Equality training opportunity- Autism in the Workplace

Free! A one day briefing on  Autism in the Workplace  for reps, officers, and members of all trade unions sponsored by Simpson Millar Trade Union Solicitors, which will address;

           

• What is autism? Realities and myths 
• Autism issues at work
• Making the workplace more autism – friendly
• Workers with autism, carers and the law

 

Thursday 9th January 2014   -   9.30a.m – 4.30p.m, at WEA Trade Union Learning Centre,  96 – 100 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4TP  (short walk from Old Street/Moorgate/Liverpool Street/  Shoreditch stations and on lots of bus routes)     Sandwich lunch provided.

 

This one day briefing is for all union reps, officers and members who want to find out more about the Autistic Spectrum (including Asperger Syndrome) and become more confident in dealing with related issues in the workplace. The day will consist of a mixture of presentations and activities, speakers to include John McDonnell MP on autism, politics and the labour movement, and

Simpson Millar on the legal aspects.

 

Please note   -   this briefing is not aimed at people whose work is with clients with autism, but for trade unionists who are organising and representing members in the workplace.

 

To apply please contact  mgort@wea.org.uk  or for further information please contact Monica on email or 0207 426 1976 Autism in the Workplace.

 

Eastbourne Trades Council wins TUC media Award

It was a proud week for Eastbourne Trades Council, as we won the Media/Campaigns award at the SERTUC regional trades councils conference.

The award recognises the work we do as a trades council, with our Workplace Newsletter which goes into nearly 150 unionised workplaces in the town, alongside additional material such as our Save the DGH leaflet, our Twitter and Facebook feeds,and, of course, this website.

You can read the latest newsletter as a jpeg file online here, and all recent back issues under the Trades Council Documents section on the left hand side of this page.

The Trades Council received a £100 prize from TUC Trades Councils organiser Tom Mellish at the Conference on Saturday.

No to closure of Dementia Wards !: Please sign

UNISON has reacted strongly to proposals advocating the closure of two highly valued local dementia wards in Uckfield and St Leonards-on-Sea.

The three Clinical Commissioning Groups covering East Sussex are currently consulting on the provision of NHS beds provided by Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust for the admission and assessment of people with dementia. Three out of their four proposals include either a bed reduction or a closure of at least one of the wards, causing grave concern to people using and providing the current service.

UNISON Sussex Partnership Branch Communications Officer Nick McMaster said :

“Closure of either Beechwood Ward in Uckfield or St Gabriels Ward in St Leonards-on-Sea is likely to mean frail patients and relatives having to travel significantly further to receive specialist inpatient care. Community dementia services are already heavily over-stretched and are unlikely to be able to provide the same level of support to patients with high care needs. Given the projected increase in dementia due to an increasingly ageing population, we are concerned that a vital public service is going to be dismantled in the chase for financial savings disguised as new models of care”

In an ideal world we would all like our loved ones to be treated at home, but what happens when people are just too poorly? With bed occupancy rates sometimes over 100% and nearly all of them being filled by East Sussex residents, proposals to close units are deeply worrying.”

UNISON members who work in the two units are planning to take their concerns to the streets in order to speak directly to the public. Nick says “The CCGs have supposedly been in ‘public consultation’ about this since August, although they are only allowing comments online or in writing. We are not afraid to go to the public and intend to engage them in real conversation”.

 

The "consultation" closed on 25th October, but you can still sign the petition on 38 Degrees website by clicking here-  we know how important it is to keep the pressure up on NHS managers !

Probation Services: For Public Protection not Private Profit !

At 12 noon on 5th November members of the National Association of Probation Officers  will  commence strike action for 24 hours,  returning to work at 12 noon on 6th November. This action coincides with the ‘People’s Assembly’ planned day of demonstrations.

They are holding a Rally in Brighton.  This will start at 2:30 at Brighton Railway Station and will then make its way to Brighton Pavilions via Probation Headquarters. (Trafalgar Street) Please do your best to come along and join the Napo Rally-  all trade unionists and supporters are very welcome. The following day, Wednesday 6th the strike continues up until 12:00, and NAPO are picketing as many offices as they can on that day.

You can find out more about NAPO's campaign against privatisation by visiting their website here.

Campaign for a Living Wage: TC Meeting 19th November

The Living Wage campaign will be the focus of the Trades Council meeting on TUESDAY 19th NOVEMBER at 7.30pm at the Unite Eastbourne Centre.

Rhys McCarthy, a Unite national officer will be our guest speaker at the meeting. Rhys was instrumental in organising workers in one of the earliest Living Wage campaigns amongst low paid workers in London's Canary Wharf, and recently organised the high profile campaign for a Living Wage for all Sainsbury's staff.

The Living Wage Campaign has enjoyed some notable successes- but many employers in Eastbourne still pay below the £7.45 that the campaign believes is the minimum for a working person to live.

The Share Action campaign (which seeks to get shareholders mobilised in pushing for a Living Wage) reports:
"In-work poverty is a growing problem in the UK and low pay is closely associated with social disadvantages including poor health, substandard housing and personal debt. Excluding young workers, amongst whom low pay is even more prevalent, 3.5 million working adults aged over 22 were earning less than £7 in 2010. Living Wage employers report a range of benefits including raised staff morale, workforce productivity and enhanced corporate reputation."

All local trade unionists are encouraged to come along- learn more about the campaign and see how you can get involved !

Solidarity with our Firefighters

Fire Brigades Union members in Eastbourne took strike action on  Friday 1 November and will do so again on Monday 4 November, as part of a  national dispute over jobs and
pensions.  

Earlier  the FBU postponed a five hour strike after the Westminster government and fire employers shifted their position and finally recognised that firefighters faced losing their jobs and a large chunk of their pensions under new changes imposed in April.

Government and employers had offered various routes to tackle the problem of firefighters not fit enough to work beyond the current retirement age of 55, but then  informed the FBU they could provide none of the guarantees necessary to address this crucial aspect of the dispute.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary said: “The FBU has been very reasonable, but we are now faced with broken promises and those in power evading their responsibilities. The Westminster government has created this mess, but it is refusing to clear it up.  It now recognises the problem, but it won’t provide the legal and financial guarantees firefighters need to ensure they have a job and an unreduced pension in the future. 

“Firefighters face the sack towards the end of their career and the loss of their pension. That can’t be right. The employers promised to tackle the issue of firefighters facing the sack for failing fitness tests last week, only to say they can’t offer any guarantees this week. That is simply not the way to run a public service."

You can read more information on the FBU dispute, including an excellent Myth Buster highlighting the truth and lies around the pensions issue, by visiting the FBU Website here.

NUT and NASUWT to strike tomorrow

Members of the NUT and the NASUWT teacher unions, who together represent 9 out of 10 teachers, are both in dispute with the Government. The failure of the Government to enter into meaningful talks aimed at reaching agreement is now leading to strike action.

These disputes cover:

• Excessive workload and bureaucracy;
• Cuts and other changes to teachers’ pay;
• Adverse changes to their pensions;
• Job cuts.

Teachers are deeply concerned about the impact these imposed changes are having on the morale of the teaching profession, the recruitment and retention of teachers and on the provision of quality education for pupils. The NUT and the NASUWT are asking the Government to enter into genuine talks to resolve this dispute.

Members of the NUT and the NASUWT teacher unions have been engaged in jointly co-ordinated industrial action short of strike. This action by our members has been designed to enable teachers to focus on the job of teaching and to prevent a crisis in the teaching profession which could have devastating consequences for our schools.

However, the Secretary of State for Education is continuing to make changes to teachers’ pay, pensions and conditions of service that are not supported by teachers and are making it much harder for schools to recruit and retain good teachers. The Secretary of State for Education is refusing to engage in genuine talks with the NUT and the NASUWT about teachers’ concerns, despite numerous requests by both unions.

Teachers deeply regret the disruption caused by strike action. However, the Government’s refusal to engage to resolve the dispute means that they have no alternative other than to demonstrate to the Government the seriousness of their concerns.

Most Eastbourne schools will be shut tomorrow, as staff take this unfortunate but necessary action in defence of our profession.

A Tribute to David Mottley

Dave Mottley- long standing Chair of Lewes Trades Council, and NASUWT local secretary lost his battle with a brain tumour earlier this month. Dave was an inspiring socialist and trade unionist, and his long-standing friend and comrade, Bill Ball pays this tribute:

Dave (seated) surrounded by his family.

Rarely but occasionally we are privileged to encounter someone who transforms our life through inspiration and makes us look differently at the world.

David Motley, who has died, was such an individual.

An NASUWT rep,he was a teacher par excellence, spending many years of his career teaching KS2 at Newick Primary School. In the course of a 37 year teaching career he enriched the lives of countless youngsters with his compassion & enthusiasm. 

But it was as a union activist that I came to know him.  He became a delegate to the old Ouse Valley Trades Council, now Lewes Trades Council, some 26 years ago. The movement was still reeling from the defeat in the miners` strike and the crushing of the print unions at Wapping. Our Praetorian Guard had been wiped out in the space of two years.   Thatcher was waging relentless class war against the left and organized labour. Trades Councils were going to the wall right across the county: Bexhill, Rye, Haywards Heath, Uckfield. It was an uphill battle just to get a quorate meeting each month. It was also an achievement.

It was not an auspicious moment to get involved in the local Trades Council movement. But Dave Motley took to it with his characteristic unflappability. The fight for survival for Ouse Valley TC was not going to be easy, but  Dave`s arrival meant that our extinction was put on hold.

Under Dave`s chairmanship the Trades Council fought back. We became ever more audacious, organizing events that should have been way beyond our punching power.

When John McDonnell made his pitch for the Labour leadership, the Trades Council organized a public meeting at Lewes Town Hall to support him. John shared the platform with Tony Benn. 500 people packed into the hall. Standing room only. Dave, the consumate teacher was taking the biggest class of his life. But he chaired the meeting with his normal relaxed and gentle humour.

In 2008, under Dave`s leadership, we became the first Trades Council in England to mount a four event festival of socialism & trades unionism. Jack Jones in his last public appearance opened an event celebrating the fight against fascism in Spain.

Our second festival was held in Lewes in 2011.  But by then Dave was ill. A cancerous brain tumour, that had haunted him like Mephistopheles throughout his working life, kept in the shadows by medication, had flared its defiance and begun to grow again.

He was taken into the Royal Marsden & the monster was zapped with massive doses of radiation over a two month period. It seemed to have worked. He emerged with a new lease of life & an energy that seemed boundless.

A third Lewes Festival of Socialism & Trades Unionism was planned.  Dave ploughed ahead with the zeal of someone who felt that his time maybe short and should not be wasted. In retrospect I suspect that he knew that he would not live to see the fruits of his labours.

And the cancer was not to be denied. When it awoke from its irradiated sleep, its ravaging revenge was swift and complete. I last saw Dave in the hospice in North Chailey. With difficulty he tried with little power of speech to tell me what needed to be done for the festival.

The doctors had given him four weeks to live. He took four months. The union rep had brokered his last deal. Sleep well old pal. You touched many lives for the better. We`ll never forget you.

Support our Firefighters- NO to mass dismissals !

Firefighters will strike over pensions on Wednesday, the Fire Brigades Union has announced. Almost 80% voted in favour of industrial action in a ballot that ended earlier this month, although union officials have left the strike to the last possible moment to allow for the possibility of a negotiated settlement.

Eastbourne Trades Council stands fully behind our colleagues at fire stations across East Sussex tomorrow. The information below from the FBU makes clear why !

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, said: “This initial strike is a warning shot to government. Firefighters could not be more serious about protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions. Governments in Westminster and Cardiff have simply refused to see sense on these issues.
 
“It is ludicrous to expect firefighters to fight fires and rescue families in their late-50s: the lives of the general public and firefighters themselves will be endangered. None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety.”

The strike will take place for four hours, between noon and 4pm.

The government’s own figures have shown that thousands of firefighters could face the sack without access to a proper pension simply because they are getting older. A recent government review found that over half of current firefighters between the ages of 50 and 54 are no longer able to meet fire and rescue service fitness standards for fighting fires. Beyond the age of 55, two thirds fail to meet the standards.

And although the government has previously claimed that older firefighters could be moved to less physically demanding roles, FBU research found only a handful of ‘redeployment’ opportunities in fire and rescue services, meaning mass sackings would be inevitable.

Firefighters already pay some of the highest pension contributions in the UK public or private sector and have seen increases for two consecutive years. The majority of firefighters already pay almost 13% of their salary in contributions with further increases due next year. This will mean some firefighters now face an increase six years in a row.

Firefighters also argue that the government’s financial projections are flawed. They are based on a prediction of a 1% decline in pension sign-up, but their own information suggests that over 25% of whole-time firefighters recruited last year chose not to join. The FBU has warned these figures clearly demonstrate that changes to the scheme are already having an impact and, if the trend continues, that the financial viability of the scheme will be seriously undermined.

Lobby Labour Conference against HMRC Enquiry Centre closures

We need on Wednesday September 25th PCS members and as many people as possible to pop down to support PCS members outside the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Conference Centre from 12.30 pm .

PCS members in HMRC have called a week of action against plans to close 281 Enquiry Centres across the UK 23 – 27 September.  If closed, these vital offices will deny pensioners, vulnerable workers and tax credit claimants a vital face to face service.

We are asking members and anti cuts supporters, Trades Council supporters etc to go down  and support the day of action on Wednesday 25th September outside the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Conference Centre from 12.30 pm .  Please could you also encourage everyone to sign the e- gov petition here.

View the PCS leaflet on the campaign here

For further information please contact Sharon Leslie at PCS HQ

Report from Annual Congress 2013

Eastbourne Trades Council secretary, Dave Brinson, was at the TUC Congress last week, as part of the NUT's delegation.  This report is taken from his blog www.DaveBrinsonNUT.blogspot.com

I was proud to represent the NUT on our delegation to the TUC Annual Conference in Bournemouth last week. This sees the representatives of the 54 affiliated unions come together to debate policy and campaigns for the Trade Union movement in the coming year.

Lesley Mercer of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists was the President for the year, and welcomed delegates to her Conference, with the theme “Jobs, Growth and Fair Pay”

Frances O'Grady, the new General Secretary, and the first woman to occupy that position, gave a barnstorming speech, where she set out the pledges that she wants our supporters to make for the forthcoming general election:

"I'm going to tell you what should go on a pledge card. And, today, I challenge politicians from all parties to say where they stand on it.

First, decent jobs. It's time to restore that goal of full employment, and give a cast iron jobs guarantee for the young. Full employment is the best way to boost the economy, drive up living standards and generate the tax that we need to pay down the deficit. And let's be clear, the reason why low-paid jobs are growing is because people have no choice but to take them. That is wrong. Employers should compete for staff. Not the other way around. Now, George Osborne will say - but how are you going to pay for it? Well, of course the best way to pay for it is by getting economic growth. That's why we need to invest in an intelligent industrial strategy for the future. But if the Chancellor wants to talk numbers here's a big one. According to the Rich List, since the crash, the 1,000 richest people in Britain increased their wealth by no less than £190bn. That's nearly double the entire budget for the NHS. So when they ask how we'll pay for it, let's tell them. Fair taxes - that's how.

One of the best ways to create jobs and apprenticeships would be to build new houses. And that's pledge number two. One million new council and affordable homes. Our country has a desperate shortage of housing. That means landlords rake it in and the housing benefit bill rockets. It drives up the cost of a buying a home, and puts people in more debt. So cut the waiting lists, stop another bubble and let's build the homes young families need.

Pledge number three: fair pay - and new wages councils to back it up. Of course the national minimum wage should go up and we need tough enforcement. But take one look at company profits and you'll see that there are plenty of industries that could, and should, pay more. That's why we need new wages councils, so unions and employers get around the table and negotiate. That's the way to guarantee not just a minimum wage, not just a living wage but a fair wage, and fair shares of the wealth workers help create.

And pledge number four could be the most popular one of all. Let's pledge that the NHS will once again be a public service run for people and not for profit. Let's make adult social care a community responsibility by bringing it together with the NHS. That would save money because good social care helps elderly people stay at home when they want to be, instead of in hospital when they don't. And while we're about it, let's have a proper system of care for our children too. So instead of shrinking the welfare state, let's strengthen it. That's the way to build a stronger economy too.

And five - fair rights at work. No more union busting. No more blacklisting. And no more zero hours. Instead we need decent employment rights; strong unions with the freedom to organise, and a bit more economic democracy. We already work with the best employers, keeping workers healthy and safe, giving them the chance to learn new skills, guaranteeing fair pay and fair treatment.Through the worst of the recession, we made thousands of agreements to save jobs and keep plants open. And let me say this, I believe there isn't a boardroom in Britain that wouldn't benefit from giving ordinary workers a voice." You can read the full speech here.    

The three days of Conference saw a range of debates- with Education very much on the agenda- both challenging the cuts and attacks from Gove and the coalition at home, and also solidarity with teachers and trade unionists abroad- Christine Blower told conference about the imprisonment of Colombian Trade Unionist Huber Ballesteros. He was supposed to be a guest at the congress, but has been imprisoned in Colombia for his trade union activities.

My friend Annette Pryce from the NUT Executive representing LGBT Teachers spoke twice in the debates on equality, including highlighting the scandal of Section 28 style policies being introduced via the back door by Academies and Free Schools.

Labour Leader Ed Miliband addressed congress, and made some welcome pledges on tackling zero-hours contracts and moving towards a Living Wage. In response to a question from NUT Presdient Beth Davies, he confirmed that an incoming Labour Government would give Local Authorities back their powers over planning school places.

The congress fringe also discussed a range of issues- from blacklisting, Living Wage and the future of the NHS (great appearance from Andy Burnham), to international issues such as Cuba, Venezuala and the fate of Colombian Trade Unionists.

As a Trades Council secretary, I was pleased that Conference agreed to enhance the role of the local trades councils (such as mine in Eastbourne) in the life of the TUC.

We Marched- now the Campaign goes on !

Trade Unionists from Eastbourne were proud to join 1,000 Eastbourne residents to protest against the closure of Maternity services at Eastbourne District General Hospital.  All political parties were represented, as well as the business and faith communities. 

Trade Unionists marched with the Eastbourne Trades Council banner, and were joined by delegations from the National Union of Teachers, GMB, and Unison.

Lee Comfort- trades council Unite delegate and secretary of Eastbourne Labour Party gave a rousing speech, alongside representatives of other organsiations, and, of course the great local health campaigner Liz Walke.

The campaign goes on- visit the Save the DGH campaign site for how you can get involved.

Sign and March for the DGH

Eastbourne Trades Council is proud to be supporting the Save the DGH Campaign- opposing cuts to core services at our local NHS hospital, and fighting for the return of the "temporarily" closed Consultant-led Maternity Services.

Please help in three ways:

SIGN- The campaign is adding signatures to the World's Biggest Postcard, demanding the return of full maternity services to Eastbourne DGH. The signatures are being collected and then will be stuck to the card: you can download a signature sheet here- and get all of your friends and colleagues to sign !

MARCH- There will be a protest march around the outside of the Hospital on Saturday 7th September, leaving at 10.00am from the Sussex Downs College front field (in Kings Drive)  Children and pushchairs are welcome !

SUPPORT the Trades Council's Trade Unionists for the DGH and our NHS campaign. We are asking local trade union members and reps to publicly express their support for the campaign- by signing up here.

Find out more about the Trades Council's support for the DGH campaign here.  Visit the Save the DGH Campaign website here.

Save our Royal Mail

Despite its annual profits showing that the Royal Mail is viable as a publicly-owned service, the coalition government seem determined to push ahead with privatisation.

Privatisation of the Royal Mail will mean:-

Prices will go up

Until 2012 stamp prices were subject to regulatory control. This meant that people and businesses were protected from excessive price rises. But to make Royal Mail more attractive to potential investors the government removed those controls. Overnight the price of a first class stamp rose from 46p to 60p – a whopping 30% increase and the biggest since 1975.
As a private company, focused on increasing shareholder returns, Royal Mail will want more significant price increases. To make matters worse a privatised Royal Mail will be eventually be obliged to charge VAT on its services adding 12p to the cost of a first class stamp.
With politicians unable to exert influence over a privatised Royal Mail just one more increase similar to the 2012 price rise will make a first class stamp 94p. So the £1 letter really will not be far off.

Business will be squeezed

For many small businesses, especially those in rural areas there is often no alternative to the Royal Mail. Suffering from high energy bills and other overheads, businesses can ill afford to see the cost of using the postal service shoot up. Yet that is precisely what will happen if Royal Mail is sold off.

The countryside will be isolated

Royal Mail provides a lifeline to people and businesses in rural areas. It will go where its competitors fear to tread and it charges the same to deliver a letter to the North of Scotland as it does to London.
And it does so just as often.
Everyone understands that it costs more than the price of a stamp to deliver a letter to a rural address.
That is why, despite assurances to the contrary, the postal services regulator is working to determine the real cost for deliveries to rural areas. It has also looked recently at how it can reduce the daily delivery service to addresses in the countryside.

Post Offices will close

The local post office is a focal point for the life of so many small towns and villages across the UK. Where pubs and other shops have disappeared, the post office has remained. But when that goes, the life of a village often disappears with it.
Many small post offices have a fragile existence and rely upon Royal Mail for business to survive. Yet the 2001 Postal Services Act fully separates the Post Office Counters’ network from Royal Mail. The government will point to a recently signed business agreement between the two. But that cannot guarantee that a new, private owner, free to do as they choose, will honour that agreement in full. For example they may wish to re-negotiate its terms or move more of its business to other retail outlets.
And the more cash that Royal Mail takes from post offices, the more will close.

Free post for HM Armed Forces will be stopped

Royal Mail provides a freepost service for British forces personnel. These letters and parcels from loved ones are vital for our armed forces. To receive personal items including cherished family photographs provides a major boost for those in combat.
But a privately owned Royal Mail will not want to maintain this non-profit making service – and neither can it be compelled to. If we do not protect the public service ethos of Royal Mail, the free post lifeline to HM Forces will be scrapped.

Support the campaign to Save our Royal Mail !-  visit the website here and sign the petition.

Trade Unionists at Brighton Pride

Many Trade Unions will be marching proudly in the Brighton Pride Parade on Saturday 3rd August.

Dave Brinson, Secretary of both Eastbourne Trades Council and the East Sussex Division of the National Union of Teachers says:

"The NUT is proud of its long record on fighting for equality- especially for our LGBT members, and local NUT Divisions have been at the forefront of these campaigns. Former East Sussex Division Secretary and Executive member Tim Lucas highlighted the inequality faced by same-sex partners in teachers' pensions way back at NUT Conference 1983, and was the first Chair of the union's LGBT Working Party.

We will be continuing our celebration of equality and diversity with an open-topped bus as a float in the Brighton Pride Parade on 3rd August: why not join us ?" 

All NUT members are welcome, and I'm sure they could make room for other Eastbourne trade unionists !   Please meet at Madeira Drive, by Brighton Pier, no later than 10.30am on Saturday 3rd August. The Parade leaves at 11.00 and is expected to arrive at Preston Park about 90 minutes later. You will need to buy a ticket if you want to join the celebrations in the park.

Sussex Trade Union Network: Launch report

Lee Billingham from Worthing and Adur Unison reports on the Sussex Trade Union Network launch on 6th July, held at the University of Brighton.

45 people attended the launch event on Saturday of a new initiative, "Sussex Trade Union Network - Uniting the Resistance".    Trade unionists from across Sussex joined activists and campaigners to debate the best way forward for a united fight against austerity - and in particular how activists from unions Sussex can work more closely together and build the strength of organisation in the workplace which will be key to beating back the Tories.

Billy Hayes, General Secretary of the CWU, and Liz Lawrence, Vice President-elect of UCU, joined PCS NEC member and South East Region Chair Clive Bryant in an opening session which looked at the problems workers currently face, and the emerging resistance to these, both in the UK and internationally.  The session was chaired by Jonathan Gilhooly of Brighton City College UCU, and they were joined by Turkish journalist and socialist Ronnie Margulies.  

Ronnie electrified the meeting with a riveting account of the recent explosion in struggle in Turkey, its similarities and differences with the new phase of the Egyptian revolution and revolts elsewhere. Ronnie felt these have all shown that the most unlikely of issues can ignite a huge pool of bitterness to spark a mass movement for social justice. He said "I have some good news for you in the UK: in a country with a very popular right-wing prime minister and good economic growth, a mass movement broke out from nowhere". 

Liz Lawrence talked about the need for trade unions to up their game, saying "we need union leaderships willing to start the fightback - we will not recruit if we dont stand up to austerity."  She argued that to win we will need to "get serious" and push for longer and more coordinated action: "...many union members now see limitations of one day strikes. I do believe we can fight and we can win". 

Billy Hayes was buoyed up by the recent ballot result of postal workers showing overwhelming opposition to the privatisation of Royal Mail and attacks on pensions and conditions.  He made the point that this result alone had quicky led to a much improved, if still insulting offer from Royal Mail, but added, "On 31st July we're holding a special forum for our postal members, which we hope will lead to a move to industrial action."  He also insisted unions have to emphasise the bigger picture, not just issues affecting their own members: "austerity is about shrinking the state, it's not just an economic issue for the Tories. By privatising everything, they hope they can make you think your problems are down to you, not down to this rotten society" 

Clive Bryant talked about the difficulties which unions wanting to fight back had encountered in getting unity in action with other affected unions via the 'official' channels, and that this proved the need for those wanting to fight now to work together in groups like the People's Assembly. It's important unions link up with community campaigns.  He referred to the national and local disputes likely to flare up again the autumn, and in particular the opportunity presented by the national NHS demo on 29th September, and said "PCS welcomes the development of a Sussex Trade Union Network. There could be an autumn of discontent, so this initiative is timely"  An excellent discussion followed, with a wide range of issues facing trade unionists and campaigners raised.   

After the opening session, people broke out into three workshops to discuss and plan action around Organising at Work, Defending Welfare, and fighting the privatisation of health and education services.  These were led off by speakers including Disabled People Against Cuts, Defend the NHS, the Pop-Up Union at Sussex University and the Brighton Benefits Campaign. 

The final session, chaired by Jonathan Lee of Hastings Trades Council, heard reports back from the workshops. It  focussed on key recent local  disputes, and what the Network might concretely do to unite resistance across Sussex, improve solidarity with those fighting back, and helping build the strength and confidence of trade unionists in the area.  

Phil Clarke, secretary of both Brighton & Hove Trades Council, and of Lewes, Eastbourne & Wealden NUT, said he had been at a meeting with the County Council that morning around teachers' pay. He believed their 'offer' was likely to lead to teachers voting to take strike action in the autumn, and that among other excuses for the attack, the employers said that "this is what the 'customers’ [i.e. schools!] want". There have been a number of good campaigns against Academies in Sussex, including some successful ones, and another urgent task is to better coordinate and raise support for these, with education unions playing a leading role.  Phil also welcomed 'STUN', saying “we should urge people to build the 'official' trade unions and trades councils, but there is also a clear "need for 'unofficial' networks like this which can avoid bureaucratic obstacles" to solidarity and the strikes that can win. 

Charles Harrity, a senior organiser for the GMB on the South Coast, spoke next. His area includes CityClean workers in Brighton whose recent week-long action had been inspirational, and generated much solidarity across Sussex.  His advice to trade union members is "don't trust your leaders but recognise that the union is the members". He understood people's frustration when their union leaders called off action or failed to give a lead, but said CityClean reps always stressed to members that "YOU are the union, not the officials".  Their understanding that if they stood together they could not be beaten had been fought for and won over the course of many years. In this period, he said, there was need for “trench warfare, fighting every dispute and management attack, and remembering that the threat of industrial action is sometimes enough." 

Lewis Nielsen, from Sussex University Against Privatisation, spoke about the fantastic recent occupation by Sussex students against the privatisation of catering services, and the debates there around how workers can fight including the emergence of the Pop Up Union.  He argued that better links and common cause must be made between students facing fees and cuts, and education workers.

Tom Hickey, chair of event hosts University of Brighton UCU, spoke last to sum up the day's discussion and the tasks ahead.  He said that the links between the attacks on us all are already plain to see, but too often people are fighting in isolation. Instead, the sparks of resistance must feed better into one another.  The CityClean worker whose home is threatened by the bedroom tax. His or her daughter whose school is being turned into an Academy or who cant go to university because of tuition fees. We have excellent arguments against austerity but because we lack unity in action, then instead of one big message that the rich are to blame, and tax justice could clear the deficit, other ideas can creep in, leading to scapegoating and division. There is also a need to be more ahead of the game, not simply to react to the attacks once they happen. This too can build confidence and is another lesson from the CityClean dispute. "This network can renew the arguments against austerity & give those who want to oppose it the confidence to fight". 

A steering committee to take 'STUN' forward was elected by the meeting, comprising the secretaries of all Sussex trades councils who wish to take part (Brighton & Hove, North Sussex, Eastbourne, and Hastings had all declared support already), plus another six people from a range of trade unions, including Unison, PCS, GMB, UCU and from across Sussex, including Worthing, Newhaven, Lewes and Hastings.    The meeting also agreed to support and link up with the People's Assembly, the National Shop Stewards' Network, and Unite the Resistance.   
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Support was urged for the 27th July national day of action against the bedroom tax.    A motion was moved by Janet Sang of Sussex Defend Our NHS and agreed, that the Network should play a leading role in coordinating the mobilisation for the national NHS demo in Manchester on September 29th, including urging Sussex trade unions and trades councils to help fund trains or train tickets up to the demo.

Trades Council Meeting: July 9th

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 9th July, 7.30pm at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (T&GWU), Grand Parade, Eastbourne.

Equal Pay- Fair Pay: Our History and the Future

Rather than a guest speaker "in the flesh" this meeting, we will be showing a 25 minute film produced by the TUC entitled Scenes from a Turbulent History- a documentary on equal pay since the 1880s. You may well have seen the movie Made in Dagenham- but this film and a super accompanying resource, uses real testimony from the working people who were actually there and brought about change.   The film is part of a resource pack on equal pay- and there will be an opportunity for the Trades Council to discuss if we want to make this resource available to others in Eastbourne.

There will also be an agenda item on the Living Wage Campaign, and an opportunity to decide whether, and how, the Eastbourne Trades Council could get involved.

All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer

5. Scenes From a Turbulent History- film showing
6. Living Wage Campaign- action in Eastbourne ?

7. Any other Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.
8. Trades Council Library

9. Any other business.

 

Apologies, or requests for agendas etc. in advance to the Secretary

Trades Councils Conference 2013

Dave Brinson, Secretary of Eastbourne Trades Council, attended the national Trades Councils Conference on 1st-2nd June at Congress House, London.

The conference was attended by delegates from trades councils from across Britain, and heard from guest speakers Frances O'Grady (pictured) the new TUC General Secretary, Bob Crow of RMT, and Bill Greenshields of the People's Charter.

Delegates also attended a range of workshops on campaigning issues, including community organising around austerity and welfare cuts, fighting the rise of the far-right, and on using the People's Charter as a campaigning tool.

The conference debated and passed a range of motions, both on industrial and government policy issues, and also on the resources and roles that the Trades Councils have within the TUC.  You can read the full range of motions that were passed by clicking here.

Dave was nominated for election to serve on the TUC Trades Councils Joint Consultative Committee, but was unsuccessful- Linda Kietz of Ealing Trades Council was re-elected. Dave would like to thank all those South East trades councils who voted for him.

Regional Events and Actions

The following events and campaigns around the region may be of interest to Eastbourne Trade Unionists who want to get involved, attend or just show solidarity !

MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES

Unite Against Fascism public meeting "Don't let the racists divide us" London Monday 3 June 7pm with Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ava Vidal comedian, Owen Jones author, Daniel Trilling New Statesman.

National Pensioners Convention Greater London Region 10th Anniversary Celebrations Saturday 10 August 1.30 with Banner Theatre cabaret, Megan Dobney SERTUC, Dot Gibson NPC call barrytodman@tiscali.co.uk 020 8668 2840 for details or e-mail here.

NUJ open meeting (but must register) "Turning the page on media sexism" Wednesday 26 June 6pm NUJ HQ London with Joan Smith, Reni Eddo Lodge and Object contact Lena Calvert lenac@nuj.org.uk

Supporting Confronting the Climate Crisis conference Saturday 8 June London with Manuel Cortez TSSA, Chris Baugh PCS, Graham Peterson UCU http://climatetradeunion.eventbrite.com/ 

Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign AGM and Solidarity Day Saturday 13 July London http://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/events/index.htm 

TSSA "Organising for better transport" strategy launch London Saturday 8 June 11am https://www.tssa.org.uk/en/campaigns/community-organising/political-conference.cfm 

DEMONSTRATIONS AND LOBBIES

Unite Against Fascism demonstration "Don't let the racists divide us" Woolwich Saturday 1 June 12 noon http://uaf.org.uk/2013/05/dont-let-the-racists-divide-us-unity-demonstration/

London Hazards Centre national H&S lobby Tuesday 11 June 1pm http://www.lhc.org.uk/http:/www.lhc.org.uk/national-health-safety-lobby-of-parliament-11th-june


TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS

SERTUC hosting national seminar "Reaching Out - organising new workplaces" with Carl Roper TUC national organiser Thursday 4 July 10am to 1pm Congress House, for more details contact Darren Lewis dlewis@tuc.org.uk

SERTUC Health & Safety Reps Seminar "The Healthy Workplace" note the date now: Thursday 31 October Congress House 10am, more details in due course sertucevents@tuc.org.uk  

SERTUC trade union education courses http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/sites/default/files/FINAL%20SE%20Courses%20SEPT%202013-JULY%202014%20v5.pdf or tucedse@tuc.org.uk

Launch of Sussex Trade Union Network

We have been contacted via Jonathan Lee of Unison NHS Healthcare branch about this important organising event. All local trade unionists encouraged to attend:

This is the commencement of a Sussex-wide organisation of trade unionists and campaigners to unite the resistance against the Government’s austerity drive, its privatisation plans for the NHS, its attack on public services and those who work for the local councils, its benefit cuts and dismantling of the welfare state, and its privatisation of education.

 The aim is to establish a functioning and developing network of solidarity and resistance across Sussex. This network of resistance will mobilise support, publicise campaigns, organise solidarity, and coordinate protests and resistance. It will focus on the defence of:

·      the National Health Service, and will resist closures of hospitals and clinical units, and the privatisation of treatment and care;

·      the welfare state, and will campaign against the bedroom tax and the attack on disabled people’s benefits and their security;

·      the services provided to the local communities in Sussex by those who work for our local councils, Government departments, public services and utilities (libraries, parks, revenue, planning, building, social and probation services, refuse and environmental services; postal, fire and ambulance services  etc., etc.);

·      education as a public good that has economic benefits to the region and the country and which offers our children hope for their futures (and will campaign against Academies, tuition fees in Higher Education, the privatisation of schools, colleges and universities, and for a restoration of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)).

NONE OF THESE SHOULD BE RUN FOR THE PROFIT OF A FEW.

NONE SHOULD BE ORGANISED FOR MARKET COMPETION RATHER THAN FOR QUALITY AND SAFETY

The first meeting will take place on Saturday 6^th July at the University of Brighton, Pavilion Parade, Brighton, as an all-day event (11am to 4 pm) so that trade unionists and activists can come together FOR THE DAY to share experiences, build trust and confidence in each other, and to begin to plan a defence against the Government’s privatisation offensives and continued attacks on jobs, pensions, services and trade unions.

 

 

 The programme will include national speakers from trade unions and campaigns involved in resisting austerity and from local trade unions and campaigns involved in defending jobs, pay and services and trade union rights. It will hear from members of trade union national executives and committees leading the call for action against austerity; those campaigning against academies, against victimisation and for the right to protest and from local activists from across Sussex defending the NHS, opposing the privatisation of education, fighting assaults on pay and conditions, finding new ways of organising resistance and leading campaigns against the Bedroom Tax and other attacks on welfare and benefits.
 

 Sussex Trade Unionists signing letter calling for the Network and/or attending the organising meeting and/or asking to be named as supporters include Brighton & Hove Trades Council and (pc): Tom Hickey & Nadia Edmond (UCU University of Brighton); Jonathan Gilhooly (UCU City College); Alex Knutson & Andy Richards (Unison Brighton & Hove); Jonathan Lee (Unison Hastings & Eastbourne Health); Dave Fellows (Unison East Sussex); Lee Billingham (Unison Adur & Worthing); Charles Herrity (GMB); Dave Chivers (CWU); Dean Tulley (Unite Gatwick); Gary Hassell (RMT Brighton); Clive Bryant & Fay Westbrook (PCS R&C Worthing); Steve Banfield (PCS DVLA Brighton); Aidan Pettitt (PCS Dept for Education); Phil Clarke (NUT East Sussex); Lou Hayton (NUT West Sussex); Phil Mellows (NUJ).

EMAIL n.edmond@brighton.ac.uk FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO RESERVE A PLACE

Trades Council Meeting; May 14th 2013

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 14th May, 7.30pm at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (T&GWU), Grand Parade, Eastbourne.

The main topic of the meeting will be the NHS and the District General Hospital campaign, with speakers invited from the Save the DGH campaign, local Labour health action team, and others with information for trade unionists about the threats to our NHS.  This is a great opportunity to hear about local health campaigns, and discuss how trade unionists and working people can mobilise to defend our health service.

All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting..

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer

5. TUC Trades Councils Conference- vote for JCC
6. Save the DGH Campaign: Where next ? Safeguarding our NHS: Speakers and discussion about how ETUC can support the campaigns.

7.  Any other Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.
8. Any other business.

 

Apologies, or requests for agendas etc. in advance to the Secretary here, please

Major changes to employment law expected in 2013

Thanks to Unite the Union for this information.

Many consultations and Government announcements on employment law took place in 2012 with resulting legislative changes likely in 2013 and beyond. However, the timescale for many of these remains unclear. The start of 2013 has seen further consultations announced.

The main pieces of legislation expected to receive Royal Assent in 2013 are the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, the Growth and Infrastructure Bill and the Children and Families Bill which are all currently progressing through Parliament. Some anticipated dates for provisions in these Bills to come into force are indicated below.

More information on the proposed reforms is in the Employment law reform progress report published in March 2013, and on the Department of Business Innovation and Skills’ web page ‘Making the labour market more flexible, efficient and fair’ (see Useful contacts below).

From February

• Increased limits on employment tribunal awards came into force on 1 February:
• a 'weeks pay' rose from £430 to £450
• the maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal rose from £72,300 to £74,200
• the maximum basic award (and redundancy payment) rose from £12,900 to £13,500
• guarantee pay increased from £23.50 to £24.20 a day.

In March

• Unpaid parental leave increased to 18 weeks on 8 March - to comply with the EU Parental Leave Directive.

In April

• The rate of statutory sick pay (SPP) increased on 6 April from £85.85 to £86.70. The rates of maternity allowance and statutory maternity pay (SMP), statutory paternity pay (SPP), and statutory adoption pay (SAP) increased on 7 April from £135.45 to £136.78. The weekly earnings threshold for these payments also increased from £107 to £109..
• All employers have to start reporting PAYE information in real time (except where HMRC has specified a later date) - from 6 April.
• The 90-day minimum collective redundancy consultation period for large-scale redundancies was reduced from 90 days to 45 days - from 6 April. New Acas guidance is expected.
• Further changes to immigration rules and fees – from 6 April. CIPD members can see our factsheet on immigration law changes.
• Go to our Immigration law changes factsheet

In 'Summer'

• Employment tribunal fees are expected to be introduced.
• Employment tribunal procedural changes following the Underhill Review are expected to be implemented.
• A salary-based cap on compensatory reward for unfair dismissal is expected to be introduced
• Compromise agreements to become ‘settlement’ agreements, with a new Statutory Code of Practice and guidance.
• Whistleblowing changes may be introduced.
• Criminal record checks changes are expected.

In September

• If passed in the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, the Government intends to introduce a new ‘employee shareholder’ status (previously known as ‘employee owner’). Those accepting employee shareholder contracts will agree to giving up certain employment rights in return for company shares.

In October

• National Minimum Wage rates may increase - The Low Pay Commission is due to report soon.

In 'Autumn'

• Changes to the TUPE regulations may be introduced – depending on the outcome Government’s consultations.

Employment-related Acts and Bills

• Two Bills introduced in 2012, the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill and the Growth and Infrastructure Bill (see above in the 2012 changes) are continuing their progress through Parliament. They are expected to receive Royal Assent in Spring 2013 with the changes coming info force later in 2013.
• The Children and Families Bill was introduced to House of Commons on 4 February 2013. It introduces a new shared parental leave system and statutory shared parental pay, a right to time off for antenatal care, and extends the right to request flexible working to all employees. If passed, many of these changes are expected to be introduced in 2014-15.