Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 22:52:16 GMT
Subject: APPEALS


Construction Safety Campaign Appeal
by Tony O'Brien
In October 1994, Len Stacey, a British bricklayer, was killed in Leipzig in
the old East Germany. He fell 20 feet from the unprotected side of a
two-story block of flats, head first onto the rough ground below. He died
instantly.
His widow, Denise, and two young children, Laura aged 3 and Lenny aged 2,
was devastated and her life collapsed. The shock of the bereavement, with no
help from family and social services, sent her into a deep depression and
she was sectioned into a local psychiatric hospital, her children were taken
into care and, when she finally got out, her home was flooded. As she says,
" I had lost my husband, my children, my sanity and my home. Everything I
loved had been taken away from me."
With the help of friends and a housing officer, Denise fought back. First,
she regained her children and sorted out her house and then she began to
think of justice for Len and some compensation for his children.
Then, with some help from the Construction Safety Campaign (CSC) and the
TGWU, she started to fight the might of the German government. Twice, with
the CSC, she lobbied the German Embassy in London; the second time with the
very coffin Len was sent home in. She phoned all the media and press, wrote
many letters, visited Germany three times, wrote to MP's and MEP's and
generally kicked-up hell about Len's death.
In Germany, the construction union, IG Bau were very helpful. In her words,
" They arranged press meetings and TV appearances and were very helpful.
They even wanted me to sue the German government, but they will have to help
me financially and socially if they want me to do that." says Denise.
Finally, in February 1997, Denise heard that David Carter, the Director of
the British sub-contractor who employed Len-David Carter Construction
Ltd.-and two Directors of the German developers were to be prosecuted for
manslaughter in March 1997. This is the first ever prosecution for the death
of a British building worker employed abroad.
In over two years, Denise and her two young children have not received a
penny, or pfennig!, compensation and she is heavily overdrawn and in debt.
To attend the trial in Germany-for an estimated two weeks-for accommodation
and for translation she needs financial support. Will you or your union
branch support her?
As she says, "Of course I have done this for Len and my children. But I do
not want his death to be in vain. I want conditions on all building sites,
for all building workers, made safe."
Donations to:-
'The Denise Stacey Justice Campaign', A/C No. 41042493, Natwest Bank Ltd., 5
Coldharbour Lane, Hayes, Middx. Britain. UB3 3EL

Project Aerospace Dispute Appeal
by Hugh Paine
(Shop Steward, Project Aerospace)

Members of the MSF Craft Section working at Project Aerospace Developments,
Coventry sought to negotiate a claim for:-
* Increase in wages of 6.5%
* Proper overtime rates
* 2 days extra holiday
* Company pension
* Holiday bank
Prior to the negotiations, management imposed short-time working, forcing
the MSF Craft workers to lose 16 hours per week over a period of 3 weeks.
The workers consider the management's 'justification' for introducing these
measures were not genuine.
The management offered a derisory 3% and refused to negotiate further.
The MSF Craft members held an official, secret ballot which resulted in 84%
voting for strike action and 96% voting for industrial action short of a
strike-an overwhelming result on both questions.
The workers implemented a continuous overtime ban and discontinuous strike
action on each Friday from 8 November 1996 onwards. On 19 November a letter
was received from management informing MSF members that their flexi-hours
agreement was being withdrawn and that the new hours were to be 7.30am to
4pm. On 21 November, management informed the MSF members that, as of 25
November, short-time working would be introduced, losing a further 8 hours
per week.
Conditions in the plant are wholly unsatisfactory on grounds of Health &
Safety:-
* Broken asbestos roof
* Water cascading from broken roof on to machinery
* Suspect quality of drinking water, which is obtained from sinks in the toilets
* Diesel forklift trucks being used in confined areas
*  Safety guards missing from presses
* Unacceptable noise levels from drop hammer
Despite these conditions, this 'enlightened and civilised' management has
refused to recognise the democratically appointed Health & Safety
Representative.
The 41 MSF Craft members were locked-out by management in December 1996. MSF
has made the dispute official.
Your moral and financial support would be much appreciated. If you have any
advice, comments, messages of support or donations then please contact:-
Project Aerospace Shop Fund,
c/o Colin Lindsay, President,
Coventry TUC, Unit 15, The Arches,
Spon End, Coventry. CV1 3JQ
(Tel. No. 01203 714070; Fax. No. 01203 714302)
Cheques payable to;  'Project Aerospace Shop Fund.'

Critchley Labels
 Workers Fight Back
by Donald MacLean
(President, CWU)

The 31 people who worked at the Critchley Labels plant in the tiny village
of Croespenmaen, S.Wales -- have been sacked because they refused to allow
their bosses to kick the union off the site.
If you or your union branch can spare some cash to support the Critchley
fight for union rights, please mail it to
General Treasurer, Critchley Fighting Fund, CWU, Greystoke House,
London W5 1AW, UK.
____________________________________________________________________
This is from the International Trade Union Solidarity Campaign (ITUSC) at:-
e-mail:        itusc-AT-gn.apc.org
website:  http://www.itusc.org.uk
'snail' mail:  PO Box 18, Epsom, Britain, KT18 7YR
Tel/Fax    ++44 (0) 1372 817 778
The ITUSC is an international and internationalist association of organised
workers and communities, dedicated to rebuilding the workers' movement and
to overcoming sectarianism and division in working class organisations. It
was founded in 1991 on the following principles:
1) trade unions independent of the state and employers;
2) democracy within trade unions, and;
3) workers' internationalism.
Any individuals or organisations that accept these principles and are
prepared to work for them, are regarded as comrades by the ITUSC.
____________________________________________________________________