Worker fired for union organising - call for support 12th of September

[Guineveretoo]

What the hell has Tony Blair got to do with me? You are just weird.

Why don't you fuck off out of it instead, or at least focus on trying to help the guy who has lost his job, rather than looking for increasingly desperate ways of attacking me?

But I am going to leave this thread, since it has become you attacking me, and it's boring, for me, but also for other people, some of whom might actually have wanted to do something to help, or to show solidarity.

 

[butchersapron]

You're leaving again? When your union paid job comes up for discussion.

This is a thread for workers resisting the bosses and calling for people to organise in suport of them. If you can''t make the 12th at a showroom cinema maybe you could send an e-amil. Not for grubby string pulls by people like G2

 

[butchersapron]

Imagine a union with that attitude?

 

[derf]

The legalities aren't the important thing here anyway, what matters is that a union organiser has been sacked for attempting to organise with his fellow workers to improve their working conditions.

Assuming that he's not fibbing. It has been my experience that people big into union activity tend to be trouble makers.

The Showroom is one of the largest independent cinemas in the UK, screening a rich mix of independent, cult and world cinema. Showroom also hosts several major festivals including Sheffield Doc/fest, Showcomotion and Lovebytes.

In 2002 Showroom was voted the favorite independent cinema of Guardian readers, and in 2007 it was named Best Cultural Venue in Sheffield's Exposed Magazine Awards.

Ok, it's a business and the prime reason for a business is to make money but that doesn't sound like a right wing pure capitalist sort of place to me.

http://northernfilmnetwork.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/administrator-showroom-cinema-sheffield/

Northern Film Network
…for emerging filmmakers of the North

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-20055.html

Independent Cinema & Cultural Industries Managed Workspace

http://www.apfrod.com/works/2005/09/07/showroom_cinema

Well, you don't have to! Thanks to the charming people at Digital Space it will be making it's debut at the Showroom Cinema in Sheffield

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/employers/dda/case_studies/case_hospitality_showroom_cinema.asp

Disabled visitors frequently visit the Showroom cinema in Sheffield because they know the facilities and service effectively meet their individual needs. The cinema has made a number of adjustments to ensure disabled customers can enjoy the Showroom experience regardless of their impairments.

It's seems very easy to find people who like the place fr it's cultural diversity and willingness to bend to help people who other cinema don't bother with.
I failed to find a single negative report except this one bloke.

This reminds me of a union rep who got the boot at a place I used to work at. The story was all "nasty rotten boss sacking the union rep to hammer the workers"
The truth was that she was a trouble maker who got pissed and was caught fighting in the factory.

Given the positive results I find I think this sounds as fishy as fuck.
I hope that they fail miserably and that the cinema is able to continue offering the services to the disabled and those film makers who would otherwise be passed by.

 

[the button]

Cunt.

 

[cesare]

Fuck off and stick to child labour in your retirement home, derf.

I see this cinema has a myspace profile

 

[derf]

Cunt.

What for this time??

Am I a cunt for expressing an opinion that isn't union sanctioned or mentioning that the cinema may actually be trying to help people and may not be the bad guys that leftist propaganda would have us believe?

Freedom of speech not ok if it's anti union. Sounds like a typical lefty idea to me so I'll sing get a red flag and sing the song so that I don't end up in re-education.

 

[the button]

Freedom of speech not ok if it's anti union.

You exercise your freedom of speech, and I'll exercise mine. Cunt.

 

[derf]

You exercise your freedom of speech, and I'll exercise mine. Cunt.

But you fail to argue. If the best you can manage is an insult I assume that I'm right and that your only response is to call me names like some sort of kid's playground thing.

Do you think that the cinema is any workers and can you give examples of how it does so. I easily found example of it's good works but you have come up with nothing.

 

[the button]

Assume what you like, you hapless fuck.

 

[derf]

Assume what you like, you hapless fuck.

More playground stuff.
I love to see a solid case built by offering facts for the observer to make up their minds on.
This sounds like one more case of some wild bastard that needed dumping going crying to his mummy when he gets what he deserves and so far I've not heard a thing to prove his case but seen lots to show that the management go out of their way to look after others.
Other than a bunch of trouble makers I can't see anyone turning up at this event for commies union power wannabes.
Pity about the workers who will be there on the day who have to put up with people defending their rights.

 

[cesare]

More playground stuff.
I love to see a solid case built by offering facts for the observer to make up their minds on.
This sounds like one more case of some wild bastard that needed dumping going crying to his mummy when he gets what he deserves and so far I've not heard a thing to prove his case but seen lots to show that the management go out of their way to look after others.
Other than a bunch of trouble makers I can't see anyone turning up at this event for commies union power wannabes.
Pity about the workers who will be there on the day who have to put up with people defending their rights.

Frankly, as a child labour employer, begging money from people on urban75 in order to alleviate what conscience you have, you're not really the ideal advocate for best employer practices.

 

[the button]

I love to see a solid case built by offering facts for the observer to make up their minds on.

There are no "observers" in cases like this. You're on one side or the other, and you've made it fairly clear which side you're on. What reasons do have to disbelieve the OP in the thread, other than kneejerk anti-unionism?

the management go out of their way to look after others.

IME, they're among the worst kind of employers (having worked for charities for some years). All nice & liberal in the way they present themselves, but utter cunts when it comes to working for them. And as for Investor in People status....

 

[derf]

There are no "observers" in cases like this. You're on one side or the other, and you've made it fairly clear which side you're on. What reasons do have to disbelieve the OP in the thread, other than kneejerk anti-unionism?


IME, they're among the worst kind of employers (having worked for charities for some years). All nice & liberal in the way they present themselves, but utter cunts when it comes to working for them. And as for Investor in People status....

See my post listing all the good reports about them. These are just a few I posted. A quick search shows a lot more.
I have never worked for a charity so I can't comment on the second part of your argument.

 

[the button]

See my post listing all the good reports about them.

Yeah, I read it. The good reports seem to boil down to: -

* it shows shows obscure films. It's an independent cinema, that's what independent cinemas do. No points there.
* Guardian readers like them. Doesn't mean they're not cunts. Quite the opposite, one might argue, and
* It's accessible for disabled cinema-goers. I.e. they're complying with legislation. No points there, either.

 

[In Bloom]

Yeah, I read it. The good reports seem to boil down to: -

* it shows shows obscure films. It's an independent cinema, that's what independent cinemas do. No points there.
* Guardian readers like them. Doesn't mean they're not cunts. Quite the opposite, one might argue, and
* It's accessible for disabled cinema-goers. I.e. they're complying with legislation. No points there, either.

Mmm, the fact that they make a large part of their profits based upon niche markets hardly shows that they're beyond criticism.

And of course Chris is a troublemaker, that's why he deserves our support. The managers at Showroom sacked him because he, among others, spoke out about the shit pay and working conditions and tried to do something about it. Not that derf actually gives a shit about the reality of the situation, so much as reflexively defending management, like the oily, dishonest, little prick that he is

 

[DotCommunist]

Frankly, as a child labour employer, begging money from people on urban75 in order to alleviate what conscience you have, you're not really the ideal advocate for best employer practices.

The irony of a man employing a thirteen year old on a pittance giving out labour/union advice.

 

[cesare]

The irony of a man employing a thirteen year old on a pittance giving out labour/union advice.

Quite.

 

[butchersapron]

A man who thinks Arthur Scargill started the Socialist Workers Party at that. Anyway, circulated info about the 12th down here this morning, hopefully get a solidarity action going, should be people around as there's a big thing next day.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Sent my emails in solidarity, too far away

 

[In Bloom]

Sent my emails in solidarity, too far away

Fair play. Anybody reading this who wants to support Chris and his FWs at the Showroom cinema but can't make the picket, please send an e-mail on the 12th. Every little bit of extra pressure on management helps.

Also, I've edited out the Julie@ address from the callout as it is now defunct. The other addresses still work fine, afaik.

 

[derf]

And of course Chris is a troublemaker, that's why he deserves our support. The managers at Showroom sacked him because he, among others, spoke out about the shit pay and working conditions and tried to do something about it. Not that derf actually gives a shit about the reality of the situation, so much as reflexively defending management, like the oily, dishonest, little prick that he is

So I suppose that the showroom have sacked a load of workers or forced them to leave in one way or another. That or they leave as they hate the place so much.
Or is this guy the only one?

 

[In Bloom]

Chris has been singled out as a "ringleader" because he has been particularly vocal in speaking up on behalf of other workers at Showroom who are angy about the way they are being treated by management. It's classic bullying tactics, pick out the most millitant union member and try to get rid of them in order to intimidate the most rest. Chris is, however, far from the only worker at Showroom to join the IWW, nor is he the only one trying to resist management's latest bullshit.

Basically, fuck off with your speculative bullshit.

 

[cesare]

What was his length of service, Inbloom?

 

[In Bloom]

What was his length of service, Inbloom?

Hmm, I'm not sure. This has been ongoing for a while, at least a good few months. Not sure exactly when Chris took a job there.

I don't think that he's in his probationary period, if that's what you're wondering (that'd be three months max, yeah?)

 

[cesare]

Hmm, I'm not sure. This has been ongoing for a while, at least a good few months. Not sure exactly when Chris took a job there.

I don't think that he's in his probationary period, if that's what you're wondering (that'd be three months max, yeah?)

I was thinking more along these lines:

When is dismissal automatically unfair?

The dismissal of an employee will be held to be unfair if it is for one of the following reasons:

* trade union membership, trade union non-membership, trade union activities or proposed activities, or use or proposed use of trade union services;

http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/employment-legislation/employment-guidance/page30887.html

http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/employment-legislation/employment-guidance/page20829.html

And, actually, length of service is irrelevant.

It's worth assessing whether he was dismissed for his trade union activities ... although if the issue has been bubbling away for more than 3 months the deadline may have been missed. Worth having a look at anyway.

Here's more info about making a complaint/claim:

http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/employment-legislation/employment-guidance/page22868.html

 

[trevhagl]

Do take your union bureacuracy trying to stop shit by rules voice off this thead. Stick to defening your boss from internal accusations. This is a thread for workers resisting the bosses and calling for people to organise in suport of them. If you can''t make the 12th at a showroom cinema maybe you could send an e-amil.

Hang on a minute, you called me a nutter on another thread for disputing the establishments version of events. Surley you can't support someone fighting for workers rights cos in the establishments eyes, he'd be a trouble maker / commie

 

[butchersapron]

That's right.

 

[Citizen66]

Hmm, I'm not sure. This has been ongoing for a while, at least a good few months. Not sure exactly when Chris took a job there.

I don't think that he's in his probationary period, if that's what you're wondering (that'd be three months max, yeah?)

Did the employers follow the correct disciplinary procedure?

He should have been allowed access to representation from anyone who he chooses and minutes should be taken from the meetings.

This is where management falls down by not following procedures to the letter of the law and unions can use that fact as a stick against them.

If the procedures weren't followed you can take legal action against them. This is why it's important for unions to have people trained in law involved.

 

[cesare]

Yeah some of that ^^^ an all. I'd love to get my mitts on the IWW workers rights page *twitches*