TORY-LED Brent Council in North-West London is attempting to de-recognise UNISON.
A mecting of the Policy and Resources committee on the April l backed the decision of the personnel committee to leave the 2,700 strong branch out in the cold.
The meeting was lobbied by 400 UNISON members from Brent and further afield. Brent UNION now plan a lobby of the full Council meeting on Monday April 22.
Ine Counci Jusunca their unprece dented move by the activities of the regional UNISON, official Stuart Barher. who has vicorously criticised the maladministration of social services and mismanagement of finances.
Brent UNISON belleves the real reason is the Council's desire to push before elections in 1998, The Tories. control the Council with a majority of The Council's Labour group Palled at the meeting for the recommendation to be withdrawn and for Tory Councillor Sean O'Sullivan to be removed as Until recently O'Sullivan was working as an agency worker for Lewisham Council. When UNISON members there heard about his union-bashing activities in Brent they refused to work with him and the Council was forced to ask him to leave.
Brent East Constituency Labour Party have condemned the Tory group for their actions and are pledged to support any industrial action which the union branch might take. They have called on the Labour group to provide office facilities should the Council withdraw recognition.
Brent UNISON branch secretary Brian Butterworth blamed the Coun-
cil's decision on UNISON national ofnetais not conocmning te counciour right and talking to it behind the branch's back.
Just over a month ago the branch announced that it would call a public meetine before the end of March. but so far this has not happened. If it is to stop derecognition it must be prepared Trade union members must become involred in the fight for UNISON's obsolute right to take action. UNISON and other trade union members must become involved in the fight for UNISON's absolute right to recognition. If the Tories in Brent are allowed to get away with this, it will set cil's who would like to do the same. Brian Gardner JJ bosses LAST October a number of the workers joined the Transport and General Workers Union amidst growing resentment at casualisation, low pay, appall. ing health and safety conditions and being forced to work long hours with no overtime pay.