Back from a great 6.8 mile circular walk with Gill around Cholesbury Hill fort, Grim Ditch and The Ridgeway, courtesy of the Chilterns Society and Ordnance Survey app. Very quiet and peaceful. Lots of gentle ups and downs with nothing that strenuo…Read more…
The 6 million Brits who are members of the Local Government Pensions scheme should read this…
Hat tip to Chair of Barnet LGPS committee Simon Radford and the Fabian Society. A little Dry – Local government pension fund reform may not be exciting, but the consequences of failure could be significant, argues Simon RadfordIn the mid-1980s, T…Read more…
The EastEnders Effect. Episode 28: Representation in the East End
It is a bit long but a fascinating interview by my Councillor constituent Ade Adeyemi of my UNISON comrade, Joseph Ogundemuren. He speaks from the heart of growing up, born and bred, as a working class black male in East London from immigrant parents. …Read more…
Hatfield Forest Walk
Off message but on Sunday Gill and I went for a 6.8 mile circular walk around Hatfield Forest courticy of Ordnance Survey and Country walking magazine. Hatfield Forest is a marvellous ancient estate full of history and the National Trust look after it …Read more…
Urgent: UNISON Energy support fund for low paid members start tomorrow Wednesday 27 Sept 08.30am & 5pm – up to £200 (used to be called winter fuel grants)
Important informationThe Energy Support Fund will open on 27 September, with grants of £200 available to support low income members with their energy costs.Due to finite funds, we can only accept 2,000 applications. 1,000 will be released at 8.30…Read more…
Lobby of Tower Hamlets Pension Committee over Clarion & Riverside breaking promises
This evening I went to make a submission to Tower Hamlets Council Pension Committee with a UNISON colleague, Julie. Both of us use to work for Tower Hamlets Council as housing officers. Julie worked in the Isle of Dogs and worked in Bow. In 2005 …Read more…
Elect Anu Prashar – the members choice for UNISON Labour Link London election
Great endorsement by Eddie of Anu. Electronic ballot papers arrived by email last week and so did hard copies by Royal Mail to your home address. Please vote by either method (not of course in both) for Anu and the candidates below outside London …Read more…
“On the knocker” in West Ham (with a little bit of help from UNISON/Hackney)
This morning I had my councillor surgery in Vicarage Lane Community centre in West Ham ward, Newham. One constituent who came, lived close to the centre, with a list of repair issues. I was able to go with her, back to her home in order to identify rep…Read more…
UNISON Greater London Housing Associations Labour Link support Anu Prashar (& update on our AGM)
Dear UNISON Labour Link members,Re:
National Labour Link elections
Our branch has nominated Anu Prashar for National Labour Link Committee.
Anu cut her teeth as a steward before getting involved in the SOGs and the
Labour Party. Anu is …Read more…
“UK’s largest landlord to dismiss & rehire staff who do not accept new pension terms”.
Hat tip Clarion UNISON Facebook page. NEWS21.09.2311.00 AMBY STEPHEN DELAHUNTYStaff transferred into Clarion from local authorities who have not accepted a new pension deal have been told they will be dismissed and rehired under new ter…Read more…
For a Strong & Effective UNISON Labour Link please support…
Electronic ballot papers arrived to me via email on Monday and paper ballot papers today. Please support these candidates in your regions if you are a member of UNISON and its Labour Link (use to be called APF) Political fund. Obviously you can only vo…Read more…
Country Walking: Kelvedon Hatch, Essex
On Saturday, Gill and I went for a 7.64 mile circular walk starting at Kelvedon Hatch outside the Eagle Pub. Only 40 minutes drive from East London. Courtesy of subscription to OS Maps on line which has selected recommended walks for free provided…Read more…
Vote for Anu Prashar UNISON Labour Link London
I have voted online for Anu Prashar (via email invite) that arrived 11.50 today from Civica. If you are a #Unison Labour Link member in London please vote for @anu @UnisonHABRead more…
“Emergency motion passed unanimously at branch executive over Clarion Housing Group “fire and rehire” dismissals and breaking pension promises”
Check out “On 5 September 2023 Clarion sent dismissal notices to 54 of its most long serving staff in order to close down its defined benefit pension provision. Clarion has made it clear that that it staff do not “consent” then they will be …Read more…
TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak speech to Congress 2023
Fantastic speech by Trade Union Congress, General Secretary Paul Nowak last week. Telling it as it is. Read more…
TUC Congress Day Four
TUC Congress finished on Wednesday. I had to leave early to deal with some urgent work and union case work. Also, on the way home, I stopped off to visit a new “build to rent” housing project in Manchester, part funded by Newham staff pension fund. I w…Read more…
TUC Congress 2023: Day Three
Tuesday was a busy day for me. In the morning we had a great speech by guest speaker, the shadow Deputy Prime Minister (I love repeating this), Angela Rayner on Labour’s “New Deal for Working People”. During lunch I took part in a fringe pan…Read more…
TUC Congress 2023: Day Two
Congress started again on Monday at 9.30. The ACC Liverpool conference centre is in the Kings docks area and it was a pleasant 10 minute walk from the hotel. Outside the conference centre there was a few people canvassing delegates, selling news …Read more…
TUC Congress 2023: Day One
This year I am in Liverpool for the 155th annual TUC Congress as a UNISON NEC delegate. I travelled down from London by with Regional delegate (and Convenor) Yvonne Green. When we arrived in Liverpool we went into a meeting of all UNISON delegates…Read more…
“didn’t we have a lovely day the day we went to Walton” (-on the -Naze)”
Off message but the hot weather today reminded me of a glorious sunday last month when Gill and I took the train from Forest Gate to the Essex seaside resort of Walton-on-the-Naze. We met up with Gill’s sister Carol, her husband, her son an…Read more…