Sunday 28 February 2010

Free Valentin Urusov!

An international campaign has been launched for the release of Valentin Urusov, a Russian miner framed up and imprisoned after recruiting workmates to a union. 

Urusov, an employee of Alrosa, the diamond mining company, is serving six years’ hard labour for an obviously fabricated offence (possession of drugs).

Urusov was singled out for attention by the authorities after an industrial dispute in July last year at Alrosa’s mine in Udachny, in Yakutiya, eastern Siberia, where he works.

After prolonged protests over working conditions, a new union organisation was formed and a protest hunger strike staged. In response, the management agreed to set up a bi-partisan negotiating committee.

On 3 September 2008, two days before the committee was due to report, Urusov, who had been acting as the miners’ spokesman, was arrested. He was detained at home, illegally and forcibly taken 60 kilometres away, and threatened with a firearm.

Officers searched his home when he was in detention and “found” drugs there. He was convicted and sentenced on 26 December 2008 by the Mirinsky district court in Yakutiya.

Protests were sent to Yakutiya by trade unionists from all over the world. On 12 May 2009, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Yakutia overturned the conviction on procedural grounds and released Urusov on bail – a rare victory.

The illegal and flawed nature of the prosecution case was widely publicised, and criminal proceedings begun against the officer who headed the investigation.

Despite all this, on 26 June this year, when the case returned to the Mirinsky court, it confirmed the original conviction and six-year sentence. Urusov’s lawyers say the court has been influenced by the management of Alrosa. The company’s main owner is the Yakutiya regional administration.

Russia’s main independent trade union organisations, and leading human rights campaigners, are campaigning for Urusov’s release, and called on trade unionists internationally to protest to the government.

They say this is the first significant case in post-Soviet Russia when a trade union activist has been victimised with a lengthy jail sentence.

A campaign group to support Urusov was set up by a group of trade union activists in London on 15 October. UK trade union organisations are asked, in the first instance, to:

* Write to President Dmitry Medvedev at the Presidential Administration, The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, demanding Urusov’s release;

* Copy your protests to the Institute for Collective Action, at info@ikd.ru. and to the London campaign group at free.urusov@googlemail.com.

Saturday 27 February 2010

DEMOCRACY WITHOUT JOURNALISTS: THE CRISIS IN LOCAL NEWS

A pre-election meeting to highlight local journalism & democracy hosted by the Centre for the Study of Global Media and Democracy, Goldsmiths,University of London & the National Union of Journalists

Wednesday 17 March, 2.00-4.00pm, Thatcher Room, Portcullis House,
Westminster, SW1P 3JA.
(http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/colmap.pdf
<http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/colmap.pdf> )

Speakers include: Jeremy Dear (General Secretary, NUJ); Steve Hewlett (broadcaster), Professor James Curran, (Director, Goldsmiths Leverhulme
Media Research Centre), Natalie Fenton (editor New Media, Old News), Angela Phillips (founder, East London Lines), Professor Stephen Coleman (University of Leeds).

All welcome. Please arrive in good time as there are security checks.

Thursday 25 February 2010

"Trades unions and press and broadcasting freedom " Fringe at Green Party conference spring 2010

Barry White (Campaign for Press & Broadcasting freedom and NUJ)
http://blip.tv/file/3267255
Questions & discussion 1
http://blip.tv/file/3272607
Questions & discussion 2
http://blip.tv/file/3274774



Tuesday 23 February 2010

Migrant workers fringe at GPEW conference feb 2010

LINKS TO VIDEO CLIPS HERE
Introduction by Farid Bakht
 http://blip.tv/file/3256172
Farid Bakht questions and discussion
http://blip.tv/file/3257815
Alberto Durango
http://blip.tv/file/3258355
Alberto Durango questions and discussion
http://blip.tv/file/3259134

Monday 22 February 2010

Greens edge to the left

 A Report on GP spring Conference by Sean Thompson

At its conference in London over the past weekend, the Green Party provided more evidence of its gradual evolution from a narrow environmentalist sect into a left social democratic party with a strong emphasis on ecological issues.
First, the conference passed with large majorities two resolutions drafted by members of Green Left; one pledging support for the National Pensioners’ Convention and its election manifesto, and the other calling for the imposition of a top limit to the pay and bonus differentials in all organisations, so the maximum wage that any organisation could pay would be ten times that of the lowest paid worker.

Second, the conference showed that Greens are moving away from the wooly and simplistic suspicion of science and technology that some of them have demonstrated in the past and adopting a much more rational and rigorous approach. In its revue of the Party’s health policy, conference removed all the egregious anti-science references in it that had previously been such an embarrassment, and reversed its previous opposition to the use of embryonic stem cells in medical research. In addition, the party abandoned its absurd demand that scientists and 'technologists' – alone among all citizens – be required to sign a pledge of environmental purity, and agreed to undertake a review and rewrite of the whole the science and technology section of its core policy document, now renamed ‘Policies for a Sustainable Society’.

Third, the make-up of the membership is clearly starting to change. Over the past year, party membership has increased by around two and a half thousand and is now hovering close to ten thousand (and rising). The number of young faces at the conference has clearly grown over the last year or so, as has the number of new members coming from the ranks of the ex-Labour diaspora. As one member, attending her first conference, remarked “I used to think of the Greens as single issue obsessives, but now I believe the Party represents the principles I spent thirty years fighting for in the Labour Party, informed by a realisation of the scale and urgency of the environmental crisis we face.”

Tuesday 16 February 2010

National Gallery walkout Tuesday (16 Feb)

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/news_centre/index.cfm/id/DA1A0718-9C20-4D72-A7C200D3B51555EE

"The National Gallery could be closed on Tuesday (16 Feb) lunchtime...with up to 100 warders and security staff set to walk out for two hours between 12 noon and 2pm in a row over low pay.

The two hour strike is the first in a series of walkouts planned by  PCS members who are angry over the imposition of a pay award which will leave most warders earning as little as £7 per hour. 82% of those who took part in a recent strike ballot are backing Tuesday’s walkout, which followed gallery boss’s imposition of a pay award just days before Christmas......" read more at the link above

Sunday 14 February 2010

Alberto Durango protest at UBS 12/2/2010




 
Posted by Picasa

Tekel workers' resistance in Turkey

(acknowledgements to Miriam Kennett)

The situation of Tekel workers' resistance in Turkey is very dramatic and Today (FEBRUARY the 5th) the families of 12,000 workers have travelled to the capital, Ankara to join the resistance. The plan is this: 12,000 workers with their families will start a 3-day sit-in action; after that they will go on a 3-day long hunger strike. If they still can not get an answer from the government to their demands (the alcohol and tobacco factories they are working were sold to BAT and 12 factories will be closed down at the end of the month, they want to maintain their rights with respect to salary and other benefits) they will go on a death fast. I want the IMT to show its solidarity with the Tekel workers in Turkey.”

Because their average wage was TL 1,350-1,400 (€ 615-635). Adding a premium of four monthly salaries paid in eight instalments it adds up to TL 1,500 (€ 680). With 4c it would be a wage of TL 700-800 (€ 320-360)".

"The 4c regulation allows for a working duration of ten months the most. The employer can also keep you for two months but for a maximum of ten months. Neither severance pay nor social rights are provided".

"After ten months, the employer can lay the worker off and may not take him back. There is no work guarantee. The employer is not obliged to call back the worker after ten months".

"If I would retire under the 4c regulation, I would have a pension of TL 900 (€ 410). If I died right now without working any further, my child would benefit from a monthly allowance of TL 1,500 (€ 680)".

One of the workers ;Yaşar said that he has got five children, the oldest one is about to finish university and the youngest one is in fifth grade. His wife is a house wife. "May god not put anybody into the same situation", he says. "You take care of your children's education. And you are living on rent. Who can get by with TL 750 for ten months? Maybe you can do the calculation".





---

Workers, their family members and supporters have been demonstrating in near-freezing temperatures in protest against a snap government decision to close their workplaces at the end of January 2010.


The protest began in front of the headquarters of the AKP (the political party in power in Turkey since 2002 and which has Islamic roots ), but the police cleared the area on 16 December and forced the demonstrators to a nearby park. The following day, police put up barricades around the park and then used water hoses and tear gas against the demonstrators. Police violence escalated and truncheons were used against the demonstrators, many of whom had to be hospitalised. Mustafa Türkel, president of IUF-affiliate Tekgida-Is, which represents these workers, and general secretary of the national confederation Türk-Is, was arrested, but then released later that evening.

The police violence caused an outcry in the Turkish Parliament, but the ruling party continues to refuse to accede to the workers' demand that they be given alternative employment with their full employement benefits, as the law on privatisation provides.

The protesters are now gathered in front of the headquarters of the Türk-Is national trade union confederation, while about a dozen workers remain in the the park on hunger strike (picture below). Despite police attempts to prevent further busloads of TEKEL workers from entering the city, their numbers are steadily increasing. The city of Ankara has provided them with shelter in sports facilities and Tekgida-Is is providing food and transport.


The TEKEL workers in Turkey have decided to start a hunger strike without water (a death fast) next Thursday. A death fast kills people much more quickly than a hunger strike, in a matter of days.

To be honest I don't really know how to react to this. There is nothing in my political experience that could prepare me for 12,000 workers starving themselves to death in the city centre.

First of all, They need ‘’Solidarity Messages’’ and ‘’Solidarity Trip’’ will be very good. Last week Jürgen Klute who is the member of European Parliament visited TEKEL workers and he said he supports TEKEL workers;all workers was very excited seeing somebody from out of the TURKEI .

I think it would be in order to summarize the dispute. TEKEL used to be the state monopoly company of all tobacco and alcohol producing factories in Turkey. The government has been shutting down these factories for some time and lately decided to go on with shutting all of the remaining factories. The remaining workers of TEKEL, numbering roughly 12 thousand, were offered the possibility of remaining in the public sector, but only with a job guarantee of 10 months (the government mockingly increased this number to 11 months recently) and a massive pay cut from what the workers used to get. This offer is called 4-C and workers from other sectors have been and are to be treated likewise. On the 14th of December 2009, about half of the remaining workers from all TEKEL factories all over Turkey, gathered in Ankara, and started protesting the government. Before this, on the 25th of November, the leftist trade-unions had organized a one day general strike and this action of the TEKEL workers coincided with the demonstrations of the firemen in Istanbul who were to lose their jobs soon, and the one day strike of railway workers in several different cities, in protest of over a dozen railway workers getting fired because they went on strike on the 25th of November.

The response of the state against all these struggles which happened basically at the same time was incredibly brutal. The riot police attacked the workers with tear gas, water cannons, beat up the workers and made arrests. The railway workers’ strike was heavily crushed, the number of workers who lost their jobs increased to nearly fifty and under the conditions of repression as well as the reactions of the passengers, provoked against the strikers by the management and possibly also the police, prevented the railway workers from doing anything further. The firemen also seemed crushed, and did not have any further demonstrations for a while.


The TEKEL workers on the other hand, were further radicalized rather than crushed by the brutal actions of the police. Initially (I think on the first day) they had tried to organize their demonstrations in front of the ruling Justice and Development Party national headquarters where they were attacked, and then (I think on the second day) they had tried to demonstrate in a large park where struggling workers traditionally demonstrate in the center of Ankara where they also were attacked brutally, the police going so far as pushing workers into the pond in the park, which was something pretty dangerous for the health of the workers due to the ice cold winter in Ankara.

Following this incident, workers managed to spontaneously regroup in front of the headquarters of Türk-İş, Confederation of Turkish trade-unions, the oldest and largest trade-union confederation in Turkey which has, as other posters noted, quite an infamous history. The workers were to remain outside the Türk-İş headquarters since then, demonstrating everyday. The Union of Tobacco, Alcoholic Beverage, Food and Related Industry Workers (TekGıda-İş) President Mustafa Türkel said on Thursday that Tekel workers would have a sit-in in front of the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Türk-İş) headquarters and hold a hunger strike unless a solution is reached with the government.

As the first wave of demonstrations by workers who were laid off in the privatization of Tekel, Turkey’s alcohol and tobacco monopoly, is ending today without any prospect of resolution, a second wave is set to start on Friday, during which protestors have plans to hold a hunger strike, the Anka news agency has said.

After a countrywide referendum conducted last week among workers resulted in a decision to continue the protest, then on its 24th day, the Tobacco Beverage Food Workers’ Union (TEKGIDA-İŞ) called on workers employed in Tekel workplaces across the country to join the strike in Ankara starting on Friday. According to the plan, the workers will have a sit-in for the first three days. If a solution is not reached, workers will continue their protest by holding a hunger strike for three days and will eventually forego all food and water. The second wave of demonstrations is expected to be joined by more workers and will be tougher compared to the first wave, which started on December 15 and lasted for a month.

I think it would be a good idea here to give some information on the nature of the TEKEL struggle. Was the TEKEL struggle organized by the trade-union? This question came up here, and was the first question we ourselves inquired. TEKEL is completely unionized.

What happened in the TEKEL struggle was this: the shop stewards from all branches had a meeting and decided to form a strike committee, since they thought it was obvious that the trade-union or the confederation wasn’t likely to do anything. Over thirty shop stewards talked about what to do, and how to react against the union and so forth. When the time to act, to stand up to the union came, however, the overwhelming majority of the shop stewards made a u-turn and took the side of the union against those shop stewards who gave us an account of what had happened. This failed experience, of course, did not make the shop stewards who made the u-turn less of workers, nor did it mark a fundamental, a final choosing of sides, but one could say it was one of the numerous incidents leading to a complete break with the union, or a complete alignment with the union on the part of the shop stewards in a struggle. I would predict that something as such would take place within a struggle on the part of shop stewards when the trade-union starts actively calling for workers to go back.

The atmosphere in front of the Türk-İş headquarters is worth mentioning briefly, to give a feel of how the TEKEL struggle is developing and the conditions under which we intervened. The building itself, now decorated with loads of posters, slogans and banners, some of them prepared by the workers themselves, looks a bit like the way the GSEE [in Greece] building looked like after being occupied by the workers in December 2008. There were initially some Turkish flags, but there aren’t anymore. Probably as many Kurdish workers as Turkish workers are involved in the struggle, and one of the slogans the workers had been shouting was “Kurdish and Turkish workers together!” The workers have no mass assembly, but the little street in front of the Türk-İş headquarters is something of an informal but constant mass assembly where workers from different factories all over Turkey, as well as proletarians who came to support the TEKEL workers, and of course revolutionaries are constantly discussing with each other, evaluating the situation, trying to figure out the way to go forward with the struggle. The most frequent topic of discussion is the idea of a general strike.


Anyway, as I said, initially the workers were having problems finding places to stay, and lots of proletarians, mostly students from a working class background, had started to do their best to host TEKEL workers. This was what we did as well, and by chance we had the honor of hosting workers who are among the most militant and class conscious workers involved in the TEKEL struggle. Also we visited the workers on numerous occasions, talked to them, discussed with them, went to cafes and pubs with them to discuss further and so forth, and we formed good relations with lots of militant workers who we did not have the chance to host as well.

As a greens and socialists, but also as revolutionary proletarians, we see all workers struggles as the struggles of the whole class and Earth thus, our struggles also. This perspective we had also helped us form mutual bonds of solidarity and camaraderie with militant workers on a human level. TEKEL workers are very much aware that they are doomed if the rest of the class doesn’t come in their support and they are very happy that at least some people are in solidarity with them, but are also thinking of the best ways to break out of isolation. They are looking for class solidarity, not only in Turkey but internationally. The first TEKEL worker I had a conversation with, for example proudly told me that he saw on the news that there was going to be a strike in Switzerland in support of the TEKEL struggle. Thus a lot of what we discussed with the workers was on the basis of how we can expand the struggle and how we can take the struggle in our hands. Some of the ideas we came up with was organizing a solidarity fund which will be directly under the control of the workers and not of the union, and workers going to others struggling. Another idea we discussed with the workers was that of workers trying to expand the struggle themselves and directly, rather than trying to force Türk-İş to do it, and taking steps like forming links with the firemen and railway workers as well as other sectors which will soon face the same 4-C conditions, like the sugar industry. Indeed some links have been formed between the TEKEL workers and the firemen who, drawing strength from the determination of the TEKEL workers, started demonstrating again. Nevertheless, there hasn’t been much action taken on this yet, and the discussions are ongoing. We produced a leaflet and actually found the chance to discuss it with some of the most militant workers before printing it. The leaflet which we hope to translate eventually, was pretty well taken and some workers talked about it among themselves and decided to ask for a few dozen leaflets after we had stopped distributing them, in order to send it to the city of Adıyaman with a worker who was going there, for it to be distributed there among the workers. Regardless of all this, which has been very exciting for us, obviously the influence of our intervention in the struggle, considering our limited numerical strength, is minimal.

The TEKEL struggle is still going on, and it is not the time to draw all the lessons of it.

THEY NEED YOUR HELP AND SOLIDARITY.Recently, the Finance Minister of Turkey, Mr. Simsek, announced that "there is nothing to talk about, and all their (government's) fault is to pity those workers".This is unacceptable.


These workers, victims of highly corrupted mass privatisations, are fired by government without their due rights. Distrubuted across Turkey, these workers flocked into Ankara and recently announced their death strike. They let the government to decide till 28 of January.
Now, we as already expressed our support for these workers.
We kindly ask for your support in two areas:
- Make a press release bearing your party or group's signature
- AND come to Turkey to give your support with your presence (highly preferred).And try to meeting with Turkish Government Agencies

Thursday 11 February 2010

'Trade Unionists for Caroline Lucas'

Dear all
We are looking for trade union endorsements for Caroline Lucas and are asking for your help in the process.

We are now possibly only a matter of weeks from the general election and we need to demonstrate that it is Green solidarity with those in struggle, Green concern for workers' rights and our plan for a million green-collar jobs which constitute why there is so much support among trade unionists for the country's first Green MP.

Can you or your trade union activists and reps email a few sentences and a photo to myself and copy in Sven Rufus (copied here)

Also I have set up a facebook group 'Trade Unionists for Caroline Lucas'
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=284203683460 can you ensure you sign up and ask your TU contacts to sign up too.

Many thanks
Yours fraternally
Bro. Phelim Mac Cafferty
Equalities Officer, GMB Westminter Trade Union & Political Staff
Secretary, GMB Shout!

Tuesday 9 February 2010

University of Sussex Occupation

GPTU statement

"The Green Party Trade Union Group fully supports Sussex University staff and students protesting against the swingeing cuts currently threatening Sussex University. Cuts in public sector spending, far from being examples of financial probity, are acts of short sighted and opportunistic folly and cuts in education especially so, when we need organised knowledge more than ever to build a just transition to a new low carbon economy. Our economic crisis is of capitalism and caused by capitalism, why should workers, by hand or mind and students pay for it?"

Please rush statements of support to http://www.blogger.com/sussexstopthecuts100@googlemail.comor Si on 07540 182218


University of Sussex Occupation Statement 9th February 2010
February 9, 2010

On the 8th of February 2010 over one hundred Sussex students entered and occupied the corporate conference centre in Bramber House as a display of support and solidarity for the UCU’s upcoming strike ballot. Furthermore, we stand in solidarity with all other workers at Sussex taking action against the cuts.

In a rally held yesterday we raised over £250 towards the strike fund and urge all those who value the work of staff to contribute further.

We strongly oppose the cuts and lack of meaningful consultation that management has offered students and staff.

This action is only the beginning and it is part of the wider campaign against management’s cuts at Sussex. We intend to continue to bring the fight to management.

We acknowledge that Sussex is not the only university being affected by cuts to public spending and that this is not only a national phenomenon but is affecting public spending and education internationally. We would like to express our solidarity with everyone fighting cuts all over the world.

Monday 8 February 2010

Women on Hunger Strike, behind the Wire @ Yarl's Wood

Demo in solidarity with Yarls Wood hunger strikers, Fri 12th Feb
8 February, 2010 - 13:54 — London NoBorders London Detainee Solidarity Network have called for a demo this Friday at 2.30pm in support of the Yarls Wood hunger strikers.

The demo will take place at Serco's offices at 18-22 Hand Court (off High Holborn), London, WC1V 6JF. Serco manage Yarls Wood on behalf of UKBA.

Please bring banners and instruments


Women on Hunger Strike, behind the Wire @ Yarl's Wood

"Detention results from political decisions that represent a "hardening attitude towards irregular migrants and asylum seekers" (*PACE)

End the Detention of Foreign Nationals Now!

Since the 5th of February 2010, we the residents at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre are on hunger strike which involves over 84 + women, who are protesting against the period of time spent in detention and the treatment that they receive while being detained.

The strike was sparked to protest and demand that the frustration and humiliation of all foreign nationals ends now.

We are demanding the following actions

*End the frustrations, physical and mental torture at the centre

*Allow enough time and make resources available to residents who need to fully present their cases.

*To end all false allegations and misrepresentations by the UKBA regarding detainees in order to refuse bail or temporary admissions.

*Access to appropriate medical treatment and care as in the community, access to edible and well cooked food, phones with good mobile connections, with camera and recording facilities to back up cases.

*To stop the forceful removal and degrading system of deportation of detainees

*To put law into practise, European rules governing standard of conditions of detention for migrants and asylum seekers and the length of time in detention.

*The abolition of detention for asylum seeker and torture victims

*Detention should be by a standard procedure prescribed by law, authorised by judicial authority and be subjected to periodic judicial reviews.

*To end the detention of children and their mothers, rape survivors and other torture victims, to end the detention of physically, mentally sick people and pregnant women for long period of time.

*To end the separation of children from their mothers being detained whether in detention or destitution.

*To end the detention of women detention after serving time in prison.

* To abolish the fast track system, in order to give asylum seekers a fair chance with their application, while understanding the particular needs of victims of torture, and access to reliable legal representation which the fast track system denies.

*To end the repeat detention of women granted temporary admission while reporting or signing after a short period out of detention.

*To a set period of time allowed to detain women, which should be no longer than 1 month, while waiting decision either from UKBA or court proceedings.

*Finally instead of detention of foreign nationals, there are alternatives to detention stated by the *Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). 'The detention of asylum seekers and irregular migrants in Europe ', Adopted on the 28th January 2010, extracts below.

9.1.1. detention of asylum seekers and irregular migrants shall be exceptional and only used after first reviewing all other alternatives and finding that there is no effective alternative;

9.3.4.1. placement in special establishments (open or semi-open);

9.3.4.2. registration and reporting;

9.3.4.3. release on bail/surety;

9.3.4.4. controlled release to individuals, family members, NGOs, religious organisations, or others;

9.3.4.5. handover of travel and other documents, release combined with appointment of a special worker;

Full Text: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 1707 (2010)1. Assembly debate on 28 January 2010 (7th Sitting) (see Doc. 12105, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population, rapporteur: Mrs Mendona). Text adopted by the Assembly on 28 January 2010 (7th Sitting).

The detention of asylum seekers and irregular migrants in Europe


Please support our concerns, lobby your MPs, Councilors, MEPs, demanding our immediate release and an end to arbitrary detention.

With Thanks,

Women behind the Wire @ Yarl's Wood IRC

Messages of support/solidarity to:
WomenBehindTheWire@ncadc.org.uk

Friday 5 February 2010

strike by 750 signals workers

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=20190


A strike by 750 signals workers has caused major disruption on
London Underground today.


The RMT transport union members are angry
about management's plans to enforce shift changes, break agreements and
outsource work.

Around 25 signal workers picketed the Hainault depot in Essex this morning on the first day of a programme of strikes.
The workers are employed by the former Metronet company, a private consortium that went bust and had to be taken back in-house.

Steve Hedley, the RMT regional organiser told Socialist Worker,
“It’s no secret there are going to be £60 million cuts from Metronet.
We’ve drawn a line in the sand here, fighting these attacks.”

Strikes will continue every Sunday starting from 14 February until the signallers win their demands.

Other sections were encouraged to stay out in solidarity with the
signal workers. Drivers in particular were concerned about safety.


One said, “I’m going to speak to my manager and tell him I’m not
driving the train. If I get stuck in a tunnel with a train full of
people, there is no one there to sort it.”

Management’s plans to use agency workers to break the strike have come unstuck.

The Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, District and
Piccadilly lines were all affected by the action with signal failures
and emergency work.


The rabid privatisation of the tube has led to budget cuts and
attacks on workers. If the signal workers win, it will send a clear
message to management that they face a solid fight back.

GREEN LEFT & GPTU support Alberto Durango

GREEN LEFT STATEMENT

"Green Left applauds the undertaken by Alberto Durango as a UNITE shop steward and a leader of the Latin American Workers Association. City cleaners, mainly migrant workers undertaking vital work supporting the wealthiest and most fortunate in our society - are exploited and marginalised and Alberto's work to defend their rights is vital. To steal David C. Coates' famous quote - "an injury to one is an injury to all" - it is disgraceful that Alberto has been targeted and sacked because of his union activity and Green Left stands in solidarity in his defence, and in defence of all workers."

GPTU Statement
"The Green party Trade Union Group fully endorses the Green Left statement on Alberto Durango and supports the campaign for his reinstatement and for and end to the victimisation of migrant workers." (P.Murry GPTU Secretary pp GPTU)

Thursday 4 February 2010

Defend Alberto Durango

by Chris Ford, UNITE (Clerkenwell & St. Pancras 0694M branch organiser)

In an act of vindictive union busting Alberto Durango, a leading activist in the campaign to achieve justice for cleaners in London, is facing the sack. Alberto, a leader of the Latin American Workers Association and member of UNITE, has been in the forefront of a series of campaigns to organise mainly migrant workers to challenge the exploitation and dire working conditions amongst cleaners

Following a campaign at Schroeders bank the company Lancaster (part of Rentokil Initial) singled out Alberto for victimisation. He worked for Lancaster for over a decade: only when he became a union activist did they target him. A series of allegations were thrown at Alberto, they orchestrated his arrest by the Home Office based on misleading and false claims. He was released without charge. Having failed in their efforts Lancaster sacked Alberto regardless claiming he never worked for them under his true identity. After his dismissal the company then admitted following a union appeal that he had in fact worked for them in his true identity after all.

Alberto found new employment with the company MITIE at the Swiss bank UBS, he helped organise these workplaces and he is the elected shop-steward. However the contract has been transferred to Lancaster (Rentokil). Immediately on taking over the contract Lancaster have ignored the protections afforded by TUPE and set out to attack the terms and conditions of the workforce. They have suspended the UNITE rep Alberto and are intent on sacking him. Despite an ongoing Tribunal they have based this suspension on the reasons given when Alberto previously worked for this company. This is blatant persecution of a union activist. Just as in the building industry we are seeing these employers are operating a blacklist against trade unionists.

The City banks and the cleaning companies they hire to service their buildings’ are out to create a climate of fear that will deter workers from becoming reps and organising into unions. This is not an issue only for the migrant workers it is an attack on every member of the labour movement, it is the cutting edge of the agenda for cuts in pay and jobs. The workers at UBS deserve our solidarity – we must not let then succeed in victimising Alberto. It is time to stop these companies from engaging in discrimination, bullying and victimisation

MASS DEMONSTRATION
No Victimisation of Alberto – Hands Off Our Union
Friday 12 February 1:00 PM, Outside UBS 21 Lombard Street, London EC3 9AH

Initial sponsors include
Organisations
Latin American Workers Association; The Commune; La Comuna; Colombia Solidarity Campaign; Permanent Revolution; National Shop Stewards’ Network
Individuals
John McDonnell MP; Steve Hedley RMT (LUL) Regional Organiser; Professor Gregor Gall, Research Professor of Industrial Relations, University of Hertfordshire; Pete Firmin, Labour Representation Committee co-National Secretary; George Binette, Camden UNISON Branch Secretary (pc).

Please add your name and organisation to the sponsors

Leeds Uni UCU calls for urgent talks to safeguard jobs and win back staff trust

February 2010

Union calls for urgent talks to safeguard jobs and win back staff trust

Members of UCU at the University of Leeds have today voted overwhelmingly in favour of both strike action and action short of a strike. The turnout was 66%; the highest figure UCU has ever had in a ballot. The union said the unprecedented turnout was indicative of the strength of feeling among UCU members across the country over savage funding cuts and damaging job losses.

Almost two-thirds (64%) who voted supported strike action and over three-quarters (78%) agreed to action short of a strike. The union said its members at Leeds had made it clear they would defend jobs and courses at the university and called on vice-chancellor, Professor Michael Arthur, to win back the trust of staff by agreeing to serious negotiations.

Professor Arthur in his role as Head of the Russell Group of universities has publicly acknowledged that national budget cuts will have a 'devastating effect' on staff and students. Yet under his plans, 54 staff at the University of Leeds have already lost their jobs and up to 700 more are at risk. The university says it is looking to make £35 million worth of savings through an 'economies exercise' and all university departments, even those making a surplus, have been told to identify cuts of between 10 to 20%.

UCU said the cuts at Leeds had already inflicted serious damage and warned that further redundancies would lead to higher student:staff ratios than seen in other similar universities and would further increase the workload of the staff left behind. The union said the plans had to be shelved to allow the union and university to work together to minimise damage to the university.

UCU will now consult with members about what type of action it might take should the fresh negotiations UCU has called for with management not bear fruit.

Leeds UCU president, Professor Malcolm Povey, said: 'UCU members have today delivered a clear mandate for industrial action at the University of Leeds. We thank our members for participating in such large numbers and reiterate UCU's belief that a negotiated settlement is still possible if the vice-chancellor will, at last, recognise the strength of feeling among his workforce. Our priority remains to defend our members and the quality of education experienced by our students.'

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Michael Arthur has himself acknowledged the devastating impact cuts will have on staff and students. The bottom line is that serious job losses will impact massively on the university's ability to function as a leading university in the region, let alone globally. The university should be working with us to oppose the government's savage cuts to higher education and must immediately put plans to axe 700 jobs on hold. Now is the time for fresh negotiations and for Michael Arthur to seize the opportunity to win back the trust of the marvellous staff at this university.'

Defend Alberto Durango

Defend Alberto Durango (acknowledgements to Commune http://thecommune.wordpress.com/ & Matt Sellwood)

In an act of vindictive union busting Alberto Durango, a leading activist in the campaign to achieve justice for cleaners in London, is facing the sack. Alberto, a leader of the Latin American Workers Association and member of UNITE, has been in the forefront of a series of campaigns to organise mainly migrant workers to challenge the exploitation and dire working conditions amongst cleaners.

Following a campaign at Schroeders bank the company Lancaster (part of Rentokil Initial) singled out Alberto for victimisation. He worked for Lancaster for over a decade: only when he became a union activist did they target him. A series of allegations were thrown at Alberto, they orchestrated his arrest by the Home Office based on misleading and false claims. He was released without charge. Having failed in their efforts Lancaster sacked Alberto regardless claiming he never worked for them under his true identity. After his dismissal the company then admitted following a union appeal that he had in fact worked for them in his true identity after all.

Alberto found new employment with the company MITIE at the Swiss bank UBS, he helped organise these workplaces and he is the elected shop-steward. However the contract has been transferred to Lancaster (Rentokil). Immediately on taking over the contract Lancaster have ignored the protections afforded by TUPE and set out to attack the terms and conditions of the workforce. They have suspended the UNITE rep Alberto and are intent on sacking him. Despite an ongoing Tribunal they have based this suspension on the reasons given when Alberto previously worked for this company. This is blatant persecution of a union activist. Just as in the building industry we are seeing these employers are operating a blacklist against trade unionists.

The City banks and the cleaning companies they hire to service their buildings’ are out to create a climate of fear that will deter workers from becoming reps and organising into unions. This is not an issue only for the migrant workers it is an attack on every member of the labour movement, it is the cutting edge of the agenda for cuts in pay and jobs. The workers at UBS deserve our solidarity – we must not let then succeed in victimising Alberto. It is time to stop these companies from engaging in discrimination, bullying and victimisation.

MASS DEMONSTRATION


No Victimisation of Alberto – Hands Off Our Union
Friday 12 February 1:00 PM, Outside UBS 21 Lombard Street, London EC3 9AH

Initial sponsors include:

Organisations:

Latin American Workers Association; The Commune; La Comuna; Colombia Solidarity Campaign; Permanent Revolution; National Shop Stewards’ Network

Individuals:

John McDonnell MP; Steve Hedley RMT (LUL) Regional Organiser; Professor Gregor Gall, Research Professor of Industrial Relations, University of Hertfordshire; Pete Firmin, Labour Representation Committee co-National Secretary; George Binette, Camden UNISON Branch Secretary (pc).

Please add your name and organisation to the sponsors

Morning Star story on Turkish general strike

Follow link for Morning Star story on Turkish general strike
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/86399

(acknowledgements to P.MacCafferty

Tuesday 2 February 2010

BRIGHTON BENEFITS CAMPAIGN PUBLIC MEETING

BRIGHTON BENEFITS CAMPAIGN PUBLIC MEETING

Friday 5 February 7.30pm at the Brighthelm Centre North Road Brighton


A public meeting to launch the Brighton Benefits Campaign, with speakers from a variety of backgrounds,
including Caroline Lucas, Benefits & Poverty Campaigners, Trade Unionists & others

STRIKING FOR JOBS - LOCAL WORKERS SPEAK OUT

Public meeting Tuesday 9th February at 7.30, Brighthelm Centre North Road Brighton

Speakers from:

Unite at BOC Edwards - fighting local closures

UCU at Sussex University - facing 115 job losses

RMT at Network Rail - considering strike action to save 1500 track maintenance jobs

FBU at Preston Circus Fire Station - local firefighters campaigning to stop management moving the station to a less suitable location


MARCH FOR JOBS!
Jobs & services not bailouts for the rich.
Demonstrate on Saturday 6 March - assembling at The Level in Brighton at 12 noon

A demonstration has been organised by trade union activists and campaigners as a call to action to fight back against the unjustified job losses taking place across the city and the country.

Delegates and organisers put together plans for the demonstration at a meeting held by Brighton Hove and District Trades Council and are urging trade union branches, students, the unemployed, workers and their families to take part in this important march which will take place on Saturday 6 March.

Assembling at The Level at 12 midday, the demonstration will march past significant workplaces and sites in the city effected by the current threat of job losses. It will march to Brighton town hall where a rally will be held to put forward demands to defend all jobs and prevent any public service cuts as part of a fight back campaign against these unjustified attacks on working people.

Pip Tindall B&HGP

Brighton Workers Solidarity Group

http://brightonworkerssolidarity.wordpress.com/

Monday 1 February 2010

Greater London Association of Trade Union Councils: Public Debate: Prostitution: What should we do as LGBT Trade Unionists?

Greater London Association of Trade Union Councils: Public Debate


Sex Work / Prostitution: What should we do as LGBT Trade Unionists?
part of a series of progressive debates in the LGBT and Queer communities

Wednesday 17 February 2010 7 pm
Room 3D, ULU Building , Malet St London WC1 (stations - Goodge St or Warren St )

- speakers -

Yvonne Washbourne: Chair - Midland Region TUC LGBT Network, Secretary - Midland Region TUC Womens' Committee

Thierry Schaffauser, Chair - GMB Sex Work & Adult Entertainment Branch
Secretary - Southern & Eastern Region TUC LGBT Network (per cap)

- chair -

Peter Purton: LGBT rights campaigner, writer & historian
- organised by -
Greater London Association of Trade Union Councils
&
Left Front Art

- supported by -

GMB SHOUT - London Region

UNITE London & Eastern Region LGBT Committee

Lambeth Trade Union Council

UNITE 1/1148 Branch

GMB Sex Work & Adult Entertainment Branch

SERTUC LGBT Network
www.glatuc.org.uk