{"id":12864,"date":"2019-02-08T12:57:45","date_gmt":"2019-02-08T12:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/?p=12864"},"modified":"2021-02-17T14:47:35","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T14:47:35","slug":"a-statement-on-behalf-of-brian-higgins-blacklisted-building-worker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2019\/02\/08\/a-statement-on-behalf-of-brian-higgins-blacklisted-building-worker\/","title":{"rendered":"A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF BRIAN HIGGINS, BLACKLISTED BUILDING WORKER"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF BRIAN HIGGINS, BLACKLISTED BUILDING WORKER<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12865\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12865\" style=\"width: 343px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2019\/02\/08\/a-statement-on-behalf-of-brian-higgins-blacklisted-building-worker\/bwgpix1\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-12865\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12865\" src=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/bwgpix1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"343\" height=\"277\" srcset=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/bwgpix1.jpg 343w, http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/bwgpix1-300x242.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 343px) 100vw, 343px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12865\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo showing Brian Higgins on a picket at the furthest left \u2013 where else!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Brian Higgins, a militant in the building industry, first in UCATT and later in UNITE, has been taken into hospital. Brian has been the most blacklisted worker in the UK. For many years before he would have retired, he was unable to get work. This put immense pressure both on Brian and his family, particularly his ever-supportive wife, Helen. Following the public exposure of the blacklist in the building industry, Brian found strong evidence of collaboration between the employers and a UCATT official in his blacklisting. That official cited in a redacted document was Jerry Swain.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Subsequently, Len McCluskey arranged for UCATT to be taken over by UNITE. In the process, Swain was appointed as a full-timer. Brian, the rank and file Building Worker Group and other union members have tried to raise this issue with McCluskey. McCluskey continually brushes the issue under the carpet.<\/p>\n<p>Brian thanks all those who have supported his cause, and the cause of other blacklisted workers. This support has come from many including the Building Worker Group, activists in Grassroots Unite, the Scottish Federation of Socialist Teachers and the\u00a0<em>Emancipation & Liberation <\/em>blog. Until our trade unions have kicked out all those who collaborate with the employers, then our fight for justice, improved pay and conditions and safety at work will be undermined. Despite Brian\u2019s current incapacitation the struggle goes on, and Brian\u2019s supporters will continue to raise these issues.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>8.2.19<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For other articles see:-<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"4L1hF8KIzj\"><p><a href=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2015\/04\/09\/blacklisted\/\">BLACKLISTED<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"\u201cBLACKLISTED\u201d \u2014 Emancipation, Liberation & Self-determination\" src=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2015\/04\/09\/blacklisted\/embed\/#?secret=4L1hF8KIzj\" data-secret=\"4L1hF8KIzj\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ebNGVTCryo\"><p><a href=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/24\/undercover-but-within-sites-police-infiltration-of-trade-unions\/\">UNDERCOVER BUT WITHIN SITES \u2013 POLICE INFILTRATION OF TRADE UNIONS<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"\u201cUNDERCOVER BUT WITHIN SITES \u2013 POLICE INFILTRATION OF TRADE UNIONS\u201d \u2014 Emancipation, Liberation & Self-determination\" src=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/24\/undercover-but-within-sites-police-infiltration-of-trade-unions\/embed\/#?secret=ebNGVTCryo\" data-secret=\"ebNGVTCryo\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"L1k9zLDGe3\"><p><a href=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2013\/01\/01\/collusion-and-betrayal\/\">COLLUSION AND BETRAYAL<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"\u201cCOLLUSION AND BETRAYAL\u201d \u2014 Emancipation, Liberation & Self-determination\" src=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2013\/01\/01\/collusion-and-betrayal\/embed\/#?secret=L1k9zLDGe3\" data-secret=\"L1k9zLDGe3\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"HevBFWPTpY\"><p><a href=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2010\/09\/06\/brian-higgins-anti-blacklist-campaign\/\">Brian Higgins Anti-Blacklist Campaign<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"\u201cBrian Higgins Anti-Blacklist Campaign\u201d \u2014 Emancipation, Liberation & Self-determination\" src=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2010\/09\/06\/brian-higgins-anti-blacklist-campaign\/embed\/#?secret=HevBFWPTpY\" data-secret=\"HevBFWPTpY\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"EWFKDf0I6S\"><p><a href=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2010\/02\/20\/campaign-to-fight-the-blacklist-and-to-support-brian-higgins\/\">Campaign To Fight The Blacklist And To Support Brian Higgins<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"\u201cCampaign To Fight The Blacklist And To Support Brian Higgins\u201d \u2014 Emancipation, Liberation & Self-determination\" src=\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2010\/02\/20\/campaign-to-fight-the-blacklist-and-to-support-brian-higgins\/embed\/#?secret=EWFKDf0I6S\" data-secret=\"EWFKDf0I6S\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">_______<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For Brian\u2019s classic rank and file account of the Building Worker Group see:-<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/libcom.org\/library\/rank-file-or-broad-left\">http:\/\/libcom.org\/library\/rank-file-or-broad-left<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF BRIAN HIGGINS, BLACKLISTED BUILDING WORKER \u00a0 Brian Higgins, a militant in the building industry, first in UCATT and later in UNITE, has been taken into hospital. Brian has been the most blacklisted worker in the UK. For many years before he would have retired, he was unable to get&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1843,1852,1855,1854,910],"tags":[688],"class_list":["post-12864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-how-capitalists-organise","category-how-communists-organise","category-exploitation-and-emancipation","category-the-left-crisis","category-trade-unionism","tag-author-brian-higgins"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"views":3196,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12864"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12878,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12864\/revisions\/12878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}