OLYMPIC SITE ANTI-BLACKLIST PROTEST

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march 2011 :: RMTnews 13 Anti-blacklist protesters demonstrated outside London’s Olympic Park recently after an RMT member electrician Frank Morris was sacked after blowing the whistle on the use of an illegal blacklist on the construction project. His dismissal by subcontractor Daletech Services followed weeks of intimidation and threats of violence by members of senior management after he had raised concerns about the dismissal of a co- worker. The co-worker was dismissed from the Olympic Media Centre being built by Skanska and Carillion after his name appeared on a blacklist of trade union members, many of whom were targeted for their health and safety activities. After Frank raised concerns about this illegal practice, he says he was victimised, bullied and threatened with violence by senior management to the point that he had to call the police for his own protection before finally being dismissed. RMT is backing his unfair dismissal claim to an industrial tribunal. RMT regional organizer Steve Hedley said that in over 25 years representing workers he have never seen such a blatant stitch up, victimisation and even threats of violence to a union activist whose only ‘crime’ was to expose an illegal blacklist operating on the Olympic site. Site worker Paul Tattersfield has become the latest worker to win a blacklisting tribunal. It found Balfour Beatty Engineering Services Ltd has refused him employment because he was on The Consulting Association blacklist. The company is known to have been a major support of the covert blacklisting operation. The tribunal awarded him just under £24,000 including loss of earnings, injury to feelings and aggravated damages. “Our message to Clegg and Cameron is clear and straightforward - we didn’t vote to die,” she said. Hilda spoke about the massaging of the statistics to play down the real level of workplace deaths and the sheer scale of the numbers suffering illness from workplace stress - one million and rising as the impact of the ConDem cuts hits home. Manchester Hazards of played a key role in helping the Families Against Corporate Killing (FACK) campaign to achieve a high profile and conference delegates saw the full horror of the impact on workers families as Hilda took us through a slide show of shocking individual cases describing it as a “catalogue of unnecessary deaths and total inaction”. Senior Assistant General Secretary, Mick Cash made a rousing call for continued campaigning and action right across the union on health and safety. “RMT has a proud record of leading the fight for safety in the sectors where we organise, not just for our members but for the public who use our services. “We know only too well what happens when corners are cut - you end up with the disasters of Hatfield and Potters Bar and the rest of the catalogue of tragedies that are ingrained in the fabric of this trade union. “If Jeremy Clarkson and his ilk think that safety is such a big joke I would challenge him to meet with the Families Against Corporate Killing - they would soon wipe the smirk off his face as the reality of dealing with the totally unnecessary death of a loved one is laid out in the starkest of terms. “RMT will keep the issue of health and safety centre stage as we fight back against the ConDem attacks and cuts,” he said. RMT SUPPORTS OLYMPIC SITE ANTI-BLACKLIST PROTEST