In a sting operation a gang master labour scan was exposed when 5 Indian workers were arrested. The Home Office had received a tip off and staked out the site catching them as they left work for the evening. After several tragic events in the area, you have to question what is the situation if there was a death on site either with a foreign worker or another close-by. This site has been marred in controversy and since it’s inception and the North “Vested Interest” Development Agency (NWDAwho use the money received to fund the new museum) http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/07/mann-island-funds-new-museum-its-fact.html became involved giving the land to Neptune Developments for 3.5 million pounds when a value of 15 million was quoted, which should have been more like 80 million in my opinion. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/01/north-west-development-agency-shysters.html It was then allegedly knocked out to Dylan Harvey, a property broker, http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/08/mann-island-dylan-harvey-director_18.html who has caused severe hardship for numerous deposit holders of land they were to develop in Manchester. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/08/dylan-harvey-goes-bango.html http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/07/dylan-harvey-developers-behind-mann.html Such was the land given away so cheaply and Neptune became the builders, and all this instigated by the NWDA with our taxpayers money
Even with the huge profits to be made they still employ scab labour to do the job on the cheap possibly gang-mastered in from India. It looks like a similar thing that happens in Dubai with Asian workers being the predominant labour. These workers were working illegally while taking Liverpudlians jobs away from them at a time of recession. This scheme is sponsored by the Liverpool City Council and Warren Bradley backs it all the way. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/07/warren-bradley-you-are-not-very-clever.html Not only are they ruining the World Heritage Site they are doing it illegally. I was informed that Liverpool One was raided on numerous occasions and the Echo Arena……..not a mention in the Oldham Echo or the Daily Ghost, Trinity “Smoking” Mirrors. The Mann Island site is just over a hundred yards from the Border Agency offices within the Home Office. The third and final building has been given a further 3 million pounds of public funding by the NWDA so that Merseytravel can relocate there while across the road the historic White Star Line Building rots. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/06/mann-island-tale-of-two-cities.html Will the local press print this?
Posts
This shows the utter contempt in which the local workforce is held. How many times have we been told that there would be an upsurge in job opportunities due to so called "redevelopment" ? Maybe the council meant jobs for our young people as cleaners and waiters when the plush new apartments and alcobars are finished. In the meantime no chance for local builders, electricians, plasterers, etc. I remember walking past the Liverpool One construction site in summer 2008, not an English voice to be heard.
ReplyDeleteWayne, as you know I agree with many of your sentiments and views particularly around the atrocities of the WHS but I feel I have to comment on a couple of lines here that I think detract from the real issues. In particular the use of foreign labour at this or any other site.
ReplyDeleteAs there is no industrial action, I don't think it right to label these workers workers as "scabs" If they have been gangmastered then they are the victims in this situation and most likely exploited and underpaid rather than taking jobs away from Liverpool people.
No worker is here to take jobs from Liverpool People unless they are invited to do so by the employer. It is not the fault of the workers wherever they are from. But the easy option is to blame them and attack them. These workers are guilty of one thing, working hard and trying to survive, in just the same way as any worker from Liverpool, who has had to seek employment in another city or country.
Unfortunately there are too many people who would be ready to leap upon attacking the ordinary working people from whatever race or culture simply because they are from another race or culture. It saves them having to think and it steers them away from blaming the real culprit, those employers who go in search of cheap non unionised labour where they can ignore Health and Safety regulations, encourage and pay criminal gang masters all just so they can reap even greater profits for themselves.
I am sure this was not your intention but sadly the world in which we live is always ready to find a scapegoat and often the scapegoats are provided for us by the politicians and media so that we remain divided.
It is not my intention to have a personal go at the people who have to migrate. Lots of Liverpudlians were blamed for turning Bournmouth into Costa Del Dole not long ago. This development is funded by public money. I served my apprenticeship on the, then new Police Headquarters overlooking the Albert Dock.....at the time it was to be demolished. As I stepped on site I was approached by a Union rep and asked for my affiliations. This was just prior to Boys from the Blackstuff appearing on TV. I was made redundant as I came out of my time. It was vert, very bad. Unless you are involved in the building trade or know people working there you would not be able to appreciate how difficult it is to survive in this city at present when there has been billions of European Objective One funding. The binge build Liverpool has done a lot for the Polish economy. Surely there should be migratory checks. As a ex building trade. I will remember the protests about "The Lumpers" who take jobs from people of the locality. All those people unemployed in Liverpool and people are gangmastered in to work here, it is obscene. I am aware also that there is almost hardly anyone from Liverpool working on the Three Black Slugs or its sister the new museum next door. Grsovenor-pool was raided on numerous occasions as was the Oldham Echo Arena. We do not want another Chinease Cockle Picker disaster..what if someone dies. I dont want local jobs taken by anyone except locals if at all possible.
ReplyDeleteI think we are in general agreement. What would be interesting to know is if the Border Agency has previously or intends to fine these companies? Did they fine anybody during the raids on Liverpool One or do they intend to fine anybody over Mann Island. I understand that it could be up to £10,000 per individual found to be illegally employed. I wonder what Mr Bradley would make of promoting those organisations in those circumstances?
ReplyDeleteNo, I know how hard it is to get work and the poor people who have to migrate are just doing their best. It is hard on the building workers but you have to at least be given a chance to employ local labour. I have today contacted Larry Bartlett and Mark Thomas.....lets see if they inform the public.
ReplyDelete