GMB Winter 2013 Winter 2013 (1)

The magazine for GMB members Fusion FAIr www.gmb.org.uk Winter 2013 TrADErS Disabled workers at Green Fayre SAVE THE NHS GMB members march to stop the Tory sell-off “I won a car with GMB! Could you be next?” See p17

How you can make a diference and have your say! GMB’s PurPose “We work to improve the quality of life and provide new opportunities for all our members and their families. We aim to improve the lives of GMB members and make sure that their achievements lead the way for working people in Britain and across the world. . . We will aim to end exploitation, discrimination and injustice.” Taken from the GMB Rule Book do you want to Be Part of this? • If you have an issue you feel passionate about, tell us about FOLK HERO GMB Congress 2014 will take place what you want to change. • Your issue doesn’t have to be about the workplace, it can be about in Nottingham, home of Robin Hood. the wider political and social issues that afect you and your family. You can help GMB shape a better future and make a real diference how do i Get involved? • What you have to say could be your chance to be part of influencing GMB decision making or GMB campaigns • Contact your GMB branch and tell them about your ideas • Your issue could even be turned into a motion for debate at GMB Congress in June 2014 • Your branch’s motions must reach Regional Ofice by 31 January 2014 For more information please go to www.gmb.org.uk/congress GMB Congress 2014 takes place from Sunday 8 June to Thursday 12 June 2014 in Nottingham. To attend you must be nominated by your branch, and be a paid-up member for 53 weeks.

In this issue… Paul McCarthy GMB regional secretary our nhs is GMB members get involved Get GMB in your pocket with at Pride events Page 28 the new mobile app Page 16 our most Regional National prized asset 4 Save the NHS 9 Employer hostility Welcome to the latest Thousands of GMB members gather in Anti-union hostility should be against the law edition of Fusion. Our Manchester to protest at Tory conference NHS team has been very 12 A Living Wage busy during the past few 7 Kick out payday loans GMB demands an extra £1 an hour months highlighting the GMB campaign to Bolton members protest football club’s deal save the NHS. In the very year it celebrates with controversial loans company 13 Paul Kenny says its 65th birthday, the NHS faces the greatest The latest from your general secretary threat it has seen during its proud history 8 Hitting the airwaves GMB spreads the word on Liverpool radio 14 Wealth of the nation from a government that wants to hive of the most potentially profitable bits to their GMB reveals the UK’s economic 25 Need a lifeline? performance by region private sector cronies. GMB can help you with money worries And people might be forgiven a 16 Get online with GMB! momentary lapse into thinking that, well, 26 Legal leverage Get the GMB app for your smartphone! maybe privatisation might improve things! GMB provides the legal backing you need Whenever we have such thoughts we are 17 Win a car! brought quickly back down to earth as we 27 Hour of need Switch to Direct Debit for your chance to recall the likes of railway privatisation, water Bullied at work? Here’s how GMB can help! win a Toyota Aygo worth £9,000 and the energy companies hiking their 28 Taking pride 18 Eyes on the NHS prices up just before winter and massive GMB celebrates equality for LGBT workers GMB is fighting for workers’ rights in the NHS profits and big payouts to their investors. at Pride events across the region And just how many of us think for one 20 Put Labour in power moment that any of these services actually 30 Time to learn Why you should vote Labour in 2015 got better? The workplace organisers’ course The sale of the vastly undervalued Royal 23 Worldwide solidarity Mail will be the next big privatisation 31 Contact GMB How GMB’s International Solidarity Fund is scandal. It’s no surprise that the shares Names and numbers you can call winning justice in Latin America initially leapt in value, meaning that small investors will be tempted to sell and take their small windfall allowing the big guns to move in and clean up. I predict that in five years’ time we will have a much more GMB regional editor Terry Mellor: 01928 572 726 Produced by Future Plus, expensive and totally inferior postal service Editorial director Stephen Pierce 30 Monmouth Street, with multi-million pound salaries for the Editor Matt Robinson Bath BA1 2BW Art editor Johnny Goddard senior executives. Contributors Victoria Ford, Ed Holden Over 55,000 people marched to protest Advertising manager Steve Hulbert We are committed to only using at the Tory conference in September against Account managers David Parker, Lisa Dunham magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified Production and procurement manager Matt Eglinton forestry and chlorine-free a government hell bent on creating an manufacture. Future Publishing Production co-ordinator Tracy Nugent and its paper suppliers have image of a failing health service that needs been independently certified in Art directors Stuart Hobbs, Dermot Rushe accordance with the rules of the to be ‘rescued’ by the private sector. We FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). Director, Future Plus UK Jayne Caple can’t let that happen. Our NHS is our most Printed at St Ives Direct prized asset providing free health care to those who need it, when they need it and for free at the point of need. GMB will do all we Would you like to advertise in GMB Fusion magazine? can to protect it. Please contact steve hulbert on 01225 442 244 (ex 5205) Accepting of advertising and inserts does not imply GMB endorsement of the product or services. Remember that GMB recommends all services and ofers should always be used to test the cost against other commercial companies. Members are advised to secure at least two quotes on all commercial transactions. www.gmb.org.uk 03

reGionAl WorKPlAce BecoMe A GMB UPDATe orGAniSer WWW.GMB.orG.UK All the news from GMB Thousands of GMB members march to save The nhs GMB public services senior organiser Graham McDermott tells us why MB members marched in huge savings (£20 billion over four years), we have often supported re-organisation Manchester at the Tory Party thousands of jobs have been axed, accident when that benefits the service and improves conference to protest the changes and emergency waiting times are growing patient care. But the Health and Social Care G being made to the NHS by the and private sector companies are cherry Act and the competition and privatisation that will follow will put pressure on our members’ coalition government. Members are outraged at picking the most profitable parts to run. jobs and terms and conditions. The overall the damage being done to the NHS. Last year the government forced through quality of care will come under threat also. The coalition is conveniently painting a the Health and Social Care Act, putting in We accept that moving some health picture of a deeply troubled health service in place a legal framework for increasing provision into the community is worth need of private sector intervention. But this competition between private health exploring. The government solution to some takeover is not only threatening the jobs and companies and other providers under the of this is just to provide a telephone service. terms and conditions of GMB members, it also NHS umbrella. The cost of all this has been This would be provided by the private sector threatens the very existence of the ‘free to all estimated at over £3 billion. without the necessary investment. Inevitably, at the point of need’ NHS that has endured people will be re-directed back to our since its inception in 1948. TiMe for chAnGe? struggling A&E departments. Despite almost universal opposition, the During the last election the Tories promised government has forced through a costly and GMB has never been afraid to engage with they would not privatise the NHS and they still unnecessary re-organisation of the NHS. NHS employers about change. We accept that maintain this will not be the case. But all they Following calls on the health service to make sometimes modernisation is warranted and 04 www.gmb.org.uk www.gmb.org.uk

SIGN up for the GMB eNeWSletter At www.gmb.org.uk reGionAl VoICeS heArD 55,000 people marched at Tory conference. STAnD UP for SicK PAy ray carrick on how GMB is helping ambulance staf fight ‘Annex e’ Ambulance staf in England are covered by meaning a change to Annex E. ‘agenda for change’ terms and conditions. A GMB in the North West has held specific part of this – ‘Annex E’ – relates to a consultative ballot of its ambulance ambulance staf only. Back in February, membership. 92 per cent have voted to reject employers tried to change sick pay the changes to Annex E and support industrial arrangements by excluding unsocial hours action if these changes are imposed. All payments when an employee was of sick. ambulance members are urged to send a GMB emphatically opposed this but was protest letter to headquarters at Ladybridge outvoted by staf organisations who chose Hall to voice their concerns. To contact GMB to accept the change. and ensure we have their details, ambulance The employer claims that these changes staf should email: [email protected] apply to ambulance staf. But there was no mention throughout the discussions in GMB preSeNCe February, and previous meetings, about this Regional secretary Paul McCarthy at the march, fighting folk! have done is change their definition of privatisation. They say the NHS will still be GMB political oficer ‘free at the point of need’, but in many cases neil Smith on GMB flYING the flAG the service will be provided by the private Our NHS team were delighted to sector.Due to increasing financial pressures initiatives to save the nhS see so many supporting the NHS. the level of service will be diminished. There are some in the government who WoW! What a couple of months it’s been march it was the lack of coverage by the would like some services to be charged for. for GMB North West and Irish region! Andy BBC. I find it quite extraordinary that a They mention things like A&E users under the Burnham (shadow secretary of state for march attended by over 55,000 people influence of alcohol paying their own costs health) gave a presentation at GMB from all corners of the country doesn’t and accident victims’ insurance picking up the regional ofice about Labour’s plans to make the headlines! Well, GMB will bill for their care. They’ve also mooted an repeal everything the Tories have done to continue to strive to get the message out option to pay a premium to jump the queue. damage the NHS. there to members and the wider Where would this lead? GMB members also marched outside community. GMB is a campaigning union GMB’s march and demo at the Tory party the Tory conference in Manchester (see and we are ready to fight to save the NHS. conference was about letting them know that main article). We made sure the Tories As the founder of the NHS Aneurin Bevan we at GMB will not sit back and let our NHS fall heard just how much we cherish the NHS! said: “It will last as long as there are folk into the hands of their private sector cronies. If there was anything negative about the left to fight for it.” We are those folk! www.gmb.org.uk 505 www.gmb.org.uk

reGionAl reGionAl UPDATe UPDATe All the news from GMB All the news from GMB Hands off the GMB tells private companies and political oficer Neil KEEP THE NHS SAFE GMB organiser Maria Almond Smith welcome Andy to keep out of the nHS Burnham to regional ofice. s part of GMB’s ongoing from the very wealthy to the very poorest will bundles and sell them of to private campaign to protect and never be denied access to a doctor. companies. GMB’s regional NHS team of promote the NHS, our team of The NHS has faced many challenges as a organisers: Maria Almond, Ray Carrick and A dedicated NHS oficers has been result of austerity cuts Lisa Ryan, along with political taking to the streets of towns and cities across which were imposed oficer Neil Smith, have taken the North West with a petition calling on the to compensate for “We can expect a petition onto the streets of government to keep the private sector out of the global banking further cuts to Liverpool and Manchester the NHS. This petition, one of many initiatives crisis. Staf numbers and plan to visit more towns our team are involved with, has proved have been cut, a pay NHS stafing.” and cities in the near future. hugely popular, receiving widespread support freeze has been The call of the petition is from the public. imposed and there is simple: Keep private It’s worth remembering that the NHS was now a greater reliance companies out of the NHS! set up after the Second World War to provide on agency staf to fulfil shortfalls. Public reaction has been overwhelmingly free healthcare for the public, regardless of What is the Con-Dem government’s supportive of our aim to prevent further financial circumstances, so that everyone solution? To break the NHS up into attractive privatisation of the NHS. 06 www.gmb.org.uk

r r r r reGionAleGionAleGionAleGionAl SIGN SIGN uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk uP For THE GMB eNEWSlETTEr AT www.gmb.org.uk SIGN SIGN SIGN SIGN r r r reGionAleGionAleGionAleGionAleGionAl SIGN SIGN Worryingly, the team were told by several people that the government would never privatise the NHS. This view is held by many, despite the fact that privatisation is already well underway in several areas. WHAT A cArve UP Richard Branson's Virgin Medical Care is operating in Dorset, bus company Arriva have the contract for non emergency patient transfer (ambulance service) in the North West and a £7 billion contract for healthcare in Peterborough is being put out to tender. These are just some examples of how the NHS is being fragmented and sold of. Further evidence can be found in the sale of 80 per cent of Plasma UK (the blood service) to Bain Capital, a private equity firm. Private companies have shareholders to appease so profit will certainly come before Kick them out! patient care. When Bain Capital took the decision to bid for 80 per cent of the UK blood service, it wasn't because they wanted to improve the service, it was because they Bolton Wanderers shirt saw a very attractive business opportunity. We can expect further cuts to NHS stafing deal caused angst and grief that will increase pressure on existing staf. It has already been suggested that there should Bolton made the headlines for the wrong Kate Lewis and several hundred Bolton be a limit to the amount of times a patient can reasons earlier this year when its local fans to oppose the deal in a town centre see their GP in a year. We could see ourselves football club the Wanderers signed a demonstration covered by national and needing to follow the American model of £500K sponsorship deal with a pay day local media, signing a petition calling on taking out private medical insurance as the loan company. Bolton Wanderers to refuse sponsorship more expensive treatments won't be ofered QuickQuid, which charges annual from the payday loans company. by private companies. interest rates of 1,734 per cent for short- The government's failure to regulate term loans, made the same ofer to another loan companies is leading to the FiGHTinG TAlk club which refused, declaring it was not exploitation of vulnerable, cash-strapped appropriate for its image. people. In Bolton, Hoot Credit Union can GMB organiser Lisa Ryan said: “GMB will GMB workplace organiser Sean Warren ofer people a fairer alternative in low-cost campaign tirelessly to keep private and other members joined with colleagues loans and help. companies out of OUR NHS. Nye Bevan in Unison and Unite along with Bolton For more on Hoot call 01204 365 024 or famously said that ‘it will last for as long as Trades Council, local Labour councillor visit www.wisewithmoney.org.uk there are folk left with the faith to fight for it’. Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham PlAy on! Our message to the Con-Dems is that we are UPDATe those folk and the fight is on. These are the yoUr GMB messages we need to send. Otherwise we ProFile won't have an NHS left to fight for.” WWW.GMB.orG.Uk recently addressed a meeting of NHS Reps in GMB supports traditional brass band GMB regional ofice where he attacked the coalition government’s actions in allowing billions to be siphoned out of the NHS to pay GMB north West and Irish region is for unnecessary reorganisations that David sponsoring Stalybridge Old Band. The Cameron pledged wouldn’t happen. brass band was in attendance at the GMB organiser Maria Almond welcomed unveiling of a plaque at Stalybridge Labour Andy Burnham’s commitment on behalf of Club (yes, there are still some labour clubs Labour to fight for the NHS, saying: “At a time open) to commemorate the club’s opening when the NHS needs every penny it can get, 40 years ago by Harold Wilson. when staf morale is at an all-time low and Lord Tom Pendry did the unveiling along when patient confidence is starting to wane, with GMB Oficer Neil Smith and Kevin we need to raise public awareness of the Welsh, GMB local councillor for Tameside creeping privatisation that is underway and and band organiser Audrey Greenwood. It help people to make their voice heard. GMB was a well attended event and the band ToP B rASS will continue to fight to protect the NHS, its has become a regular appearance at GMB GMB is proud to sponsor iStock hard working staf and most of all the events. They gave a fantastic performance Stalybridge OId Band. interests of the patients that are at its heart.” at GMB’s Save the NHS rally in Manchester. www.gmb.org.uk 07

regional UPDaTe all the news from gMB Turn on, tune in, sign up! gMB members take to RADIO STARS Neil Smith and Lisa Ryan the airwaves in liverpool took to the airwaves. MB north West and Irish region community, providing them with a platform actively safeguarding the NHS going into the future and urged listeners to get involved. was able to get a couple of slots that would not otherwise have been available. George spoke about how GMB is a on Liverpool Community Radio to Lisa Ryan, George Patterson and regional campaigning union that g discuss all things good about GMB political oficer Neil supports its members right and being a member. Representatives also Smith told listeners why “Lisa provided across the board from discussed current afairs such as the NHS, GMB membership is disputes with employers to Carillion and zero hours contracts. more important now an in-depth accidents at work or in the Liverpool Community Radio station were than it has ever been. home. He explained the granted a temporary licence for two weeks Lisa provided an broadcast.” benefits received by GMB during which time they transmitted on 87.7fm in-depth broadcast on members such as the credit to the local community. In this two week the systematic break up union, access to a solicitor period they were able to give local people of the NHS and how and, most importantly, professional advice on the opportunity to take to the airwaves and privatisation is sneaking in through the back issues in the workplace. discuss topics that were relevant to their door. She revealed how GMB members are geT pay back on Track gMB railway staf reach agreement following railway strike All other groups had accepted a three-year gMB railway staf employed by Translink on responsible for areas including revenue deal which included ‘eficiencies’ such as Northern Ireland Railways took part in a protection and passenger safety. changes to sick pay and increased flexibility. 24-hour strike on Monday 24 June in a dispute Michael Mulholland, GMB regional Michael said: “GMB members, who are mainly over pay and terms and conditions. Translink organiser, said: “GMB members in Translink from the conductor and station staf grades, is the provider of bus and rail services in on Northern Ireland Railways voted to take believed they were being asked to give away Northern Ireland and is publicly funded by the part in actions up to and including strike. too much to fund increases for other groups Department of Regional Development Notice was served on the company and our whose conditions had not changed.\" through the Northern Ireland Transport members took part in a 24-hour stoppage. Following the strike action, further Holding Company. The action was taken due to pay and terms discussions took place with the company and GMB members work on the railway as and conditions, as well as a history of poor agreement was reached on new proposals. conductors and station staf. They are industrial relations.” 08 www.gmb.org.uk

NATIONAl UPDATE MAG TO lIfE! BrING YOUr All the news from GMB Discover a world of extras when you point your smartphone at the pages of this GMB magazine. To get started, download the Layar app from get.layar.com 1 Download the Layar app for iPhone and Android devices. 2 Point your smartphone at a WHOLE page of the mag where you see this logo. 3 Watch as it comes to life on your screen. Interfering with workers’ union rights should be a SEE YOU IN COURT! GMB activists protest outside Swansea Crown Court. criminal ofence, says GMB he TUC Congress has backed a corporations are GMB call for laws to make it a unafraid to take criminal ofence for hostile this kind of action.” T employers to interfere with the civil Martin’s comments rights of workers who seek the support of a come at a time when trade union when they have problems at work. unions are unhappy that companies who Martin Smith, GMB national organiser, said: Rex Features/iStock “So hostile are employers like workers have still have blacklisted Amazon, Next and Sports Direct not been held that union organisation is accountable. GMB driven underground and union members are forced to adopt wants a Leveson- ArE YOU ON ThE Martin added: “Oppressive activity at work BlACklIsT? the tactics of the French style inquiry into the practice. Resistance or a human rights campaign under a that denies our members their basic human Contact Phil Read, GMB totalitarian regime. The rights should be against the law. GMB calls on blacklisting Liaison Oficer blacklisting of 3,214 the next Labour government to make it a on 07840 897 997 or construction workers criminal ofence for an employer to deny [email protected] across the country workers their basic right to organise shows that themselves and seek the support of a trade union when they have problems at work.” GET ON THE CASE! We need a Leveson-style inquiry into blacklisting. TURN OVER FOR MORE ON EMPLOYER HOSTILITY www.gmb.org.uk 09

national UPDatE all the news from GMB is your boss this Daily Mirror columnist Paul Routledge on how GMB is fighting employer hostility very employee is free to join a right to organise and trade union – and not get the sack seek the support of a just for doing so. trade union when they E That’s the theory. The reality on have problems. the shopfloor can be very diferent. As too The 2013 TUC Congress has endorsed this many workers are finding, employer hostility strategy after GMB national organiser Martin is spreading throughout industry. Smith urged that the next Labour Two hundred years after the Tolpuddle government must do more than repeal old Martyrs were transported to Australia for anti-union laws. They must deliver protection daring to organise themselves against from bully bosses who strike fear into starving wages, history is repeating itself. workers who join a union. Employers are targetting workers who seek to bring the benefits of trade unionism GMB in aMazon to their place of work. They might not be clapped in leg-irons and shipped of to This corporate bullying is widespread. Take Botany Bay, but they do face discrimination Amazon, the hugely successful online and even dismissal. shopping firm. It takes billions of pounds in It takes a brave man or women to stand up sales every year – on which they pay as little for our rights tax as possible. supposedly “Left to their GMB is committed to guaranteed by law. organising and brave men and women own devices representing Thankfully, there are workpeople at willing to take up the employers spy Amazon. Two thirds of in every workplace the company’s 15,000 shouldn’t be left to fight and they lie.” workers in this country challenge. But they are agency workers. alone. They need legal And the agency isn’t protection from employers like Next, Amazon even a UK operation. It’s a Dutch agency, so and Sports Direct who actively prevent they’re not protected by even the inadequate employees turning to unions when they have regulations applying to agencies here. They problems in the workplace. need a union, but they live in fear of what Working people have a theoretical right might happen if they dare let Amazon know under international law to free association they have joined and are organising support and combination with whoever they choose. to resist a bullying management. Being a But hostile employers deny this right by trade unionist at Amazon is like being in an intimidating or victimising anyone who turns underground movement, like the French to a union for help. It’s time such intimidation wartime resistance. was outlawed by making it a criminal ofence It’s as bad as that. I can’t even tell you interfere with workers exercising their civil where these brave GMB members work 10 www.gmb.org.uk

BRinG thEsE PaGEs to lifE! national because they might be identified and their traditional industries like coal jobs put in jeopardy. and steel, employment has Or take Next, another shopping chain that shifted to retail, distribution, makes handsome profits. Earlier this year, information technology, call GMB members employed in their stores centres and similar workplaces. fought and won a campaign to stop the They almost always lack company from imposing a cut in hours representation, because worked for all workers to less than twelve and business bosses are hostile a half hours a week. The aim of this and resistant to unions. management trick was to avoid the company They don’t want workers to paying the employer’s share of National exercise their legal rights, iStock x 3 Insurance contributions, saving money and meagre as they are. They hate the very idea of collective diminishing workers’ rights. bargaining. They want to hire What WE nEED and fire without restraint. But NEXT UP that’s where trade unionism Next workers vote for That battle was won, but at a cost. There is a is most needed, and where it the right to have a union. constant anxiety that Next will exact revenge must go, to help those who and find pretexts to force them out of need it most. into workplaces to deal work because they forced the The demand is there. When GMB asked with problems they face at work – if need be employer to back down Asda distribution depot workers across the with sanctions against recalcitrant companies – and that some of them UK what they want in recognition ballots an who refuse to toe the line. have no protection from overwhelming majority per cent voted in It can be done. A Labour government in unfair dismissal. favour. Even workers who didn’t want to join Wales has taken action to halt the scourge of Since April this year, if themselves voted for the right for everyone blacklisting by threatening to withhold you want to challenge to have representation. contracts from firms proven to be engaged in your employer for This basic civil right should be enshrined in this obscene practise. Nothing persuades the unfairly sacking you, you a new legal framework, within which private sector faster than a possible ban on have to have worked for workpeople can feel confident of getting bidding for lucrative public contracts. the company for two together for the common good without The blacklisting scandal shows that left to years – double the time looking over their shoulder for the boss their own devices employers spy and they lie. under Labour. You have bearing down on them with a P45. What the companies say and what the no rights if you’ve been companies do are two diferent things. there a year and 364 laBoUR sUPPoRt For any worker to be represented by a trade days. How many workers union in their workplace is a civil right that must in retail are given jobs that That’s why GMB took the issue of employer be protected to the highest level, with new last as long as that? hostility and the coalition attack on trade legislation backed by imprisonment and What’s more, if you go to an union rights to the Labour conference. unlimited fines for anyone who interferes with it. industrial tribunal, you’ll be Delegates backed a call for the party For the Labour Party, these should be bread required to pay as much as leadership to convene “as a matter of and butter manifesto commitments right now. £1,200 – 200 hours working at urgency” a commission on employment And if it can be done, it should be done. As the national minimum wage - rights. The purpose of this body will not just Maria Ludkin, GMB’s legal oficer, told the 2013 up front before they will hear be to redress new anti-trade union policies Labour Conference : “We live in a country your case. That’s the price of brought in by this government, but to give an with one of the most flexible Labour markets justice under the ConDem active right for workers to be able to turn to in Europe. But at the same time some of the government. unions when they have problems at work. weakest employment rights in the western It must be nerve- This is vital to winning the war for job world. But this government is not content wracking to try to organise security. As of now, firms like Amazon can just with that. They have mounted a sustained under such conditions. slam the door in the face of anyone seeking to attack on the rights of working people, with a But it shouldn’t be like organise a union presence. They can – and do systematic casualisation of labour, and that. The shadow of fear – put a Chinese wall around the workplace, comprehensive destruction of legal aid. must be lifted from the sealing of their employees from help. “This is about millions of working people exercise of this basic A Labour government must change that, having the protection from a Labour freedom to turn to a legislating to give employees total freedom to government that they will never get from the union for support turn to unions when they need help. Nobody Tories or the Liberal Democrats. No more when you have a is forced to join a union. The closed shop was prevarication – but protection for the workers. problem at work. ended years ago. Instead, we have closed “After all, how much more protection do With the minds – on the other side. employers need from working people?” demise of Ed Miliband has shown a willingness to take Hear, hear! Ed Miliband has shown he on the big battalions in the energy industry. is willing to take on the might of the energy He’s ready to force firms to employ barons with a gas and electricity price INTIMIDATED AT WORK? apprentices. He should bring the same freeze. Now, he should listen to the voices GMB is tackling bosses who courage to the issue of employment and of ordinary workers who demand the right victimise union members. trade union membership rights, compelling to join and organise without fear of employers to enable workers to bring unions employer intimidation. www.gmb.org.uk 11

nationaL Move to uPDate WWW.GMB.orG.uk Direct all the news from GMB DeBit £1 an hour pay rise to achieve Living Which councils pay Wage for local government workers a Living Wage? MB is seeking a minimum pay All 32 councils in Scotland are currently paying increase of £1 an hour for local the Living Wage or will be within a year. • Ashfield • Barking and council workers in England, Wales Brian Strutton, GMB national secretary for Dagenham • Barnsley G and Northern Ireland to raise their public services, said: “One and a half million • Bassetlaw • Blackpool pay level to a Living Wage hourly rate. GMB council workers have seen their living • Birmingham • Braintree believe the same £1 an hour increase should standards cut by 18 per cent and 400,000 of • Brent • Brighton and Hove also apply to all pay points above the bottom their colleagues have lost their jobs. I don’t • Bristol • Bromsgrove rate as well. Local council workers in Scotland believe any section of the economy has taken • Burnley, • Caerphilly are currently considering an ofer for a Living such an austerity hit as local authority staf. • Calderdale • Camden Wage of £7.58 an hour from April 2014. Street cleaners, school dinner staf, social • Cambridge • Cardif • Carlisle 200,000 GMB members are covered by workers, gravediggers, classroom assistants • Cherwell • Chorley these agreements. and all the other unsung heroes serving their It is a scandal that 500,000 local local communities deserve a decent pay rise. • City of London • Coventry government workers are paid below the GMB’s claim for £1 an hour is not a king’s • Crawley • Croydon current Living Wage of £7.45 (£8.55 in London) ransom but it will go some way towards • Dartford • Deal • Ealing an hour. This rate will increase in November. restoring the real pay cuts that council staf • Enfield • Exeter • Gedling Politicians from all parties have recently called have endured. Politicians have been right to • Gloucester • Greenwich for action to deal with low pay and are call for action on low pay to end the hardship • Haringey • Harlow • Harrow encouraging individual local authorities to pay facing those on poverty wages and boost • Hastings • Hessle Town a Living Wage. demand in the economy. Low pay and poverty • Hounslow • Hyndburn 85 councils in England and Wales are pay are endemic in local government • Ipswich • Islington now paying or are with too many members • North Kesteven • Lambeth committed to paying now reliant on tax • Lancaster • Leicester a Living Wage. We credits and pay • Lewisham • Malvern Hills demand • Newham • Newcastle under day loans.” • Mansfield • Manchester • Melton Mowbray • Merton • Newark and Sherwood An extrA Lyme • Newcastle upon Tyne • Newport • Norwich • Nottingham • Oldham • Oxford • Plymouth • Preston • Redcar and Cleveland • Rossendale • Salford • Sandwell • Scarborough • Shefield • Slough • South Gloucestershire • South Hams • Southwark • Stroud • Surrey • Swindon • Swansea • Tamworth • Thurrock • Tower Hamlets • South Tyneside • Walsall • Winchester • Wirral • Worcester An hour to begin paying a Living Wage. • Wolverhampton • Wyre Forest • York • All 32 councils in Scotland now pay or are soon iStock 12 www.gmb.org.uk

SIGN uP FOR THE GMB eNEWSLETTER AT www.gmb.org.uk reGionaL PauL kenny says a word from your GMB general secretary the determination to fight blacklisting is among our finest achievements he recent startling conspired to interfere with and destroy the enough to stop this all happening again. revelations that the police right of working people to organise. New tough laws to protect the rights of and other state controlled What has also shocked many is the workers trying to organise a union in their bodies have been found to extent of the blacklisting: lawyers, workplace or in their community must t have provided information to journalists, peace campaigners, have protection from discrimination and the anti trade union blacklisting company environmentalists and the latest victim to victimisation. The work done in exposing “The Consulting Association” may have be uncovered – the comedian and this evil conspiracy will all count for come as a shock to MPs, journalists and campaigner for freedom Mark Thomas. nothing if the law continues to fail ordinary some others in the world. But for many of The whole story of this disgraceful people exercising their civil rights. us this was just confirmation of what we episode would take more column inches always knew but could never prove. than I am allowed but thousands of DeLetinG the List This company, now defunct, was funded ordinary men and women were blacklisted and controlled by a large number of and 2,768 still don’t know they are on the In the coming months, GMB will continue private sector companies whose intent list because the government department to campaign for a public inquiry into the was to discriminate and thereby victimise responsible for dealing with this has failed collusion between the state and certain trade union members whose only crime to contact them! employers which not only allowed this was to ask about health and safety or This in itself raises huge questions about blacklisting to exist but actually attend meetings. the role government has played in seeking encouraged and supported it. Many victims of this evil intrusion into to cover this up. GMB has done many things of which we the most basic of our civil rights were The so-called Information commission can be proud during our history but I denied employment and sufered huge seems to be anything but when it comes to believe the determination shown to fight damage to their personal lives and that of giving people information relating to and expose blacklisting will rank among their families. behaviour from employers and the state. our finest achievements. In recent days, eight of the largest The right of people to exercise their civil the truth WiLL out companies involved in organising, funding freedoms to organise, demonstrate or just and controlling this blacklisting operation question those who govern us at work or GMB has been fighting to uncover the truth have admitted their involvement and in society is such a basic right that it for years and now, working with the ofered an apology and a compensation cannot be given away by apathy. Blacklist Support Group and others, we are scheme for afected victims. On page 9 of this magazine you will find beginning to see the layers of lies and GMB’s position has been that tough details of GMB’s campaign and how to find corruption peeled back to expose the measures must be taken with these out if you or anyone you know is on the list rotten core of how employers and state companies, though these may be far from and may be liable for compensation. www.gmb.org.uk 13

nAtIonAl UPDAtE All the news from GMB Have you won the Regional lotteRy? GMB map reveals economic activity across the UK and Ireland Northern Ireland 86% Border, Midland and Western 85% POWER HOUSES London’s financial districts host the wealth of the nation. Southern and Eastern 145% key map (opposite) sums up economic success story, how much economic activity there are areas below the there is per resident in all the 39 average. The latest figures A sub regions of the UK and are for 2010 but there has Gross domestic Ireland where GMB members live. The result been little or no recovery product (GDP) in an for each area is shown as a percentage of since then. Few will realise that area is made up of all the average across all 27 countries in the the economies of the North East economic activity including European Union (EU). of Scotland, Southern and Eastern farming and fishing, mining, oil and gas It will come as no surprise that inner Ireland and Cheshire or those areas of the extraction, manufacturing, construction, London has the highest level of economic M4 corridor are stronger than Essex or Kent. utilities, transport and commercial and output per resident at nearly three times In fact in 26 of the 39 sub regions in the public services. that of the European average. UK and Ireland, regional gross domestic GDP is a key measure of an area’s Rex Features x 2 It will be a surprise that for the South East product per resident is below the average economic development and is often used as of England, far from all of it being an per resident in the EU. an indicator of living standards. 14 www.gmb.org.uk www.gmb.org.uk

nAtIonAl SIGN UP fOR tHE GMB eNEWSlEttER At www.gmb.org.ukSIGN UP fOR tHE GMB eNEWSlEttER At www.gmb.org.uk UP fOR tHE GMB eNEWSlEttER At www.gmb.org.uk SIGN nAtIonAl UPDAtE yoUr GMB ProfIlE www.GMB.orG.UK North Highlands and Islands Eastern 87% Scotland 162% Eastern Scotland “This GMB map 109% should sound a clarion call for INDUStRIAl HEARt Fossil fuel extraction props investment.” up regional economies. The map confirms that Mrs Thatcher’s South Western Northumberland Scotland and Tyne and Wear legacy to the old industrial heartlands in 109% 88% the UK is that they have fallen far behind the EU average in terms of output and living standards. Tess Valley and Durham In West Wales and the Valleys gross Cumbria 77% domestic product per resident is the 94% lowest of the 39 areas in these islands West Yorkshire at 70 per cent of the EU average. North The next ten lowest are: Cornwall Lancashire Yorkshire East Yorkshire and and Isles of Scilly (72 per cent), 93% Northern Lincolnshire Tees Valley and Durham (77 Greater Manchester per cent), Lincolnshire (78 per 83% 81% Merseyside 95% South Yorkshire cent), Merseyside, East Yorkshire and Northern 96% Leicestershire, Rutland Lincolnshire, South 81% 81% and Northamptonshire Yorkshire and Shropshire Lincolnshire Cheshire Derbyshire 78% Bedfordshire and and Stafordshire (all on 81 118% and Notts Hertfordshire per cent), Lancashire (83 92% per cent), Border, Midland Shropshire and and Western in Ireland (85 Stafordshire per cent) and Northern Ireland West Midlands 81% (86 per cent). Herefordshire, 95% 104% East Anglia This GMB map should sound a Worcestershire 100% clarion call for investment that and Warwickshire 94% East will bring jobs and prosperity to West Wales Wales the old industrial heartlands and the and The 100% 113% rural areas that desperately need it. Valleys Berkshire, Essex 70% Bucks and 89% Politicians must heed that call with Oxfordshire regional policies. The devolution of Gloucestershire, 115% 143% economic powers to local and regional Wiltshire and level is essential. GMB will lead the calls Bristol/Bath Kent for action. Dorset and 109% 114% 90% New jobs and investment has to be Cornwall and Somerset the top priority for national and Isles of Scilly Devon 92% local governments and the EU. The 87% Inner London public and private sectors must 72% 328% co-operate to achieve this growth Hampshire and Surrey, East and Outer London and development as neither can Isle of Wight West Sussex 95% do it on their own. www.gmb.org.uk 15

natIonal uPDate all the news from GMB Get online with GMB www.gmb.org.uk GMB’s website lets you manage your membership and keep up to date f you’re not registered online, it’s easy to sign up. Go to www.gmb.org.uk and click GMB ‘member login’. You’ll just I need your GMB membership number. Visit www. gmb.org.uk • Update your GMB profile • Switch to Direct Debit • Access the latest news • Download exclusive extras • Get support for your workplace Get the GMB App Download it now to: Get the latest from GMB wherever you are with the new GMB app. Since the app was launched a few • Update your GMB profile months ago, thousands of members have • Get the latest news from GMB downloaded it to their smartphones. It’s available to • Switch to Direct Debit download now from www.gmb.org.uk/app or • Find your nearest GMB ofice from iTunes and Google Play for Android. • Find your nearest GMB post holder • Become a workplace organiser case stuDy Gavin Palmer “I’m really glad I have it. It’s so convenient and easy to use – it puts all your membership information at your fingertips. I talk to a lot of members and I always recommend the GMB app.” Gavin Palmer is a GMB workplace organiser at Barking and Daggenham Local Authority. Representing members across the borough, he doens’t always have access to a computer, so getting the GMB app on his smartphone has proved invaluable. Site UpdAte! Fresh tools online! are you looking to up-skill or organise your workplace? We’re updating the GMB@Work resources online so GMB post holders will be able to download everything they need. From training information to health and safety regulations, you’re just a couple of clicks away from making your workplace stronger and safer. Go to www.gmb.org.uk/gmb-at-work 16 www.gmb.org.uk