Smash the bosses' construction blacklist!

On 5 March there will be another mass protest at Fiddlers Ferry power station, in support of blacklisted electrician Steve Acheson. Steve was unfairly dismissed from the site in December 2008.

Adam Smart, Socialist Party, Warrington

Company security, assisted by a police officer, stole Steve's protest banners a few weeks ago as reported in The Socialist. However following a mass protest outside the gates, the banners were returned on 26 February.

Steve was singled out for redundancy ahead of 20 others, despite the site's "last in - first out" policy. Previously Scottish and Southern Electricity, who run the site, had dismissed claims of a blacklist being used. But this has now been exposed. Steve has been branded a "troublemaker" for standing up for his basic rights as a worker.

A clear message must be sent to both New Labour and the higher echelons of Unite that we will not stand by while one man is bullied and abused by a company making Ł1 billion annual profits! We must put pressure upon our unions to smash the blacklist, through legislation where possible but above all through genuine union organisation on the sites against the employers.

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In The Socialist 3 March 2010:

Fighting for jobs, services and conditions