Hat tip Notts UNISON and their excellent Comms Officer(s) “PLEASE JOIN UNISON BEFORE YOU NEED US. We can’t represent you for your first 4 weeks after joining #1, but we can offer advice to our new members. So, in an increasingly insecure world of work,…Read more…
What a good idea! Encourage tenants to downsize & free up family homes
Not a new idea but pleased about offer to Newham Council tenants of a brand new home in a over 55s block at a rent no higher than their current rent. Too often while canvassing I come across elderly tenants in family sized homes whose children ha…Read more…
UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2024
At tonight’s Branch Executive Committee meeting we discussed planning for our AGM. The email below has been sent to all of our 3000 plus members.”Dear Member, Due to the Easter Weekend, the UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2024 has been move…Read more…
Ealing Labour x Swindon Labour Party Fundraiser 2024
On Sunday I went with UNISON Labour Link colleagues to a fundraising dinner in Ealing. It was packed and extremely well organised. The food and service was also excellent. It was great to meet and catch up with Labour and union friends. After speeches …Read more…
Labour Leader Keir Starmer with Gen Kitchen MP & Damien Egan MP
What a fantastic picture. Very proud of Gen and Damien. Read more…
Capital Ring Walk 3. Grove Park to Crystal Palace
Today Gill and I continued with our journey around London via the Capital Ring walk. We had started off in Woolwich during November and will hopefully finish 78 miles later in Beckton (not in one go!).It took us about 1 hour to get to Grove Park (bus t…Read more…
HeartUnion Blues 2024
Love Unions week finishes on Sunday. In the meanwhile :-“Have a bit of musical fun, with deep political foundations And if you and all your trade union friends want to cheer yourselves up and give your politics a happy bounce in HeartUnions week, then …Read more…
West Hammers on tour: Wellingborough By election 15 Feb 24
This morning four of us (Alan, Ash, Me and Varghese – all of whom live in the West Ham Parliamentary constituency) drove down to Wellingborough to support the Labour Candidate, Gen Kitchen (former Newham Councillor) in this important by election. …Read more…
Tory Wipe out Poll (don’t believe it)
While I want to believe that this poll is accurate I do not believe it “until it happens”. We are are still very, very vulnerable to Tory division and lies. The Tories are the most ruthless and successful election machine in Western Europe. Never…Read more…
“Return of tribunal fees”
Hat tip to Thompsons Solicitors. This is dreadful news. The employment tribunal process is already biased in favour of employers. Today I had to help an unemployed member apply to a tribunal. The prospect of fees will frighten people. We already …Read more…
#HeartUnions Join UNISON
TUC heartunions week 202412 – 18 February 2024Annual TUC week to promote trade unions and UNISON to the wider public and in workplaces.Read more…
Labour Local Government Association Conference 2024: Day 2
Picture collage from yesterday evening and day 2 of the Conference held in Warwick. Labour is now the largest political party in UK local government. There was a number of workshops, formal speeches and panel debates. It was informative and …Read more…
Labour LGA Conference 24
At our annual Labour Local Government Association Conference. Currently in a packed and lively training session led by Mo Baines, CEO of APSE on “How can a future Labour Government stem the tide of Section. 114?”Mo asks why is local governemt beo…Read more…
Off to support Gen Kitchen in Wellingborough By-Election on Thursday 15 Feb 24
I have booked annual leave for next Thursday to travel up to Wellingborough to support the Labour Candidate, Gen Kitchen, in the Parliamentary by election. Gen was brought up in Northamptonshire but has lived in Newham. She was an excellent local…Read more…
Greater London UNISON AGM 2024
Today we had our London UNISON AGM and I was pleased to be elected unopposed as Regional Finance Convenor (and therefore a London Regional Council Officer)Thank you to our keynote speakers, Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Wes Streeting MP and Ric…Read more…
“Income needed to retire jumps…”
Check out https://bbc.co.uk/news/business-68222807So you need now a #pension income of £31k if single & £43k per year if couple, for a “moderate” retirement (e.g go out for a family meal once a month?). How many will get this this much?Remembe…Read more…
Under the Conservatives: Dentistry isn’t working
Hat tip Labour Party & Ken Penton. A powerful image and caption “Yesterday, hundreds of people desperate for an NHS dentist appointment queued for hours when a new practice opened in Bristol.After 14 years of Tory decline, this is the Britain …Read more…
TUC Understanding Pensions Course – (London Classroom)
My first ever pension course was provided by the TUC (a long time, long ago) But I can still remember it. I would recommend all union reps should attend such a pension course. Over the years Jonathan has been my TUC tutor on a number of occasions. …Read more…
Labour Unions Campaign Weekend on New Deal for Working People: Cities of London & Westminster
Yesterday UNISON activists (and national officials) joined Parliamentary candidate, Rachel Blake and supporters to canvass for Labour and also promote the Party policy on the “New Deal for Working People”. Which to my mind is probably the most ex…Read more…
Fund raiser for Labour GLA Candidate Marcela Benedetti with keynote speaker Sadiq Khan
On Thursday evening (after another Labour Movement event) I went with UNISON Labour Link colleagues, to a fundraiser for the branch chair of our London Voluntary Organisations branch (Vol Orgs), Marcela Benedetti. Marcela is the Labour Cand…Read more…