Sunday 31 May 2015

Unite Hotel Workers Branch

   
Martin Roger Francis
May 31 at 10:44am
 
Please Like this Facebook page getting low paid hotel workers organised https://www.facebook.com/hotelworkersunite
Hotel Workers Branch
Unite Hotel 





A  message of solidarity has been sent on behalf of GPTU

Saturday 30 May 2015

Romayne Phoenix, Green Party at National Gallery Strike Solidarity Demo

Published on 30 May 2015 Romayne Phoenix, Green Party at National Gallery Strike Solidarity Demo by Martin Francis

Friday 29 May 2015

The People's Assembly have called a Nationwide day of Action tomorrow - Saturday 30th May.

The People's Assembly have called a Nationwide day of Action tomorrow - Saturday 30th May.

In towns and cities up and down the Country. Local groups will host coordinated actions ranging from Protests, Rallies, Marches and Street meetings. This is co-ordinated action leading up to the 20 June 'End Austerity Now' national demonstration in London.

Throughout the country we will be highlighting the massive cuts to welfare, attacks on immigrants, the attempt to weaken unions, plans for more free schools and academies, plans to abolish the Human rights act and the destruction of social housing as we know it.

Action will take place in: London, Suffolk, Cambridge, Manchester, Norfolk, Bristol, Milton Keynes, Hull, Swindon, Coventry, Birmingham, Nottingham & Cardiff. More info here

Transport for 20th June Demo
Each Saturday from now until 20 June, we'll be organising stalls all across the country to spread the word and bring as many people as possible to the biggest demonstration of the year.
This weekend, we've got stalls organised all across London before we head down to the PCS Demo at the Trafalgar Square including: Angel, Wood Green, Holloway Road, Enfield, Hackney Central, Hammersmith, Kings Cross. (Not to mention, many more across the UK organised by local groups!) Come along and see here for more details.
No stall in your area? Give us a call on 020 8525 6988 and we'll help you to set one up! You can start now! Order flyers and stickers from our stall and take to the streets whenever you can.

p.s. It'll be a busy day tomorrow, with action happening all over the country and hosted by a range organisations including PCS, UK UncutNo Dash For GasBoycott Workfare and protests to save the Human Rights Act.

Urgent appeal
The 20 June demonstration is more important than ever. It needs to be massive. We urgently need to raise funds to make sure we can reach as many people as possible.

We have launched an urgent appeal to all our supporters to make a donation. The more money we raise, the more coaches we can put on, meetings we can organise, leaflets we can print, and more people we can put on the streets.
No amount is too big or too small! Click here to donate

The People's Assembly Against Austerity
http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/

solidarity with the Network Rail strike

Labour movement activists from a variety of unions and campaigns have launched the following statement in solidarity with the Network Rail strike. To add your name, email backtherailworkers@gmail.com
Details of the strikes can be found on the RMT website, here.

We support and pledge to build solidarity with the Network Rail workers’ national dispute over pay and conditions, and the RMT’s upcoming industrial action.
In the first large national dispute under the new government, we are committed to helping the workers to win. It is unjust and unacceptable for bosses on huge salaries and bonuses to hold down the pay and conditions of the people who maintain and operate our national railway system. As the economy grows, effective labour movement action can drive up the share that goes to the working class. Moreover, we believe that a secure workforce with decent pay and working conditions is essential to a safe and reliable railway service.
We will not let the Tories target and defeat our brothers and sisters at Network Rail. We oppose Network Rail’s attempts to use the courts to undermine ballots. We oppose the threat of new anti-union laws, and will campaign against them, including by calling for a trade-union-led national demonstration.
Initial signatories (all in a personal capacity, positions/organisations given for information only):
Daniel Randall, RMT London Transport Region Young Members’ Officer
Holly Smith, ex-rep, GMB City Clean (Brighton Council)
Peter Dwyer, Treasurer, Ruskin College UCU
Ed Whitby, Convenor, Newcastle City Unison
Gordon Moloney, President, National Union of Students Scotland
Daniel Cooper, Executive Member, National Union of Students
Edd Mustill, Branch Officer, Unite NW/0152M
Craig Gent, Committee Member, Warwick University UCU
Josh Chown, Chair, Surrey Labour Students
Rida Vaquas, Under-19s Officer, Young Labour
Mark Bergfeld, activist-writer and PhD Researcher, Queen Mary University of London
Omar Raii, External Affairs & Campaigns Officer, University College London Union
Liam McNulty, Youth Officer, Hornsey and Wood Green Constituency Labour Party
James McAsh, Executive Committee, London Young Labour
Ing. Martin Mair, Chairman, Aktive Arbeitslose Österreich (“Active Unemployed Austria”)
Natalie Smith, RMT Bakerloo Line branch
Vincent Thurgood
Alasdair Clark

Mike Williamson
Jack Cornforth
Clare Copeland
Tristan Grove
Ygraine Emrys
Andy Warren
Chris Hyde
Kevin Carson

Thursday 28 May 2015

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Natalie Bennett speaking at the elizabeth windsor speech demo, London 27 may 2015

Natalie Bennett speaking at the elizabeth windsor speech demo, London 27 may 2015

Unionlearn annual conference July 2015

You are invited to attend:

 

Unionlearn annual conference July 2015

Monday, July 6, 2015 from 10:00am - 3.00pm
Congress House, London
"Changing lives through learning"
Unionlearn is the learning and skills organisation of the TUC. Unionlearn works to assist unions in the delivery of learning opportunities for their members as well as managing the £14 million Union Learning Fund (ULF). Over the past 13 years, more than 30,000 union learning representatives (ULRs) have been trained and 220,000 people are being given training and learning opportunities through their union every year. Unionlearn is also responsible for providing education and training opportunities for workplace reps and professionals via TUC Education. Each year more than 50,000 trade union reps enrol in trade union education courses organised by the TUC.

It is a great pleasure to extend an invitation to you to attend unionlearn's eighth annual conference on Monday 6th July 2015. The event will be held at Congress House in London and is entitled "The union skills advantage". A broad agenda will focus on skills development through learning of individuals and communities, meeting the needs of a modern workforce, and the vital role of skills in a sustainable economic recovery and that learning matters.
The conference is of course a chance to celebrate our work over the past year as well as looking forward to the year ahead and we will be celebrating achievements with the unionlearn Quality Awards.
Speakers confirmed so far include Frances O'Grady, TUC General Secretary.
The draft outline programme for the event is:
  • 09:00 - Registration and exhibitions
  • 10:00 - Conference starts; plenary
  • 12:30 - Lunch and networking
  • 13:30 - Workshops
Please sign up as soon as possible, as there is always a high demand to attend the conference. We have limited space and want to try to ensure everyone can be accommodated.
TUC
Congress House
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3LS

Queen's Speech Anti Tory Demo - London

Photos - Queen's Speech Anti Tory Demo - London acknowledgements to Mike Shaughnessy http://londongreenleft.blogspot.co.uk/


Around 3,000 people demonstrated outside Parliament today, against the Tory austerity policies as outlined in the Queen's speech to the opening of the new Parliament today. The demo was organised by the People's Assembly.


Pete Murry, Will Holyday and Martin Francis of Green Left




Romayne Phoenix of Green Left




Scuffles with police break out on Whitehall






More scuffles in Parliament Square



Mark Serwotka of the PCS union



Kate Hudson of CND and Left Unity


Lynsey German of Stop the War


Natalie Bennett of the Green Party


John Rees of Counterfire

March for climate jobs in Basque Country, France

March for climate jobs in Basque Country, France

bayonne rowing
On Mayday there was a march for climate jobs in Bayonne, in the Basque country in France.
Here is the booklet of the campaign BIZI explaining the need for the 10,000 jobs: -10-000-emplois-climatiques-en-Pays-Basque-nord
bayonne 40 years of unemployment



bayonne protest

Tuesday 26 May 2015

join Cardiff Trades Council and anticuts campaigners at Cardiff Central on 27th May and be a part of the fightback!











The Queen's speech on Wednesday looks set to include details of the beginning of the most vicious attacks on trade union rights we have seen in the UK for decades.

The Tories intend to tighten the noose tied by Thatcher almost three decades ago when that government introduced some of the most restrictive anti-trade union laws in Europe. We are not going to let them.

The RMT trade union has struck the first blow against the newly installed Tory cabinet by embarrassing them with a ballot for industrial action that had a result which far outstripped both the intended new threshold and the majority which the government was elected by, and so we intend to protest in the symbolic location of the railway station on the day of the Queen's speech.

Meanwhile there will be thousands of young people protesting across the UK against the austerity cuts in demonstrations called by Youth Fight For Jobs on the same day, let's show the government a nationwide demonstration of the collective power of the working class!

If you cannot make the huge London demo next month, join Cardiff Trades Council and anticuts campaigners at Cardiff Central on 27th May and be a part of the fightback!

National Gallery action

Famous names back National Gallery action

26 May 2015
Strike action and a 30 May rally by PCS members at the National Gallery against privatisation and victimisation have been backed by dozens of leading trade unionists, activists and famous names from the arts.
NG M30 web story banner










Figures including PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka, MP John McDonnell, comedian Russell Brand, director Ken Loach, Billy Elliott scriptwriter Lee Hall and author Owen Jones signed a letter published by the Guardian on Saturdayprotesting at the National Gallery's sacking of PCS rep Candy Udwin.

Monday 25 May 2015

This year the TUC will be running a free coach to the Tolpuddle Festival

This year the TUC will be running a free coach to the Tolpuddle Festival on the Sunday, and this is an early opportunity for staff and family/ friends to book their seat on the coach – very limited spaces!
Anyone who has been on the trip, will know what a lovely day it is, the weather is normally fantastic and the speakers and  music are always excellent..not to mention the atmosphere. Billy Bragg will be headlining this year!

Depart Congress House: Sunday 19 July at 8.30am
Arrive Tolpuddle: Approx 11am/ 11.30am
Depart Tolpuddle: 6.30pm
Arrive Congress House approx: 9pm
Traffic permitting of course..


If anyone is interested in coming along, please contact
Paul Rey-Burns
PRey-Burns@tuc.org.uk 
020 7467 1294
cid:35c422f631399557870fc697e74adf31@intranet

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Sunday 24 May 2015

SE Region TUC update may 2015: Action building up in the Region

SERTUC Creative & Leisure Industries Committee

Solidarity meeting with the National Gallery Monday 1 June 6.30pm in Congress House with Mark Serwotka and more, info herehttps://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

SERTUC Women’s Delegation to Brussels

Report here of the March visit to the European Parliament and the ETUC https://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-publications-general/

Levellers Day

The Reverend Mark Chapman’s commemorative address is available here https://levellersday.wordpress.com/what-happened-2015/

Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Committee

Annual lecture at Wortley Hall (SERTUC is a founding sponsor) Friday 14 August https://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

SERTUC training for sub-group activists

Effective Participation in Meetings training day Saturday 30 May 10.30am to 2.30pm, Congress House - details here: https://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

SERTUC TU Education

Gender, Globalisation and Poverty Reduction course for union reps at South Thames College Wednesday 22 to Friday 24 July (3 days) Contact angie.birtill@south-thames.ac.uk for more information

SERTUC unionlearn

Contact Adrian Ryan, Senior Union Support Officer Aryan@tuc.org.uk, for all unionlearn-related matters; contact Oreleo Du Cran, Apprenticeship Union Support Officer oducran@tuc.org.uk for all apprenticeship-related matters

Red Ladder theatre special offer

Discounted rate of £10 (instead of £25) for double bill Hurling Rubble at the Sun and Hurling Rubble at the Moon Finsbury Park London, promo code SERTUC10 see https://www.parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/hurling-rubble-at-the-sun and https://www.parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/hurling-rubble-at-the-moon


Disputes/union actions

PCS National Gallery

23 strike days already, Rep Candy Udwin sacked join the demonstration on Saturday 30 May 1pm Trafalgar Squarehttp://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/join-major-rally-supporting-national-gallery-strikers with Mark Serwotka PCS, Ken Loach film maker, Bob & Roberta Smith artist, Megan Dobney SERTUC, Kate Smurthwaite comedian. Financial support urgently needed https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=_F-jClBjwTV7gPHa_eW2nmnIRNIuAvwSElcWvBDA-H_nB0rawGVaq-kBTpG&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d99e4111b56ef0eae45e68b8988f5b2dd

BECTU at The Globe

Next Strike day Monday 1 June 8.30am the The Globe Theatre on the Southbank. Last strike day report here https://www.tuc.org.uk/union-issues/world-class-tour-guides-%E2%80%98-globe-theatre%E2%80%99-strike-against-second-rate-pay and more info herehttps://www.bectu.org.uk/news/2395

Unite in Bromley

People and Services First march in Bromley Saturday 13 June assemble 12 noon http://uniteforpublicservices.org/bromley.php

PCS in Gosport

Pay dispute in the Computer Science Corporation (an outsourced part of the MoD) – further strikes planned for the summer and support urgently needed http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/csc-members-strike-over-insulting-pay-offercontact beatled@pcs.org.uk


Trades Council actions

Croydon Assembly

Croydon Assembly (an initiative of the trades council) meeting Saturday 6 June 10.30am with Ted Knight, Mark Serwotka PCS, Philipa Harvey NUT, Matt Wrack FBU, John McDonnell MP, Adam Khalif PCS http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/croydon-assembly-tickets-16246984167or croydonassembly@gmail.com

Barking, Dagenham & Havering

With the NUT is putting on a coach to the Tolpuddle festival Sunday 19 July departs 7.45am contact s.aitouaziz@hotmail.co.uk

Hastings

Supporting Hastings Palestine Solidarity with The Freedom Theatre of Jenin with The Siege Thursday 28 May Seehttp://www.musicglue.com/stmaryinthecastle/events/28-may-15-the-siege-st-mary-in-the-castle/ or contact Ian Stewartianhastingues@hotmail.com

Hillingdon

The trades council is being re-built! Please share with your Hillingdon members... next meeting on Tuesday 26 May at 7.15pm in Uxbridge, contact acting secretary wallykennedy@hotmail.co.uk

Burston Strike School Rally
Sunday 6 September With Christine Blower (NUT), Matt Wrack (FBU), The Hurriers, Mike Jackson (Lesbian & Gays Support the Miners) See https://burstonstrikeschool.wordpress.com/2015-rally/


Other things...

Marx Memorial Library summer classes

“Capitalist crises and the power of labour”, tutor Tony Briscoe 21 May, 28 May, 4 June, 11 June more here http://www.marx-memorial-library.org/

The Liberty Tree

At the Cockpit Theatre London Wednesday 24 to Saturday 27 June details here http://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/the_liberty_tree

Mesothelioma Action Day/London Hazards Centre

Friday 3 July in central London, contact mail@lhc.org.uk


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