Jerry Hicks

Seven weeks of fantastic rank and file protests has seen off one of the big 8 [MJN Colston]. At rank and file meetings committees have been elected in London, Manchester and the North East. This week's target sites have been chosen [see below].

But, with the D day approaching - December 7th new contact signing deadline, the Unite ballot is still nowhere to be seen [email Mr McAulay bernard.mcaulay@unitetheunion.org demanding a ballot date]. We need to be ‘upping the ante’ with walk-outs, occupations, demos and ‘protest picket lines’ stopping the job where ever and when ever possible.

Concentrating on the weakest links seems the right tactic: Tommy Clarkes, SPIE Matthew Hall and Grattes. If we are also in the faces of the clients, who are getting increasingly jarred off with the protests, it can make life hard for the rogue 7. Ultimately to stand any chance of beating this attack on the JIB, we need to be building for an all trades all out national strike of construction workers on November 30th, the same day that 2 million public sector workers take strike action to defend their pensions.

Since the last update there have been numerous demos and walkouts. [Sorry if we missed yours out, it’s not deliberate]. Newcastle at Balfours regional HQ. 2 demos in Manchester. In Liverpool, sparks refused to cross the ‘protest picket line’ at the Shepards site, central Library. In Nottingham on Friday, there was a walk out at Ratcliffe power station. In Scotland at Cambuslang on Balfours, lads walked off site with 150 outside the gate, where members of the fire brigades union came over with tea and biscuits, a nice touch, eh! ‘Solidari- tea’!!

In Glasgow, there was a protest at the apprentice of the year awards while in London, despite the efforts of Scotland Yard to ban us, over 250 sparks and supporters were outside the T Clarke site and closed Oxford Street! Click on the video to see for yourself, please forward on to inspire people to come to a protest near them!



Future meetings and demos we have to be at:

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Bernard McAuley Unite national construction officer will be attending the meetings in Hartlepool and London this week - get there and make your presence felt and your feelings known!

Hartlepool: Mon 10th Oct 7:30pm Belle Vue Social Club Kendle Road Hartlepool TS25 1QU https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=284378361581348

London: Tues 11th Oct 6.30pm Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holburn.
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169295839820247


Rank and file demos [that we know about]:

London: Wed 12th Oct 7am, Tate Modern, Summer Street SE1. Bankside, nearest tube Southwark on the Jubilee line.

Newecastle: Wed 12th Oct 6:30 am Walkergate Medical, Centre, Benfield road, directly outside Walkergate metro station about 1/4 of a mile past the main Walkergate Hospital, on Benfield Road.

Glasgow: Govan shipyard. Wednesday 12th October 07.00am - Assemble at the middle Gate. Govan Shipyard - Govan Road.

Manchester: Wednesday 12th October 6.30 Carrington Paper Mill, Trafford.

Email us with ideas and any actions planned siteworkers@virginmedia.com

Get regular updates: Electricians Against The World http ://www . jibelectrician . blogspot . com/

Blacklist Support Group AGM: Sat 29th Oct 11am - 3pm Nunn Hall, Institute of Education, Euston, London. Premier of new film by Reel News about the campaign against the blacklist. Blacklist Support Group www.hazards.org/blacklistblog