Appeal to Warehouse and Distribution Workers

VOTE ROBBIE (ROBINA) SEGAL
What type of General Secretary do you want?

Have there been redundancies in your depot. Have you had your terms and conditions reduced? Are you working in a new depot where the terms and conditions are not the same as the established sites?

These attacks have been going on for years and the Usdaw leaders have done nothing to challenge them. Warehouse and distribution workers are among the most powerful in this country. We control the distribution of food in Britain. Why have we not used this power?

The problem rises from the acceptance of John Hannett of the Partnership strategy. To maintain the support of the Bosses, Usdaw’s leaders must deliver a passive workforce. Is this why there is no national coordinated resistance to the bosses’ attacks against us? As a union we must prepare to fight these attacks on our wages and conditions.

In his appeal for you to vote for him, John Hannett claims:

‘I’ve recently introduced a new Conference which was held for the first in June. This will now become an annual event and I will also work hard to ensure the Union meets the many challenges in the logistics sector.’

It was over 14 months after the proposition calling for a Conference was raised at the ADM. The Conference was at least three years too late. So why does he claim ‘I’ve recently introduced a new conference’. It was not his idea as he claims.

The proposition calling for the Distribution Conference stated:

This ADM calls upon the Executive Council to organise an Annual Distribution Conference.

This is in recognition of the need for a united defence of terms and conditions of employment in the distribution sector. These have already been seriously attacked in many areas. New distribution centres are being opened, for example with far worse terms and conditions than existing sites. Companies are even calling for us to accept new starters at existing depots on worse terms and conditions. Agreements which have been negotiated over many years are being torn up and redundancies are taking place. The list is endless.

Conference believes we need a National Distribution Conference so we can organise nationally and not be left to be picked off one by one by unscrupulous greedy employers in search of ever greater profits at the expense of our members’ living standards.

So we should ask John Hannett, ‘why did you take so long to organise the Conference?’ Could it be that it is being used as part of his general secretary election campaign.

We` also learn ‘it will now become an annual event’. Is an annual meeting enough to face the challenge in the logistics sector? What about the attacks and how do we organise a national fight back. These issues must be addressed urgently.

The above statement shows what type of general secretary you will get if you vote for John Hannett.

I believe that the Conference was a first step in organising the fight back. Usdaw needs to be a union based on the democratic participation of its membership. It is not just a question of listening but fighting on behalf of its members.

Distribution and Warehouse sites are now an important part of our Union. I believe that the present Area Organiser arrangements need changing. Over the last few years, there has been a reduction in the number of officials working in the Divisions. I will restore the numbers and in the Divisions with large numbers of warehouse and distribution members I will appoint a dedicated Area Organiser.

If you want to join the fight to change Usdaw then email me at:

robbie@robbiesegal.org , visit my website www.robbiesegal.com

Distribution and Warehouse workers join the Activist Network

One of the outcomes of this election already has been the call by many logistic workers to establish a rank and file network. If you want your name to be added to the list and receive updates on events in our sector then send your email address to robbie@robbiesegal.org

A Tesco distribution worker

A Report From USDAW Distribution Conference

I would like to thank Robbie Segal and anyone else that was instrumental in organising this long overdue conference specifically designed for the Distribution sector of the union.
The conference went well with lots of good feedback and ideas on how to progress and I look forward to further such conferences.

I believe the Distribution sector is a completely different animal to retail,with totally different needs when it comes to support from our union, and I will give just a few examples.

In retail, take Tesco for example their terms and conditions are negotiated at a national level by an USDAW national officer, in distribution we negotiate our own locally and only involve our national officer if agreement cannot be reached., therefore I believe we should be training our full time convenors in distribution in the art of negotiations,

In Sainsbury distribution centres we have an agreement that the union will spend time with new starters during their induction with a recommendation from the company that they join,my point being that whilst I understand that new members are the lifeblood of our union,we already have this important task covered and enjoy membership in excess of 90%,
I think the limited time spent when new stewards go on their introduction courses would be greatly enhanced by such exercises as role play in representing members in a disciplinary situation,health and safety regulations,and employment law rather than the present, recruitment,recruitment,recruitment, and on this point I think that as much effort should be placed on retaining current members as we do recruiting new ones, and we will only be able to do this by giving them the support and value they are seeking from well trained representatives.

I also believe that some guidance should be given from the union as to agreements we should be seeking,an example of such is a model of an enhanced redundancy package, easier to get an agreement during times when the company do not believe they will ever make redundancies yet almost impossible if redundancies becomes a reality.

I hope now that we will go forward with a true recognition as to the needs of the distribution sector and not be looked upon as the poor cousins in a retail union, which has been the perception for too long amongst many of our members.

Jon Harriss (Convenor Sainsbury`s Distribution Depot Waltham Point) C28

Appeal to Warehouse and Distribution Reps

This weekend sees the USDAW Warehouse and Distribution conference in Warrington - the following appeal will be circulated calling on members to support Robbie Segal's campaign.

- Usdaw General Secretary Election
- Fight for a living wage
- Against partnership
- Fight for trade union democracy
- A General Secretary on a worker’s wage

Dear Usdaw member,
AT LAST! Over 14 months after the proposition was passed at the ADM calling for a Conference, it is taking place. In my view at least three years too late. We have seen the closure of some of the depots with the best terms and conditions, other depots have been forced to accept a deterioration in their terms and conditions. This has happened while there has been an improper rush to sign as many new agreements as possible on terms and conditions well below the established depots. The danger is that these new sites will be used to undermine the conditions in the better organised depots.
The feeling is that Partnership is being forced upon us to ensure the continuation of the retail agreement and because the failure to organise the new sites.
I believe that this Conference should be the first step in organising the fight back. Usdaw needs to be a union based on the democratic participation of its membership. It is not just a question of listening but fighting on behalf of its members.
The press is full of stories about the UK economic problems. But with basic food and heating costs going through the roof, the workers on low pay, many of whom are our members, face hard times ahead. If there is a squeeze on profits then our bosses will look to save money. They are attacking us already. As a union we must prepare to fight these attacks on our wages and conditions.
I’m appealing for nominations for myself as the only anti-partnership and pro-democracy candidate. Although the general secretary had his EC endorsement printed on the circular announcing the election, there is no way the other candidates can circulate their programme to the branches. You might even have been pressurised by an official to vote for John – another example of the democratic process working. John might think this is fair but it is not my idea of trade union democracy.
We hear a lot about listening from New Labour and one of the candidates in this election. My approach will be different. Of course, I will listen. But we will discuss and debate and even argue. And then we take action. My attitude to a wage claim is that we consult and then campaign around the demands to ensure it is genuinely the members’ claim. If there is a need to fight then it will be up to the members to decide on the action. I believe the Union should be handed back to the members.
Distribution and Warehouse sites are now an important part of our Union. I believe that the present Area Organiser arrangements need changing. Over the last few years, there has been a reduction in the number of officials working in the Divisions. I will restore the numbers and in the Divisions with large numbers of warehouse and distribution members I will appoint a dedicated Area Organiser.
If you want to join the fight to change Usdaw then email me at: robbie@robbiesegal.org