Protest against expulsion of UNISON Nurses rep

by Jacqueline Fallon Thu Jan 08, 2009 13:57

Chuig: Jolly Red Giant,

I am not suggesting Pat abandons the workers he represents. I would prefer if he would consult with his supporters in Unison to ascertain if there would be enough of them to support forming another union in the immediate future, one more locally based, and truly representative of themselves and with a more democratic philosophy - one that would uphold fundamental rights such as freedom of expression - this is an extremely basic right - people should get the fuck out of this Unison union if this most basic of rights is denied to them. I would not stay in any union that has been shown to be operating in a undemocratic manner, not upholding the rights of workers and, therefore, not working for the workers - a trade union’s raison d’être!

I would never encourage Irish citizens to join foreign unions - the idea is preposterous to me. I believe an Irish union which would be controlled by people in the province of Ulster locally is a far better option and more effective, than one that is controlled by a small committee residing in a foreign island. What would people in England know of the concerns of Ulster workers, or of the circumstances under which they work - nothing; nor do I believe they would have the same motivation to solve and delve into the problems faced by Ulster workers, although I am sure they are motivated enough to collect the Unison’s subscription monies alright. The fact that this English committee has never set foot inside the hospital speaks volumes of their lack of concern and support for the Irish hospital workers, and the fact that they are just coming over now to expel an Irish Socialist for exercising his fundamental right to freedom of expression would be enough to put off any decent worker from joining this undemocratic foreign union, surely.

Personally, I was in a trade union in the past, and nothing very constructive ever came of it, I felt I was paying money to have the right to a talking shop facility and a great get together with friends for the craic, whilst the ‘juvenile’ trainee manager strained his ears to listen from behind the door. Of course, the ‘elephant in the room’, the fact that we were all on extremely low pay was discussed ad nauseum, and that potential strike that was always looming in the air never quite materialised - and nothing constructive ever got done - hard earned union subscription monies thrown away for nothing.

In summary, workers throughout Ireland should be continuously vigilant with regard to their unions and cease being members of certain unions if they are found not to be working for the workers but simply appeasing them instead.

by Jolly Red Giant - Socialist Party/CWI Thu Jan 08, 2009 00:03

Jacqueline - there are two interesting points in your comments -

Firstly - Unison is a right-wing union - but so are the vast majority of unions in the country (and elsewhere) - indeed Unison is a union that actually has a reasonably strong left-wing current. Roger Bannister - a member of the Socialist Party in England regularly polls 20-25% in General Secretary elections within the union. Indeed Pat isn't the only left-wing shop steward that the Unison leadership have witchhunted. What would you suggest Pat do? abandon the workers he represents and join another union (which one?).

Second point - you make a lot of play about the fact the Unison is a British based union - traditionally republicans have attacked the notion that workers in Ireland should be members of British based unions. Indeed on many occasions in the past republicans have backed Irish unions and campaigned to get irish workers to join them. Problem is that it (1) demonstrates a lack of understanding about the nature of internationalism among workers and (2) suggests that Irish unions are somehow better than British unions - in the past such efforts ahve actually undermined the efforts of left-wing activists to regain control of trade unions from the right and actually had the opposite effect by creating right-wing rather than left-wing Irish unions.

Your comment that

'People should be rallying around now to get other entrapped socialists out of Unison immediately, and go about setting up their own democratic Irish left wing Union, one which would truly be representative of all hospital workers in the province of Ulster.'

demonstates a complete lack of understanding about the nature of trade unions and how to go about organising them. It is a nonsense to suggest that Irish workers would flock to 'their own democratic Irish left-wing union' - recently some republicans have promoted the IWU as a 'democratic Irish left-wing union' but we don't see thousands (or hundreds - or even tens) of Irish workers flocking to join it. Your suggestion is foolish at best - it would do more to divide workers - remove the best left-wing elements from traditional unions (if it could possibly be in any way attractive for them) and undermine the work that left-wing activists like Pat have been engaged in over the past number of years. Indeed - given the economic crisis facing workers - the notion of abandoning thousands of Unison members to the right-wing cabal that control Unison is a betrayal of those workers.

by Jacqueline Fallon Wed Jan 07, 2009 23:09

What was Pat, a Socialist, doing in a "union" whose leadership promotes right wing policies? Worse, this Union is controlled by a small committee of right wing people from England - that sounds very ominous to me, indeed. What confuses me is why should people be rallying around to get Pat back into this right wing Unison "union", when they should be rejoicing at Pat's 'great escape'.

People should be rallying around now to get other entrapped socialists out of Unison immediately, and go about setting up their own democratic Irish left wing Union, one which would truly be representative of all hospital workers in the province of Ulster.

Ádh mór oraibh agus sláinte chugaibh go léir!

by Sceptic Wed Jan 07, 2009 20:47

Unison is a voluntary organisation presumably. Those who signed up to it accepted its rules and constitution. The issue is who is acting within the constitution (the perfidious English HQ maybe) or the nurses concerned at RVH? How many are the latter? Are there not other ways, within the procedures, more likely to resolve this matter? What proportion of the staff at RVH are involved? Why not an indefinite strike – all out? Or is here no support? Are we not dealing with prima donnas and malcontents here rather than a genuine IR dispute? If you dislike these “English” types so much why not set up your own breakaway union? It’s a free country.

by q Tue Jan 06, 2009 19:36

Unison activists organise protest against the expulsion of Pat Lawlor

Protest to be held 9am tomorrow (7.1.09) at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Ave, Belfast

A protest will take place tomorrow morning (7.1.09) at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast against attempt by the leadership of Unison to expel Pat Lawlor, currently the Unison nursing convenor in the RVH, from the union.

A special committee of the Unison leadership has been flown in from Britian to expel Pat. They are scheduled to hear Pat's final appeal at 9.30am in the Holiday Inn. This committee is really a kangaroo court - the decision to expel Pat has already been taken. The reason the protest is being organised at the hearing is to expose this sham.

The grounds given by the Unison leadership to justify this expulsion are that Pat issued an email in 2007 criticising them for their failure to back striking Classroom Assistants. This makes Unison the only union where criticising the leadership is now an expellable offence!

Pat's expulsion is part of a general witchhunt against Socialist activists within Unison. Pat is a member of the Socialist Party. Four other members of the Socialist Party's sister organisation in Britain are also up for expulsion on equally spurious charges.

The real reason for these expulsions are the current leadership's fear that the left will win a majority in this year's elections to the union executive. The expulsions are a pre-emptive strike to try to prevent this happening.

Pat Lawlor today commented:

"If Unison's leaders get away with expelling me because I spoke up on behalf of workers on strike it will be a sorry day, not just for Unison, but for the whole trade union movement.

"But my expulsion will not be the end of the matter. I have had overwhelming support from Unison members who are outraged by the stalinist methods being used by the leadership.

"These members are now coming together in a campaign for democracy in Unison. This will link the ongoing battle for my reinstatement with a struggle to restore democracy in our union and to put in place a leadership that puts its energies into the fight to protect the jobs and conditions of members."

Issued by Reinstate Pat Lawlor Campaign.

For further information and comment contact Pat Lawlor on 07810522111

by member of unite/amicus Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:50

It is a disgrace what the Unison leaders are trying to do. Pat is real trade unionist who is being witch hunted because he supported others workers on strike. We should all get behind Pat and support him and his fellow RVH workers in their fight for democracy in Unison.