A SHADOWY trade union run by a former National Front leader is causing strife at Shorts, it has been claimed.
But new members don’t realise they are getting into bed with the BNP.
Solidarity – a right wing union run by Edinburgh based activist Patrick Harrington – is targeting members of other trade unions to get them to jump ship.
Shorts Bombardier is one of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers with over 6,500 workers and the main union which supports workers there is Unite.
But traditional trade unionists at the aircraft components factory in east Belfast have described the Solidarity supporters as a “BNP cabal”.
Solidarity is the union wing of the British National Party and operates to drum up support for the right wing party although it’s believed they have less than 500 members across the UK.
The Ulster wing of the BNP is currently being run by nasty fascist Stephen Moore, who we revealed last year refers to Muslims as ‘Ragheads’ and Catholics as ‘Taigs’.
Force
Harrington and Moore are busy recruiting in Northern Ireland in the run-up to the Assembly and council elections in May.
And on Friday BNP leader Nick Griffin sent an open letter to thousands of targets asking them to join Solidarity.
However despite their name, Solidarity almost always takes the side of the bosses during any dispute, it has been claimed.
“There is a secret cabal of right-wing nutters working within Shorts,” said a source from inside the aerospace company.
“They are trying to force staff into breaking away from Unite to join Solidarity.
“They want people to join Solidarity and are digging up old sectarian fears.
“But what these people aren’t telling the workers is they would be marching into the arms of the BNP if they join them.”
Shorts has a history of sectarian tensions and the Sunday World understands that there has been a concerted rise in complaints made against Catholics employed by Unite as full-time or lay officials.
“The cabal are annoyed with Unite’s stance on a number of key issues and are secretly trying to stir up strife by writing anonymous letters to the press claiming hundreds of Unite members are planning to join Solidarity,’’ said our source.
“This group have been against Unite’s support for humanitarian aid for Palestine as well as opposing the union’s campaign for Lesbian and Gay rights.
“They have constantly carped that members would split away from the Union if these kind of policies persisted.
“We know the elements that make up ‘Bombardier’s Nazi Party.’ They are just a bunch of obstructionist drunks who drape themselves in the union flag when it suits them especially at voting time.
“Their links to the BNP and even the UDA are well known. Basically they are just a bunch of foul-mouthed bigots who do nothing for the membership.
“It’s a drinking club for idiots and slabbers who are in bed with the bosses anyway.
“The fact they have been writing to the press talking about a ‘Protestant backlash’ shows their true colours.
“A few gullible members may believe their tripe and follow them but they haven’t been told it will be the BNP they are marching into.
Joining
“Unite should call their bluff – if they want to go let them go!”
Patrick Harrington – who is himself on the BNP payroll – is a long term friend of BNP leader Nick Griffin.
The pair were senior figures in the anti-black group the National Front back in the 1980s.
Harrington split from the NF years ago and is now General Secretary of Solidarity as well as being a member of the National Liberal Party.
Anti-fascist magazine reporter Matthew Collins has warned anyone thinking of joining Harrington’s union.
“They should think about joining Harrington very carefully,” says Collins.
“Solidarity is a scab trade union that didn’t even defend the rights of the BNP office staff when they were made redundant.
“They are always on the side of the bosses and like all bosses they want to divide the workforce along ethnicity.
“During every major industrial dispute the BNP have supported the bosses like the miner’s strike and the print dispute.”
Hope not Hate/Searchlight
