Breach of union rules/breach of statutory balloting procedures decision: Mathewson v National Union of Mineworkers

Posted 16th January 2017 & filed under News.

Mr Mathewson made seven complaints alleging the union had breached its rules and one complaint of the union’s breach of Chapter IV of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Following correspondence, the Certification Officer struck out all eight complaints under section 256ZA(1)(a) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 on the grounds that they had no reasonable prospect of success and/or were otherwise misconceived. Full decision here: Mathewson

Trade Union legislation allows people to complain about the union using the legislation and dealing with this can be an onerous task for the union. This is the reality of trade unions today, perhaps miners can remember, those who spoke out against using the so called ‘Tory legislation’ to attack trade unions?

YORKSHIRE MINERS WIN CASE

Posted 31st March 2016 & filed under News.

Hatfield Colliery August 2015

The Newcastle Employment Tribunal sitting in North Shields 30 March 2016 heard the NUM Yorkshire Area case for a Protective Award in relation to miners who lost their jobs with the closure of Hatfield Colliery in 2015 and decided that a Protective Award should be given.

The case started in Yorkshire in August 2015 and despite the closure of all mines in Yorkshire the NUM has continued the case to a successful conclusion. Chris Kitchen said that this award could put up to £1.7m back in the pockets of Hatfield men and the NUM would continue to campaign on the many issues still outstanding in relation to the mining industry. The NUM Legal Officer Harry Eyre, who led the case, said that this was a clear breach of section 188 of TULRCA and therefore those who are entitled to the maximum award will be awarded £3,800.

Miners’ Vote To Retain Political Fund

Posted 30th March 2016 & filed under News.

Election Report

Despite the devastation caused by the closure of deep coal mines NUM members increased the majority to retain a Political Fund.

Parliamentary Debate

Posted 10th December 2015 & filed under News.

Yvette Cooper MP called on the Government to treat men at Kellingley fairly as they have saved the Government £’millions by continuing to work through a ‘managed closure’ yet they are rewarded by finishing with a redundancy payment which is a third of what men finished on 27 years ago! Click here to read the debate.

Workers Memorial Day

Posted 27th May 2015 & filed under News.

Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most don’t die of mystery ailments, or in tragic “accidents”. They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn’t that important a priority. Workers’ Memorial Day (WMD) commemorates those workers.

Workers’ Memorial Day is held on 28 April every year, all over the world workers and their representatives conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to mark the day.