by Chris Ford, UNITE Clerkenwell &
St. Pancras branch organiser
At a so-called disciplinary hearing Lancaster Cleaning Services have sacked
UNITE shop-steward and leader of the Latin American Workers Association Alberto
Durango. The company took over the contract for the Union Bank of Switzerland on
Monday 1 February; they suspended him on the Tuesday and sacked him on Thursday
4 February. This premeditated act is part of their efforts to break the union at
UBS.
Lancaster were hired by UBS to replace the company Mitie, despite this
banking giant making profits of $14 billion they hired a notorious anti-union
firm to ensure they pay even less to their cleaners. Ignoring the protection
afforded by TUPE, workers were told they are to have their wages cut via a
reduction in their hours! The workers lodged a grievance; in response they have
sacked Alberto their shop-steward.
Alberto was called to a ‘disciplinary hearing’ to ‘discuss that we cannot
continue to employ you’ – it was a kangaroo court. They refused to recognise him
as a UNITE shop-steward. The reasons they gave were that he had worked for them
before and he was sacked for ‘dishonesty’. Alberto previously worked for
Lancaster for over a decade, only when he became a union activist did they
target him. A series of allegations were thrown at Alberto, they orchestrated
his arrest by the Home Office based on false claims. He was released without
charge. Lancaster then sacked Alberto regardless claiming he never worked for
them under his true identity. After his dismissal the company then admitted
following a union appeal he had in fact worked for them in his true identity
after all!
Lancaster have ignored the ongoing Tribunal case against his previous
dismissal, they have ignored his rights under TUPE and are openly blacklisting
union activists. The Union Bank of Switzerland and Lancaster are partners in
crime. Many activists of the labour movement and organisations have responded to
the appeal for solidarity. Let’s step up the mobilisation for the demonstration
on 12 February, we are now protesting at the main UBS site where Alberto was
sacked. Make this a mass protest to start turning the tide on the union
busters.
MASS DEMONSTRATION
Reinstate Alberto – Hands off Our Union
Friday 12 February 1:00
PM,
Outside UBS Capital, 100 Liverpool Street, London EC2M 2RH (note: changed
from original venue)
Speakers include
STEVE HEDLEY RMT (LUL) Regional Organiser
JERRY HICK UNITE General Secretary candidate.
Sponsoring organisations:
Latin American Workers Association; The Commune; La Comuna; Colombia
Solidarity Campaign; Permanent Revolution; National Shop Stewards’ Network;
Labour Representation Committee, Brent Trades Union Council, Rifondazione
Comunista, Workers’ Liberty, International Federation of Iraqi Refugees,
Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq, Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!; Green
Left; The Prisma, multicultural newspaper; Feminist Fightback; London Coalition
Against Poverty; Oxford and District Trade Union Council, Campaign Against
Immigration Controls; Global Afrikan Congressuk; RMT Black and Ethnic Members;
RMT Finsbury Park 0543 Branch; Black Workers for Justice – europe; Turbulence;
IWW London; English for Action
Individuals:
John McDonnell MP; Jeremy Dear, NUJ General Secretary, Steve Hedley RMT (LUL)
Regional Organiser; Professor Gregor Gall, Research Professor of Industrial
Relations, University of Hertfordshire; Pete Firmin, LRC Co-National Secretary;
George Binette, Camden UNISON Branch Secretary (pc); Derek Wall, General
Election Candidate for Windsor/former Green Party principal Speaker, Jerry
Hicks, UNITE General Secretary Candidate, Vaughan Thomas, RMT (LUL) Regional
President, Paul Haste, Morning Star industrial reporter; Leslie
Sklair, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, London School of Economics; Monica del
Pilar Uribe, journalist; Jeremy Dear, General Secretary, NUJ
Please add your name and organisation to the sponsors:
write to
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