Off message but Gill and I did a lovely rural circular 5.3 mile walk today around Matching in Essex (near Harlow). You start at the ancient village church and walk down the road to the most glorious english duck pond ever. You then cross lush meadows s…Read more…
What has a Labour Government ever done for us? Oh Yes, Redundancy payments
Hat tip Labour history website & twitter feed “On this Day” OTD in 1965. Redundancy Payments Act. “Gives workers the right to receive financial sum should they lose a job”.
Great picture of Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, with his famou…Read more…
Black History Month, Carnival & Conference 2017
Black Members – please see important information below to action or note, thanks.
Notting Hill Carnival, London, 27-28 AugustNotting Hill Carnival is Europe’s largest street festival representing London’s multicultural past and present. UNISON has a regular presence every year at the carnival…Read more…
“Dozens pay their respects to war victims killed when a bomb hit their bus”
Hat tip Newham Recorder “Cllr and members of the public attending a vigil on Dames Road where a V1 flying bomb landed killing people on a bus outside the Holly Tree pub
Dozens gathered to pay their respects to Forest Gate’s war dead on the anniversary of the night a bomb hit a bus during the…Read more…
Grenfell Tower: The anatomy of a disaster & the future of social housing in London – Newham Fabians 20 Sept 2017
This looks like a really good event. Well done to the new Newham Fabians Officers for organising this. Thankfully we now have a local Fabian society that actually does stuff! Tom will be a great speaker. Read more…
Bron Aron Strike action over slashed wages
Good luck to Unison members about to start a further bout of strike action tomorrow. I will be sending a message of support both as a Unison NEC for such community members and behalf of our branch executive. See letter below explaining the dispute in local newspaper.
“THERE’S a critical…Read more…
Sense about fantasy pension deficits
A great article by Henry Tapper in his blog “Pension Playpen” about the nonsense being spread about the “fantasy deficits” reported by the huge pension fund, University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
The USS has produced investment returns of 21% increasing its assets to £60 billion in the last year…Read more…
Tolpuddle Martyrs Walk: Greensted, Essex 2017
On Sunday 16 July Sunday 2017 during the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs weekend, I went for a walk with Gill in Chipping Ongar and Greensted to visit the wooden Saxon Church and pay homage to the Tolpuddle Martyrs who were resettled in farms around here, aft…Read more…
UNISON wins another important legal case over employers who fail to consult unions
Following on from the victory over employment tribunal fees on Wednesday.
“UNISON has won a landmark court victory today (Friday 28 July) that makes it much harder for employers to ignore staff when making major changes in the workplace.
The Court of…Read more…
West Ham General Election Wash Up
This picture is from Wednesday evening, when we had a West Ham Labour General Election “Wash Up”. CLP Officers, Branch organisers and secretaries were invited to our headquarters in Stratford to talk about and debate, what went right with our election …Read more…
West Ham Park Community Funfair – Sat-Sun 29th-30 July 2017 (12-7pm)
A great community event in West Ham Park tomorrow and Sunday. Many thanks to the HAFS Academy for organising it. Read more…
Remembering local Nazi atrocity – V1 attack on Forest Gate 27 July 1944
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…Read more…
UNISON gets employment tribunal fees scrapped
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…Read more…
“The police need to provide swift answers after the death of Rashan Charles” by Seyi Akiwowo a councillor in Newham, east London
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…Read more…
Medical Aid for Greece – Garden Fundraiser Saturday July 29th 5pm
“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…Read more…
Council and school workers deserve a pay rise!
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…Read more…
Anti Fascist/Anti Nazi Vigil: Remember V1 Rocket Attack Forest Gate – 27 July 1944
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…Read more…
Newham Labour Councillor Candidacy 2018
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…Read more…
All Black shortlists: UNISON National Labour Link Forum 2017
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…Read more…
Liz Baptiste moves Motion 21 on “All Black Shortlists” at UNISON National Labour Link Forum 17
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…Read more…