As the Trade Union Congress meets in Glasgow, the Trade Union magazine Solidarity is launching the petition we that many activists have been involved in different ways against scab unionAEEU under the leadership of Tony Blair's dear friend, Sir Ken Jackson by the AÉEU at the Western Wall reached over the heads of the existing print unions was the focus of a long ampaign which eventually forced the AEEU to back down Now however they are up to their old tricks in an even more blatant been set up to rebuild the West Coast mainline railway by Balfour Beatty (of of recognising the RMT, as both comparies do for existing rail intrastruc ture maintenance contracts, they have signed a single union deal with the AEEU.
Balfour Beatty argue that the project constitutes "a greenfield construction site while GRM chims that the AEEU is a more "progressive" union than the RMT - more progressive in Not only has the AEEU connived to derecognise the existing rai unions but has accepted conditions way below the existing standards An additional 50p per hour is paid into a recention fund to be paid our crery six monts - Should you sol be with the company • No entitlement to join a company pension fund Il No continuity of employment e you transter over trom a rai company A subsistence allowance of E20 per night for working away from • Compulsory overtime of up to 8 hours per week if the company requests.
Meanwhile in the North Sea, the AEEU, together with the GMB has signed a 'partnership agreement with the oxhore Contractor Association and a single union deal with the United Kingdom Driling Contract Association.
These deals have clearly been employers and Jackson - to prerent the workers taking advantage of the balloting regulations under the new Employment Act to choose their own union.
Of courtes is true the cher unions engage in shabby prac tices of single union deak - selas complant expose all such deals and build Name. fighting alternatives to these so caled leaders A champ com. paign against the AEEU can be an important weapon in such a fight.
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