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The forthcoming London Gateway container terminal in the UK could be one of the first in the country without a significant portion of its workforce enjoying union membership, according to representatives for the UK’s largest union, Unite.
Unite regional representative Jane Jeffery told The Loadstar that London Gateway had refused to recognise the union as the company embarks on a major recruitment drive ahead of its planned opening in the fourth quarter of this year.
“We have had three or four meetings ...
Comment on this article
Murry Rothbard
February 15, 2013 at 4:04 pmWhat business do Unite have in dictating to LG who they can and cannot employ? What arrogance. They are simple luddites who wish to slow down economic progress by protecting the inflated wages of their members. Just look at what unions are doing to container trades on East and West coasts of the US. The West is reverting to socialist based societies that – ironically – are and will continue to be overtaken by Asian and Latin American competitors.
Chris Scott
February 16, 2013 at 9:22 amLondon Gateway should be congratulated, applauded & appreciated for investing billions into this project, creating thousands of jobs, as well as creating wealth for the local and wider economy – not to mention billions of pounds in tax receipts for the exchequer.
London Gateway have taken exactly the right approach in leaving the decision of union membership to the individual. It is absolutely disgusting Unite sent representatives to cause trouble at London Gateway’s job fair in Dartford and should stop poking their noses into London Gateway’s self-funded business.
I don’t believe for one moment Unite are worried about the jobs of their members at other UK ports and imagine it’s more to do with the prospect of losing the membership fees that fund the leaderships salaries which are far greater than their members.
Mo Hadjkura
February 18, 2013 at 2:49 pmAs reported by MPs recentely UNITE is ‘scandalous’ Unite, led by the hard-Left former docker, is trying to exploit jobs for political and financial purposes. In return for £26 a year in ‘subs’.
Rather than support a mass job creation scheme instead they want to slow-down our economic recovery with their usual left-wing attitides.
I would like to congratulate LG firstly for their current stance and approach with UNITE and lastly for all their great efforts and investments into an area which is an well need of a lift and turn around.
Tim Cleary
February 18, 2013 at 3:28 pmI have the perfect solution for Unite: invest £3.5 billion of your own funds and build your own port, that way you can happily employ a Unite recognised workforce and operate it as you please. Until then, I suggest Unite keep their nose out of London Gateways business,because we as the local community are so grateful to them for creating thousands of jobs for us and our families, which will also benefit local business in terms of goods and services and no doubt encourage investment and further job opportunities from related industry.
Edwin Johnson
February 18, 2013 at 5:19 pmThe local community are delighted at the opportunity of mass job creation and being taken off the un-employment scrap heap so that we can provide for our families and have a better standard of living. London Gateway could have chosen many countries around the world to invest their resources into building a new port, but they chose Essex. We should be eternally grateful to London Gateway for putting their money and belief into this country and more importantly in Essex. The economy needs a growing workforce and people off the unemployment register and the last thing we all need right now is a militant union intent on causing trouble and encouraging strikes so the leadership can “ justify “ their sky high salaries.
I am truly appalled that while London Gateway are offering job creation opportunities at their job fair, Unite members were there to cause trouble – it is shameful and despicable.
Thank you London Gateway for believing in the people of Essex and giving us the opportunity to work at a world-class facility for a world-class employer, improving our standard of living and giving us our dignity back.
Andy Green
February 19, 2013 at 10:00 amHow about those people who make such negative comments about unions give back to their employers all those things which unions have fought for and won on their behalf – sick pay, paid holidays, health and safety, occupational pensions etc.
Unite are simply seeking good pay and benefits for all dockworkers, if those commenting care so much for these global corporations and their profits then volunteer to earn minimum wage, lose your holiday and sick pay and your pension and let’s see if your principles remain unchanged.
Terry Adams
February 21, 2013 at 1:08 pmVery interesting. DP are not saying that workers can’t join a union, only that it should be their choice.
As my long departed father-in-law, a former London docker, said to me years ago “I’ve been on some silly strikes in my time,” referring to call-outs by Jack dash and his cronies in support of some dispute in faraway countries he’d never heard of………
Unions are great when they stick to representing the workers at their place of work. The problems come when politically motivated individuals worm their way to control of the union and use their members as cannon fodder