All the union news that's fit to blog...
This is great news for Council staff facing job cuts due to Covid and a victory for UNISON (and common sense)
Flawed regulations threatened to blight the retirement of staffResponding to the government announcement today (Friday) that it is revo…Read more…
West Ham MP Lyn Brown “tells it as it is” on the completely inadequate government response to this scandal.
My view is that it is not just dangerous cladding but the Grenfell investigations have found widespread shoddy and unsafe building defects…Read more…
Even before reading this shocking article in “Responsible Investor” I had asked Newham Council Pension officers to assess what exposure the fund has to investments in residential and home care companies.
“Investors have been doing the groundwork on ESG…Read more…
We are standing to• Represent every one of the 130,000 UNISON members across London• Amplify the voices of our members from every service group and sector – community, utilities, higher education, health and local government• Ensure UNISON is a …Read more…
I was asked to put the case for rent controls in the latest edition of the Labour Housing Group newsletter here. See below and also in the link the case AGAINST rent controls as well.
“Here are two articles about rent controls. John Gray, forme…Read more…
Recently the Labour Leader, Keir Starmer has faced some criticism following a leaked report recommending that the Party focuses on “flag and patriotism” to win back voters.
The former chair of the Fabians, Paul Richards has written a topical article …Read more…
If you ever wondered about the history of trade unions then I recommend this 5 minute 46 second introduction on YouTube.
Part of my TUC Employment law course work.
Update: Check out a very good analysis of the more recent history and possib…Read more…
Of course in the past 10 months since lockdown no Newham Council or Labour Party meeting has been anything like this 🙂
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-55946252
This evening I went to West Ham (as Cllr) and Forest Gate North (as member) branch Labour Party meetings and both voted unanimously for this motion (one abstention)
“This Branch notes that: The Newham Governance Referendum on 6thMay 2…Read more…
Hat tip “live” photo of activists enjoying themselves in a previous UNISON Community (members who work for Housing Associations and the voluntary sector) conference. Hopefully next year but in the meanwhile…
“Community Live will be held between 16-20…Read more…
It is fascinating to see that a new taskforce commissioned by HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and involving the City of London Corporation, has been established to boost socio-economic diversity…Read more…
“There was a settlement here in the Saxon times and it used to have one of the largest Cistercian abbeys in England.
There is a wide mix of social housing, privately rented and home owners. Two of the best parks in East London, the Greenway path…Read more…
Following last weekends enjoyable walk to Valentines Park in Ilford, Gill and I decided to go in another direction to Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets.
We started off at the Memorial Recreation Park, E15 (the original home of West Ham FC?) t…Read more…
On Friday I started a 36 week “virtual” part time Level 2 course on Employment law arranged by the TUC and taught by tutors from CONEL college.
It is mostly “self directed” study with monthly “face to face” group meetings and some 121 tut…Read more…
Check out release by “Newham voting for Change” that the Courts have confirmed today that there will be choice in the referendum in May between the current all powerful Newham Council Executive Mayor and the more open and democratic Committee mod…Read more…
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…