GMB has joined with the business community in calling
for the rights of those working in the emerging shale gas
industry to be protected whilst respecting the rights to peaceful
protest.
The GMB, along with the Chamber of Commerce, has
written to political leaders asking them to make sure police and
judiciary take a firm line with protestors that target shale gas
suppliers.
A national activist network recently announced two
weeks of direct action [1] against companies working in the shale
gas supply chain, aimed at pressuring them to drop
contracts.
Their plan follows weeks of harassment and
intimidation already taking place against businesses including
their workers supplying the Cuadrilla site in
Lancashire.
Since the start of the year, a handful of companies
supplying the Cuadrilla site have been pressured by activists
into withdrawing from contracts, including a ready mixed concrete
supplier in St Annes whose facility was blockaded by a group
wearing hoods and masks.
They prevented the business not only from making
deliveries to Cuadrilla, but also disrupted supplies to other
unconnected customers.
The targeting of supply chain companies like this is
reminiscent of tactics used by animal rights
extremists.
Stuart Fegan, GMB National Officer,
said:
“Nobody should deny people's right to lawful and
peaceful protest but, equally, protestors should not be allowed
to prevent workers from getting to and from their jobs just
because they disagree that the workers employer has decided to
legally explore the opportunities that the new onshore shale gas
industry brings. "
Babs Murphy, chief executive of the North and
Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce,
said:
"Over 800 businesses, mostly from Lancashire, have
expressed an interest in supplying and servicing the shale gas
industry, having registered with our dedicated online
portal.
"They deserve the chance to be part of this exciting
new industry without fearing that they will be targeted with some
sort of retaliation, be that physical blockades by protestors or
reputationally damaging and distressing comments posted on social
media.
"Whilst we agree that protestors should have their
fundamental rights to peaceful and lawful protest protected, we
believe that our police and judiciary must act to ensure that the
rights of companies to go about their lawful business are
similarly safeguarded, and are calling on our elected
representatives to help make sure that's the
case."
In addition to the North & Western Lancashire
Chamber of Commerce, the letter has been signed by the East
Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Downtown in Business, the Civil
Engineering Contractors Association, IoD Lancashire, FSB Cumbria
and Lancashire, the Community union and GMB Union.
ENDS
Contact: GMB
press office on 07958
156846 or press.office@gmb.org.uk
Notes to editors:
[1] The announcement made by activists at Reclaim The
Power can be found here https://reclaimthepower.org.uk/break-the-chain/.
