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Cammell Laird, the union and the workers
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The role of the TGWU/ACTS is and will continue to be to defend the fully paid Union members at Cammell Laird, and the recognition of this by the employer. The Union has no hidden agenda and is open to all the workers at the company, regardless of their nationality.
The union adds: Let us remind Mr Charles Benyunes that it was the workers at Cammell Laird that approached the Union and wanted us to represent them. Indeed Mr Benyunes came to the Union and met with the District Officer, Charles Sisarello, who fully explained the situation.
"We informed Mr Benyunes of all he wanted to know and advised him that a reps committee can never be an alternative to a legally constituted Trade Union, which protects workers under the Trade Union Ordinance. He accepted this position. Also it is not and has never been the intention of this responsible Union to place people's livelihoods in jeopardy," said the TGWU.
"What this Union wants to do with the members at Cammell Laird is the same as we do with any other employer and that is to defend their interests and negotiate on their behalf better terms and conditions, and other matters like Health & Safety. Mr Benyunes is free to belong to a reps committee and this Union has the utmost respect for his position. We seek from him the same respect for other employees who have adopted the stance of being represented by the Union, which the company does not. This is the bone of contention. The company must recognise the rights of the employees to belong to a Trade Union. This is our country and as such Cammell Laird like any other company, must accept the democratic right of workers to choose to be a member of a Trade Union in Gibraltar.
"I t is a fact that at meetings held at the company, the workforce voted for Union representation, but the company has not it seems, accepted this basic principle.
We will continue with our endeavour to get Union recognition and we have the full support of the Gibraltar Trades Council, which represents all Union members in Gibraltar."
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