'Blacklister' faces grilling before Parliamentary Select Committee!

We are publishing below the latest press release from the Blacklist Support Group (BSG).

"Campaigners celebrated yesterday (Wed 18 Dec) claiming the bitter year long blacklisting dispute on Crossrail and protests at Olympics were totally vindicated following evidence given by Pat Swift (pictured) to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee in the Westminster parliament. Pat Swift was the head of Human Resources for the BAM - Ferrovial - Kier (BFK) consortium on Crossrail and the manager at the centre of the claims that UNITE shop steward Frank Morris had been dismissed in September 2012 because of his previous union activities. 

In an evidence session lasting nearly two and a half hours Swift admitted being the "main contact" with the Consulting Association between 2004-2009 when he was Director of HR for BAM Nuttall, saying that junior admin staff in his department were in "constant communication on a weekly basis" with the blacklisting organisation. Swift admitted that  the names of every applicant for hourly paid positions were checked on all projects undertaken by the company during his time in charge, including on the Olympics. The claims about blacklisting on the Olympics Park were rigorously denied at the time by the Olympics Delivery Authority and all the major contractors despite protests by blacklisted workers themselves - the Select Committee investigation has subsequently forced admissions from Sir Robert McApline, Skanska, Balfour Beatty and now BAM that they all carried out blacklisting checks on the project. 

Swift claimed the Consulting Association was simply a "general referencing service" but when challenged by MPs as to why the entire operation was carried out in secret he responded "because it was probably a dubious practice" later adding "it was certainly illegal".

When the Information Commissioners Office discovered the blacklist in 2009, BAM carried out the investigation into their own usage of the blacklisting service. To incredulity from the public gallery, Swift admitted that he himself carried out the internal investigation and to this date BAM have not apologised or offered to compensate a single worker. Swift conceded that "I don't think the investigation I carried out in 2009 was that robust" - a comment the committee agreed with. 

It was questions about the dismissal of Frank Morris from Crossrail that caused the most consternation among MPs. Under questioning from Lyndsay Roy MP, Swift originally claimed "I can't recall" stating "Not at anytime do I question Franks ability as an electrician" 

But Swift later admitted that he did have a conversation with Ron Turner, managing director of EIS Ltd (the sub-contractor that Frank Morris was working for). 

When pushed Swift said "I said to Ron Turner he had raised trouble"........ "I pointed out to him that he had caused trouble at the Olympics"

When pressed on what this trouble was, Swift replied "This guy had been on a demonstration" 

Graeme Morrice MP responded "a perfectly legal demonstration against an illegal blacklist?"

Finally the committee chair Ian Davidson MP, asked directly "Did you ask Ron Turner to sack Frank Morris?"

Swift replied "I may have"

Despite saying "I regret" nearly 200 times during the evidence session Swift stuck to his position drawn up after legal advice by Leightons solicitors and paid for by his ex-employer BAM Nuttal that the Consulting Association was simply a referencing service and repeatedly stated: "We didn't blacklist anyone" and "We didn't supply any evidence to the Consulting Association and I never got any information".

It was at this point that the MPs raised the example of Mickey Guyll, a crane driver for Bam Nuttall during the construction of the Docklands Light Railway who was added to the blacklist after he became a safety rep following the death of a co-worker on site. 

At one point, Ian Davidson MP said that the evidence given by Swift "defies belief" and Jim McGovern MP said Swift was "one of the most evasive witnesses ever"

Both Mickey Guyll and Frank Morris were in the public gallery sitting immediately behind Pat Swift during the evidence session. 

After the hearing Frank Morris refused to comment on the Crossrail dispute but said "This time last year, managers were taunting me on the picketline by saying "What are your kids getting for Christmas?" 

The Blacklist Support Group issued the following statement:

"We have been campaigning against the blacklisting of trade union members on the Olympics and Crossrail for over 4 years. We held perfectly legal demonstrations but our claims were totally rubbished by the building firms, the ODA and Crossrail. Those in authority claimed that they were completely unaware of the practice and that blacklisting was a "myth". 

The excellent investigation by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee has completely vindicated everything we have said. We salute all the MPs on the committee for exposing the truth. 

We look forward to the day when the full conspiracy is exposed at the High Court and an independent Public Inquiry". 

Full footage of the evidence can be viewed here: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=14508

Attached pic: Pat Swift entering parliament, head bowed 

--

Blacklist Support Group

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70

blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/

Undercover cops attended blacklisting meetings!

We are publishing below the latest press release from the Blacklist Support Group (BSG).

1. Select Committee investigation into blacklisting continues

Pat Swift - evidence session to Scottish Affairs Select Committee

2pm Wed 18th December

Committee Room 6

Houses of Parliament

Westminster

Pat Swift is a proven blacklister and has been called to give evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee investigation into blacklisting at the Westminster parliament. 

Pat Swift was main contact with the Consulting Association blacklist from the construction firm BAM Nuttall. He was also the HR manager for the BFK consortium on Crossrail where Frank Morris was dismissed after becoming the first union rep on the project.

This wretch actually used to taunt protesters and take photos of us at the Westbourne Park picketline when Frank Morris was unemployed and fighting for his reinstatement. Lets hope the MPs put him to the sword.

This is open to the public - Beer afterwards if anyone fancies coming down

2. Blacklist Compensation Fund

The employers proposals for a Blacklist Compensation Scheme which has gained masses of publicity in the press falls a million miles short of what is required. The list of shortcomings would fill a page alone. To date not a single person has been offered a single penny in compensation and during negotiations the lawyers for the blacklisting companies made it clear that under their proposals the majority of those on the list would only receive £1000. 

The Blacklist Support Group (BSG) along with the 3 main trade unions UNITE, UCATT & GMB have unanimously rejected the scheme. The legal teams involved in the High Court blacklisting cases are now collectively drawing up an alternative set of proposals - BSG, UNITE, UCATT & GMB have co-signed a letter saying we are only prepared to negotiate once our proposals have been submitted.

BSG big issues:

Jobs for blacklisted workers - if the firms have genuinely turned over a new leaf, then positive action recruitment for blacklisted workers on major projects would prove it

Every single person on the blacklist to receive compensation regardless of how many pages or dates etc..

Compensation to fully reflect the crime and the human rights violation - poke your £1000

No gagging clause - we want full disclosure of documents and a fully independent public inquiry

There are a lot more issues but these are the key ones for us. 

3. Undercover cops collusion with blacklisting

BSG has put in an official complaint to the IPCC about the police collusion in blacklisting. We are the only organisation to have done this. 

The police have now admitted to our lawyers that senior officers from an undercover police unit called NETCU attended the Consulting Association meetings. Other undercover police posed as construction workers and attended our picket lines, campaigning activities and even chaired some meetings. These are the very same undercover police officers who spied on the Lawrence family and had long term sexually relationships with female activists they were sent to spy on. Many of the environmental and anti-racist activists spied on by the undercover police also appear on the blacklist. Our repeated attempts for various documents to be released under FOI requests have been turned down by the authorities including the Met Police. 

Operation Herne has been set up as an internal police inquiry to investigate the role of undercover police spying on activists; blacklisting is part of that investigation. The Lawrence family and the other groups involved are all boycotting Operation Herne and demanding a fully independent public inquiry instead. Blacklist Support Group is supporting that demand. The launch meeting for the campaign is being held on:

4. Request for information on a blacklisting manager

John Edwards - former head of security at Carillion - has been identified in parliament as attending Consulting Association meetings as late as 2008. 

Does anyone know him or his whereabouts? http://www.shrewsbury24campaign.org.uk/

5. Shrewsbury Pickets

Well done to the Shrewsbury pickets for handing in a petition to Downing Street today calling for the release of all government papers linked to their case. The original conspiracy trial saw building workers including Des Warren and Ricky Tomlinson sent to prison for conspiracy - they have always argued their innocence and accused the state of being in collusion with the building employers to target peaceful trade union picketing. 

40 years after the original trial, the Home Secretary is still refusing to release the papers on the grounds of national security. Covering up the involvement of the security services more like it. Shrewsbury pickets were all blacklisted for their trade union activity - they are genuine heroes of the working class movement - we saute you. 

6. Steve Acheson Defence Fund

Blacklisting is not just about politics, it is about how it affected our families. 

This week is the 5th anniversary of Steve Acheson's dismisal from Fiddlers ferry due to the blacklist - he is still protesting outside the main gates. 

The appeal to save Steve Acheson's home from repossession after years of unemployment due to blacklisting is now just a few hundred ponds short of reaching its target of £25,000 demanded by the bank. Anyone wishing to make a final Xmas donation:

Cheques please payable to "Fiddlers Ferry Hardship Fund" to Warrington Trades Council, 6 Red Gables, Warrington WA4 4SB. Thank you to all who have contributed so far.

Everyone involved with the Defence Fund should be congratulated - There are many people involved but special mention to Andy, Jason, Kevin & Stewart.

Top work fellas - they have saved a family home.

--

Blacklist Support Group

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70

blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/

Does Grooming have an Ethnic Bias?

THIS week, a row has broken out between Simon Danczuk MP for Rochdale and Imam Chishti, a spokesman for the Rochdale Community Forum (RCF).  Mr. Danczuk told BBC Radio 4 that 'ethnicity is a factor' in the recent street grooming of young lassies in the town, and that there are some who are 'in denial' about this.  What he seems to be saying is that some ethnic groups have an attitude towards women that leaves something to be desired, and that the recognition of this would be helpful in combating the abuse that has been taking place.

Last May, nine men, all of Asian heritage, were sentenced to 77 years in prison after they were convicted for grooming and abusing five vulnerable young girls in Rochdale.  Five other men from Rochdale, three of Asian ethnicity, and two Congolese, are due to be sentenced for sexual exploitation of a teenage girl next week.

Mr. Imam Chishti (RCF) argues:  'To say we, the Asian community, are in denial ... is really unhelpful', and that 'when people like Cyril Smith or Jimmy Savile were exposed as paedophiles people didn't start pointing fingers at that community...'  The two cases are different in so far as the Smith and Savile cases were individual examples of the abuse of power by celebrities, while the sexual grooming cases are collectively organised by gangs of mostly Asians.  In the Smith and Savile cases there were people in positions of influence who appeared to know that something was amiss, and even tried to cover-up for these two men.  How far this cover up went we have yet to discover.

I am not saying that Mr. Chishti is covering up for the gangs who appear to have systematically abused young and vulnerable girls, indeed he suggests that he himself is aware that it applies to a particular community, when he says:
'why would the Council of Mosques have supported the launch of the RCF, openly condemned child sex exploitation and gone to the council... to say if we can help tackle this in anyway then come and talk to us?'

This week the father of one of the Rochdale victims told Radio Four's World at One program that his daughter was only 14 when she was plied with gifts, booze and systematically raped by a gang.  Meanwhile, Social Services he said were part of the problem, and he was told by them that his daughter was 'a child prostitute'. 

In the light of all this I believe we should at least be prepared to listen to Mr. Danczuk.

Bury MBC Boss's Boob Ban at Bradley Fold

Unite Union Reps Rejected at 'near miss' Health & Safety Confab

 

THIS morning two Unite union officials, Steve Acheson and Lee Lomas, a Unite branch secretary, Brian Bamford, and a former shop steward, Dave Lord, were shown the door at a health and safety get-together called by Glenn Stuart, Head of Waste management at the Bradley Fold Waste depot of Bury MBC.   The meeting had been called at 6.45am prompt by Mr. Stuart to consider the findings of a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into a 'near miss' reversing incident by a refuse vehicle.

 

In his wisdom Mr. Stuart thought it better that the Unite union officers were not present at the event, at which, he said that he 'needed to communicate these (findings by the HSE)' to the workforce.  The inspector from the HSE had been to Bradley Fold on the 7th, November, to speak to Mr. Stuart, and had interviewed the driver and operative who had been involved in the 'near miss' incident in which a lady putting her wheelie bin out had come close to being run-over.

 

Fully suited and standing teetering acrobatically on a chair Mr. Stuart treated his staff, all garbed in their yellow high-vis jackets, to a sermon on safe working practices while his sturdy colleague and right-hand man, Terry Nieland, solemnly guarded the door.  The memorandum from Glenn Stuart reminded his men that:

'This is classed as mandatory health and safety training and it is therefore vitally important that everybody working on the collection service attends the briefing.  A register will be taken.'

 

Perhaps Mr. Stuart was too nervous to have the Unite union reps. present in the room when he gave his treaty on safe working; after all he may well have fallen arse-over-tit off the chair on which he was so deftly standing, and how would that have looked?  In his way he was only setting an example, for he often expects his staff to be equally acrobatic when they go about their rounds.

 

As for the poor lady who nearly got squashed by the bin-wagon, it seems that she was so incensed and put out by the poor unsympathetic staff response when she called-in to give her complaint, that she felt the need to go to the HSE.  One can well imagine some of those sympathetic functionaries in the public relations office saying: 

'What do you expect, if you don't get your bin out before 7am sharp, you always run the risk of being run-over by a bin wagon.'
 

_________________________________________

The current printed issue of NORTHERN VOICES No.14, is now available for sale at all our usual outlets in the North of England and beyond - see below. This issue N.V.14 has a Tameside Eye story about how Tameside has a history of involvement in blacklisting, it also contains an interview by Barry Woodling with George Tapp - the Salford electrician injured in May on an anti-blacklist picket. The Voices has been in the forthfront of the campaign against the blacklist since 2003 and the DAF dispute at Manchester Piccadilly, its editor, an electrician, was on the blacklist of the Economic League in the 1960s, and there was an attempt to blacklist him while he was working in Gibraltar in both 1964 and 1967, but at the time this intervention by the Foreign Office was resisted by the Gibraltarian authorities, and the Gibraltar Transport & General Workers Union.
Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques made payable to 'Northern Voices' should be sent c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.
Tel.: 0161 793 5122.
email: northernvoices@hotmail.com 

English Heritage Conservation Appeal

THERE is a dire need for the Heritage Bodies such as English Heritage, (SAVE Britain’s Heritage, Council for British Archeology, Ancient Monuments Society, Victorian Society and all the Heritage Trust’s) to help look after us and our built heritage… I have been sent a letter from English Heritage from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport asking for my response on the “Consultation on the Delivery of English Heritage Services” You may wish to comment yourselves and help the Heritage Bodies help us... 
Silvia Wilson 

Dear Ms Wilson,

  

Today the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched a consultation on proposed changes to how English Heritage delivers its services. This follows on from the Chancellor’s announcement of these proposed changes in June 2013.

It is proposed that a charitable arm will be established whose purpose will be the conservation and public enjoyment of the National Heritage Collection. Supported by Government investment of £80m, it will undertake an ambitious programme of conservation of the collection and make a series of investments to improve the experience of visitors and members. The charity will, through this programme, be able to grow its income and is expected to become self-financing by 2023. The Collection will remain in public ownership.

There will be no changes to English Heritage’s current duties and responsibilities for championing, advising on and helping to conserve England’s wider historic environment. These will be delivered under the new name of ‘Historic England’. It will continue to provide impartial advice to central government, local authorities, other heritage organisations and private owners. It will continue to co-ordinate the National Heritage Protection Plan, to manage the Heritage at Risk register and to provide access to its expert research and extensive archives. Historic England's role in promoting re-generation and sustainable growth, both within rural areas and urban landscapes, has never been more important.

We and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport believe that a charity will provide a more resilient future for the Collection. It is the first time in decades that this level of funding has been dedicated to English Heritage and it will strengthen and protect the role of English Heritage for generations to come. It will also provide distinct visibility for Historic England in the role of delivering a heritage protection system that supports growth, reduces unnecessary bureaucracy and promotes constructive conservation.

On behalf of the DCMS, we invite you to respond to the consultation document itself via the link below. The consultation will be open for nine weeks and close on February 7th 2014. Please address any questions you have about the consultation to Benjamin.Douglass@culture.gsi.gov.uk or call on 0207 211 2053.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/english-heritage-new-model-consultation

Yours sincerely

Sir Laurie Magnus

Chairman

English Heritage

www.english-heritage.org.uk

Adult Care on Zero Hours Contracts?

ROCHDALE's director of adult care, Sheila Downey, claims that a 'stand alone' body to run adult care would provide a more competitive service. Put simply that means a cheaper service at a 'competitive price', and that this could be done more easily than if it remained within the council. In a letter in last Saturday's Rochdale Observer Les May challenged this analysis writing: 'The only reason an 'in house' service would cost more is that the council would be constrained from employing people on the significantly worse terms and conditions of employment that would be open to other care providers.' But Sheila Downey is calling for 'a not-for profit community interest company'.

Surely that would be alright?

Mr. May is not impressed writing: 'Calling something a "community interest company" is not in itself a safeguard against exploitation of its employees.' Les May warns: 'Establishing such a body does not absolve any Labour councillor of the moral responsibility to ensure that this does not happen.'

Then there is the question of who would accountable and who would be responsible? The original article in the Rochdale Observer told us: 'Initially the council had suggested asking Link4Life, the council's sport and leisure contractor, to run adult care services, but these plans were dropped.'
Indeed they were!

What the Observer doesn't tell us is that shortly after Link4Life was put forward as a candidate for running Rochdale's adult care, the Link4Life bosses became entangled in a scandal over the use, or perhaps we should say misuse, of credit cards, and the idea bit the dust. Similarly, in Tameside, a smoldering scandal is building up about the Labour Council there awarding contracts for school meals to a company accused of the blacklisting building workers.

All this arms-length accountability troubles Mr. Les May who writes: 'At least theoretically [now] the actions of the council's adult care services can be questioned by council tax payers, councillors and local MPs, though in practice it can be difficult to do so', because 'appeals to "data protection" are commonly used to obstruct attempts to hold public bodies to account', and he asks: 'Will we also be faced with appeals to "commercial sensitivity" when we try to hold any stand alone body to account?'

Northern Voices on Manchester Radical History

SALFORD born folk legend, Ewan McColl, is remembered today more for his music and songs than his agit-prop plays which he performed during the 1930s and '40s. But it was his membership of the Communist Party and his political activities before the last war that led to MI5 opening a secret file on him in the 1930s and why they kept him and his friends, under close surveillance. Local writer and journalist, Derek Pattison, obtained access to McColl's MI5 file and an article by him was featured in Northern Voices 7 in 2007. An edited version of this article can now be found on Manchester Radical History http://radicalmanchester.wordpress.com/
also on http://northernradicalhistory.wordpress.com/ ‎

In Bury safety will be 'some time in the future'

SINCE the 5th, December when we placed the post 'Bury Council Sends Out Mixed Messages', it seems that the Council has admitted that the position on raised bin lids is unclear as the bin men and their union Unite at Bradley Fold have consistently argued.  In response to a formal grievance by the union representatives Glen Stuart, the manager at Bradley Fold, has now issued the following statement:
'Note that the above message may seem to contradict the message communicated to residents , which is that bin lids should always be fully closed.  This message should be viewed as a control measure designed to minimised the number of raised bin lids encountered.'

Apparently to put matters right Mr. Stuart is now proposing the following remedy:

'In the new year the council will be commencing an intensive promotional  and educational campaign designed to improve recycling and as part of this it intends to move towards the adoption of a closed bin policy at some time in the future.'

After years of arguing over health and safety this is Mr. Stuart's reluctant response to a grievance put by the bin men and their union.  Things will be put right it seems in the New Year 'some time in the future'.

Protesters and skateboarders under threat from Tory Anti-Social Behaviour Bill!

Civil liberties groups are up in arms about what they see as truly shocking restrictions on civil liberties posed by the Government's 'Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill', which is currently before Parliament.

Those opposed to measures within the Bill, say that it would give councils carte-blanche powers to allow them to ban everything from protests, to outdoor public meetings and children's skateboarding.

Campaigners point out that under Part 4 of the Bill  entitled 'Community Protection', Town Halls would be allowed to issue 'Public Spaces Protection Orders' (PSPO's) to restrict any activity deemed to have a "detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality." The vague wording, and the failure to define the size of the areas to be covered, have led to fears that measures within the Bill, could be deployed to impose blanket bans on lawful activities. Anyone found to have broken the new laws, would be punished with on-the-spot fines, which could be issued by private security guards working on commissions for councils.

The orders, which would last for three years, would be directed at "All persons or only persons in specified categories", which has raised fears that certain groups such as trade unionists or rough sleepers could be descriminated against.

Clause 38 of the Bill, gives powers to an 'authorised person' (constable, local authority, designated person), to issue 'Community Protection Notices' (CPN), if satisfied on reasonable grounds that (a) the conduct of the individual or body is having a detrimental effect, of a persistent or continuing nature, on the quality of life of those in the locality and (b) the conduct is unreasonable.

Although there is a right of appeal in respect of some of the measures, opponents of the Bill say that processes are so expensive and complex that they will be beyond the reach of most groups. Climate change groups and groups like Occupy London, are likely to be seriously affected by the news laws.

Boycott Workfare. Week of Action Against Workfare!

We are publishing below the latest statement received from Boycott Workfare.

"It's the week of action against workfare and sanctions. Thank you for all your support giving workfare exploiters a hard time online and on the streets!

If you're in London, come and celebrate a great week of action at our social on Friday. 

Please read on for Thursday's online action too!

Boycott Workfare End of Year Social!

 

From 7pm at LARC, Friday 6th December, 62 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 1ES. (Nearest tube Aldgate East or Whitechapel).

 

This year we've thrown a good few spanners in the works for workfare.* Now it's time to party and celebrate a great week of action!

 

We'll bring cake, snacks, and tunes - please bring whatever you're drinking! All welcome, especially people new to the campaign and interested in getting involved.

(P.S. If you're outside London, we'd love to see you on 15th February for the gathering instead - http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=3031)

 

*Some of the spanners in workfare's works:

• Wetherspoons, Argos, Shoezone, The Red Cross, and Superdrug have all dropped out since the start of the year. Homebase has scaled back significantly and Homes for Haringey has started paying people.

• Despite a court ruling, the government is still refusing to publish the list of organisations exploiting people on workfare. It argued “disclosure [of names] would have been likely to have led to the collapse of the MWA [Mandatory Work Activity] scheme”!
• The government’s plan to send people leaving the Work Programme from June this year on an automatic six month workfare placement could not be rolled out.
• The government has had to double the amount of money it pays to workfare contractors like Seetec to find Mandatory Work Activity placements because they say it’s got so difficult since organisations started pulling out.

Day 4: On-line Action against Community Work Placement Charities

As part of the Week of Action Against Workfare and Sanctions, on Thursday 5th December 2013, we’re focussing on the Charities that will be handing in their tenders today to access unpaid claimant workers through the new Community Work Placements regime.

Community Work Placements, originally announced by George Osborne as “Help to Work” on 30th September 2013, is a set of new measures that will be forced on claimants who have come through the two year Work Programme without securing employment. The scheme is described as an “intensive option” where the providers will “deliver mandatory work placements for claimants for 30 hours a week for up to 26 weeks, alongside supported jobsearch”. Or put another way, it’s a six month sentence to force claimants work for free or lose their benefits.

Typically the 33 companies who have the option of tendering for this new scheme are the very companies who currently run the Work Programme: the companies who failed to assist the claimants back into work over two years are now being given an extra six months to make even more money off the back of the unemployed! These “Employment Related Supported Services Suppliers” include three charities Boycott Workfare has flagged up before.

Take a look at their finances at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/find-charities/ by inputting their charity number. Then e-mail or contact them on social media to express your distaste at their continued abuse of the benefits system to line their own pockets!

THE SHAW TRUST:
business.development@shaw-trust.org.uk (287785)
@Shaw_Trust
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shaw-Trust/221553131217597

THE CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS:
a.watmouth@tcv.org.uk (261009)
@tcvtweets
https://www.facebook.com/TheConservationVolunteers

GROUNDWORK UK
gduxbury@groundwork.org.uk (291558)
@groundworkuk
https://en-gb.facebook.com/groundworkuk

There are also two more charities touting for business as “secondary delivery providers”, seeking to subcontract from the above and the usual suspects such as Ingeus, G4S, A4e and Serco. They are the supposedly christian organisations The Salvation Army and the YMCA. Key in “Salvation Army” or “YMCA” to the web link above to find out how they are profiting in your locality. The details below are for their head offices in London.

THE SALVATION ARMY:
info@salvationarmy.org.uk
@salvationarmyuk
www.facebook.com/salvationarmyuk

THE YMCA:
press@ymca.org.uk or enquiries@ymca.org.uk
@ymca_england
www.facebook.com/YMCA.England

Don’t forget to sign the petition calling for an end to all benefit sanctions without exceptions:http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/benefit-sanctions-must-be-stopped-without-exceptions-in-uk "

Bury Council sends out mixed messages

BURY Council tell the public not to overfill their bins so that the lids are ajar, but at the same time they urge their refuse collectors to empty bins with raised bin lids.  A couple of years ago a manager over the Bradley Fold Waste Depot, Neil Long, had foremen take photos of wheelie bins with raised bin lids that had been left uncollected, and then spent an afternoon interrogating a binman as to why he hadn't emptied them.  Bury Council has a history of filming its staff while performing their duties, and some years ago this led to an expensive and embarrassing case in which Bury MBC became a public laughing stock after filming three of their staff with a bottle of strawberry volvic, and claiming that they had taken it as a bribe for emptying some trade waste as a favour.  

The bin lid issue is a tricky one and some local councils have a clear policy of refusing to empty bins with raised lids.  In 2011, the Swindon Advertiser reported on a case in which a bin man, Ron Moody aged 52, had been crushed to death owing to a bin being overfilled with waste.  At that time Scott D'Arcy in the Swindon Advertiser reported:
'Dad-of-one Mr Moody, known as ‘Chipper’ to his friends, from Malmesbury, died immediately after the incident on February 18 last year after suffering massive chest injuries including 34 rib fractures. After a jury of seven men and five women recorded an accidental death verdict, the assistant deputy Gloucestershire coroner Tom Osbourne issued a plea to people not to overload bins because of the danger they pose. '

Most people who don't have to contend with the mechanisms of lifting and handling gear on waggons probably think it doesn't matter if a bin has a lid raised an inch or so.  The Gloucestershire coroner in the Mr. Moody case disagreed saying:

'When bins were over full, the machinery on dustcarts could not be operated safely.  Over full bins cause a definite risk to refuse workers.  If, as a result of Mr Moody’s death, people learn that it might be dangerous to put too much in them, there could be a positive outcome to this tragedy.'

A spokesman for Swindon Council also challenged the view that it didn't matter if lids are ajar:
'The bin lifts on the back of refuse vehicles can pose a serious hazard if they are not used correctly, which is why all of our refuse collectors are trained, and given refresher training, in the use of this equipment.  It’s one of the reasons why councils ask residents to make sure the wheelie bin isn’t so full that the lid can’t be fully closed.  Some people think we’re just being awkward when we insist on this, but it’s because it minimises the risk of a horrible accident like this happening.'

Despite these warnings some councils like Bury MBC still send out mixed messages telling the public one thing and their own staff another.  For this reason the union Unite at Bury's Bradley Fold Waste Management Depot are urging Bury MBC to have a clear policy not emptying bins with raised bin lids.

B&M Stores cut wages bill by using free dole labour!

We are publishing below a recent report from Boycott Workfare.

"Workfare hands companies free labour which means fewer jobs and paid hours for everyone. But direct action and online pressure mean tens of brands now steer clear of it. Let’s step up the pressure on companies who still think they can profit from unpaid work! Take action today to shame these companies and make them realise that exploiting unemployed people might just mean fewer customers this Christmas. There’s new online action every day this week so please keep checking.

                              Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer’s use of workfare hit public awareness when they announced 1400 new placements in their stores and a benchmark of 2% of the workforce to be unpaid. But this isn’t the brand’s first encounter with workfare. Despite their CEOearning over £2 million a year, they are also profiting from unpaid work throughanother workfare scheme in Scotland, which targets single parents. It’s likely their involvement is much more widespread – we also heard from someone sent on a 4 week placement at one of their outlet stores.

Last time we took action, M&S was forced to disable comments on their Facebook Page. Several pickets and walks of shame will pay a visit to their stores this week. Please feel free to contact them with your thoughts as well:

By email: Using their online form
By phone: See this useful list of numbers
Facebook: Marks and Spencer
Twitter: @marksandspencer

B&M Stores

In May, B&M won an award from the workfare industry for its involvement. But the reality of this involvement is harsh. One person has reported: “B&M stores have started using workfare Jan 2013. Receiving free labour and stopping overtime for employees with contracts. The people forced to do this free labour are not happy and neither are the employees!” Boycott Workfare has had reports of workfare at B&M stores in Bangor, Glasgow, Manchester, Southend and Northern Ireland. Show them they can’t keep cutting their wages bill with unpaid work!

By email: enquiries@bmstores.co.uk or customerservices@bmstores.co.uk
By phone: 0151 728 5400 or more numbers here.
Facebook: B&M Stores
Twitter: @bmstores 

Asda

Asda has been at the heart of workfare in the UK, helping the government relaunch its “Work Experience” scheme last year. We have had reports that one of their stores in Manchester uses disabled people on workfare on the night shift. They are frank about their involvement here.

Asda contact form: Click here
Facebook: Asda
Twitter: @asda 

Don’t forget to sign the petition calling for an end to all benefit sanctions without exceptions."

Reasons for an increase in readership

BETWEEN August this year, and November 2013 our page-views increased by just over 40%.  Between October and November 2013 there was just over a 12% increase in hits reaching an all time peak.  This last significant rise in our page-viewings we put down to our advertisement 'A Decade of Northern Voices' in the London anarchist bookfair program booklet on October 19th this year. 

Between August and September this year, we saw a 30% increase in our page-viewings of the Northern Voices' Blog owing, we believe, to the coverage that appeared in Channel Four's Dispatches' program in the middle of September on the now disgraced former Rochdale MP, Cyril Smith, entitled 'The Paedophile MP:  How Cyril Smith Got Away with It' in which investigator Liz MacKean looked into allegations that the Liberal Democrat MP sexually abused children for years before his death in 2010, and claims of lack of action by the authorities. 

A year ago in November 2012, Northern Voices together with the current Rochdale MP, Simon Danzcuk, and the Paul Waugh on his politicshome website N.V. helped to reveal the serious allegations against what Oliver Kamm in The Times described as 'among the most recognisable politicians of the past half century, abused young boys in the 1960s and 1970s.'  At that time last year Mr. Kamm wrote in The Times:
'Danczuk deserves credit for attacking the reputation of his predecessor. The allegations are true. Smith was a paedophile sadist who satisfied his urgings by inflicting humiliating punishment on vulnerable boys who were nominally in his care. Francis Wheen exposed these horrors in Private Eye 30 years ago. Smith never sued.'

Unfortunately, Mr. Kamm's account fails like so many others to make in clear that it was the local journal Rochdale Alternative Paper (RAP) edited by David Bartlett and John Walker that originally exposed Cyril Smith 30 years ago, and that to its credit Private Eye was the only national publication that a month later ran the story in 1979.

Cyril Smith won Rochdale for the Liberals in a by-election in 1972 and held it for 20 years.

More recently Northern Voices has been at the forefront of these revelations and we believe that this has paid off in boosting our page-viewing on this Blog significantly in the last year.  In the current issue of our printed publication Northern Voices No.14, John Walker, the former editor of the Rochdale Alternative Paper (RAP), praises our role in finally outing Cyril Smith in November 2012. It is now believed that the Rochdale MP, Mr. Danzcuk, is at present engaged in producing a publication on the issues surrounding the conduct of Cyril Smith, his rise to power in Rochdale and national politics, and the possibilities of a cover-up by the authorities.

Our long term involvement in this story and other controversal cases like the blacklist in the British building trade, may go some way to explaining why our monthly page-views have almost doubled between September 2012 and November 2013.

 

 

Daily Mail columnist brands blacklisted workers 'terrorists' and 'gangsters'!

We are publishing below a statement and report from the Blacklist Support Group.

'Ultra right wing' Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn today launched a rabid attack on workers blacklisted from building sites today. In a mud-slinging article, blacklisted building workers are smeared as terrorists and "gangsters". The supposed journalism finishes with a foaming at the mouth tirade of abuse arguing that the victims of blacklisting were in fact:

'responsible for widespread intimidation and extortion on sites across Britain. They had to be banned for the sake of all the decent construction workers trying to make an honest living. And most of them should never be allowed back within a mile of a building site.'

Steve Acheson - blacklisted electrician & chair, Blacklist Support Group said:

"Not a single shred of documentary evidence relating to blacklisting either disclosed in court or to the parliamentary Select Committee investigation identifies any links to terrorism. The main reason for being blacklisted was for raising concerns about safety issues on building sites or complaining about unpaid wages - all perfectly legal and normal trade union activity. 

Every single person on that blacklist has had their human rights violated, many of us suffered years of unemployment and family tensions because of the conspiracy. It is multinational companies with the collusion of the police in this blacklisting conspiracy who have denied decent construction workers an honest living.

It is not a crime to be a member of a trade union but it is a crime to systematically deny people work because of it. The nasty underbelly of the blacklisting firms are now finally being exposed in the High Court and will hopefully face a Public Inquiry.

This is the second time that I have been accused of being a terrorist because of my fight against the blacklist. The last time, a High Court judge threw out the company's claims saying they were "fanciful bordering on paranoia". 

Dave Smith - blacklisted engineer & secretary, Blacklist Support Group said

'I was blacklisted because I raised concerns about asbestos and overflowing toilets. 

If I ask for a safe building site is that extortion? 

If I take on the role of a union safety rep does that make me a gangster? 

There certainly are gangsters in the building industry who intimidate honest workers. They're the fat cats wearing expensive suits who tried to destroy our working lives.  

Where does Littlejohn get his supposed information form? I smell the work of a PR firm working for the blacklisting companies or Special Branch - possibly both.

If Richard Littlejohn thinks he is the voice of the people, he is very much mistaken. He is a paid apologist for the worst excesses of big business. 

Could the wretch be anymore obnoxious?'

Blacklist Support Group

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70

blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/

Tories roll out more unpaid work for Britain's youngsters!

We are publishing below a report we have received from 'Boycott workfare'.

"Day One of the week of action against workfare and sanctions was great - with a LOUD noise demo at the workfare industry's annual conference, hijacking its hashtag and actions in Cardiff and Germany! On Day Two, target the companies profiting from making young people work without pay on Traineeships.

Traineeships are about providing cheap labour, driving down wages, massaging unemployment figures and conditioning our young people for a life of poverty and jumping through endless hoops in search of a job.

They're a fairly new scheme that targets 16-24 year olds with more unpaid work. Traineeships involve a work placement of up to six months for which the employer is not even required to pay travel expenses. The promise at the end of six months' unpaid work? You may then be eligible to work for £2.67 an hour as an apprentice.

Used together, traineeships and apprenticeships have the potential to massively undercut the minimum wage on the high street and elsewhere.  The government is of course rolling out compulsory education for 17-18 year-olds and unpaid work looks set to make up an increasingly large component of that education. Benefits cuts for 18-25 year-olds are also threatened.

There are many companies happy to take advantage of young people and profit from their lack of opportunity and  today let's take action against them. Contact them by phone, email or on social media.

Kwikfit

Kwikfit's hit the headlines for expecting 39 hours of unpaid work a week from its traineeships and advertising them across the UK. It's already faced huge public criticism on social media. Let's make sure it knows the pressure hasn't gone away and it needs to pay the people who work for it.

You could comment by phone or email, on its Facebook page or Youtube channel.

Tweet to @Kwik_Fit

Subway

This multi-national brand with $18.1 billion in sales in a year, is recruiting multiple traineeships in Blackpool to "prepare food and serve customers" for 21 hours' work a week each. currently advertising for at least three placements, this shop is saving itself £3180 on the wages bill in the next two months. Let's hope the young people weren't planning on buying any Christmas presents.

Share your thoughts on Subway's Facebook page or take a look at their contact details.

Tweet to @SUBWAYUKIreland

Toywatch

Here is a luxury watch shop offering unpaid work for six months in its store in Westfield to young people when clearly it should and could offer them paid work and on the job training. You can contact Toywatch and let them know what you think on shop@toy-watch.com, comment on their Facebook page, give them a call on 020 3301 8744 or pay them a visit.

Tweet to @ToyWatchWorld

Novotel

Novotel's 4* hotel in Southampton is also profiting from 42 hours of unpaid work in its kitchens each week. Its contact details can be found here.

Got a few more minutes?

Have a dig here and pick the companies you'd like to contact about their exploitation of young people to replace paid work.

Want more info on traineeships? Hear it from the horse's mouth here and here.

Coming up...

There's online action every day this week - please keep an eye on the website and get involved!

There's demos across the UK this week. Check out the growing list here.

On Feb 15th - Take part in a day of sharing skills and information to challenge workfare and sanctions.

Thanks for helping make the week of action huge!

P.S. Sorry the links in Sunday's email didn't work. Today's definitely should!

Acheson & others v Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd

BLACKLISTING High Court claim (Acheson & others v Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd) The first ever hearing in the blacklisting High Court claim took place last Friday (29th November). The original High Court claim for nearly 100 claimants supported by the Blacklist Support Group has been in preparation since 2009 and is being led by Guney Clark & Ryan solicitors. In the summer GMB announced that they would also be taking a High Court claim for their members and last week to coincide with the TUC Day of Action on blacklisting, UNITE and UCATT also announced they would be joining the High Court claims.

In Court on Friday, Hugh Tomlinson QC of Matrix Chambers (famous for his privacy work on behalf of celebrities and for co-founding the Hacked Off phone hacking campaign) was acting on behalf of the original claim brought by Guney Clark & Ryan (GCR), was joined at a hearing in the Royal Courts of Justice by John Hendy QC and barristers acting for three other newer union claims. Tomlinson called the Consulting Association 'a blacklist for trade union and political activities' and accused the firms of being involved in ' a conspiracy to injure.'  He also told the court that due to the fact that the Information Commissioner left over 90% of the documentation in the offices of the Consulting Association during the raid in 2009, 'much of the material that wasn't seized has now disappeared.'

Tomlinson made an application for a group litigation order (GLO) which would permit the four cases to be managed collectively. The reason for a GLO is that all of the claims are dealing with the same factual and legal issues and rather than have hundreds of separate cases heard in court talking about the same events, there will only be one case but with each legal team presenting their own arguments. This is a perfectly usual legal process and stops witnesses having to give evidence multiple times in multiple cases. The court’s senior master Steven Whitaker stated that the two newest cases from Ucatt and Unite were not sufficiently advanced and ruled that the he would make the GLO next April.

Several major contractors are defendants in the cases: Sir Robert McAlpine, Balfour Beatty, BAM, Carillion, Costain, Laing, Kier Ltd, Skanska, Vinci, Taylor Woodrow and AMEC but only Sir Robert McAlpine and Skanska were even represented at the hearing.

Prior to the hearing, the companies had attempted to have the claims 'stayed' (put on hold) because of their so-called compensation scheme proposals. But GCR lawyers vigorously opposed any suggestion that the legal cases should be paused arguing that our legal cases are ready to go. In the end, the employers firms did not even raise the suggestion in court.

Speaking outside the court, Liam Dunne for GCR said: 
'Despite misleading press reports, not a single person has been offered a penny from the blacklist compensation scheme. We have no intention of stopping our legal claim against the Sir Robert McAlpine and the other firms.  The slight delay until April allows the unions to catch up but as far as Guney Clark & Ryan and our claimants are concerned it is full steam ahead.'

Pix: http://www.demotix.com/news/3369105/blacklist-protest-outside-royal-courts-justice#media-3369129
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60718029@N06/sets/72157638203240035/

Blacklist Support Group video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70

blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
___________________________________________

The current printed issue of NORTHERN VOICES No.14, is now available for sale at all our usual outlets in the North of England and beyond - see below. This issue N.V.14 has a Tameside Eye story about how Tameside has a history of involvement in blacklisting, it also contains an interview by Barry Woodling with George Tapp - the Salford electrician injured in May on an anti-blacklist picket. The Voices has been in the forthfront of the campaign against the blacklist since 2003 and the DAF dispute at Manchester Piccadilly, its editor, an electrician, was on the blacklist of the Economic League in the 1960s, and there was an attempt to blacklist him while he was working in Gibraltar in both 1964 and 1967, but at the time this intervention by the Foreign Office was resisted by the Gibraltarian authorities, and the Gibraltar Transport & General Workers Union.
Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques made payable to 'Northern Voices' should be sent c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.
Tel.: 0161 793 5122.
email: northernvoices@hotmail.com