Workers Uniting News Update : New CSEU boss; Corus Ballot

Newly CSEU boss vows to campaign for skilled manufacturing jobs

The newly appointed general secretary of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU) has vowed to use his term in office to campaign to ensure the government protects and invests in skilled manufacturing jobs.

General Secretary, Hugh Scullion, said: “Recent news that the Tories would scrap major defence contracts and put thousands of highly skilled, well paid jobs at risk should focus minds. Manufacturing employers and workers have to face up to some stark choices in the months running up to the election.

“It is the confederation's aim to ensure that the government invests in manufacturing. We need to come out of recession with a manufacturing base that is growing not shrinking. Manufacturing has taken a back seat for too long, we need the right balance, we need to build a future as well as finance one.”

The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions is a umbrella union for manufacturing unions. The union negotiates with employers, signs national agreements, lobbies government and campaigns for manufacturing jobs.

Steel Unions Say national ballot for industrial action at Corus is "imminent".

Union representatives from across steel giant Corus gathered in Londonto discuss the decision by Corus to close the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) to new entrants.

The National Trade Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee, which brings together all unions within Corus, issued the following statement:

“The meeting was unanimous in its opposition to the move by Corus to close the pension scheme to new entrants. Representatives and shop stewards will be taking this powerful message of protest back to their workplaces.

“We want to make it very clear that the unions are united in their determination to tell our members the truth behind Corus’ decision and to expose their motivation which is to close the pension scheme completely.

“Members have seen thousands of job losses across Corus, their bonus has been removed and now the company is attacking their pensions. Corus should be fully aware that the unions are saying enough is enough.

“Representatives have called for ballots for industrial action right across the company, so ultimately our members will decide.”