British Union Members Demonstrate at Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure Against Companies Linked to Blacklisting and Bribery

TORONTO, July 11, 2013 /CNW/ - Members of Unite, the U.K. and Ireland's largest union, will demonstrate Friday to protest the awarding of public contracts to the corporations that operate the Highway 407 Express Toll Route (ETR).

WHO:	Unite (U.K.), United Steelworkers and other Canadian union members
WHAT:	Protest Against Ferrovial and Cintra
WHERE:	Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure
	900 Bay Street, Toronto (Mowat Block)
	(Bay and Wellesley Sts.)
WHEN:	Friday, July 12, 8:00 a.m.

Members of Unite, Britain's largest union, are in Canada to expose Ferrovial, a Spanish-based multinational corporation implicated in blacklisting and political kickback scandals. A Ferrovial subsidiary has partnered with SNC-Lavalin, whose former officials have been accused of bribery and money laundering, to build the 407 Extension. The Ferrovial subsidiary also operates the 407 ETR along with SNC-Lavalin and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board.

Unite is asking all institutions and individuals with business ties to Ferrovial to deny public contracts to the company until blacklisting ends.

The case of Unite Shop Steward Frank Morris, who was blacklisted by a consortium of companies including Ferrovial, has caught the attention of the British public. Unite believes that Frank lost his job just because he sought to protect his fellow workers and raised legitimate health and safety concerns. According to Unite, widespread blacklisting of union members in the United Kingdom is becoming a major source of poverty and family and mental breakdown.

The United Steelworkers has called on the Province of Ontario to investigate how the contract for the 407 Extension was awarded to Ferrovial and SNC-Lavalin in light of these disclosures.

SOURCE: United Steelworkers (USW)

Joe Drexler, USW Strategic Campaigns, 416-544-6009, 416-434-7907, [email protected]
Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-544-5966, 416-434-2221, [email protected]