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