n By Alex Klemm ‘‘


This campaign has implications way beyond Jones’ anti-union activities in Ireland – it’s about European companies taking full responsibility for workers’ rights at every stage in their supply chain


Tom Fitzgerald, Unite regional officer


drop its High Court case against Unite and our reps, paying the union’s costs.


At this point you’d think that the company would take stock, reconsider its strategy, come to the table and negotiate an agreement.


But instead they have continued a campaign of union-busting, with many Unite members reporting that they have been forced to switch unions, let go or had a promised offer of work withdrawn after telling the company they were Unite members.


Jones is currently expanding its operations into the lucrative European data centre market – but Unite is determined to ensure they don’t export their anti-union practices.


There can be no hiding place for union-busting bosses – and the campaign to defend our Jones members and reps has now gone global under the banner of Unite’s ‘Strike Plus’ initiative.


With support from all sections of our union, Unite members and reps have travelled around Europe with a single message: If Jones attacks workers’ rights in Ireland today, they’ll go after your rights tomorrow.


Jones’ footprint is particularly pronounced in the Swedish town of Gävle where data centre construction is booming.


Unite’s Irish Secretary Susan Fitzgerald issued a stark warning to Swedish workers in an opinion piece for the local Gefle Dagblad newspaper.


She wrote, “Sweden, and Swedish workers, should be wary of union- busting companies such as Jones Engineering gaining a foothold. And Jones should clean up its act in Ireland before trying to present a clean image in Sweden.”


Sara Gunnerud works with Unite’s bargaining and disputes support unit and has been involved in the Swedish campaign.


She told buildingWORKER, “We’ve been tracking Jones’ operations in Sweden and making sure that Swedish workers and unions are fully up to speed on the company’s anti-union activities. We’ve also been briefing Swedish politicians, including members of the Business and Trade Committee in the Swedish parliament”.


In addition to warning Swedish workers and unions of Jones’ poor practices, Unite representatives travelled to Brussels in December to brief European trade union confederations and policy-makers on the company’s behaviour.


“This campaign has implications way beyond Jones’ anti-union activities in Ireland – it’s about European companies taking full responsibility for workers’ rights at every stage in their supply chain,” explained Unite regional coordinating officer Tom Fitzgerald.


“If a company in Sweden or Germany subcontracts Jones – or any other anti-union company – to perform a specific task on a project, they need to take responsibility for that subcontractor’s actions. And that’s where Brussels can play a vital role.”


As well as meeting with representatives of the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers and the Belgian union federation CG-FGTB, Tom Fitzgerald and Sara Gunnerud met with Swedish European Parliament member Johann Danielsson – vice-chair of the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs – and engaged with Irish MEPs.


While in Brussels, Unite’s reps also took part in a demonstration outside the European Parliament demanding strict limits on subcontracting and for the top of the supply chain to be made accountable.


And – just to drive home the message that there’s no hiding place for anti- union bosses – they took the opportunity to unfurl a banner outside the Google site at Charleroi where Jones Engineering is a sub-contractor, which proudly stated, “Union-busting Jones Engineering is in Belgium – beware!”


As this long-running dispute continues into 2026, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham is very clear. She says, “Unite will do whatever it takes to vindicate our members’ right to organise and take action in defence of their terms and conditions.”


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All images: Alamy


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