The following information update is being circvulated around the trade union movement. This vwebsite has supported over the last year Alberto’s struggle in support of trade union rights for migrant workers and we would ask that this demo be given maximum publicity.
UPDATE
– ALBERTO DURANGO SACKED! MOBILISE
FOR 12 FEBUARY DEMO
Dear
Brother/Sister,
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
as 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.
Chris
Ford
Branch
Organiser
MASS DEMONSTRATION
Reinstate
Alberto – Hands off Our Union
Friday 12
February 1:00 PM,
Outside
UBS Capital, 100 Liverpool Street, London EC2M 2RH
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
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,
Please
add your name and organisation to the sponsors: latin_americanworkers@hotmail.com
