More pressure is on the EU and the UK Government to reverse the recent ECJ Judgements via MEPs who are arguing that there should be a veto of the incoming European Commission unless they protect workers rights.
The MEPs from UK, Germany and Italy, representing Socialists, Greens and European Left Groups are gearing up to veto this year's incoming European Commission unless there is a reversal of the ECJ Judgements.
Glyn Ford (Labour, SW England) said: "The situation is clear, if we are to end 'social dumping' within Europe we must change the law. British and other European workers should not have to compete within factories and companies with those forced to work for lower wages and in poorer conditions".
He added: "Talking is not enough. Here MEPs say we will veto the incoming Commission unless they commit to the necessary changes".
Stephen Hughes (Labour, NE England) added: "We believe it's important that British, Italian, Portuguese or any other EU workers should have the freedom to move, live and work in any EU country. But we do not accept that any worker should be open to exploitation as a consequence of exercising the right to free movement. Such workers should be guaranteed the same pay, terms and conditions as indigenous workers."
The MEPs have produced a Written Declaration to express their position, co-signed also by Italian Socialist MEP Luisa Morgantini and Green Germany MEP Elizabeth Schroedter.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Staythorpe Power Station Workers Tell Alstom to Give Them Fair Access to Jobs
Staythorpe Power Station Workers Tell Alstom to Give Them Fair Access to Jobs
- Demonstration: Alstom HQ, 175 High Holborn, WC1V 7AA
- 11am Until 2pm, Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Unemployed construction workers refused work at a Nottinghamshire power station are taking their fight for fair access to jobs directly to the London HQ of Alstom, the company at the centre of the row, tomorrow (Thursday).
Carrying placards bearing the message "Alstom, give us a chance", the workers will be pressing Alstom to ensure its sub-contractors, Montpressa and FMM, open up their contracts to UK workers so that they can contribute to the construction of the Staythorpe power station.
Unite estimates that 600 jobs will be needed to build the power station's turbine and boiler (Montpressa will fit the turbine and FMM will fit the boiler). A further 250 workers will be required to build the pipe connecting the two.
Unite is seriously concerned that none of these jobs will go to UK workers, and believes that this dispute further demonstrates the concerns of workers across the construction sector that UK interpretation of EU law could be preventing UK workers from applying for local jobs.
Following the admission by FMM to Unite officials that they would supply their workers directly from abroad and would not be giving any consideration to local construction workers, even though the workers had years of experience of building power stations throughout the Trent Valley, Unite has been organising regular demonstrations outside Staythorpe power station.
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson, said: "Our members are not asking for special favours - they are demanding fair play. The UK needs to upgrade and build new power stations and there are huge opportunities to create thousands of well paid and highly skilled jobs. It will be a disgrace if UK workers are not even allowed to apply for jobs to build British power stations.
"Alstom has the power to insist that the sub-contractors end this scandalous situation. UK workers must be given a fair chance to get a cut of the action to build a new generation of UK power stations."
- Demonstration: Alstom HQ, 175 High Holborn, WC1V 7AA
- 11am Until 2pm, Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Unemployed construction workers refused work at a Nottinghamshire power station are taking their fight for fair access to jobs directly to the London HQ of Alstom, the company at the centre of the row, tomorrow (Thursday).
Carrying placards bearing the message "Alstom, give us a chance", the workers will be pressing Alstom to ensure its sub-contractors, Montpressa and FMM, open up their contracts to UK workers so that they can contribute to the construction of the Staythorpe power station.
Unite estimates that 600 jobs will be needed to build the power station's turbine and boiler (Montpressa will fit the turbine and FMM will fit the boiler). A further 250 workers will be required to build the pipe connecting the two.
Unite is seriously concerned that none of these jobs will go to UK workers, and believes that this dispute further demonstrates the concerns of workers across the construction sector that UK interpretation of EU law could be preventing UK workers from applying for local jobs.
Following the admission by FMM to Unite officials that they would supply their workers directly from abroad and would not be giving any consideration to local construction workers, even though the workers had years of experience of building power stations throughout the Trent Valley, Unite has been organising regular demonstrations outside Staythorpe power station.
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson, said: "Our members are not asking for special favours - they are demanding fair play. The UK needs to upgrade and build new power stations and there are huge opportunities to create thousands of well paid and highly skilled jobs. It will be a disgrace if UK workers are not even allowed to apply for jobs to build British power stations.
"Alstom has the power to insist that the sub-contractors end this scandalous situation. UK workers must be given a fair chance to get a cut of the action to build a new generation of UK power stations."
Unite's statement on the Lindsey Oil Refinery dispute
Unite's statement on the Lindsey Oil Refinery dispute
4 February 2009
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said, "The workers involved in the unofficial dispute at the Lindsey Oil refinery will vote on a deal tomorrow morning to end the unofficial walkouts. Unite has assisted in attempting to broker a deal.
"We hope this deal will be accepted by the workers at the refinery.
"No Italian worker will lose their job as a result of this deal. Unite officials emphasised the importance of this throughout the negotiations.
Lindsey is part of a much wider problem that will not go away if the unofficial strikers go back to work.
"The government is beginning to grasp the fundamental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
"The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We have seen the backlash as the recession bites. The government must act to level the playing field for UK workers.
"No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite has proposed a three point plan for dealing he current problems taking place across construction sites in the UK.
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
The current proposals to be put to the workers at Lindsey will mean that 102 additional jobs will be created for UK workers.
4 February 2009
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said, "The workers involved in the unofficial dispute at the Lindsey Oil refinery will vote on a deal tomorrow morning to end the unofficial walkouts. Unite has assisted in attempting to broker a deal.
"We hope this deal will be accepted by the workers at the refinery.
"No Italian worker will lose their job as a result of this deal. Unite officials emphasised the importance of this throughout the negotiations.
Lindsey is part of a much wider problem that will not go away if the unofficial strikers go back to work.
"The government is beginning to grasp the fundamental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
"The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We have seen the backlash as the recession bites. The government must act to level the playing field for UK workers.
"No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
Unite has proposed a three point plan for dealing he current problems taking place across construction sites in the UK.
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
The current proposals to be put to the workers at Lindsey will mean that 102 additional jobs will be created for UK workers.
Strikes and the question of fairness - Guardian letters
Two letters from yesterday's Guardian which set out the arguments against the ECJ Judgements and the way the employers are exploiting the Posted Workers Directive.
Strikes and the question of fairness
The Guardian, Tuesday 3 February 2009
Commentators dismissing wildcat strikes as protectionist and xenophobic might be interested to note that union leaders throughout the EU have been discussing what action should be taken against the posted workers directive [a posted worker carries out work for a limited period in another EU country - the worker pays tax and social security in their country of origin] and European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases for the last two years (Ministers to look at 'distorted' EU employment law, 2 February).
Today, for example, unions and the SPD are meeting in Berlin to discuss possible action, including a request to the German constitutional court to cease to apply European law.
Article 39 of the EU treaty guarantees movement of workers throughout Europe and no union leader has a problem with it. Article 49 and the directive, by contrast, allows firms to move their workers as a part of a service agreement and herein lies the rub: the European court of justice has confirmed that, whereas workers under Article 39 will be subject to all of the labour conditions of the host country, service providers under Article 49 may bring their own labour regimes with them.
The only minimum requirement that may be applied by a host state is minimum wage and health and safety regulation; collective bargaining agreements are deemed to be a potential barrier to trade. Likewise, strikes seeking to enforce collective bargaining agreements must be "proportional". In effect, this entails the dismantling of national labour regimes established in the post-war period. When we see barges full of accountants, journalists and politicians established on the Thames in order to provide more cheaply for our white-collar labour needs, will our chattering classes wake up and realise that this is not protectionism, but rather a fight for the soul of the European social state?
Michelle Everson
Professor of European law, Birkbeck College, University of London
There is growing confusion as to exactly why European law is at the heart of the current wave of unofficial disputes. The fact is, that even if Total had given guarantees that it will not exclude UK workers, or undercut UK conditions, the recent European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases have thrown doubt on how such companies will behave in the future.
UK and EU trade unions and Socialist Group MEPs are concerned that the ECJ has interpreted European employment law, including the posted workers directive, as giving a higher priority to the freedom of capital movements over the rights of both UK and EU workers in the UK to work under settled UK collective agreements, wages and conditions.
These judgments are, in our view, getting the balance badly wrong. Free movement of workers is intrinsic to the idea of the EU, and protectionism is wrong. But if current European law and its impact on current disputes and major construction projects is to be fair to UK, and non-UK workers alike, these interpretations of European employment law must be reviewed urgently.
There are some who want to see the problem as one of the free movement of workers, created by the EU, turning sour in the midst of recession - or worse, as we have seen with the BNP response. In fact, it is a growing imbalance, exacerbated by recession, in the way workers are posted, that lies at the heart of the current problems.
Claude Moraes MEP
Labour, London
Strikes and the question of fairness
The Guardian, Tuesday 3 February 2009
Commentators dismissing wildcat strikes as protectionist and xenophobic might be interested to note that union leaders throughout the EU have been discussing what action should be taken against the posted workers directive [a posted worker carries out work for a limited period in another EU country - the worker pays tax and social security in their country of origin] and European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases for the last two years (Ministers to look at 'distorted' EU employment law, 2 February).
Today, for example, unions and the SPD are meeting in Berlin to discuss possible action, including a request to the German constitutional court to cease to apply European law.
Article 39 of the EU treaty guarantees movement of workers throughout Europe and no union leader has a problem with it. Article 49 and the directive, by contrast, allows firms to move their workers as a part of a service agreement and herein lies the rub: the European court of justice has confirmed that, whereas workers under Article 39 will be subject to all of the labour conditions of the host country, service providers under Article 49 may bring their own labour regimes with them.
The only minimum requirement that may be applied by a host state is minimum wage and health and safety regulation; collective bargaining agreements are deemed to be a potential barrier to trade. Likewise, strikes seeking to enforce collective bargaining agreements must be "proportional". In effect, this entails the dismantling of national labour regimes established in the post-war period. When we see barges full of accountants, journalists and politicians established on the Thames in order to provide more cheaply for our white-collar labour needs, will our chattering classes wake up and realise that this is not protectionism, but rather a fight for the soul of the European social state?
Michelle Everson
Professor of European law, Birkbeck College, University of London
There is growing confusion as to exactly why European law is at the heart of the current wave of unofficial disputes. The fact is, that even if Total had given guarantees that it will not exclude UK workers, or undercut UK conditions, the recent European court judgments in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases have thrown doubt on how such companies will behave in the future.
UK and EU trade unions and Socialist Group MEPs are concerned that the ECJ has interpreted European employment law, including the posted workers directive, as giving a higher priority to the freedom of capital movements over the rights of both UK and EU workers in the UK to work under settled UK collective agreements, wages and conditions.
These judgments are, in our view, getting the balance badly wrong. Free movement of workers is intrinsic to the idea of the EU, and protectionism is wrong. But if current European law and its impact on current disputes and major construction projects is to be fair to UK, and non-UK workers alike, these interpretations of European employment law must be reviewed urgently.
There are some who want to see the problem as one of the free movement of workers, created by the EU, turning sour in the midst of recession - or worse, as we have seen with the BNP response. In fact, it is a growing imbalance, exacerbated by recession, in the way workers are posted, that lies at the heart of the current problems.
Claude Moraes MEP
Labour, London
Simpson warns ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK
Derek Simpson warns ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK
In a condemnation of the British National Party, Derek Simpson the joint leader of Unite, will warn ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK.
Derek Simspon said: "The unofficial action taking place across the UK is not about race or immigration, its about class. Its about employers who exploit workers regardless of their nationality by undercutting their hard won pay and conditions. These are rights that trade unionists have fought long and hard for while ultra right wing groups did nothing but stoke hatred in our towns and cities".
"Trade unionists stand against everything the BNP stand for. We have warned union members on construction sites to remain vigilant when it comes to ultra right wing leeches. These right wing groups do not support trade unions. In fact, they're probably taking down the names of trade unionists involved in the unofficial action and adding them to their list of left wing enemies."
In a condemnation of the British National Party, Derek Simpson the joint leader of Unite, will warn ultra right wing groups that their politics of hate are not welcome on construction sites across the UK.
Derek Simspon said: "The unofficial action taking place across the UK is not about race or immigration, its about class. Its about employers who exploit workers regardless of their nationality by undercutting their hard won pay and conditions. These are rights that trade unionists have fought long and hard for while ultra right wing groups did nothing but stoke hatred in our towns and cities".
"Trade unionists stand against everything the BNP stand for. We have warned union members on construction sites to remain vigilant when it comes to ultra right wing leeches. These right wing groups do not support trade unions. In fact, they're probably taking down the names of trade unionists involved in the unofficial action and adding them to their list of left wing enemies."
Monday, February 2, 2009
Support UK engineering construction workers!
UK engineering construction workers demand the right to work
At Staythorpe Power Station in Nottinghamshire Alstom has sub-contracted two overseas companies to carry out construction work on the site.
Unite believes that the two overseas companies refused to accept applications for work from UK workers, intending instead to use more than 600 workers from other countries on the project.
With local workers from the engineering construction industry now unemployed, this cannot be right.
All UK workers are asking for is the right to be considered for work on this construction project.
Unite the Union is calling on the government to ensure that all engineering construction employers recruit local labour, especially those out of work, onto all work in major construction projects.
For more information and to sign the Unite petition visit:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=9914
At Staythorpe Power Station in Nottinghamshire Alstom has sub-contracted two overseas companies to carry out construction work on the site.
Unite believes that the two overseas companies refused to accept applications for work from UK workers, intending instead to use more than 600 workers from other countries on the project.
With local workers from the engineering construction industry now unemployed, this cannot be right.
All UK workers are asking for is the right to be considered for work on this construction project.
Unite the Union is calling on the government to ensure that all engineering construction employers recruit local labour, especially those out of work, onto all work in major construction projects.
For more information and to sign the Unite petition visit:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=9914
Unite statement on unofficial strike action
The press and media have been portraying the unofficial walkouts in the construction engineering industry as "anti foreign worker". Here is press statement issued by Unite today.
Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action
2 February 2009
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action taking place across construction sites in the UK.
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite said: "Unite is proposing a three point plan that the UK government should follow to resolve the wave of unoffical unrest gripping the UK. There needs to be a systematic aproach which deals with the immediate problem of the current unoffical strikes and then addresses the root cause of the discontent. "
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreeements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
Mr Simpson continued:
"The government is failing to grasp the fundemental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We are now seeing the backlash as the recession bites. The government must ensure that employers do no not raise barriers to UK based labour applying for work. There should be a level playing field for workers who wish to apply for work on Britain’s engineering and construction projects. No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
The Viking case concerned the re-flagging of a Finnish ship to Estonia with the aim of applying lower standards to the seamen on the ship; The Laval case concerned the application of Latvian wages and working conditions on Latvian workers employed by a Latvian company on a Swedish construction site.
More information on the ECJ Judgements can be found at:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/lavalvikingruffert/
Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action
2 February 2009
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite has today proposed a three point plan for dealing with the current wave of unoffical strike action taking place across construction sites in the UK.
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite said: "Unite is proposing a three point plan that the UK government should follow to resolve the wave of unoffical unrest gripping the UK. There needs to be a systematic aproach which deals with the immediate problem of the current unoffical strikes and then addresses the root cause of the discontent. "
1. Resolve the immediate problem that exists at Total's Lindsey oil refinery. Reach an agreement which gives fair consideration for UK labour to work on the contract.
2. Carry out an investigation into the practices of contractors and subcontactors in the engineering and construction industry. Follow by action from the government which will insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreeements which commit to fair access for UK Labour.
3. Overturn European legal precedents which allow employers to undercut wages and conditions. A European Court of Justice precedent gives employers a license for 'social dumping' and prevents unions form taking action to prevent the erosion of UK workers' pay and condition (see notes to editors).
Mr Simpson continued:
"The government is failing to grasp the fundemental issues. The problem is not workers from other European countries working in the UK, nor is it about foreign contractors winning contracts in the UK. The problem is that employers are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on these contracts.
The flexible labour market is a one way street that only benefits the employers. We are now seeing the backlash as the recession bites. The government must ensure that employers do no not raise barriers to UK based labour applying for work. There should be a level playing field for workers who wish to apply for work on Britain’s engineering and construction projects. No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job."
The Viking case concerned the re-flagging of a Finnish ship to Estonia with the aim of applying lower standards to the seamen on the ship; The Laval case concerned the application of Latvian wages and working conditions on Latvian workers employed by a Latvian company on a Swedish construction site.
More information on the ECJ Judgements can be found at:
http://www.amicustheunion.org/lavalvikingruffert/
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Road To Resistance - US Style
The Road To Resistance - US Style

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

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