GMB: BII washing hands of Punch dispute

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/view-thread/5766?PagingData=Po_10~Ps_10~Psp_Id~Psd_Asc


GMB's involvement (and Unite's) on this level is invaluable to the industry moving forward. Some people criticise a situation where unions are getting involved with supporting employers (i.e. lessees and tenants of pubcos) when a union's natural ground is to represent and defend employees' rights. Well WE need all the help we can get and when GMB are prepared top say it like it is - people listen. GMB's does their own detailed research which tells them there is something very wrong with the set up of this industry. They are about fairness and stemming the abuse of power by corporate bodies to the detriment of individuals; they know what they are dealing with - bullies in playgrounds. That is why there is no pussyfooting around in their public statements.

You're talking pathetic rubbish Steve Norton. You got the measure of this all wrong. You see, NO ONE talks like you do about pubcos unless they are a pubco plant, an employee or one of their blood sucking RICS sycophants.

Get your credentials out and show everyone here just how deep in the pubco pockets you really are.

If, on the other hand, I'm just wrong and you're a successful tied tenant without a bad word to say for your pukeco then tell us where your pub is and just how glowing your love is for them. Go on advertise them, big them up and don't be shy.

Alec, get your facts right. It's NOT complicated. Unions never got involved at this level before because they didn't know what has been going on. I'm not a member but know that GMB has a participating membership of over 600,000 paying £2.25 (I think it's that) a week. This is not a desperate union. They know how to knock heads together and are up for a fight with a bunch of scamming lying crooks in suits and cufflinks who purport to be respectable businessmen defending the heritage of our pub industry while fleecing it from top to bottom... we have NEVER faced worse than what is happening now. Shop stewards are usually volunteers who do it because they care about people's rights.

The publican shop stewards I've met are hard working people committed to trying to make sure more publicans don't get ripped off the way they have been.