won. However, we are dealing with a real serious business acumen. We are dealing with people who look to rationalise their company, as it stands currently, in order to ensure that their sustainability within the market place in Scotland remains. I think there will be further marches and rallies. The unions will look to keep the pressure on the company in order to ensure that this remains firmly on the radar at all times."
Alex Salmond addressed rally and said the march marked "another step forward" in the campaign to keep the plant open.
Scottish Enterprise, the government's enterprise agency, is co-ordinating an effort to draw up a plan for an alternative to closure. The company has said it will co-operate with that effort and listen to its conclusions.
Diageo has said the company believes its closure plans should save £20m each year, from an investment of £100m.
Yesterday's march and rally against Diageo's plans to cut 900 jobs has forced the company to pay attention to public opposition said Jim Winters.
20,000 people took part in the demonstration in Kilmarnock. The size of the demo, surprised many union members.
Jim Winters of Unite told BBC Scotland: "I think yesterday's march and rally was a clear demonstration of the depth of feeling, not only in Kilmarnock, but across Scotland. There is an air of confidence that this can be won. However, we are dealing with a real serious business acumen. We are dealing with people who look to rationalise their company, as it stands currently, in order to ensure that their sustainability within the market place in Scotland remains. I think there will be further marches and rallies. The unions will look to keep the pressure on the company in order to ensure that this remains firmly on the radar at all times."
Alex Salmond addressed rally and said the march marked "another step forward" in the campaign to keep the plant open.
Scottish Enterprise, the government's enterprise agency, is co-ordinating an effort to draw up a plan for an alternative to closure. The company has said it will co-operate with that effort and listen to its conclusions.
Diageo has said the company believes its closure plans should save £20m each year, from an investment of £100m.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
News Updates on Diageo, FSA, Asbestos, Local Government Craft Workers
Diageo Campaign - Fighting To Save Jobs
Following the devastating announcements made on 1st July, Unite is supporting Diageo workers fighting to keep their jobs after the company announced 900 job cuts across plants in Scotland including the historic Johnnie Walker packaging plant in Kilmarnock and Port Dundas distillery in Glasgow.
You can find out much more information directly at the following sites:
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101098331269
Please Sign The Petition To Paul Walsh CEO of Diageo @
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=559
Download posters, stickers, newsletters @
http://www.unitetheunion.com/savediageojobs
Unite Seeks Recognition At FSA
Unite has called on the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to urgently enter into talks to recognise Unite as the union to represent all staff at the regulatory body.
There is currently no independent trade union to negotiate with management on behalf of the workforce at the financial regulator. Unite workplace representatives in the FSA have been banned from distributing information about the union to colleagues. Unite already has many members at the FSA, but the organisation continues to deny the union recognition to bargain collectively on behalf of staff.
The announcement by the Conservative party that it plans to abolish the FSA has caused a wave on uncertainty across the organisation. Unite is seeking formal recognition of the 2,500 staff based in London and Edinburgh.
Unite's National Officer for the Finance sector Rob MacGregor said: “The FSA must consider the needs of the staff working under massive pressure at the financial regulator. At a time of great economic and political uncertainty at the FSA, it is more important than ever that management and Unite representatives work together. Staff want a union to fight on their behalf, the FSA should stop resisting the calls of the workforce. There is a farcical situation in the FSA where commercial organisations, social and religious groups are allowed stalls, to give out leaflets to staff, and are able to put posters up, but the trade union is not. Staff view the plans from the Conservative party as a bitter blow, they need reassurance that the important work of the financial regulator is not under threat.”
Unite has written formally to the chair of the FSA board, Lord Turner, to ask for an urgent meeting to discuss formal recognition of the union.
Asbestos: Tony Woodley Slams Decision To Delay Justice
Following the announcement from the government at the end of the parliamentary year that it will not overturn the House of Lords' ruling which removed compensation for sufferers of asbestos-related diseases and have opted to half heartedly look at some of the other issues surrounding asbestos related disease, Unite joint general secretary, Tony Woodley said: “It’s an absolute disgrace that the government is not announcing a reversal of the House of Lords ruling on compensation for those with pleural plaques. It’s an insult to hard working British people who have been negligently exposed to asbestos.
“There is plenty of medical evidence that supports the fact that pleural plaques do harm workers, something the government is well aware of. So for those workers who are suffering from these terrible diseases this delay will seem unnecessary and cruel. But, as profoundly disappointed as we are with this outcome, we urge the government to look at the latest evidence from scientists that asbestos-related pain is connected to the disease. This should convince them that they need to act to compensate these workers and help alleviate their distress.
"The fact remains, however, that while the government debates the medical evidence, our members remain uncompensated for their suffering and the industry which took serious risks with workers' lives and health remain unpunished for the misery they've caused to innocent people.”
Attack On Skilled Craft Workers
Unions representing 40,000 skilled council craftworkers (Unite, Ucatt and GMB) have said they are appalled that a long delayed pay offer has been formulated in order to cut the terms and conditions of all local government craftworkers.
The workers concerned are local government craftworkers including: carpenters, bricklayers, painters, labourers, electricians, plumbers, heating and ventilator engineers and gas fitters. Their terms and conditions are set by the Joint Negotiating Committee JNC “Red Book” agreement, which is tailored to cover their specific working environment.
The employers are proposing a pay increase of just 1% for the majority of pay grades, with the building labourer rate (the lowest) receiving a 1.25 per cent increase. Allowances would also only rise by 1 per cent.
The employers are also offering to pay an additional 0.3 per cent, which other council workers on the Green Book received last year, if the unions voluntarily agree to collapse the Red Book. A 0.3 per cent increase for the majority of local government craftworkers would be worth just 50 pence - the cost of a Mars Bar - in take home pay.
In a further sinister move the employers say in their proposal: “However, should an agreement to dissolve the JNC not prove possible, the Employers would subject to the outcome of a consultation of all local authorities, give the Trade Union Side notice of their intention to withdraw from the JNC”
A unilateral decision to collapse the JNC, a national agreement, would create a situation where all 40,000 craftworkers would be issued with formal redundancy notices and then issued with new contracts. Given past experiences where individual councils have taken such action, this will result in extensive legal cases, thousands of tribunal claims and years of internal chaos for the councils involved.
At a time of economic uncertainty where councils are being forced to make cuts it is illogical and dogmatic to propose that hard-pressed councils use council taxpayers money to fund an unnecessary, legal and bureaucratic nightmare.
John Allott, Unite National Officer and Chair of the Union Side JNC, said “This offer does nothing to address the ever widening gap between the Red Book Agreement and the Private Sector Building Agreements for Craft Workers. The ill thought out and unnecessary threats to end the Red Book Craft Agreement are being made by incompetent civil servants who do not understand the industry nor do they seem to care that they may well land the Public purse with unnecessary hugely expensive legal cases and thousands of Tribunal Claims whilst they say they the cupboard is bare and are only prepared to offer a derisory 1%. Their treatment of loyal hardworking craftworkers is disgraceful and disrespectful”.
Following the devastating announcements made on 1st July, Unite is supporting Diageo workers fighting to keep their jobs after the company announced 900 job cuts across plants in Scotland including the historic Johnnie Walker packaging plant in Kilmarnock and Port Dundas distillery in Glasgow.
You can find out much more information directly at the following sites:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101098331269
Please Sign The Petition To Paul Walsh CEO of Diageo @
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=559
Download posters, stickers, newsletters @
http://www.unitetheunion.com/savediageojobs
Unite Seeks Recognition At FSA
Unite has called on the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to urgently enter into talks to recognise Unite as the union to represent all staff at the regulatory body.
There is currently no independent trade union to negotiate with management on behalf of the workforce at the financial regulator. Unite workplace representatives in the FSA have been banned from distributing information about the union to colleagues. Unite already has many members at the FSA, but the organisation continues to deny the union recognition to bargain collectively on behalf of staff.
The announcement by the Conservative party that it plans to abolish the FSA has caused a wave on uncertainty across the organisation. Unite is seeking formal recognition of the 2,500 staff based in London and Edinburgh.
Unite's National Officer for the Finance sector Rob MacGregor said: “The FSA must consider the needs of the staff working under massive pressure at the financial regulator. At a time of great economic and political uncertainty at the FSA, it is more important than ever that management and Unite representatives work together. Staff want a union to fight on their behalf, the FSA should stop resisting the calls of the workforce. There is a farcical situation in the FSA where commercial organisations, social and religious groups are allowed stalls, to give out leaflets to staff, and are able to put posters up, but the trade union is not. Staff view the plans from the Conservative party as a bitter blow, they need reassurance that the important work of the financial regulator is not under threat.”
Unite has written formally to the chair of the FSA board, Lord Turner, to ask for an urgent meeting to discuss formal recognition of the union.
Asbestos: Tony Woodley Slams Decision To Delay Justice
Following the announcement from the government at the end of the parliamentary year that it will not overturn the House of Lords' ruling which removed compensation for sufferers of asbestos-related diseases and have opted to half heartedly look at some of the other issues surrounding asbestos related disease, Unite joint general secretary, Tony Woodley said: “It’s an absolute disgrace that the government is not announcing a reversal of the House of Lords ruling on compensation for those with pleural plaques. It’s an insult to hard working British people who have been negligently exposed to asbestos.
“There is plenty of medical evidence that supports the fact that pleural plaques do harm workers, something the government is well aware of. So for those workers who are suffering from these terrible diseases this delay will seem unnecessary and cruel. But, as profoundly disappointed as we are with this outcome, we urge the government to look at the latest evidence from scientists that asbestos-related pain is connected to the disease. This should convince them that they need to act to compensate these workers and help alleviate their distress.
"The fact remains, however, that while the government debates the medical evidence, our members remain uncompensated for their suffering and the industry which took serious risks with workers' lives and health remain unpunished for the misery they've caused to innocent people.”
Attack On Skilled Craft Workers
Unions representing 40,000 skilled council craftworkers (Unite, Ucatt and GMB) have said they are appalled that a long delayed pay offer has been formulated in order to cut the terms and conditions of all local government craftworkers.
The workers concerned are local government craftworkers including: carpenters, bricklayers, painters, labourers, electricians, plumbers, heating and ventilator engineers and gas fitters. Their terms and conditions are set by the Joint Negotiating Committee JNC “Red Book” agreement, which is tailored to cover their specific working environment.
The employers are proposing a pay increase of just 1% for the majority of pay grades, with the building labourer rate (the lowest) receiving a 1.25 per cent increase. Allowances would also only rise by 1 per cent.
The employers are also offering to pay an additional 0.3 per cent, which other council workers on the Green Book received last year, if the unions voluntarily agree to collapse the Red Book. A 0.3 per cent increase for the majority of local government craftworkers would be worth just 50 pence - the cost of a Mars Bar - in take home pay.
In a further sinister move the employers say in their proposal: “However, should an agreement to dissolve the JNC not prove possible, the Employers would subject to the outcome of a consultation of all local authorities, give the Trade Union Side notice of their intention to withdraw from the JNC”
A unilateral decision to collapse the JNC, a national agreement, would create a situation where all 40,000 craftworkers would be issued with formal redundancy notices and then issued with new contracts. Given past experiences where individual councils have taken such action, this will result in extensive legal cases, thousands of tribunal claims and years of internal chaos for the councils involved.
At a time of economic uncertainty where councils are being forced to make cuts it is illogical and dogmatic to propose that hard-pressed councils use council taxpayers money to fund an unnecessary, legal and bureaucratic nightmare.
John Allott, Unite National Officer and Chair of the Union Side JNC, said “This offer does nothing to address the ever widening gap between the Red Book Agreement and the Private Sector Building Agreements for Craft Workers. The ill thought out and unnecessary threats to end the Red Book Craft Agreement are being made by incompetent civil servants who do not understand the industry nor do they seem to care that they may well land the Public purse with unnecessary hugely expensive legal cases and thousands of Tribunal Claims whilst they say they the cupboard is bare and are only prepared to offer a derisory 1%. Their treatment of loyal hardworking craftworkers is disgraceful and disrespectful”.
WORKERS UNITING GROUP - SCOTLAND - 22nd AUGUST
Workers Uniting Group Meeting
SCOTLAND REGION
The Workers Uniting Group is the broad based left-progressive organisation within Unite the Union
A meeting of Workers Uniting Group Supporters in Scotland will take place at
Scottish Trade Union Congress
333 Woodlands Road
Glasgow
G3 6NG
SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST - 1030am – 1200pm
Facing the Challenge. This is the 2nd meeting within the Scotland Region. It is important that the group’s Regional Structures are established.
This meeting will provide that opportunity.
Please pass onto Unite Members!
www.workersunitinggroup.com
SCOTLAND REGION
The Workers Uniting Group is the broad based left-progressive organisation within Unite the Union
A meeting of Workers Uniting Group Supporters in Scotland will take place at
Scottish Trade Union Congress
333 Woodlands Road
Glasgow
G3 6NG
SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST - 1030am – 1200pm
Facing the Challenge. This is the 2nd meeting within the Scotland Region. It is important that the group’s Regional Structures are established.
This meeting will provide that opportunity.
Please pass onto Unite Members!
www.workersunitinggroup.com
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wage freezes are not the only story for pay
Wage freezes are not the only story for pay
There are good pay deals still being done, including in the private sector, according to data from the Labour Research Department (LRD) Payline database.
Pay freezes are not the only way employers have responded to the economic downturn.
In fact, according to Payline, only around 23% of wage settlements since January 2009 have been pay freezes.
This means that the greater majority of wage settlements, including in the private sector, have been positive. In only a tiny handful of cases have there been actual pay cuts.
However, LRD’s information shows the level of pay increases has dropped since 2008, to an overall median of 2.5% from January to June this year, while the range of pay settlements has widened, with deals in the private sector ranging from 0% to 6% or even more.
LRD’s figures are also revealing another apparent trend in pay for 2009 in the growing difference between long-term and short-term negotiated pay deals. The median since January 2009 for long-term deals is 3.2% compared to the median for new deals, which is 2%.
Settlements that are negotiated for one year (or sometimes less) with unions have also been disproportionately affected by pay freezes. Currently around 35-40% of these new deals are running at 0%.
This is in stark contrast to long-term and staged deals, often – but not always – built on a formula linked to one or other of the official measures of inflation. These deals are in almost all cases still delivering pay rises, mostly in the range 0.5%-5%. And, while in some very rare cases employers have reneged on these deals, for the most part pay promises made before the downturn have been honoured.
“It is likely that employers that sign long-term deals with their unions favour stability and good industrial relations, and know that over time the pay picture will probably even out under these deals,” said Lewis Emery, LRD’s pay and conditions researcher.
“Freezing pay is a short-term solution, and is not sustainable in the long term. Many employers even in a downturn see the benefits of a more predictable situation where they can be sure of rewarding their staff consistently.”
The three-monthly median pay increase up to and including June 2009 was 2.3% for all deals. This is a drop from the three-month figure to May, which was 2.5%.
There are good pay deals still being done, including in the private sector, according to data from the Labour Research Department (LRD) Payline database.
Pay freezes are not the only way employers have responded to the economic downturn.
In fact, according to Payline, only around 23% of wage settlements since January 2009 have been pay freezes.
This means that the greater majority of wage settlements, including in the private sector, have been positive. In only a tiny handful of cases have there been actual pay cuts.
However, LRD’s information shows the level of pay increases has dropped since 2008, to an overall median of 2.5% from January to June this year, while the range of pay settlements has widened, with deals in the private sector ranging from 0% to 6% or even more.
LRD’s figures are also revealing another apparent trend in pay for 2009 in the growing difference between long-term and short-term negotiated pay deals. The median since January 2009 for long-term deals is 3.2% compared to the median for new deals, which is 2%.
Settlements that are negotiated for one year (or sometimes less) with unions have also been disproportionately affected by pay freezes. Currently around 35-40% of these new deals are running at 0%.
This is in stark contrast to long-term and staged deals, often – but not always – built on a formula linked to one or other of the official measures of inflation. These deals are in almost all cases still delivering pay rises, mostly in the range 0.5%-5%. And, while in some very rare cases employers have reneged on these deals, for the most part pay promises made before the downturn have been honoured.
“It is likely that employers that sign long-term deals with their unions favour stability and good industrial relations, and know that over time the pay picture will probably even out under these deals,” said Lewis Emery, LRD’s pay and conditions researcher.
“Freezing pay is a short-term solution, and is not sustainable in the long term. Many employers even in a downturn see the benefits of a more predictable situation where they can be sure of rewarding their staff consistently.”
The three-monthly median pay increase up to and including June 2009 was 2.3% for all deals. This is a drop from the three-month figure to May, which was 2.5%.
Vestas Occupation - A Workers Uniting Group Supporter writes...
This message from a Workers Uniting Group supporter came through this morning.
"Its good to read that you have brought this fight to Workers Uniting Group colleagues. Vestas received a 2.5 Million euro grant to establish this company on the Island.
Although very few of the employees are union members (it has never been organised) their fight is to be applauded and is of the first order, especially in the absence of a union to provide advise and support - they are very much alone when it comes piloting a way forward.
That said the Islanders continue to give amazing support by picketing the factory, which in now fenced and surrounded by a police cordon, leading to arrests of supporters attempting to throw food supplies to those in occupation.
This evening local TV and Radio have covered a factory gate speech by Bob Crow who gave his full support and a pledge that the RMT would ensure food supplies will be got in - even by air.
Which as you would expect was very well received not only by those in occupation but by the many hundreds of supporters at the gate.
This must count as the biggest industrial story to hit the Island in many a year, with the media scouring for someone to give an account.
Bob Crow to his credit has done just that and has clearly raised the RMT's profile on the Island given the applause and attention he received.
I can report that the employer is seeking a injunction to remove those who are in occupation, they have already been dismissed and will loose any redundancy payments etc. I understand that the hearing of the injunction will be heard on Wednesday next on the island".
"Its good to read that you have brought this fight to Workers Uniting Group colleagues. Vestas received a 2.5 Million euro grant to establish this company on the Island.
Although very few of the employees are union members (it has never been organised) their fight is to be applauded and is of the first order, especially in the absence of a union to provide advise and support - they are very much alone when it comes piloting a way forward.
That said the Islanders continue to give amazing support by picketing the factory, which in now fenced and surrounded by a police cordon, leading to arrests of supporters attempting to throw food supplies to those in occupation.
This evening local TV and Radio have covered a factory gate speech by Bob Crow who gave his full support and a pledge that the RMT would ensure food supplies will be got in - even by air.
Which as you would expect was very well received not only by those in occupation but by the many hundreds of supporters at the gate.
This must count as the biggest industrial story to hit the Island in many a year, with the media scouring for someone to give an account.
Bob Crow to his credit has done just that and has clearly raised the RMT's profile on the Island given the applause and attention he received.
I can report that the employer is seeking a injunction to remove those who are in occupation, they have already been dismissed and will loose any redundancy payments etc. I understand that the hearing of the injunction will be heard on Wednesday next on the island".
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Vestas Occupation
As Workers Uniting Group supporters will be aware a number of employees and workers employed at the Danish owned Vestas Windsystems on the Isle of Wight are occupying their factory in to try to defend their jobs and calling on the Government to nationalise the plant - the UK's only manufacturer of wind turbine blades.
A group of around 24 workers have occupied the first floor of an administration building at the plant.
The company are threatening those occupying the plant if they don't leave by tonight (Thursday) they will be arrested.
It is reported that managers have been involved in talks with the group and are expected to discuss those talks with the company’s senior management tonight.
Mark Smith, said they had also called for the company to negotiate with workers over redundancy packages.
"We had the discussions about what we wanted through a window. They have told us they want this to end as soon as possible but I will not leave until this is sorted out. They told us anyone who left in the next two hours would not be charged and would get the same redundancy package as they originally offered. If we don’t go they have said we could be charged with aggravated trespass. It’s up to individuals here but I am not planning on leaving," said Mr Smith.
He said the group, which had been planning the sit in for around three weeks, had been offered legal help and other support from a number of trade unions and environmental groups and were hoping to talk to lawyers this evening.
The group had been keeping in touch with supporters outside using internet social network sites, including MSN, however Vestas has since shut down all internet access. Police have restricted access to the site and prevented people from giving food to the protestors.
To keep upto date with developments you can visit a special website set up by the workers and send messages of solidarity to those sitting in at:
http://savevestas.wordpress.com/
A group of around 24 workers have occupied the first floor of an administration building at the plant.
The company are threatening those occupying the plant if they don't leave by tonight (Thursday) they will be arrested.
It is reported that managers have been involved in talks with the group and are expected to discuss those talks with the company’s senior management tonight.
Mark Smith, said they had also called for the company to negotiate with workers over redundancy packages.
"We had the discussions about what we wanted through a window. They have told us they want this to end as soon as possible but I will not leave until this is sorted out. They told us anyone who left in the next two hours would not be charged and would get the same redundancy package as they originally offered. If we don’t go they have said we could be charged with aggravated trespass. It’s up to individuals here but I am not planning on leaving," said Mr Smith.
He said the group, which had been planning the sit in for around three weeks, had been offered legal help and other support from a number of trade unions and environmental groups and were hoping to talk to lawyers this evening.
The group had been keeping in touch with supporters outside using internet social network sites, including MSN, however Vestas has since shut down all internet access. Police have restricted access to the site and prevented people from giving food to the protestors.
To keep upto date with developments you can visit a special website set up by the workers and send messages of solidarity to those sitting in at:
http://savevestas.wordpress.com/
EMERGENCY PICKET DEMANDS US CUTS FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO HONDURAS DICTATORSHIP
EMERGENCY PICKET DEMANDS US CUTS FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO HONDURAS DICTATORSHIP
A 100 people attended a lively emergency picket at the US Embassy in London on July 22nd against the recent illegal coup in Honduras, which demanded the USA cuts all financial and economic support to the illegitimate government in Honduras.
Speaking at the picket, Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price said, "With sadness, what we see is continuity in US policy - not the change we can believe in, that we hoped for - we must demand from Obama that he delivers a change in US foreign policy."
Derek Wall, Green Party representative, added to this that, "In America you [also] have Republican senators and people behind the scenes in the apparatus who want the US to support the coup," making the need for international solidarity all the more important.
Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn put the coup in context, saying that, "Honduras has a constitution drawn up in the 1980s designed to defend power, wealth and influence. It has always been the base for US interests in Central America. Presidents have always been from the same identikit parties and been against helping the poor. Zelaya recognised this and wanted to allow an indicator vote on extending democracy... It is up to us to mobilise for a democratic government in Honduras for the poor."
Keith Sonnet, Deputy General Secretary of UNISON also praised the pro-Zelaya resistance in Honduras, saying that: "We've seen thousands and thousands of Hondurans campaigning on the streets for the return of their democratically elected President. That is why tomorrow there will be a general strike for the return of Zelaya and we give our solidarity to them."
NUS Black Students' Officer, Bell Riviero-Addy, condemned the near media 'black out' on the issue, arguing that,"If the US wanted this to end tomorrow it would. We all know there is nothing in the news about this and so it is important that we shout as loudly as possible, keep coming back and keep campaigning for the return of Zelaya."
Jose Villa of Unite the Union brought greetings from Latin American workers in Europe's largest trade union, stating that, "Unite the Union supports every campaign that defends democracy in Latin America. We will support this campaign until Zelaya returns as President."
Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Secretary Francisco Dominguez concluded the event arguing that forces in the US would continue to try to overthrow progressive governments in Latin America, "just as they did in Venezuela," and that this made "our solidarity with Honduras more important than ever."
The picket also received greetings from Tony Benn, CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes, Colin Burgon MP, John McDonell MP and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MEP amongst others.
The event was called by the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and Unite the Union, and supported by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Justice for Colombia, Caribbean Labour Solidarity, Stop the War Coalition, SERTUC and Noticias Latin America.
Over 40 parliamentarians, various public personalities, trade union leaders and others from across British society have signed a statement condemning the coup in Honduras.
A current list of signatories and the statement can be found at http://www.vicuk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=472&Itemid=30
A 100 people attended a lively emergency picket at the US Embassy in London on July 22nd against the recent illegal coup in Honduras, which demanded the USA cuts all financial and economic support to the illegitimate government in Honduras.
Speaking at the picket, Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price said, "With sadness, what we see is continuity in US policy - not the change we can believe in, that we hoped for - we must demand from Obama that he delivers a change in US foreign policy."
Derek Wall, Green Party representative, added to this that, "In America you [also] have Republican senators and people behind the scenes in the apparatus who want the US to support the coup," making the need for international solidarity all the more important.
Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn put the coup in context, saying that, "Honduras has a constitution drawn up in the 1980s designed to defend power, wealth and influence. It has always been the base for US interests in Central America. Presidents have always been from the same identikit parties and been against helping the poor. Zelaya recognised this and wanted to allow an indicator vote on extending democracy... It is up to us to mobilise for a democratic government in Honduras for the poor."
Keith Sonnet, Deputy General Secretary of UNISON also praised the pro-Zelaya resistance in Honduras, saying that: "We've seen thousands and thousands of Hondurans campaigning on the streets for the return of their democratically elected President. That is why tomorrow there will be a general strike for the return of Zelaya and we give our solidarity to them."
NUS Black Students' Officer, Bell Riviero-Addy, condemned the near media 'black out' on the issue, arguing that,"If the US wanted this to end tomorrow it would. We all know there is nothing in the news about this and so it is important that we shout as loudly as possible, keep coming back and keep campaigning for the return of Zelaya."
Jose Villa of Unite the Union brought greetings from Latin American workers in Europe's largest trade union, stating that, "Unite the Union supports every campaign that defends democracy in Latin America. We will support this campaign until Zelaya returns as President."
Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Secretary Francisco Dominguez concluded the event arguing that forces in the US would continue to try to overthrow progressive governments in Latin America, "just as they did in Venezuela," and that this made "our solidarity with Honduras more important than ever."
The picket also received greetings from Tony Benn, CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes, Colin Burgon MP, John McDonell MP and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MEP amongst others.
The event was called by the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and Unite the Union, and supported by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Justice for Colombia, Caribbean Labour Solidarity, Stop the War Coalition, SERTUC and Noticias Latin America.
Over 40 parliamentarians, various public personalities, trade union leaders and others from across British society have signed a statement condemning the coup in Honduras.
A current list of signatories and the statement can be found at http://www.vicuk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=472&Itemid=30
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
EU suspends $90m aid to Honduras
EU suspends $90m aid to Honduras
The European Union has suspended more than $90m (63m euros; £54m) in aid to Honduras in the wake of a coup there.
It follows the failure of talks to resolve the country's political crisis.
President Manuel Zelaya was ousted from office by troops on 28 June over his plans to hold a referendum on changing the constitution.
The current interim government, led by Roberto Micheletti, has rejected a proposal that Mr Zelaya return as leader of a unity government.
The EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement: "In view of the circumstances, I have taken the difficult decision to suspend all budgetary support payments.
"I strongly appeal to both parties to refrain from any action or declaration which might further escalate tension, thus making the prospect of a solution more difficult."
Honduras's political leaders are still at loggerheads after the weekend talks mediated by the Costa Rican President Oscar Arias collapsed.
The deposed president has vowed to return home despite warnings from the interim government that they will arrest him if he does.
Join the picket at the US Embassy from 5.30pm tomorrow - Wednesday 22 July, to demand the US now cuts all its financial and economic support to Honduras!
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/8159986.stm
The European Union has suspended more than $90m (63m euros; £54m) in aid to Honduras in the wake of a coup there.
It follows the failure of talks to resolve the country's political crisis.
President Manuel Zelaya was ousted from office by troops on 28 June over his plans to hold a referendum on changing the constitution.
The current interim government, led by Roberto Micheletti, has rejected a proposal that Mr Zelaya return as leader of a unity government.
The EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement: "In view of the circumstances, I have taken the difficult decision to suspend all budgetary support payments.
"I strongly appeal to both parties to refrain from any action or declaration which might further escalate tension, thus making the prospect of a solution more difficult."
Honduras's political leaders are still at loggerheads after the weekend talks mediated by the Costa Rican President Oscar Arias collapsed.
The deposed president has vowed to return home despite warnings from the interim government that they will arrest him if he does.
Join the picket at the US Embassy from 5.30pm tomorrow - Wednesday 22 July, to demand the US now cuts all its financial and economic support to Honduras!
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/8159986.stm
Monday, July 20, 2009
EFCA - Democrats Drop Card Checks
A half-dozen Democratic senators have decided to drop a central provision of a bill that would have made it easier for unions to organise in the USA.
The card-check provision - which senators decided to scrap to help secure a filibuster-proof 60 votes — would have required employers to recognise a union as soon as a majority of workers signed cards saying they wanted a union. Currently, employers can insist on a secret-ballot election.
Democrats have a 60-40 vote advantage in the Senate, and President Obama supports the measure, but several Democrats opposed the card-check provision as undemocratic.
In its place, several Senate and union officials said the revised bill would require shorter unionisation campaigns and faster elections.
While disappointed with the failure of card check, union leaders argued this would still be an important victory because it would give companies less time to press workers to vote against unionising.
The card-check provision was so central to the legislation that it was known as “the card-check bill.” Unions had called the bill its No. 1 objective, and both unions and business deployed their largest, most expensive lobbying campaigns ever in the battle over it.
Several Democrats, including Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, have voiced opposition to card check, convinced that elections were a fairer way for workers to unionise. They were swayed partly by business’s vigorous campaign, arguing that card check would remove confidentiality from unionisation drives and enable union organisers to bully workers into signing union cards.
Though some details remain to be worked out, under the expected revisions, union elections would have to be held within five or 10 days after 30 percent of workers signed cards favoring having a union. Currently, the campaigns often run two months.
To further address union concerns that the election process is tilted in favor of employers, senators are considering several measures. One would require employers to give union organisers access to company property. Another would bar employers from requiring workers to attend anti-union sessions that unions say are “captive audience meetings.”
Unions have pushed aggressively to enact the bill - the Employee Free Choice Act. They view it as essential to reverse union membership decline. Just 7.6 percent of private-sector workers belong to unions, one-fifth the rate of a half-century ago.
One top union official, who insisted on anonymity because both sides have agreed not to discuss the status of the bill, said, “Even if card check is jettisoned to political realities, I don’t think people should be despondent over that because labor law reform can take different shapes.”
While voicing confidence they have the 60 votes to pass the revised bill, labor leaders acknowledged an additional hurdle: two powerful Democrats, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, are seriously ill.
“This bill will bring about dramatic changes, even if card check has fallen away,” said an A.F.L.-C.I.O. official.
The official said the revised bill achieves the three things organised labor has been seeking.
“Our goals,” the official said, “have always been letting employees have a real choice, having real penalties against employers who break the law in fighting unions, and having some form of binding arbitration to prevent employers from dragging their feet forever to prevent reaching a contract.”
Union leaders argue that under current law, unionisation ballots are often unfair because, they say, employers have a huge opportunity to intimidate and pressure workers during the lengthy campaigns that precede the unionisation vote.
Corporate lobbyists have indicated they would oppose fast elections, arguing that such a provision would deny employers ample opportunity to educate employees about the downside of unionising, such as strikes and union dues.
Business also oppose the bill’s provisions to have binding arbitration if an employer fails to reach a contract with a new union. Companies argue it would be wrong for government-designated arbitrators to dictate what a company’s wages and benefits should be.
Union officials have urged the White House and Senate leaders to schedule a vote this month. But Senate leaders have told unions that the Senate is so preoccupied with health care legislation that September would be the earliest time to take up the pro-union legislation.
The card-check provision - which senators decided to scrap to help secure a filibuster-proof 60 votes — would have required employers to recognise a union as soon as a majority of workers signed cards saying they wanted a union. Currently, employers can insist on a secret-ballot election.
Democrats have a 60-40 vote advantage in the Senate, and President Obama supports the measure, but several Democrats opposed the card-check provision as undemocratic.
In its place, several Senate and union officials said the revised bill would require shorter unionisation campaigns and faster elections.
While disappointed with the failure of card check, union leaders argued this would still be an important victory because it would give companies less time to press workers to vote against unionising.
The card-check provision was so central to the legislation that it was known as “the card-check bill.” Unions had called the bill its No. 1 objective, and both unions and business deployed their largest, most expensive lobbying campaigns ever in the battle over it.
Several Democrats, including Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, have voiced opposition to card check, convinced that elections were a fairer way for workers to unionise. They were swayed partly by business’s vigorous campaign, arguing that card check would remove confidentiality from unionisation drives and enable union organisers to bully workers into signing union cards.
Though some details remain to be worked out, under the expected revisions, union elections would have to be held within five or 10 days after 30 percent of workers signed cards favoring having a union. Currently, the campaigns often run two months.
To further address union concerns that the election process is tilted in favor of employers, senators are considering several measures. One would require employers to give union organisers access to company property. Another would bar employers from requiring workers to attend anti-union sessions that unions say are “captive audience meetings.”
Unions have pushed aggressively to enact the bill - the Employee Free Choice Act. They view it as essential to reverse union membership decline. Just 7.6 percent of private-sector workers belong to unions, one-fifth the rate of a half-century ago.
One top union official, who insisted on anonymity because both sides have agreed not to discuss the status of the bill, said, “Even if card check is jettisoned to political realities, I don’t think people should be despondent over that because labor law reform can take different shapes.”
While voicing confidence they have the 60 votes to pass the revised bill, labor leaders acknowledged an additional hurdle: two powerful Democrats, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, are seriously ill.
“This bill will bring about dramatic changes, even if card check has fallen away,” said an A.F.L.-C.I.O. official.
The official said the revised bill achieves the three things organised labor has been seeking.
“Our goals,” the official said, “have always been letting employees have a real choice, having real penalties against employers who break the law in fighting unions, and having some form of binding arbitration to prevent employers from dragging their feet forever to prevent reaching a contract.”
Union leaders argue that under current law, unionisation ballots are often unfair because, they say, employers have a huge opportunity to intimidate and pressure workers during the lengthy campaigns that precede the unionisation vote.
Corporate lobbyists have indicated they would oppose fast elections, arguing that such a provision would deny employers ample opportunity to educate employees about the downside of unionising, such as strikes and union dues.
Business also oppose the bill’s provisions to have binding arbitration if an employer fails to reach a contract with a new union. Companies argue it would be wrong for government-designated arbitrators to dictate what a company’s wages and benefits should be.
Union officials have urged the White House and Senate leaders to schedule a vote this month. But Senate leaders have told unions that the Senate is so preoccupied with health care legislation that September would be the earliest time to take up the pro-union legislation.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
5000 at Steel Rally
5,000 workers and their families sent a powerful message to the Government with the Save Our Steel march and rally in Redcar yesterday. (Saturday)
They demanded help for the struggling Corus plant which is the major employer in Redcar, Cleveland, and a key industry for Teesside.
Two thousand jobs could go at the 150-year-old steel plant after a consortium pulled out of a 10-year contract to buy its high-quality product.
MPs called on the Government to bring forward major projects which need steel, to boost Corus's order book while negotiations to find a buyer continued.
Bob Stainthorpe deputy chairman of the multi-union committee at the plant, spoke at the rally, and said "It just shows the public support we have," he said. "People came from all over the country to be here, and it tells us that we are not alone. We have sent out a powerful message today. It would be an absolute tragedy if nothing was done to save us. It would tear the heart out of the community."
Marchers included Unite, Community, GMB, Ucatt members as well as supporters from the local port and Teesside's chemical industry, as well as steelworkers and their families.
Unite Joint General Secretary Derek Simpson said: "In a show of defiance Unite members are marching to demonstrate that 150 years of iron and steelmaking in Teesside matters. The loss of the Corus plant will rip the heart out of this local community. The thousands of workers at Corus must be supported in order to maintain a viable world-class industry in the future."
One of the banners carried by workers read: "Mr Brown you have helped the banks, your MPs helped themselves to public money, now help us to Save Our Steel."
Bob Bolam, Unite regional officer said: "This is not a protest. What we want is the Government to get involved to ensure that steel production on Teesside is maintained."
They demanded help for the struggling Corus plant which is the major employer in Redcar, Cleveland, and a key industry for Teesside.
Two thousand jobs could go at the 150-year-old steel plant after a consortium pulled out of a 10-year contract to buy its high-quality product.
MPs called on the Government to bring forward major projects which need steel, to boost Corus's order book while negotiations to find a buyer continued.
Bob Stainthorpe deputy chairman of the multi-union committee at the plant, spoke at the rally, and said "It just shows the public support we have," he said. "People came from all over the country to be here, and it tells us that we are not alone. We have sent out a powerful message today. It would be an absolute tragedy if nothing was done to save us. It would tear the heart out of the community."
Marchers included Unite, Community, GMB, Ucatt members as well as supporters from the local port and Teesside's chemical industry, as well as steelworkers and their families.
Unite Joint General Secretary Derek Simpson said: "In a show of defiance Unite members are marching to demonstrate that 150 years of iron and steelmaking in Teesside matters. The loss of the Corus plant will rip the heart out of this local community. The thousands of workers at Corus must be supported in order to maintain a viable world-class industry in the future."
One of the banners carried by workers read: "Mr Brown you have helped the banks, your MPs helped themselves to public money, now help us to Save Our Steel."
Bob Bolam, Unite regional officer said: "This is not a protest. What we want is the Government to get involved to ensure that steel production on Teesside is maintained."
Friday, July 17, 2009
Cadbury's Strike Ballot
Workers at Cadburys will begin voting on strike action tomorrow over the firm's broken pay promises.
Unite said that Cadbury is breaking a long-standing deal struck with the workers at plants at Bourneville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale by refusing to honour the final year of a three-year pay agreement.
Unite national officer Jennie Formby said that the company could avert industrial action by keeping its promise to the workforce.
"The workers are angry that, while Cadbury's managers and shareholders carve up a hefty 30 per cent leap in profits, made by the hard work of the employees, workers are left choking on the crumbs. This is a derisory half per cent in their pay packets," she said.
"It is unacceptable that a company as profitable as Cadbury seeks to use a recession to snatch back money meant for workers.
"We ask Cadbury now to honour its commitments because these workers deserve nothing less than the fair pay they were promised."
Unite said that the ballot will be forced to exclude workers at Cadbury's Somerdale site because of a punitive clause in their redundancy agreement, meaning that the workers forfeit all enhanced redundancy payments if they take any industrial action.
"The pay issue is particularly important for the Somerdale workers because they were counting on the 2 per cent pay increase to enhance not just their last earnings with the company before their factory closes and production goes to Poland but also to boost their final redundancy pay.
"They may be being denied a voice in this process but Unite will still fight for the best deal for them," Ms Formby said.
Cadbury had originally agreed a deal of RPI plus 0.5 per cent with the workforce, with a minimum of two per cent for 2009.
However, as RPI in February was 0 per cent, the company is breaking the original agreement and instead imposing a deal of 0.5 per cent.
This comes despite the 30 per cent leap in profits across the company this year.
Unite said that Cadbury is breaking a long-standing deal struck with the workers at plants at Bourneville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale by refusing to honour the final year of a three-year pay agreement.
Unite national officer Jennie Formby said that the company could avert industrial action by keeping its promise to the workforce.
"The workers are angry that, while Cadbury's managers and shareholders carve up a hefty 30 per cent leap in profits, made by the hard work of the employees, workers are left choking on the crumbs. This is a derisory half per cent in their pay packets," she said.
"It is unacceptable that a company as profitable as Cadbury seeks to use a recession to snatch back money meant for workers.
"We ask Cadbury now to honour its commitments because these workers deserve nothing less than the fair pay they were promised."
Unite said that the ballot will be forced to exclude workers at Cadbury's Somerdale site because of a punitive clause in their redundancy agreement, meaning that the workers forfeit all enhanced redundancy payments if they take any industrial action.
"The pay issue is particularly important for the Somerdale workers because they were counting on the 2 per cent pay increase to enhance not just their last earnings with the company before their factory closes and production goes to Poland but also to boost their final redundancy pay.
"They may be being denied a voice in this process but Unite will still fight for the best deal for them," Ms Formby said.
Cadbury had originally agreed a deal of RPI plus 0.5 per cent with the workforce, with a minimum of two per cent for 2009.
However, as RPI in February was 0 per cent, the company is breaking the original agreement and instead imposing a deal of 0.5 per cent.
This comes despite the 30 per cent leap in profits across the company this year.
Guardian Strike Ballot
Unite strike ballot blamed on lack of communication with Guardian Print Centre.
Unite has hit out at a lack of communication from Guardian News and Media (GNM), claiming it has brought the union to the brink of industrial action over the announcement of 27 redundancies at its print site.
Unite members at the Guardian Print Centre (GPC), which announced 27 redundancies earlier this month, are expected to ballot on industrial action next week.
Unite national officer Steve Sibbald, said the proposed action is about ensuring that any redundancies are voluntary.
He said: "They say they want voluntary redundancies, but if there are not the number of voluntaries they need, it is up to them to improve the package. It looks like they are going to be imposing their own criteria for compulsory redundancies and we haven't had any input on that.
"We would want it to be as objective as possible. The problem is they are just not talking to us and that is the reason why we are taking this drastic action."
Sibbald added that, as the plant is fairly new in comparison to several other newspaper print sites, this could mean most of the staff would not be interested in early retirement deals and redundancy packages would not be attractive.
Unite has hit out at a lack of communication from Guardian News and Media (GNM), claiming it has brought the union to the brink of industrial action over the announcement of 27 redundancies at its print site.
Unite members at the Guardian Print Centre (GPC), which announced 27 redundancies earlier this month, are expected to ballot on industrial action next week.
Unite national officer Steve Sibbald, said the proposed action is about ensuring that any redundancies are voluntary.
He said: "They say they want voluntary redundancies, but if there are not the number of voluntaries they need, it is up to them to improve the package. It looks like they are going to be imposing their own criteria for compulsory redundancies and we haven't had any input on that.
"We would want it to be as objective as possible. The problem is they are just not talking to us and that is the reason why we are taking this drastic action."
Sibbald added that, as the plant is fairly new in comparison to several other newspaper print sites, this could mean most of the staff would not be interested in early retirement deals and redundancy packages would not be attractive.
VSC and UNITE Calls Emergency Picket of US Embassy.
VSC and UNITE Calls Emergency Picket of US Embassy.
VSC calls for US sanctions against illegitimate government
The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (VSC) and Unite the Union have called an emergency picket outside the US Embassy in London on July 22nd at 5.30pm to demand the defence of democracy in Honduras and an end to all US economic, political and military support to the illegitimate coup government currently in power there.
Jennie Bremner, VSC Chair and Unite the Union Assistant General Secretary urged trade unionists to support the picket: "Around the world, people have condemned the horrific coup in Honduras and the wave of repression unleashed by the illegitimate government. It is time US rhetoric condemning the coup was matched with action, as the legitimate government of Honduras is demanding. We will be gathering outside the US Embassy to express our solidarity with the Honduran people and demand an and to all US economic, political and military support to the current regime in Honduras."
"In the name of democracy let's act, and thus we ask that the US government carries out economic sanctions against the [Micheletti] regime and suspend all monies to it so that it is isolated." Padricia Rodas, Foreign Minister of the Honduras government led by exiled President Manuel Zelaya.
US Embassy is at 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1A
VSC calls for US sanctions against illegitimate government
The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (VSC) and Unite the Union have called an emergency picket outside the US Embassy in London on July 22nd at 5.30pm to demand the defence of democracy in Honduras and an end to all US economic, political and military support to the illegitimate coup government currently in power there.
Jennie Bremner, VSC Chair and Unite the Union Assistant General Secretary urged trade unionists to support the picket: "Around the world, people have condemned the horrific coup in Honduras and the wave of repression unleashed by the illegitimate government. It is time US rhetoric condemning the coup was matched with action, as the legitimate government of Honduras is demanding. We will be gathering outside the US Embassy to express our solidarity with the Honduran people and demand an and to all US economic, political and military support to the current regime in Honduras."
"In the name of democracy let's act, and thus we ask that the US government carries out economic sanctions against the [Micheletti] regime and suspend all monies to it so that it is isolated." Padricia Rodas, Foreign Minister of the Honduras government led by exiled President Manuel Zelaya.
US Embassy is at 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1A
Corus Teesside Demo - Reminder
Corus Teesside Demo - Reminder
Don't forget the Redcar demo on Saturday. We know that Workers Uniting Supporters will be there and that many have sent apologies as some will be heading to Tolpuddle.
Workers and their families will be carrying placards saying: “Save our Steel” as part of the campaign to safeguard the 150 year old plant. This is in response to news that some 2,000 workers are under threat since a consortium of companies pulled the plug on a 10 year purchasing contract.
Unite believes that as well as the potential loss of 2,000 direct jobs, another 1,000 jobs will be lost as a result of the closure of Teesside Cast Products.
Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary, said: “In a show of defiance Unite members will march to demonstrate that 150 years of iron and steelmaking in Teesside matters. The loss of the Corus plant will rip the heart out of this local community. The thousands of workers at Corus must be supported in order to maintain a viable world-class industry in the future.”
Tony Woodley, Unite joint general secretary, said: “The precarious situation of the Corus workforce in Teesside represents the utter failure to protect the UK’s steel sector. If this site is not secured there will be a knock on effect across the supply chain in Teesside, many companies depend on this Corus plant. Workers and their families will march to send a clear message to the management of Corus and the government, this community must not be forgotten.”
DATE: Saturday, 18th July 2009
TIME: 12.00pm - 4pm, march departs at 2pm
MEETING POINT: Majuba Road car park, Redcar
Don't forget the Redcar demo on Saturday. We know that Workers Uniting Supporters will be there and that many have sent apologies as some will be heading to Tolpuddle.
Workers and their families will be carrying placards saying: “Save our Steel” as part of the campaign to safeguard the 150 year old plant. This is in response to news that some 2,000 workers are under threat since a consortium of companies pulled the plug on a 10 year purchasing contract.
Unite believes that as well as the potential loss of 2,000 direct jobs, another 1,000 jobs will be lost as a result of the closure of Teesside Cast Products.
Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary, said: “In a show of defiance Unite members will march to demonstrate that 150 years of iron and steelmaking in Teesside matters. The loss of the Corus plant will rip the heart out of this local community. The thousands of workers at Corus must be supported in order to maintain a viable world-class industry in the future.”
Tony Woodley, Unite joint general secretary, said: “The precarious situation of the Corus workforce in Teesside represents the utter failure to protect the UK’s steel sector. If this site is not secured there will be a knock on effect across the supply chain in Teesside, many companies depend on this Corus plant. Workers and their families will march to send a clear message to the management of Corus and the government, this community must not be forgotten.”
DATE: Saturday, 18th July 2009
TIME: 12.00pm - 4pm, march departs at 2pm
MEETING POINT: Majuba Road car park, Redcar
Barclays staff to be balloted for industrial action
Barclays staff to be balloted for industrial action
Unite members are to ballot for industrial action over Barclays' decision to close its final salary pension scheme.
Unite members are incensed at the pension proposals which would result in the total closure of the Barclays' pension scheme. In a consultative ballot, 92 per cent of staff said they wanted to be balloted by Unite on industrial action.
The union will hold the ballot in August, with potential strike action taking place across the bank in September.
The industrial unrest would significantly impact the operations of Barclays and the service thecompany provide to its customers.
Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary, said: “It is unacceptable that Barclays is proposing this unilateral change to workers' pensions. Unite members will not stand by as their employer rides roughshod over their retirement security.
“The long-serving and dedicated workforce view this pension proposal as a betrayal by their employer. Consultation with our members has shown the depth of anger over the pension issue. Over 90 per cent of Unite members are demanding a ballot for industrial action over this action by their employer.
“The forthcoming ballot within Barclays will send a strong message to private sector employers across the economy. Unite will not accept businesses using the economic downturn as a means to erode the important terms and conditions of members.
“Unite has proposed viable alternatives to Barclays in order to make the cost savings the company argues are essential for the pension scheme to be viable. The company has failed to engage with the union on these suggestions. We would urge Barclays to go back to the drawing board in order to avert damaging strike action.”
Unite represents over 25,000 members within Barclays. Unite members work across all of Barclays, from: bank branches, processing centres, call centres, computer centres, Barclaycard centres and the offshore Islands and Gibraltar.
Unite members are to ballot for industrial action over Barclays' decision to close its final salary pension scheme.
Unite members are incensed at the pension proposals which would result in the total closure of the Barclays' pension scheme. In a consultative ballot, 92 per cent of staff said they wanted to be balloted by Unite on industrial action.
The union will hold the ballot in August, with potential strike action taking place across the bank in September.
The industrial unrest would significantly impact the operations of Barclays and the service thecompany provide to its customers.
Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary, said: “It is unacceptable that Barclays is proposing this unilateral change to workers' pensions. Unite members will not stand by as their employer rides roughshod over their retirement security.
“The long-serving and dedicated workforce view this pension proposal as a betrayal by their employer. Consultation with our members has shown the depth of anger over the pension issue. Over 90 per cent of Unite members are demanding a ballot for industrial action over this action by their employer.
“The forthcoming ballot within Barclays will send a strong message to private sector employers across the economy. Unite will not accept businesses using the economic downturn as a means to erode the important terms and conditions of members.
“Unite has proposed viable alternatives to Barclays in order to make the cost savings the company argues are essential for the pension scheme to be viable. The company has failed to engage with the union on these suggestions. We would urge Barclays to go back to the drawing board in order to avert damaging strike action.”
Unite represents over 25,000 members within Barclays. Unite members work across all of Barclays, from: bank branches, processing centres, call centres, computer centres, Barclaycard centres and the offshore Islands and Gibraltar.
Workers Uniting Group - West Midlands
A Workers Uniting Group meeting for the West Midlands took place on the 11th July in Birmingham.
A debate took place over the forthcoming industrial sector conferences and why it was important for all workplace reps to make sure that their details were accurately recorded on the membership system. The time table and importance of the regional industrial conferences, activists meetings, retired member’s forums, equality conferences and election of committees were discussed, in particular, the nomination process.
There was a detailed discussion on the direction of the Union and the role of the National Executive, including the three pillars of Unite - political influence, internationlism and organising, which was warmly welcomed.
The need to inspire young people to join and become active within Unite was also discussed.
It was also agreed that any prospective candidates seeking the support of the Workers Uniting Group for the position of Unite GS when the ballot was called would be invited to attend a meeting in the West Midlands - the date of which would be published on the Workers Uniting website
A debate took place over the forthcoming industrial sector conferences and why it was important for all workplace reps to make sure that their details were accurately recorded on the membership system. The time table and importance of the regional industrial conferences, activists meetings, retired member’s forums, equality conferences and election of committees were discussed, in particular, the nomination process.
There was a detailed discussion on the direction of the Union and the role of the National Executive, including the three pillars of Unite - political influence, internationlism and organising, which was warmly welcomed.
The need to inspire young people to join and become active within Unite was also discussed.
It was also agreed that any prospective candidates seeking the support of the Workers Uniting Group for the position of Unite GS when the ballot was called would be invited to attend a meeting in the West Midlands - the date of which would be published on the Workers Uniting website
Ballot To Go Ahead In Construction Engineering
Unite is to ballot its members for strike action at seven major power and petrochemical plants across Britain. The ballot will run from 11th August and end on 1st September with any agreed industrial action following shortly after.
Unite, together with the GMB, is to ballot its members because the employer’s body, the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA) has rejected the unions' key demands for improvements to the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI), which would deliver fairness and long term stability to the sector. Although talks are continuing, the unions have lost confidence that the ECIA is serious in addressing the union’s grievances.
Unite is balloting members working in the building and maintenance of Britain's power stations and petrochemical sites.
The sites targeted are: BP FPS Grangemouth and Ineos Grangemouth in Scotland;
Sellafield,
Shell UK Stanlow and Staythorpe RWE in England;
Chevron Pembroke and Aberthaw in Wales.
The ballot follows months of industrial unrest and unofficial action at sites across the country due to unscrupulous employers refusing local workers access to apply for work and undercutting the NAECI agreement.
Unite assistant general secretary Les Bayliss said: “Unite has given employers every opportunity to come to an agreement over the union’s demands, which are fair and will deliver stability within engineering construction.
“The NAECI agreement has delivered industrial peace for nearly three decades. Unfortunately, some bad employers are cherry picking the agreement or ignoring it completely. As a result, for the first time in many years, there is widespread unrest across this sector. It’s time for employers to get back round the table and agree a fair way forward.”
One of the key areas of concern to Unite is the lack of transparency surrounding the application of the agreement – a problem highlighted in the ACAS report into the wildcat action at the Lindsey Oil Refinery in February.
Furthermore, in March, the ECIA was forced to admit that overseas workers at the Isle of Grain were being underpaid by over 30 per cent - £10.01 an hour instead of £14.00. This information only came to light because a Polish construction worker allowed Unite to translate his contract of employment revealing the underpayment. Under the agreement there is no effective mechanism for unions to check if employers are keeping to the agreement.
Unite is also calling on the government to introduce a more robust and fair interpretation of the EU Posted Workers directive. Unite believes the government has not enacted the proper interpretation of the directive, which should allow posted workers to be covered by national agreements.
So far the only protection the UK government has given to posted workers is the national minimum wage. This is just a fraction of the rates of pay skilled workers covered by the NAECI should earn and allows for the legal undercutting of the agreement.
Unite national officer Tom Hardacre said: "As the government has failed to implement the Posted Workers directive in the way it should have done, we are now left to pick up the pieces. We therefore ask the government to implement the directive straight away.
“We are also calling on the government to act immediately and persuade the national employers and the energy providers that we need a transparent, robust agreement to give the industry confidence going forward, and to support the building of the huge programme of new power stations that the UK needs. "
The join unions' demands are:
a register of unemployed workers in the industry which the employers must use to fill vacancies;
a transparent, effective auditing system to monitor ‘Blue Book’ rates and other benefits that apply to all;
a pay rise;
twelve paid trips home for all workers regardless of where they come from;
ability for union full time officials to instigate grievance procedure at any site;
procedure to ensure all workers have appropriate skills.
The National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) has operated since 1981. In recent times some contractors at Staythorpe, the Isle of Grain CHP and Lindsey Oil Refinery have refused to employ any UK labour, bringing in their entire workforce from overseas..
An ACAS report into the recent so-called "wildcat" strike action by disgruntled oil refinery workers at Lindsey found that the lack of transparency surrounding the application of the NAECI agreement was a source of friction between workers and the employer.
Furthermore, in March, the ECIA was forced to admit that overseas workers at the Isle of Grain were being underpaid by over 30 per cent - £10.01 an hour instead of £14.00.
Unite exposed the underpayment after a Polish worker allowed the union to translate his employment contract.
The union reiterated its call for the government to introduce "a robust and fair" interpretation of the EU Posted Workers Directive, which should cover posted workers in national agreements.
Unite, together with the GMB, is to ballot its members because the employer’s body, the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA) has rejected the unions' key demands for improvements to the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI), which would deliver fairness and long term stability to the sector. Although talks are continuing, the unions have lost confidence that the ECIA is serious in addressing the union’s grievances.
Unite is balloting members working in the building and maintenance of Britain's power stations and petrochemical sites.
The sites targeted are: BP FPS Grangemouth and Ineos Grangemouth in Scotland;
Sellafield,
Shell UK Stanlow and Staythorpe RWE in England;
Chevron Pembroke and Aberthaw in Wales.
The ballot follows months of industrial unrest and unofficial action at sites across the country due to unscrupulous employers refusing local workers access to apply for work and undercutting the NAECI agreement.
Unite assistant general secretary Les Bayliss said: “Unite has given employers every opportunity to come to an agreement over the union’s demands, which are fair and will deliver stability within engineering construction.
“The NAECI agreement has delivered industrial peace for nearly three decades. Unfortunately, some bad employers are cherry picking the agreement or ignoring it completely. As a result, for the first time in many years, there is widespread unrest across this sector. It’s time for employers to get back round the table and agree a fair way forward.”
One of the key areas of concern to Unite is the lack of transparency surrounding the application of the agreement – a problem highlighted in the ACAS report into the wildcat action at the Lindsey Oil Refinery in February.
Furthermore, in March, the ECIA was forced to admit that overseas workers at the Isle of Grain were being underpaid by over 30 per cent - £10.01 an hour instead of £14.00. This information only came to light because a Polish construction worker allowed Unite to translate his contract of employment revealing the underpayment. Under the agreement there is no effective mechanism for unions to check if employers are keeping to the agreement.
Unite is also calling on the government to introduce a more robust and fair interpretation of the EU Posted Workers directive. Unite believes the government has not enacted the proper interpretation of the directive, which should allow posted workers to be covered by national agreements.
So far the only protection the UK government has given to posted workers is the national minimum wage. This is just a fraction of the rates of pay skilled workers covered by the NAECI should earn and allows for the legal undercutting of the agreement.
Unite national officer Tom Hardacre said: "As the government has failed to implement the Posted Workers directive in the way it should have done, we are now left to pick up the pieces. We therefore ask the government to implement the directive straight away.
“We are also calling on the government to act immediately and persuade the national employers and the energy providers that we need a transparent, robust agreement to give the industry confidence going forward, and to support the building of the huge programme of new power stations that the UK needs. "
The join unions' demands are:
a register of unemployed workers in the industry which the employers must use to fill vacancies;
a transparent, effective auditing system to monitor ‘Blue Book’ rates and other benefits that apply to all;
a pay rise;
twelve paid trips home for all workers regardless of where they come from;
ability for union full time officials to instigate grievance procedure at any site;
procedure to ensure all workers have appropriate skills.
The National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) has operated since 1981. In recent times some contractors at Staythorpe, the Isle of Grain CHP and Lindsey Oil Refinery have refused to employ any UK labour, bringing in their entire workforce from overseas..
An ACAS report into the recent so-called "wildcat" strike action by disgruntled oil refinery workers at Lindsey found that the lack of transparency surrounding the application of the NAECI agreement was a source of friction between workers and the employer.
Furthermore, in March, the ECIA was forced to admit that overseas workers at the Isle of Grain were being underpaid by over 30 per cent - £10.01 an hour instead of £14.00.
Unite exposed the underpayment after a Polish worker allowed the union to translate his employment contract.
The union reiterated its call for the government to introduce "a robust and fair" interpretation of the EU Posted Workers Directive, which should cover posted workers in national agreements.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Morning Star Article by Philip Jennings Gen. Sec. Uni Global Union
From the Morning Star
July 16th
Workers, the time to unite is ripe
by Philip Jennings
With the swearing-in of Senator Al Franken last Tuesday, despite months of Republican efforts to block his election, US workers are perhaps the closest they have been in 30 years to real justice in the workplace.
Democratic senators can now unite to bring the Employee Free Choice Act to a vote on the Senate floor.
Franken is the 60th Democratic senator in the US Senate. Democrats now have the supermajority they need to keep the Republicans from using the filibuster to block legislation they don't like.
A majority of senators and representatives support the Bill. President Obama is also a strong supporter of the legislation and has said he will sign the Bill when it is passed in both houses of Congress.
"By the time the G20 takes place this September, we hope that the US will have passed the Employee Free Choice Act, serving as a model for other countries"
Once passed, the Employee Free Choice Act will give US workers a free and fair chance to form a union, hold anti-union employers accountable and force bosses to stop dragging out contract negotiations.
In the US, workers currently have to win a representation election against their own management as part of the recognition process.
Employers may choose to recognise based on majority sign-up but it is up to them.
The legislation would also restore private-sector bargaining rights in the US which have been stripped away in the last three decades.
Workers would have the right to decide for themselves if they want to join a union and mechanisms would be in place to ensure employers come to the bargaining table in a good-faith effort to agree on a contract.
These rights are sorely needed. According to American Rights at Work (www.araw.org), when workers try to organise:
n 25 per cent of employers fire at least one pro-union worker;
n 51 per cent threaten to close a worksite if the union election is successful
n 91 per cent force employees to attend one-on-one anti-union meetings with supervisors.
Under these conditions, US workers feel like they are under attack. After the passage of this legislation, they will have a sense of stability and security that has been missing from the workplace for decades.
This legislation is vital for US workers, but workers around the world are joining in a global solidarity effort because they know that US labour policy sets the tone for the rest of the world.
The world's workers are now in more peril than they have ever been before. With a truly global marketplace, no-one is immune to the effects of the crisis. The policies that are adopted to deal with it are bound to have a global impact.
For the world's workers, the Employee Free Choice Act too will have a significant impact.
For too long, US companies have taken their anti-union attitudes overseas, looking for the weakest governments and most vulnerable workers to cut their labour costs and boost their profits. Wal-Mart, which employs some two million people worldwide, is known for its anti-union stance in the US and has used harsh tactics in Canada, Mexico and other countries to keep its labour costs low.
Many European-based multinationals, which respect the rights of their workers to organise in their home country, have adopted US policies abroad and will deny employees the right to join a union and collectively bargain.
This is especially true in the US, where companies like British supermarket chain Tesco and German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom have opposed the efforts of US employees to unionise.
The global union movement will not sit by and watch this happen. This is our moment to show solidarity with our US sisters and brothers and mobilise our members globally.
In June, the International Trade Union Confederation called on national trade union centres to organise visits to US embassies so that unions could share their support for this vital legislation.
UNI unions on every continent, from Argentina to Germany to Kyrgyzstan to Ivory Coast to Japan, organised visits and sent letters to their ambassadors.
The embassy visits were our way of showing solidarity with US workers and union activists who are fighting for their rights and have worked tirelessly to pass this vital legislation.
This includes activists who are fired for leading an organising drive, workers who have been forced to sit through hours of intimidating meetings where a group of supervisors tell them their workplace will shut down if they vote for the union.
Take the story of Sara Steffens, a reporter at the Contra Costa Times who helped lead the organising drive for workers at nine MediaNews-owned papers in the East Bay area of California.
After months of intimidation and captive-audience meetings with workers, Yes votes from 230 people were enough to get union recognition for the California Media Workers Guild, which is part of the Communications Workers of America.
Two weeks later, the company sacked 29 people, including Steffens, who is an award-winning reporter. Two-thirds of the dismissed workers were union supporters and not a single worker opposing union representation was let go.
This is not an isolated incident but rather the norm for US companies. Workers who fight for their rights risk losing their jobs for something we take for granted in Europe and in most other democracies around the world.
UNI has been focusing on signing global agreements with multinational companies. These agreements set basic standards for workers' rights and include a commitment from company executives that all employees at all of their workplaces worldwide will have the right to unionise.
Agreements with security company G4S and retailer H&M, among others, have helped US workers. But millions of US workers are not covered by global agreements and are in desperate need of basic union rights.
Even with the massive show of support from US workers and global solidarity from the union movement, it is an incredibly hard fight.
US corporations, led by the US Chamber of Commerce, have spent tens of millions - some estimates put it at hundreds of millions - of dollars lobbying against this legislation.
They have managed to get their hooks into politicians on both sides of the political spectrum.
We know that President Obama supports unions and so we are mobilising global support to show him that passing the Employee Free Choice Act is a truly international issue and that the world's workers are standing in solidarity with their US sisters and brothers.
By the time the G20 takes place in Pittsburgh this September, we hope that the US will have passed the Employee Free Choice Act, serving as a model for other countries who still deny workers the right to join a union.
We know the attacks on unions will not end in the US without proper legislation, and we cannot be so naive as to believe that this onslaught will not spread to countries which presently take union organising and recognition rights for granted.
If we do not fight for union rights everywhere, then we risk losing them anywhere.
Philip Jennings is the UNI Global Union general secretary
July 16th
Workers, the time to unite is ripe
by Philip Jennings
With the swearing-in of Senator Al Franken last Tuesday, despite months of Republican efforts to block his election, US workers are perhaps the closest they have been in 30 years to real justice in the workplace.
Democratic senators can now unite to bring the Employee Free Choice Act to a vote on the Senate floor.
Franken is the 60th Democratic senator in the US Senate. Democrats now have the supermajority they need to keep the Republicans from using the filibuster to block legislation they don't like.
A majority of senators and representatives support the Bill. President Obama is also a strong supporter of the legislation and has said he will sign the Bill when it is passed in both houses of Congress.
"By the time the G20 takes place this September, we hope that the US will have passed the Employee Free Choice Act, serving as a model for other countries"
Once passed, the Employee Free Choice Act will give US workers a free and fair chance to form a union, hold anti-union employers accountable and force bosses to stop dragging out contract negotiations.
In the US, workers currently have to win a representation election against their own management as part of the recognition process.
Employers may choose to recognise based on majority sign-up but it is up to them.
The legislation would also restore private-sector bargaining rights in the US which have been stripped away in the last three decades.
Workers would have the right to decide for themselves if they want to join a union and mechanisms would be in place to ensure employers come to the bargaining table in a good-faith effort to agree on a contract.
These rights are sorely needed. According to American Rights at Work (www.araw.org), when workers try to organise:
n 25 per cent of employers fire at least one pro-union worker;
n 51 per cent threaten to close a worksite if the union election is successful
n 91 per cent force employees to attend one-on-one anti-union meetings with supervisors.
Under these conditions, US workers feel like they are under attack. After the passage of this legislation, they will have a sense of stability and security that has been missing from the workplace for decades.
This legislation is vital for US workers, but workers around the world are joining in a global solidarity effort because they know that US labour policy sets the tone for the rest of the world.
The world's workers are now in more peril than they have ever been before. With a truly global marketplace, no-one is immune to the effects of the crisis. The policies that are adopted to deal with it are bound to have a global impact.
For the world's workers, the Employee Free Choice Act too will have a significant impact.
For too long, US companies have taken their anti-union attitudes overseas, looking for the weakest governments and most vulnerable workers to cut their labour costs and boost their profits. Wal-Mart, which employs some two million people worldwide, is known for its anti-union stance in the US and has used harsh tactics in Canada, Mexico and other countries to keep its labour costs low.
Many European-based multinationals, which respect the rights of their workers to organise in their home country, have adopted US policies abroad and will deny employees the right to join a union and collectively bargain.
This is especially true in the US, where companies like British supermarket chain Tesco and German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom have opposed the efforts of US employees to unionise.
The global union movement will not sit by and watch this happen. This is our moment to show solidarity with our US sisters and brothers and mobilise our members globally.
In June, the International Trade Union Confederation called on national trade union centres to organise visits to US embassies so that unions could share their support for this vital legislation.
UNI unions on every continent, from Argentina to Germany to Kyrgyzstan to Ivory Coast to Japan, organised visits and sent letters to their ambassadors.
The embassy visits were our way of showing solidarity with US workers and union activists who are fighting for their rights and have worked tirelessly to pass this vital legislation.
This includes activists who are fired for leading an organising drive, workers who have been forced to sit through hours of intimidating meetings where a group of supervisors tell them their workplace will shut down if they vote for the union.
Take the story of Sara Steffens, a reporter at the Contra Costa Times who helped lead the organising drive for workers at nine MediaNews-owned papers in the East Bay area of California.
After months of intimidation and captive-audience meetings with workers, Yes votes from 230 people were enough to get union recognition for the California Media Workers Guild, which is part of the Communications Workers of America.
Two weeks later, the company sacked 29 people, including Steffens, who is an award-winning reporter. Two-thirds of the dismissed workers were union supporters and not a single worker opposing union representation was let go.
This is not an isolated incident but rather the norm for US companies. Workers who fight for their rights risk losing their jobs for something we take for granted in Europe and in most other democracies around the world.
UNI has been focusing on signing global agreements with multinational companies. These agreements set basic standards for workers' rights and include a commitment from company executives that all employees at all of their workplaces worldwide will have the right to unionise.
Agreements with security company G4S and retailer H&M, among others, have helped US workers. But millions of US workers are not covered by global agreements and are in desperate need of basic union rights.
Even with the massive show of support from US workers and global solidarity from the union movement, it is an incredibly hard fight.
US corporations, led by the US Chamber of Commerce, have spent tens of millions - some estimates put it at hundreds of millions - of dollars lobbying against this legislation.
They have managed to get their hooks into politicians on both sides of the political spectrum.
We know that President Obama supports unions and so we are mobilising global support to show him that passing the Employee Free Choice Act is a truly international issue and that the world's workers are standing in solidarity with their US sisters and brothers.
By the time the G20 takes place in Pittsburgh this September, we hope that the US will have passed the Employee Free Choice Act, serving as a model for other countries who still deny workers the right to join a union.
We know the attacks on unions will not end in the US without proper legislation, and we cannot be so naive as to believe that this onslaught will not spread to countries which presently take union organising and recognition rights for granted.
If we do not fight for union rights everywhere, then we risk losing them anywhere.
Philip Jennings is the UNI Global Union general secretary
Aberdeen Bus Strike, Jaguar Jobs and French Workers Threaten To Blow Up Factory
Aberdeen Bus Strike
Talks at Acas failed to resolve the First Bus dispute in Aberdeen and a one day strike is taking place today (Thursday).
Unite members will be demonstrating at the First Group AGM in Aberdeen at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. 70% of Unite members voted to back the strike.
Unite demands urgent Government support for Jaguar - Halewood
The Government must support Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) application for financial support as a "matter of urgency", Unite has said after the premium car maker announced 300 job cuts.
JLR is to cease production of the X-Type Jaguar, known as the baby Jaguar, by the end of the year at the Halewood plant in Merseyside and will seek voluntary redundancies.
The company will also shut down the plant, which employs around 2,000 staff, for at least three weeks between September and December, as JLR suffers in the recession with sales down 28%.
Unite is demanding that the £300 million loan for investment in green technology, approved in April, must be underwritten by the Government. However, terms with JLR, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, are yet to be agreed, with the Government believed to be seeking conditions that would give them significant power in the running of the company.
And finally.........
French Workers Threaten To Blow Up Factory
On Monday this week French workers barricaded themselves inside a car parts factory which has gone bust and said they would blow the plant up with gas canisters unless they receive a bigger pay-off.
“Are we capable of blowing up the factory?” asked CGT union official Guy Eyermann during a meeting of about a hundred workers who have been occupying the factory in Chatellerault for several weeks. “Yes, we are capable.”
They insisted the string of gas canisters they have strung together are full - despite claims from officials that they are bluffing with depressurised gas bottles - and will be used to blow up the plant if necessary.
“Let them come and see,” said Eyermann. “These are serious threats.”
The small east-central town on Monday beefed up emergency services, bringing in extra firefighters to the local emergency centre, after the workers at the New Fabris plant set a July 31 deadline for their demands to be met.
The 366 workers said on Sunday they would carry out their threat unless carmakers Renault and PSA-Peugeot - who accounted for 90 per cent of business - pay them 30,000 euro each when they lose their jobs.
The threat comes after a recent wave of “bossnappings” across France earlier this year in which managers have been held hostage by workers over factory closures.
The Chatellerault factory houses car parts worth an estimated two million euros, as well as a new Renault machine believed to be worth a further two million, Eyermann said.
The workers have blockaded the entrance to try to stop any attempt to take the equipment out.
The New Fabris workers, whose employer was declared bankrupt on June 16, claim that Renault and Peugeot paid around 30,000 euros each to 200 workers laid off from another supplier, the aluminium specialist Rencast.
But both Renault and Peugeot said Monday it was not their responsibility to pay out compensation to the New Fabris workers.
PSA Peugeot-Citroen does “not have to take the place of the state or of share-holders,” a spokesman said.
A Renault spokesman also said that the carmaker, like Peugeot, had already helped Fabris financially but should not be expected to pay compensation to the firms’ workers.
Eyermann said two coachloads of workers visited Peugeot headquarters last week and a similar delegation would go Thursday to visit Renault bosses and the employment ministry to try to negotiate a settlement.
They hope to force the state to put pressure on the carmakers, which both received public funds to help them through the global downturn.
New Fabris company director Pierre Reau said that currently the firm would only able to pay between 10,000 and 15,000 euro in redundancy to workers with 20 or more years experience, and some junior workers would get just 3000 euro.
“I understand their distress,” he said, adding that a dramatic and sudden fall in orders had led to the company’s downfall.
Founded in 1947 by two brothers, Eugene and Quentin Fabris, New Fabris started out making sewing machine parts, before branching out into the auto sector, employing up to 800 workers in the 1990s.
Talks at Acas failed to resolve the First Bus dispute in Aberdeen and a one day strike is taking place today (Thursday).
Unite members will be demonstrating at the First Group AGM in Aberdeen at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. 70% of Unite members voted to back the strike.
Unite demands urgent Government support for Jaguar - Halewood
The Government must support Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) application for financial support as a "matter of urgency", Unite has said after the premium car maker announced 300 job cuts.
JLR is to cease production of the X-Type Jaguar, known as the baby Jaguar, by the end of the year at the Halewood plant in Merseyside and will seek voluntary redundancies.
The company will also shut down the plant, which employs around 2,000 staff, for at least three weeks between September and December, as JLR suffers in the recession with sales down 28%.
Unite is demanding that the £300 million loan for investment in green technology, approved in April, must be underwritten by the Government. However, terms with JLR, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, are yet to be agreed, with the Government believed to be seeking conditions that would give them significant power in the running of the company.
And finally.........
French Workers Threaten To Blow Up Factory
On Monday this week French workers barricaded themselves inside a car parts factory which has gone bust and said they would blow the plant up with gas canisters unless they receive a bigger pay-off.
“Are we capable of blowing up the factory?” asked CGT union official Guy Eyermann during a meeting of about a hundred workers who have been occupying the factory in Chatellerault for several weeks. “Yes, we are capable.”
They insisted the string of gas canisters they have strung together are full - despite claims from officials that they are bluffing with depressurised gas bottles - and will be used to blow up the plant if necessary.
“Let them come and see,” said Eyermann. “These are serious threats.”
The small east-central town on Monday beefed up emergency services, bringing in extra firefighters to the local emergency centre, after the workers at the New Fabris plant set a July 31 deadline for their demands to be met.
The 366 workers said on Sunday they would carry out their threat unless carmakers Renault and PSA-Peugeot - who accounted for 90 per cent of business - pay them 30,000 euro each when they lose their jobs.
The threat comes after a recent wave of “bossnappings” across France earlier this year in which managers have been held hostage by workers over factory closures.
The Chatellerault factory houses car parts worth an estimated two million euros, as well as a new Renault machine believed to be worth a further two million, Eyermann said.
The workers have blockaded the entrance to try to stop any attempt to take the equipment out.
The New Fabris workers, whose employer was declared bankrupt on June 16, claim that Renault and Peugeot paid around 30,000 euros each to 200 workers laid off from another supplier, the aluminium specialist Rencast.
But both Renault and Peugeot said Monday it was not their responsibility to pay out compensation to the New Fabris workers.
PSA Peugeot-Citroen does “not have to take the place of the state or of share-holders,” a spokesman said.
A Renault spokesman also said that the carmaker, like Peugeot, had already helped Fabris financially but should not be expected to pay compensation to the firms’ workers.
Eyermann said two coachloads of workers visited Peugeot headquarters last week and a similar delegation would go Thursday to visit Renault bosses and the employment ministry to try to negotiate a settlement.
They hope to force the state to put pressure on the carmakers, which both received public funds to help them through the global downturn.
New Fabris company director Pierre Reau said that currently the firm would only able to pay between 10,000 and 15,000 euro in redundancy to workers with 20 or more years experience, and some junior workers would get just 3000 euro.
“I understand their distress,” he said, adding that a dramatic and sudden fall in orders had led to the company’s downfall.
Founded in 1947 by two brothers, Eugene and Quentin Fabris, New Fabris started out making sewing machine parts, before branching out into the auto sector, employing up to 800 workers in the 1990s.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Ask your MP to Sign Statement Against Coup in Honduras
Its quick and its easy. Get your MP to sign up! Cut and paste the URL.....
http://www.vicuk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=490&Itemid=30javascript:void(0)
http://www.vicuk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=490&Itemid=30javascript:void(0)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Response to Guns And Democracy
On June 30th The Independent ran a nasty editoral headed 'Guns And Democracy" which gave tacit support for the military coup in Honduras - aligning the coup with the problems faced in some desperate African states.
The offending article said:
"The ousting of the Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by the country's military at the weekend has been condemned by many members of the international community as an affront to democracy. But despite a natural distaste for any military coup, it is possible that the army might have actually done Honduran democracy a service.
President Zelaya was planning a referendum to give him power to alter the constitution. But the proposed alterations were perilously vague, with opponents accusing Mr Zelaya of wanting to scrap the four-year presidential term limit. The country's courts and congress had called the vote illegal.
This is an increasingly familiar turn of events in emerging democracies: an elected leader, facing the end of his time in office, decides that the country cannot do without him and resorts to dubious measures to retain power. The Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, won a referendum in February altering his country's constitution and abolishing term limits. He now talks about ruling beyond 2030.
Elected leaders who refuse to give up power have been the curse of sub-Saharan Africa for decades. Some have resorted to bribery, intimidation, or simple fraud – whatever it takes to retain power. That depressing pattern was what prompted the wealthy Sudanese mobile phone entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim to offer a prize of $5m a year to African leaders who voluntarily leave office. There are increasing examples of African states that have managed to combine free elections with transfers of power; Mozambique, Senegal and Ghana are among those that have shown it is possible, and are stronger and more attractive for investors as a result. But there are others, such as Nigeria and Kenya, which have highlighted the fact that voting and democracy do not amount to the same thing.
Honduras underlines that free votes only count if accompanied by a confident parliament, an independent judiciary, an unfettered media and impartial electoral monitors. The true test of a democracy's health is not the holding of elections. It is the possibility of power peaceably changing hands."
In response Jennie Bremnar, Unite AGS and Chair of Venezuala Solidarity Campaign wrote to the newspaper - but the Indie failed to publish her letter.
As the Workers Uniting Group have been campaigining against the coup and supporting the VSC campaign and demo's we thought Workers Uniting Group supporters might wish to read her response.
"Your leading piece ('Guns and Democracy,' 30 June) on the coup in Honduras was out of step with the view of governments and civil society throughout the world, including the British government, which has condemned the coup against Honduras' elected president.
Indeed, neighbouring countries in Central America have gone as far as to cease trading with Honduras, and other members of the ALBA block of nations in Latin America and the Caribbean – such as Venezuela and Bolivia – have withdrawn their Ambassadors to Honduras .
In recent years, trade unionists and others around the world have been inspired by the social progress being made in many countries in Latin America, led by the progressive process in Venezuela, which is also misrepresented in your piece. The people of Honduras too should have the right to elect the government they choose - a right we take for granted.
Jennie Bremner
Unite the Union Assistant General Secretary and Chair of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign
The offending article said:
"The ousting of the Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by the country's military at the weekend has been condemned by many members of the international community as an affront to democracy. But despite a natural distaste for any military coup, it is possible that the army might have actually done Honduran democracy a service.
President Zelaya was planning a referendum to give him power to alter the constitution. But the proposed alterations were perilously vague, with opponents accusing Mr Zelaya of wanting to scrap the four-year presidential term limit. The country's courts and congress had called the vote illegal.
This is an increasingly familiar turn of events in emerging democracies: an elected leader, facing the end of his time in office, decides that the country cannot do without him and resorts to dubious measures to retain power. The Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, won a referendum in February altering his country's constitution and abolishing term limits. He now talks about ruling beyond 2030.
Elected leaders who refuse to give up power have been the curse of sub-Saharan Africa for decades. Some have resorted to bribery, intimidation, or simple fraud – whatever it takes to retain power. That depressing pattern was what prompted the wealthy Sudanese mobile phone entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim to offer a prize of $5m a year to African leaders who voluntarily leave office. There are increasing examples of African states that have managed to combine free elections with transfers of power; Mozambique, Senegal and Ghana are among those that have shown it is possible, and are stronger and more attractive for investors as a result. But there are others, such as Nigeria and Kenya, which have highlighted the fact that voting and democracy do not amount to the same thing.
Honduras underlines that free votes only count if accompanied by a confident parliament, an independent judiciary, an unfettered media and impartial electoral monitors. The true test of a democracy's health is not the holding of elections. It is the possibility of power peaceably changing hands."
In response Jennie Bremnar, Unite AGS and Chair of Venezuala Solidarity Campaign wrote to the newspaper - but the Indie failed to publish her letter.
As the Workers Uniting Group have been campaigining against the coup and supporting the VSC campaign and demo's we thought Workers Uniting Group supporters might wish to read her response.
"Your leading piece ('Guns and Democracy,' 30 June) on the coup in Honduras was out of step with the view of governments and civil society throughout the world, including the British government, which has condemned the coup against Honduras' elected president.
Indeed, neighbouring countries in Central America have gone as far as to cease trading with Honduras, and other members of the ALBA block of nations in Latin America and the Caribbean – such as Venezuela and Bolivia – have withdrawn their Ambassadors to Honduras .
In recent years, trade unionists and others around the world have been inspired by the social progress being made in many countries in Latin America, led by the progressive process in Venezuela, which is also misrepresented in your piece. The people of Honduras too should have the right to elect the government they choose - a right we take for granted.
Jennie Bremner
Unite the Union Assistant General Secretary and Chair of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign
Sowing the seeds of the fightback
From Morning Star, July 13th.....
Sowing the seeds of the fightback
John Haylett
Britain's construction engineering workers won a stunning victory over cowboy employers recently, winning reinstatement or re-employment of nearly 700 sacked workers at Total's Lindsey oil refinery.
That reality is uncontested, as is the fact that the willingness of the workers to stand together, walking out without ceremony at sites all over the country, made the anti-union laws inoperable.
Both unions in the industry, Unite and GMB, are committed to a national ballot for action to prevent employers from worsening workers' pay and conditions laid down in the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI), otherwise known as the blue book.
"We've got to create an industry that people want to be part of and a number of the apprentices can't see the stability that they want to see within the country"
A nationwide ballot in construction engineering would not be easy at any time, given the itinerant nature of the industry. But a secret letter sent by the employers' body, the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA), to its members suggests that the unions may find matters even more difficult this year.
The letter, which was obtained by the Morning Star last month, advised employers to be obstructive, denying workforce access to full-time union officials and refusing shop stewards release time to work for a Yes vote in the ballot.
"If we could get everyone into a football stadium, we could get a vote for a national dispute without any doubt," says Les Bayliss, who is Unite assistant general secretary with executive officer responsibility for construction engineering and electrical contracting.
"We're having to work very hard with our activists and members, because it is such an itinerant workforce, to achieve a successful ballot for them to say which way they want to see the industry go," he says.
"But I'm confident that, certainly, the ECIA and ourselves can come to an agreement that recognises some of the problems inherent within the industry and which our members will find favourable and be prepared to support."
Bayliss categorises poor management as a major problem within the industry, emphasising: "We acknowledge management's right to manage, but we don't accept their right to manage badly."
That, in his opinion is what caused the problems at Lindsey, with Total relying almost exclusively on contractors to carry out the project and playing fast and loose with the blue book, especially over questions of allocation of labour.
"There were some internal disputes about allocation of labour and a number of our local officials were dealing with those through the agreed procedures," he recalls.
"Then, once the contract was moving towards the rundown and a number of the contractors were either over budget or hadn't completed the work that they had been due to complete, they started panicking and talked about getting in additional labour, but it still wasn't being managed effectively.
"They then gave redundancy notices to 51 of our members when it was clear that there was still plenty of work to be done on site."
If Total expected the workforce to roll over, it was wrong. There was a mass walkout and the company responded by ordering its subcontractors to sack the strikers and to reapply for their jobs.
This was a huge miscalculation by the transnational corporation.
By its action it showed that Total called the shots on employment by the contractors, even though it tried the classic defence of claiming to be piggy in the middle because the people on strike were not its direct employees.
And Total's refusal to abide by the provisions of the NAECI blue book, provoking the unofficial action by workers, meant that it had no recourse to anti-union legislation.
"As far as repudiation is concerned, they had a problem because they had sacked all the workforce. The point was made to us about not going through official procedures, well, our members didn't have any employer, so it was difficult for us to repudiate when we didn't have members working for a particular employer," says Bayliss.
Add to that the pressure coming from other major companies whose workers were walking off major construction projects in solidarity with the Lindsey men and Total was in a cleft stick and had to run up the white flag.
While there are some problems with an itinerant workforce, Bayliss says that the links developed between the tens of thousands of workers who move around Britain and abroad as well, on a number of projects, are quite sophisticated.
"They come across each other on a regular basis and all have each other's mobile phone numbers and other means of contact through trade union branches and the like.
"They have quite a healthy network for sharing information about what's happening in the industry and that takes many forms. For instance, there may well be work available in different parts of the country and they'll inform colleagues where there's new work starting."
Bayliss also believes that the readiness of workers to walk out in solidarity - secondary action, as it is designated in anti-strike legislation - is not due simply to events in the past 18 months.
Concerns over employers' behaviour, including blacklisting, go back 20 years and more. Although the NAECI blue book could be improved, it is seen as fundamentally a decent agreement, but "a number of our members, especially trade union activists, have been affected by blacklisting, which we and they are challenging.
"That's got to stop and people have to be brought to book. We've got to create an industry that people want to be part of and a number of the apprentices can't see the stability that they want to see within the country," Bayliss asserts.
He points out that, over and above the work linked to the 2012 London Olympics, there are plans for infrastructure projects worth hundreds of billions of pounds over the next 10 years in Britain and these plans could be jeopardised by incompetent, anti-union, cowboy employers.
Unite represents 15,000 apprentices "and it's important for them, the industry and the union to ensure that they have work in the next five, 10, 15, 20 years. The industry needs to be stabilised for that kind of continuity of employment.
"And the government has a responsibility as well because most of this work is generated through taxpayers' money.
"As part of the procurement strategy that the government is involved in, the industry should be recognising health and safety standards, the employment of apprentices and the skills development of people on the site to ensure that the country is getting the full reward for that kind of investment in the infrastructure.
"It's a highly skilled industry and the workers need to be rewarded accordingly," Bayliss declares.
And he believes that this can only come about through greater stability within the industry, which is best achieved by a much greater level of direct employment.
"There are a number of good employers about, but, unfortunately, they are outnumbered by the bad ones and I think, to be fair, some good employers are as worried as we are about what's happening in the industry, particularly through the use of agency labour where people are not directly employing anyone.
"They're going through various agencies and self-employment, which does not do anything for the industry apart from driving wages, terms and conditions down.
"Unless the employer is investing in skills and development and apprentices, it's just a short-term fix so that they can get the work, take the profits and move on to the next job," he says.
Bayliss looks forward to getting into negotiations with the employers to see whether they are committed to growing stability within construction engineering and will meet their on-site responsibilities to the workforce and to the taxpayers who will fund much of this planned boost to the country's infrastructure.
"It will be up to us to police that and see that they are honouring those agreements," he says.
Sowing the seeds of the fightback
John Haylett
Britain's construction engineering workers won a stunning victory over cowboy employers recently, winning reinstatement or re-employment of nearly 700 sacked workers at Total's Lindsey oil refinery.
That reality is uncontested, as is the fact that the willingness of the workers to stand together, walking out without ceremony at sites all over the country, made the anti-union laws inoperable.
Both unions in the industry, Unite and GMB, are committed to a national ballot for action to prevent employers from worsening workers' pay and conditions laid down in the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI), otherwise known as the blue book.
"We've got to create an industry that people want to be part of and a number of the apprentices can't see the stability that they want to see within the country"
A nationwide ballot in construction engineering would not be easy at any time, given the itinerant nature of the industry. But a secret letter sent by the employers' body, the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA), to its members suggests that the unions may find matters even more difficult this year.
The letter, which was obtained by the Morning Star last month, advised employers to be obstructive, denying workforce access to full-time union officials and refusing shop stewards release time to work for a Yes vote in the ballot.
"If we could get everyone into a football stadium, we could get a vote for a national dispute without any doubt," says Les Bayliss, who is Unite assistant general secretary with executive officer responsibility for construction engineering and electrical contracting.
"We're having to work very hard with our activists and members, because it is such an itinerant workforce, to achieve a successful ballot for them to say which way they want to see the industry go," he says.
"But I'm confident that, certainly, the ECIA and ourselves can come to an agreement that recognises some of the problems inherent within the industry and which our members will find favourable and be prepared to support."
Bayliss categorises poor management as a major problem within the industry, emphasising: "We acknowledge management's right to manage, but we don't accept their right to manage badly."
That, in his opinion is what caused the problems at Lindsey, with Total relying almost exclusively on contractors to carry out the project and playing fast and loose with the blue book, especially over questions of allocation of labour.
"There were some internal disputes about allocation of labour and a number of our local officials were dealing with those through the agreed procedures," he recalls.
"Then, once the contract was moving towards the rundown and a number of the contractors were either over budget or hadn't completed the work that they had been due to complete, they started panicking and talked about getting in additional labour, but it still wasn't being managed effectively.
"They then gave redundancy notices to 51 of our members when it was clear that there was still plenty of work to be done on site."
If Total expected the workforce to roll over, it was wrong. There was a mass walkout and the company responded by ordering its subcontractors to sack the strikers and to reapply for their jobs.
This was a huge miscalculation by the transnational corporation.
By its action it showed that Total called the shots on employment by the contractors, even though it tried the classic defence of claiming to be piggy in the middle because the people on strike were not its direct employees.
And Total's refusal to abide by the provisions of the NAECI blue book, provoking the unofficial action by workers, meant that it had no recourse to anti-union legislation.
"As far as repudiation is concerned, they had a problem because they had sacked all the workforce. The point was made to us about not going through official procedures, well, our members didn't have any employer, so it was difficult for us to repudiate when we didn't have members working for a particular employer," says Bayliss.
Add to that the pressure coming from other major companies whose workers were walking off major construction projects in solidarity with the Lindsey men and Total was in a cleft stick and had to run up the white flag.
While there are some problems with an itinerant workforce, Bayliss says that the links developed between the tens of thousands of workers who move around Britain and abroad as well, on a number of projects, are quite sophisticated.
"They come across each other on a regular basis and all have each other's mobile phone numbers and other means of contact through trade union branches and the like.
"They have quite a healthy network for sharing information about what's happening in the industry and that takes many forms. For instance, there may well be work available in different parts of the country and they'll inform colleagues where there's new work starting."
Bayliss also believes that the readiness of workers to walk out in solidarity - secondary action, as it is designated in anti-strike legislation - is not due simply to events in the past 18 months.
Concerns over employers' behaviour, including blacklisting, go back 20 years and more. Although the NAECI blue book could be improved, it is seen as fundamentally a decent agreement, but "a number of our members, especially trade union activists, have been affected by blacklisting, which we and they are challenging.
"That's got to stop and people have to be brought to book. We've got to create an industry that people want to be part of and a number of the apprentices can't see the stability that they want to see within the country," Bayliss asserts.
He points out that, over and above the work linked to the 2012 London Olympics, there are plans for infrastructure projects worth hundreds of billions of pounds over the next 10 years in Britain and these plans could be jeopardised by incompetent, anti-union, cowboy employers.
Unite represents 15,000 apprentices "and it's important for them, the industry and the union to ensure that they have work in the next five, 10, 15, 20 years. The industry needs to be stabilised for that kind of continuity of employment.
"And the government has a responsibility as well because most of this work is generated through taxpayers' money.
"As part of the procurement strategy that the government is involved in, the industry should be recognising health and safety standards, the employment of apprentices and the skills development of people on the site to ensure that the country is getting the full reward for that kind of investment in the infrastructure.
"It's a highly skilled industry and the workers need to be rewarded accordingly," Bayliss declares.
And he believes that this can only come about through greater stability within the industry, which is best achieved by a much greater level of direct employment.
"There are a number of good employers about, but, unfortunately, they are outnumbered by the bad ones and I think, to be fair, some good employers are as worried as we are about what's happening in the industry, particularly through the use of agency labour where people are not directly employing anyone.
"They're going through various agencies and self-employment, which does not do anything for the industry apart from driving wages, terms and conditions down.
"Unless the employer is investing in skills and development and apprentices, it's just a short-term fix so that they can get the work, take the profits and move on to the next job," he says.
Bayliss looks forward to getting into negotiations with the employers to see whether they are committed to growing stability within construction engineering and will meet their on-site responsibilities to the workforce and to the taxpayers who will fund much of this planned boost to the country's infrastructure.
"It will be up to us to police that and see that they are honouring those agreements," he says.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Workers Uniting Group - Durham Miners Gala Meeting
Report of Workers Uniting Group, Durham Miners Gala, Saturday July 11th.
Workers Uniting Group supporters attended a meeting on July 11th during the Durham Miners Gala.
Les Bayliss, Unite Assistant General Secretary reported on the disputes in the Construction Engineering industry, notably the dispute with Total at the Lindsey Oil Refinery which he described as a 'tuning point' for Unite saying that: "the union should be proud of the support given to members and to the settlement". He told the meeting that pressure had been put on the Labour Party to get the employers back to the negotiating table and that Total were left in no doubt that if our members were not re-instated we would call on our sister union in Workers Uniting, the United Steelworkers to support Unite in solidarity action wherever they had influence be it in the USA or Canada.
In outlining current developments in Unite Les Bayliss said that he had been given responsibility to bring about mergers. All mergers are challenging including the mergers to create Amicus - AEEU, MSF, GPMU, Unifi.
The merger with the TGWU had been difficult. The TGWU leadership had "sold the merger" to their members on a "TGWU plus basis" and the TGWU had not been involved in significant organizational change for many years. However, the new Unite sectoral, regional and area activist’s structures would enable all Unite activists to share their experiences.
He said there was a need to cut out the rhetoric, tribalism and showboating and deal with the real problems facing Unite's membership including the crisis in manufacturing, in the finance sector, on pensions, housing, job security for all of our members and care for the young, sick and old. "We can only do this through an agreed strategy and the new rule book. This will drive the union forward to consolidate Unite and Workers Uniting - based on organizing, internationalism and political influence to build a skilled, professional and general workers union".
Unite aviation national officer Brian Boyd reported on the looming dispute with BA, who he said were trying to drive down pay and conditions as well as attempting to break Unite's strong organization within the airline. Brian said: "We have high levels of membership and significant union density across BA, in cabin crew, engineering and ground crew. Besides attempting to drive down pay and conditions BA were trying to weaken union organization".
He told the meeting that whilst it was recognised BA is facing major problems, Unite would resist the drive by BA to downgrade the world's premier airline. He also reported on organizing in other airlines, and thanked the officials and activists who had helped Unite organize and secure recognition at Flyglobespan and BA Cityflyer
Unite NEC member Agnes Tolmie reported on the very difficult situation faced almost every day by Unite members in the finance and banking sector. She told the meeting: "Every week that goes by jobs are being cut by in thousands in the big banks. While our members lose their jobs the bosses of the banks think that they can soon get back to business as usual with big bonus payments and top hat pensions. Many Unite members were low paid - they didn't enjoy the salaries of "Fred The Shred" - instead Unite members were facing continuing job insecurity, even though many of the banks are now publicly owned. It was time for the Government to step in and stop the job losses."
Delegates also discussed the involvement of young members in Unite and the selection of parliamentary candidates. Delegates said that some candidates often used a Unite card as a "card of convenience" to get selected. We needed to get more Unite members into parliament – but Unite members who actually understood what was happening in the workplace and who supported the policies of Unite and would represent working people.
The meeting also gave full support to all union members at Corus on Teeside who would be marching and demonstrating in Redcar to Save Our Steel on July 18th to save their jobs.
Details as follows:
DATE: Saturday, 18th July 2009
TIME: 12pm - 4pm, march departs at 2pm
MEETING POINT: Majuba Road car park, Redcar
Workers Uniting Group supporters attended a meeting on July 11th during the Durham Miners Gala.
Les Bayliss, Unite Assistant General Secretary reported on the disputes in the Construction Engineering industry, notably the dispute with Total at the Lindsey Oil Refinery which he described as a 'tuning point' for Unite saying that: "the union should be proud of the support given to members and to the settlement". He told the meeting that pressure had been put on the Labour Party to get the employers back to the negotiating table and that Total were left in no doubt that if our members were not re-instated we would call on our sister union in Workers Uniting, the United Steelworkers to support Unite in solidarity action wherever they had influence be it in the USA or Canada.
In outlining current developments in Unite Les Bayliss said that he had been given responsibility to bring about mergers. All mergers are challenging including the mergers to create Amicus - AEEU, MSF, GPMU, Unifi.
The merger with the TGWU had been difficult. The TGWU leadership had "sold the merger" to their members on a "TGWU plus basis" and the TGWU had not been involved in significant organizational change for many years. However, the new Unite sectoral, regional and area activist’s structures would enable all Unite activists to share their experiences.
He said there was a need to cut out the rhetoric, tribalism and showboating and deal with the real problems facing Unite's membership including the crisis in manufacturing, in the finance sector, on pensions, housing, job security for all of our members and care for the young, sick and old. "We can only do this through an agreed strategy and the new rule book. This will drive the union forward to consolidate Unite and Workers Uniting - based on organizing, internationalism and political influence to build a skilled, professional and general workers union".
Unite aviation national officer Brian Boyd reported on the looming dispute with BA, who he said were trying to drive down pay and conditions as well as attempting to break Unite's strong organization within the airline. Brian said: "We have high levels of membership and significant union density across BA, in cabin crew, engineering and ground crew. Besides attempting to drive down pay and conditions BA were trying to weaken union organization".
He told the meeting that whilst it was recognised BA is facing major problems, Unite would resist the drive by BA to downgrade the world's premier airline. He also reported on organizing in other airlines, and thanked the officials and activists who had helped Unite organize and secure recognition at Flyglobespan and BA Cityflyer
Unite NEC member Agnes Tolmie reported on the very difficult situation faced almost every day by Unite members in the finance and banking sector. She told the meeting: "Every week that goes by jobs are being cut by in thousands in the big banks. While our members lose their jobs the bosses of the banks think that they can soon get back to business as usual with big bonus payments and top hat pensions. Many Unite members were low paid - they didn't enjoy the salaries of "Fred The Shred" - instead Unite members were facing continuing job insecurity, even though many of the banks are now publicly owned. It was time for the Government to step in and stop the job losses."
Delegates also discussed the involvement of young members in Unite and the selection of parliamentary candidates. Delegates said that some candidates often used a Unite card as a "card of convenience" to get selected. We needed to get more Unite members into parliament – but Unite members who actually understood what was happening in the workplace and who supported the policies of Unite and would represent working people.
The meeting also gave full support to all union members at Corus on Teeside who would be marching and demonstrating in Redcar to Save Our Steel on July 18th to save their jobs.
Details as follows:
DATE: Saturday, 18th July 2009
TIME: 12pm - 4pm, march departs at 2pm
MEETING POINT: Majuba Road car park, Redcar
Just another cog in the machine?
Just another cog in the machine - join a union...
YouTube clip.
Pass it on.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLGoKqPAhSk
YouTube clip.
Pass it on.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLGoKqPAhSk
TUC Organising Academy Development Centre's
The TUC Organising Academy is now advertisng its annual development centres for potential trainee union organisers.
The TUC Organising Academy has been one of the TUC's major successes over the past ten years and has trained well over 200 union organisers and thousands of union lay and full time reps.
You don't need a degree, you don't need years of experience, you don't need to have worked for a Union before - all you need is passion and commitment to Trade Unionism and working people.
To find out more or if you know someone, especially young people, who you may think may make a good union organiser visit the TUC webite at for more information.
Dates and locations of the development centres etc can be found out.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/organisation/tuc-16738-f0.cfm
Please pass on this email to your contacts.
The TUC Organising Academy has been one of the TUC's major successes over the past ten years and has trained well over 200 union organisers and thousands of union lay and full time reps.
You don't need a degree, you don't need years of experience, you don't need to have worked for a Union before - all you need is passion and commitment to Trade Unionism and working people.
To find out more or if you know someone, especially young people, who you may think may make a good union organiser visit the TUC webite at for more information.
Dates and locations of the development centres etc can be found out.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/organisation/tuc-16738-f0.cfm
Please pass on this email to your contacts.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Bayliss: "Outlawing blacklisting is welcome but overdue"
The Government's plan to outlaw blacklisting is welcome but overdue, said Unite AGS Les Bayliss.
Welcoming the government's consultation on blacklisting which has been published this weekLes Bayliss, said: "This is a welcome development - but it's long overdue. Too many construction workers have suffered victimisation at the hands of unscrupulous employers.
"Blacklisting was made illegal in the 1999 Employment Relations Act, however the necessary regulations were never enacted because the government claimed there was no evidence. The government must now act swiftly to end this unjust practice for good."
Unite has alerted its activists of possible claims under Trade Union & Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 S137.
Claims are currently being taken by Unite against employers based on the refusal of employment on grounds related to trade union membership.
Welcoming the government's consultation on blacklisting which has been published this weekLes Bayliss, said: "This is a welcome development - but it's long overdue. Too many construction workers have suffered victimisation at the hands of unscrupulous employers.
"Blacklisting was made illegal in the 1999 Employment Relations Act, however the necessary regulations were never enacted because the government claimed there was no evidence. The government must now act swiftly to end this unjust practice for good."
Unite has alerted its activists of possible claims under Trade Union & Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 S137.
Claims are currently being taken by Unite against employers based on the refusal of employment on grounds related to trade union membership.
Unite's Rob MacGregor: "Thousands of finance workers are every month paying the price for the corporate greed"
Unite responds to Financial Regulation White Paper
Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer for the Finance Sector said: “Unite welcomes the government 's acknowledgement that the financial regime must be changed fundamentally in order to bring stability to the banking sector and ensure it can never again undermine the UK economy.
"This white paper presents a number of bold and radical plans to prevent further crises in the financial industry, though it remains a fact that thousands of finance workers are every month paying the price for the corporate greed, excess and recklessness of the City as they lose their jobs and pensions."
Unite is calling for the government to ensure public interest representation on the boards of all large financial institutions and at all levels of the regulatory structure of the finance sector.
Rob continued: "Without public interest representation we will simply maintain the risky business models and poor supervision of the past which lack the transparency that is essential and which the government is apparently now demanding. It is right that there is a more interventionist approach to regulation of this sector, specifically in the rules which determine the remuneration structures of these complex institutions.
“However, any suggestion from the chancellor that the taxpayer supported institutions may be returned to the private sector with no priority given to the impact on workers and their families would be a step in the wrong direction.
"Unless it protects and supports hardworking and dedicated workers in this sector the UK will never achieve financial stability."
Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer for the Finance Sector said: “Unite welcomes the government 's acknowledgement that the financial regime must be changed fundamentally in order to bring stability to the banking sector and ensure it can never again undermine the UK economy.
"This white paper presents a number of bold and radical plans to prevent further crises in the financial industry, though it remains a fact that thousands of finance workers are every month paying the price for the corporate greed, excess and recklessness of the City as they lose their jobs and pensions."
Unite is calling for the government to ensure public interest representation on the boards of all large financial institutions and at all levels of the regulatory structure of the finance sector.
Rob continued: "Without public interest representation we will simply maintain the risky business models and poor supervision of the past which lack the transparency that is essential and which the government is apparently now demanding. It is right that there is a more interventionist approach to regulation of this sector, specifically in the rules which determine the remuneration structures of these complex institutions.
“However, any suggestion from the chancellor that the taxpayer supported institutions may be returned to the private sector with no priority given to the impact on workers and their families would be a step in the wrong direction.
"Unless it protects and supports hardworking and dedicated workers in this sector the UK will never achieve financial stability."
South Yorkshire Bus Strike
Bus drivers strike across South Yorkshire
Workers at the First South Yorkshire bus company will take 24 hour strike action over pay on July 10th bringing First Bus routes across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster to a standstill.
The bus drivers are furious that the bus company claims there is no money for a pay increase despite the company posting profits of £122 million for 2008.
77 per cent of bus drivers who took part in the ballot voted for strike action.
At the talks with ACAS the company put forward an offer of 2.9 per cent in return for changes to working practices including relinquishing two bank holidays and not being paid for the time spent booking in for work and checking the bus before beginning the shift. Checking the bus is a legal requirement. The union believes that the proposed changes would mean savings for the company above its pay offer of 2.9 per cent.
Workers at the First South Yorkshire bus company will take 24 hour strike action over pay on July 10th bringing First Bus routes across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster to a standstill.
The bus drivers are furious that the bus company claims there is no money for a pay increase despite the company posting profits of £122 million for 2008.
77 per cent of bus drivers who took part in the ballot voted for strike action.
At the talks with ACAS the company put forward an offer of 2.9 per cent in return for changes to working practices including relinquishing two bank holidays and not being paid for the time spent booking in for work and checking the bus before beginning the shift. Checking the bus is a legal requirement. The union believes that the proposed changes would mean savings for the company above its pay offer of 2.9 per cent.
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