The latest news and hot gossip affecting Oldham and the rest of the world
The Nightmare Becomes Reality:
BNP elected to European Parliament
4th June 2009 was a sad day for those anti-fascist campaigners who have fought resolutely to keep the fascist BNP out of Oldham Council since 2001. 132,000 voters in the Northwest region saw fit to protest against the failure of capitalist politics in this country in the worst possible way by electing BNP leader Nick Griffin to the European Parliament.
What now for the anti-fascist campaign?
Today, Monday 8th June, we will join the protest in Manchester - assemble in Piccadilly Gardens at 5:30pm. But once our point is made the fight back must begin.
Questions need to be asked about the union-Labour Party link. Did this constrain the ability of those unions affiliated to Labour to offer a more palatable choice of protest vote to their members and thereby avoid the disastrous outcome we face this morning?
And there needs to be an urgent review of the independent third party strategy in light of the new situation.
Rest assured that the activities of Griffin in the Northwest will not go unchallenged; and trade unionists in Oldham will play their part in that challenge.
Posted 8th June 2009
Oldham Workers Petition Government for Action on Cancer Fears
Two Unite representatives from the Diodes-Zetex Semiconductors plant in Chadderton were part of the union's delegation to lobby the Health and Safety Minister Lord McKenzie on 19th January 2009 at the DWP in London.
Dinesh Mistry and Martin Gleeson presented a 240-name petition signed by workers past and present at the factory, appealing for agreement to be reached so that the proposed research into possible enhanced cancer risks from working in the industry can be got underway.
This meeting was to follow up on a similar one 12 months ago, since which time the industry association has continued to oppose the study - citing a lack of evidence of a problem. A direct appeal by Lord McKenzie was ignored by the employer's body.
The Minister indicated he would not let the matter drop, and once the results of a similar study into the US industry have been reported this Spring, he would be increasing the pressure on the employers to co-operate and fund the UK research.
For the background to this story see our Campaigns page.
L to R: Dr Ian Gibson MP (Chair of Parliamentary Group on Cancer), Lord McKenzie (Minister for Health & Safety at the DWP), Martin Gleeson & Dinesh Mistry (Unite Reps, Diodes-Zetex), Peter Skyte (National Officer, Unite)
Posted 1st February 2009