E-Bulletin, Issue 12, December 2007
Lawrence Faircloth Regional Secretary
welcome
I would like to wish you seasons greetings from Unite. It
has been a historic year for your union. The merger between Amicus
and the TGWU catapulted Unite on to the top spot of UK unions both
in terms of size and influence.
Taking a moment to look back over 2007, we have seen a year
where so many employers have gone on the offensive in pursuit of
profit. Unfortunately, job security is the still the biggest issue
affecting UK’s workers who live in fear of that ‘next round of
redundancy’.
But what has been encouraging is that more and more employees
are realising that trade unions are the only way they can protect
themselves at work. As well as recruiting around 200,000 new
members the union is now training teams of young trade union reps
in a scheme that buddies young reps with older more experienced
reps. This year has seen a new wave of Equality reps and the number
of Learner reps have pushed the learning agenda in thousands of
workplaces in our region, bringing the benefits of life long
learning to our members.
Have a great Christmas and New Year!
Latest Headlines
Unite campaign for Lil-lets boycott
Unite
members were joined by Jacob Marley when they demonstrated outside
of Lil-lets head quarters in December to protest against the
decision not to pay the enhanced discretionary pension to 46 of the
150 workers who lost their jobs when Lil-lets closed their factory
and shipped production abroad.
The ghost of Scrooge’s ex-business partner, Jacob Marley warned
of the consequences of chasing profits without regard to the impact
on society.
Lil-lets UK are owned by private equity company, Electra.
Electra’s profits runs into the tens of £millions yet they decided
to reduce the expected enhanced discretionary pensions of 46 of the
workers who lost their jobs, who were aged over 50. Unite believes
a boycott of Lil-lets is the only way to make private equity
company Electra change their minds.
Temporary and Agency workers campaign
continues
The union’s campaign to gain employment
protection for temporary and agency workers is to continue despite
a recent set back at the European parliament, when the UK
government objected to a European directive that sought the equal
treatment for temporary and agency workers.
The union will be supporting a private members bill, tabled by
Labour MP Andrew Miller, that aims to ensure over 1.4 million
agency workers in the UK will receive the same terms and conditions
as their directly employed colleagues.
Unions and the majority of Labour MPs regard such a measure as
vital in stemming the growing casualisation experienced by workers
in all sectors of the labour market. Unions are increasingly
reporting that agency workers are employed on poorer terms and
conditions than permanent employees, and that the widespread use of
agency working is leading to job insecurity.
Unions supports housing bill lobby
Unite is calling on members to come to Parliament to demonstrate
support for the ‘Fourth Option’, direct investment in council
housing, on 22 January the day of the debate of the Housing and
Regeneration Bill.
Unite has already expressed concern about aspects of the new
bill including No mention is made of local authorities being given
the ability to use funds to borrow and invest in the maintenance of
council homes and new council house building.
Laurence Faircloth, Regional Secretary said: "We are
concerned by the emphasis being give to the role of the private
sector in providing low cost housing for rent when it has
contributed to the crisis in affordable housing in the
UK."
Unite is also worried that the proposal that people's
entitlement to affordable housing depends on means testing will
result in a reduced social mix, not more which is a key government
objective. For more information click here http://www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk/dch/
Remploy union's bitterly disappointed with Remploy
closures
Unions active in Remploy have pledged to
continue to campaign for the existing factory network and for the
required management changes. The unions responded to the
announcement by Secretary of State Peter Hain that he plans to go
ahead with the Remploy management proposal to close 28 Remploy
factories out of the total network of 83.
Jenny Formby, Unite National Secretary and Chair of Remploy
Consortium of Unions said, "Only dogma and poor management
stand in the way of keeping open the sites threatened for closure.
Not enough time has been allowed to consider the alternative plan,
put forward by the Unions, which would keep all 83 Remploy
factories open.
"The Secretary of State has belatedly accepted the trade unions
proposals for regular monitoring of the management, for proper
accountability in the whole organisation and for a proper strategy
for public procurement. This is to be welcomed."
Unite sponsors world book day – 6
March
Unite is calling on union learning reps and
workplace reps to get involved in world book day in March and
organise an event to celebrate the benefits of reading.
Unite Deputy General Secretary, Graham Goddard said: "The
benefits and enjoyment of reading are endless. As well as
entertainment, reading provides us all with knowledge and
information. As a trade union with two million members we are well
placed to promote reading to a wide audience."
Unite reps are invited to hold world book day events in their
workplaces. There are packages of books and materials available.
For ideas and further information look at www.worldbookday.com. 2008
has been designated as the National Year of Reading, so activities
in March could be used as launch pad for other events throughout
the year.
Unite backs public sector pay
campaign
Unite has joined forced with 26 other unions
to put pressure on the government to end Treasury interference in
pay rises for the UK’s six million public sector workers.
The campaign, ‘Speak up for Pubic Services’ wants to see the
government implement pay rises in line with the recommendations of
the many different public sector pay review bodies in order to
avoid a repetition of the anger that provoked a wave of strike
ballots across the public sector earlier this year and in
particular to put an end to the 2% pay cap that falls short of
inflation.
The unions will argue that giving public sector workers fair pay
rises will not impact on inflation contrary to government
thinking.
photo
Gail Cartmail, Head of Public services said: "Public sector
workers ensure that this country functions as a society. By
imposing below inflation pay rises, the government risk alienating
the people who run our schools, hospitals and emergency
services."
Rolls-Royce workers lobby Minister
Unite reps and officers from Rolls-Royce have met with Minister
John Hutton, to discuss ways the Government can assist the campaign
to stop the closure of the plant in Bootle, Merseyside.
John Hutton told the Unite that he would look into the closure.
Commenting on the union’s campaign he said: "I will do all I
can to help your campaign. I am willing to say to the company you
are busting a gut to find a future for the plant, I am very
impressed and will do all I can for you."
Workers from Rolls-Royce sites across the UK joined a national
solidarity protest on the 10th December in support of fellow
workers fighting to save their jobs at the plant in Bootle.
Rolls-Royce workers protested outside the major UK plants including
Bootle, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Inchinnan, East Kilbride,
Sunderland and Barnoldswick with placards and banners.
Over 200 highly skilled engineering workers at Rolls-Royce,
Bootle, which makes turbines for the oil and gas industries, will
lose their jobs next year if company plans to shift production to
its' Mount Vernon plant in the US goes ahead.
The campaign 'Keep Rolls-Royce Pride on Merseyside', led by
Unite, aims to stop the closure. Now Unite is calling on fellow
Rolls Royce workers from across the UK to back their fight to keep
jobs and skills in the UK.
Unite National Officer, Ian Tonks, said: "It is scandalous
that a global employer like Rolls-Royce can abandon its loyal
workforce and shift production abroad. We are doing everything in
our power to defend our member’s jobs on Merseyside and we will
take on any company that attempts to exploit the UK's weak
employment laws because it’s cheaper, quicker and easier to cut
jobs here compared to the jobs of workers in other
countries."
Over 10,000 people across Merseyside have already signed up to
support the campaign to ‘stop the Rolls-Royce’s planned closure. To
add your name visit:
www.amicustheunion.org/pdf/A4%20Petition%20rolls%20royce.pdf.
Christmas cracker strike threat averted at the last
minute
Unite has reached a deal on Christmas working
hours with Jacob’s Bakery. A last minute deal averting industrial
action has been struck at the company. Workers at Jacob’s Bakery at
Aintree, which produces the famous cream cracker were angry over
changes to Christmas working practices which would have made it
compulsory to work over the Christmas period.
Unite Regional Officer, Debbie Brannan said: "We are
extremely pleased that we have reached a compromise that is
acceptable to all concerned. We look forward to continued joint
working next year as we see further investments in recruitment and
apprenticeships at the company.
"The company has agreed with individuals the shifts they can
work over the Christmas period and the issue has now been agreed
amicably. We would like to wish all at Jacobs a merry Christmas and
a productive new year."
The arrangements would have required maintenance workers to work
over the Christmas period whereas previously they ensured
production was covered without individuals being forced to work.
Instead the company has now agreed shift patterns which are
acceptable to the individuals concerned.
Unite football team
Unite has sponsored a local football team - Brierfield Celtic -
under eights. The team has been sponsored by the Burnley
Branch.
Date for your diary
Rally for Respect in
Construction- Wednesday 2 January 2008 – 11am
Unite is holding a march and rally for construction workers to
demand that all employers use workers that are covered by union
negotiated agreements and are directly employed.
Starts: Whitworth Park (opposite Manchester Royal Infirmary),
Oxford Road, Fallowfield, Manchester
Ends: Manchester's Peace Garden, off St. Peter’s Square.
This bulletin has been produced by Saba Mozakka.
For more information on any of the items featured, or if you
have any comments please contact me at:
Saba.Mozakka@amicustheunion.org
Tel: 020 7420 8916
