100 turnout to support Corryton oil refinery workers at public meeting support their struggle

I've just returned from an excellent meeting hosted by the National Shops Stewards network in support of the Coryton oil refinery workers who are facing redundancy if a buyer doesn’t come in and save the site. I blogged about this the other day but the public meeting in Basildon which I have just returned from was well attended with over 100 in attendance from local residents, workers, councillors and trade unionists and socialists. A fighting militant mood for action was felt coming away from the meeting with a public demonstration called by unite and the NSSN tomorrow afternoon at 4 pm outside the department for energy and climate at Whitehall where unite will be meeting with the government and the minister for energy Unite are calling on people supporters trade unionists and all that can get along to show a big turnout to show we mean business in defending Corryton and its workers who will not only loose their jobs but it will loose their local area of south Essex millions if not billions in local revenue annually. This is not just 1000 odd workers lives at stake it’s their families, friends, and local communities too who will feel the knock on.
A linking up with otehr oil refinery's across teh country such as Grangemouth linsey etc will put huge pressure on the powers that be. Mass solidarity is needed to win. Coryton workers know they cannot win on their own and need our support as the organised labour movement.

Throughout the meeting parallels were made between the ex mining towns once the pits had closed the deprivation and the poverty of the areas they simply have never recovered. In the south east of England which is meant to be the hub of the country and its economy this could all unravel if we’re not careful and industry we have in this country could soon disappear completely to be outsourced abroad to a more competitive tender for the boss’s. We must say no and stand up to the government and the boss’s.

The sparks dispute which defeated the boss’s on proposed wage cuts will give workers confidence to take on these vicious boss’s and fill the spirit’s of workers to win and win and win again.

There is potential for this dispute to escalate and the NSSN and the socialist party will support the workers involved every step of the struggle. There is talk of unofficial action being discussed and possibly may happen sooner than we think. It is possible for there to be major disruption to fuel supplies across the country but this is something which will not be publicised as is not strictly legal but is certainly a option being considered to force this government of millionaires to listen. A government who today has granted a contract to Rolls Royce to build the next generation of nuclear submarines which is a huge huge waste of money estimating a cost of a billion pounds. Enough money to save these workers at Coryton their jobs and pay them a decent wage too.

Unfortunately at this meeting it became clear there were a few BNP supporters present and a vote was held to exclude them from the meeting. We must be clear the likes of the BNP and the EDL are no friends of the labour and trade union movement and must be opposed firmly wherever they are. They only look to divide us and drawn on the race card and the chair was right to call a democratic vote and then asking the racists to leave.

So this is the concern if disputes like Coryton are not won and a demoralisation sets in the likes of then are then able to come in and divide workers and use the immigration card which would not be helpful in the slightest. This is not a race issue of course but we must be aware some may look to use it as thus.

Again to remind anyone who can make it
Unite and the NSSN have jointly called a public demonstration tomorrow afternoon at 4 pm outside the Department of Energy and Climate to show solidarity with the workers and the unions looking to put the case for keeping Coryton open. Lets be frank this is just the start of this dispute with further attacks likely to come if not at Coryton then it will be elsewhere. The only way this government will listen to the workers is mass civil disobedience and direct action.
It is important for the NSSN to lend support to private sector struggles aswell as public sector disputes as these age all workers and we must unite the struggles. Unite will be publicising picket dates and dates of action very soon so do keep a eye on the NSSN and Unite pages on the internet if you can.

I am hopeful this campaign can be supported and seen through to a victory for the workers involved.

Solidarity

Unions outrage as government announce plans to make it easier to sack workers

Unions have rounded on the government over plans to water down workers' rights to "make it easier for businesses to grow".

Lib Dem minister Ed Davey will announce the new areas of employment legislation up for review at the Institute for Economic Affairs as the government attempts to clear away restrictions for employers.

It will consult on cutting compensation payments for discrimination, reducing the current 90-day timescale for firms to consult over job losses, and changing the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations (Tupe) which protects the pay and conditions of public sector workers transferred between companies.

One law firm has warned that the move will disadvantage women and ethnic minority workers.

The government is already simplifying the employment tribunal system, looking at extending the period before an unfair dismissal claim can be brought and reviewing the system for managing sickness absence.

Speaking ahead of his speech, Davey said: "The areas we are reviewing are priorities for employers. We want to make it easier for businesses to take on staff and grow. We will be looking carefully at the arguments for reform. Fairness for individuals will not be compromised – but where we can make legislation easier to understand, improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy we will."

While the announcement was hailed by business leaders as evidence that the government was removing barriers to job creation, the proposals were panned by unions.

Brendan Barber, the TUC general secretary, said the level of compensation for discrimination currently in place were to help ensure employers act fairly towards their staff, as were the other laws in place to offer staff protection.

High levels of compensation for discrimination were only awarded in "severe cases", he added.

"It is right that people who have lost out through the unfair practices of their employer receive proper compensation – and that helps ensure employers act fairly in the first place. "Taking a discrimination case is not easy and requires expert legal advice. It is the employer equivalent of the urban myth that there are myriad vexatious claims. Making it easier to make people redundant and giving the workforce less time to come up with alternatives to job losses threatens to make unemployment even worse."

Paul Griffin of law firm DBS Law said there had been an increase in claims of discrimination in the last six months due to employers not following correct procedure in a "mad dash" to reduce head count ahead of another downturn in the economy.

"Cutting compensation to victims of discrimination will not deter vexatious claims," he said. "The only effect will be to reward bad employers who disadvantage women and ethnic minority workers, legitimising an unpleasant trend in employment practice."

Len McCluskey, the general secretary of the country's biggest trade union, Unite, accused ministers of being "small minded".

"The business department under Vince Cable's supine direction is cultivating a disgraceful reputation as a 'do nothing' department when it comes to saving jobs, let alone creating the tens of thousands needed, especially for those aged 16 to 24," said McCluskey.

"If the 90-day consultation period is swept away, giving workers and companies a small window in which they can save jobs, then this shameful reputation will be cemented. And where exactly is the job creation dividend to be garnered from dismantling Tupe? These regulations offer only slender protection on pay as it is — they can do nothing to protect a worker's pension during takeover, but they can help to retain much-needed standards in the workplace."




All this confirms to me again that this government want to destroy the public sector making cuts easier to happen. With spineless unions and labour councils across the country no doubt this will be music to their ears so they can get rid of workers a lot quickera nd easier.

To me its highly shameful and i see no union putting up any fight on this matter. Only by explaining what it will do isnt enough Mr Barber. Get up off your ass and defend your members rights and stop this new attack on the workers.

The shameful treatment of RAF pilots being sacked by email

Our fine service men and women do deserve a lot better than this i feel.
This i find quite shocking and verhy slap dash approach to saving money in the defences. I feel as a organisation that has always held itself in high esteem and upholds a traditional and long standing way of doing things.

For the RAF to be quick, rash and uncareful about these redundancies smacks of a bit of panic a little like a fire sale. This article below doesnt say if it was a decision they had to come to quickly therefore a rushed move.

I do think questions need to be asked here if this was the right move and if this could have been carried out in a more respectful manner. Of course i always take waht the Sun has to say but if it is true some pilots were sent these emails while in duty in Iraq. I wouldnt be so sure this is true. Its probably just another sensational sun story but the actual story is quite disapointing way to treat our own men and women on the front line in battle for their country. Wherever you agree with them being there in the first place or not, there is a way to treat people.

Here is the news article if your interested.

the Ministry of Defence and the Army have apologised for "causing distress" after 38 soldiers - including one serving in Afghanistan - were sacked by email.
News of the blunder comes a day after it was revealed a quarter of the RAF's trainee pilots will not get a job in the service due to Government spending cuts.

The warrant officers who were dismissed by email were told it was because the Army also needed to make savings.

The message to the men read: "I write to notify you that with regret, I must issue you with 12 months' Notice of Termination.

"As I'm sure you are aware the Army has to make significant cutbacks and we... are expected to play our part in reductions."

The 38 warrant officers - the highest non-commissioned rank - all have at least 20 years' service and continue in the Army on a rolling contract.

However, The Sun claimed one of the veteran soldiers received the bad news while on the front line in Afghanistan.

An Army spokesperson said: "We apologise for the distress that this will have caused.



All the men have at least 20 years' service with the British Army



"Commanding officers have now spoken the soldiers concerned to ensure that they receive all necessary advice and support."

The MoD has been quick to point out this was not a mistake on the part of civil servants or ministers - but a mistake in terms of sequencing made by the Army.