United_Digital1_8:Activist issue 7 12/06/2009 13:22 Page 4
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united digital top stories
Killed bus
worker
honoured
Workers’ memorial day, April 28, is the day we
remember those who have lost their lives at
work and extend a supporting hand to their
.uk
families, while ensuring that unions and
employers work together to secure the safety
Corus of disapproval – members fight for jobs
t
digital.co
of the UK workforce.
r
epor
This year thousands of Unite members took
part in special remembrance meetings and
events. In Blackpool bus depot Unite members
Final Corus?
honoured the memory of colleague Colin
Baker. Colin was tragically killed in the depot
yard on the evening January 2001 after parking
The future of the Teesside site of steel now down to the company to prevent this
his bus and being struck down by another.
giant Corus is still undecided despite top vital plant from becoming a relic.”
level talks between the union and the
Local branch chair Ray Kirton explained
current Corus owner consortium. Terry met with business secretary Lord
that Unite convinced both Blackpool Transport
Mandelson at the government's steel
and Colin’s family to agree to the naming of a
The crisis came about when the summit in May where Lord Mandelson
double decker bus in Colin’s name for this
consortium pulled out of a 10 year made it clear that he wanted to ensure
year’s workers’ memorial day.
agreement to buy 78 percent of the plant's the Teesside plant had a future.
production, threatening 2,000 jobs.
“The vehicle is regularly on line 11 which
Later in the month Terry, together with
traverses Blackpool’s Golden Mile and will
Although Unite has said it is the Community’s Michael Leahy, met with
therefore be seen by millions,” added Ray.
consortium's broken commitment which Marcegaglia, which is part of the
has put the Teesside plant at risk, the consortium.
union believes as Corus employees the
firm has a duty to do everything possible Marcegaglia indicated that it could
to help workers. encourage its partners to sit down with
Corus in the UK to explore new possible
Unite national officer, Terry Pye, said, commercial solutions which will preserve
“The decision of a consortium to pull out production at the plant and help safeguard
of a long-standing deal to buy steel from jobs at Teesside. Unite hopes the
Teesside is outrageous but the employees government and Corus can discuss this
under threat are Corus employees. It is matter urgently.
United stand secures
Colin’s widow Brenda with newly named bus
sacked rep’s job
Guilty
As we go to press Unite members from Unite assistant general secretary Len
Swansea car components firm Linamar are McCluskey, said, “We’re delighted at this
Ian Kerr pleaded guilty to running a secret
celebrating the reinstatement of their rep outcome, which represents a victory for
intelligence gathering outfit to blacklist
Rob Williams, following eleventh hour the solidarity of the workforce and
construction industry union members. The
talks with management. wider support for Rob by the labour
information commissioner’s office (ICO)
movement throughout Wales.
raided his firm, the Consulting Association, and
Unite members at the Linamar factory had
found files on 3,213 individuals with data going
voted overwhelmingly for strike action “Employers throughout the country
back 30 years.
after Rob was sacked in May, outside any should note Unite will always be
agreed procedure and without any charge. prepared to stand behind its elected
You can call the ICO hotline on 08456 30
representatives and will not accept
6060 to find out if Kerr held a file on you.
The strike has now been called off and attacks of this kind against union
If you believe you were blacklisted then
Unite and Linamar will now work together organisation.”
please get in touch with United Digital.
to ensure the plant's future success.
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