Labour Party conference formally started at 11am on the Sunday but since I was not a delegate, I was able to go for a run in the morning around Sefton Park (which is near my hotel room). I once again left it too late to book accommodation nearer …Read more…
Newham Annual Rough Sleeping Count November 23
On Tuesday evening I took part with fellow councillors, outreach workers, council officers and other volunteers in the annual count of people sleeping “rough” in Newham. Across the country similar counts are taking place. Newham also does extra c…Read more…
Is it about time we broke up these “mega monopolies” housing associations?
L&Q is headquartered in Newham and is also one of the largest UNISON “shops” in my branch. So I have had a fair amount of contact (and sometimes conflict) with L&Q over the years. Check out this “Inside Housing” Report on Friday. I w…Read more…
UNISON Community Seminar/Conference 2023 – Day 1
UNISON holds an annual Seminar and Conference for members who work in our Community Service Group (Housing Associations and voluntary sector). This year it was held in Bournemouth. Unexpectedly I stepped in to chair a workshop on pensions d…Read more…
Social housing bosses need formal qualifications? Yes but….
Today the Government has announced that it will change the law to make it compulsory for Social Housing Managers to hold formal qualifications in a similar way to social workers and teachers. The reasons given were “both Grenfell and the death of Awaab…Read more…
UNISON Community Seminar 2022 (& the “imposter” dismissed for bullying & harassing women) Day 1
Friday was day 1 of the UNISON Community Service Group (Housing associations and voluntary sector members) annual Seminar and conference in Glasgow.
It was so good to have a physical in person conference and meet other delegates who I have…Read more…
“Royal Mail CDC pensions ‘could outperform DB as well as DC”
Recently I completed a research project into Pension Provision for Housing Association staff. In the project I mentioned the pros and cons on the new CDC (Collective Defined Contribution) schemes that have very recently been allowed to operate i…Read more…
UNISON NEC Election 2021: Your Community team standing for re-election
Both Denise and I have been nominated and accepted by the returning officer to stand again in the UNISON National Council Elections (NEC).
The UNISON NEC is hugely important in our union and acts as the decision making “Parliament” of UNIS…Read more…
Vote John Gray UNISON NEC Community
Yesterday I received notification that I have been accepted as an “eligible candidate” for the UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) elections 2021-2023. I will be thanking all the branches that have nominated me.
I am standing for re-election …Read more…
Standing for UNISON NEC Community Seats
Really pleased to announce that Denise and I are standing again to be re-elected to be UNISON National Executive Council members (UNISON’s Parliament for our 1.3 million members outside our annual conference) for the two Community Service Group s…Read more…
GRENFELL 3 YEARS ON
By Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz
“Still no justice for the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in North Kensington, which could have been avoided if residents where treated with the respect and dignity they deserved.We read the news reports over the wee…Read more…
How to be a good lockdown neighbour
With everyone spending more time in their homes because of lockdown, the work of staff at housing associations is even more important in helping make sure everyone carries on being a good…Read more…
UNISON calls for safe, decent and affordable homes for all
Union demands a housing policy that works for working people as it publishes a manifesto for a new decade
The article UNISON calls for safe, decent and affordable homes for all first appeared on the…Read more…
Why voluntary right to buy for Housing Associations is nuts
So scare government grant is being used to effectively give an existing social tenant a home which will then be lost for ever from social housing instead of being used to help build another social home? This is nuts in a housing crisis.
Hat tip Red Br…Read more…
Tories build fewest homes since Second World War
This article in today’s Daily Telegraph shows that the Tories since 2010 will have built the fewest homes since the war.
“new-build housing completions in England between 2010 and 2019 are set to be approximately 130,000 per year. That is w…Read more…
UNISON – the union for Housing association workers
New recruitment leaflet from UNISON. A key message is that more employers sit down with UNISON to negotiate terms and conditions that any other union in the sector and that we represent workers interests around the table.
I was an trade union activist…Read more…
Being Scrutinised at Scrunty
Recently as Cabinet member for Housing Services I was called to answer questions by the Newham Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
This is a statutory committee of Newham Councillors whose role is to hold the Councils Executive members to account and mak…Read more…
Letting the government off the hook over removal of housing subsidy
Hat tip Redbrick (shame because Dispatches have a good track record)
“With reporter Antony Barnett driving between sites in a flash open top and very sporty white car, trying to link a number of disconnected stories under the disingenuous title of ‘Ge…Read more…
St Helens and Warrington housing members win 3.1% pay rise
Pay increase at north-west England housing group follows rejection of 2% offer and a ballot for industrial action
The article St Helens and Warrington housing members win 3.1% pay rise first…Read more…
Time to stop the violence plaguing workers in the community sector
MPs join UNISON members and employers at parliamentary launch of union’s Violence at Work charter
The article Time to stop the violence plaguing workers in the community sector first appeared on the…Read more…