Campaign news

Show your Support for Keith Henderson!

8th February 2015

Show your Support for Keith Henderson!

Back Keith Henderson, sacked by the GMB for being a ‘left wing democratic socialist’

The Labour Representation Committee invites all trade unionists to:
Join the Picket of the Employment Appeals Tribunal at 8.30 am on Tuesday 10 February
Fleetbank House,2-6 Salisbury Square,LONDON EC4Y 8AE (nearest tube- Blackfriars)

Keith Henderson was dismissed from his job as a regional organiser by the General, Municipal and Boilermakers (GMB) trade union for mounting a picket at the House of Commons on 30 November 2011 on behalf of the demand of a decent pension for GMB members who were low-paid workers demanding their right to a decent pension.

Keith lost his Employment Tribunal 30 September 2013 on the grounds of unfair dismissal. However the Employment Tribunal concluded that “left wing democratic socialism is a philosophical belief for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010” as Keith had argued. The Tribunal went on to hold that although the principle reason for the Keith’s dismissal was his conduct, “a substantial part of the reasoning behind dismissing the Claimant was because of his philosophical belief and was an effective cause of his dismissal.”

Outrageously the right wing bureaucrats of the GMB have now gone to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) to overturn this latter part of the ruling because every militant and socialist can now cite it if victimised by their employer or trade union.

They are so determined to extinguish this chink of light opened up for rank and file trade union militants and socialists by Keith’s principled struggle that they have already indicated that if they lose the EAT they are willing to take the case to the Court Of Appeal, it has already cost GMB members hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees!

Background

By Ian Hodson It’s great news that a mainstream political party has recognised the importance of taking positive action to raise pay. Since 2008, politicians from all parties along with many in the media, have pushed the narrative that society will somehow improve by imposing austerity and blaming minority groups for the state of the country’s finances. Sadly, many have fallen for this deception and the ‘look over there’ politics that has rose to prominence since the Conservatives returned to power in 2010. [continue...]

Folkestone United – coming together to support migrants Bridget Chapman, Folkestone United, reports [continue...]

No Witch-Hunts In The GMB, Reinstate Keith Henderson (The Online Petition) Keith Henderson Essex LRC member and former Regional Organiser of the GMB Union was dismissed from the GMB last December, Keith has always believed that the real reason for his dismissal was because of his socialist beliefs and the manifestation of his beliefs. [continue...]

Please see our Labour Briefing Website here: LabourBriefing.org [continue...]

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