Refinery walk-outs. Petty Nationalism??

Quote from Scaffolder at Lindsey Oil Refinery, Daily Star (great 'socialist' paper!!!! I think not)

“we need to make a stand now. This is not a racist protest. I’m happy to work hand-in-hand with foreign workers, but we are not getting a look in. There are guys at this site who had been banking on that work and then it gets handed to an Italian firm. It’s about fairness.”

This dispute has been brewing for years. Only 3 years ago were discussions being held with employers at Fawley refinery over the use of foreign contractors OUTSIDE of the existing Blue Book agreement. the employers used the excuse that there was no skilled or unskilled local labour to employ. Employers cant use this excuse now. Its important to also point out that while there may be a few racist individuals taking advantage of these current walkouts I fail to see that extreme nationalism in any form dominates.

The strikes for example have affected the whole of the UK including Ireland which shows that the character is not totally British or about British workers. There are many Polish construction workers who have also been affected by this and undoubtedly some are supporting this action.

The BNP have tried to take advantage of the issue as you would expect them to but I haven't seen any reports of them having success even though I expect you will see some workers latching on to some of the shit they peddle. One thing thing this dispute is not and that is the London Dockers walk-out in support of Enoch Powells Rivers of Blood speech. That was of an entirely different character.

Today UNITE, UCATT and the GMB have been consistently campaigning against the tendering process that operates in major construction projects. It is the Employers who are the problem and of course the Government who allow it to happen. The use of migrant Labour by these employers, taking advantage of a de-regulated Europe wide labour market, has led to a substantial undercutting of terms and conditions. This is clearly deliberate and needs to be clearly pointed out to the more reactionary elements.

The Employer is the Enemy not fellow workers!!

The EU has always been something workers could rely on to enforce progressive Labour Laws. This was seen in the election of New Labour in 1997 when the government started to introduce watered down versions of the EU social chapter that the Tories wouldn't touch with a barge pole. But since then the EU has presided over legislation which presents a serious problem to workers in respect of collective action. I refer here of course to the Viking, Laval and Ruffert cases which shows that EU is a capitalist club that cannot be relied upon to assist workers.

This brings me to the point that legally unions would be fighting an uphill battle in order to stop foreign firms coming to the UK and undercutting the local terms and conditions. Unions cant rely on Europe any more.

As socialists we should support these walkouts. But we support them on the basis of clear class policies to strengthen collective agreements on the sites and to negotiate clear recruitment programmes sensitive to the local areas which are suffering badly because of the credit crunch. Most importantly we need a political party sensitive to class policies which we clearly haven't got at the moment. Included in this would demanding the raising of the minimum wage to at least £7.50 ph, the outlawing of bogus self employment, more robust regulation of employment agencies and the scrapping of the Tory anti trade union laws. Clear socialist class policies would cut across any of the racist crap that contaminates the extreme fringes of this dispute.

Lets also remind ourselves that the petty nationalism came from Gordon Browns 'British Jobs for British Workers' gaffe.

Article in the Guardian today by John Cruddas which makes some surprisingly good points.

UNITE Statement.

Good blog comment here.

Oil Refinery Walkout over use of foreign labour

News today. I will put my thoughts to this later. This issue has been brewing for a few years now across the Industry. Another report here.

Is Mandelson really helping the UK Car Industry?

I dont think so. Its too little too late. If this is the sole assistance that all Industry should expect then we really are in for a rough time.

This backs up the stance the Government has always taken as to what is 'affordable'. We are dealing with the biggest economic crisis since the 1920s/30s. The question is what is going to be unaffordable for millions of workers in the UK during this recession as the unemployment figures rapidly rise.

Its a question of priorities. I see Directors pay rises are still 'affordable' here.

How Mandelson can cheer up Car Workers.

Further to my recent post on the Car Industry its been made clear in Unite's campaign to save the UK car industry that a substantial investment has to be made to weather the current downturn in order to put the UK industry on a level footing when trade picks up. This is of particular importance if you consider that European competitors who benefit from public finance help will retain the skills of their workers in order to continue full production when the opportunity arises.European Car Firms will have a clear head start on the UK industry if this happens.

The current heads in the sand/rely on the market/give the redundant new skills-re-train, current approach will get New Labour nowhere.

It feels like car workers in this country are being hung out to dry.

Here is how 'free marketeer' Sarkosy is dealing with the issue in France.

Personally I think the whole UK Car Industry should be nationalised. The current economic situation the Industry is in is far, far worse than anything you could point to that happened in the 'bad-old-seventies'. This is now a political issue and not just an economic one.

By the way , just to remind ourselves, this is how bad UK Car Manufacturing is now.

Same old Tories......

The rich will always look after the rich. Its always interesting that the stench caused by the people partly responsible for the economic mess we are in can be traced back to the Tory Party.

Obama and the Chicago Boys

Once all the rah-rah-rah of the US Presidential Election has died down the economic realities will have to be faced so while I recognise the importance of the US first Black President being elected, the change promised unfortunately for most working Americans and indeed a lot of the Capitalist world will be the same old, same old. This report here last year and more recently this year in the Wall Street Journal (cant find link) doesnt fill me with the elan expressed by many on the 'liberal left'.

Free Enterprise offers no solution to this crisis and never will. Building links with this notorious group of Monetarists is a major mistake which he will pay for. A clear break is needed and socialist solutions offered to the economic madness peddled by this group of nutters.

Mandelson pisses of Car Workers

First thing you should think of when you read this, if you are a Labour Party member is how many Trade Unionists who work for Ford, Honda, Toyota and their contractors are paying the political levy. This is the type of news which will make ordinary Trade Unionists think what is the point!!

What Mandy fails to realise is that the Car Industry isn't the Industry that had the 'bad name in the 70s' anymore.These workers have bent over backwards for the employer and adopted every new practice or 'flexibility' the employer dictated. This was done on the basis that if they didn't they would lose their jobs. Well their jobs are under threat, in fact there is a danger that Vehicle Manufacturing could completely disappear from the UK in this current economic crisis.

A real Labour Party wouldn't be pandering to the excesses of the Capitalist System but ensuring we have something left to produce, vehicles being a case in point. But not only vehicles. A real Labour Party would realise that to have a successful economy we have to produce things to sell. If we are not doing that how can we build future economic wealth? Through the Service Industry?

Unfortunately we havent got a real Labour Party!! If Mandy thinks these workers need retraining if they lose their jobs then training in what? The UK has lost well over 1 million jobs in manufacturing. More will go with this current recession unfortunately. So maybe the training he is looking at is for the 50 year old Honda worker to learn IT skills so he can work in the MacDonalds IT department. Or maybe there is a redundant Toyota worker who could retrain to put shelving together at B&Q? Maybe there is a training programme to put all these workers to work for Kwik-Fit? Maybe they could all be retrained to go into care work. Now there is a growth Industry. People are getting older. Public care is being privatised. No redundancy threat. Jobs a good-un!!

Meanwhile these political levy paying car workers are looking at the billions being thrown at the banks for mistakes THEY MADE THEMSELVES in the banking glut that caused the credit crunch. They will draw the relevant conclusion. It is when I hear comments from people like Mandelson , I wonder why I bother with the Labour Party.

The Effects of Privatisation in the former USSR

No one can deny the crimes of Stalinism back in the 1930s and the oppressive nature of the old Soviet bureaucracy. The world Marxist movement was thrown back centuries by the crimes of Stalin and his followers and many people still today wrongly associate Stalin's dictatorship with Marxism and label its followers as the same.

Its interesting to see though how the effects of the so called privatisation which started in the early 90s is having what in my view is an equally 'murderous' effect. This report here is self explanatory. Some of the most violent revolutions are actually capitalist ones.
Such was the rush to carve up the old state run industries that the human cast was completely forgotten.

For a State Bank

What a brilliant idea!!

"A year ago such a demand from a left-wing politician would have provoked a 'loony left' response. But no more - after the extraordinary self-induced implosion of the financial system, the future of the market system now rests in the hands of governments."

The Rt Hon John McFall MP

'No Irish' on Polish Construction Sites

Not a totally unexpected backlash to the abuse meted out to Polish Construction workers who had been working in Ireland for the past few years. I think the Trade Union movement warned about ensuring Migrant workers were paid decent rates and treated with dignity. Unfortunately cash hungry employers took complete advantage of the cheap labour coming from Europe. They will continue to do so until the Government accept the need for tight regulation and strong Union agreements in the vulnerable areas such as Construction and the Food Industry.

Taxpayers help Lloyds pay fine to US

That 'special-relationship' thing again. The Guardian has a take on it here.

Just as well the Banks have been bailed out then, hasn't it. Otherwise I expect this fine wouldn't have been paid. Its another case of the Taxpayer paying for the fault of the banker.

Tory expelled for dressing as Maddy for a New Years Eve Party

I didn't believe it either at first but they never in the end fail to let you down!!

The problem is this wacky middle class prick is still a Tory, whether he is in the Tory Party or not.

US Labor Unions to Unite

Good news this. After over three years of division , the heads of the US Labor Unions are uniting to take advantage of the change of President to come together.This will be a be a powerful force that could organise to win for members.

Lets hope Obama doesnt let them down.

BNP supports Israeli attack on Gaza

This is one for all those like here who believe being anti Israel is anti semetic.


Tony Greenstein has blog about it here (HT to Tony of course)

Ron Asheton RIP

Sad death of the great Stooges guitarist.

Snouts in Trough; Construction Bosses lead the way

The Credit Crunch hit the UK Construction Industry first as we experience high unemployment amongst building workers and in many places complete halts in building programmes both commercial and residential. At the the same time a drop in house prices towards early 2000/2001 levels is expected with further drops predicted making home owners very jittery.

While this is going on its nice to see Building Bosses sharing the load about and tightening their belts in solidarity to the thousands of bogus self employed workers, contractors and sub contractors they probably used to employ.

Proctor and Gamble, Reading

HT to Ian's Unite Site.

Organising campaign at Proctor and Gamble, the formally Gillete site by Reading.

Send messages of support. Please link.

Unite Statement; Close Tax Havens

While thousands of workers in the UK face very uncertain futures as the boss class is allowed to make them pay for the crisis that the Banks have caused, the UK's largest Union, Unite have outlined the responsibility the market has in assisting during this recession.
All tax loop holes should be closed now and as for the argument that it would cause Industry to up sticks and leave the UK, remember the recession is Global. There is no escape.

This is a long overdue statement that needs to be heard by the Government and acted upon.

Factory Occupations? Thing of the Future?

This question is being posed in the Trade Union movement in Canada.

Ever since the incredible events in Chicago where an occupation drew significant consessions out of the employer the debate has raged over the value of occupations. It makes sense especially during a recession to pursue a form of Industrial Action that puts the central demand of working at the top of the agenda. Walking out during this current time just encourages the boss to lock up and relocate. An occupation would generate a positive view of the union comitting the action as the Chicago strike demonstrated.

In these current economic times I think we will see more imaginative forms of collective action.

Sirius Strike. South Korea.

Found this on LabourStart today.

Now I'm no fan of North Korea. Lets get this straight right away. But what kind of alternative does capitalism pose when this kind of tyrannical behaviour by bosses is experienced. As the link demonstrates , these low paid female temporary workers are treated abysmally. They are then made to feel grateful because they could be living in the 'Communist' North. Just because you have a democratic vote every few years doesn't make society perfect as this case and thousands others worldwide clearly demonstrate. Especially when the ruling parties that support this kind of shit get in.