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.