Amicus UNITY
Gazette
FOR
A DEMOCRATIC UNION CONTROLLED BY THE MEMBERS
April Special 2002
DIRTY
DEALINGS ARE STILL POISONING DEMOCRACY
Having secured power and control over the Engineering Union and in the
process having destroyed local democracy, the arrogance of the old EEPTU
leadership clique is boundless.
Right from the start senior appointed officials interfered improperly
with the election of the lay executive (see McKenzie's letter accompanying the
April Gazette).
Once in power the Lay Executive have appointed more than one third of
their number to full time employment. Supported by the EEPTU leadership clique
this method has been used to create a nodding dog position amongst many of the
lay executive.
The Executive allowed the Policy Conference to be misled into changing
the rules to let Jackson stay past his 65th birthday, extending not only the
Jackson regime but also their own period of office to a 5-year term, again
without election. Changes which were accomplished with the aid of the
large number of appointed full time officials who attended Policy Conference
and undertook the role of sheep dogs literally 'herding' delegates, often with
threats to support the Executive's own recommendations.
Only a legal challenge forced them into the current election preventing
their attempts to avoid the democratic process so far as the General Secretary
position is concerned.
Misrepresenting the facts by a series of half-truths and omissions, the
Executive appointed Returning Officer nevertheless has managed to let everyone
know Jackson was seeking nomination, whilst at the same time actually
preventing any other candidate from having the same contact with branches and
shop stewards.
The union's official publications are being used to promote Jackson and
there is a refusal to give a fair balance to other candidates or to assure
neutrality. Jackson himself has made it clear that he will only allow
neutrality if he is forced by rule or law.
As if this wasn't bad enough, evidence has emerged over further acts
that can only be described as desperate and despicable.
It seems that Full Time Officers, based at Hayes Court have been drafted
selectively into branches in Region 7 (London and the South) in order to secure
support for Jackson.
Turning up at branch meetings with new membership cards in order to
nominate and vote for Jackson.
But that's
not the half of it!
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At its Monday night meeting (8th April) the Dagenham Motor Vehicles Branch found itself visited by several 'new' members, all of them union employees, and all who voted for Jackson. Two of these 'new members', Geoff Saunders and Rob Johnston then appeared the following night (Tuesday 9th April), along with several more full time officers, brandishing yet more new memberships cards in the West London Branch, with the two having been transferred overnight!
Happily the Dagenham Branch defeated their vile attempt, but
West London was lost to Jackson by 25 -24 votes.
The Wednesday night (10th April) saw another union employee who had voted at the Dagenham meeting, Stuart Wallis, voting at the London Construction Branch meeting!
Given only Head Office can transfer members between branches, these
disgraceful acts would not be possible without their support and complicity.
How many other union employees have become flying voters!
Rotten to the very core!
McKenzie, the self appointing nodding dogs, the bullying
Full Time Officials, the deceptions, the misuse of union resources, the
attempts to avoid election, and the abuse of the head office facilities to
perpetrate the latest outrage.
Should Jackson claim his hands are clean, it would be an
admission that he cannot even control his own staff never mind resolve the
so-called merger problems!
What can be done about it?
First
thing to do is tell all the members about what has been going on!
Expose
these disgraceful wretches for what they are.
Campaign
all out to secure victory for Derek Simpson as General Secretary.
Derek has put his job on the line to fight for democracy and
to return control of the union to the members. He will end the reign of
fear and will root out any corruption.
Derek Simpson is the last hope for the principles that made the
Engineering Union the pride of the trade union movement.
Jackson's supporters will stop at nothing to keep their privileged and
appointed places on the gravy train. We have not seen the last of the
dirty tricks.
Do you really want to elect a 65 year old who will treat the job as a
part time position (since he also works for a private company as its chairman),
representing the dregs of the old EEPTU leadership, happy to sign sweet heart
deals and to decry his own members and others if they are in struggle.
Do you really want centralised control, fewer local offices, even more
branches closed and placed under FTO supervision, and to see benefits reduced
even further from their all time low. Do you want your contribution money
squandered on preserving the lifestyles of Jackson and his acolytes, the
appointees and the wannabes?
Help Derek Simpson
win. He needs you. And you need him!
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