This evening I attended two events remembering and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the ship, Empress Windrush, docking at Tilbury Port, Essex in 1948 with several hundred West Indian migrants, who came to the “motherland” in order to fi…Read more…
Pen-blwydd hapus Shabs!
Happy 50th birthday to my good comrade, Cllr Shabab Mohammed, Cabinet lead for Housing Management. Enjoy your well deserved break! Read more…
UNISON Labour Link & Labour Unions supporting Danny Beales for Uxbridge & South Ruislip By Election
This Sunday 25 June UNISON Labour Link and London Labour Unions are out supporting Danny Beales (UNISON member) and his team in the important Uxbridge & South Ruislip by election. This of course follows the resignation of its previous MP, a c…Read more…
Country Walking: Harlestone, Northamptonshire walk
On way back from Wales yesterday, Gill and I broke the journey by stopping off for this 4.71 mile circular walk on the OS site (pay wall) via Country Walking magazine. A fantastic walk, we have never been to this part of the world before and were …Read more…
Turning Nazi V2 Rocket sites into Wild Flowers Memorial
Many thanks to Cllr Asser, Cabinet member for Environment, for getting the impact site of a West Ham ward Nazi V2 Rocket attack on 1 Feb 1945, turned into a beautiful wild flowers memorial. 29 Residents were killed that night and many more injure…Read more…
Fathers Day 2023
Today is always a little difficult for me (and no doubt my sisters Helen and Lucy) despite it being over 21 years since we lost our father, John Gray, in 2002. Picture from his Labour Party election leaflet for Buckley Town Council in late 1950’s….Read more…
UNISON National Delegate Conference 2023: Day 4
Final Day of Conference (Friday). It started with an informal meeting with shadow minister for mental health, Rosena Allin-Khan MP with Greater London UNISON delegates. Who shared with Rosena unison issues and successes in health, LAS, Polic…Read more…
UNISON National Delegate Conference 2023- Day three
Today (Thursday) I still have “conference lurgy” so skipped the morning run again. Another glorious blue sky day. Nice to have a name check in the Morning Star from yesterday’s debate “the NEC shouldn’t go off and be a lone ranger” and picture of my Co…Read more…
UNISON NDC 23 – Labour Link Fringe with Angela Rayner MP & Christina McAnea
There was a great fringe yesterday evening by UNISON Labour Link with former activist Angela Rayner turned MP and our General Secretary Christina McAnea (chaired by National Labour Link lead, Linda Hobson). Angela was on form with a confiden…Read more…
UNISON National Delegate Conference 2023: Day 2 – Industrial Action Ballots: Composite D debate
Today I moved a composite motion on behalf of London and Eastern region, Private Contractors, North Northamptonshire LG & Newcastle Hospitals. The current NEC opposed the motion (despite previously supporting it) for in my view, pretty bizzare…Read more…
UNISON National Delegate Conference 2023: Tuesday – Day one
This morning I went for a early morning run (aka slow jog) west of the Mersey then was in the Conference centre for the first day of National Delegate Conference, as one of the two London regional delegates with Yvonne Green.There was a bit of co…Read more…
UNISON National Delegate Conference 2023: Monday
I arrived yesterday to attend the National briefing for all Regional delegates by the General Secretary. Afterwards I went for a meal with fellow delegates, most of whom were fellow Labour Link activists. This morning I went for my early morning run in…Read more…
UNISON National Delegates Conference 2023: Regional Delegates Briefing
Today I went to Liverpool in advance of our UNISON National Delegate Conference (NDC) for a briefing as a regional delegate. Yvonne Green and I were elected at our AGM to be the Greater London regional delegates at conference, supporting our delegates …Read more…
Meet at West Ham Champions Statute
This morning I joined our Labour candidate, Sofia Patel and her team at the “Champions Statute. This was the starting point of the West Ham FC victory tour on Thursday following their celebration parade upon winning the Eurora Conference League cup.&nb…Read more…
FORCED RETURN TO THE OFFICE POLICIES PUT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AT RISK
Check out this report https://www.ioshmagazine.com/2023/06/01/forced-return-office-policies-put-recruitment-and-retention-risk-global-report-suggestsWarning organisations what could happen if they force people to work in offices rather than …Read more…
Re-elected to UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) 2023-25
This morning the biannual UNISON NEC election results were announced and I was pleased that both Denise Thomas and I were elected (after a one term 2 year gap) representing (Community Service Group) all Housing Association and Charity UNISON members.&n…Read more…
A Leader Called Keir
“A brilliant video from our President, Richard Leonard MSP” https://www.keirhardiesociety.org/Read more…
“A Leader Called Keir”
Clarion Housing Group – June Pensions and Pay update – strike ballots over breaking #pension promises and poverty pay
Hat tip https://www.facebook.com/clarionunisonDear Member,On Thursday last week Clarion confirmed that they intend to go ahead and close the Clarion legacy defined benefit pension schemes (not the Standard Life stakeholder fund most staff are mem…Read more…
Newham Voices June 2023: The Black Lion in “Something Brewing”
I enjoyed reading the latest version of the free community newspaper “Newham Voices” https://www.facebook.com/newhamvoices/ over the weekend. The historic Black Lion pub in Plaistow is one of my top 5 favourite pubs in Newham. It definitely …Read more…