Rank & File Latest

Rank and File action is the 'Jewel in our Crown' (House)
Rank and File hit back!

There have already been loads of activities against ‘The rogue that is Crown House’.

We have had plenty of site protests, in Wales, Leeds, London and Middlesbrough too. Top marks goes out to one and all.

Special thanks to some FTO’s who are getting involved and you know who you are, cheers boys. We are moving forward as ‘Bernard McAuley’ would say.

Strangely though, we still can’t get to bottom of the ‘Sign or be fired' letter. ‘The rogue that is Crown House’ are denying it vehemently, but we say that on this occasion there is no smoke without fire, so let’s keep up the pressure... No to BESNA Mk 2!

Protests planned this week (Friday 31st) All starting at 7am.

Leeds City Centre Laing O’ Rourke site:

Cardiff Royal Infirmary

London, Lime Burner Lane [a substation 5 minutes from St Pauls, near City Thameslink station]

Please also note: The newly elected Rank and File committee will be meeting with the Unite Ass Gen Sec Gail Cartmail on the 3rd September to discuss ‘The rogue that is ‘Crown house’ and other industry business.

Blacklisting is definitely getting plenty of attention now; Scottish MP Jim Sheridan has been doing the business in parliament, thanks for that big man.

Also on the 24th August the Scottish Rank and File had a good demo at Balfour’s offices although Balfours denied they are Blacklister’s... Have you ever heard such pisssssh!

And a new case set to go to tribunal in November, who would that be against???

You guessed it ‘Balfour Beatty’! Great stuff.

Finally, please contact us if you know of any more demos happening around the country, unity is strength brothers. Get yourself and your workmates in the union and onto a Crown House protest near you. The other BESNA rats are waiting in the wings.

Unite and fight: Your industry needs you!

For more info please visit... Electricians Against The World http ://www . jibelectrician . blogspot . com/

Get in touch with us by Email siteworkers@virginmedia.com

Construction Rank & File Newletter

We buried BESNA once and we must do it again

Crown House need to be de-throned

Last year saw a titanic struggle when we defeated the BESNA 8. But one of the rats Crown House has emerged from underneath their stone. As we write Crown House has issued ‘sign by September 7th or be sacked’ notices.

Crown House have pulled out of the JIB and are trying to bring in BESNA Mk 2.  Though for now they are still paying the same rate as JIB, they are hiding behind a smoke screen.

The fact that they are no longer in JIB means workers lose a number of benefits including:

Proper holiday pay: JIB pension: Agreed overtime rates: Travel & fares: Bupa.

Along with all this it will mean that there will be no rights of unfair dismissal claims under JIB disciplinary rules, so you need to have worked for them for more than 2 years to claim unfair dismissal, when under JIB rules you get that from day one.

Blacklist Support Group

Blacklisted workers launch £600m High Court action

A group of blacklisted workers in the UK has launched a High Court claim against construction giant Sir Robert McAlpine which could potentially be worth £600million. Guney Clark & Ryan solicitors served a claim on behalf of 86 claimants for ‘Tort of unlawful conspiracy’ at the High Court last week.

The claimants are part of the Blacklist Support Group (BSG), a network campaigning on behalf of construction workers illegally blacklisted because of their trade union activities by major building contractors as part of The Consulting Association scandal first exposed in 2009.

The claim targets Sir Robert McAlpine as the company with the worst record of blacklisting. The last invoice issued to the firm by The Consulting Association was in excess of £28,000 for the use of the blacklisting service. However, the conspiracy charge means Sir Robert McAlpine would also be responsible for the actions of the 40 plus contractors such as Carillion, Balfour Beatty, Skanska who systematically blacklisted workers simply for being members of a trade union.