Friday 7 March 2008

Support the IUF Campaign Against M&S

Colleagues,

Please have a look at this news item on the UNITE/AMICUS web-site:

http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=8091

I'd be keen to get your perspective on what you think UK trade unionists can do to support activists in other countries as part of the IUF campaign.

If anyone who reads this is from the BFAWU, do you know if the campaign is known about across the union?

Many thanks

Ian

5 comments:

Alan said...

Hiya Ian,

Not sure I have heard of this one, but am at regional council next week and will raise it.

I remember you mentioning a while back a GMB camapign against them, but there was a lack of public interest. Not sure this will get much support as its a campaign outside tehe UK.

Sorry to sound pessimistic.

Like to know what others think.

Alan

GT said...

Ian,

Thanks for putting up a post on this.

It is a disgrace that Marks' get good PR out of selling Fairtrade goods and now charging for carrier bags when they are getting away with gross injustices when it comes to employing workers.

Its true to say that they do the easy things, the things like Fairtrade but at the end of the day they are the same bastard employer that got rid of their garment workers (GMB members) to ship their jobs overseas. They also still refuse to sit down with the likes of USDAW to discuss recognition for their shop staff. This is all you need to know.

I am very pleased that UNITE/AMICUS are backing this as it'll get some decent exposure.

I'll let you and others know if a full campaign develops from this.

Can I encourage others to go to the IUF site and read the full details of their international campaign, details are here:

http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&ID=4844&view_records=1&ww=1&en=1

Cheers

TG

Val said...

Hi Ian,

There hasn't been anything in the Foodworker about this. National conference is coming up and it'd be good if this could be discussed in one of the workshops.

Could you help organise this?

Val

Ash said...

Hello Ian,

Thanks for highlighting the IUF campaign. We had a discussion about this at the Birmingham Trades Council and are planning a lobby at the large M&S near the Bull Ring.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Muhammed

Ian Manborde said...

Hi Muhammed,

I thought you had died!

You said you'd add comments to the blog months ago. I suppose it's better late than never.

Give me a ring and I can let you have contact names of TU reps in Birmingham that I know of.

Cheers!

Ian

PS Keep up the comments on the blog