“8‑14 Feb 2016 / The heartunions week of action celebrates the great work done by union reps and members in our workplaces and in society. We’re proud of our unions and reject the government’s attempts to damage them with the trade union bill”. Check out the new TUC website here…Read more…
Room with a view
Off message but this has been the view greeting me in the morning for the last few days. Sheep, foxes, rabbits, grouse and various other birds (real photo edited with “painting” software). An always changing landscape where you never get bored looking …Read more…
“Dealing with debt”, Osborne-style
Can someone please tell me just why the Tories have this reputation for economic competency? Hat tip Joel from Debt Resistance. Read more…
….and a Happy New Year
Me and my mate. Read more…
Having an Amazon Free Christmas
Hi John,Just a quick note before Christmas to say a HUGE thanks for donating to send the tax-dodging Amazon ad van out on the town!
It made a bit of a splash – circling Amazon’s HQ, and then cruising through London’s busy shopping streets: exposi…Read more…
Communist Christmas Eve 2015
This is my traditional Crimbo Eve Video. Christianity and most other religions have much in common with Communism and Democratic socialist values in theory but all beliefs and political creeds in reality, don’t tend to practise what they preach.
Never…Read more…
West Ham fight back against Tories
“While this year’s disastrous General Election result wasn’t what we had campaigned or hoped for, West Ham Labour have risen to the challenge to fight back.
We ended the year on a high with our membership doubling in recent months and it was great…Read more…
A Bridge Over You – NHS Choir (Cover of Fix You by Coldplay and BOTW by Simon & Garfunkel)
What a fantastic song. Support our NHS and buy it please! Hat tip Ian Dixon
“The song is available now on iTunes, Amazon, and others.
Download link (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/a-b…
Download link (Amazon): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Br…Read more…
UNISON THERE FOR YOU – WINTER FUEL GRANTS 2016
WORRIED ABOUT PAYING YOUR WINTER FUEL BILL?
With rising fuel costs and another cold winter looming many members on low income are worried about how they’re going to pay their winter fuel bills.
Help is on hand
‘There for You’ has set up a limited fu…Read more…
My Sunday News
Some random bits and pieces I found interesting this Sunday morning.
Corbyn against illegal budget settingSome Labour-led councils are reportedly considering drawing up budgets based on people’s needs, as opposed to council finances. In a letter to councillors, sent jointly with John McDonnell, the…Read more…
A Merry Christmas for the Very Rich
Check out this seasonal message from the ONS wealth data via TUC TouchStone
ONS wealth data: The rich just got considerably richer
18 Dec 2015, by Geoff Tilyin Economics In cash terms the top 10% now own £5.0 trillion of UK total household wealth, according to the latest ONS wealth and…Read more…
Labour List “Dave Prentis re-elected as UNISON General Secretary”
“Yesterday also saw the re-election of Dave Prentis as Unison general secretary. Prentis won 49% of the vote against three further left candidates, and the scale of his victory will be welcomed by Labour moderates. While the trade union backed Co…Read more…
UNISON Lay Presidential team statement on “tampered” recording
Subject: GENERAL SECRETARY ELECTION: COMPLAINT: GREATER LONDON REGION
TO: NEC
SENIOR AND NATIONAL MANAGERS
REGIONAL SECRETARIES
REGIONAL CONVENORS
SERVICE GROUP CHAIRS
RMT – GREATER LONDON REGION
Dear Colleague
As you know a number of serious all…Read more…
Dave Prentis re-elected as UNISON General Secretary with huge majority (Miserablists come bottom)
Great news. UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, has been re-elected by members for another 5 years. He received just short of an absolute majority of votes 49.4%.
Roger Bannister 16,853 (12.6 per cent)John Burgess 15,573 (11.6 per cent)Dave Prenti…Read more…
Lily Allen – Fuck You (It’s Not Me, It’s You)
I so love this song. It reminds me…. Read more…
Candlelight vigil for victims of Domestic Violence on Human Rights Day
This picture is from last Thursday’s (10 December) vigil held outside East Ham town hall.
The vigil was held to coincide with Human Rights Day and the end of the United Nation’s 16 Days of Action which aimed to raise awareness of violence against women.
The Newham Council lead on domestic and…Read more…
My first Christmas Card 2015
This was one of the first Christmas Cards that I received this year. I have some unusual friends and colleagues. This year I will again be donating to a good cause in lieu of sending cards. I hope people don’t mind.
Festive and Seasonable best wishes…Read more…
LOBOs: Putting up and not shutting up
At the Newham Full Council meeting last Monday, the Cabinet member for Finance, Lester Hudson, responded to the arguments that myself and Cllr Whitworth put forward here and here about the exposure Newham has to LOBO loans.
Cllr Hudson said that the Council had saved £64 million in reduced…Read more…
Disruption on the Greenway
Apologies that this post is a little late but photo collage above was taken 2 weeks ago when Stratford Cllr Terry Paul and myself met up with local Newham cyclists to look at the reasons for the ongoing “temporary” closure of the Greenway and possible …Read more…
How our pensions are used to fund attacks on workers.
“Fidelity and the “premier supporter group of the Conservative Party”
Check out another post by Tom P on a great British rip off.
“Ahh…. Fidelity, the lure of right-wing British politics is just too strong for you isn’t it?
I’ve blogged pr…Read more…