Private Sector Workers

General network in-formation for SF members in the private sector. We hope to put each other in contact to form more industry-specific networks, and information concerning these will appear on this page.

In memory of Cameron Minshull

Greater Manchester Hazards Centre and Families Against Corporate Killers statement on the death of Cameron Minshull, 16, at an engineering company in Bury, Thursday 10th January 2013.

WE are so very sad for Cameron Minshull, who was only 16 years old when he was killed at an engineering company in Bury, where he had worked as an apprentice for only a matter of weeks. We would like to send our condolences to his family who are naturally devastated.

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Ian Kerr is dead

Blacklist Support Group statement on the death of chief blacklister Ian Kerr.

Ian Kerr, chief executive of the Consulting Association and full-time blacklister of trade unionists and environmental activists since 1969, when he started work for the infamous Economic League died on Tuesday.

His £50,000 a year salary + bonus + BUPA + Mercedes company car lifestyle, funded by the major UK construction firms including Sir Robert McAlpine, Balfour Beatty, Skanska, Carillion, Kier, BAM, AMEC and AMEY came to a halt when the illegal conspiracy was closed down in 2009.

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Blacklist Support Group statement on Crossrail

It is a disgrace that public funds are being spent on blacklisting trade unionists on the Crossrail project.

Workers have been dismissed from the largest construction project in Europe for raising safety concerns about high voltage cables and for joining the UNITE union. For nearly 3 months there have been daily protests about blacklisting on Crossrail and the firms involved have constantly denied that it is taking place.

On Tuesday Ian Kerr, chief officer of the Consulting Association blacklisting organisation told MPs that his members had talked at length about Crossrail during meetings to discuss the list: "An awful lot of discussion took place at Consulting Association meetings about the Crossrail project.'

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Industry insight: A spark's view

A SolFed member who has worked as an electrician since the late 1970s shares his experience of the electric supply industry, privatisation and trade unions.

I started an apprenticeship at 16 from school in the local electric company. It was then a nationalised industry and everyone was in one of the recognised (by the company) trade unions (a closed shop). There were many different departments and staff could move between them as workload dictated. As an apprentice I spent time in each department to give me experience of each and to hopefully decide in which one I would ultimately stay.

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'No Right to Own Me' - A Private Sector worker on Privatisation.

A private sector worker and SolFed member speaks out about why they have joined in the resistance against privatising public services - and argues for the struggle to spread to the private sector itself.

Originally written for the Oxford Save Our Services blog.

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Campaigners slam Balfour Beatty health and safety award

Trade unionists and anti-blacklisting campaigners have criticised the awarding of a top health and safety honour to the construction firm Balfour Beatty.

The company was recently awarded the Royal Society for the Protection of Accident's most prestigious award at this years Occupational Health and Safety Awards.

Steve Kelly, spokesperson for the Blacklist Support Group, described the award as "offensive".

He commented: "At first I thought this was a joke. Balfour Beatty are the construction company with the WORST record of sacking and blacklisting Safety Representatives in the entire industry."

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Blacklisted

Blacklisted is a must-see short film about the victimisation of trade unionists in the UK construction industry and the workers fight for justice. Watch it (below) and spread the word.

View the Blacklist blog here.

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Tricia Jennings Dispute

The Tricia Jennings Dispute

This dispute arose after the Ardbride strike, and once again was initially publicised by Edinburgh DAM. It also reached a successful conclusion, unlike the one we’d put so much effort into supporting over the previous year.