On Friday I was invited to speak at the annual general meeting of the Newham UNISON branch at the Town Hall in East Ham.
This was in my trade union capacity as the Chair of the London UNISON pension network. This is my wr…Read more…
Stratford, Finchley & Ilford Labour Campaign Day and the more people see of Ed Miliband – the more they like him
Saturday was a busy campaigning day. In the morning I went to the Sarah Sackman’s headquarters in Finchley & Golders Green, to help deliver leaflets on behalf of “trade unions together” (TULO). This was a really well organised office with a fr…Read more…
“Broken Commitments, Vulnerable Workers” – Union busting by National Express continues
On Tuesday morning I attended another presentation by US transport union, the Teamsters, to pension funds on the anti-union practises by a National Express owned US company called Durham which runs schools buses.
The Chair of the Local Auth…Read more…
Thank you, Good luck and Goodbye – to a Workers Champion
Picture from last night’s leaving dinner for my branch outreach worker, Andy Robertson (2nd on
right).
Andy is a former UNISON Housing activist in Leeds who left to become a mature student at university to study a HR (Human Relations – what we u…Read more…
Before you go to bed tonight remember to change your clock according to your political values…
Labour Campaign Launch at Olympic Park
Yesterday morning Labour Leader Ed Miliband launched the Party campaign at the top of the Orbit.
Ed is pictured in the collage (top left) shaking the tiny hand of Juniper baby daughter of Newham Councillor, Farah Nazeer.
UNISON Assistant General Se…Read more…
East Ham and Ilford North Election fund raiser
After the Stratford By Election candidate selection and West Ham Labour General Committee some of us went to support this fund raiser.
It took place in the Royal Regency in Manor Park. Which is a magnificent former cinema restored as a plush fun…Read more…
Charlene McLean officially selected unanimously to fight the Stratford & Newtown by election
This is great news. Tonight local Mum Charlene McLean was selected by Stratford and New town Labour Party ward to be their candidate in the forthcoming by election.
This will take place at the same day as the general election.
I was the procedural …Read more…
UNISON Special Local Government Conference 2015
I am not a member of the Local Government Service Group anymore (even though my pay and conditions like many UNISON Community members are still determined by the National Joint Council) so I was not there yesterday and don’t know how accurate this UNIS…Read more…
“Dear Pissed off Voter…why I am going to Vote”
The right to vote is so precious. People have suffered and died for this right. Politics in this country is far from perfect but if you don’t vote, then you betraying these democracy martyrs from the past and present and just giving the thumbs up …Read more…
The case for Collective Bargaining
Great Youtube video produced by the Institute of Employment Rights’ featuring Professor Keith Ewing and John Hendy QC. I don’t think even trade unionists really understand that the most important thing we do is collective bargaining with employer…Read more…
UNISON Housing Association Branch Labour Link AGM with Emma Reynolds MP
Last Tuesday evening we had our Annual General Meeting of Greater London UNISON Housing Association Branch Labour Link at the House of Commons. UNISON Labour Link members (also known as APF) choose to support and affiliate to the Labour Party
Our keyn…Read more…
The Manifesto for Change – Call for Trade Unionist’s to Vote Labour
Great video from Trade Unions for Labour (TULO) on the Labour Party “Manifesto for Change”. A quietly spoken, Paul Kenny, from the GMB asks trade unionists to “When it comes to Vote, Vote Labour, no other Party, No other movement is going to deliver th…Read more…
Warham and Wighton from Wells-Next-The-Sea Walk
This is off message and a little late but last month I went for a weekend in Cromer, Norfolk and went on this fantastic 8.5mile walk on the Saturday starting in Wells. The Norfolk coast and countryside is simply stunning.
The blue, big Eastern skies a…Read more…
“Union representatives here to stay on trustee boards”
The “Local Government Chronicle” reports huge fights currently going on between trade unions and Council officers about representation on the new Local Government Pension Scheme Boards.
It is clear that some Councils are trying to openly s…Read more…
Greater London UNISON Labour Link Delegate Elections 2015
I was pleased last week to hear that I had been elected unopposed to this year’s UNISON Labour Link National Forum with Jonathan Slater and James Beckles.
There is still an election for female delegates to National Forum and Labour Party Conference.
…Read more…
West Ham Labour in Forest Gate & “Keeping it Co-op”
This collage is from today’s West Ham Labour Party stall in Forest Gate. Lyn Brown MP and local Party members and supporters handed out leaflets on Labour plans to save the NHS and rent controls. We also leafleted shoppers at our local Co-operative sto…Read more…
More men called John run big companies than all women
Not that there is anything wrong with being called John but this blatant sexism and inequality is a nonsense. It is also simply bad for business if you exclude half the world from the the potential pool of talent to recruit from. The picture above is f…Read more…
130 years of West Ham North MP’s
Hat tip to excellent local history website “E7 Now & Then” for a fascinating and topical post on the MPs who have served the Forest Gate part of West Ham North.
Amazing that we once had an Austro-Hungarian Baron as our MP, another who was re…Read more…
Don’t believe the baloney – SHPS Pensions are not doomed. Accountants can’t count
“Inside Housing” on Friday had another gloomy article on the problems facing the Social Housing Pension Scheme (SHPS).
The “deficit” is apparently getting bigger and some Housing Associations are so worried that they are thinking of joining others who…Read more…