Calling all Unite members: Tell our union to campaign for new green jobs not the deadly arms trade!
On 4 October 2011, our union sent an email to some of its members calling on them to sign a petition it has launched in defence of jobs at arms giant BAE Systems.
This despite the facts:
- BAE armoured vehicles sold to Saudi Arabia have this year been deployed in Bahrain to suppress the pro-democracy uprising.
- The taxpayer props up the arms export industry by around £700 million each year and provides huge levels of financial support for the arms industry as a whole.
- There is a national shortage of skilled engineers, especially for the growing renewable energy sector.
We believe that Unite the union should put forward progressive solutions which further human security and democracy when it seeks to defend its members interests.
- A progressive solution would be to redirect the massive government subsidy for arms companies to green jobs: for a sustainable future for skilled workers in a growing industry. See the Guardian article which makes the case for this.
- As one worker at BAE Brough put it: "The one big hope is Siemens' wind turbine factory in Hull, but no one's going to believe that's really coming until we've seen the contracts signed." Making this contract happen is where our union should be directing its efforts.
- The Trade Union movement has a proud history of campaigning for peace and democracy. Supporting BAE Systems undermines both of these goals.
As a member of Unite, please take two minutes to let our union know what you think about its campaign to prop up the world's largest arms company.
Even if you just send a sentence or two, that will help let Unite know that we want our union to put forward progressive solutions for its members. Please send your comments to activists·bulletin(at)unitetheunion·org and the General Secretary len·mccluskey(at)unitetheunion·com.
Please stay in touch and let us know what response you receive.
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