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E-Bulletin Issue 25, March/April 2009

Unite for Jobs, March for Jobs – Birmingham, May 16th 2009

A massive march for jobs through the UK’s manufacturing heartland has been called by Unite in a major effort to ensure that action to protect jobs and skills is first among the government’s recession-beating priorities.

The march through central Birmingham is announced as the jobs toll in manufacturing ticks towards 20,000 skilled jobs gone in the six months since the slump took hold, added to the tens of thousands more lost in financial services and other key sectors, and amid fears that not enough is being done to save jobs in critical parts of the economy.

The union is joined in its call for action by leading figures in the business world, including ex-CBI chief and former government minister Lord Digby Jones and Paul Everitt, the CEO of the Society of Motor Manufacturers, as well as Jon Cruddas MP and Professor David Bailey from the Birmingham University Business school, in pressing for manufacturing to be restored to the heart of the economy.

The March is set to take place on Saturday, May 16th through Birmingham city centre and will be the centrepiece of the union’s Unite for Jobs campaign to secure urgent and strategic action to defend jobs within the beleaguered manufacturing sector, including:

• The urgent implementation of a temporary short time working compensation scheme to save the jobs hundreds of thousands of skilled workers and sustain our manufacturing base in the immediate term.  A joint proposal from the TUC and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) estimated that a £1.2bn package of wage subsidies would save some 600,000 jobs.

• Speedier access to credit from the banks, again to ensure immediate support for manufacturing businesses;

• Extra government financing for the sector, in keeping with the levels of assistance provided to manufacturers by overseas competitors;

• Action to stimulate consumer demand, including a car scrappage scheme coupled with improved access to finance for buyers;

• A national strategy for jobs to ensure we have a clear road map out of this recession, to create secure, skilled work and which places manufacturing at its heart.

It is really important that we get a good turnout from the North West so please pencil this date in your diary. Further details on transport from the North West will be available shortly.  To keep up to date on the campaign Unite for Jobs click here.

City rally to fight for fair access to local construction jobs

Despite the cold weather around 300 unemployed construction workers from across the North West took part in a rally in Liverpool city centre on Saturday to demand fair access to jobs on UK engineering and construction projects.

Unite is leading the fight to stop the growing problem of UK workers being refused work from important engineering and construction projects in the UK. The union believes there should be a level playing field for workers who wish to apply for work on UK construction contracts.  It also calls for overseas workers to be paid agreed UK rates.

North West members have also been involved in ongoing demonstrations outside Isle of Grain and Staythorpe where workers have been refused access to work at the power stations.

If you would like to get involved in the campaign “UK workers want fair access to UK construction projects” or be kept up to date on what’s happening please email Mike.Gaskell@unitetheunion.org. 

For further information on the campaign please click here.

Anger as United Biscuits look to outsource

Unite has reacted angrily to the growing threat to jobs at United Biscuits' Liverpool Binns Road site posed by a restructuring programme which could see 125 jobs offshored to India.

The move has shocked workers because it is in stark contrast to the record company profits announced last year which saw workers receive star awards for their achievements.  Months later, they have been told that their jobs may now be going to India this year.

Unite Regional officer, Debbie Brannan, said: “The decision by United Biscuits to look into offshoring possibilities and visit these sites in India comes at a bad time for all, but for our members at the Liverpool site this is an especially worrying development.

“Our members’ hard work over the last year has seen the company announce healthy profits and staff must be rewarded by the company.

“We will do everything we can to make sure these jobs are not offshored to India.”

Please sign the Unite petition to stop United Biscuits moving Liverpool jobs to India.  And ask your friends and family to do the same. To download a petition click here.

Jaguar Land Rover workers vote to save jobs

Workers at Jaguar Land Rover have voted overwhelmingly to back proposals their unions believe will help retain jobs at the vehicle manufacturer.

The workers employed at JLR's Halewood, Gaydon, Whitley, Castle Bromwich, Solihull and Browns Lane sites voted by 70 per cent to back proposals recommended by their unions, Unite and the GMB, which would see the working week reduced to four days and pay frozen for one year in order to ensure continued production and avoid compulsory redundancies.

In a joint statement following the ballot result, the unions said: "We did not want our members in JLR to be faced with the same fate as the thousands of others who have been dismissed in other companies.  Our members in JLR deserve better – much better.  The management agreed with our view that, when this unprecedented recession ends, that the retention of a skilled and loyal workforce is an integral part to the ongoing success of this business.

"The union and our members were faced with a difficult choice, but no less difficult than the choices we have had to make in recent times.  When the business was sold to Tata we faced up to that challenge together and delivered the best possible agreement which safeguarded our plants and our members' jobs.  We did not work hard for that to see wholesale redundancies less than 12 months later.

"The choice for our members was clear – further mass redundancies or what is undoubtedly some short-term pain in order to secure the future for our members and their families.”

For full story please click here.

Unite signs trade union recognition agreement with BA City Flyer

Unite has signed a trade union recognition agreement with BA Cityflyer covering all UK based Main Crew and Purser Grade members based at Edinburgh and London City.

The agreement requires both the Unite and the company to work together and establish a Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) which is designed to facilitate information, consultation and negotiation on matters of joint interest and concern, particularly pay, hours, holidays and the Scheduling Agreement for our members.

The JNC will also be the body which will handle the annual pay review – it will meet 4 times a year with 3 Unite Reps in attendance. We have agreed that there will be 2 Reps at EDI and 1 Rep at LCY and they will be provided with reasonable facilities to carry out their role, including time off for training.

Unite Regional Officer, Lawrence Chapple-Gill said: “I would like to thank everyone for their continued support and membership of Unite.  I am sure you will agree with me that we have reached a milestone in our efforts to get organised at BA Cityflyer.” 

"It is encouraging that in times of recession, we are seeing a development in the CAT Sector which is positive in terms of union membership and organisation".

Three hundred jobs lost as Tulip factory confirms closure

Commenting on Tulip’s proposals to close its factory at Bromborough with the loss of 303 jobs Unite Regional Officer, Franny Joyce said:

“We have been working hard to find a viable solution to closure, and have presented an alternative proposal, but unfortunately Tulip have decided that proceeding with the closure is the only realistic course of action.

"Unite intends to gain the best deal we possibly can for our member affected by the closure and support our members to find alternative employment.”

Workers’ Memorial Day 2009 – Remember the Dead: Fight for the Living

Workers’ Memorial Day events are being organised across the North West to remember those who have died or suffered ill health and injury at work. Please support an event in your area.

Chorley
A service is being held at the Unite memorial tree, Astley Park, Chorley on Friday 24th April.  Meet at the park gate (Park Road) at 5.50 pm.  For further information please contact Steve Turner on 07838 402614.

Liverpool
An event is being organised on the South Piazza of George's Dock Building (corner of Mann Island and the Strand), Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1DD on Tuesday 28th April at 12.00 noon. For further information please contact Colin Carr on 0151 728 2200.

Manchester
A Joint Trade Union Rally is being held at the Peace Gardens at 11.30am – 12.30pm on 28th April. Speakers at the event include - Tony Lloyd MP, Regional trade union officials, TU safety reps, Linzi Herbertson, founder member of Families Against Corporate Killers. Music by Claire Mooney.

Refreshments and Workshop for safety reps on how to raise profile of WMD, how to publicise the need for more regulation and enforcement to make work safer at Mechanics Institute afterwards: http://www.gmhazards.org.uk/Manchester%20flyer%202009.pdf

Preston
A march and rally is being held on Saturday 25th April at  11.30 am at Preston Flag Market.  For more information please contact: WMD c/o Trade Union Education, 5th Floor, Buckingham House, Preston PR1 3LS, Chair: Andy Birchall, 01772 223112  http://www.lancashiretradeunions.org.uk/.

For WMD posters for local events and to be displayed in the workplace please contact your Regional Office. If you require any ribbons or car stickers for your events they can be purchased from the Greater Manchester Hazards Campaign.

Please see the following links for ordering.

http://www.gmhazards.org.uk/wmdribbonof.doc

http://www.gmhazards.org.uk/wmdstof.doc

 Unite member suffers serious head and facial injuries in road traffic accident

A Unite member has been awarded £108,000 for the serious head and facial injuries he sustained when the car he was travelling in as a passenger crashed.

Our member was a passenger in the front seat of a Rover MG ZR being driven along a road in Crewe when the driver lost control of the vehicle, crossed to the offside of a carriageway, left the road crashing through a hedge, wooden post and rail fence before the car finally came to rest in a field beyond. 

He sustained penetrating head and face wounds in the region of his left temple and an 18 inch stake of wood penetrated his face causing him to lose the sight in his left eye.  He also suffered a closed head injury and significant facial scalp lacerations, a restriction in the movement of his mouth and remained in intensive care for two weeks before being discharged from hospital. As a result of his injuries he underwent several surgical procedures and now suffers impaired sensation of light touch which affects his right cheek.  In addition to the physical injuries he suffered moderate depression with features of post traumatic stress disorder.  

Unite solicitors Rowley Ashworth pursued the claim on behalf of our member. Due to the complexity of his injuries medical evidence was obtained from a maxillofacial surgeon, plastic surgeon, psychiatrist, neurologist and ophthalmic surgeon. The defendant’s insurers initially offered £50,000 to settle the claim which was rejected. The insurers subsequently increased its offer to £73,000 which was again rejected and Court proceedings were issued.  Following further negotiations Rowley Ashworth secured £108,000 in final settlement for the member.