'History Boys' play opens today at Summerseat in Bury

The History Boys (with foul language) by Alan Bennett
IT was a quote from the 'History Boys' that provoked some consternation when uttered at Ashton Library last November, during the commemoration of a blue plaque for James Keogh, the Ashton volunteer in the Spanish Civil War.  The quote 'History is just one fucking thing after another', was enunciated by the Secretary of Tameside Trade Union Council during the ceremony.  Tameside TUC had nominated James Keogh, who killed in action in the Spanish Civil War, for a blue plaque for his foresight and courage in recognising the need to fight fascism and dictatorship.
The History Boys is about an unruly bunch of bright, funny sixth-form boys in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university. A maverick English teacher at odds with the young and shrewd supply teacher. A headmaster obsessed with results; a history teacher who thinks he is a fool. Staff-room rivalry and the anarchy of adolescence provoke questions about education and its purpose. Immensely funny as well as provocative.
The History Boys Cast:

Steve Colter

Chris Balmer

Hayley Read

Geoff Sword

Jon Stroud

Ricky Barnes

Jonny Barker

Duane Lomax

Jamie Maloney

Lee Ward

David McFarlane

Dan Mehers

Director Andrea Kinsella
Bookings from 07/09/2011 by contacting the box office on 01706 826760 between 7pm and 8pm Monday to Friday and between 10am and noon on Saturday.

There will be an Extra Performance on Friday, 14/09/2012 at 19.45. Tickets are £6.00. Seats are not bookable for this performance - first come first served!

The Play runs from Saturday 15/09/2012 to Saturday 22/09/2012 (excluding Sunday 16/09/2012) at 19.45.

In Defence of Crap Cooking!

Deep-Fried Mars Bars North of the Border

FOOD is seen as a trivial concern except as a fuel to keep your belly full by many in England.  A year or two ago, after Chris Draper wrote 'Six O' the Best Northern Tea Time Treats' in Northern Voices No.11, Derek Pattison said that there was too much on food in that publication.  Another of our writers, Les May, dismissed our coverage of food as being boring, saying that Chis Draper's concern that Eccles Cakes are no longer baked in Eccles in Salford as being of little importance:  'We're not like the French', he declared, 'we don't need food to have geographical protected status'.

And yet, we have the French Revolution to thank for the development of the restaurant trade.  This was an unintended consequence, but it was only when the chefs to the aristocracy became unemployed after the French Revolution that they set about opening restaurants. 

It can't be trivial either that on Radio 4 only today some environmentalists are calling for a ban on fishing in some European fishing areas for the next nine years.  That would almost certainly put up the price of fish in the shops at a time when on health grounds people are being urged to eat more fish.  It would certainly upset the Spaniards wherein the quality of fried fish is sought in every tapas bar, and where they are prepared to pay more than most of us for the pleasure of eating fish.

Last Saturday's Financial Times had a leader that began:  'Food is no joke in most of Europe... France and Switzerland once spent years fighting to claim special status from Brussels for their respective Gruyere cheeses.  (The french have holes, the Swiss do not.)'  But beyond our North of England border at the Carron Fish Bar of Stonehaven, in the north-east of Scotland, was last week told by Mars PLC that it was not authorised to use the trade-marked chocolate bar's name to finest and fry its speciality the 'deep-fried Mars Bar'.  Mars PLC had been alerted to the chippy's intention, according to the Financial Times, 'to apply to Brussels to request protected food status for the confectionery that first emerged from its deep-fryers in 1995'. 

The Financial Times leader writer declares:  'It is as clear as the batter on the hot and squidgy caramel treat whether the owners ever intended to apply for the same standing as Asiago cheese, champagne or Cornish pasties... Despite the creative initiative, the Mars bar is not Scottish and does not need protection from foreign bootleggers.'   The F.T. writer also reminds us that the Scottish diet is perhaps the unhealthiest in Britain, and that the country has some of the highest rates of heart disease and cancer.  It is hard to find good restaurants north of the border as well, I had my worst meal last year in the Scottish borders.  Yet, a bad diet is probably better than no diet at all, and one is bound to ask where does all the Aberdeen Angus beef and all the Scottish salmon go?  Does it all go down South?___________________________________________________
The printed version of NORTHERN VOICES 13, now on sale with all sorts of stuff others won't touch and may be obtained as follows: Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques payable to ‘NORTHERN VOICES’ at c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.

Tel.: 0161 793 5122. Email: northernvoices@hotmail.com

Jack Straw says: 'Police acted with impunity!'

YESTERDAY, Jack Straw, a former Labour Home Secretary, said that a 'culture of impunity' among the Yorkshire police was created under the Thatcher government and that this led to the Hillsborough cover-up.  This followed the revelations in an independent report on Wednesday that accused the South Yorkshire Police of deflecting blame for the disaster from themselves onto innocent fans.  Mr. Straw said that the then Conservative government was complicit because they needed the 'partisan' support from the police to defeat the miners at that time.

Jack Straw told BBC Radio Four's Today program yesterday:  'The Thatcher government, because they needed the police to be a partisan force, particularly for the miner's strike and other industrial troubles, created a culture of impunity in the police service.'  He continued:  'They really were immune from outside influences and they thought they could rule the roost and that is what we absolutely saw in south Yorkshire.'

This is a brave statement by Jack Straw MP for Blackburn, because as everyone ought to know that the British police have extensive records and data, and tend to be a bit vindictive in dealing with their political critics and that they have long memories.  Consequently most politicians tend to handle them with kid gloves, because many politicians have skeletons in their cupboards and don't want some disgruntled copper whistleblowing on them to the media.  Perhaps for this reason David Cameron, the Prime Minister, in making his apology to the families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster this week, was careful  to add to his critical statement on this report the well-warn cliche that 'the police have a difficult job to do'.

Conservative politicians such as David Mellor and Lord Tebbit disputed these claims by the former Labour Home Secretary.  Perhaps they have more to hide than Jack Straw?

'Bandits of Andalucia'

The article below entitled 'Bandits  of Andalucia' was of especial interest and it raised some very important issues and concerns and gave much food for thought.    Freedom of speech ought to be a given within the libertarian movement and should be safeguarded at all times.

Rochdale Artist praises 'Northern Voices'

In the 70s, Kershaw's work was dotted all around Lancashire mill towns – there was the 'inside-out house' in his home town of Rochdale, which Hodkinson remembers very clearly.  'It just seemed normal to me.  When you're a kid, you don't deconstruct these things.  But when you're older, you realise it wasn't normal at all.'

THIS morning, just before Radio Four broadcast his program on what they called the 'Godfather of Guerrilla Artists', Walter Kershaw thanked Northern Voices for renewing his subscription to what he described as 'an excellent magazine'.  Shortly after this John Walker, the former editor of RAP (The Rochdale Alternative Paper) now living in London, e-mailed us to say: 

'Good programme on Walter on Radio 4 this a.m., 11.30.  Very evocative of Rochdale in 70's, but not totally nostalgic!!  Catch it on the I-player, if you can.  Trust all is well'  - John.

When Northern Voices spoke to 71-year-old Walter he was excited and anticipating the program.  His mother came from down South, but his Dad came from Blackburn and was a cotton operative.  He took the interviewer Mark Hodkinson into his spare bedroom and showed him his sculpture of 'Women's Liberation Front', and said:  'I'm not anti-social - it's just I haven't time to be social'.  Another commentator said Walter 'would talk some girl into taking her clothes off' so he could paint her in the nude and one woman said:  'Walter has spent too much time with women, he had no brother and was partly brought up with elderly aunts'. 
This, if true, is rather similar to George Orwell who was brought up mostly by his mother and other female relatives, while his father was in India.  In fact, I suspect that whatever the feminists say, most lads in the North are brought up listening to their mothers, grandmothers and aunts.  These female relatives,  in my experience, spend a lot of their time running their menfolk down, while we listen-in as young innocent onlookers to men being portrayed as rather disreputable specimen's of the human race.  This may be why men, when they grow up are like they are - the products of women who spend their days in this way.

A speaker, comparing Walter to Banksy, said that in a way Walter's work painting the gable-ends of terraced houses though not overtly political in a crude sense, were none-the-less, at the time, political gestures against the civil servants and the bureaucratic system.
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The printed version of NORTHERN VOICES 13, now on sale with all sorts of stuff others won't touch and may be obtained as follows: Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques payable to ‘NORTHERN VOICES’ at c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.
Tel.: 0161 793 5122. Email: northernvoices@hotmail.com

Report: Harold Evans' former paper bought by housing trust

Posted by Press Gazette on 10 September 2012 at 07:38:

The Tameside Reporter, the newspaper on which former Times Editor Sir Harold Evans began his career, has been bought by a housing trust, according to reports.

The Northern Voices news blog said the weekly paper, which was launched in 1855, has been bought by the New Charter Housing Trust Ltd.  The paper, owned by Ashton Weekly Newspapers, was reportedly facing closure and had been looking for a buyer since July.

Northern Voices said:

For some years now, New Charter have been diversifying into other areas unrelated to housing provision. In March 2000, Tameside Council transferred all its remaining council housing to New Charter who purchased the homes after a previous transfer, of housing stock, to Ashton Pioneer Homes. The housing company have ambitions ‘to own and manage 30,000 homes by 2020.’

Since acquiring housing stock in Tameside, the company have rapidly expanded its interests beyond the boundary of Tameside by acquiring ‘aksa’ homes (Oldham), ‘Gedling Homes’ (Nottinghamshire) and ‘Threshold’ a charitable organisation that helps the homeless with ‘pathways to independence’. The company also have an interest in ‘New Charter Academy’, a school/sports college, and recently acquired ownership of Tameside Radio.

It added: 'Because of its corporate influence and close links with council, one might also question whether New Charter, is an appropriate and suitable organisation, to run a local newspaper.'

This Month's Northern Voices' Top 5 pageviews:

158 pageviews:  New Charter takes over Tameside Reporter. Is this ...

3 Sep 2012
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112 pageviews:  Bolton Council say 'Bye-Bye' to Gary Neville's Tel...

25 Jun 2010
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56 pageviews:  WOOLAS SUSPENDED BY LABOUR PARTY!

6 Nov 2010, 1 comment
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51 pageviews:  BLACK ROSES: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster

16 Aug 2012
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48 pageviews:  Blacklisted worker Colin Trousdale calls on Unite ...

31 Jan 2011
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Edirorial comment:  It's not surprising that the 'New Charter' takeover of the Tameside Reporter is the top performer in the last month on the Northern Voices Blog.  The Garry Neville story has been the best all time performer and one Sophie Lancaster posting, last April, has had 453 pageviews in all.  More curious in the last month, are the 56 pageviews for the 6th, November 2010 posting on the suspension of Phil Woolas from the Labour Party and the 48 pageviews for the 31st, January posting on the blacklisted electrician Colin Trousdale.

Hillsborough: 'The Truth Is Great!'

WHEN the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 Jim Pinkerton declared:  'The Truth is Great!'.  Jim, then a copy taker on the Sunday People in Manchester and a supporter of Manchester United and Ashton United, made this declaration in classical Latin.  The Hillsborough disaster in South Yorkshire also occurred in 1989, and the relatives of the victims of those who died in the Hillsborough disaster, must be feeling the same way now the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel has been released today by the Right Reverend James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool. 

This afternoon, the Prime Minister David Cameron gave a statement to Parliament following the release of previously unseen documents relating to the Hillsborough disaster.  Admitting that the new report's findings are 'deeply distressing' Mr. Cameron pointed to three areas of concern:
i)  The failure of the authorities to help protect people.
ii)  The attempt to blame the fans.
iii)  The doubt cast on the original coroner's inquest.

Most importantly, David Cameron said:  'The families have long believed that some of the authorities attempted to create a completely unjust account of events that sought to blame the fans for what happened.'  He continued:  'Mr Speaker, the families were right.  The evidence in today's report includes briefings to the media and attempts by police to change the record of events.'   Media reports at the time were fed with false allegations about the Liverpool fans:  'Several newspapers reported false allegations that fans were drunk and violent and stole from the dead.'  In particular, Mr. Cameron singled out The Sun and News International for special comment:  'The Sun's report sensationalised these allegations under the banner headline "THE TRUTH".'  'This', said Mr. Cameron, 'was clearly wrong and caused huge offence, distress and hurt.'  It was found that it was part of the efforts of the Yorkshire police to 'develop and publicise a version of events that focused on allegations of drunkenness, ticketlessness and violence.' 

Also the report found that police reports were significantly altered in 164 cases and according to David Cameron: '[in] 116 (there were attempts to) explicitly removed negative comments about the policing operation- including lack of leadership.'

Expect more on this matter.

Notes from a 'Week of the Rank & File':

Stewart Hume has been reinstated.  A great victory and a massive well done to all our Scottish brothers!  There is power in the Union. We know it and so do the employers.   We have just had a great week for the ‘Rank and File’.

1] The threat of walkouts at Grangemouth and protests on all Balfour Beatty Engineering Services [BBES] sites was just too much for the blacklisting wretches! BBES were forced to reinstate the ‘sacked’ Rank and Filer, Stewart Hume. There is power in the union & the ‘Rank and File’ and when we are on the march are unstoppable. Put that in your pipe[work] and smoke it Mr Harvey.

2] Last week the National ‘Rank and File’ committee met with Unite's Assistant General Secretary, Gail Cartmail, and National officer Bernard [moving forward] Macauly. It was a good meeting, though there were no massive gains, but we weren’t expecting any really Unite like to tread carefully 'musn’t break then anti Trade Union laws now must we'!

A] Crown house was discussed, with still no sign of the ‘sign or be sacked’ letter. We have got them [CH] on the run so let’s keep at the b******s!.

B] Blacklisting was discussed, and our demands to get our blacklisted brothers in work. Unite seem to be warming to the idea so watch this space.
The Scottish Select Committee met last Tuesday and we hear that Gail Cartmail gave 'em what for thanks for that better late than never.

C] The ‘crap’ pay deal was mentioned..........It’s a joke/piss take.......... No pay increase until June 2013 a 1.5% increase in first year, well below inflation. Unite are sending out letters with the full details and strongly recommending that their members DO NOT accept the offer. This is a consultative ballot for possible industrial action up to and including STRIKE ACTION.

Unite ‘Rank and File’ construction workers say NO!... NO!!!..... NO!!!!!!

Make sure you put your cross in the right box REJECT THE OFFER and get ready for strike action. A resounding rejection is essential.

We should also be receiving paperwork on ‘Blacklisting’, please fill that in too.

D] Play by the rules was also on the meeting agenda, we know that the employers are breaking the rules all day every day. Please contact your local office, Unite say they will follow up any complaints, so keep the info coming in.

Finally, a new copy of ‘Siteworker' is done, anyone needing copies please let us know by emailing siteworkers@virginmedia.com and we will post them out to you. For more info please visit..... Electricians Against The World

http :// www.jibelectrician.blogspot.com/
Keep in touch with us by Email siteworkers@virginmedia.com

Just another week in the life of the rank and File eh! Solidarity forever.

Robin Hood: Bandits in Andalucia

WHEN reading The Guardian story below on the anarchist trade union militant Juan Gordillo, English readers ought to be aware of something of the history and tradition of this kind of thing in southern Spain.  Every time I go to Ronda in the province of Malaga, I visit a bar in the old part of town near the Roman Bridge and gaze at the black and white photos of around the room in which alongside local shots of  Francesco Rosi's 1984 film version of the Carmen opera with the tenor, Plácido Domingo, and Julia Migenes, are photos of a genuine bandit being arrested by the Guardia Civil in the local sierra. 
This bandit tradition continued in this part of Spain until at least 1951.  Julian A.Pitt-Rivers in his book 'The People of the Sierra' (1954) explains:  'Ronda is like a provincial capital to the pueblos of the sierra.  Like Jerez, it possesses a resident aristocracy.  The pueblos to the south, in the valley of the Rio Genal, are small, less than one thousand inhabitants in number, and situated in wild country.  The agricultural land of these pueblos and much of the low-lying forest is divided into small properties.  Large pastoral properties are owned by the state and by the aristocracy of Ronda who also own much of the better land round Ronda itself.'  Mr Pitt-Rivers then quotes from an article in Estampa, published in 1934, commenting on banditry in this region:  '(A Civil Guard speaking to the journalist says -)  "Just as in some regions there are pueblos which strive to produce the most and best bullfighters, so here they want to have bandits [and] all the folk of the sierra protect Flores (a bandit).  In Igualeja the pueblo is on Flores' side.  They are all spies who watch our every act.  Only by betrayal could we come to grips with him, and no one dares betray him for he would soon be avenged".'    

Pitt-Rivers describes the sociology of the bandit and his relationship with the pueblo thus:  '(A bandit must retain his confidential contact with the pueblo and in doing so) His opposition to the Civil Guard assures him the sympathy of a large part of the pueblo.  Theoretically, at any rate, a romantic and honourable figure, he is outside the law but he is not immoral.'  It is this ability of the Andalucian bandit to remain a member of the moral community, at least in relation to certain sections of it, that allows him to exist outside the law.  The danger is that when the shepherds and goat-herder's start to inform of him to the Guardia Civil and his friends in the pueblo fail him, then according to Mr. Pitt-Rivers, 'he has reached the end of his tether'. 

In the early 1950s, this is what led to the successful suspression of banditry in the sierra de Ronda.  Julian Pitt-Rivers writes: 
'The Civil Guard, unable to trap the elusive and well-armed "Reds", concentrated their efforts against their contacts in the pueblos.  Finding their supplies endangered, the bandits took to plundering the shepherds and the latter reacted by betraying them to their pursuers.' 

Recent local events have given this story is interesting and ironic topical twist, because at present the printed version of Northern Voices is under a similar heavy attack from two sides:  from the establishment organisation Link4Life that is an arms-length body led by gaffers that runs museums, art galleries and sports outfits, and from what, using George Orwell's terminology, may be described as a smelly little orthodoxy on the ultra-left of the political spectrum.  The Link4Life bosses withdrew one of our sales outlets because of an article in Northern Voices No.13 by Debbie Firth, a Touchstones Challenge campaigner in Rochdale defending the arts and heritage of the borough; at the same time a shadowy group on the wilder fringes of the of the crackpot left have been busy touring some of our outlets trying to discourage them from distributing Northern Voices.  All of this is interesting and deserves deeper research as an anthropological strange development both at a local level inside the relationship of Link4Life to the Rochdale Council, and inside the small-group dynamics of the more foolish factions of politics on the left in England.

Another Spanish Robin Hood: Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo

LAST month, and not for the first time, Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo found himself in the Spanish headlines. Dubbed 'Robin Hood' by El Pais, Sánchez Gordillo, the mayor of a small town in rural Andalusia, led farm labourers into supermarkets to expropriate basic living supplies: they filled trolleys with pasta, sugar, chickpeas and milk, left without paying, and distributed the loot to local food banks. His reasoning was blunt: 'The crisis has a face and a name. There are many families who can't afford to eat.'

It's hard to overstate how close to the brink Spain is at the moment. Unemployment is at 25% nationally (higher than Greece), 34% in Andalusia and 53% for 16-to-24-year-olds; miners in Asturias are firing homemade rocket launchers at riot police; repossessions and the collapse of the construction industry have left 800,000 empty homes, and, last May, the 8 million-strong indignados protest movement, a forerunner of Occupy, announced its total lack of faith in parliamentary democracy to solve any of these problems. And this is just the phoney war: last month, the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, announced spending cuts of ¤65bn (£51bn) over the next two years.

In the heart of it all, like Asterix's village in Gaul implausibly holding out against the Romans, is Sánchez Gordillo's town, the self-described communist utopia of Marinaleda.  With a population of 2,600, the town has virtually full employment, communally owned land and wage equality.  Over the past three decades, the townspeople have built 350 family homes with their own hands. Residents pay a 'mortgage' of just ¤15 a month towards their homes, but have no opportunity to profit from selling them on.

When you first arrive, Marinaleda looks the same as any small town in rural Andalusia, with olive groves stretching towards a dusty horizon, children kicking footballs against worn stone walls and parasols fluttering gently outside tapas bars. Soon, you begin to notice the little differences: the lack of advertising or brand names, the streets named for Fermín Salvochea, the 19th-century anarchist mayor of Cadiz, and for Salvador Allende, Federico García Lorca and Pablo Neruda.

In the mayor's office hangs a framed portrait of Che Guevara, along with three flags: one for Andalusia, one for the Spanish Second Republic (the elected government displaced by Franco's military coup), and one sporting the red, white and green of Marinaleda itself; it's very clean, and endearingly untidy. In one corner is a flip-chart covered with semi-legible marker pen scribbles, bullet points and wonky arrows; this, it transpires, is the town's budget.

Sánchez Gordillo was born in Marinaleda in 1949; back then, he explains, it was a town of migrant workers. 'They would go to Germany, or France; or for two months a year, to the wheat fields to the north, to look for work. Otherwise, they were unemployed. It was misery. The surroundings were all huge expanses of private land. Andalusia is like Latin America: 2% of property owners own 50% of the land.'

After Franco's death in 1975, Marinaleda began struggling towards its own definition of freedom. Organising around a new trade union, a new workers' party, and with weekly mass meetings, the townspeople began occupying some of the land around the village, owned – and unused – by the Duke of Infantil. The police would arrest or evict them, and they'd start all over again. They blocked roads, broke into and shut down Malaga and Seville airports, marched on Madrid, and went on mass hunger strike. Sánchez Gordillo has been to jail seven times, and survived two assassination attempts by rightwing extremists.

After 12 years of persistent struggle, with 1992's Seville World Expo just round the corner and the regional authorities' resolve finally weakening, incredibly, they won, securing 1,200 hectares of the duke's land for their farming cooperative.

'Our union gathers people of many political stripes,' Sánchez Gordillo explains, 'but we carry the torch of anarchism's direct action.'  He cites 5,000 years of Andalusian struggle for land, and thinks for a moment.  'Even the weekly assembly is direct action.'

The town's relationship with the state is complicated. They are still subject to Spanish electoral law (Sánchez Gordillo is re-elected with a huge majority each time), but have abolished their police force.  'By law, due to the number of inhabitants we have here, we should have around four to seven cops,' he tells me.  'But we don't want police here. Because we have our voluntary work, because we fight together, because we make our lives together, there is a high degree of coexistence. When we plant trees, we do it together too.' Sánchez Gordillo's articulation of what 'community' can mean is striking, when you consider how blithely the word is used by politicians across the west.

'Utopias aren't chimeras, they are the most noble dreams that people have. The dream of equality; the dream that housing should belong to everyone, because you are a person, and not a piece of merchandise to be speculated with; the dream that natural resources – for instance energy – shouldn't be in the service of multinationals, but in the service of the people. All those dreams are the dreams we'd like to turn into realities. First, in the place where we live, with the knowledge that we're surrounded by capitalism everywhere; and later, in Andalusia, and the world.'

Leaving the gleaming white town hall building and departing into the dusk, you find a metal arch spelling out the slogan OTRO MUNDO ES POSIBLE. Another world is possible. In Marinaleda, the words represent not an aspirational mirage, but a statement of fact.

• Adapted from Utopia and the Valley of Tears: A journey through the Spanish crisis, an ebook available from amazon.co.uk from 20 August. 

Dan Hancox Guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 15 August 2012 19.30 BST

Preserved Lemons & Bury Black Puddings

Short-sighted Boss Neil Long got it wrong at Bury MBC

DOWN South, Bury Market is renown for its Black Puddings.  Less well known are those of its citizens dedicated to oriental cuisine.  Hence, among the good Christian persons of Bury consuming pig's blood sausages there are foreign folk eating kosher food.  With this in mind, two years ago Neil Long, a senior manager at Bury MBC, embarked with his staff on a consultation exercise in Prestwich among the Jews and in those areas of town populated by people from the Indian sub-continent.  Then Mr. Long told us at a mass meeting of refuse operatives at Bradley Fold Waste Depot, near Bury, that he had consulted with these oriental communities to assure them that by introducing a fortnightly cycle of bin collection, rather than a weekly one, there would be no resulting deterioration in the service and no increased risk to health (see 6th, September posting 'Brown Bins & "Bury Belly".').

When I questioned Mr. Long on behalf of my members, as the UNITE Branch Secretary, about the possible risks to public health of the reduced collections he dismissed this arguing that so long as the bin lids were kept tightly shut there was no health risk.  On that occasion, as I recall, Jason McKenna, the Safety Representative at Bradley Fold, pounced upon this need for securely shut bin lids.  More recently this issue of closed bin lids has become an ongoing problem as to whether open lids present a physical risk to operatives;  it has been rumoured that it may have even been an underlying factor leading to the suspension of Jason McKenna, last November.  This issue is now closed and Jason has been reinstated at Bradley Fold but is still off work owing to the stress caused by the investigation.

And yet, the assumption that closed bid lids prevent maggot infestation, as Neil Long appeared to imply, is surely wrong.  I know this to be the case because this August just gone, while the Bury binmen were going down with 'Bury Belly' (see in the humid weather conditions while emptying oriental waste, I was busy marinating a couple of pounds of cubed lamb in my fridge with onions, garlic, parsley, coriander, spices and salt.  This marination had to continue for very nearly a week, because my branch of Tescos was all out of the vital ingredient of a jar of preserved lemons and I had to go all the way to Harvey Nichols in Leeds to get one.  These preserved lemons cost me all of £6.50, but when next day I came to insert them in the lamb marinade the maggot infestation in the tagine had reached such horrific proportions that even I with my frugal Jewish habits of avoiding waste at all costs I was forced to give it up as a bad job.  Now if this kind of thing can happen in a tagine sealed with a lid on in less than a week in a fridge, what would we expect to happen in a wheelie-bin outside in a fortnight?

The morale of this tale must be that Neil Long doesn't do the cooking otherwise he would have hesitated before proposing fortnightly collections for the brown bins, especially during the Summer months.  There are clearly health risks in cutting back on bin collections.

Bedroom Farce at 'Theatre by the Lake'

ALAN Ayckbourn's play 'Bedroom Farce' is really situation comedy and it left me wondering if I ought to have opted for Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' showing in a different studio of Keswick's Theatre by the Lake last Thursday night. In his critical analysis of 'Six O' the Best - Northern Theatres' in Northern Voices No.13, Chris Draper placed Alan Ayckbourne's own theatre in Scarborough low down on his list and excluded Keswick's Theatre by the Lake entirely, although I know that he would have dearly liked to have included it. Last Thursday's showing of 'Bedroom Farce' was in the main theatre at Keswick in Cumbria.

I am not an expert on Ayckbourne's work, although Mr. Draper wrote in NV13 as follows: 'London claims to have invented everything but after theatre-in-round was devised by the Greeks it took 2,500 years for it to arrive in England... By passing London and the South it was hauled ashore at Scarborough (and) it was left to ... Alan Ayckbourne to establish Scarborough's worldwide reputation.' Ayckbourne, having premièred his first play in 1959, was artistic director of the Scarborough theatre until 2009.

Chris Draper in his NV13 review of northern theatres suggests some social or political content in Ayckbourne’s 75th play ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ showing earlier this year in Scarborough in the former Odeon cinema building, but I could find little of this in ‘Bedroom Farce’ for it was, for me, more in the style of a Brian Rix’s farce. Amusing but not ‘twitchy’, or troubling or enlightening. Alan Ayckbourn comments:‘Everything about bedrooms but copulation, something which I believe is hardly practised in the British bedroom anyway.’ So it’s another ‘No sex, please we’re British!’

The stage is set out with three bedrooms and features four couples.  Each bed and bedroom is highlighted by a spotlight as the play progresses and the actors interact.  Only one of the women is remotely fanciable and my partner tells me that none of the men would arouse any passion in her.  So we are in the realm of one husband, Nick, bed bound with a bad back; his wife sharing a kiss with Trevor the husband of Susannah only to get caught by Susannah who goes off to tell her mother-in-law Delia all about it.  This all happens in the early hours after Delia and her husband Ernest have just eaten pilchards in bed.  I suppose it tells us something about relationships in the modern world, and left me in a good humour to walk back to our holiday apartment on the far side of Keswick.  But I don't think I'll be in too much of a rush to see another Ayckbourn play.

Bedroom Farce is showing at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick until Wednesday 7th, November 2012.
Box Office:  017687 74411.
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The printed version of NORTHERN VOICES 13, now on sale with all sorts of stuff others won't touch and may be obtained as follows: Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques payable to ‘NORTHERN VOICES’ at c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.

Tel.: 0161 793 5122. Email: northernvoices@hotmail.com

This Week's Top 5 Northern Voices' Pageviews

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No. 2:  WOOLAS SUSPENDED BY LABOUR PARTY!

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No.3:  Bolton Council say 'Bye-Bye' to Gary Neville's Tel...

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No.4:  Scottish MP's Threat to Blacklisters

5 Sep 2012  32 views
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No.5:  Blacklisting is still going on in 2012.

6 Sep 2012  31 views
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The printed version of NORTHERN VOICES 13, now on sale with all sorts of stuff others won't touch and may be obtained as follows: Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques payable to ‘NORTHERN VOICES’ at c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.

Tel.: 0161 793 5122.  Email: northernvoices@hotmail.com

Carillion unsuitable for public work: Will this effect Councillor Quinn's Tameside Contracts with dodgy company?

Since August last year, Tameside Trade Union Council which includes delegate from the UNITE union, has been asking the leader of Tameside Council to comment on the awarding of contracts to Carillion a company accused of having paid affiliation fees to an outfit, The Consulting Association, that has pleaded guilty to keeping an illegal data base or a 'so-called blacklist'.  Up to now Councillor Quinn has had difficulty responding to our questions or justifying his Council's position to the local media. _________________________________________________________
THE GMB union is writing to public sector clients claiming Carillion’s record on blacklisting makes the company unsuitable for government-funded work, it has told MPs.

GMB officer Justin Bowden told the Scottish Affairs select committee on Tuesday that the union suspects Carillion is still involved in the practice, which was partially exposed when a blacklist of 3,200 people held by the Consulting Association (CA) was exposed in 2009.

The committee, which is examining whether laws on blacklisting should be tightened, also heard allegations from the Unite union that Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) continues to be involved in blacklisting.  Both firms strongly deny the allegations.

The developments came as the TUC Congress, which begins on Sunday, prepares to raise the issue of blacklisting amid ongoing preparations for two separate High Court cases on behalf of blacklisted individuals.

Bowden claimed 224 of those on the Consulting Association’s list were blacklisted by Carillion and that the firm is working on, or tendering for, £2bn worth of public work in Scotland alone.  He told MPs: “There is absolutely no doubt in our mind that Carillion continues to hold information on people…the individual who was responsible for administering the blacklist and the relationship with the Consulting Association, the head of HR Liz Keates, continues to work for the company.  'A public apology is overdue…it seems ludicrous to us that public money should be going to companies that are clearly guilty of this behaviour,' he added.  Bowden understands that clients written to by the GMB include PPP giant Semperian, which employs Carillion for FM work on the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, and the Gladys Aylward Academy in Enfield, where Carillion is preferred bidder for a £10m construction job.

Carillion hit out at the claims, which it said presented a 'grossly distorted and misleading portrait of Carillion insofar as blacklisting is concerned.'

A spokesman said: 'It is specifically untrue that Carillion indulges in blacklisting itself or that it condones or tolerate such practices in its supply chain.  To the best of our knowledge and from our own internal investigation, there was only ever limited use of the Consulting Association’s database by one Carillion subsidiary, Crown House.  This took place almost ten years ago. Another subsidiary, John Mowlem, made limited use of the database prior to its acquisition by Carillion in 2006. At that time the practice was not unlawful.  Using the Consulting Association’s database at Crown House was discontinued by Liz Keates, then an HR manager, because she felt uncomfortable with continuing to use a system she had inherited and she therefore chose to end it.'

UNITE assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail told the committee that Unite believes that BBES and its head of HR, Gerry Harvey, continue to be involved in blacklisting.

But committee chairman Ian Davidson MP called on the unions to produce written evidence to support their claims.  A spokesperson for Balfour Beatty said it 'does not condone the use of blacklists in any circumstances and has taken steps to ensure that none of our companies use such services.'
She said it would not be appropriate to comment further.

Carillion’s statement in full:
A spokesman said:  'It is a disgrace that the GMB persists in presenting a grossly distorted and misleading portrait of Carillion insofar as blacklisting is concerned. The union deliberately conflates and confuses different laws and regulations, periods of time and geographies. Everyone needs to treat what the GMB says on this matter with great care.  To the best of our knowledge and from our own internal investigation, there was only ever limited use of the Consulting Association’s database by one Carillion subsidiary, Crown House. This took place almost ten years ago. Another subsidiary, John Mowlem, made limited use of the database prior to its acquisition by Carillion in 2006. At that time the practice was not unlawful.   Using the Consulting Association’s database at Crown House was discontinued by Liz Keates, then an HR manager, because she felt uncomfortable with continuing to use a system she had inherited and she therefore chose to end it.  No unlawful activity ever occurred at any time. It should therefore come as no surprise that Carillion has recently been dropped in one class action related to blacklisting.  It is specifically untrue that Carillion indulges in blacklisting itself or that it condones or tolerate such practices in its supply chain. Carillion is in no way anti-union: we have positive working relationships – and formal recognition agreements - with a number of unions across the country.'

Copyright Kid: The One That Got Away in 2006

'Baptism of Ire':

'With the aid of ... hindsight it seems obvious that any event bringing together Britain's most litigous MP and the countries most writ-happy photographer would be fraught with possibilities' 

(EPUK Editorial Photographers UK & Ireland:  20th, July 2006)

FREELANCE photographer David Hoffman has failed to win his business dispute against MP George Galloway, after he refused to pay for blurry pictures.  Mr Galloway failed to pay Mr Hoffman his £715 fee for photographs taken at the christening of the MP's granddaughter last year, claiming that the quality of the pictures was so bad that they left a 'scar on the memory' of the special occasion.  The 61-year-old photographer argued at Central London County Court that one of Mr Galloway's assistants had employed him with the brief of producing images purely to be used for public relations purposes.  Yet, Mr Galloway countered that it was 'inconceivable' that he would hire a photographer not to record the event as a cherished family memento.

Judge Margaret Langley ruled that Mr Hoffman had been in breach of contract, as he had admitted that, if his pictures were taken in response to a commission to cover a family christening, 'then they are inadequate, I accept that'.

Outside the courthouse, Mr Galloway said:  'Never can so much court time have been wasted on a vexatious claim.  Mr Hoffman should be ashamed of himself.  We are relying on throw-away cameras and pictures taken on mobile phones because of the inadequacy of Mr Hoffman's work.'

Businesses in Britain and Northern Ireland should make sure that any contracts they undertake are clearly set out, otherwise they may face a trip to the solicitors, which could be a waste of time if they have no written contract to make up their claim.  (From website of Wilson Nesbitt Solicitors, Belfast)

Brown Bins & Bury Belly

FROM last November, the Bradley Fold Refuse Depot in Bury, Greater Manchester, has not had a Safety Representative working with the Bury binmen, because he was suspended on the pretext of a breach under the Bury MBC's Dignity at Work Policy and alleged threatening behaviour.  Earlier this year, after six months of being suspended amid a fishing experdition trawling for witnesses to prove a case against him, the Safety Representative appeared before an internal disciplinery investigation and was fully cleared of any serious wrongdoing.  Yet, because of all the stress the lad is still off on the sick.  Recently his union, UNITE, has complained of bias and unfair practices by the main Human Resources investigator, this complaint is still ongoing. 
One unforseen consequence of the absence of a Safety Representative at Bradley Fold Refuse Depot seems to have been increased absences owing to stomach bugs among the operatives emptying the Brown Bins in Bury.  It seems that during the hot humid weather in August that the fortnightly waste cycle (instead of weekly) encouraged the multiplication of maggots and other insect pests leading to illnesses among the binmen.  Had there been an active Safety Representative on the job to flag this danger up, this might have been avoided.  Managements often see Safety Representatives as undermining production at a plant but this may be shortsighted attitude.  Bury Belly is no use to anyone.

Blacklisting is still going on in 2012.

GLASGOW electrician, Stewart Hume, is being victimised because of his trade union activities during the recent BESNA dispute. Stewart was one of the leading UNITE rank and file activists in the country whilst working for Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) at the Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Training Centre and Ineos Grangemouth Oil Refinery.
In a blatant act of victimisation Stewart was transferred away from Grangemouth during the second Unite ballot for strike action and has now been made 'redundant' at a time when Balfour Beatty are taking on new starters across Scotland and employing agency labour at his previous Grangemouth contract in complete disregard of the construction industry nationally negotiated agreements. He has also watched other operatives on redundancy notice have their notices recinded. Stewart is the ONLY electrician employed by BBES to be made redundant in the entire country. He also appears to be the only person to actually come out of a redundancy appeal meeting with a worse Redundancy Matrix score than what he went in with!
Stewart said:
'I'm disappointed that after 16 years service with the company that they have used my opposition to BESNA against me. I did what was right, the threat of de-skilling our industry was something that I wasn't prepared to stand by and allow to happen due to the fact that my dad, who was a skilled operative, was electrocuted and killed 28 years ago. Accidents can happen to anyone, however my concern was that the industry would be filled with inexperienced operatives making things more dangerous for us all. I'm now extremely concerned that with the recent information regarding Balfour Beatty's involvement with the Consulting Association blacklisting scandal, that my future employment in the industry could be affected as I could be on a present day "Blacklist". If this is the case, companies who are still using such practices should remember that it's not just the individual they are blacklisting, it's their whole family! I have a 21 month old daughter and a partner, who has been totally supportive throughout the whole situation, to look after and provide for.'

The site based managers have admitted to Stewart that they have plenty of work left for him but it's clear Balfour Beatty Human Resources Department want to get rid of him at all costs. The Director of Human Resources at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services is Gerry Harvey - a proven blacklister of trade unionists after being exposed in court, the Westminster parliament and media for his active participation during the Consulting Association scandal.

At the Scottish Affairs Select Committee in Westminster parliament today, Gail Cartmail, UNITE Assistant General Secretary, said that Gerry Harvey has 'form for blacklisting' and she was 'absolutely convinced' that blacklisting was still ongoing and 'spying is the standard operating procedure' at BBES.

Full video footage of the oral evidence (starts at 1hour 50mins) http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=11332

At a recent demonstration outside BBES headquarters in Glasgow Jim Sheridan MP said:
'It is a long time since the days when trade unions and trade unionists were seen as the enemy within. You don't have to get into blacklisting. You don't have to get into undermining terms and conditions of employment that have been negotiated over the years peacefully. How much profit do they want to make before they stop attacking people at the workplace?'

His closing message to Balfour Beatty was:  'If you're gonna keep blacklisting people - then we're coming after you.'

Eddie Current (leader of the sparks rank & file) has said:
'Its simple. If Balfour Beatty don't reinstate Stewart Hume by 10th September then we'll consider that a declaration of war. Every Balfour Beatty project in the country will be a legitimate target. The only person to blame for this situation is Gerry Harvey. If the company had an ounce of decency, it would be that blacklisting wretch they would be sacking.'

REINSTATE STEWART HUME

Julian Assange: The Withdrawal Method or a season ticket?

LAST week, Louise Mensch, Tory MP, wrote in the Daily Telegraph challenging George Galloway for saying:   'Not everybody needs to be asked prior to each insertion'.  Mr. Galloway, the Bradford MP, had reasoned:  'Some people believe that when you go to bed with someone, take off your clothes, and have sex with them and then fall asleep, you're already in the sex game with them.'  Ms Mensch wrote:  'While we were mentally vomiting at the term "sex game" used by Mr. Galloway in any context, he made matters worse' for Madam Mensch, by saying 'It might be really bad manners not to have tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Do you mind if I do it again?' It might be really sordid and bad sexual etiquette, but whatever else it is, it is not rape or you bankrupt the term rape of all meaning.'

Louise Mensch then argues:  'Sexual consent is not football; you can't buy a season ticket.'   The participant inserter must clock-in, it seems, on each separate occasion.  And Ms. Mensch concludes her piece entitled 'Still Getting it Wrong on Rape' by arguing:  'This week shows us what so many male politicians really think about consent and sex, and the rights of a woman to withold it, or attach conditions to it (my bold italics)... There is still a long way to go.'

I recent read E.L James long popular porn book 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and was struck by the endless pages relating to negotiation of the sexual act and by the contractual nature of the content covering health and safety, butt plugs and nipple clamps etc.  At the same time I was reading Mary Midgley 'Evolution as a Religion' and came across this quote by Fredrich  Nietzsche:  'From a doctorate exam. - "What is the task of all higher education?" - To turn a man into a machine - "By what means?"  He has to learn how to feel bored.  "How is this achieved?" - Through the concept of duty....  "Who is the perfect man?"  The civil servant.'

This triumph of the civil servant in the post-post-modern society is indeed curious and perplexing.  I recently encountered a version of it while helping a member of my UNITE Branch - a binman - fight a claim that he was guilty under Bury MBC's 'Dignity at Work Policy', because he had raised his voice and engaged in an altercation; a charge which would have been laughable only ten years ago.  Now the bureaucracy has come of age in all its stupefying glory even in the bedroom as well as on the shopfloor.

In August 1936, George Orwell wrote a letter to Henry Miller telling him how he liked his book Tropic of Cancer:  '... first of all (I liked) a peculiar rhythmic quality in your English, secondly the fact that you dealt with facts well known to everybody but never mentioned in print (e.g. when the chap is supposed to be making love to the woman but is dying for a piss all the while),'.  Now Orwell raises the problem of withdrawal or when to clock-out of an encounter or close the contractual participation.  Decades ago, I'm sure that I used to clock-out far to early for the other party to the process, and what if the bloke is dying for a piss, does then have to ask for consent before disengaging?  How does Madam Mensch suggest we get our lady love to give us permission to leave the room in an emergency?

Scottish MP's Threat to Blacklisters

Jim Sheridan MP has called for construction firms that blacklist trade unionists to be barred from publicly funded projects. Speaking at a protest organised by the Blacklist Support Group and the UNITE Scottish rank & file outside Balfour Beatty HQ in Glasgow the Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North said he would lobby government:

'Any contracts from British tax payers money: don't give them to criminals like Balfour Beatty who are blacklisting people'

The MP told the demonstration that years ago he had been blacklisted by the notorious Economic League because of his trade union activities and it was 'Soul destroying' being out of work for 3 years, especially when ....'the only reason you're not getting a job is because you are standing up for your fellow workers and to make a safe environment.

'I want to send a message to Balfour Beatty and the big construction firms. It really doesn't have to be this way. It is a long time since the days when trade unions and trade unionists were seen as the enemy within. You don't have to get into blacklisting. You don't have to get into undermining terms and conditions of employment that have been negotiated over the years peacefully.  How much profit do they want to make before they stop attacking and victimising people at the workplace?'

His closing message to Balfour Beatty was:

'If you're gonna keep blacklisting people - then we're coming after you.'

Protesters blocked the main road outside the Balfour Beatty offices in Hillington Park, Glasgow making traffic back up onto the M8 motorway after police had refused them permission to deliver a letter of protest to the Balfour Beatty premises.  

Pix avaiable on our facebook page.

The protest had been called to expose the role played by Balfour Beatty in the Consulting Association blacklisting scandal. One of the Directors of the company Gerry Harvey came in for particular criticism after it was recently revealed in parliament that he was one of the senior managers who attended the Consulting Association blacklist meetings which resulted in trade unionists losing their jobs.

Colin Trousdale, a blacklisted electrician and UNITE member from Manchester, told the crowd that in 2008 he had taken an Employment Tribunal against Balfour Beatty and that Gerry Harvey had sent a letter to the court saying that 'there is no blacklist, we are not blacklisting you, you are paranoid'.  Years later when the blacklist was finally uncovered the incident appeared on his blacklist file with the information supplied by the firm.

Colin said: ' Perjury is a crime. Being a union rep is not. We need to see these people in court. We need to see these people in prison.'

The protesters also highlighted the case of a young electrician and UNITE union activist  who has been on notice of redundancy for around 4 months and was told to finish up on Thursday 23rd August by a member of Balfours HR team, although his official finishing date was 31st August, he had requested holidays from the 24th of August and returning to work on the 10th of September. They told him that he would not be required back, even though Balfour Beatty are currently taking on new starters (including agency workers) across Scotland. The HR repesentative, after delivering this news to our comrade, added insult to injury by saying 'Have a good holiday.'  UNITE the union are calling on Balfour Beatty to 'Play by the Rules' and comply with the Nationally negotiated Agreements for construction.

Willie Black, blacklisted union activist said: "We are serious and we are going to defend anybody who we consider has been victimised" 

Jim Harte, spokesperson for the Scottish UNITE rank and file, gave an even starker warning regarding the fate of the victimised union member:

'We have to send a clear message: If he is not reinstated by 10th september, then action will be taken by the rank and file and by the workers at Grangemouth to make sure he is reinstated.'

Blacklist Support Group

UNITE Scottish rank & file

North West TUC Conference Report:

For a future that works:

Trade Unions and the Environment

A NW TUC Conference 

Report & Recommendations

The NW TUC held a conference dedicated to Trade Unions and the Environment on 21^st July 2012 at the Savoy Hotel, Blackpool. The speakers included Chris Baugh, Assistant General Secretary PCS, Derek Wall, former principal speaker for the Green Party and Clara Paillard, Merseyside TUC Green Officer. The Conference attracted over 50 delegates, a third of them being Green Reps and half of them representing Trade Councils. The main unions represented were PCS, Unite, UNISON and UCU and NUT, RMT, UCATT and BFAWU also had representatives. Also present were members of the local community (Residents Action against Fylde Fracking), the Green Party, the University of Lancaster and Friends of the Earth.

The main plenary session explored the Trade Unions roles within the environmental agenda along three key messages:

•        Green Reps – the TUC Greening the Workplace initiative has encourage Trade Unions to appoint Green Reps in order to advance environmental awareness and negotiating in the workplace

•        Politics & Economy – the austerity agenda of the current government needs to be challenged using the idea that economic and environmental crisis can be resolved simultaneously by investing in jobs that will support a sustainable and just economy – an argument being put forward by the One Million Climate Jobs campaign.

•        Local Environmental struggles – the Trade Union movement need to act in support of local environmental campaigns in conjunction with environmental groups and the local community.

The plenary session was followed by workshops on four themes: fracking, food, transport and waste incineration. The rest of this note set out an outline of each theme and suggestions / recommendations made in each workshop

Fracking

The workshop introduced the issues raised by the controversial 'fracking' gas extraction technique which has recently caused earthquakes in Blackpool.  A presentation put together by the campaigning group Frack Off as well as the short film 'Fracking Hell' quick-started the discussion.

Suggestions & Recommendations:

•        Support a fringe meeting at TUC Congress in Brighton in September to highlight the anti-fracking motion and campaign.

•        Support to the anti-fracking campaign at national and local level, including the production of quality leaflets and support of events, including Camp Frack 2 in the Autumn.

•        Support to the anti-fracking activists trialled after occupying the Banks fracking site

•        Encourage all Trade Unions to adopt anti-fracking policies and support the One Million Climate Jobs strategy as an alternative.

•        Call our Trades Council to demand “Frack-free zones” in their locality and support the One Million Climate Jobs strategy as an alternative.

•        Lobby for a ban of Fracking (not only on the grounds of safety but also on the grounds that gas is not a carbon free energy source) along with positive campaigning in support of the expansion of renewable energies and policies.

For more information visit: -

http://stopfyldefracking.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/frackoffuk

Food

A presentation outlined the number of issues related to food and climate change along the entire production chain (agriculture, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal) as the food industry is responsible for up to 20% of UK CO2 emissions. 40% of world’s agricultural land is degraded because of poor farming practices and the use of chemicals and GM food may constitute a threat to the environment and people’s health. Food processing involves the use of many chemicals, has generated many food scandals and is an industry where workers are often exploited. Food transport and import /export generate mass of CO2 emissions and refrigeration contribute to green house gas emissions. Obesity and malnutrition are two side of unbalanced food consumption across the world while 30% of UK food is wasted.

Suggestions & Recommendations:

•        Existing campaigns supported by Trade Unions and campaigning group to be investigated and summarised in a report (Bakers’ Union, Farmers’ Union, USDAW, Education unions, Unite Community Branches, War on Want, COOPs, Incredible Edible, Food Future, Organic Farmers Association) and a round table to be organised by the NWTUC inviting the different stakeholders.

•        NWTUC to support the creation of a resource booklet for Green Reps on the topic of food (including case studies on the “life cycle” of specific products on the model of The Story of Stuff) and consider funding initiatives led by Green Reps / Trades Councils.

•        Work to be done on alternative policies around the theme of “food democracy / right to healthy food”, including coops, urban gardens, community schemes (ie. on composting, anaerobic digestion, tool hire), land reform & reclaim public land projects.

•        Investigate how a campaign against supermarkets can be supported

Waste incineration

HAGATI (Halton Action Group Against the Incinerator) explained their 5-years campaign to oppose the construction of an incinerator by multinational Ineos Chlor that will burn 820,000 tons of waste per annum with all electricity produced going to the company. A ‘gate fee’ of £100 is charged to local authorities (such as Greater Manchester) tight up in 25-years contract, out of which 60p goes to Runcorn Council. Health concerns are numerous about the effects of micro-particles, mercury and dioxins and the process will detract from recycling as the waste needs to be rich in plastic to be energy-efficient.

Suggestions & Recommendations:

•        Awareness raising – NWTUC to support the production of a quality leaflet explaining the issues arising from waste incineration

•        Contracts & Contractors – NWTUC to encourage unions/green reps to identify workplaces’ waste contractors and to request information from City Councils about their waste contractors, contract renewal timescales and methods of waste management.

•        Lobby – Lobby City Councils not to enter long-term contracts with incinerators / Lobby Parliament for incinerators to be submitted to the Carbon Tax

•        Local groups – Encourage Trades Councils to establish links with local anti-incineration groups and support their campaigns.

For more information and resources, see:

http://ukwin.org.uk/oppose-incineration

www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/dirty_truths.pdf

www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/changing_climate.pdf

Transport

This workshop was closely linked with the Action for Rail campaign led by ASLEF / RMT. Kevin Morrison, RMT Exec for NW introduced the workshop and highlighted that the government's McNulty report called for job cuts, service cuts and allowing rail firms to raise fares as much as they like.  Buses nationally have suffered from 28% reduction income.  So while public transport is vital for dealing with climate change it is being threatened by the coalition government's cuts.

Suggestions & Recommendations:

•        Challenge closures – through the use of Quality impact assessment (particularly on grounds of disability access) and Freedom of Information Act to gain information to stop closures.

•        Free public transport – suggestion of running surveys to show that free public transport might save money by reducing pollution and congestion.  

•        Linking with other campaign – such as Cycle Use groups and the Campaign for Better Transport (http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/)

•        Action & Democracy - The importance of democratic and active trade unions was stressed by many participants and the RMT was seen as an inspiring example in this regard.  In a wide ranging discussion ideas from fighting the sale of Britain's roads to the idea of guerilla fly posting of timetables were also mentioned.

Concluding Comments

The Conference concluded with a commitment for the recommendations to be presented to the NWTUC Council / Executive for consideration and to consider the possibility of an annual conference on the Environment. A group photograph was taken at the front of the Hotel (see below).

TUC Motion on Illegal Corporate Bullying 2012: Final Version

Motion 15 - Illegal corporate bullying


Congress agrees the maintenance of secret lists of individuals or groups, (so-called 'blacklisting'), is illegal corporate bullying causing misery for individuals and their families.

Congress:

i condemns activities exposed in 2009 when the Information Commissioner’s Office raided the Consulting Association, which operated lists on behalf of over 40 UK companies including Carillion, Balfour Beatty, Mowlem, Laing O’Rourke and Wimpey, and maintained records on trade unionists, politicians, journalists, lawyers and academics.

ii agrees with Keith Ewing this was 'the worst human rights abuse in relation to workers' in the UK in 50 years

iii is alarmed that only a fraction of the 3,213 listed are aware of their inclusion

iv believes the ICO list is evidence of an endemic, systemic and deep-rooted culture

v agrees the level of wrong-doing and abuse exposed in the construction industry is equivalent to newspaper phone-hacking

vi welcomes assurances won by Labour MEPs from the European Commission on 'blacklisting' of trade union activists.

Building on the resolution agreed by Congress 2010, Congress instructs the General Council to:

a campaign to expose these illegal activities

b enable the ICO to reveal the names of the known victims of the Consulting Association

c call on politicians to bring social justice for the victims and their families

d encourage public bodies to review whether public contracts be awarded to companies involved in such activities

e call for a public enquiry on a par with the Leveson Inquiry and changes in the law to make “blacklisting” an imprisonable offence with unlimited fines for damages.

GMB

Amendment

» In paragraph 3, at end of sub-paragraph a, add: “including a day of action”

» Insert new sub-paragraph b and re-number subsequently:

'b campaign for stronger legal protection, including for agency workers'

» Add a new final sub-paragraph (g) at end:

“g support a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of blacklisted workers in

respect of a breach of their Convention rights – Article 8 on privacy and Article 11 on freedom of association.”

UNITE

Amendment

» In paragraph 2, add new sub-paragraph vii:

“vii welcomes the attempt by Liberty to get the ICO to reopen an investigation into the construction companies involved in blacklisting. This could lead to criminal prosecutions, fines and enforcement notices.”

Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians

Amendment

» Add final paragraph at end:

'Congress welcomes the recent intervention by Liberty which has written to the Information Commissioner accusing him of inaction over a privacy scandal it compares to phone hacking. Congress also welcomes and supports those blacklisted workers who have recently commenced legal action for damages against construction industry giant Sir Robert McAlpine.'

Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association

New Charter takes over Tameside Reporter. Is this a sad day for local democracy?

IN an exclusive report, Northern Voices, can reveal for the first time, that New Charter Housing Trust Ltd, has bought the ailing local newspaper, the Tameside Reporter which was first established in 1855.

In our report on July 14, we informed our readers that the newspaper was facing closure after being in business for 157 years and was looking for a buyer. We also reported that it was rumoured that New Charter was interested in buying the newspaper to add to its rapidly expanding business empire.

For some years now, New Charter have been diversifying into other areas unrelated to housing provision. In March 2000, Tameside Council transferred all its remaining council housing to New Charter who purchased the homes after a previous transfer, of housing stock, to Ashton Pioneer Homes. The housing company have ambitions 'to own and manage 30,000 homes by 2020.'

Since acquiring housing stock in Tameside, the company have rapidly expanded its interests beyond the boundary of Tameside by acquiring 'aksa' homes (Oldham), 'Gedling Homes' (Nottinghamshire) and 'Threshold' a charitable organisation that helps the homeless with 'pathways to independence'. The company also have an interest in 'New Charter Academy', a school/sports college, and recently acquired ownership of Tameside Radio.

In his speech to delegates at the 'Business of Social Housing' conference in April, held at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Tony Powell, an Executive Director for New Charter, told the meeting that the housing company was continually 'delivering more than just housing' and was focused 'on a number of areas including community safety, jobs and lifelong learning, and the environment.'

Why a housing company with no previous experience of running a newspaper and with very, very, close links to Tameside Council, would want to buy a local newspaper, is to say the least, highly suspect. But because of its corporate influence and close links with council, one might also question whether New Charter, is an appropriate and suitable organization, to run a local newspaper.

At a recent Tameside County Court hearing held in July, a judge strongly criticised the housing company for seeking an injunction against a Tameside resident that in his view, was 'ridiculously wide' and a 'significant breach of freedom of speech' aimed at protecting New Charter from legitimate criticism.

In another case, Steve Fisher, a 56-year-old New Charter tenant from Dukinfield, was so incensed by his treatment at the hands of New Charter that he set up his own blog known as 'New Charter Housing Watch'. Mr. Fisher's problems arose in 2006 when the housing company took legal action against him for his allegedly unkempt garden. After several articles about his case appeared in the local Tameside Advertiser, we understand that the housing company threatened the newspaper with legal action demanding an apology and a ban on letters from Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher told Northern Voices:


'I am absolutely appalled to hear that New Charter are being allowed to buy the Tameside Reporter. This is indeed a sad day for democracy. Following my court case in 2006, I subsequently phoned the former editor of the Tameside Advertiser about why the newspaper had ceased to publish my letters. I was told that the housing company had threatened legal action unless the newspaper stopped publishing my letters and apologised. Since this spat with New Charter, I've been banned from entering any of their premises and they will not allow me to stand as a Tenant Director as is my right, and which is a breach of my human rights.'
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The printed version of NORTHERN VOICES 13, now on sale with all sorts of stuff others won't touch and may be obtained as follows: Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques payable to ‘NORTHERN VOICES’ at c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.
Tel.: 0161 793 5122. Email: northernvoices@hotmail.com