Failure to Deliver

Len McCluskey and Union GS Woodley
Exclusive! We covered last week the apparent failure of union officials to deliver at least one box of 'Vote McCluskey' leaflets from their offices (McCluskey's campaign slogan is "It's time to deliver").

Well we have hold of another email expanding upon the subject and reproduce it below.

Incidentally 'Failure to deliver' sums up neatly all three of the management candidates in this election - McCluskey, Bayliss and Cartmail;  The UK's largest union and biggest provider of funds to the Labour Party (£5 million a year) can't even deliver 100 Labour MPs when it needs them.

Brian Rice is a long standing member of Unite's  Executive Council and a Senior Rep at Bombardier Aerospace. 

From: Brian Rice
Sent: 21 October 2010 11:33
To: jimmy.kelly@unitetheunion.org; tony.woodley@unitetheunion.org; derek.simpson@unitetheunion.org;
Subject: Ref General Secretary Election

Hi Jimmy
I would like to make a formal complaint about what appears to be a systematic abuse of the rules governing the forthcoming General Sectary's Election. 

My complaint centers around a number of things which i believe contravenes the notice sent to all Unite employees from the joint General Secretaries dated June 2010.

I would refer to Paragraph (a) of this document:- the corporate identity and logo of the union and the unions resources, which include the unions membership databases, must not be used to support any particular candidate in this election.

Firstly on the 13th October 2010 at a meeting in the Antrim Road with the Power Workers, it would be my understanding that literature in support of Len McCluskey was offered to the representatives in attendance by one of our officials.

Also at a meeting on 24th September 2010 on Public Sector Cuts it would be my understanding that a box containing literature in support of Len McCluskey was in the training room, a meeting that you and other officials were in attendance.

My last complaint and even more seriously is that on the 12th October 2010, 10,000 leaflets in support of Len McCluskey where delivered to our offices In the Antrim Road and stored in one of our officials offices. 

On Friday the 15th they where removed from the building into the boot of a car parked in the road outside the front door of our office.

I have requested that you copy the CCTV footage for the dates of the 12th and 15th October 2010 which i still don't believe you have done, because this will form a part of the investigation, i also requested that you send a copy to the Joint General Secretaries for safe keeping.
1.  I wold like to know why these leaflets where delivered to the Antrim Road?
2.  Why an official had them stored in his office?
3. Who paid for the 10,000 leaflets?

I am sure you will carry out a thorough investigation into these very serious allegations in the interest of fairness to the other candidates.

If you require any further information please feel free to contact me.

Brian Rice
Senior Representative
Unite the Union
Bombardier Aerospace- Belfast
Ext:-  62417
Tel:-  44  (0) 28 90462417
Fax:- 44  (0) 28 90733560



Press release Press release Press release Press release Embargo Immediate 24/10/2010


For Unite members it’s more of the ‘shame’ and business as usual or a chance for change in the election for General Secretary.


The finish line [or could it be the starting post] is now in sight, and the race to lead the largest union in Britain and potentially the most powerful starts next week, Monday 25th October when the ballot papers will be despatched to 1.3 million Unite members. Whether employed or unemployed, whether in Unite or not, students and pensioners, everyone will be affected by the result as to who becomes the General Secretary of Unite.

Les Bayliss attacks the BA cabin crew, brave enough to resist and fight for a better future, not the Con Dems for slashing 500,000 public sector jobs. Tony Woodley and his chosen successor Len McCluskey we believe have planned the timing of the BA cabin staff ballot and the ballot papers for the election of General Secretary being sent out at precisely the same time [goes beyond mere coincidence]. The aim being to present Len McCluskey as a successful negotiator bringing the year long dispute to a successful end - knowing that the ‘devil in the detail’ of the deal would not be exposed to the vast majority of the members voting in the ballot for General Secretary, until after they have voted.

Woodley on behalf of McCluskey expresses outrage at Bayliss’s breaking of the election protocols - then publicly promotes McCluskey at an anti cuts rally in Westminster. 

Talk is cheap while poor judgement is costly. Ed Milliband, who Unite’s leadership supported using members’ money, distanced himself from the union and action against the cuts as soon as he became the leader and failed to turn out and support working people by not voting for John McDonnell's Private Members Bill in Parliament last week. Shame on the Labour Party leadership for failing to back this bill whose sole aim was to stop employers seeking unwarranted injunctions to prevent lawful strikes on minor technicalities as in the BA dispute.

Why did we not make support for the bill a condition of our support for Ed Milliband’s leadership?

Jerry Hicks is the only candidate that says “We must ensure that those that don’t support our policies no longer receive any support from our union”.

In our view the choice could not be clearer:
Len McCluskey uses the BA dispute to promote himself. He wants us to believe he will fight the anti union laws but hopes we forget he has done nothing about it during the 3 terms of a Labour government!

Les Bayliss
looks up to employers and offers a ‘strike free union’ while he talks down to members and offers a ‘free diary’.

Gail Cartmail
sounds like a manager at a team brief, offering only generalities and plays the gender card.

Some things they say are different but they all support the appointment of officials. They all said nothing for 13 years, 3 terms of a Labour Government. But they all have plenty to say now; they will talk about ‘fighting’ but with someone else’s job, pay and pension. When was the last time any of them lost any pay in a dispute? When was the last time any of them was threatened with a disciplinary or suspension or the sack over a dispute?

Jerry Hicks says “Well, it’s too late to tell us what you are going to do tomorrow or next month. Why didn’t you all do it when you had the chance? The stakes are too high to let them get away with this any longer. Handing the baton of power to a ‘chosen one’ has to end. Instead let’s get the union back”.

Jerry Hicks is a union member who wants a member led, member controlled union. Who believes members should decide who represents them by electing all union officials.

Jerry Hicks will only take an average wage, and is independent of the cliques, factions, official machines and cronyism.

ENDS:

Notes to Editors: Jerry Hicks having come second in the election for Joint General Secretary, Amicus section of Unite less than 19 months ago is thought by many to be a possible winner in this election of the whole Union.

Contact Jerry Hicks either on 07817827912 or by email jerryhicks4gs2010@yahoo.co.uk

For more information visit www.jerryhicks4gs.com

4 comments:

  1. Surely to this we should add Kelly's abuse of the platform given him at last Saturday's London anti cuts rally, to make a pitch for McLuskey. Luckily several wags in the crowd twigged what he was building up to and blurted out 'Jerry Hicks' just as Kelly left a pregnant pause before saying who would 'lead' all the fighting back he had been blabbing on about! His silent pause extended longer - apparently while he recovered from the shock!

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  2. Bayliss is a disgrace to our union and movement. He should have been expelled from the race long ago for breach of the rules.

    It makes you wonder why he hasn't?
    Is it by upholding rules it would make him appear a marter or because it would benefit Hicks?

    Who is paying for the propaganda and adverts?

    Is it the right wing and friends of israel?
    Is it the vested interests of the media?
    Is it shady interference by big business and construction interests?

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  3. Sorry had to remove the last comment, it may or may not have been true but either way it was libellous. Please re-word so it expresses your legitimate opinion on a matter of public interest and does not appear as fact.

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  4. We know that Brian Rice is critical of Jimmy Kelly and Unite. Brian purports to represent thousands of Unite members in Bombardier in Belfast. Let me simply request that Brian outlines any criticism of Bombardier he or his Corporate Committee have had on behalf of his members. You won’t need much space on this website for a reply from Brian. The members don’t know the difference between him and the Human Resources Department.

    ReplyDelete