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…
Clarion sends “fire & rehire” dismissal letters to long serving staff breaking their pension promises and futures.
Check Clarion UNISON Facebook page “The dismissal letters sent out by Social Mission Clarion also contain inaccurate and even untruthful information. If we do not consent to the loss of our pension we will be sacked without compensation. The…Read more…
Newham Voices Sept 23: “Newham in 50 Buildings”
Check out the latest news and views from our free local community newspaper, Newham Voices. I particularly enjoyed the review by Jean Gray ( no known relative!) on the Book “Newham in 50 Buildings” by Malcolm Batten. Which I must get and go on it…Read more…
30th anniversary as a Housing Officer and Trade Union Activist
On 6 September 1993 I started work as a housing officer in Bow for Tower Hamlets Council. I had worked as an agency temp in Columbia Road, Bethnal Green beforehand and also as a Housing Rights advisor in Edinburgh. I joined UNISON as a temp but h…Read more…
COLLECTIVE PENSIONS: IMPROVING INCOME AFTER WORK – TUC Fringe 23
Next tuesday 12 September 2023 at 12.45 – 2pm I will be a panel speaker at a TUC fringe at Congress in Liverpool sponsored by First Actuarial LLP. I am at TUC as a UNISON NEC delegate but will be speaking at this fringe as a trade union pens…Read more…
Are owners of shared ownership properties being forgotten?
This post is from my Newham Councillor colleague’s blog, James Beckles. While I am broadly in favour of shared ownership, it is simply disgraceful how badly many are treated with high service charges and fees, poor management and I think less than 3% “…Read more…