Apr 30 - Unite National Officer's May Day Message
May Day message from Stuart Davies, Unite National Officer for Gibraltar:
It is with great privilege that I have the opportunity to deliver a May Day message in Gibraltar where International Workers’ Day is given the reverence that it deserves. It provides us the opportunity to celebrate the labour and trade union movement in Gibraltar, remembering our roots and setting ourselves up for the challenges ahead. It also provides the opportunity to review our achievements for which we can be proud, identify where we can improve as an organisation and reset for those upcoming challenges. We therefore welcome that actual May Day, the 1st May is marked out as a public holiday, an issue that Unite campaigned on and it is to be applauded that there is a commitment that this will remain the case into the future under the current government.
There has been much coverage regarding the arrangements for May Day, with some of the commentary inevitably off the mark, statements such as the union “veering to the right” are as inaccurate as they are insulting. We should however not be distracted by the arrangements to commemorate International Workers’ Day, but concentrate on the purpose of May Day and use it as a focus to set out the priorities for the union for the coming year.
Those living and working in Gibraltar demonstrated with great effectiveness their appetite to protest and take action with the Unite organised day of action on the 16th January regarding the proliferation of insecure working arrangements. We have made positive progress on this agenda; however we still have a long way to go to deliver the aspirations and demands of those that marched and supported the day of action. We have successfully reversed the legislation change on agency workers regulations with respect to the qualifying period for parity with permanent colleagues; however as I stated back in January, members want progress, not promises. We have to eradicate the unfairness that operates across the public and private sectors, we are running into an issue that as one problem is resolved, another is created. We are seeing agency roles within the public sector being converted into permanent roles; however those agency workers that have been working effectively and diligently in those roles, in some cases for many years, being denied the opportunity to attain these roles on a permanent basis. For these reasons the campaign on insecure working arrangements will remain a priority for Unite in Gibraltar and will be a key focus for May Day. I am unequivocal in my belief that those working and living in Gibraltar do not support the two tier workforce that exists and Unite will work tirelessly on an industrial, political and legal basis to challenge these exploitative practices. It is not only about changing or improving the law, it is around enforcement of the law, too many employers for too long have profited from providing members of Unite and workers inferior pay rates and conditions of employment. This is what I believe that May Day should be celebrating, that trade unions are a force for good, the genuine voice of working people, organisations that will negotiate and consult, but will also protest, campaign and take action, to ensure equality and fairness.
Whilst there is significant support for the campaign for greater fairness and equality in the labour market with regard to insecure working arrangements, Unite in Gibraltar continues to balance this against a wide ranging agenda of issues. This agenda is based upon the feedback from our members either directly or via our reps, through the workplaces or union branches, identifying issues that require the individual or collective representation of Unite to support our membership. There was significant debate earlier this year around the disparity between the public and private sectors, Unite’s position on this is clear, the solution to addressing that disparity is not to pin back the public sector and allow the private sector to catch up, but to exponentially improve the private sector conditions of employment. And linked to this are two issues that I was briefed on when I first began to support Unite Gibraltar as legal officer back in November 2016 and incredulously remain unresolved despite numerous pledges to deliver. These two issues, which have been longstanding Unite campaigns, are private sector pensions and trade union recognition within that same sector. I will watch and listen with interest the Chief Minister’s address to those living and working in
Gibraltar on May Day, with my hope and anticipation that there will be significant news on these two key areas. Notwithstanding the overwhelming importance of these two issues to provide decent and affordable retirement benefits for those in the private sector, as well as opening up the opportunity for collective bargaining for members and potential members, these are matters that I wish to recognise as achievements to be proud of in any May Day 2020 message, not lamenting another year of no progress.
The focus on young workers and those yet to take a step into the world of work also remains vital for Unite, whether the aforementioned campaign around insecure work or the passionate campaign around decent and meaningful apprenticeships, training and work opportunities. The economic future of Gibraltar will be safeguarded by delivering a future workforce that is well educated and trained, has the correct skills and provided the right opportunities. The Government of Gibraltar are engaging positively with Unite on this agenda which demonstrates the type of relationship that we should be able to have with any administration in Gibraltar. That is one that is well developed and rounded, one that enables the union to work positively and collaboratively on issues with the government, but simultaneously can be in dispute or disagreement on a range of other matters. That demarcation is crucial for the operation of an industrial and political relationship between the government and the organised labour of the trade union.
Unite will also continue to campaign and take policy positions on non-workplace issues that impact our members, with none more important that the disastrous Brexit process, one that very few in Gibraltar voted for. Brexit, whatever this ends up looking like should not be seized upon as an opportunity to erode collective or individual employment rights, Unite will provide outright opposition to any attempts to undermine the rights of working people in Gibraltar off the back of a deal or no deal. Unite will organise a further Brexit Conference once we are clear on the way forward to assess what Brexit means for Gibraltar and what are the steps, as a union, movement and community, we need to take to address the challenges of the future relationship with Europe. The union will continue to campaign for a strengthening of rights, whether the agency workers regulations, part-time and fixed contract worker regulations or the legislation governing TUPE. Unite will continue to deploy the resources of the union industrially, politically and legally, where necessary all three simultaneously to protect and improve the conditions of our membership and workers.
Finally I cannot think of a more appropriate day than May Day to recognise the work of all those that contribute to Unite, without the tireless contributions of members, representatives and activists there would be no Unite in Gibraltar. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the massive contribution of Victor Ochello to the union movement in Gibraltar, 48 years a member of the union and heading towards a well-earned retirement at the end of May. Whilst it will be Victor’s last May Day as a full time officer of the union, it will not be his last as a Unite activist as I am delighted that Victor will retain an active involvement in the union.
We have a tough and challenging year ahead, but one that will be rewarding, if you are not in a union I urge you to join to strengthen our movement, if you are a member, please get more involved. In the meantime I wish you all a happy May Day, I look forward to seeing you, your friends and family at the Piazza on the 1st May from 11.30 to enjoy the day and the celebrations, whilst recharging for the challenges ahead, challenges that I look forward to.
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