E-Bulletin, Issue 17 - June 2008
Welcome from Unite North West Regional Secretary,
Kevin Coyne
Following my spell as National Officer for Health I am pleased to
be returning to the North West as Regional Secretary. It is indeed
an honour to lead a Region so steeped in history, labour movement
activity and success.
While I have wide experience of the issues and challenges that
face us I have, nonetheless, returned to a Region that is
undergoing significant change in the wake of the merger. I believe
our history will ensure that we face these challenges with
determination, building trust and working together to realise the
potential of this new and great union. Our shop stewards and reps,
whose invaluable work has brought the union thus far, will be
critical in its development in the future. Supported by our
dedicated officers and staff, I am convinced that we will achieve a
united and influential North West Region that delivers for members
and which is underpinned by the traditions of all former
sections.
I would like to thank my predecessor, Laurence Faircloth for his
work and leadership during his time in the North West.
Laurence is returning to the South West region as Unite Regional
Secretary.
My focus over the next few months will, in the main, be on
structural and logistical issues, which will eventually shape the
way Unite is perceived from outside. It is, therefore, vitally
important that we grasp the opportunity to develop our organising
capacity targeted at new members. All sections of the Union are
currently working hard on this agenda. I hope the Region can bring
additional resources and enthusiasm in consolidating existing
workplace membership and identify new areas of activity. Membership
growth is a matter for everyone in the Union and I look forward to
working with you on this very important activity. Its success,
however, determines our future ability to maintain the tradition of
strong and successful bargaining in the North West.
Finally, I am proud to be back in the Region and I look forward to
working with you all.
Tank Drivers accept pay offer
Following talks with Hoyer at the union's headquarters in London,
Unite recommended a new pay deal to tank drivers who deliver fuel
supplies to Shell garage forecourts.
Unite members voted to accept by 453 to 56 in favour of the new pay
deal which will give drivers a 9% pay rise this year and a further
5% next year. The union said the basic pay of drivers will be
lifted to £36,000 for a 48-hour week.
Drivers walked out on a four-day strike action on Friday 13th
June at 6am and returned to work at 6am on Tuesday 17th June.
Tankers picketed fuel depots and refineries across the country
including Stanlow, Ellesmere Port where more than 150 tank drivers
joined the dispute when the last shift finished at 5.30
a.m.
Unite Joint General Secretary, Tony Woodley, joined drivers on
the picket line at Stanlow along with other Unite officials
throughout the weekend.
Speak up for public services rally and lobby
Unite North West activists were among the hundreds
of trade union members who attended the Speak up for Publics
Services national rally and lobby in London on Monday 9th June to
protest against the reduction in living standards for hundreds of
thousands of people working in the public sector.
Unite member, Steve Trainor, who works at Fylde Borough Council
in Lancashire volunteered to be a case study for the TUC on the day
to speak about his situation. Steve has been a refuse
collector for over 5 years and only ever received a 3% pay
increase. Steve also took part in the Q&A session at the rally
in Westminster Central Hall.
Speakers on the day included Gail Cartmail and Len McCluskey,
Assistant General Secretaries for Unite.
Unite Fair Tips Campaign
Unite has launched a campaign to urge restaurants and hotels in the
North West to sign up to the Unite and Daily Mirror Fair Tips
Charter.
This campaign is calling on the hospitality industry to
demonstrate their commitment to ensuring tips and services charges
are distributed fairly among staff. Wages in the hotel and
catering sector have been historically low and staff have always
relied on tips to make a decent living.
Pizza Hut and TGI Friday’s are already displaying the Fair Tips
Charter in their windows but we want more local restaurants in
Manchester and across the North West to support the Unite
campaign.
Kevin Coyne, Unite Regional Secretary said: “Customers
want to see that the tips they leave are going to the hard-working
staff who serve them. Our ‘Fair Tips Charter’ will enable people to
tip with confidence.
“Employers in the hospitality industry must ensure that all
employees receive a decent living wage with 100% of tips added on
top. We welcome the commitment by Pizza Hut and TGI Friday to take
a lead on this issue by signing the charter. The
union now wants others within the sector to demonstrate their
commitment to a fair and transparent tipping system.”
If you know a restaurant that would like to support the campaign
please email: fairtips@unitetheunion.org
Further Information on this campaign can be found on our website
at: www.unitetheunion.org/fairtips.
Cut My Pay - No Way! NHS Day of
Protest
Unite members across the country will take part in day of
protest against the NHS pay offer on the 18th July 2008. Workers
will be campaigning around the slogan – ‘Cut My Pay - No Way!
To find out what’s happening in the North West please contact
gary.owen@unitetheunion.org.
For more details on the protest click here .
Celebrate and Defend the NHS – No
Privatisation
Unite members are invited to attend a rally to celebrate and defend
the NHS on its 60th birthday organised by Merseyside TUC and
Merseyside Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) Campaign.
Join colleagues on their march to St George’s Hall with street
theatre, bands and national and local speakers – assemble
at 11.00 am at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, Prescot Street,
Liverpool L7 8XP on Saturday 5th July.
The rally will celebrate 60 years of a public funded, public
provided and publicly accountable National Health Service and will
also be defending the NHS from wasteful, inefficient and corrupt
privatisation attempts.
These include the proposal to re-build the Royal Liverpool Hospital
under PFI, creating a massive debt and a loss of 315 beds.
A public showing of Michael Moore's film 'Sicko' has also been
organised for Friday 27th June, 7.30pm, at the same venue.
To download a copy of the rally leaflet please click here.
Unite comment on talks with Arla Food's over proposed
closure
Unite Regional Industrial Organiser, Mick Chalmers, commenting on
talks over the proposed closure of the Manchester dairy said:
“We met with management last month where the company
outlined their proposals to close the dairy and distribution
facility at the site in Manchester. This will result in 318 job
cuts and will have a devastating economic effect on families and
the community if the closure goes ahead.
“Unite representatives expressed their disappointment at
the company's intention to close its Manchester dairy and plans to
transfer the processing facilities to other UK
sites.
“Our main priority is to help our members who are now
facing an uncertain future and we would expect the company to do
all within their power to find suitable opportunities for
redeployment within the organisation.
“Ongoing talks are being held with company in order to
consider every possible alternative.”
Unite backs High Court test case on behalf of thousands
of asbestos victims
Unite is backing a High Court test case to protect the legal rights
of thousands of vulnerable asbestos victims throughout the
UK.
Unite, represented by Thompsons Solicitors, is backing a lead case
in a nine-week court battle, which began on Tuesday, June 3, 2008,
against insurance companies who deny liability to pay compensation
in mesothelioma cases. Unite is fighting to preserve the right to
compensation for people who develop the fatal disease,
mesothelioma, caused by exposure to asbestos in the work
place.
Unite joint General Secretary Derek Simpson said: "The
union is supporting this test case to protect the right of
mesothelioma sufferers and their families to obtain compensation,
and to make sure that insurance companies pay out on behalf of the
employers they insured when workers were being negligently exposed
to asbestos.
"What's at stake here is millions of pounds which should be used to
compensate asbestos victims and not be pocketed by the insurance
industry. It is a sickening scenario and we will fight every step
of the way to see that insurers are not allowed to pass the buck
and dodge their liabilities."
For full press release please click here.
Manchester Pride Event
The North West is officially sponsoring the Manchester Pride
event to be held over the August Bank Holiday.
Unite will have a stall at the Festival being held on 23rd,
24th and 25th August, and will be taking part in the
Parade on Saturday 23rd August.
Unite representatives will be on hand to give out literature about
the Unite LGBT and other equality networks to Unite members, talk
to people about unions and encouraging non-union members to join,
surveying people about their attitudes to, membership of and
involvement in unions and giving out goody bags.
As sponsors, it is important that we have a good presence at the
event and are looking for activist and volunteers to help at the
festival. Please contact Sarah Holden on 0161 798 8976 if you can
help out, even if it’s only for a couple of hours it will help.
Manchester’s congestion charge
Unite shop stewards from the Food, Drink and Tobacco sector in
Manchester are calling on the North West Regional Council to
support their campaign to condemn the proposed congestion charge in
Greater Manchester.
They believe the scheme in its present form is a major concern
to people in the North West and will cost many jobs particularly in
their sector.
The scheme proposed by The Association of Greater Manchester
Authorities (AGMA) plans to introduce congestion charging as part
of a major drive to tackle increasing traffic problems on routes in
and out of Manchester.
Neil Golden, Unite convenor for Kellogg’s in Manchester said:
“Firstly, we are not against transport improvements in
Great Manchester. Whether North West people support or oppose
the scheme their views should be heard.
“We have been told that there are issues which cannot be
discussed but we want a public debate to examine the controversial
scheme proposed by AGMA.
“With the backing of Unite and our members in the North
West we can make our voice heard.”
Join the UK’s biggest ever event to end child
poverty
Join thousands at Keep the Promise in London on Saturday October
4th at Trafalgar Square from 1 – 3 pm, the UK’s biggest ever
event to end child poverty.
For further information and to download a copy of the leaflet
please click here.
Dates for Diary
5th July - Celebrate and Defend the NHS – No
Privatisation Rally in Liverpool – see above.
18th July - Cut My Pay - No Way! NHS Day of
Protest (see above).
23rd, 24th, and 25th August - Unite at
Manchester Pride Event (see above).
4th October – Keep the Promise in London, UK’s
biggest ever event to end child poverty (see above).
This bulletin has been produced by Karen Viquerat, if you
have any stories or contributions please email karen.viquerat@unitetheunion.org
or telephone Karen on 01704 546 500.
