Message to UNITE: No Cover Up! Lift the Gagging Clause!

national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release Wednesday August 27, 2008 16:58 by C 07934632366

Gordon McNeill to resume protest at Transport House from midday 28 August against the attempts by the Unite leadership to bribe and gag him.

Unite leaders, Tony Woodley and Jimmy Kelly, pay Chris Bowyer and Madan Gupta £40,000 each on condition that they never again criticise the role of union officials in their long dispute.

Gordon McNeill says: "My right to tell the truth about what happened is not for sale, not at any price. I want them to give me the compensation to which I am entitled as a right, not as a bribe"

Sacked airport shop steward, Gordon McNeill, has announced that he intends to resume his public protest at Transport House starting at midday tomorrow – (28 August). His protest will be in defiance of the injunction served on him by Irish Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly, barring him from protesting at Transport House.

He is doing so against medical advice. As a result of his previous hunger and thirst strikes, Gordon needs urgent and high risk surgery on his neck. He has restricted movement, is in constant pain and has been told that any blow to his neck could leave him paralysed.

He is refusing surgery until the Unite leaders responsible for his dispute, General Secretary, Tony Woodley and Irish Regional Secretary, Jimmy Kelly, remove the gagging clause from their settlement offer.

Gordon's two colleagues, Chris Bowyer and Madan Gupta, will not be participating in this protest only because they have been paid £40,000 each by Unite on the condition that they never speak about this dispute again.

Gordon today said:

"I will never be bribed into silence. Unite members and members of other unions have a right to know what has happened to us. I have no right to sell that right and Jimmy Kelly and Tony Woodley are acting in a completely unprincipled way in demanding that I do so.

"I should be in hospital getting surgery that I urgently need but I am determined to get this dispute resolved before I undergo this operation. I don't want to have to spend months recovering only to have to resume protests that might again damage my health.

The way to resolve it is simple – just pay me the compensation that has already been paid to Chris Bowyer and Madan Gupta but without the gagging clause. If Jimmy Kelly and Tony Woodley continue to refuse to do so, the question that must be asked is what is it that they are so concerned about that they are prepared to pay three shop stewards a total of £120,000 to suppress?"

For further information contact Gordon on 07934632366