Published: 13 Dec 2015
Blacklisted UK trade unionist speaks publicly in Australia for the first time.
Blacklist campaigner and author Dave Smith will for the first time be speaking about the scandal that has caused shock waves in the UK.
Blacklisting of trade unionists by multi-national construction companies has been a national scandal in the UK leading to front page headlines and prime time BBC documentaries. New legislation has been passed and legal test cases are currently at the High Court and the European Court of Human Rights. The scandal has exposed documentary evidence that undercover police officers infiltrated trade unions and peaceful environmental campaigns to spy on activists. The Conservative Home Secretary has recently established a full public inquiry into the failings of undercover policing which blacklisted workers and the miners, fire brigade and construction unions have been granted 'core participant status'.
Dave Smith is a blacklisted construction worker who as the secretary of the Blacklist Support Group has been one of the leaders of the campaign justice. His legal test case where is was represented by the famous human rights lawyer, John Hendy QC is currently at the European Court of Human Rights and created headlines when it exposed the link to police involvement in the conspiracy.
The book he co-authored with investigative journalist Phil Chamberlain, 'Blacklisted: the secret war between big business and union activists' is published by New Internationalist was launched in parliament by the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, John McDonnell MP, who also wrote the introduction to the book.
http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
The blacklisting campaign has been at the resurgence of civil disobedience and direct action and has been applauded by Jeremy Corbyn, Frances O'Grady and Len McCluskey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miAzmU5HuFU
The very same multinational companies involved in the blacklisting conspiracy in the UK, also have operations in Australia, despite many public authorities in the UK removing them from public contracts
Smith's first ever public appearance in Australia is in Brisbane this coming Thursday 3rd December at the Maritime Union of Australia at the QCU Building. http://www.mua.org.au/qld_branch_state_conference_2015
For more information, please call the Brisbane MUA office on (07) 3395 7215 or email the Branch: muaqld@mua.org.au
Any Australian press or union interested in speaking to Dave Smith while he visits Australia please make contact via:
Blacklist Support Group: blacklistsg@gmail.com
or New Internationalist publications: danrb@newint.org
