Trade Union Recognition And The Oil Industry

EDM number 2180 in 1992-93, proposed by Eric Martlew on 17/06/1993.

That this House condemns, without reservation, the concerted attempt by oil companies to de-unionise and remove individuals' rights of freedom of association in the oil industry; deplores the use by oil companies, particularly Shell oil manufacture and distribution, Esso and BP of a carbon copy approach to remove union negotiating rights from their workforce; is forced to conclude that there has been and continues to be, collusion within the industry to achieve a union-free environment; notes that this has been confirmed by Shell Oil who recently announced its intention to make 100 of its employees redundant at its Shell Haven refinery and to terminate all agreements with all trade unions, replacing them with individual contracts despite having been offered the opportunity to open up negotiations with the TGWU in January of this year to eliminate false demarcations; and further notes that the companies have been assisted in this matter by the torrent of anti-trade union legislation over the last 14 years and will be further assisted in this matter by the recent amendment to the Trade Union Reform Bill, which is not only an abuse of parliamentary power but also assists companies in their abuse of corporate power to the detriment of working people's rights to freedom of association.

This motion has been signed by a total of 86 MPs.