Sacked Workers Recommence Hunger Strike at Unite offices

by BATU member Thu Jun 12, 2008 22:58

This union is reaping havock see what Unite is doing to BATU its a disgrace

by proud socialist Fri May 30, 2008 02:11

This really is a sad situation. It seems various (or perhaps one) individuals connected with UNITE have tried to paint themselves as blameless. For the record, most of the present leadership in Ireland and Britain, are not to blame for the way this dispute arose and how these fine trade unionists were betrayed. I say "most" and not "all" because I don't know who knew what was going on at the time. But this does mean that Jimmy Kelly, Tony Woodley and Brendan Ogle (I mention these people because their names have already been mentioned) did not play any role in the disgraceful handling of the dispute with ICTS, nor are they responsible for the lads losing their jobs. This fact has never been contradicted.

But it is also true that these people have inherited this sad episode in the history of the TGWU. My question is why have these fine trade unionists had to fight every bit as hard with this leadership as they did with the last rotten Morris one? To my knowledge, Tony Woodley championed their case in his election campaign. He met them and promised to support them. After he was elected, he told them they hadn't a hope in hell of winning the tribunal case. OK. Bad call, but we've all made them. But that it has taken this long and for the men to suffer such hardship says something about the present leadership, Woodley in particular. Surely as a sign that things would be different, that he was closing a sorry chapter and opening a new one, he should have made even a token gesture. He did nothing. Were the men operating in the best interest of their union and the wider union movement? If they weren't, then why send the letter above trying to bury the hatchet days before the announcement of their victory.

What would Jim Larkin have done? He would have replied in the positive, not ignored them. He would have marched arm in arm with the three shop stewards out of the tribunal and declared victory in the name of millions of faceless and nameless workers who suffer exploitation and intimidation. He would have declared that UNITE was now launching an orgainsating drive to organise, represent and fight alongside any worker, anywhere in Britain who wants to fight back. On the strength of that and with a serious drive, the doors could have been opened to thousands and thousands of new members of UNITE. I nor no one can be sure it would have been successful, but surely that course of action would have been better than the present mess. Surely it was worth a try.

MAybe Woodley was right to ignore them and their appeal for unity and peace. maybe he had a better plan. maybe the way the lads wouldn't give, fought for 6 years, protested, stood up to intimidation and threats, sacrificed their health, was the wrong way to win victories. Maybe. But what was Woodley's plan. Perhaps it was encapsulated by the Gate Gourmet saga. Here, in a heroic display of solidarity, something not common in todays union movement, something reminiscent of larkinism and Connollyism and socialism, British Airways workers downed tools and marched out in solidarity with mainly asian low paid workers who had been sacked by Gate Gourmet. But Woodley and the UNITE leadership rather than escalate action and put real pressure to bear on the disgusting role of GG management by shutting down the airport, called for negotiation and accepted a pre-condition from GG that they would not take all the workers back on. Woodley was afraid to continue the action, which was secondary, because of the Thatcher anti-union laws which forbid secondary picketing (maintained by the party he is a member of). By allowing your two hands be tied behind your back, you might as well give up. What was Larkin's attitude to anti-trade union laws? It wasn't to kneel before them and throw your hands up saying: ah sure there's nothing we can do.

I had hopes in Woodley, as I'm sure tens of thousands of rank and file members did, that things might be different. Woodley has been G Sec since 2003. He has had plently of time to sort this dispute. He chose not to. He has had plenty of time to re-organise the union, re-orientate it away from cosy deals with management and the Morris school of company unionism. He has chosen not to. I ask all UNITE officials, what has qualitively has changed under Woodley? DO we have to be enthrawled to someone just because once upon a time they were (nominally) left?

I get the impression that some, perhaps all officials in UNITE in Ireland feel Woodley is the best on offer, so lets not rock the boat. In my opinion that is a gross dereliction of duty. These men deserve support. they have rendered a greater service to the TU movement than Woodley and his hangers on. I say it is time, that people like Jimmy Kelly and others break with Woodley. The trade unions need to be reclaimed and reformed. It is not enough to blame what went before as a bad apple. It has happened too often. There is a real issue it seems in every union about workers controlling their own dispute. there is a real issue with accountability. The above UNITE poster(s) and on other threads have attacked the men as money grabbers and out to bankrupt the union. This would be laughable were it not serious. Why do these nameless individuals not raise such a hullaballoo when it comes to junkets and expense accounts and officials salaries. I am of course not implying financial impropriety on the part of any of the names above - merely their silence on the issue in general.

The issue of making officials accountable to their members was central to the airport workers dispute from the beginning (maybe thats why the union apparatus was so cold for the last 6 years) Wouldn't Jimmy Kelly, Brendan Ogle, the Bald guy and the guy with long hair and tits be better off beginning a campaign to have all officials elected and recallable by their members directly. that they should get only the average wage of those they represent. Applying those criteria to UNITE for month would probably save enough money to pay for 10 tribunal cases. The same with all unions. This isn't a joke. If Joe McCusker was subjected to these democratic procedures, the airport workers would never had to go through this rigmarole.

Regardless whether you decide things are best left as they are, that there's nothing fundamentally wrong with UNITE and the TU movement in general, with or without you, we will step up our campaign for reform of the unions. these are lonely times for genuine socialists, but I certainly prefer being lonely than in the company of union bureaucrats and careerists hiding behind a union badge. "know them by their friends" the quote goes. I'm proud that the airport workers are my friends. Can you say that about yours?

by SIPTU member Thu May 29, 2008 18:10

A quick Google search brought me to http://belfastairportworkers.wordpress.com/page/2/

"At a lunchtime rally at Transport House Tony Maguire brought the support of the Northern Ireland Region of the Fire Brigades Union and Frank Bunting, Regional Secretary of INTO gave his support."

I don't know if Frank was just speaking for himself or whether a committee or branch of the INTO has discussed this dispute and taken a position.

It is beyond question that the workers were very badly let down by their union during the strike, and I have seen no attempt by anyone to justify what happened. But now, Gordon McNeill - who presumably feels very bitter at the way himself and his colleagues were abandoned in the middle of a strike - is treating the union as an enemy rather than as his own organisation, even if it's one that needs a lot of fixing.

There are a fair few socialists in the T&G section of UNITE, their refusal to publicly support Gordon probably tells us this dispute is not as simple as the SP would have us believe.

by Stephen Boyd - Socialist Party Thu May 29, 2008 15:26

Sacked airport shop steward, Gordon McNeill, calls off hunger strike after doctors threaten court action to have him force fed.

Shop stewards say they will now defy and resist the Unite injunction barring them from protesting at Transport House

A major campaign to be launched to expose the role of the Unite leadership in this dispute and to help Unite members change the union.

Gordon McNeill on the fourteenth day of his hunger strike was last night taken to hospital after police intervened and summoned an ambulance to Transport House.

Gordon continued to refuse food and fluids in hospital. However when doctors prepared to go to the High Court to get an order to feed him, Gordon ended his hunger strike rather than be force fed.

The sacked shop stewards are barred by an injunction got by Unite Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly, from protesting at Transport House. They are now planning a campaign to defend their democratic right to protest by defying the injunction.

They are also intent on launching a major campaign in Ireland, Britain and internationally to expose what the Unite leadership have done and link with other union activists who are campaigning to transform the unions into the fighting combative organisations they are supposed to be.

After Gordon had been taken to hospital, union officials in Transport House, in a display of petty vindictiveness, destroyed the tent and personal possessions the shop stewards had left behind on the balcony of the building.

Gordon McNeill today said:

"I have taken my hunger strike as far as I am able. If I had continued to refuse food I would have been kept in hospital and force fed. This would have lifted the pressure off the Unite leadership and would have been ineffective. My protest showed that Tony Woodley and Jimmy Kelly were prepared to see me die rather than give justice to myself and my two colleagues.

"It is an outrage that the union went to the lengths of serving us with an injunction barring us from protesting at Transport House and then called the police to have me removed from the building. I will not accept this infringement of my basic democratic rights and will be defying the injunction. After everything else these union leaders have done to me the threat of fines, court costs and imprisonment mean little to me now.

"Tony Woodley and Jimmy Kelly wanted to bribe us into silence about this dispute, and about and their role and the role of their predecessors in it. My answer is clear – my right to tell Unite members and other trade unionists what happened is not for sale. I know this means they will never pay me a penny in compensation but I will not forsake my principles for any amount of money.

"Rather than sign up to any gagging clause, we will now launch a campaign to make sure that the full truth, down to the last dot and comma, of what happened in this long dispute is made public so that the lessons can be drawn.

"I hope to launch this with a meeting in Liverpool hosted by the Liverpool dockers and other leading local trade unionists.

"As I have made clear throughout this struggle, I have no dispute with the rank and file members of Unite or any other union. My fight is with the Unite leadership. I will be making the case for all trade union officials to be elected, and to be paid the wages of the members they represent.!"

END
For more information contact:
Gordon McNeill - 07934632366
Chris Bowyer - 07764850945
Madan Gupta - 07810290938

For all the information please visit:
http://belfastairportworkers.wordpress.com/

by imnotsocommon Thu May 29, 2008 13:41

Yes, the truth will out in the end…perhaps Gordon McNeill/SP will comment on the real facts in the Unite statement; in particular the issue of the £130,728 hardship payments and grants paid to the boys in December 2007…they never REVEALED this info, did they?? I wonder why?

The SP should be ashamed of their behaviour in this whole episode…why don’t they put their time and enregy into campaigning/protesting against REAL issues that affect real people like the cuts at Crumlin Children’s hospital today instead of protesting outside Union offices with their anti-union rhetoric and behaviour?

Of course the union had to eventually impose an injunction against McNeill…common sense tells us that the union is legally responsible for the safety of the building, those employed in it and those who choose to sit “on” it.

Finally, perhaps people like Loach, Tomlinson and McGovern should check their facts first before they make public their support like they did.

Hunger strike…my arse!

Grow up SP and go home

by bigjimlarkin - unite Thu May 29, 2008 12:39 lisbon67 at hotmail dot com

Probably nobody comrade

In relation to these statements for support............................ based on the misinformation on this issue and incomplete 'facts' that have been peddled widely as if they were gospel, it is no wonder people pledge support anyway based on teh lies that are told

if you ask a child is he in favour of Christmas he will say he is, because of santy claus

santy claus is more real than much of what has been going on here for weeks, nay months.

Well at least the truth is out now and the grubby extortion attempt is finally exposed for what it is as the red herrings of the alleged non payment of fees that were always going to be paid, and an appeal that was always going to be taken and supported, have been removed

gordon 'show me the money' mcneill finally exposed

socialism my arse

by impatient - Teacher Thu May 29, 2008 12:04

Can someone in WSM answer my query re supposed INTO message of support for hunger strikers- can find no reference to it anywhere- only on wsm website and would like a reference to who gave this support on behalf of the INTO?

by bigjimlarkin - unite Wed May 28, 2008 19:32 lisbon67 at hotmail dot com

'Gordon and his fellow shop stewards, Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer, are demanding that the union compensate them for the hardship caused when the union leadership conspired with their employer, ICTS, to get them sacked.'

money money money

what a sad and disgraceful little episode

ICTS have already been ordered to pay 6 figure sums in compensation

Unite have already paid a 6 figure sum in hardship payments

any money Unite pay will be deducted on appeal from the legitimate ICTS bill

yet this blackmail and attempted distortion continues, aided and abetted by the socialist party

heaven help us

by che_jesus - sp Wed May 28, 2008 19:16

Gordon McNeill remains on hunger strike at Transport House - His protest enters the 14th day.
Sacked airport workers' press release (Wednesday 28 May 2008)

"The Unite leadership's attempt to blacken my name and then to silence me through injunctions and threats of fines and imprisonment will not succeed." Gordon McNeill.

Sacked airport shop steward, Gordon McNeill, is now entering the 14th day of his hunger strike at Transport House in Belfast. Gordon and his fellow shop stewards, Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer, are demanding that the union compensate them for the hardship caused when the union leadership conspired with their employer, ICTS, to get them sacked.

The shop stewards are also insisting that any offer of compensation must be without strings. In particular they are not prepared to sign up to the gagging clauses sought by the union.

The Unite leadership have responded, on the one hand, with a court injunction and the threat of fines and imprisonment, and on the other with a campaign of deliberate misinformation to try to discredit the protestors.

A statement from Unite, with comments from General Secretary, Tony Woodley and Irish Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly (issued on 28/5/08) claims that the reason that Gordon McNeill is on hunger strike is because he is demanding a million pounds compensation. This is completely untrue and the Unite leadership are fully aware that it is not true.

The shop stewards are not asking for a million pounds, as Tony Woodley and Jimmy Kelly both know. They are seeking a reasonable level of compensation that takes account the hardship the actions of senior union officials have put them through. And they are insistent that any offer must be without strings
Gordon McNeill today commented:

"I am disgusted that the Unite leadership have once again resorted to black propaganda and misinformation in order to discredit myself and my colleagues. As an ordinary union activist who has been blacklisted and out of work for six years because of the actions of my union leadership, I am outraged that these very well paid union officials should try to blacken my name by portraying my protest as "an unprincipled money grab"

"Tony Woodley and Jimmy Kelly well know that the million pound slur sank long ago and their attempt to re-float it just won't work. The union said they would compensate us and they should.

"But the compensation must be without strings. Unite want us to sign up to a deal that would prevent us from ever speaking out about the dispute. I want compensation but I also want other trade union members to know the full facts about what happened to us.

"Tony Woodley and Jimmy Kelly must realise that they cannot buy my silence and must remove the gagging clause from any future offer. If they refuse to do so the question that every Unite member, and trade unionists in general must ask is, "what are they trying to hide?"

The Unite statement goes on to attack the role of the Socialist Party. Jimmy Kelly says "the Socialist Party has apparently abandoned all its principles in order to support this circus and is now taking the view that disgruntled union members have a right to demand seven figure sums in compensation from their union and to go on hunger strike when they do not get it. This has nothing to do with socialism as I understand it."

Gordon McNeill, who is a member of the Socialist Party, today responded:

"As a member of the Socialist Party I am proud of the role played by my party colleagues who have stood by us from the very beginning of this struggle. It is Jimmy Kelly who has abandoned all basic trade union, never mind, socialist principles in justifying the way we have been betrayed and mistreated by our union leaders."

Socialist Party Northern Ireland Regional Secretary, Peter Hadden, commented:

"For Jimmy Kelly to try to dismissively describe shop stewards who have struggled for six years for justice from their employer and their union as "disgruntled union members" is insulting in the extreme.

"These workers performed a service for the entire trade union movement when, despite being refused assistance from their union, they took their employers to court and won a landmark ruling that they were sacked because of their trade union and socialist opinions. They deserve apologies, not insults, from a trade union bureaucracy that turned its back on them.

"Two of the shop stewards are members of the Socialist Party. Because we are concerned, first and foremost, about their health we have tried to persuade them not to go on hunger strike.

"However we fully understand why they feel that the actions of the union have left them with no alternative. Now that Gordon McNeill is on hunger strike we will stand behind him all the way and will continue to do everything in our power to expose the mistreatment he and his colleagues have received at the hands of senior Unite officials.

"As Jimmy Kelly knows this is not about seven figure sums. This is about justice. Jimmy Kelly's response has been to go to the courts to get an injunction banning the shop stewards from protesting "in or at" Transport House.

"The question I have for Jimmy Kelly is - what does attempting to buy someone's silence in order to suppress the facts of an injustice or using the courts and the police to deny workers the right to legitimate peaceful protest have to do with socialism?"

For more information contact: Gordon McNeill - 07934632366, Chris Bowyer - 07764850945, Madan Gupta - 07810290938

For all the information please visit: http://belfastairportworkers.wordpress.com/

by bigjimlarkin - unite Wed May 28, 2008 19:04 lisbon67 at hotmail dot com

Transport House
102 High Street
BELFAST BT1 2DL

Tel: 028 90 232381
Fax: 028 90 329904

REGION 3 IRELAND

AT&G SECTION

28 May 2008

Setting the Record Straight

Our Union has deliberately stayed out of the publicity surrounding the dispute between the Transport and General Workers Union and Chris Bowyer – Madan Gupta and Gordon McNeill. We took this decision because we wanted to concentrate all of our efforts on having a genuine and sincere attempt at resolving this dispute, a dispute which originated nearly seven years ago and is inherited by this current leadership.

Since first taking up dealing with this dispute the leadership of Tony Woodley as General Secretary and Jimmy Kelly as Irish Regional Secretary has been totally committed to bringing this issue to an honourable resolution. All of the time working towards this goal with the invaluable support of our General Executive Council and the Irish Regional Committee.

The publicity campaign against our Union has at times been relentless through the use of widely circulated Anti Union emails on the Internet. There has been a completely unhelpful and at times sectarian involvement by socialist party members in Belfast with disgraceful Anti Union behaviour, including lies and personalised attacks on Tony Woodley and Jimmy Kelly. None of their publicity has presented the fact that we are genuinely working towards an acceptable and honourable resolution of this dispute. They have achieved an undermining of our Union and are being cheered on by local Employers who are only too happy to exploit this opportunity. Unfortunately some genuine and well meaning trade unionists have believed the lies that were spread on the internet.

The Union has also been subjected to threats of hunger strikes and the regional office in Belfast has been taken over through various protests. Using the threat of a hunger strike as a weapon or a tactic in a dispute like this against the Union is just not acceptable. Banners denigrating the good name of our Union have been erected on the front of the Union office. Our union members particularly those of us living and working in Belfast have been confronted with at times daily attacks on our Union. This is made all the more unacceptable because of the support, including financial support given to the three involved in this dispute by our union members in Belfast.

Legal Costs

We were asked by Bowyer/Gupta/McNeill to consider covering their legal costs associated with the Tribunal hearings in their case. We agreed to work towards doing this and as an act of good faith on our part we paid £106,000 up front to their Solicitors, Breslin McCormick in December 2007. We then entered into the normal legal costs process with their Solicitors. Throughout this costs process our Union has been subjected to occupations of the Union offices, further claims by Bowyer/Gupta/McNeill that they were on hunger strike and public accusations that the Union had reneged on their promise to pay all the costs, which was blatantly not true.

It has taken (through no fault of the Union) up to May 22nd 2008 to finally reach an agreement on legal costs. This has meant the Union paying a further £44,000 to Solicitors Breslin McCormick. This has also meant the releasing of £40,000 to Bowyer/Gupta/McNeill, money that was being withheld by their own Solicitors pending settlement of the costs issue.

Tribunal Appeal Costs

We were also asked to consider paying the legal costs that will be incurred through the appeal process now that the Employer has decided to appeal the tribunal decision. With the support of our Finance and General Purposes Committee we have agreed to pay the costs associated with the appeal instigated by the Employer, even though this is an unquantifiable cost at this point. Our Union will get behind this appeal process with our own supportive campaign within the trade union movement in Northern Ireland. It is in the interest of all Trade Unionists that this Tribunal decision is not overturned, this is where anyone genuinely interested in wanting to help in this dispute should be lending their support and energy and not in attacking our Union.

Tribunal Award – Compensation – Hardship Payments and Grants

Our Union has been helping financially from the beginning of this dispute and is something we do in all disputes anyway without making public statements. Because of all the Anti Union statements in this case and in order to put the truth

on record we have established documented verification that our hardship payments and grants in this dispute have amounted to £130,728.

The only appeal to our Union following the Tribunal result and Compensation awards to Bowyer/Gupta/McNeill was that we would cover the legal costs. This was requested from the Union on the basis that if their legal costs were met by the Union then the Tribunal awards would not be affected for them as individuals by having to meet the legal costs out of their Compensation awards.

Therefore as can be seen from this summary on their request for legal costs and on our Union’s initiative in covering Tribunal Appeal costs we have fully met our promises and commitments on this matter. These areas will not now cost Bowyer/Gupta/McNeill a penny.

The third area which Bowyer /Gupta/McNeill have raised is that they want the Union to award personal payments to each of the three.

The Union has been advised that there is no legal foundation on which to base this consideration. The Tribunal has awarded compensation of varying levels totalling £750,000 attaching reasons and headings to each level of compensation. The legal advice to us is that if our Union were to award repeat payments under any of these headings it would result in the Tribunal awards being lost in any subsequent appeal, thereby rendering the three no better off financially and indeed only rewarding the Employer.

Even with this legal advice the Union has explored a possible area of financial assistance with a not insubstantial amount in full and final settlement now being offered to Bowyer/Gupta/McNeill. We have done this so as to clearly demonstrate that on all aspects of this case our Union has now done everything possible in the interests of an honourable resolution of the whole issue.

Our future is dedicated to organising non union workplaces across Northern Ireland and fighting back for workers.

Our Union now considers this dispute totally resolved and the Union has no outstanding matters to answer. We will not be accepting any further interference with our responsibilities and duties as an independent Trade Union organisation.

Our Union offices will not be available as a place or a space for Anti Union activity. We will not be held responsible for the actions or consequences of anyone threatening or taking part in hunger strikes. Those taking part in these activities must now take responsibility for their own actions. We will now set about undoing the damage done by those behind the Anti Union activity. We will try to get our genuine efforts at resolving this issue communicated as widely as possible.

JIMMY KELLY
Regional Secretary

Unite deplores the decision by Gordon McNeill to resume his hunger strike at the union’s Belfast office and believes it is an attempt to coerce the union into making him a large cash payment to which he has no legal or moral entitlement.

Over the last week the union has delivered on its long-promised commitment to pay in full the legal costs incurred by Mr McNeill and his colleagues in the course of their Employment Tribunal case against their employer, ICTS. It has further reached agreement on Unite meeting all legal costs associated with the appeal by ICTS against the Tribunal judgement in favour of Mr McNeill and colleagues.

It is therefore dismayed that Mr McNeill has decided to resume his hunger strike in an effort to secure what his legal representatives have demanded in writing as a payment of one million pounds each for himself and his colleagues, notwithstanding that they will each receive a considerable sum from ICTS if the latter’s appeal is dismissed, as Unite hopes it will be.

Unite Joint General Secretary Tony Woodley said today: “Unite has met all Mr McNeill’s legitimate concerns and ensured that neither he nor his colleagues will have to pay a penny towards their legal costs arising from this case. It is clear therefore that what we are now dealing with is an unprincipled money grab which we have no intention of conceding.

“While Mr McNeill persists in his attempts to coerce the union outwith both our own democratic procedures and normal legal representations there can be no question of any further discussions with him or his representatives. It is time that Mr McNeill gave up on these antics. I have asked our Irish region to take all necessary steps to secure the property of our union and the rights of its members and employees.”

Unite Irish Regional Secretary Jimmy Kelly said: “We have been working intensively over the past year to resolve this dispute arising from the past. Unite has gone the extra mile to meet those concerns which are legitimate and to ensure that Mr McNeill and his colleagues to not suffer any further hardship.

“However, the interests of our hundred thousand members across Ireland mean that we cannot continually be held to ransom in this way. It is deplorable, in particular, that the Socialist Party has apparently abandoned all its principles in order to support this circus and is now taking the view that disgruntled union members have a right to demand seven figure sums in compensation from their union and to go on hunger strike when they do not get it. This has nothing to do with socialism as I understand it.”

by Socialist Wed May 28, 2008 19:02

Dear Confused Jimmy Kelly has called the cops again to arrest the Airport Workers, why don't you phone him up about that!

by confused Wed May 28, 2008 18:53

An earlier statement from Gordon McNeill says they have been. Can someone put up a SHORT explanation of why the hunger strike continues..

by f Wed May 28, 2008 11:39

The letter that Tony Woodley chose to ignore

One year ago (12 June 2007) Gordon McNeill wrote a letter to Tony Woodley offering a way to resolve all the differences between the airport workers and the union. The letter was also sent to other T&GWU officials in Ireland, including Irish Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly.

The letter was written immediately after the Fair Employment Tribunal hearing was completed but before the Tribunal had reached a decision. It was written in anticipation of the Tribunal finding in the workers favour and offered the union a change to get on board before the finding was announced.

As the letter says: “It would in my view, be an extremely positive message to send out to the trade union movement as a whole, that you as our union, backed us fully in our final push for justice. There is in my view a real opportunity to have one of the most effective recruitment moments in the history of our union through our dispute with ICTS……”

Had the Unite leadership responded positively to this offer all that has happened in the past year, including the current hunger strike, could have been avoided.

Sadly neither Tony Woodley nor Jimmy Kelly never replied to this genuine attempt to resolve the differences and use the airport workers’ victory to build the union.

We publish the full text of Gordon McNeill’s letter to allow Unite members and other trade unionists to see who the unreasonable party is in this long running dispute.

WITHOUT PREJUDICE BOTH PARTIES

Gordon McNeill

25 Summerfield Street

Ballymena

Co. Antrim

N. Ireland

BT43 7DP

12th June 2007

FAO

GENERAL SECRETARY

TONY WOODLEY

T&G/UNITE UNION

Dear General Secretary,

I the above named write to you in a common spirit, which I believe to be in both our interests as fellow Trade Unionists.

As you are in no doubt aware, I have been in dispute with my former Employer namely ICTS UK Ltd. for exactly five years now.

I have just finished my full tribunal hearing case with same, in the Fair Employment Tribunal Court, Belfast on the 8th June 07 in that I have alleged Political Opinion Discrimination as a Trade Union Shop Steward, and that Trade Unionism in its self is a viable political opinion which can not be open to discrimination by ruthless employers.

If the said Tribunal holds my view, and finds in my favour, it will have the potential to change the entire face of anti-trade union laws in the United Kingdom

It is in this spirit of such a potential MONUMENTAL moment in the history of the Trade Union Movement, I’m offering you the proverbial “Olive Branch” in order that we may try and reach a positive conclusion, in trying to end the long running hostilities we as both parties seem to have for each other at the moment.

I would rather air our differences in private and try to reach an accommodation between ourselves, without the need to quote “wash our dirty linen in public” unquote. I believe the only people whom will benefit in fight within the courts system between ourselves, is the very people we as Trade Unionists, oppose…… Employers……the members will not understand all the personalities involved, or the depth of feeling between us, all they will see is a divided house.

That is why I seek to talk with you first.

It would in my view, be an extremely positive message to send to the Trade Union Movement as a whole, that you as you as our Union backed us fully in our final push for justice. There is in my view a real opportunity to have one of the most effective recruitment moments in the history of our union through our dispute with ICTS, and I urge you to seize upon this very important fact, that puts its members before personalities, if you follow my understanding.

In coming straight to the point, and all personalities aside, there is a small window of time of approx, two weeks, before the Court delivers its decision, and I would love to be in a position to be able to say we are all acting with one voice in this matter should we win.

If we win Political Discrimination, there will be a massive media interest as it will effect the whole UK, and on a personal note I would much rather be in a position to be saying positive things about the Unions, as opposed to being drawn into negativity and recriminations which in my view as Trade Unionists is not what I want, we need to show united front….

There is no point in trying to ignore the elephant in the living room as it were, lol lol, attempt at humour, lol lol.

I have issues with you as a Union, and am sure you, have issues with me also, but in putting the testosterone to the side for a moment, I think it in the much wider interests of the entire Trade Union Movement for us to meet up and explore the possibility (of) finding common ground between us, I suspect there is more that unites us, than divides us….

If you are receiving this letter in the spirit it is being constructed in, and are agreeable to meeting up, it is totally without prejudice and pre-conditions. This is simply to see if we can bring to an end once and for all this very obvious and extremely protracted disagreement between ourselves, while we have been in dispute with what I can only describe as the most overtly, anti-Trade Union Employer I have ever seen in the United Kingdom, namely ICTS UK.

I trust you will give my request for talks a favourable hearing.

Yours, and still a fellow Trade Unionist,

Gordon McNeill

Let’s “jaw, jaw” Not “war war”, we are still brothers when all is said and done!

Cfi…..

Jimmy Kelly

Eugene McGlone

Des Henderson

Sean Smith

by f Wed May 28, 2008 10:13

Irish News Text
Staff barred from Building
Three sacked Belfast International airport workers have been served with a court injunction, barring them from continuing to protest at Belfast’s Transport house. Gordon McNeill, who has been on hunger strike since May 15, was served with the injunction yesterday afternoon. Mr McNeill and fellow shop stewards Chris Bowyer and Madan Gupta have been told if they continue to protest they could face fines, seizure of assets and imprisonment. The men were sacked by security firm ICTS. They are protesting because they say their union, Unite, should pay for the full legal costs of their appeal case.

Daily Mirror

Irish News

Belfast Telegraph

by f Wed May 28, 2008 09:33

PRESS RELEASE - Tuesday 27th May

Unite union serves injunction and threatens protesting shop stewards with fines and imprisonment

"Unite are trying to deny us our democratic right to peacefully protest." Gordon McNeill

The dispute between the sacked airport shop stewards and their union, Unite, was dramatically escalated this afternoon.

Sacked shop steward, Gordon McNeill, who is on the thirteenth day of a hunger strike, was served with a court injunction brought by the union baring him from continuing to protest "in or at Transport House". The injunction makes clear that, if any of the three shop stewards involved in the protest, Gordon McNeill, Chris Bowyer and Madan Gupta, continue to protest they may face fines, seizure of assets and/or imprisonment.

Gordon McNeill has responded by escalating his protest from a hunger strike to a hunger and thirst strike. Gordon commented:

"Trade union members are used to employers serving injunctions to stop pickets and other protests. Now it is our union who are using the law to try to take away our right to protest.

"Is it not enough that our union leadership got us sacked and then refused us support in our legal battle against our employer? Now they are threatening to use the courts to fine us, seize our assets and put us in prison in order to silence us. They are going to take away my democratic right to free speech.

"They should remember that the right to join unions was won by people like the Tolpuddle Martyrs who faced jail and deportation fighting the combination laws. I'm sure those early trade unionists would turn in their graves at the thought that the organisations they founded were led by people who would threaten their own members with imprisonment for daring to take protest action.

"We have every right to continue our peaceful and dignified protest demanding justice from our union. My response to this latest intimidation is to escalate my protest from a hunger strike to a hunger and thirst strike. I will not take fluids until I am convinced that Unite Irish Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly, will not persist with this threat of court action."

by curious - none Wed May 28, 2008 08:38

I see that as well on http://www.wsm.ie/news_viewer/3953
that the INTO sent their support. I'd like to see where they did this?
I can't find anything on their website either and I don't remember anyone talking about it. Could Belfast wsm or someone else from wsm point me towards where the INTO called for support?
Thanks

by f Tue May 27, 2008 22:41

"Unite are trying to deny us our democratic right to peacefully protest." Gordon McNeill

The dispute between the sacked airport shop stewards and their union, Unite, was dramatically escalated this afternoon.

Sacked shop steward, Gordon McNeill, who is on the thirteenth day of a hunger strike, was served with a court injunction brought by the union baring him from continuing to protest "in or at Transport House". The injunction makes clear that, if any of the three shop stewards involved in the protest, Gordon McNeill, Chris Bowyer and Madan Gupta, continue to protest they may face fines, seizure of assets and/or imprisonment.

Gordon McNeill has responded by escalating his protest from a hunger strike to a hunger and thirst strike. Gordon commented:

"Trade union members are used to employers serving injunctions to stop pickets and other protests. Now it is our union who are using the law to try to take away our right to protest.

"Is it not enough that our union leadership got us sacked and then refused us support in our legal battle against our employer? Now they are threatening to use the courts to fine us, seize our assets and put us in prison in order to silence us. They are going to take away my democratic right to free speech.

"They should remember that the right to join unions was won by people like the Tolpuddle Martyrs who faced jail and deportation fighting the combination laws. I'm sure those early trade unionists would turn in their graves at the thought that the organisations they founded were led by people who would threaten their own members with imprisonment for daring to take protest action.

"We have every right to continue our peaceful and dignified protest demanding justice from our union. My response to this latest intimidation is to escalate my protest from a hunger strike to a hunger and thirst strike. I will not take fluids until I am convinced that Unite Irish Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly, will not persist with this threat of court action."

by Interested Tue May 27, 2008 16:13

http://www.wsm.ie/news_viewer/3953
says INTO sent their support- where did they do this- I can't find anything on their website?

by Stephen Boyd - Socialist Party Sat May 24, 2008 12:12

For the latest information go to
http://belfastairportworkers.wordpress.com/

by Stephen Boyd - Socialist Party Sat May 24, 2008 12:09

You are far from an impartial observer. I doubt that you are even an ordinary Unite member as you claim. Your brief post is an insult to the Belfast Airport Workers, and its few sentences contain deliberate lies and slander.
The airport workers legal fees were incurred fighting and winning a battle that has blown a hole in Thatcher's anti-union laws, a battle by the way which Tony Woodley told the workers they couldn't win and his advice was to walk away and give up their fight!
Agreement by the union leadership to pay these fees has only happened in the last 48 hours and has only happened because of the continued campaign by the men.
T&GWU full time officials, including a previous general secretary were involved in a conspiracy with ICTS to get the Airport Workers sacked. Unite T&G leaders are as culpable in the injustice that was perpetrated against these men as ICTS and therefore OWE these men financially compensation for this injustice which has left two of them blacklisted and unable to get work.
The Belfast Airport Workers are NOT asking for £1 million compensation from the union, or a sum anything like that amount. If you are concerned about "the members money" then you should direct your questions to the Unite T&G leaders who have squandered tens of thousands of pounds of the unions money on legal fees trying to stop the airport workers from achieving justice. Then ask them about their huge salaries and expense accounts!!!!
Then maybe you might demand that the Unite leadership hold an enquiry into this shameful affair and it can be fully exposed who is to blame for the treachery perpetrated against the Belfast Airport Workers.

by impartial observer - ordinary member of UNITE Sat May 24, 2008 01:32

The lads are on a hunger strike for a £1million each compensation. That's our union dues. I don't deny the guys were done down by a rightwing dog, but they are way over the top with their compensation claim. Our union has paid their legal fees, that was never in doubt. This hunger strike is an awful carry on. These guys may have support on this site, but not within the union.

by Supporter Fri May 23, 2008 14:36

G - None - it is your comment that is nonsense - the legal bills had not been paid, read the workers statement, stop attempting to spread lies.

by G - none Fri May 23, 2008 12:41

This is just nonsense- the legal bills were paid- as far as i was aware- and that is only right but the compensation? Rubbish.

by f Fri May 23, 2008 10:50

Legal bills understood to be paid – Unite promise to make compensation offer

Decision whether to recommence the hunger strike under review.

The sacked airport shop stewards, Gordon McNeill and Chris Bowyer, who have been on hunger strike on the balcony outside Transport House suspended their action at 9 am this morning.

The men have come off the Transport House balcony. Gordon McNeill, who went five days without food and water and a further three days without food, was suffering from chest pains and had to be assisted off. Chris Bowyer has been suffering bowel problems. Both men have now gone for urgent medical assistance.

The hunger strikers had made clear earlier in the week that they would temporarily suspend the hunger strike if the union made good its promise to pay outstanding legal bills and to cover the costs of legal representation for the Court of Appeal case now pending.

The shop stewards now understand that the legal bills are now being paid and the terms on which barristers will be engaged to handle the appeal have been agreed. All that remains is the outstanding issue of compensation and the protest has been suspended to allow urgent discussions on this.

Gordon McNeill today said:

"We are pleased that Unite now appears to have paid our legal costs and that we can now have a legal team in place for the appeal.

"We have suspended our action because we said that if Unite showed good faith by paying these bills, we would allow a space for an offer on compensation to be made and negotiated.

"I expect Unite to act with urgency on this so that I will be able to announce a final settlement of this long running issue. This will depend on them offering an amount of compensation that realistically reflects the six years of hardship and suffering that our families and ourselves have been put through."

END
For more information contact:
Gordon McNeill - 07934632366
Chris Bowyer - 07764850945
Madan Gupta - 07810290938

by f Thu May 22, 2008 12:47

Tomorrow's rally will be postponed to allow time for the union to sort this out

by f Thu May 22, 2008 11:31

please print off and spread the word

Rally 1pm Fri 23rd May

pdf 0.04 Mb