All the union news that's fit to blog...
Yesterday it was good to meet up “virtually” with Sadiq and 7 London Labour Assembly candidates for a UNISON Labour Link sponsored virtual phone bank.
In the briefing by Sadiq to us beforehand, it just reinforced to me, exactly why we need…Read more…
This morning I attended Newham Council’s virtual event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. There was a very moving testimony by Holocaust survivors, Ann and Bob Kirk BEM. They described their separate childhood experiences of the pre war Nazi terror on Jew…Read more…
What better way is there to finish a long lockdown day than signing off with a knee thumping Sea Shanty! Read more…
Last Wednesday I attended the launch and first evidence session of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Local Government Pension Funds and its inquiry into ‘Responsible Investment for a Just Transition’. The meeting was chaired by Clive Be…Read more…
(Nominations period opens 1 February 2021)
NEC Elections 2021: Community General Seat & Female Seat Nomination Request John Gray &…Read more…
Off message but this morning I was deciding on where Gill and I would go for our weekend Covid exercise/walk and I did consider walking up via Epping Forest trail to Walthamstow and then back via the River Lea and Stratford. It was too long…Read more…
Hat tip to ShareAction on how to improve the Annual General Meetings of public companies. I have been to a number of dreadful AGMs in the past (a very few good ones) and fully support all their recommendations, especially inviting the workers of …Read more…
I have finally got around to submitting a claim to the Inland revenue for tax relief for working from home. It took about 5 minutes (but I did have an existing Government Gateway account)
There is a valid argument that the employer should …Read more…
Heads up! Pass the word
“The There for You Winter Fuel Grant programme for 2021 opens on Monday 25 January. For this year only, grants of up to £200 will be available to help UNISON members with fuel bills this winter.
Members whose income is less th…Read more…
Hat tip Newham health champions.
Read more…
There was a positive and also constructive meeting tonight on how to support the committee governance model and get rid of the Executive Mayor system in the forthcoming Newham Council democracy referendum in May. Check out and support “Newham for…Read more…
Stephen Morgan MP
“Those from the Commonwealth, who serve in our Armed Forces, risk their lives to keep us safe but face huge fees when applying for their citizenship. Labour is rightly calling for these fees to be scrapped.
John Healey MP an…Read more…
Today I attended the TUC London, East & South East (LESE) Regional Council meeting as a UNISON delegate. LESE is the largest of the TUC’s six English regions and covers three of the former government regions: London, the South East, an…Read more…
Happy birthday to my Tower Hamlets UNISON Housing and Labour Party comrade (and old friend) Montrose Matty on his 60th birthday.
We have just finished a virtual beer and curry with various mates and his family and look forward to meeting up in th…Read more…
Yesterday was the 128 anniversary of the birth of the Independent Labour Party (forerunner of the Labour Party). Hat tip Ali G & the Keir Hardie Society.
By coincidence I was sent the above picture of the ILP membership card issued to Keir Hardie…Read more…
I have been asked to attend this event next Tuesday. I have clash but will see if I can attend. When I was the assistant branch secretary for Tower Hamlets UNISON, I was the lead negotiator on the introduction of Idea Stores.
Tory Austerit…Read more…
Responsible, retail and institutional investors see the plans as“regressive” The UK listings review proposed by the Treasury, including the introduction of dual class shares with different voting rights for shares listed with the London Stock E…Read more…
Absolutely fantastic news! Congratulations to the first ever female General Secretory of any of the biggest 5 UK trade unions. Commiserations to the 3 other candidates (and especially to Roger McKenzie who ran a good, clean campaign). What we need to d…Read more…
This afternoon I spoke at the virtual launch of the campaign to elect the Labour and Cooperative Party candidate, Lola Oyewusi, as the next Kent Police and Crime Commissioner in May 2021.
I have known Lola for many years and she is the assistant …Read more…
Dear John On the morning of Saturday 23rd January, the Co-operative Party is hosting a virtual regional conference with Party memb…Read more…