Rover Bosses crooks, but they are getting away with it!

And under a Labour Government no less.

This makes depressing reading. Not just did they pocket millions but the cost the country millions by sacking thousands of skilled workers and chucking them on the dole.
Personally I feel that there was a strong case for the company to be put in public hands. A real Labour Government would have done but unfortunately with cries of 'remember what it was like in the 70s' New Labour left it to the market.

That brings me to the banks..............

Trade Unionism in the Middle East

This report here underlines the extreme difficulties of being a trade unionist in the Middle East.

Organising in Unison

Very pleased to see Unison taking the Organising idea seriously. I think the whole TU movement need to take on this issue. This time next year we could have a Tory Government and the only way to fight back will be through the Trade Unions.

A long break

I have been on a short 'intermission' of late. I got a bit tired of blogging to be honest but also got entirely depressed about a number of things that dont seem to resolve itself, namely

-The inability of the left to unite around common issues and to understand the working class

-The inability of Labourites to understand the economic/cultural changes that have happened in the last 2 years and adapt

-The inability of the Trade Unions to completely modify their organisations, in light of the economic recession, and become hard hitting fighting unions.

!'ll get 'me coat!!

Hopefully I'll be back soon.

Lindsey Workers walk out over Redundancies

Total have bitten off more than they can chew at Lindsey. Total are dictating organisational change to the contractors which has been condemned by the workforce.
I will post more info when I find it.

Update. Morning Star.

Rob Williams reinstated!! Militancy pays

From the Unite website

Workers' unity secures Linamar convenor's job
10th June 2009

Unite convenor Rob Williams has been reinstated to his post at the Swansea plant of car components maker Linamar, the company and the union announced today (Wednesday).

The decision reverses last month's dismissal of Mr Williams by the company and means that the strike planned to secure his reinstatement, due to start tomorrow, has been called off. Unite and Linamar will now work together to ensure the plant's future success.

Unite assistant general secretary, Len McCluskey, who led talks with management to secure Rob Williams' reinstatement, said today: "We are delighted at this outcome, which represents a victory for the solidarity of the workforce at Linamar. It is also a tribute to the wider support for Rob expressed by the labour movement throughout Wales in particular.

"I hope that employers throughout the country will take note that Unite will always be prepared to stand behind its elected representatives and will not accept attacks of this kind against union organisation.

"Now this dispute is behind us, we are looking forward to working constructively with the company to help secure the future of the Swansea plant in the very difficult worldwide economic environment."

New Labour Meltdown

The results on the 4th June were no shock. They were a reality to the depths New Labour has sunk steadily to over the past few years. 'Its policy, stupid', that matters but instead of shouting about the decent policies that labour brought in the issue has centered on a power struggle between the Blairite and the Brownite wing of New Labour. As an active Trade Unionist who pays the political levy I would share with grassroots Labour campaigners the treachery of Purnel, Flint, Hoon and Hutton with disgust. These chancers represent the real heart of New Labour in my view. Their loyalty to the Labour Party has been really demonstrated by their actions over the last couple of days. They should leave the Party.

What really summed it up for me though was the treatment LDV workers got by the Government. A planned lobby and meeting with relevant ministers at Westminster was canceled due to a cabinet reshuffle!! This because of the antics of these charlatans who entered the Labour Party to pursue their careers and claim expenses. The LDV workers and the 4000 employees of supporting trades that would be affected by closure a far more important than the non-entities (some unelected) put in the cabinet!!

The only good news is that Conservative vote dipped 6 points. Wow!!