Bruce Wayne
golftangofox,
call100,
yarpy,
litebulbs,
42psi
I have PM'ed you, (Yarpy it is rejected as you dont accept PM's).
I'm afraid I can't find any PM in my inbox, It may have been inadvertently deleted? can you please re-send?
We have seen in this thread that are union representatives who are opposed to this scheme.
So while we have been divided, we need to unite all the air side access people to a coordinated effort. To voice the concerns and to effectively boycott the scheme as it is un-viable, a security risk in itself and a waste of public money.
You are of course correct in that the most effective form of opposition to the scheme implementation in the aviation sector will come from a collective and unified voice. It does, as you point out affect a large number of employees working for a number of various companies, in different roles that all require an airside pass to work.
With the above in mind, the best way to oppose this should be through the Trade Union movement. It has the resource, power and leverage to make a difference, if of course it has the will. After all it is responsible for 90% of Labour party cash funding.
Unfortunately some National Officers are still living in the world of 1970s disputes and cannot see beyond Labour – good, Conservative – evil. The adage about dinosaurs springs to mind. It should be simple, if something is wrong, it is wrong and party politics should not come into it. I can assure you that if this was Tory legislation it would certainly be opposed by the movement.
Anyhow, how can anyone defend a Government that decides to use anti-terrorist legislation on targets such as the entire population of Iceland (banks), those who dissent at party conferences, peaceful protesters, and to arrest opposition MPs for doing their job?
Remember the BALPA motion that was carried overwhelmingly by TUC delegates? It pledged to resist this scheme with all means at its disposal, including consideration of legal action to uphold civil liberties.
BALPA to their credit led on this, but the other unions who are affiliated to Labour are doing very little to support their members veiws on the issue.
Without wishing to become too political I have to point out that in the UK we have the most restrictive laws on Trade Unions in the western world. Although these laws were bought in by the Conservative Government they have not been scrapped despite 11 years of Labour Government. Trade unions which seek to defend jobs, services or industries face massive penalties, including the freezing of union funds (sequestration) or even receivership - all designed to stop unions from functioning effectively on behalf of their members, or in support of members of other Trade Unions.
With regard to ID cards, there is little that the Trade Union movement can do to oppose a Government Act. Any action would be deemed a political dispute and would be unlawful. The only legal way to take action is by industrial dispute. To do this the dispute would have to be against the employer, not the Government. This is why those who are initially affected at MAN & LCY may need to consider this course of action.
The Government will do whatever it needs to coerce us onto their databases. None of us should underestimate the difficulty we will have in opposing the Governments will.