BATU Trade Union Discussion

[Block G Raptor]

Surprise Surprise theres a protes and the SWP turn up. Fcuking Bandwagon jumpers with no mandate other than to protest

[BohsPartisan]

Surprise Surprise theres a protes and the SWP turn up. Fcuking Bandwagon jumpers with no mandate other than to protest

Sorry you've lost me there.
What protest have they turned up at? The one in this thread that is months old or some new one?
Anyway whatever happened to the right of free assembly?

[Block G Raptor]

No Problem with the right to free assembly. I just find it hard to believe that the SWP or SP or whatever have such a broad mandate that any protest that arrises just happens to be an issue that they feel passionate about
it's electioneering and bandwagon jumping of the highest order and if you think otherwise you are flying in the face of logic and blind to the facts

[BohsPartisan]

it's electioneering and bandwagon jumping of the highest order and if you think otherwise you are flying in the face of logic and blind to the facts

No you are blind to the facts. If its electioneering why do we bother protesting when there is no election in sight? Any Party worthy of the name "Socialist" will campaign on workers rights or it has no right to call itself Socialist. Your arguement is meaningless and repetitive. Every protest to you is bandwagon jumping. You even dug up this old thread to try and make a point.
The reason campaigning parties stand out when they protest/campiagn/do anything pro-active is because the mainstream parties do nothing untill there is an election around the corner.

And you didn't explain what this thread had to do with the SP or SWP.

[pete]

I think BATU protested outside the National Television Awards a few weeks ago.

Possibly a no foreigners & jobs for locals only protest?

[Dodge]

I think BATU protested outside the National Television Awards a few weeks ago.

Possibly a no foreigners & jobs for locals only protest?

Nah, they were disgusted with the Bill O'Herlhy award. As we all were

[pete]

Nah, they were disgusted with the Bill O'Herlhy award. As we all were

Brickies Against Bill

[Block G Raptor]

And you didn't explain what this thread had to do with the SP or SWP.

I guess has something to do with This http://www.swp.ie/socialistworker/20...5/sw-255-2.htm

[BohsPartisan]

I guess has something to do with This http://www.swp.ie/socialistworker/20...5/sw-255-2.htm

Yeah but that was from February 2006.

[Block G Raptor]

so it was. still validates my point though. a thread pops up on here about a protest and in The Very first post on that thread is a link to SWP newsletter, that was my point it seems to me that were ever there is protest there is the Protest Party/ies

[BohsPartisan]

Yeah but AFAIK the link has nothing to do with the actual protest Pete was describing (other than it involves building workers). He was just wondering if it had anything to do with it.

[pete]

Two related BATU threads merged.

[rebs23]

Good article in the Sunday Times (16/3/08) on page 4 titled "Building union pays for campaign of violence". No link available online (must be something to do with the English and Irish versions of the paper) that I can find but anyone that has interest should seek it out.
Basic story is that a bricklaying subcontractor was awarded €400,000 in damages and €1million in legal fees. BATU has agreed to pay these amounts as a settlement following a court case that was due to be heard last Tuesday.

[pete]

Good article in the Sunday Times (16/3/08) on page 4 titled "Building union pays for campaign of violence". No link available online (must be something to do with the English and Irish versions of the paper) that I can find but anyone that has interest should seek it out.
Basic story is that a bricklaying subcontractor was awarded €400,000 in damages and €1million in legal fees. BATU has agreed to pay these amounts as a settlement following a court case that was due to be heard last Tuesday.

I was looking for link to that too but can't find any online media coverage. The case was taken by the brick layer sub contractor.

It seems the main contractor (i believe McNamara) indemnified BATU before the judgement. It was speculated that this was so McNamara could finish existing jobs as brick layers may walk off site if large bill for their union. It also described how developers drastically reduced the amount of brick work used on buildings due to the actions of BATU - I remember this at the time. The brick laying sub contractor had to close his business because he could get no work as he would he would bring BATU disruptions along with him.

Shocking indictment of the BATU leaders & would hope that SIPTU could ban them from representing their affiliates. I think they had been watching too many movies & were wannabe Teamsters. SWP very quiet now.

[rebs23]

I think they had been watching too many movies & were wannabe Teamsters.

That about sums it up. In fairness SIPTU were never supportive of them or their actions.

[BohsPartisan]

Speculators have long been involved in a campaign of violence and intimidation against building workers. How many people have died on building sites in the last ten years? Building contractors have the full power of the organised crime that is our ruling party behind them. What are you supposed to do against that? And I'm sure the times has no ulterior motive either. Not surprised its the same old goons going after the unions here as usual.

[pete]

Speculators have long been involved in a campaign of violence and intimidation against building workers. How many people have died on building sites in the last ten years? Building contractors have the full power of the organised crime that is our ruling party behind them. What are you supposed to do against that? And I'm sure the times has no ulterior motive either. Not surprised its the same old goons going after the unions here as usual.

Completely off topic.

I believe the HSA police work place safety & nothing excuses poor safety. Two wrongs don't make a right. If Developers are engaging in unsafe practices use the powers of the courts. You can't lump all Developers into one group just like BATU don't represent the entire trade union body. If you mean the same goons I presume you mean the Courts? The sub contractor company was put out of business by BATU.

Brick layers could have been making out like bandits in the good days (paid per brick/block) but instead BATU ensured the demand for brick layers on certain large projects was eliminated by McNamara Development. Seems alongside the brick laying subcontractor (Kilbern Developments or some similar name) the biggest losers were the brick layers themselves.

Still can't find link to this on any media source.

[BohsPartisan]

If Developers are engaging in unsafe practices use the powers of the courts.

"The power of the courts compels you!"

The law is stacked in the employers favour. Because they are subcontracting it takes the onus for safety off the site owner and places it on the individual "sub-contractor".

[rebs23]

The case is about bricklayers that had to leave a site due to intimidation. Bullying and Harrassment by one group of workers against another group of workers is a breech of Health and Safety.
Your logic is truly out there Bohspartisan and surely you could come up with some better namecalling than "goons".

[BohsPartisan]

The case is about bricklayers that had to leave a site due to intimidation. Bullying and Harrassment by one group of workers against another group of workers is a breech of Health and Safety.
Your logic is truly out there Bohspartisan and surely you could come up with some better namecalling than "goons".

If you deserved any better I'd have bothered but its like a broken record with you and Pete - indo or some other reactionary media source prints anti union story and you're on here straight away. I never see either of you on here jumping on employers.