Support Pat Carmody - Sacked for Unionising a Call Centre!
Adam Johannes | 20.07.2008 14:10 | Workers' Movements
"Every night, all around the country, in the 21st century factories known as call centres, some 750,000 workers will breathe a collective sigh of relief as they get the signal that their shift has finally come to an end."
Read
http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=10390 for the inspirational article of how Pat unionised his workplace.
Read
http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=10390 for the inspirational article of how Pat unionised his workplace.
Defend Pat Carmody, free speech, and the right to organise
Pat Carmody is a trade unionist, and a telephone fund raiser for charities. Pat has been sacked by fundraising company Pell & Bales. According to the company, Pat was sacked because he wrote this four sentence article:
"Standing up for call centre staff" - 7 June 2008
A well-attended meeting of CWU union members at Pell and Bales, a call centre in Old Street, central London, launched a campaign to defend a fellow worker last week. The caller was suspended pending a disciplinary hearing following a complaint made about him during training. For asking some pertinent questions, he was accused of "playing to the crowd" and "scowling at the carpet". Many colleagues have signed a petition calling for the charges to be dropped.
Pat Carmody, CWU member
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=15062
But even if this wasn't trade union activity - which it is: publicising union news - it would still be obvious that the company were out to get Pat for building a strong and active union. The union at P&B has won a 10-15% pay rise for the vast majority of callers at the sites where it is active, and has successfully defended many members. Pat has been an important part of that.
There are two ways that you can help:
1) Write to your MP
Please encourage your MP to sign Early Day Motion 2038! The company is susceptible to public pressure. Go to http://www.writetothem.com - enter your postcode, and ask your MP to sign EDM 2038 - because the attack on Pat is an attack on free speech and the right to organise!
The EDM (and a list of MPs who've already signed) can be read here:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDe...80&SESSION=891
As you'll see from the link to the story on the news site above, Pat has the full support of the union.
2) Write to Karl Holweger, CEO of Pell & Bales in protest
Karl can be reached on
kholweger@pellandbales.co.uk - please cc: pnbunion@googlemail.com
There have been more than 50 messages of protest so far, and they are making a difference.
Website: http://www.cwu.org/news.asp?step=3&NID=2...
Pat has been asked in for a meeting with Derwyn Jones of the Panther Group (consultancy used by P&B) on Tuesday at 11am. We expect that he will be told the outcome of his appeal then.
The EDM has been signed by 22 MPs - is yours among them?
Pat Carmody is a trade unionist, and a telephone fund raiser for charities. Pat has been sacked by fundraising company Pell & Bales. According to the company, Pat was sacked because he wrote this four sentence article:
"Standing up for call centre staff" - 7 June 2008
A well-attended meeting of CWU union members at Pell and Bales, a call centre in Old Street, central London, launched a campaign to defend a fellow worker last week. The caller was suspended pending a disciplinary hearing following a complaint made about him during training. For asking some pertinent questions, he was accused of "playing to the crowd" and "scowling at the carpet". Many colleagues have signed a petition calling for the charges to be dropped.
Pat Carmody, CWU member
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=15062 But even if this wasn't trade union activity - which it is: publicising union news - it would still be obvious that the company were out to get Pat for building a strong and active union. The union at P&B has won a 10-15% pay rise for the vast majority of callers at the sites where it is active, and has successfully defended many members. Pat has been an important part of that.
There are two ways that you can help:
1) Write to your MP
Please encourage your MP to sign Early Day Motion 2038! The company is susceptible to public pressure. Go to
http://www.writetothem.com - enter your postcode, and ask your MP to sign EDM 2038 - because the attack on Pat is an attack on free speech and the right to organise! The EDM (and a list of MPs who've already signed) can be read here:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDe...80&SESSION=891 As you'll see from the link to the story on the news site above, Pat has the full support of the union.
2) Write to Karl Holweger, CEO of Pell & Bales in protest
Karl can be reached on
kholweger@pellandbales.co.uk - please cc: pnbunion@googlemail.com There have been more than 50 messages of protest so far, and they are making a difference.
Website:
http://www.cwu.org/news.asp?step=3&NID=2... Pat has been asked in for a meeting with Derwyn Jones of the Panther Group (consultancy used by P&B) on Tuesday at 11am. We expect that he will be told the outcome of his appeal then.
The EDM has been signed by 22 MPs - is yours among them?
Adam Johannes
e-mail:
respect_yourself_cardiff@hotmail.co.uk
Homepage:
http://www.cardiffrespect.blogspot.com
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