BBC selectively edits interview to make union supporter look racist

[cyu]

http://www.socialist.net/gutter-press-distorts.htm

Reporters from some of the more dubious tabloids have been sighted at mass protests with flags etc. attempting to get workers to make anti-foreigner statements.

it should be noted that even the more respectable BBC has not been above a little misreporting. Visit http://www.vimeo.com/3065190 for an example of selective editing to give a different impression of what the workers were saying.

In this video-clip a worker is presented on the ‘News At Ten’ in a way that makes him appear that he does not want to work with Portuguese or Italian workers. In the full report that appeared on the Newsnight programme it become clear that what he is saying that he is not allowed to work with them, because they are segregated.

a reporter asked a picket some questions and then pulled out a ‘Sun’ poster “British jobs for British workers” from his pocket. He advised the picket to hold up the poster while he took a picture. When challenged afterwards, he pleaded innocence. But it was clear he had prepared his “prop” in advance to “prove” that the demonstration was against foreign workers – which it was not.

a reporter from the ‘Daily Star’ turned up with a photographer and two girls clad in flimsy ‘Daily Star’ T-shirts holding their posters “British jobs for British workers”. They tried to push their way to the front of the pickets, but there were howls of protests from the trade unionists telling them to “get lost”. Sheepishly, they went around the back of the protesters and managed to get a few lads to pose with the girls. But still there were protests from the pickets, so they swiftly departed.

There were no pictures of the Isle of Grain protests in the next day’s ‘Daily Star’. They obviously didn’t get the right shot they wanted. What they did print, however, was the same two girls with their nationalist posters at the side of Derek Simpson, the joint-general secretary of the UNITE trade union, outside parliament. He apparently was a willing tool in their dirty game.

[OneNamedNameLess]

The wildcat strikes are bad news for Britain's left as they obviously centre around the employment of foreign workers.

Although I do not underestimate the power of the media in distorting the truth, I dont understand why socialist.net are attempting to associate this strike with the left. The strikes were triggered by the allocation of jobs to non Brittish workers.

"The aim is always to belittle industrial action and attempt to demoralise those taking it."

Yes, that is usually the agenda, but this sort of right wing industrial action should be condemned by the left including socialist.net. The left do not receive support from the mainstream media however, disapproval of these strikes by the media should not be frowned upon. I'm sure we would be complaining further if the media embraced them.

The current strikes are a response to the employment of foreign workers. That is all there is to it. If the BBC have been editing interviews I am not surprised. The workers being interviewed are clearly going to tone it down a little when speaking to the media. They are protesting in response to the allocation of jobs to Italian and Portuguese workers which is the significant factor here. This is not convincing. This latest action is alarming especially to the left. Socialist.net's attempt to deny the heavy extent of the blow to Britain's left is poor im afraid.

[cyu]

The current strikes are a response to the employment of foreign workers. That is all there is to it.


Since I'm across the pond, I obviously only have news reports to go on. What about you? What is your evidence for this? Don't tell me you're just watching the news too.

I want you to tell me you were involved in the discussions by these union members to go to the streets and what they were talking about before the "alleged" attempted hijacking by the popular media.

[Pogue]

The wildcat strikes are bad news for Britain's left as they obviously centre around the employment of foreign workers.

Although I do not underestimate the power of the media in distorting the truth, I dont understand why socialist.net are attempting to associate this strike with the left. The strikes were triggered by the allocation of jobs to non Brittish workers.

"The aim is always to belittle industrial action and attempt to demoralise those taking it."

Yes, that is usually the agenda, but this sort of right wing industrial action should be condemned by the left including socialist.net. The left do not receive support from the mainstream media however, disapproval of these strikes by the media should not be frowned upon. I'm sure we would be complaining further if the media embraced them.

The current strikes are a response to the employment of foreign workers. That is all there is to it. If the BBC have been editing interviews I am not surprised. The workers being interviewed are clearly going to tone it down a little when speaking to the media. They are protesting in response to the allocation of jobs to Italian and Portuguese workers which is the significant factor here. This is not convincing. This latest action is alarming especially to the left. Socialist.net's attempt to deny the heavy extent of the blow to Britain's left is poor im afraid.

Heavy blow to the left? What the fuck are you talking about? This sounds like the sort of liberal moralising from the righteous and superior enlightened few, living in Tonbridge or Kensington.

I suppose you were on the picket lines, were you? Have you not read the quotes of people saying they're not against the foreign workers, but against the bosses and the shit they'll pull to fuck everyone over?

What is this 'left' you envsiage? And why are you painting these guys as our enemies? They're our class. Some of them might be deluded, some of them, an exgaeratted/over reported minority, may be racist, xenophobic, that doesn't make the rest of them so.

Did you hear about the Polish workers on solidarity action? 600 of them.

This is our class, and yes, some of them may be taking the completely wrong approach, some might have a slightly bad approach. Thats why we need to be there giving them the correct ideas and view on the situation. As I've said before, thats the purpose of revolutionaries.

Its not our role to sit here lamenting oh how reactionary the peons are, and how they're damaging our movement. If anything, we're the ones letting them down by not being there to set things straight, in our capacity.

[OneNamedNameLess]

Heavy blow to the left? What the fuck are you talking about? This sounds like the sort of liberal moralising from the righteous and superior enlightened few, living in Tonbridge or Kensington.

I suppose you were on the picket lines, were you? Have you not read the quotes of people saying they're not against the foreign workers, but against the bosses and the shit they'll pull to fuck everyone over?

What is this 'left' you envsiage? And why are you painting these guys as our enemies? They're our class. Some of them might be deluded, some of them, an exgaeratted/over reported minority, may be racist, xenophobic, that doesn't make the rest of them so.

Did you hear about the Polish workers on solidarity action? 600 of them.

This is our class, and yes, some of them may be taking the completely wrong approach, some might have a slightly bad approach. Thats why we need to be there giving them the correct ideas and view on the situation. As I've said before, thats the purpose of revolutionaries.

Its not our role to sit here lamenting oh how reactionary the peons are, and how they're damaging our movement. If anything, we're the ones letting them down by not being there to set things straight, in our capacity.

Right. Firstly, why do you need to respond in such a manner?

I read the entire article and paid attention to the quotes. As I said in my first post, I am not convinced by the evidence presented. I am not ruling out the possibility that some of the workers do not possess racist attitudes and are on the picket lines for different reasons.

My point was that this a blow to the left for a simple reason. Across the world, industrial action and other forms of action are taking place as a result of the turbulent state of capitalism. The largest demonstrations in the UK appear to be a response to the decision to recruit foreign workers. Could the left organise action on as large a scale against the capitalist system which breeds many of the world's problems such as unemployment? Therefore, I think this is a blow to the left in Britain as workers are taking action for the wrong reasons.

You are obviously spot on about what you said in your last couple of paragraphs and I fully agree. I did not mean to portray the workers as our enemies. I was simply expressing my disappointment and concerns. In addition I was questioning the website as I think they attempt to deny the causes of the strike rather than excepting that these workers are not class conscious and should be negotiated with.

Lastly, I accept that the media have attempted to criminalise the workers but I still believe the actions are for the wrong reasons.

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

Right. Firstly, why do you need to respond in such a manner?

While i do not speak for H-L-V-S (Captain "guns r teh devils work")

but i do believe you were responded to in that manner because your a ****.


I read the entire article and paid attention to the quotes. As I said in my first post, I am not convinced by the evidence presented. I am not ruling out the possibility that some of the workers do not possess racist attitudes and are on the picket lines for different reasons.

Some of them might be. But i suspect you think most of them are pieces of shit.



My point was that this a blow to the left for a simple reason. Across the world, industrial action and other forms of action are taking place as a result of the turbulent state of capitalism. The largest demonstrations in the UK appear to be a response to the decision to recruit foreign workers. Could the left organise action on as large a scale against the capitalist system which breeds many of the world's problems such as unemployment? Therefore, I think this is a blow to the left in Britain as workers are taking action for the wrong reasons.

Erm no they are taking action because they are being kicked out of their jobs and being made unemployed. Protesting against refusing to recruit locally is not the same as holding up signs saying "niggers out".



You are obviously spot on about what you said in your last couple of paragraphs and I fully agree. I did not mean to portray the workers as our enemies. I was simply expressing my disappointment and concerns. In addition I was questioning the website as I think they attempt to deny the causes of the strike rather than excepting that these workers are not class conscious and should be negotiated with.

I think we (not you , you suck :lol:) as communists should try and show workers that the bosses are to blame and encourage occupations like in the Ukraine not to tell striking workers to go back to work.


Lastly, I accept that the media have attempted to criminalise the workers but I still believe the actions are for the wrong reasons.


And i belive your helping the media in their shit stirring ****ish ways.

[OneNamedNameLess]

Some people on this forum are complete wankers.

I am attempting to debate in an amiable fashion.

I do want to see communists negotiating with the workers like I said before. I would love to see demonstrations against the bosses and this is why I am disappointed.

I see lots of signs saying 'British jobs for British workers'. Wishing to deny a worker a job due to his or her nationality is maybe not the same as holding up signs saying 'niggers out' as you stated, but it is certainly not something we should be defending.

I am proposing that groups attempt to talk with the workers and convince them of other issues and factors which have caused unemployment.

Can I just say that I am from a working class background and my family are working class. My cousin actually worked at one of the refineries a couple of years ago. Hopefully that will convice you that I am not anti-proletarian.

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

Some people on this forum are complete wankers.

and proud.




I do want to see communists negotiating with the workers like I said before. I would love to see demonstrations against the bosses and this is why I am disappointed.

Sorry but negotiate is a shitty word makes me think of Bobkinddles offering to stop pestering striking workers with Socialist worker paper sales if they get back to work.

We need to encrouge internationalism and occupations. Thats it.


I see lots of signs saying 'British jobs for British workers'. Wishing to deny a worker a job due to his or her nationality is maybe not the same as holding up signs saying 'niggers out' as you stated, but it is certainly not something we should be defending.

Thats a slogan not a demand.




Can I just say that I am from a working class background and my family are working class. My cousin actually worked at one of the refineries a couple of years ago. Hopefully that will convice you that I am not anti-proletarian.

Politics > background

[bailey_187]

I see lots of signs saying 'British jobs for British workers'. Wishing to deny a worker a job due to his or her nationality is maybe not the same as holding up signs saying 'niggers out' as you stated, but it is certainly not something we should be defending.


It isnt a phrase coined by the strikers though, its a slap in the face to Browns use of the statement.
The strikes aren't opposing immigration (officially)


The thing is, if socialists don't support this you can bet the BNP will capitalize of this (more so than already)

[cyu]

I accept that the media have attempted to criminalise the workers but I still believe the actions are for the wrong reasons.


Every belief has reasons for causing that belief to be held. What are your reasons for your views of these union members? Maybe they are valid reasons, maybe they are not, but unless you tell us what evidence you've seen that leads you to believe this, we can't judge for ourselves whether to agree with you or not.

[redarmyfaction38]

The wildcat strikes are bad news for Britain's left as they obviously centre around the employment of foreign workers.

Although I do not underestimate the power of the media in distorting the truth, I dont understand why socialist.net are attempting to associate this strike with the left. The strikes were triggered by the allocation of jobs to non Brittish workers.

"The aim is always to belittle industrial action and attempt to demoralise those taking it."

Yes, that is usually the agenda, but this sort of right wing industrial action should be condemned by the left including socialist.net. The left do not receive support from the mainstream media however, disapproval of these strikes by the media should not be frowned upon. I'm sure we would be complaining further if the media embraced them.

The current strikes are a response to the employment of foreign workers. That is all there is to it. If the BBC have been editing interviews I am not surprised. The workers being interviewed are clearly going to tone it down a little when speaking to the media. They are protesting in response to the allocation of jobs to Italian and Portuguese workers which is the significant factor here. This is not convincing. This latest action is alarming especially to the left. Socialist.net's attempt to deny the heavy extent of the blow to Britain's left is poor im afraid.
you're whole post is bullshit.
the strikes were about wages and conditions of employment, the intervention of socialist comrades employed at the site quickly turned what could have been a "reactionary strike" into a class issue.
the media and the new labour govt. can tel you as many lies as you are stupid enough to believe, but the truth is it was a class action, racism and bigotry had nothing to do with it.
if it was a race issue, why were strikers carrying placards written in italian appealing for support?
why did polish workers walk out with their british comrades at langage in plymouth?
ffs!

[Angry Young Man]

HAA GS really fucked up that one. You can't really judge a strike action as being the consequence of one thing. That's probably the most tory thing in the universe you can do without invading half of Africa.

The points been made before, but hoping that, as the saying goes, if you throw enough shit at a barn door some of it'll stick, here it is: the anger over allocation of work to Italian and Portuguese workers is that unemployment is snowballing. Most of the strikers will deep-down know that it would be better for the refineries to be taken out of private ownership.

[Crux]

What's really behind the Lindsey Oil Refinery strike

Strike action spreads - defend rights, wages and conditions!
Keith Gibson (personal capacity) G.M.B. (general union) - elected onto unofficial strike committee

A ninety-day redundancy notice had been issued, around mid November 2008, at Lindsey Oil Refinery (LOR), Lincolnshire, England, for Shaws' workforce.
This meant that by 17 February 2009, a number of Shaws' construction workers (LOR) would be made redundant.
The day before the Christmas holiday, Shaws' shop-stewards reported to the men that a part of the contract on LOR's HDS3 plant had been awarded to IREM, an Italian company.
The Stewards explained that Shaws had lost one third of the contract to IREM, who would be employing their own Portuguese and Italian workforce, numbering 200-300.
Stewards and Union Officials asked to meet with IREM after Christmas, to clarify the proposal (i.e. if IREM would employ British labour?). Shaws' workforce were told that the IREM workforce would be housed in floating barges, in Grimsby docks, for the duration of the job. They would be bussed to work in the morning, and bussed to and from the barge for lunch.
IREM workers would work from 7.30am - 11.30am and 13.00 - 1700. On Saturdays, they would work 4 hours, to make up a working week of 44 hours. The normal working week is 44 hours, over 5 days, from 7.30 -1600, finishing at 1400 on Fridays (most workers work overtime).
Normal breaks include 10 minutes in the morning and a 30 minute dinner break. Stewards were told that IREM workers would be paid the national rate for the job. To date this has not been confirmed.
After Christmas, the nominated Shop Stewards entered into negotiations with IREM. Meanwhile, a National Shop Stewards Forum for the construction Industry held a meeting in London to discuss Staythorpe Power Station, where the company Alstom were refusing to hire British labour, relying on non-union Polish and Spanish workers instead.
Workers’ solidarity

It was decided that all Blue Book sites, covered by the National Agreement for the Engineering and Construction Industry (NAECI), should send delegations down to Staythorpe to protest against Alstoms' actions.
The workforce on the LOR site sent delegations. Then, on Wednesday, 28 January 2009, Shaws' workforce were told by the Stewards that IREM had stated they would not be employing British labour.
The entire LOR workforce, from all subcontracting companies, met and voted unanimously to take immediate unofficial strike action.
The following day, over a thousand construction workers from LOR, Conoco and Easington sites descended outside LOR's gate to picket and protest.
This was the spark that ignited the spontaneous unofficial walk outs of our brother construction workers across the length and breadth of Britain.
This worker solidarity is against the 'conscious blacking' of British construction workers by company bosses who refuse to recruit skilled British labour in the U.K.
The workers of LOR, Conoco and Easington did not take strike action against immigrant workers. Our action is rightly aimed against company bosses who attempt to play off one nationality of worker against the other and undermine the NAECI agreement.
THE B.N.P. (far-right British National Party) SHOULD TAKE HEED, U.K. CONTRUCTION WORKERS WILL NOT TOLERATE 'ANOTHER RACIST ATTEMPT' TO SEVER FRATERNAL RELATIONS WITH WORKERS FROM OTHER NATIONS
Socialist Party demands for Construction Industry:


No victimisation of workers taking solidarity action.
All workers in UK to be covered by NAECI Agreement
Union-controlled registering of unemployed and locally skilled union members
Government and employer investment in proper training / apprenticeships for new generation of construction workers
All immigrant labour to be unionised.
Trade Union assistance for immigrant workers - via interpreters - to give the right of access to Trade Union advice and to promote active integrated Trade Union membership