As Leeds binmen throw out a deal which offers them lower pay cuts in exchange for an unworkable level of productivity, Councillor Richard Brett, Leader of Leeds City Council, says: “I simply do not understand why workers have rejected what was an excellent offer.”

What planet does this gentleman live on? Any cut to a mans basic wages impoverishes his family, and to make a man work harder for less demeans and demoralises him. All over this country, for some years now, long before the ‘credit crunch’ the implementation of life changing single status pay cuts has been taking its toll on the lives of the lowest paid council workers who sweep the streets, bury the dead, empty the bins and engage in all those occupations that most of us would find repugnant. This process has been sporadic, localised and has been deliberately denied the oxygen of national publicity which would have forced action at a national level. Cutting mens’ wages in the name of ‘equality’ is morally unacceptable in any ones language, and in this instance is despicable. The unions, who naively signed up to ‘single status’ thinking it might be a good idea, have so far singularly failed to address this rising tide of demoralization and anger, riding it out in most places by burying their sorry heads in the sand. Cowed by legal ‘low lifes’ like Stefan Cross they have repeatedly betrayed their members at the hour of their greatest need. In Leeds it seems that the union has finally decided to make a stand. Make no mistake that thousands of council manual workers who have already had their wages cut, along with many more with the hell of ‘single status’ yet to come, are watching events in Leeds with great interest. What kind of a country do we live in where politicians can vote themselves pay rises, and failed banks get massive bonus payouts of our money yet cannot a afford to pay a street sweeper for a dirty days work? Hang your heads in shame Leeds Council!

To say that UCATT have been succesfull is just not true. The majority of cases of plural plaque are in England UCATT have not changed the law there, Ritchie might be great at challenging Government and employers but he has not suceeded.
Why because he does not have an army end of story, If any one thinks employers are going to listen to moral arguments from trade union leaders then they are living on a different planet. You can attend all the inquiries you want it will not and has not changed anything, the only voice that employers or goverments will listen to is an economic one and building workers need a union to help them effect the economy. Most building workers do not know what a union is never mind who Dooley or Ritchie are. There is not only one answer but to try to dismiss Mick Dooley and his supporters will reduce any effective barganing then you will be in the same position you are in now doing nothing but producing glossy brouchures and inquiry recomendations to be put in the bosses bin. Wake up and start geting building workers on the unions side show some leadership and get Dooley in front.

Under Ritchie UCATT has propsered within the political sphere, challenging government on building workers employment rights, housing, health and safety, bogus self employment, and apprenticeships.

We are leading the movement on the pleural plaques issue, we have had success in Scotland overturning the law and we are in the face of the justice minister to get simlar changes across the UK.

Its also not merely a coincidence that a government enquiry is called into health and safety and deaths in the construction industry following UCATT’s research work and constant lobbying.

As for Mr Dooley, well he runs around making idle promises, £1000 for every worker at the end of the olympics, brilliant I think I’ll get on that job at the finish and receive a grand, seems most unlikely.

I hear Dooley doesn’t believe in this sort of politics, but he doesn’t have a plan as to how he can get change, he is oblivious to laws – strange for someone professing to have legal qualifications!!

He is both a devout religous man and an anarchist it seems, strange bedfellows indeed. UCATT members beware as he appears to be all things to all men.
He will “bankrupt the union”, his words not mine!

Please type in “I Drive What I Build” in quotations to see the video or go to the link on WCSX or WRIF radio.

Best regards,

Mitchell J. Rickey
Plymouth, Michigan