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PRESS RELEASE: 31 October 2004



On Wednesday 10 November, Hackney TUC is launching a 'union organising drive' across the borough to take the union message into the borough's unorganised workplaces. The aim is to ensure that everyone who lives or works in Hackney, whatever their job, is offered the opportunity to join a trade union that can support them at work.



Hackney TUC Secretary, John Page, claims that in workplaces where trade unions have an influence, the workforce is generally better paid, work practices are safer and there is more protection against unfair dismissal and victimisation.



The meeting will hear from the TGWU union's campaign to organise the army of cleaners at the Canary Wharf office complex, and Unison's campaign amongst the cleaners at Hommerton hospital, both of which have already won wage rises for newly organised workers



As well as celebrating these successes, the meeting will hear from new campaigns, including attempts by the shop workers union USDAW to organise in Hackney's shops, the RMT rail union's drive to unionise contract cleaners on the Underground, and the civil service union, PCS, who plan to recruit and represent workers in private companies who are performing work which traditionally would have been done by the civil service.



A key theme of the meeting will be taking the union movement to refugee, black and ethnic minority and new migrant workers, who are often forced into taking 'marginal' jobs due to social exclusion and discrimination.



John Page said; 'nationally the trade union movement recognises that it has got to do more to make itself relevant to all workers - whatever their race, ethnicity, national origin or status. In Hackney, we have a particular obligation to take the benefits of union membership into new migrant communities, whose members, without a union are left at the mercy of unscrupulous employers. We believe that achieving social justice at work is a fundamental step towards achieving social justice for the community.'



The meeting takes place at 7.30pm on Wednesday 10 November at Marcon Court Community Hall which is on the corner of Marcon Place and Amhurst Road. The meeting is open to all trade union members and anyone who is not yet a member, but wishes to know more about what trade unions can do for people at work.

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John Page

Secretary, Hackney Trades Union Council

PO Box 44656, London N16 5YX

Tel: 07703 335115



john.page@unisonfree.net [1]

www.hackneytuc.org.uk [2]