Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour), on Wednesday, 30 October 1996, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 107 members in total.

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CO-STEEL SHEERNESS

That this House notes that, in March 1992, Co-Steel Sheerness, in the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, through a campaign of threats and intimidation, derecognised freely and democractically chosen trade unions and withdrew the right to collective bargaining; notes that over 78 per cent. of ISTC members voted for collective bargaining and union recognition; supports the joint ISTC/AEEU campaign for trade union recognition at the plant; notes that Co-Steel's Personnel Director, Hugh Billot, revealed that five per cent. to six per cent. of employees who resisted the changes were `terminated'; notes that acc ess to company premises was denied to trade unions and that these blatant anti-union activities by Canadian owned Co-Steel led to protests at the company's headquarters by the United Steelworkers of America; notes the recommendation in June of the United Nations International Labour Organisation that the United Kingdom Government should launch an immediate inquiry into the activities of Co-Steel and that section 13 of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 should be amended to provide a defence in British law against anti-union discrimination so that it ensures workers' organisations adequate protection from acts of interference on the part of the employer and so that it does not result in fact in the discouragement of collective bargaining; calls for an immediate and specific Government response in line with Britain's ratification of ILO Conventions 87 and 98 and international obligations to protect human rights; and further advises those touting suchoutmoded and shortsighted management philosophies to stay away from the productive and forward looking steel plant in Workington.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received an amendment.

CO-STEEL SHEERNESS (97A1)

The Early day motion has received an amendment sponsored by Roger Moate (primary, Conservative) and tabled on Thursday, 21 November 1996. It has been signed by 57 members in total.

leave out from 'House' to end and add 'notes the commitment of the Labour Party to increasing compulsion on employers to recognise trade unions for bargaining purposes and to undermine the great advance in British industrial relations achieved by Conservative legislation; deplores the fact that, in the furtherance of their campaign to this end, they choose to attack and denigrate successful companies such as Co-Steel Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, a company which is a leader in world steel technology and which plays an important part in the economy of Kent and of the United Kingdom, is one of the nation's top export earners, employs over 1,000 people, provides the best pay and benefit package in the United Kingdom steel industry, has an outstanding record of industrial relations, plays a leading role in training and vocational education, was amongst the first group of companies to get the Investor in People Award and is greatly involved with the local community where it gains widespread support from people of all political persuasions; and further notes that the trade union campaign for recognition appears to have significant local support and that a union-organised march in Sheerness was attended by not a single one of the company's employees.'.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

97 

97A1 

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Iron and steel Trade unions Co-Steel Sheerness

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk