and Victimisation.
and others speaking there.
Pressed Steel Fisher plant, Cowley BRITISH Leyland claim I was sacked for falsifying my references. There is no doubt among my workmates that I was sacked for trade union activity.
As an activist in Transport General Workers Union 5/60 branch, I had been involved in a number of shopfloor incidents with management. After one such incident a complaint about unsate working conditions -was told by a management rowly passed reflecting the influence of the mood of unity' in the parThe motion the NEC's sales ban was now inappropriate.
However the motion calling for a suspension got a larger majority. So we expect that the issue will be revived in three months, or whenever the next upport lumbs the depths of his o her plastic bag. witch hunt against socialists — both Socialist Action supporters — appeared at a House of Commons press conference last Thursday called by Alex Lyon on behalf of the Campaign Against Political Vetting We reprint below extracts from their statements representative that unless mv autude cuanced. uncre was no place for me in the cultually.
This spells out BL's approach to trade union tivists and socialists. BL are attempting to cloud their factories in a climate of fear, where no worker can speak out for fear of discipline.
Grant Keir, Longbridge plant, Birmingham I WAS a T&GWU shop steward, and a delegate the to Ladywood Labour ParTrades Birmingham Council. The only charge against me was that I had given inaccurate information on an application form when I joined BL a full three years ago.
This is a thin and flimsy excuse Indeed, management seemed satisfied with my conduct that they had even offered me a job as foreman.
This is not a case of industrial misconduct, it's hant of againstic wade against unionists and political ac tivists. But the workers on realised this was a witch hunt and took action to defend me. My union has supported me all the way. cry there'd be it Labour controlled councils sacked people tor being • Conser socialists unionists are sacked, hardly any opposition is heard It's necessary call for a slide towards McCarthyism.
EMPLOYERS have always dismissed people for their trade union activity their political opinions. I am a case in point.
I was blacklisted in the '40s in Coventry, when I was a leading shop steward for the engineering union I was sacked by the Alvis Motor Co. for obtaining employment under false pretences. The fought, but the company employers have been doing away with every since.
Later the same thing happened to me at Rover I took it to court and won the case, but the company still wouldn't have me back. Instead, they paid me my wages to stay at none.
We're beginning adopt a practice in this is already Country wilici prevalent in West Germany — berufsverbot. But it's never the National Front employers discriminate against. It's usually socialists and active men sen of Labour Party.
We shall continue to raise this in the House. Alan Thornett - another victim of BL's witch hunt law UNDER the law, workers can't be dismissed for union activity. But this is only half the problem.
Employers discrimin.
workers who are union activists or hold political views at the stage of employment, and there are no remedies for this at the position under international law.
Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention o Human Rights guarantee of freedom of thought, conscence expression. These Articles may well mean that British law falls short of international standards.
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Robin Allen, barrister specialis- ing in employment