Trades Council AGM Tuesday 11th May

The Annual General Meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be held on Tuesday 11^th May, at 7.30pm via Zoom. Please register here

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Minutes of the last AGM from 2019 (2020 was cancelled due to Covid)

3. Adoption of Rules for 2021 (proposal is same as for 2019) and new affiliates.

4. Officers' Reports and Accounts

5. Election of Officers for 2021-2 (following a resolution of the 2018 AGM, nominations for officer positions must be received before the meeting, and will be circulated on Monday 10^th May)

a) Chair
b) Vice Chair
c) Secretary
d) Assistant Secretary
e) Treasurer
f) Additional non-officer members of the Executive Committee, if required

6. External Affiliations for 2021  (Last year:  East Sussex CATC, National Pensioners' Convention, Cuba Solidarity Campaign,  Stand up To Racism)

7. Guest Speaker- TBC striking teacher from Peacehaven Heights invited

8.. Dates of meetings for 2020-1

9. Presentation of the Len Caine Award to Julie Hart

If you would like to stand for election as an officer, pplease let the Secretary know by Monday. 

Today is Workers' Memorial Day

April 28^th is marked by trade unionists and others around the world as International Workers’ Memorial Day- dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives whilst carrying out their job; and campaigning to ensure safer workplaces and an end to deaths at work.

Never has it been more vital to remember and honour those who have fallen in the course of simply doing their job than this year- when so many front-line and other working people have fallen victim to Covid-19-  like MICHAEL WINCHESTER-  housekeeping supervisor at the DGH, taken at just 51 years old.

NHS and social care services, education, retail, fire and policing services- in fact every sector of our economy, every industry, every community has had to mourn those taken too soon by this dreadful virus. 

Trade Unionists in Eastbourne will be raising awareness of this day, and asking local people to remember all those who have died in the pursuance of their job- whether those who fell to Covid-19, or in other workplace accidents or related illnesses- such as 

• JACK PHILLIPS-  workman, 24, killed after being struck by a heavy object falling from Eastbourne's South Cliff Tower in 2019.
• STEPHEN PENRICE - Maintenance worker, killed in a fall whilst working on repairs to Eastbourne Pier in 2014;
• ROY TRUNDELL- Eastbourne Buses employee- killed in a workplace accident in 2008;
• DANIEL HAFFENDEN – Self-employed tyre fitter, killed whilst working on a tourist coach when a jack collapsed, in 2012
• CLIVE BECK - former Ratton School teacher- died of Mesothelioma following exposure to asbestos at the school;
• BOB TOLLY - Eastbourne gas fitter- died 2006, also of Mesothelioma. Exposed to asbestos during his working life.
• GEOFF WICKER and BRIAN WEMBRIDGE East Sussex firefighters killed in action fighting a blaze at a firework factory near Lewes in 2006. (Their families had to wait for almost 10 years of court wrangling to receive justice

We are respectfully asking if local workplaces, churches and places of worship would be willing to spare a moment of their thoughts and prayers on 28^th April or near to that, to remember all those, both locally, nationally and worldwide, who have lost their lives at work.

Demonstrate to "Kill the Bill": May Day

Although we are unable to hold our full traditional May Day parade and picnic to celebrate International Workers' Day, the Trades Council is proudly supporting a socially-distanced demonstration against the dreadful Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill.

The Bill, the first attempt to amend the Public Order legislation for nearly 18 year, will severely curtail civil liberties around the right to peacefully demonstrate, to protest and to picket.  There is a detailed explanation as to why the Bill should be opposed from the Good Law Project here. 

Join us on May 1st at 1.00pm

We will gather at Hyde Gardens at 1p.m. and march to the Wish Tower slopes for a rally where we are hoping to have a range of speakers and performers. Those attending should wear face masks and adhere to social distancing - keeping a 2m distance, in line with current COVID-19 guidelines. Let’s stand together and defend our right to protest. Bring your banners and whistles, family and friends and let’s make some noise!

Remember Workers Memorial Day

April 28^th is marked by trade unionists and others around the world as International Workers’ Memorial Day- dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives whilst carrying out their job; and campaigning to ensure safer workplaces and an end to deaths at work.

Never has it been more vital to remember and honour those who have fallen in the course of simply doing their job than this year- when so many front-line and other working people have fallen victim to Covid-19-  like MICHAEL WINCHESTER-  housekeeping supervisor at the DGH, taken at just 51 years old.

NHS and social care services, education, retail, fire and policing services- in fact every sector of our economy, every industry, every community has had to mourn those taken too soon by this dreadful virus. 

Trade Unionists in Eastbourne will be raising awareness of this day, and asking local people to remember all those who have died in the pursuance of their job- whether those who fell to Covid-19, or in other workplace accidents or related illnesses- such as 

• JACK PHILLIPS-  workman, 24, killed after being struck by a heavy object falling from Eastbourne's South Cliff Tower in 2019.
• STEPHEN PENRICE - Maintenance worker, killed in a fall whilst working on repairs to Eastbourne Pier in 2014;
• ROY TRUNDELL- Eastbourne Buses employee- killed in a workplace accident in 2008;
• DANIEL HAFFENDEN – Self-employed tyre fitter, killed whilst working on a tourist coach when a jack collapsed, in 2012
• CLIVE BECK - former Ratton School teacher- died of Mesothelioma following exposure to asbestos at the school;
• BOB TOLLY - Eastbourne gas fitter- died 2006, also of Mesothelioma. Exposed to asbestos during his working life.
• GEOFF WICKER and BRIAN WEMBRIDGE East Sussex firefighters killed in action fighting a blaze at a firework factory near Lewes in 2006. (Their families had to wait for almost 10 years of court wrangling to receive justice

We are respectfully asking if local workplaces, churches and places of worship would be willing to spare a moment of their thoughts and prayers on 28^th April or near to that, to remember all those, both locally, nationally and worldwide, who have lost their lives at work.

Next Trades Council Meeting: 30th March

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, on Tuesday 30th March 2021, via Zoom.  All Eastbourne trade unionists are welcome to attend. 

Please click here to register.

A G E N D A 

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Approval of any new affiliations.

3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising.

4. Treasurer's Report

5. Campaign Updates from local Union branches

6. Other Campaigning activity:

     (a)  Stand Up to Racism- conference and banner display and future work.

     (b)  Workers' Memorial Day arrangements 28th April

     (c)  Trade Union presence at Eastbourne Pride

     (c)  Summer campaigning, post-lockdown?

7. AGM arrangements and nominations for the Len Caine Memorial Prize

8. Any other business

Proud to Support UN Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day

Eastbourne Trades Council are proud to have supported the United Nations  Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day on Saturday.

Carol and Louise from the Sussex Unite Community branch proudly led the socially-distanced banner display on Eastbourne beach-   our banner was there alongside affiliates PCS and Unite, and other campaigning organisations such as Eastbourne People's Assembly. 

The Trades Council is proud to be supporting the Eastbourne Branch of Stand Up to Racism, and looks forward to continuing to promote its campaigns.

Say NO to Fire Service Cuts: Sign the petition!

East Sussex Fire Authority are consulting with the public on plans that will decimate local Fire & Rescue Services in East Sussex.

Planned cuts include:

• Remove 10 fire engines from towns and villages across the county. Affected stations are Bexhill, Battle, Crowborough, Lewes, Newhaven, Rye, Uckfield, Seaford, Heathfield and Wadhurst.
• Cut dedicated crews for aerial appliances in Hastings.
• Cut wholetime jobs at Lewes, Newhaven, Uckfield, Crowborough, Battle and Bexhill.
• Downgrade The Ridge fire station from 24hr immediate response to only daytime immediate response.
• Cut staffing levels of wholetime firefighters at all shift stations across the county.

These will impact heavily on a critical lifesaving service. They will negatively impact public safety as well as firefighter safety and will also impede firefighter's ability to respond quickly to emergency calls. 

The FBU point out that these plans were drawn up before the Covid-19 crisis, and do not take into account the different situation we will face when lockdown is finally over.   Firefighters locally and nationally have taken on significant extra duties as part of supporting communities during the crisis. 

Ten years of austerity cuts saw 11,500 firefighter jobs lost nationally.  The service is already overstretched!

Eastbourne is represented on the East Sussex Fire Authority by Meads Tory councillor Barry Taylor, and Lib Dem Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, David Tutt.  Shamefully both voted for the cuts package. 

Please sign the petition here, download and print the FBU's information leaflet by clicking here,   and spread the word: Fire Cuts Cost Lives!

Shearings Collapse is Massive Blow to Eastbourne

The announcement this evening of the collapse of Specialist Leisure Group Ltd. is a massive blow to Eastbourne's already vulnerable tourism and hospitality industry. 

The group includes Shearings Travel, Wallace Arnold, Coast and Country Hotels and a number of other brands.

The Bay Hotels subsidiary owned and operated the Burlington Hotel  and the Majestic Hotel on Eastbourne seafront.  Dozens of staff at these hotels will now be made redundant- some of whom have many years service.

We are not aware of any formal union recognition agreements within these hotels, but we know that a number of SLG staff are members of GMB and Unite- and they should contact their union, without delay, for support.

Information from the Receivers can be read here.

We will post more information as it becomes clear.

Covid-19 Scandal at Cavendish School

The NEU and GMB were very concerned to discover that there has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at the Cavendish Hub where a staff member tested positive last weekend (9-10th May). The Cavendish School  Hub has had children in from Cavendish School, Stafford and Roselands ESCC schools as well as smaller numbers from other Eastbourne schools. 

East Sussex NEU Branch said:

"Thankfully we understand the member of staff is not seriously ill but the potential infection that may have taken place given the size of the hub represents a serious and imminent threat to heath.

We are particularly concerned as despite this being known by some of the senior leadership on Monday 11th May all staff and parents were not made aware until late Friday 15th May. This was only disclosed at all after the unions were informed of the case on Friday 15th May and contacted management to say we would tell staff and parents if they did not.

Allowing staff and children to attend the hub for a whole week without informing them, shutting, allowing testing to take place, and doing a full school deep clean is unacceptable. There has clearly been a series of failures here and as advice was sought by leadership from East Sussex County Council and Public health England it raises serious questions about the quality of that advice.

The NEU has met virtually with its members across Stafford, Roselands and Cavendish to give advice and discuss the situation. It is clear that there are extremely serious questions to be answered: 

• Why were all staff and parents not told of a confirmed case and what advice was given to the leadership? 
• Given the unions had already been raising concerns with ESCC that the hub was too big how will the council and school leadership respond to having potentially having Covid-19 present in a building which had up to 100 people present in it? 
• How quickly can tests be provided for all those who have been on site and families? Why was such a large hub allowed to open and what assessments of the risk were done? 
• How is a school wide deep clean on Monday 18th be sufficient response to a case identified on Monday 11th when people have been in the building all week potentially spreading the virus?
• How can a reopening of the hub on Tuesday be justified? 

Indeed, how can there be faith from school staff and parents that any East Sussex schools can open more widely from 1st June when even with limited opening an outbreak in a school has been handled so badly?   The National Education Union will be continuing to advise its members directly and will be looking for an urgent meeting with East Sussex County Council and school leaders."

You can also read the press statement from the GMB by clicking here.

May Day Greetings!

Eastbourne Trades Council proudly organises the annual May Day march and picnic  to celebrate trade unionism and working people's organisation in Eastbourne.  Sadly, the lockdown means that this year it wasn't possible to do this- but see below for a selection of pictures from the past three years.  We'll be back in 2021!