All the union news that's fit to blog...
Above is a picture collage from this evening’s anniversary vigil to remember the victims of a Nazi Flying bomb attack on this day 27 July 1944 which killed horribly at least 38 East Enders (updated figure) at this very spot.
Forest Gate Councillor, An…
What a fantastic legal victory for UNISON and all British workers at the Supreme Court today. I must admit as a UNISON NEC member when we received reports on the 4 year legal battle which got turned down by the High Court and the Appeal Court that I wa…
After having a great time at the Afropunk London festival last weekend, I followed my usual ritual before going to bed on Saturday night: checking to see what I had missed on Instagram during the day. I came across the clip of CCTV footage&nb…
“What a strange device man is: you fill him with wine, fish and radishes and out come sighs, laughter and dreams”! (Nikos Kazantzakis)
Let us see what comes out when we fill a bunch of nice, caring and interesting people with all kinds of drinks a…
As a Councillor I was sent this motion by UNISON which I support and will send to our Council Labour Group, Newham School Governors and West Ham Labour Party Branch and General Committee.
(Please note that workers in local government and sc…
Thursday 27th July Forest Gate North Labour Party will be holding an Anti Fascist/Anti Nazi vigil to remember those 20 or so local residents killed by a V1 rocket on the 27th of July 1944.
Meet at The Holly Tree Pub 141 Dames Road , E7, corner with Pe…
All Labour Party members in Newham, East London should have received a letter last week from the Labour Party encouraging those eligible to apply to stand as a candidate.
Quite rightly “Women, Black and Minority Ethnic members, Carers, people with dis…
This post is the speech that Greater London delegate, Sanchia Alasia, had prepared but Forum ran out of time to hear. See also here the speech moving the motion by London delegate, Liz Baptiste, on behalf of UNISON National Black Members Committee.
“F…
Forum, Chair (Liz Baptiste) from National Black Members Committee moving motion 21
Forum this motion is seeking support to explore the feasibility of lobbying for all Black shortlists to address the under-representation of Black people in the politica…
This is a little late but this was an important and succinct contribution on this motion by Sanchia.
“Good morning, my name is Sanchia Alasia from the Greater London region, here to speak in support of motion 14
Forum, we need to keep a close eye on …
On Tuesday I spoke at a seminar on the Government’s attempt to instruct Council pension funds that they can only invest in accordance to their political prejudices.
On Thursday Professional Pensions published my article below
“John Gray explains&…
Picture from tonight’s Executive meeting held at L&Q office in Stratford. It is really great that lay activists turn up and participate after a full day’s work to such meetings. One of our Executive members went off afterwards to go on a night shif…
Show your support for UNISON There for You by doing something magnificent today!
I am delighted to attach our review for 2016 illustrating just how, There for You, UNISON’s own charity, helped members and what we achieved.
Many of those …
This morning I spoke on behalf of UNISON at a breakfast seminar at the the headquarters of law firm, Bindmans, in central London.
Bindman had acted on behalf of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in their recent Judicial Review High Court victory, over…
Emergency Motion West Ham Labour Party General Committee 20 July
Grenfell Tower & Fire Safety in High Rise Blocks
This branch/GC notes:1. The appalling loss of life at Grenfell Tower, together with the troubling prospect that the death toll wil…
Picture collage from Saturdays Forest Gate Festival. This was a really fantastic event and for the first time we had a Labour Party stall at the festival talking to people and encouraging them to join the Party.
It was amazing how many people said the…
John Gray, speaking on behalf of your National Labour Link Committee in favour of motion 11 (similar) “Why we need to build a new housing consensus for affordable and decent homes for all”
as amended.
“Chair, Forum, In 1945 General electio…
Picture collage from Thursday evening “thank you event” in Brick Lane, East London for supporters of ShareAction – a campaigning body “to make investment a force for the good”.
It was great to meet so many people concerned about the po…
Picture of Notting Hill UNISON activists in Vauxhall with our ace branch Fighting Fund Organiser, Mary Stump (left), after one of the most successful lunchtime recruitment events I have attended. Six new members filled out forms and there was huge inte…
To be clear.
A Council (or administering authority) is responsible for the majority of any pension deficit but that if the fund does badly and the Council runs out of money (which due to austerity it has been widely predicted will happen to some autho…