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| Call for Miliband to condemn Unite 'leverage tactics' | Call for Miliband to condemn Unite 'leverage tactics' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps has called on Labour leader Ed Miliband to condemn tactics used by the Unite union during the Grangemouth dispute. | The Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps has called on Labour leader Ed Miliband to condemn tactics used by the Unite union during the Grangemouth dispute. |
| It follows claims by an Ineos director that a "mob" was sent by Unite to his home to intimidate him. | It follows claims by an Ineos director that a "mob" was sent by Unite to his home to intimidate him. |
| Unite has defended its use of so-called leverage tactics, where managers are directly targeted as part of a protest. | |
| It said the tactics were "legal and legitimate". | It said the tactics were "legal and legitimate". |
| And it said bad employers should have "nowhere to hide". | And it said bad employers should have "nowhere to hide". |
| The Ineos director told the Daily Mail how he feared for the safety of his wife and his two young children after 30 Unite protesters turned up at his home during the school holidays. | The Ineos director told the Daily Mail how he feared for the safety of his wife and his two young children after 30 Unite protesters turned up at his home during the school holidays. |
| The newspaper claimed police were called after the group, which it said was an organised Unite leverage team, approached his neighbours and told them the director was "evil". | The newspaper claimed police were called after the group, which it said was an organised Unite leverage team, approached his neighbours and told them the director was "evil". |
| Police Scotland confirmed that officers had attended an address in Dunfermline on Friday 18 October following reports of a protest. | |
| A spokesman said the occupants were not present and the demonstrators left before they returned. | |
| Prime Minister David Cameron described the leverage allegations as "quite shocking" and said the claims should be properly investigated. | |
| In his letter to Mr Miliband, Mr Shapps described the strategy as "thuggish". | In his letter to Mr Miliband, Mr Shapps described the strategy as "thuggish". |
| He urged Mr Miliband to condemn the approach, to refuse money from Unite until those responsible were disciplined, and again called on Labour to investigate allegations of vote rigging in the Falkirk constituency. | He urged Mr Miliband to condemn the approach, to refuse money from Unite until those responsible were disciplined, and again called on Labour to investigate allegations of vote rigging in the Falkirk constituency. |
| He claimed Unite, which is the Labour Party's largest donor, sent a group called the Leverage Team to "threaten senior Ineos executives at home, and to seriously intimidate their families". | He claimed Unite, which is the Labour Party's largest donor, sent a group called the Leverage Team to "threaten senior Ineos executives at home, and to seriously intimidate their families". |
| He said it was "clear from Unite's website" that the tactics were "not an isolated incident" but a "consistent strategy that they have used across the country". | He said it was "clear from Unite's website" that the tactics were "not an isolated incident" but a "consistent strategy that they have used across the country". |
| Mr Shapps wrote: "Unite claim that this kind of behaviour is both 'legal and legitimate'. I'm sure you'll agree with me that it falls way short of decency. | Mr Shapps wrote: "Unite claim that this kind of behaviour is both 'legal and legitimate'. I'm sure you'll agree with me that it falls way short of decency. |
| "Last year (Unite leader) Len McCluskey praised this as 'a new, sophisticated, smart way to do business'." | "Last year (Unite leader) Len McCluskey praised this as 'a new, sophisticated, smart way to do business'." |
| Internal inquiry | Internal inquiry |
| He continued: "The Labour Party, and the Scottish Labour Party, backed Unite and their actions throughout the Grangemouth dispute. You must now accept the consequences of this disastrous misjudgement." | He continued: "The Labour Party, and the Scottish Labour Party, backed Unite and their actions throughout the Grangemouth dispute. You must now accept the consequences of this disastrous misjudgement." |
| Mr Shapps said there were three questions that Mr Miliband, as leader of the Labour Party, must now answer: | Mr Shapps said there were three questions that Mr Miliband, as leader of the Labour Party, must now answer: |
| Mr Shapps said if Mr Miliband failed to answer 'yes' to those questions it would "send out the message to the British people that you are too weak to stand up to the union bosses that bankroll your party." | Mr Shapps said if Mr Miliband failed to answer 'yes' to those questions it would "send out the message to the British people that you are too weak to stand up to the union bosses that bankroll your party." |
| Labour has so far made no response to Mr Shapps' comments. | Labour has so far made no response to Mr Shapps' comments. |
| Unite claimed the tactic had secured "landmark victories" in the past against employers such as Honda, London Buses and Mayr Melnhof Packaging. | Unite claimed the tactic had secured "landmark victories" in the past against employers such as Honda, London Buses and Mayr Melnhof Packaging. |
| A spokesman for the union defended its targeting of Ineos managers during the Grangemouth dispute. | A spokesman for the union defended its targeting of Ineos managers during the Grangemouth dispute. |
| The spokesman added: "All the activities referred to are both legal and legitimate in the context of an industrial dispute. Bad employers should have nowhere to hide. | The spokesman added: "All the activities referred to are both legal and legitimate in the context of an industrial dispute. Bad employers should have nowhere to hide. |
| "Of course all campaigning in the context of the Ineos dispute has now ended with the agreement made with the company. | "Of course all campaigning in the context of the Ineos dispute has now ended with the agreement made with the company. |
| "However, for the workers and their union to be described as 'bullies' is beyond satire." | "However, for the workers and their union to be described as 'bullies' is beyond satire." |
| Unite also said Mr Shapps' letter showed how "our basic liberties - including the right to protest - are not safe with the Tories" and accused him of "standing up for the powerful against the weak". | Unite also said Mr Shapps' letter showed how "our basic liberties - including the right to protest - are not safe with the Tories" and accused him of "standing up for the powerful against the weak". |
| The Grangemouth dispute began over the treatment of Unite union official, Stephen Deans, over allegations he was involved in attempting to rig the selection of a Labour candidate in Falkirk. | |
| It escalated to the threat of strike action but despite this being dropped, the operator shut down the plant and issued a "survival plan", which was rejected by union members. | |
| Ineos then announced the closure of the petrochemical plant at the site with the loss of 800 jobs. | |
| After crisis talks, the union accepted the revised terms and conditions, allowing the plant to stay open. | |
| On Wednesday, the prime minister blamed a "rogue" union official for the Grangemouth dispute. | |
| Speaking in the Commons, Mr Cameron said the dispute had nearly brought the industry "to its knees". | |
| Mr Cameron called on Labour to hold an inquiry. | Mr Cameron called on Labour to hold an inquiry. |
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