You tube ‘clip’

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Fujitsu ‘Not having IT all their own way’

Fujitsu are not having ‘IT’ all their own way

The first ever national strike in IT is an inspiration and is to be applauded.

The Unite union members in Fujitsu striking to defend their jobs, pay and pensions do so against a profitable company who blatantly seeks to take advantage of the economic crisis.

Fujitsu bosses as like many other employers, hope that their employees feeling of general insecurity would make them swallow compulsory job losses, the closure of the final salary pension scheme to new starts and a pay freeze.

Magnificently the workers haven’t succumbed and have chosen to fight back, their courage strengthens us everyone in the trade union movement.

It is understood that the strike action has already forced Fujitsu bosses to back down on some of the demands.

Jerry Hicks said “I will be doing all I can to support these workers knowing that a victory here makes it far more likely everywhere”.

Whoever wins the next General Election election, cuts and attacks are staring every workplace, every union member in the face.

Labour would legislate to halve the deficit. £75bn in cuts and even more Privatisation. The Liberals have said they would make savage cuts. George Osborne the Tory shadow chancellor boasted that within 3 months of being in office they would be the most unpopular Government since the 2nd World War.

This year will see two elections. Both are likely to be defining moments. The General Election and the election for General Secretary of the country’s biggest trade union ‘Unite’.

Given the size and make up of Unite, it makes the election for the union’s General Secretary the most significant union election for decades.

From ‘Fanfare to Fiasco’ What a deBAcle

The vote by British Airways cabin crew to defend their hard won terms and conditions was fantastic. More than 80% of members took part in the ballot and a staggering 92% supported taking strike action, proving how members feel both vulnerable and angry. It also proves how well organised the union members and their branch are.

It is worth taking this into context when comparing it with political parties who bemoan ‘indifference’ and brand their electorate as ‘apathetic’ when council elections barely inspire a 30% turnout. Even General Elections fail to capture the imagination of people, with average polls of 60%.

Given such a winning hand, what could possibly go wrong? It started with a flurry of national officials ‘popping up’. At least one blatantly electioneering on the backs of the members, was the first visible sign of the impending unedifying debacle, followed by the spectacle of the Joint General Secretary initially, whatever his intentions, undermining the dispute. Then we see him crying crocodile tears and feigning anger outside the High Court. I and millions of trade unionists know that our main opponents are the government and the employers, but our dismay and frustration extends to those in the union leadership who have allowed it to happen.

Thatcher’s and Tebbit’s anti-union laws drawn up with all the intent and malice to thwart trade unions and its members are now Tony’s [Blair] and Gordon’s [Brown] anti-union laws. The paradox is that it is our union Unite that helps funds the Labour Party with £10s of millions since 1997.

After more than twelve years of Labour government, it’s a scandal that employers like British Airways are able to use anti-union laws. But it should come as no surprise that they do, or that the courts rule against us. Repeal of these laws simply has not been a priority for the TUC or our union. If it had been, Unite would not have been dragged into the High Court, and how much stronger would we all be now and especially the BA cabin staff.

Sadly, in fact all too often, our union has hidden behind those same laws when repudiating workers who, when at their wits end, are brave enough to take on employers by breaking the unjust laws, as with Lindsey oil refinery in Humberside which was coupled with solidarity walk-outs; or the Visteon workers occupying their factories to win back their pensions when sacked with only 15 minutes notice. Instead of supporting those struggles and confronting the anti-union legislation our union chose to comply with the laws. Those disputes were successful, despite the union leadership.

All three main political parties are now lining up to wield the axe as they try to make us pay for the banking bosses mistakes. Employers, one after another are sticking the boot in.

Which means that over the coming weeks, months and years – disputes and strikes are inevitable.

Members have proven over and over again their worth. The question is, will the union’s leadership be the solution or part of the problem?

Next year there will be two elections that will be defining moments. One is the General Election and I hope the Tories don’t win it. The other will be for the election for General Secretary of Unite, the country’s biggest trade union with the potential to be the most powerful union.

It is almost certain all but one of the candidates will come from the current leadership, who bear a collective responsibility for where we are now and how we got here. More of the same will not reinvigorate our union. As someone who is not an official of the union I will offer a real choice and the chance of something very different.

If BA Cabin Staff win we all do!

Support BA cabin crew

& repeal the anti-union laws.

The vote by British Airways cabin crew in favour of industrial action was a brilliant result. More than 80 percent of members took part and 92 percent supported taking action.

It proves how members feel both vulnerable and angry. That anger was translated into a massive vote for strike action.

All three main parties are now lining up to wield the axe. One employer after another is sticking the boot in. Willie Walsh is the spearhead of all those bosses who are trying to squeeze out profits at workers’ expense by shedding jobs and slashing wages.

After more than a decade of Labour government it’s a scandal that employers like British Airways can still use Thatcher’s anti-union laws. Repeal of these laws simply has not been a priority for the TUC or our union.

If it had been Unite would not have been dragged into the High Court wasting time, energy and money that could have been used to serve our members.

Every trade unionist should do everything they can to support BA cabin staff. We all know that it would be a massive victory for all of us in the working class movement if they win.

1,700 Jobs on the scrapheap

Steel giant Corus, owned by Indian multinational Tata, has decided to ‘downsize’ its operations in Britain, mothballing its Teesside plant in Redcar.

1, 700 workers will lose their jobs in what will have a devastating effect on them and their families and in turn will be a disaster for the local community. The effects will be similar to when the coal industry was subjected to wholesale pit closurers in the 1980s and 1990s

Jerry Hicks called on the Government to, “Stop this jobs massacre by nationalising the Redcar steel plant, making it a public utility to serve the public interest, and one that continues to provide employment across the community.”

He went on to say that if our tax payers money is used to bail out the banks to the tune of £10s billions then we absolutely must intervene now to save these jobs, livelihoods and families.

He also added, “It has never been more obvious that there is a profound need for ‘joined up thinking’. The steel from the Redcar plant could be used in many important projects, especially in the area of combating climate change.”

Massive investment in renewable energies, harnessing wind, sea and solar, would require all the steel that Redcar could possibly produce, for wind turbines, tidal barrages and countless other projects, not only saving the 1700 jobs but providing up to another million extra jobs in design, manufacture and construction.

The Labour Party has cried crocodile tears over the closure (just as it did with Vestas on the Isle of Wight), with business secretary Lord Peter Mandleson pathetically blaming the “unprecedented fall in demand in the global recession”.

Similarly, the leaders of the union Unite have been far too restrained in their response. In contrast Jerry Hicks said “Unite bankrolls the Labour Party, providing a significant chunk of it’s funding: we must ‘call in our cards’ to force the Labour government to intervene on behalf of the Redcar workers. It’s time for the country’s biggest union to not simply campaign but to fight for jobs, people and public ownership”.

Press Release – November 22 2009

 

PRESS RELEASE: PRESS RELEASE: PRESS RELEASE: 22^nd November 2009

 ONE YEAR TWO ELECTIONS : KEEP MORE THAN AN EYE ON BOTH

 Next year will see two elections. Both are likely to be defining moments. The General Election and the election for General Secretary of the country’s biggest trade union ‘Unite’.

 Jerry Hicks whose successful legal challenge last year forced an election in the Amicus section of Unite has, after being urged by many, decided to stand again.

 He is deeply critical of Unite’s failure to protect its members despite the tens of £millions having been handed over to the Labour Government during what he says are the ‘squandered / wasted years’, meaning the 3 terms of Labour in office.

 He also argues that fundamental change is needed in the union’s relationship with New Labour which he describes as being – too close – too cosy – paying too much – for far too little. £13 million of members’ money has been donated since 2005. While supporting over 100 Labour MPs, not even the basic right to re-instatement when unfairly dismissed has been achieved. ‘The returns have been pitiful’.

 The union opposes PFI hospitals as well as academy schools yet we are ignored. We demand better pensions yet we have the second lowest state pension in Europe. We should support only MPs or councillors, current / prospective, who support our policies.

 Whoever wins the next election, cuts and attacks are staring every workplace, every union member in the face.

 Gordon Brown has said Labour would legislate to halve the deficit. £75bn in cuts and even more Privatisation. Nick Clegg the Liberal leader said they would make savage cuts. George Osborne the Tory shadow chancellor boasted that within 3 months of being in office they would be the most unpopular Government since the 2^nd World War.

 Given the size and make up of Unite, it makes the election for the union’s General Secretary the most significant union election for decades.

 Jerry Hicks has been highly critical as to the wages of the General Secretary. He said “Fat cats in the city are rightly despised, just as MPs who are a world away from reality. Why have a ‘Fat cat’ General Secretary in our union with remuneration in excess of £130,000 living a lifestyle nothing like that of our members.” This will end, if elected he would only take the average wage of a skilled worker. This is certain to strike a chord, as none of the other candidates are likely to say the same.

Jerry Hicks said “Our union leadership, many of whom will seek to become the General Secretary have been unable to face up to Labour. Can our members be sure they can stand up to the Tories if they get in?”

 Ends: Notes for Editors: Unite is not only the country’s biggest Trade Union it’s also the biggest single donator to the Labour Party. Jerry Hicks will most likely be the only candidate who is not a senior official of the union. This was also the case last time, however he secured support from every region and sector of the union, coming second, within touching distance of incumbent General Secretary Derek Simpson who will not be standing this time round. Jerry Hicks is thought by many to be a possible winner.

 

RBS ‘Its all right for some’

PRESS RELEASE: PRESS RELEASE: 5/11/09

Low-paid Workers Pay The Price For “Fat Cat” Banking Crisis

Royal Bank of Scotland releases its quarterly results to the city after two shocking days for the workers where earlier this week RBS announced that 3,700 jobs are to be cut from UK branches.

Whilst large areas of the business are to be separated and sold off, including insurance, card payments, and over 320 branches, with no guarantees for the jobs of the tens of thousands of employees involved.

This is in addition to the 9,000 global job losses announced in April across RBS’s manufacturing division – the “back-office” operation of call centres, data processing and IT.

4,500 of these losses will be in the UK, and 600 have already gone in the UK IT department (roughly 20% of staff).

Piling on the pain, RBS’ decided in August to freeze the value of its “final salary” pension scheme at current levels of pay. With negligible recognition of any future pay rises.

This has been what the Government’s £45.5 billion bail-out has meant for call-centre agents, processing clerks and operational staff. Despite the bank’s image, the vast majority of the workers impacted by these attacks are low-paid and vulnerable.

Where has the money gone? Most of the money has been used to stop RBS going bankrupt, by improving liquidity and providing reserves of capital to offset against bad debt.

Yet the Government has stubbornly refused to intervene in the running of the bank, to leverage their 84% stake to make the bank serve society’s interests through and beyond the recession.

Even now, Alistair Darling will not guarantee that the Government’s modest targets for lending to families and small businesses will be met.

It is less well known that RBS plans to spend £10 billion over the next 5 years in a huge and highly risky investment programme to reduce operational costs through further job losses. RBS is targeting cost reductions of £2.5 billion per year, and it would seem to be our public money that is funding this aggressive attack on vital jobs, at a time of high and growing unemployment.

Jerry Hicks said “It is RBS’s workforce who are paying the price for the banking crisis, not the banking ‘fat cats’ who are already popping champagne bottles across the City again, while their staff will have to fight to protect their jobs, pensions and conditions.”

Unite is calling for a “Yes” vote in a consultative ballot over industrial action to stop the pension freeze, following on from a 98% vote amongst Barclays staff to protect their own pensions.

Jerry Hicks calls on the Government to “stop this jobs massacre by nationalising the bank, making it a public utility to serve the public interest, and one that continues to provide employment across the community. It has never been more obvious that we need a bank driven by social need rather than private greed.”

Power to the people!

High Court defeat leaves Scottish & Southern Energy

‘Shocked and stunned’

The High Court yesterday (Wed 21st October) rejected an injunction against a building worker, which had been brought against him under Terrorism legislation.

 Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) had sought the injunction against Steve Acheson claiming his actions were a potential threat to the National Grid and national security. Even though he has never attempted to enter the power station, or disrupt generation, or block the entrance to the site since his unfair dismissal by contractors in December 2008.

Mr Acheson, an electrician is a Unite union member, who has been peacefully protesting against his dismissal and subsequent denial of a grievance process from the Fiddlers Ferry power station in Warrington,

The dispute at the power station started in December 2008, when Steve Acheson was dismissed from the project. Steve complained that he was deliberately being victimised because he was an active trade union member and began to picket the site to regain his job.

In March 2009, the Information Commissioner uncovered an illegal blacklist operating in the construction industry on behalf of 44 of the largest construction companies. After receiving his own file, documentary evidence now fully supports Steve Acheson’s claim of deliberate blacklisting from the site. But rather than admitting their obvious guilt and re-employing Steve, SSE unsuccessfully tried to stifle his protest.

At the High Court on Wednesday a legal representative for SSE made a various vague references to Mr Acheson posing a danger to the National Grid! Stretching even the most vivid of imaginations

During his summary, Lord Justice Mann used somewhat dramatic language when he described the SSE legal case as “lacking any evidence at all” and as “fanciful bordering on paranoid”. Lord Justice Mann when rejecting the injunction awarded full costs against SSE.

Jerry Hicks who along with many others was at the hearing to support Mr Acheson said…. “This would be laughable if it was not so serious. SSE were totally humiliated, their case was ludicrous but it proves the lengths employers will go in their attacks on union members”.

Jerry also argues that there should be a demand that all the contractors implicated in the blacklisting scandal should be banned themselves from tendering for any government contracts until they offer jobs to the 3000 constructions workers who have been blacklisted.

The very real threat are the big contractors who, by blacklisting trade unionists are ruining workers lives and those of their families. It should be the construction companies in court.

After his victory Steve told supporters: “I have been boosted by the support I have received from so many people. If this Injunction had gone through it would have had a devastating impact upon trade unions ability to organise This is a defeat for corporate bullies and a victory for peaceful protest. Tomorrow I will be back at Fiddlers Ferry, fighting the blacklist and fighting to get my job back”

Contact Jerry on 078 178 279 12 or email blacklistsg@googlemail.com

Unite behind the postal workers

Unite behind the ‘Postal Workers’

 Royal Mail Managers across Britain are being used in an effort to weaken the postal workers and their CWU union in the run-up to national strikes.

It may surprise many to know that a lot of these managers are members of the union Unite in the CMA section and have been advised by their National official only to “work normally” and not to “transgress upon the dispute”.

However, managers are travelling hundreds of miles in order to do work that is proper to CWU members and to attempt to drive down the backlog of post that has built up during the regional strikes. At the beginning of October, for example, managers from Belfast were working in Bristol. Swindon Managers were in London, and Scottish Managers were clearing packets in East Anglia. Managers are also co-operating with Royal Mail’s plans to set up ‘strike breaking centres’, and are bullying and harassing postal workers, and refusing normal union facilities.

As a member of Unite myself I say it’s a scandal some Unite-CMA members are volunteering for these anti-union activities.

I stand 100 percent with the CWU against Royal Mail and condemn Royal mail management for organising scabbing and attacking postal workers and their union.

This is a key issue for our union and the movement organised scabbing by Unite members is outrageous. All Unite/CMA members who are volunteering for scabbing should stop immediately.

It is likely that there are many managers who agree with the CWU’s strike to defend our public postal service but are being put under pressure themselves Unite should defend any CMA member who refuses to participate in the scabbing operation and shows solidarity with CWU members in dispute.

I further believe that Unite nationally should publicly condemn CMA members who volunteer for scabbing and, with those who intimidate and bully postal workers should be expelled from the union.

Winning hearts and minds requires more than just talk

 

 

 

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY IT’S WHAT YOU DO THAT COUNTS

 

One problem that towers above all others in Unite the one of the massive disconnect between the union and its members. The leadership have failed to touch the hearts and minds of members. 90% of the membership never felt connected enough to vote for the National Council. Only 17% felt it of worth to vote for the merger to create ‘Unite’ the country’s biggest Trade Union and only 15% in the election for Joint General Secretary.

When rhetoric fails to measure up to reality there is a crisis of credibility. When the union say the right things even bang the right tables only to walk away it creates a huge problem for us. The result being the government ignores us. Employers confident enough to cut jobs, break agreements, impose pay freezes, and come for our pensions. Leaving members isolated.

 In May we were subjected to something quite humiliating, Digby Jones at the front of our demonstration in Birmingham on the ‘March for Jobs’. The unelected former head of the CBI, the man who said 1 in 3 public sector workers were surplus. Did the union tell him it was a March for Job Losses! How did it ever come to be? Like the King with no clothes – no one in senior positions in our union had the courage to speak out.

Then there was Vestas on the Isle of Wight a very profitable company – 625 workers – not unionised (though 20 or so are in Unite) producing blades for wind turbines ‘Green’ energies needed to Save the planet. Vestas talked about investment then announced a closure.

No doubt inspired by the factory occupations at Waterford Glass, Visteon plants in Belfast, Enfield and Basildon and the unofficial strikes at Lindsey oil refinery along with the illegal solidarity walk outs. Vestas workers fought back.

An occupation, demonstrations, calls for nationalisation, national and international media attention, a boss maximising profit, chucking people on the scrap heap. It could have been, should have been a defining moment. Where were we? Nowhere to be seen!

In these times judgement is crucial you either ‘Seize the moment or rue the day’ we missed the mood, missed the moment and missed the boat!

The leadership of Unite either agreed with this or they were indifferent to it – either way they went along with it. How hypocritical of our union in having a tent at Tolpuddle commemorating the bravery of the past, only to cower at the law and repudiate in the present. I support unofficial action and solidarity action. Workers should be able to decide what to do, when it needs to be done and not be criminalised for making those decisions.

 Repeal of all Anti Union Legislation brought in by the Tories, left unchanged by New Labour, unchallenged by the TUC and our union has to be a priority.

I believe that fundamental change is also needed in our union’s relationship with New Labour which is one of being – too close – too cosy – paying too much – for far too little. £13 million since 2005 and supporting over 100 Labour MPs has not even achieved the basic right to re-instatement when unfairly dismissed. PFI hospitals the proliferation of academy schools and we have the 2^nd lowest state pension in Europe.

But criticism, however strident, in whatever amounts means nothing and no change. We should support only MPs or councillors, current and prospective, who support our policies.

The union run like a business, not a service to members, has caused a divide that has become a chasm between the leadership and its members it can be bridged by returning ownership of the union to where it belongs – with the members. They decide, the Union provides.

We must move to ‘Election of all officials’, elected by members not appointed by the General Secretary. Elected by the members available and accountable, to the members.

We will need to fight for a ‘Public works programme’ building schools, hospitals and council houses creating 100,000 new jobs for construction workers starting with offering the first 3000 jobs to those on the blacklist. To fight for renewable energies, wind, sea and solar, providing up to a million jobs design, manufacture and construction reducing our reliance on nuclear and oil. The arguement that nuclear power will create jobs is a wholly bogus one and forgets to mention the legacy of thousands of years of waste. The question is “Which would you rather have, one million jobs or 10,000 jobs?”

 Where’s the money coming from? Scrap Trident, there’s £75 billion spend that on, £25 billion for schools, hospitals and housing – £25 billion for Renewable energies – £25 billion for State pensions. Bring the troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq’ saving thousands of lives and £ billions. Tax Businesses most of which are still making huge profits. Tax on bosses bonuses in banking, not the counter staff. Tax the wealthy, those completely unaffected by the recession.

If we are brave and audacious, if we have a clear set of priorities, if we hand the union back to our members, if at the head of the union we have someone who when a Minister, an employer or any one of our members who look into their eyes they believe them.

These are worrying times even scary times but these are the times when we must come to the fore. We are faced with a massive challenge but also an opportunity. Workers’ rights, trade union freedoms, decent state pensions, pay and conditions and public ownership of utilities are what is required, especially now during the chaos that the free market has created.

 

There’s a mood for real change, more of the same will not inspire or reinvigorate our union. A General Secretary living a lifestyle nothing like that of any of our members rightly feeds members’ disrespect. I would only take the average wage of a skilled worker.

Unfortunately the election for the Unite General Secretary may well be held under a Tory Government. George Osbourne told a meeting of business leaders “after 3 months in office we will be the most unpopular Government since the war!” Cuts and attacks staring us in the face in every section, every region, every workplace, employed and unemployed, retired or not. Our union leadership have failed to face up to Labour can our members be confident that they can face up to the Tories if they get in?

I have been a fierce critic of Derek Simpson, but there has to be a collective responsibility, we have 11 assistant general secretary’s all appointed, not one elected to that post. Some will be candidates in next years election. Describing problems and their own solutions with plenty to say now yet have barely uttered a critical word over the last 12 years.

The hearts and minds of our members will not be won at any fringe meeting of the TUC. They will be won in the workplaces, on the dole queues, on the picket lines and on the roof top demonstrations. That’s where I intend to be whenever I can. It’s not just what someone says, it is what they do that counts: