Is there a plot to kill the independent Nationalist Trades Union Solidarity? That is now a question being seriously asked by many political veterans. For the first year of the existence of Solidarity little was done. Former President Clive Potter found reasons not to do things. He failed even to produce a membership card for those enthusiasts who joined despite his almost complete lack of promotional work.
When I took the position of General Secretary, Potter did everything he could to delay the progress of the Union using every bureaucratic objection he could. He sought to block every suggestion I made. As a non-BNP member (and indeed a member of a rival Party) I found myself in the curious position of having to argue with Potter (a BNP member) that we should attend BNP events for recruitment purposes. I was further alarmed when he started referring to Nick Griffin (the BNP Chairman) as 'our Beloved Leader' in a sarcastic tone. I wondered exactly what his agenda was! When I spoke to members of the Christian Council (which Potter was also an official of) I was told that they were also concerned by his lack of activity and drive. Nothing was being done. He appeared to be an obstacle to any progress.
When I looked into his personal background I became even more concerned. He was some kind of gnostic Christian, interested in ufos and living with a girlfriend who was a wacko jacko 'stalker' promoting celibacy! Now, as anyone will tell you I'm a pretty liberal kind of guy, but I wondered why Potter never spoke about any of this. I also wondered why he had promoted in the past a spoof march through one of the most Asian areas of Leicester. Alarm bells were starting to ring.
When he failed he tried to expel me and prevent the election of an expanded Executive team. Reason enough for many to suspect that something untoward was going on! Yet this is by no means the end of the story...
When the British National Party asserted that that agents were being used against the Union the State allied Searchlight magazine specifically responded:-
"Searchlight makes no comment about this allegation. However when Solidarity was set up, we examined its frules and wrote in an internal briefing note in January 2006: 'It would seem difficult for Solidarity to exercise firm control over who joins, and once people are members they can exercise thier democratic rights to elect the Executive Committe, etc. Any attempt to prevent members exercising their rights could result in a complaint to the Certification Officer [the regulatory authority for trade unions]'"
- 'Not so solid now' , Searchlight July 2007, p16.
In the light of this statement it is interesting to note that three people, Potter, McLinden and Mullen have made two 'Breach of Rule' complaints each against the Union in the same time period and in collusion to the Certification Office (CO). Additionally Potter and McLinden have brought about a financial investigation into the Union by the CO.
To give an example of the spurious nature of the complaints Mullen has brought one saying that the Union required candidates in Union Exec elections to be members of the BNP or Third Way. Of course the Union did no such thing. Statements in the Union bulletin and on the website made it clear any member could stand. Indeed one of the candidates was not a member of any Party. There is little doubt that this complaint will eventually fail - it has no basis whatsoever. Yet that is not the point - it is an attempt to muddy the waters in the meantime and waste Union time.
Solidarity is answering all such vexatious and unfounded complaints but nonetheless it is time-consuming and a diversion from the proper functions of the Union. Not only that but it appears to many that the Certification Office is being unwittingly misused as a tool to bureaucratically harass the Union.
On a side note one name keeps being whispered into my ear - Megan Dobney. Suggestions as to why this might be the case would be welcome!
Showing posts with label Collusion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collusion. Show all posts
Saturday, 5 July 2008
Sunday, 1 June 2008
Collusion - it's no illusion
Norfolk Unity don't like the Solidarity Trade Union. One article illustrates this.
They start with an attack on the May Day campaign run by our Union. Over the May Day weekend thousands of Solidarity leaflets were distributed up-and-down the country, social events were held and sympathetic publications and websites carried special promotional ads (including Alternative Green). According to the infantile leftists at 'Norfolk Unity', however, this was a "flop". The Union naturally takes a different view. We recruited from the promotion and laid claim to May Day (something we will build on each year). We need to improve the speed of reports and photos being sent in and published but this is largely just about getting people into the habit. I campaigned with members from the North East as I was in that area representing a member at a hearing on the Tuesday after the Bank Holiday weekend (a matter of record).
'Norfolk Unity' then report (if that is the word!) on matters relating to the Certification Office:-
What is interesting here is that NU have let the cat out of the bag! Remember, neither the CO or the Union had publicly commented on any of these matters at the time of the posting. The bogus website run by the traitor Potter has not been updated since early February. How then did NU know that the Certification Office was investigating complaints? How did they know that Potter and his misfits had held a meeting? How did they know the plans made at that meeting? Collusion - it's no illusion!
Let's take a look at how accurate their statements are and predictions are likely to be:-
"The Certification Office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities, and breaches of both the law and Solidarity's constitution".
This is True. Currently there are six 'Breach of Rule' complaints which have been made against our Union. Two are from Potter. Two are from McLinden. Two are from Mullen. All three men were involved in Unconstitutional attempts to remove me from office which was decisively rejected by our membership. Potter and McLInden are no longer members of our Union.
The Union has been asked to respond to these vexatious complaints. The Executive member appointed to this task, David Kerr, has so far answered two and he is due to answer the other four over the next few weeks. He believes that the Union has a strong moral and legal case on all of the complaints. We believe that the complaints have been made maliciously as part of a campaign of bureaucratic harassment.
Our Union published details of the financial investigation into Solidarity before anyone else. We don't fear this investigation. Our books are open to inspection and in good order. A number of allegations which were originally made are not being pursued as part of the investigation as we have already answered them. Other allegations require the CO to investigate formally in order that he has the power to look at bank accounts and PayPal records directly. This will enable him to confirm that the records we have already supplied (in the case of PayPal for example) are indeed accurate.
Of course by making these various complaints against the Union the traitors involved have implicitly accepted the authority of the leadership of Solidarity. We will have to wait to see how things turn out for them personally.
"The Certification Office will issue a ruling on whether the Harrington/BNP takeover was legitimate."
No, he will not. It is not within his remit as he has made clear on a number of occassions. As long ago as 20 August, 2007 the Assistant Certification Officer Gerard Walker wrote:-
"Such claims and and counter claims are not capable of being determined in an administrative manner by this office."
He went on:-
"As I have said in previous correspondence trade unions are voluntary organisations that are, for the most part, left to regulate their own affiars via their Rule Books."
In a later article, following the publication of the terms of reference of the CO, Norfolk Unity reverse their previous position:-
"The final paragraph is a clear enough statement that the Certification Officer intends to make no judgement or ruling on the legality or otherwise of the Harrington takeover, and so, whatever the outcome of this investigation into the financial affairs of Solidarity, the fake union will remain in the hands of Harrington and the BNP - unless the official Executive have the wherewithal to take the matter to law."
Of course what they mean is that it will remain in the hands of the membership. The membership which voted at a Special Meeting, an Annual Conference and in independently scrutinised elections (with a high percentage turn-out) to decide all matters.
"Something we do know for certain is that the Executive of Official Solidarity recently held a meeting to discuss the way forward in the event of the Certification Office ruling in their favour. The meeting concluded that the name of Solidarity had been so badly damaged by its close association with the British National Party and had attracted so little interest (even from BNP members) that there was no point in continuing with the operation, and they would disband it."
The "Official" Solidarity (the one with no members and which doesn't provide services!) gets strong backing from 'Norfolk Unity'. Unfortunately for Potter and the other traitors that doesn't really impress our membership! Having done virtually nothing during his brief term of office within our Brotherhood it isn't surprising that even if he were to somehow magically regain his position he would use it (according to his allies at NU) to disband our Union. His reason? The Union has accepted members and support from the BNP! A Party, I might add, that Potter was a member of (till they kicked him out for disloyalty!). Is it any wonder that many think that Potter and his cronies are either dupes or agents?
Now Norfolk Unity like to call me 'The Great Fantasist' but I think that their own predictions of the demise of our Union and the triumph of the 'Potteristas' reveal that they are out of touch with reality. They have predicted our demise before but here we are. The simple fact is that there is a need for a Union prepared to raise issues that the TUC affiliates will not. There is a need for a Union to represent workers who the TUC affiliates will not. That need is being met by Solidarity.
They start with an attack on the May Day campaign run by our Union. Over the May Day weekend thousands of Solidarity leaflets were distributed up-and-down the country, social events were held and sympathetic publications and websites carried special promotional ads (including Alternative Green). According to the infantile leftists at 'Norfolk Unity', however, this was a "flop". The Union naturally takes a different view. We recruited from the promotion and laid claim to May Day (something we will build on each year). We need to improve the speed of reports and photos being sent in and published but this is largely just about getting people into the habit. I campaigned with members from the North East as I was in that area representing a member at a hearing on the Tuesday after the Bank Holiday weekend (a matter of record).
'Norfolk Unity' then report (if that is the word!) on matters relating to the Certification Office:-
"Visitors will remember that the "union" was hi-jacked from its founders by the BNP last summer when allegations of financial irregularities concerning Patrick Harrington surfaced, so we have Official Solidarity (the original organisation founded by Clive Potter and Tim Hawke) and Provisional Solidarity (Harrington's One Big Vast Huge Onion group).
The Certification Office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities, and breaches of both the law and Solidarity's constitution.
The Certification Office will issue a ruling on whether the Harrington/BNP takeover was legitimate. If it isn't, a legal morass will swamp both sides, as a ruling in favour of Official Solidarity will almost certainly mean that the One Big Vast Huge Onion will have to hand over its assets and membership lists - and we can't see the BNP allowing that to happen without pulling a few strokes.
Something we do know for certain is that the Executive of Official Solidarity recently held a meeting to discuss the way forward in the event of the Certification Office ruling in their favour. The meeting concluded that the name of Solidarity had been so badly damaged by its close association with the British National Party and had attracted so little interest (even from BNP members) that there was no point in continuing with the operation, and they would disband it.
As the BNP and the Great Fantasist would find it very difficult to start up another fake trade union (because this time the real trade unions will be ready for them), Harrington would find himself with even more time on his hands than normal in which to "order" the start-up of more blogs devoted to "deconstructing" (his most favouritest word in all the world) the Unity websites that have done so much to remind the antifascist brethren that you don't need to visit a circus to see a clown in action."
What is interesting here is that NU have let the cat out of the bag! Remember, neither the CO or the Union had publicly commented on any of these matters at the time of the posting. The bogus website run by the traitor Potter has not been updated since early February. How then did NU know that the Certification Office was investigating complaints? How did they know that Potter and his misfits had held a meeting? How did they know the plans made at that meeting? Collusion - it's no illusion!
Let's take a look at how accurate their statements are and predictions are likely to be:-
"The Certification Office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities, and breaches of both the law and Solidarity's constitution".
This is True. Currently there are six 'Breach of Rule' complaints which have been made against our Union. Two are from Potter. Two are from McLinden. Two are from Mullen. All three men were involved in Unconstitutional attempts to remove me from office which was decisively rejected by our membership. Potter and McLInden are no longer members of our Union.
The Union has been asked to respond to these vexatious complaints. The Executive member appointed to this task, David Kerr, has so far answered two and he is due to answer the other four over the next few weeks. He believes that the Union has a strong moral and legal case on all of the complaints. We believe that the complaints have been made maliciously as part of a campaign of bureaucratic harassment.
Our Union published details of the financial investigation into Solidarity before anyone else. We don't fear this investigation. Our books are open to inspection and in good order. A number of allegations which were originally made are not being pursued as part of the investigation as we have already answered them. Other allegations require the CO to investigate formally in order that he has the power to look at bank accounts and PayPal records directly. This will enable him to confirm that the records we have already supplied (in the case of PayPal for example) are indeed accurate.
Of course by making these various complaints against the Union the traitors involved have implicitly accepted the authority of the leadership of Solidarity. We will have to wait to see how things turn out for them personally.
"The Certification Office will issue a ruling on whether the Harrington/BNP takeover was legitimate."
No, he will not. It is not within his remit as he has made clear on a number of occassions. As long ago as 20 August, 2007 the Assistant Certification Officer Gerard Walker wrote:-
"Such claims and and counter claims are not capable of being determined in an administrative manner by this office."
He went on:-
"As I have said in previous correspondence trade unions are voluntary organisations that are, for the most part, left to regulate their own affiars via their Rule Books."
In a later article, following the publication of the terms of reference of the CO, Norfolk Unity reverse their previous position:-
"The final paragraph is a clear enough statement that the Certification Officer intends to make no judgement or ruling on the legality or otherwise of the Harrington takeover, and so, whatever the outcome of this investigation into the financial affairs of Solidarity, the fake union will remain in the hands of Harrington and the BNP - unless the official Executive have the wherewithal to take the matter to law."
Of course what they mean is that it will remain in the hands of the membership. The membership which voted at a Special Meeting, an Annual Conference and in independently scrutinised elections (with a high percentage turn-out) to decide all matters.
"Something we do know for certain is that the Executive of Official Solidarity recently held a meeting to discuss the way forward in the event of the Certification Office ruling in their favour. The meeting concluded that the name of Solidarity had been so badly damaged by its close association with the British National Party and had attracted so little interest (even from BNP members) that there was no point in continuing with the operation, and they would disband it."
The "Official" Solidarity (the one with no members and which doesn't provide services!) gets strong backing from 'Norfolk Unity'. Unfortunately for Potter and the other traitors that doesn't really impress our membership! Having done virtually nothing during his brief term of office within our Brotherhood it isn't surprising that even if he were to somehow magically regain his position he would use it (according to his allies at NU) to disband our Union. His reason? The Union has accepted members and support from the BNP! A Party, I might add, that Potter was a member of (till they kicked him out for disloyalty!). Is it any wonder that many think that Potter and his cronies are either dupes or agents?
Now Norfolk Unity like to call me 'The Great Fantasist' but I think that their own predictions of the demise of our Union and the triumph of the 'Potteristas' reveal that they are out of touch with reality. They have predicted our demise before but here we are. The simple fact is that there is a need for a Union prepared to raise issues that the TUC affiliates will not. There is a need for a Union to represent workers who the TUC affiliates will not. That need is being met by Solidarity.
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