Jerry Hicks

What an incredible 4 months of rank and file activity we have had; it must be the best action of any group of workers in last 10 years, and its gone worldwide.

The fun and fightback began on 13th August in London at Conway Hall one hot summer's day when 500 sparks filled the hall to the rafters and the atmosphere was electric. The meeting discussed the issues that faced us and made its own decisions. A national committee was ELECTED by those present, no appointments or stitch ups that day.

From there, 2 of the newly ELECTED committee went to Leeds on 17th august for a Unite shop stewards meeting which was full of appointed UNELECTED unite officers, apart from 4 or 5 elected stewards and activists. We urged that a campaign be started immediately. Bernard ‘moving forward’ McAulay told us it would best to wait until January or February 2012 before we should start a campaign and get our army together. He was backed up by the appointed FTO’s.

Later that same evening, at the London construction branch, 250 sparks held the meeting in the street in the rain (the hall was too small). An army was easily formed and the 1st protest was voted on to take place the following Wednesday at Blackfriars.

Since then, every Wednesday we have protested in London at various sites for some 18 weeks at the last count. The action soon spread to other parts of the UK and Rank and File committees have been formed in Wales, Scotland, Manchester/Liverpool, Newcastle, London, and hopefully soon to be in Sheffield and Birmingham early in New year.

We have had loads of meetings and some brilliant protests with some great stuff on youtube. JIB electrician has a fantastic facebook/blog site all keeping each other in touch and organised against BESNA.

Unfortunately, Unite often failed to match up to the Rank and File, the worst being losing their bottle over the ballot challenge by BBES and despite getting a massive ‘YES vote’ for action. They are re-balloting. Disappointing as that is, it’s not a problem as Rank and File will take action anyway, as we’ve been doing since August and we aren’t going to stop now.

Protests continued this week in England, Scotland and Wales, and on Thursday night 50 protestors occupied network rail offices in London for an hour eventually moved out by pc plod.

On Saturday [Yesterday] in Scotland a number of sparks occupied the BBC asking ‘why the media blackout was going on’ Here's the link to the BBC occupation report.
http://union-news.co.uk/2011/12/update-sparks-occupy-bbc-building-protest-over-media-coverage/

In January,  Scottish sparks are planning to return all new BBES contracts unopened to BB head office en masse. So what of the ACAS meeting last Thursday [15th December], where one of our top rank and file members was present with Unite officials? At the meeting, there was no backsliding by Unite, but to our horror Brian Boyd who up until recently was a Unite official and who left the union with £100,000, was representing the employers HVCA.

Unusual you might think? If only! Amicus and now Unite seems to be a great training ground for this sort of thing with some top turncoats in recent years: Frank Westerman, Jim Simms, Jim Thomas, Paul Corby, Les Bayliss [who left with £250,000 of members money]. They all swapped sides so no wonder so many of us are f**********g blacklisted! So, ex union officials get the top jobs and we are stopped from getting jobs!!!!

Meanwhile, back at the struggle. With nothing coming from ACAS it means that in the New Year its business as usual. Demo’s, protest picket lines and occupations must continue ‘one out all out’!

Some dates to focus on are:

21st December 6.30pm London construction branch meeting. Conway Hall, Holborn. With a well deserved pint or 2 after in the Dolphin pub after.

January 4th 2012, when the Rank and File committee [from across the regions] are meeting Unite GS Len Mcluskey.

January 4th 2012 at 06.45am, there will be a protest in London at a Grattes site in Victoria Howick Place, behind House of Fraser Store. NGB site also close by.

January 6th 2012, when we should have the re- ballot result for BBES [NGB Spie Matthew Hall being balloted next].

January 9th 2012 looks the most likely date for the next ‘big day of action’. Details to follow soon.

Going Global!
We said our dispute has gone worldwide but even so we were amazed to be contacted by Australian Electrical Trade Union [AETU]. A few weeks ago, one of their officials happened to be in England and spoke at the London Rank and File meeting [3rd Dec].

They have now agreed to donate a large sum to our fighting fund and they have also invited 2 Rank and File members to go to Australia in New Year to speak at site meetings. [They will pay for flights and accommodation]/ Any takers? Please let us know. A massive thanks to them for their generosity and offer to support us where possible.

We also have had donations in recent weeks from groups and individuals across the UK. Thank you all very much. We have a bank account and a treasurer ensuring that donations go towards the cost of hiring Halls, producing siteworker magazine, for the travel expenses helping to get Rank and File members to meetings far and wide, postage costs and leaflets are paid out from the fund. So if you need help with expenses please contact us.

There are some ‘thank you’s’ to be dished out, you have all made a difference: the workers in construction, sparks ,plumbers pipe fitters welders, brickys, carpenters, painters, SWP, SP, Socialist Appeal, Counterfire, Morning star, Newsline, Reel News, Occupy movement, Trades Councils. Many other trade unions, countless trade union members, Justice for Pickets, JIB facebook, MP’s John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn. And not forgetting Unite the union. Hope we’ve not missed anyone, if we have, sorry.

At the ACAS meeting on 15th December, the employers’ team included 2 individuals representing HVCA that we believe are completely unacceptable [and a deliberate pi** take].

One was Brian Boyd now employed by HVCA and pushing through BESNA. He is a former Unite/Amicus senior full time officer with responsibilities in the construction sector and for British Airways, his pockets are full of our money and he has a knowledge of thousands of Unite members. We should definitely not be sitting down with him.

The other is Stephen Quant. He used to work for Skanska, who were the biggest subscriber to Ian Kerr’s Blacklisting organisation. He may have been Ian Kerr’s right hand man at some point.

Never mind talking about BESNA, why are Unite sitting in the same building as Boyd and Quant, its a disgrace? We demand that Unite has no further talks with HVCA if these 2 wretches are present.

For details of demos protests and meetings near you please visit...............

Electricians Against The World http ://www . jibelectrician . blogspot . com/
Get in touch with us by Email siteworkers@virginmedia.com let us know of any planned protests in you have in the coming weeks

7th December was supposed to be the 1st day of action in the electricians dispute following the magnificent ballot result of 81% in favour of industrial action at Balfour Beatty [BBES].

Shamefully, Unite the union capitulated and have decided to re-ballot after the threat of an injunction by BBES. It was claimed by BBES that 25 office workers (Unite members) were not balloted. This small number wouldn't have made any difference to the result. The result of the new ballot will not now be known until 6th January.

But it's not only the Arab Spring that knows how to use facebook, twitter and text messaging. The rank n file rose to the occasion on 7th December. It was the biggest nationally coordinated unofficial strike seen in any industry for many years. Thousands of workers were involved. There were protests and picketlines at a number of BB sites in Scotland, Grangemouth, Glasgow, Wales, Cardiff, Humberside, Manchester, Liverpool and London, where there were running battles with the police.

A 500 strong picket was put on at Blackfriars, where Bob Crow spoke as well as many others from trade union reps to John McDonnel MP and members of Unite EC. A protest was also held at BBES HQ and a protest at Grattes site, both in Victoria, at which some bright spark set off fire alarms stopping production for 2 hours as the workers refused to go back in through our spontaneous picket-line. A meeting held outside with site workers gave them the arguments to join us in the dispute so maybe they will next time.

Meanwhile in Scotland, at Camblasang fire station site offices were occupied and a protest took place at BBES HQ Grangemouth. Also steeping up to the plate, sparks and supporters were out in force support in Liverpool, Teeside, Hull, Cardiff who all had protests and pickets on large sites.



Manchester protested outside the town hall and protestors got into the Labour council meeting, demanding that Laing O'Rourke and NG Bailey are removed from the projects as they are blacklisters. Labour MPs have agreed to meet ‘Rank and File committee’ members to discuss this soon.

The whole day was a brilliant success and was rounded off with a picket on Blackfriars nightshift where no sparks worked there at all that day and there was support from scaffolders and cable pullers who refused to cross the picket lines. This all shows the enormous power and potential of the ‘Rank and File’ when they pull together. This dispute may go on for many months yet as the rogue 7 dig their heels in.

We must continue the weekly protests, maintain the numbers and push Unite to make it an official strike in construction in the New Year, though whatever happens the ‘Rank and File’ have transformed the construction sector of Unite in the last 4 months.

We should use our rank n file power and get involved in the official union machinery, putting motions through our branches to make it union policy. Get elected onto sector committees and JIB bodies and so on. Not to do this would be a mistake.

We must continue to fight the blacklist and expose any union collusion that Unite would like to brush this under the carpet. There are 100s of blacklisted sparks, experienced stewards who cannot get work in construction. Unite should challenge employers who are still blacklisting, with site workers demanding these workers to get onto sites.

We mustn't give a penny of our wages to the bosses. We have lost enough over the last 10 years and enough is enough. No cuts, no changes to JIB agreement and no sell outs!

The NAIECI agreement is also under attack, This is another area to be organised by the ‘Rank and File’ as JIB workers can assist each other. Make no mistake if the sparks and pipefitters agreements are smashed other trades will be targeted next.

‘Rank and file’ committees are springing up all over the country, which is great. Meetings are being held weekly, Cardiff last Saturday, Liverpool met last Thursday and Scotland had theirs yesterday, and many more besides; keeping the pressure on the officials.

Members are making it clear they are disgusted at Unite's decision to re-ballot and the ACAS saga. Bernard McAulay has announced that Unite are to hold talks with ACAS over BESNA on 15th December. What’s that all about? It’s not like we’ve been on strike for months [or at all!]. Hope there’s no deals done behind the members backs. “Bernard, there’s nothing to talk about”! Typical of Unite, it makes you wonder if they are planning a compromise and come up with “we got you £14 across the board”!

Come on [Bernard] McAuley, listen to your members, liven up and call a construction wide strike for the New Year. Close every site. You’ve said it at various meetings, “walkouts are the only way to win this dispute”. Well put your money where your mouth is, ‘moving forward’ as you like to keep saying. So ‘One out, all out’! And NO SELL OUT!!

In a further development, Len Mcluskey has agreed to meet the ‘cancerous’ [Quote, Bernard McAuley] Rank and File national committee in Holborn on 4th January. This is an opportunity to put our views to the General secretary. We will be looking to take people from across the regions to this meeting.

Any protests demos planned for next week please let us know. A Merry Xmas to all from Siteworker. United we stand, divided we fall !

Stand firm: Educate: Agitate: Organise: Victory to construction workers!

Thanks to all the different political groups involved and Unite members, and other trade unionists and MPs for your support.

JOINT SITES COMMITTEE
70 DARNAY RISE
CHELMSFORD
ESSEX
CM1 4XA

Many thanks and gratitude for kind donations received so far.

Follow us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/264935423529258/To contact the Rank n File Committee: siteworkers@virginmedia.com

Sparks are doing it for themselves!

Anti trade union laws brought in by the Tories under Thatcher and left unchanged by Labour under Blair and Brown, were never fought by the TUC and Union leaders. It meant that workers were criminalized for doing what was right, that is fighting for pay, pensions and jobs.

So what can be done, eh? Rank and file action, that’s what.

Today [7th Dec], the biggest most widespread unofficial action in decades has seen 1000s of Balfour Beatty electricians [and others from the rogue 7 companies] taking part in walk-outs, protests, demos, and occupations across England, Scotland and Wales. From Cardiff to London, from Glasgow to Liverpool to Hartlepool and many more besides.


Defend the JIB and then improve it.

And I say: Let’s have elections for all union officials where the members decide who represents them and we can hold them to account! Let’s end the appointed jobs for life! Let’s have a Unite General Secretary on an average wage not a six figure salary!

Let’s get the Union back where it belongs, with the grass roots, rank and file members!!!


In solidarity, and with kind regards,

Jerry Hicks.

Kevin Robins, a ‘Unite’ Union Organiser in the Southwest of England has been sacked, after a long period of victimization, after he raised an internal complaint about the level of service offered to Unite members in his region.

He was initially suspended [January 2010] for one year on "made up" allegations, and then kept on "garden leave" for a further 7 months before his dismissal.

My knowledge of Kevin Robbins.
During the election period for General Secretary (2010) in which I was a candidate, Unite members from a Cornish based factory contacted three of the four GS candidates, Les Baylis, Len McCluskey and myself. They wanted to discuss the level of service and the attitude of some regional officials. Regrettably, it was only myself who replied.

These factory workers arranged a meeting which I attended as did a large number of the workers. They gave a damning account of the region's attitude toward them.

However, they heaped praise on one of the Union organizers who had continually stood up for them and who had repeatedly raised concerns on their behalf, that organizer was Kevin Robins.

In my view, if Kevin chooses to go to Industrial Tribunal he will win a claim for unfair dismissal. I call upon Unite to avert that by reinstating Kevin Robins.

Please consider lending your support by sending an email to Len McCluskey len.mccluskey@unitetheunion.org demanding reinstatement and calling for an URGENT Independent investigation into the events that lead to Kevin Robins dismissal.

Yours in solidarity,

Jerry Hicks.

We got the ballot result 81.6% in favour of strike action on BBES magnificent! Then, shamefully, Unite bottled it and decided to re-ballot when they were ‘threatened’ with an injunction. The new result won’t be announced until 6th January 2012.

It was said not all BBES workers were balloted. The figure was believed to be 100 or so. Even if these people vote, it wouldn’t have changed the result. There was also talk of going to ACAS - we ain’t even had a strike yet for f*******k sake!

The Rank and File have told Unite what they think of that by carrying on regardless and called for a day of action on all BBES sites Wednesday 7th December. In Glasgow yesterday, Rank and File sparks invaded an NG Bailey site, nice one!!

Also in Scotland at a Rank and File meeting, it was agreed following a vote to walk out on 5 BBES sites. At the London Rank and File meeting on Saturday £311.17 was collected for siteworker and it was agreed to have mass protest at Blackfriars, Wednesday 7th December, so spread the word and do your stuff lads.

Some stuff that we know of ‘action and meetings’:

Hartlepool: Monday the 5th December 7 pm planning meeting in the Bell Vue Club to discuss national walkout of BBES sites.

Hartlepool: Wed 7th Dec 6:30 am Heerema, Vic Dock, Northgate. Followed by a march to Greenland Road entrance.

Liverpool: Wed 7th Dec 6.30am Demo at St Cath’s Hospital Laurel Road CH42 0JA

Liverpool: Thurs 8th Dec 7.30pm Rank and File meeting, Friends Meeting House.

It’s time for action and time we did what the TUC advocated, ‘Civil disobedience’, before our agreement gets torn up in front of our very eyes.

We cannot let this happen. It’s not on! We are calling on other unions to help in our struggle as well as occupy movement and students - anyone fancy getting up a tower crane or chaining themselves to site gates?

The fight goes on. It seems the only way to win this dispute is mass walkouts with solidarity action across the UK. I guess we all knew that anyway!

For details of demos protests and meeting near you please visit:

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

We need more meetings everywhere. Get in touch and we will help. Email siteworkers@virginmedia.com