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On July 15, a stark message of defiance and trade union solidarity has been delivered to call centre bosses who sacked a London trade union activist for speaking out in support of a suspended colleague. More than 40 protesters gathered outside the Old Street offices of Pell & Bales to give noisy support to CWU Capital branch's Pell & Bales section secretary Pat Carmody who was  attending an appeal hearing into his dismissal for submitting a short article to a weekly newspaper.



The four sentence article, published in the Socialist Worker, simply and factually accurately reported that a well attended meeting of CWU members at the Old Street call centre had launched a campaign to defend a fellow worker - and that many colleagues had "signed a petition calling for the charges to be dropped". Commenting on CWU astonishment at Pell & Bales actions, national organising secretary John East pointed out that the response was curiously at odds with the generally ethical stance of the company which is a call centre for the Third Sector representing clients such as Oxfam, Action Aid, Christian Aid, Cancer Research UK, the World Wildlife Fund, the NSPCC and UNICEF.



Prior to the protest he explained: “This is a very disturbing case which highlights many of the workplace problems faced by call centre staff. Pat was carrying out standard trade union activities and has been victimised for this.

“Staff at Pell & Bales believe passionately in what they are doing and often feel a strong affinity with the charity they are representing. This action by the company against their colleague could be very damaging for morale and sends a worrying message from what is known as the ‘ethical’ sector. “We are disappointed by the rash action of the company and hope that they use the opportunity of the appeal hearing to take the right decision.”



The mood of employees at the call centre was summed up by one activist who asked for his name to be withheld in the current climate of fear. "The mood is sadness really," he said. "Pat was really pulling the community together and taking him out of it has left a big vacuum. There is a big sense of loss and injustice." But he stressed: "The CWU isn't going to go away - we've got well over 100 members now and the desire to have that support and network at work and an independent voice is undiminished.

His message to management was simple: "They've created this situation and, if they cannot see that it is mushrooming because of their actions, more fool them really. They should reinstate Pat immediately and continue talks with the CWU."



At the stroke of 11 am Pat Carmody entered the call centre at 207 Old Street for his disciplinary appeal to loud chants of support. Clearly moved, he told the CWU Voice: "This is fabulous - absolutely fantastic - true solidarity. People from so many other workplaces and people from my own workplace who have actually put their necks on the line by coming down here."I think we've sent a clear message to management, whatever happens."