E-Bulletin, Issue 1, January 2007
Regional Secretary's Message
"Welcome to the monthly electronic bulletin for the North
West region of Amicus. This bulletin is a new service from the
communications department and will supplement the union’s
magazines: the Activist and the Magazine. It will cover the
campaigns you are involved in and news from your region.
The year ahead is going to be a particularly exciting one for
Amicus. You will soon be receiving a ballot paper for you to decide
on whether Amicus should merge with the TGWU. We strongly believe
this merger will be good for our members. This is a truly historic
occasion, and by voting ‘yes’, you will be playing a part in the
formation of the biggest union the UK has ever known. Please click
here for more detailed information about the merger and the
proposed timetable.
With over two million members in industries as varied as
agriculture, textiles, finance and health, the new union will have
enormous strength. We will use that influence to improve working
conditions and wages, campaign for political change and to promote
international solidarity through affiliation with the TUC and the
Labour Party.
2007 will present many challenges for our union. From off
shoring to health cuts, pensions panic to redundancy rights, Amicus
will continue to do its best to promote the issues that are most
important to you.
I hope you enjoy this new bulletin. Please tell your colleagues
about it. To receive the bulletin members need to give us their
e-mail address via the 'My Amicus' section on our website http://www.amicustheunion.org/
We're also inviting contributions from you. Why not tell us
about your campaigns and events and we will do our best to
publicise them as only members in the North West will be receiving
this.
Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2007."
Graham Goddard
Latest Headlines
Amicus has extended its sincerest condolences to the families
and colleagues of those involved in the helicopter tragedy in
Morecambe Bay, Lancashire on Wednesday 27 December 2006.
This sudden, disastrous tragedy resulted in the deaths of Amicus
members John Shaw from Kirkcaldy, Robert Warburton from Heysham,
Leslie Ahmed from South Shields and Alfred Neasham from Co
Durham.
Regional Officer, Michael Barr, said:
"We are all deeply shocked and saddened by this tragedy and
our thoughts are with the families and colleagues at this difficult
time.
"We are in contact with the families and will do all we can
to support them through their tragic loss and we are doing
everything we can to assist the relevant authorities with their
investigations.
"Clearly, this shows the risks involved day in, day out for
our members in these dangerous jobs and the need for the highest
levels of Health & Safety at all times."
The four Amicus members killed, who were all employed by HRL,
were going off shore to relieve their colleagues when the
helicopter crashed.
General Secretary’s Tour – Monday 22nd January
2007
Derek Simpson, General Secretary, will be visiting the Region on
Monday 22nd January 2007, to outline the proposed items for the
"merger" with the Transport and General Workers Union.
Workplace representatives from the surrounding area are invited
to attend the meeting with the General Secretary which is scheduled
to take place at the De Vere, St. David’s Park Hotel, St. David’s
Park, Ewloe, near Chester, CH5 3YB at 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm. Please
confirm your attendance with the Mold Office, telephone 01352
755711, as soon as possible as venues will be limited.
Deputy General Secretary's visit to the Isle of
Man
Graham Goddard, Amicus' Deputy General Secretary, will be visiting
the Isle of Man to talk to members about the forthcoming merger
with the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) on Thursday
22nd February 2007 at 6.30 pm, the Empress Hotel, Douglas
Seafront.
This is a great opportunity for members in the Isle of Man to
discuss the proposed structure and benefits of the ‘new union’
prior to the merger ballot taking place next month. Please try and
attend this special meeting.
For further information please contact Carol Devereux on 0161
798 8976 or email Carol.Devereux@amicustheunion.org.
Construction workers demonstrate in Liverpool City
Centre
More than 100 members took to the streets of Liverpool City centre
on Friday 5th January to take part in a demonstration demanding
agreed standards of employment and health and safety are guaranteed
by all employers on constructions projects.
The demonstration, which attracted lots of media interest, was a
great success in highlighting our members concerns and calls for
more investment in apprenticeships, for employers to honour
national agreements to protect construction workers and fighting
for direct employment. Speakers at the rally included Tom Hardacre,
Amicus' Lead Officer for the construction industry and Steve
Benson, Regional Officer for construction.
Amicus’ Construction Officer, Steve Benson, said:
"For too long employers in the construction industry have
been undermining, or at worst ignoring, existing national
agreements for the protection of construction workers. This
demonstration is the beginning of our campaign to ensure that all
employers honour their commitment and adhere to the national
agreements.
"With big investment and building projects in Merseyside we
want to encourage more people to join Amicus and get involved in
taking the construction industry forward."
For regional press release and further details of the campaign
visit the North West pages on: http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=245.
Help us build for national construction
demonstration
Amicus is to hold a national
demonstration and lobby of Parliament on the 27th March to protest
against the exploitation of migrant workers by rogue employers and
to ensure that all publicly funded projects such as Manchester
Royal Infirmary (MRI) comply with trade union demands – that sites
employ workers covered by union negotiated national agreements and
are directly employed.
Amicus’ Lead Officer for Construction, Tom Hardacre, said:
"We are determined to achieve direct employment in construction
with our national agreements.
"We will not accept the exploitation of cheap labour in the
UK and the undermining of the hard won terms and conditions of our
members. Construction is not the only industry affected by this
problem so join us in our demonstration and lobby of Parliament in
London on 27th March."
To make the demo a real success Amicus will need members from
the North West to participate and lobby their MP. If you are
interested in finding out more please contact your regional Amicus
office for more information regarding local transport to the
demo:
Southport Office – Telephone: 01704 546 500
Prestwich Office – Telephone: 0161 798 8976
Whitehaven Office – Telephone: 01946 67034
Public Sector lobby
Amicus is asking members to attend the TUC 'Speak Up for Public
Services' lobby of Parliament on Tuesday 23rd January.
The public sector is being subjected to wholesale privatisation
and this is our opportunity to stand up and say that the
commercialisation of public services is undermining accountability
and failing to provide value for money.
Your Regional Secretaries are organising travel now. Please get
in touch with yours at your earliest opportunity to let them know
that you will be attending. If you are unsure how to contact your
Regional Office please click on this link which will take you to
the list of addresses and phone numbers http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=53.
The public sector is Amicus' fastest growing membership group
and it is crucial that we mobilise large numbers to show our
strength and to make clear to MPs our concerns. This is our chance
to stand together and tell MPs that public servants want to serve
the public not shareholders or company owners.
North West supports national petition for stronger employment
protection
Amicus, along with the support of the North West Regional TUC, are
supporting the national campaign for the strengthening of UK labour
laws to stop workers here being more vulnerable to redundancy than
those on the continent who enjoy stronger employment
protection.
Amicus is asking members and local community to support Amicus’
campaign by signing our petition on the following link
here. Please circulate the petition around your workplace and
return to Amicus, Parkgates, Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester
M25 0JW by 28th February 2007.
Union officials will be calling on local people in Liverpool,
Manchester, Chester, Preston and Barrow city centres on Saturday,
20th January 2007 from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm to sign the petition.
The petition will be delivered to 10 Downing Street by the General
Secretary in the Spring. To download a campaign leaflet click
here.
Recruitment and Organising
Activities
Nancy Greene, Amicus Regional Learning
Organiser, for the North West has started a new role within the
union as an Organiser for the Community & Not for Profit
Sector.
The community and not for profit sector is one of the fastest
growing Amicus sectors and has members in a wide variety of
organisations in the sector, from the very large to the very small.
As a union we campaign tirelessly on issues in the sector such as
better funding arrangements, workforce development, flexible
working, work life balance and the reduction in violence and
bullying.
Please contact Nancy on 0161 798 8976 or email Nancy.Greene@amicustheunion.org
to discuss further how she can support you in any recruitment and
organising activities for the Community & Not for Profit
Sector.
Strike action is averted at Wirral and Chester
Hospitals
An industrial dispute which could have closed three hospitals in
Wirral and Chester has been settled.
Following negotiations on Thursday 14th December, our members
voted at a mass meeting on Friday 15th December to call off the
planned industrial action. The agreement covering Craftworker
members employed in the Estates department at Cheshire and Wirral
NHS Trust, includes a £300 one off payment, and a minimum weekly
pay increase of £29.00. An agreement to extend the period of
effectiveness of the industrial action ballot is to be signed, to
ensure that our members can take action if management do not honour
the agreement.
Once again, it was only the threat of industrial action that
forced the employer to treat our members fairly.
Condor Ferries is sued for £140,000 following accident
on the night ferry
An Amicus member has received £140,000 compensation following an
accident on the night ferry which led to him being medically
retired.
The accident took place in November 2003, as Mr Shimmans, then
aged 56, was travelling back to Portsmouth having been working away
from home in Jersey for Siemens. He was travelling on the night
ferry and was sitting in a soft covered seat which had a low back
with a wooden surround which extended to waist level. Suddenly the
ferry jolted and he went over backwards in the chair he was sitting
on and injured his back severely.
Mr Shimmans explains: "The accident has changed my life
completely. I can only walk for a very limited distance before
suffering extreme pain, and I can only drive for about 20 minutes.
As a result, Siemens have had to retire me on medical grounds which
impacts my future earning potential."
"But for my accident and symptoms, I would have continued in
my job at Siemens earning my normal wage, together with overtime
until retirement at age 65. This has all changed now."
Michael Barr, Regional Amicus officer, said: "This was a
very difficult case. Luckily with Amicus' backing, George
Shimmans was able to take on the company using Amicus' solicitors
and win. We are pleased that justice has been done and would like
to thank our solicitors, Thompsons, for their dedicated work. This
successful outcome highlights the benefit of being in a
union."
How to tackle bullying and harassment in the
NHS
Workplace representatives and active members in
the NHS are invited to a one day course ‘How to tackle bullying and
harassment in the NHS’ on Wednesday 14th February 2007 at Haigh
Hall, Wigan, WN2 1PE (Jct4 M61) from 10.00 am. – 4.00 pm (lunch
will be provided).
The day will be led by the TUC Education Team from City College,
Manchester and will provide essential information to reps and
active members in the NHS. For further information please contact
Jill Moore on 0161 798 8976 before Friday 19th January.
Tories refuse to back Labour's plans for extra paid
holiday
The Tories have admitted that, if elected, they would not honour
Labour's commitment to give six million people an extra eight days
holiday entitlement a year.
The self-styled family-friendly Tories are showing their true
colours with Shadow Chancellor George Osborne saying last week that
it would not implement Labour's pledge to give all workers their
bank holiday leave entitlement.
David Cameron has also voted against extending maternity leave,
flexible working and opposing paternity leave.
Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Labour's Employment Minister, said:
"This latest move by David Cameron shows that behind the slick
PR, the Tories haven't changed.
"This is a measure that will particularly help the most
vulnerable - young mums, people just starting out at work and the
low paid - David Cameron's failure to support it shows that if you
scratch the surface they are still the same old Tories."
Other anti-worker Tory proposals include removing protection for
sacked employees, repealing trade union rights and giving employers
the 'right to choose' their own workforce.
Obituaries
It is with great sadness that
we advise you of the sad loss of Dave Hargreaves, full time officer
in the Amicus GPM Sector Merseyside, Central Lancs and North Wales
Branch. Dave died in hospital after a short illness on Friday 27th
October 2006.
Dave was 54 years old. He was previously senior FOC at Bury
Times, member of the Executive Council of the NGA before becoming a
full time Branch Officer in the North West region of the National
Graphical Association, then the GPMU and of course Amicus, GPM
Sector, Merseyside, Central Lancashire and North Wales
Branch.
Dave was also very actively involved with the Labour Party and
TULO for many years.
On behalf of members and colleagues in the North West we would
like to send our deepest sympathies to Dave’s family.
This bulletin has been produced by Karen Viquerat, if you have
any stories or contributions please email Karen.Viquerat@amicustheunion.org
or telephone Karen on 01704 546 500.
