Blacklisted Electrician Francie Graham dies

THE Blacklist Support Group are sad to hear the news that Francie Graham has passed away. A blacklisted electrician, socialist, rank and file union activist, political campaigner at Westminster and Holyrood and someone who liked a beer with comrades.

Francie was a stalwart of the union movement, who fought the bosses but also campaigned against corruption in EETPU and the JIB, getting the issue raised in the House of Commons through Dundee MP, John McAllion. When the EETPU were expelled from the TUC for their collusion with Rupert Murdoch during the Wapping dispute, Francie, like many other sparks joined the EPIU. His union activism meant that he was repeatedly victimized by the employers and was forced to work away from his Dundee home for many years to find work.

When the Consulting Association was exposed, Francie was found to be on the building industry blacklist and became the first blacklisted worker to give evidence to the Scottish Affairs elect committee investigation into blacklisting at Westminster. Francie was one of the most public faces of the Blacklist Support Group and the Construction Rank & File, appearing alongside his close friend Steuart Merchant in the media and raising the issue at Holyrood and Dundee council. He was still out picketing and protesting when others would have hung up their boots, active in the Frank Morris blacklisting dispute at Crossrail, BESNA and INEOS at Grangemouth.

Anyone who knew Francie probably enjoyed a pint in the pub after meetings or protests, where he continued the debates and added to our informal education. Raise a glass to a man of principle and one of our own.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/calls-for-building-firms-to-be-probed-over-1550224 https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13078739.companies-operated-a-blacklist-of-union-activists-they-took-peoples-livelihoods-away-they-should-be-jailed/ https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/2013/04/17/dundee-electrians-anger-over-blacklist/ https://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/137469/workers-ask-bam-construction-to-apologise

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