Next Meeting: Tuesday 15th May

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 15th May, at the View Hotel (formerly T&G/Unite Centre) , Grand Parade, Eastbourne.

All local trade unionists (including retired trade unionists) are invited.

A G E N D A

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Approval of any new affiliations.

3. Minutes of previous meeting (January) and matters arising. Draft minutes from the March AGM will also be available. 

4. Treasurer's Report

5. Guest Speaker: Jane Humberstone, NEU Rep at the East Sussex Music Service, and update on the campaign against closure of the Instrumental Teaching Service

6. Other live disputes and campaigns: 

(a) Teachers' Pay Dispute

(b) RMT safety dispute at Southern

(c) Social Care Cuts campaign- Unison and others, including "Save our Services" demo on 20th May

(d) Retail matters, especially Sainsbury's and ASDA merger proposal

7. Events:

(a)   MAY DAY and WMD:  To review the success of both events and to suggest work for next year.

(b)   PRIDE:  To agree content and staffing of our stall, and encouraging trade unions to join the march.

(c)  ENGELS PLAQUE: Update from Carol Mills (Unite Community)

8. Motion from Unite Community

9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

May Day: We marched!

Eastbourne trade unionists proudly marched through the town on Monday to mark International Workers' Day.  This year, the march proudly welcomed a contingent of staff, parents and students from the East Sussex Music Service, whose instrumental teaching service was earmarked for closure last month.  Nearly 12,000 people have signed the petition against closure: if you haven't yet, please click here.

Other banners and flags on the march included the National Education Union, Unite the Union, RMT, Unite Communuity,  Usdaw, The People's Assembly, Eastbourne Labour Women's Forum,  East Sussex Co-operative Party,  and Devonshire and Meads Labour Party. 

A rally and picnic at the Wish Tower slopes was introduced by Trades Council secretary Dave Brinson. Attendees heard an impassioned speech from Jane Humberstone, union rep at East Sussex Music Service, as well as from  Lucette Davies from East Sussex Save the NHS,  Unison's Chrissie Parsons about threatened social care closures including Milton Grange and Firwood House, and Julie Hart of USDAW speaking about her union's Respect for Shopworkers campaign.  Carol Mills from Unite Community spoke about some of Eastbourne's less well-known radical history. 

The marchers were pleased to be visited by local MP Stephen Lloyd at the start of the march in Hyde Gardens, and to welcome USDAW's new national President, Amy Murphy, as a guest at the rally.

The May Day march was a feature in Eastbourne's campaigning calendar for decades, and the Trades Council were thrilled to bring this tradition back last year, after a twenty year gap.

Workers Memorial Day

A big thank you to those who came along and supported us in commemorating Workers Memorial Day in Eastbourne on Saturday 28th April.

We shared information about those we had lost as a result of their work locally, and on how unions and others are campaigning locally, nationally and worldwide to improve safety at work.

We are also proud that our banner was prominently carried in the May Day March last weekend.

Bigger and better next year- "Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living!"