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.

Union Campaigns and Action coming up in the South East Region

PCS-  National Gallery: PCS action continues against privatisation and the sacking of PCS rep Candy Udwin. Strike days this week and continuous strike action due to start – Click here to check on progress on PCS website   and on Facebook by clicking here.

Unite-  Hackney Traffic Wardens Strike over sick pay,  Monday and Tuesday 3 and 4 August. Support the picket lines 6.30 to 10.30am. More information, click here.

Kent Miners' Festival: Bank Holiday Monday 31 August 10am at Betteshanger-  click here for more information.

CND-  Hiroshima Day:   screening of The War Game Thursday 6 August 6pm at Friends House with panel discussion with Kate Hudson and Bruce Kent. Book tickets here. 

Unite (GPMU) Ross Pritchard Memorial Fund.   Annual essay competition,  win £750. Title: How should we build the public struggle in defence of the NHS? Closing date 26 September- for more information on entry, click here

Burston Strike School Rally- Sunday 6 September with Jeremy Corbyn MP, Clive Lewis MP, Megan Dobney SERTUC, Elvis McGonagall (performance poet), RMT Brass Band, Christine Blower (NUT), Matt Wrack (FBU), The Hurriers, Mike Jackson (Lesbian & Gays Support the Miners) Information here- we will let you know of any coaches going up from this part of Sussex !

Justice for Eastbourne: Hands OFF our Courts !

Courts minister Shailesh Vara has announced a 12-week consultation on the closure of 91 courts and tribunals in England and Wales- including closing ALL COURT SERVICES (Magistrates, County Court and Family Court) in Eastbourne.


If this closure programme goes ahead 38.5% of courts and tribunals will have closed since 2010.
The minister claims the 460 courts and tribunal hearing centres are underused but we strongly contest this as we know that the department has been considering for some time how it may save money in relation to its estate and that sitting patterns have been used to remove work from certain courthouses to prepare them for closure.

93 magistrates' courts and 49 county courts were closed in the last large-scale round of closures. A number of these have not been sold and are still being maintained at taxpayers' expense so the anticipated savings have not been realised.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "With courts closures and cuts to legal aid, access to justice has been significantly restricted by the previous government and now this one.

"We do not believe it is in the interests of justice to leave our communities without easy access to courthouses and tribunals."

Transport problems

Many trials in magistrates' courts proceed in the absence of defendants or are dismissed because witnesses don't appear and difficulties in getting to the court play their part. Despite the minister's assertion that 95% of citizens will be able to reach their required court within an hour by car and 83% to tribunals, there will be serious problems for people getting to courts, including PCS members who work in them. 

In crown courts it will make it more difficult for defence witnesses to attend hearings and mean it is no longer a level playing field as many defendants are in custody and the police will make arrangements to get prosecution witnesses to court. Public transport links are often inadequate and as most people are required to be at court by 9.30am they have to travel in peak time and pay peak fares.

At magistrates' courts certain types of work are being centralised so your nearest court may not be the one where the particular hearing is listed.

Workers vulnerable

While the minister claims his reforms will bring "quicker and fairer access to justice" we believe it will cause more problems. We have continually warned that the merger of courts because of building closures, and staff cuts, has compromised security and left court workers and the public vulnerable to assault. The minister says he is committed to ensuring access to justice is maintained even in more rural locations by using civic and other public buildings, such as town halls, but such buildings are not set up as court rooms with docks and access to cells if there is an issue of contempt.

Job losses

Many committed and experienced staff who understand the justice system could lose their jobs if these courts close. Local communities will lose a vital public service and access to justice for thousands of people will be denied.

Increased travel times and more difficult journeys for victims of crime, defendants, witnesses and others involved in court proceedings will inevitably lead to more delays in cases being heard and higher costs.

The delivery of justice has been under threat since the court closure programme began in 2010 and PCS members’ pensions, pay and jobs are of course under threat from the government’s cuts agenda.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Make a submission to the Consultation here.
Contact your MP here.

Next Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 22nd July

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 22nd July, 7.30pm at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (T&GWU), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. The meeting will hear from invited guests about the recent public sector action, and have a chance to discuss the next steps in the campaign, including planning for the TUC National Demonstration in October.

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. PUBLIC SECTOR DISPUTE (10th July Action etc.)  Guest speakers from Unison and NUT, plus PCS and FBU invited, followed by discussion.

6. DGH Campaign Update

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.

9. Any other business.

The bar will be open afterwards !

July 11th- Eastbourne on Strike

Eastbourne trade unionists joined over a million colleagues in strike action, against the attacks on pay, conditions and pensions from the coalition Government.

The majority of schools  in Eastbourne were either fully closed, or severely limited, as NUT teachers joined support staff from Unison and GMB.  PCS members walked out at the DWP/Job Centre, local government staff from Unison and GMB took action- with picket lines at St Mark and St Mary's House, and firefighters at Eastbourne Fire Station took action against absurd proposals to make them work to 60 (or be sacked on medical grounds before)

Representatives from Eastbourne Trades Council proudly carried our banner in a mass march in Brighton and Hove, where over 3,000 people took to the streets.

ALL OUT on July 10th

Teachers from NUT, School and Local Government staff from Unison, Unite and GMB, Civil Servants from PCS and Firefighters from the FBU will be taking strike action for pay, conditions and workload on Thursday.

Most schools in Eastbourne will be partially or fully closed, and there will be picket lines on the ESCC buildings at St Mary's and St Marks' House from Unison. Services at Eastbourne Borough Council and the Job Centre will be severely disrupted, and Eastbourne Fire Station will be closed.

Public servants do not take strike action lightly: we came into these jobs because we believe in public service. However, the assault on our jobs at the hands of this coalition government cannot continue.

The 1% pay increase after three years of pay freeze (when bills are rising: that was year on year of real terms CUTS) has hit public servants harder than the average in the private sector.

Pension hikes and the extension of retirement ages threaten the spectre of firefighters, teachers and frontline staff working into their 60's, or being sacked on health grounds after years of dedicated service.

Thousands of jobs (yes, including front line jobs) have been slashed in the most essential services.  Civil servants have been bullied into "sanctioning" claimants who are entitled to support, on the most spurious technicalities.

Eastbourne trades unionists will be on the picket line on Thursday morning, followed by mass rallies in Brighton (over 2,000 expected to march) and Hastings. Show them your support !

Keep Tax Advice Local- decision day !

Eastbourne Trades Council sends its solidarity with PCS members and supporters in their fight against the closure of local tax advice offices.

On Tuesday 14 January 2013, executives from Revenue and Customs will meet to decide the fate of 281 tax advice offices. If they decide to close these offices over 2.5 million pensioners, vulnerable workers and tax credit claimants will lose a vital service, and place over 1,300 low paid, skilled workers at risk of compulsory redundancy.

PCS has led a highly visible campaign which has received widespread support from politicians, media, trade unionists, pensioners groups and anti cuts campaigners.

At a time when the 300 richest people in the world are £319 billion better off than this time last year, there's no justification to cut a service that provides support for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Protest to Keep Tax Advice Local

Tuesday 14 January 2013,  9am 100 Parliament Street, Whitehall. Bring banners, flags and placards!

Any trade unionist, campaigner or worker outraged at what this government is doing to our welfare and benefits system is invited to attend this important demonstration. If you can't make it messages of support can be sent to r&ccampaigns@pcs..org.uk

 

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

Brighton Trades Council- Summer Action

Our colleagues in Brighton Trades Council have a number of important campaign events coming up over the summer. Eastbourne trades unionists are welcomed and encouraged to support.

Tuesday 17th July: Defend the NHS Public Meeting
Called by local NHS Union Branches and supported by Keep Our NHS Public 7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Brighton.

Tuesday 7th August: Brighton Stop the Cuts Organising Meeting 
7:30pm King and Queen Pub.

Sunday 9th September:  Lobby the TUC for Co-ordinated Strike Action Against Austerity! Organised by National Shop Stewards Network, and supported by Brighton Trades Council. A march to the lobby will begin at 1pm at the Level. A rally addressed by Mark Serwotka (PCS General Secretary) and Bob Crow (RMT General Secretary) will follow the lobby.

Saturday 22nd September:  No to Austerity Government! Lib Dem Conference Demonstration  Meet at the Level Midday then march to Conference Centre. Organised by Stop the Cuts and the Brighton Trades Council

Saturday 20th October: Mass TUC Demo, London  A reserved train from Brighton is being co-ordinated by the Brighton Trades Council. Contact your own union branch in the first instance to book a place. Non-union member booking info to follow

Eastbourne striking for Fair Pensions

Workers in Eastbourne will be taking strike action in defence of their pensions this Thursday.

Across the public sector schemes, the Government is demanding that front line staff work longer (to 68), pay more (a 50% increase in pension contributions), and get less through “career averaged” schemes, linked to the inferior CPI measure of inflation.

In Eastbourne, the PCS Civil Servants' union will be mounting a picket line at the DWP Job Centre Plus in St Anne’s Road, and members will also be taking action at other civil service sites in the town. They will be joined by Unite the Union members in the NHS, and by the UCU lecturers’ union at Sussex Downs College.

Members of the striking unions will be marching and rallying- with a demonstration in Brighton, and, nearest to Eastbourne, a march from Hastings Pier at 11.00am, organised by our brothers and sisters in the Hastings Trades Council.

Colleagues in the Police Federation, the Prison Officers' Union POA and the National Association of Probation Officers will be staging a national demonstration over pensions on the same day.

Teachers in NUT and NASUWT remain in dispute with the Government over pensions. The NASUWT has a current "work to contract" action in schools, and both Unions are expected to announce dates for strike action imminently.

 The PCS union explains the reasons for the strike:-

"The government want PCS members to:

·         Pay more – Extra pension contributions have been imposed for most civil servants –with further increases planned for the next two years.

·         Work longer – Civil service retirement is now linked to the state pension age – that’s already rising to 68 and the government says it will get higher.

·         Get less – Changes to indexation from RPI to the lower CPI inflation mean pensions fall by 15 to 20%.

And a two-year pay freeze is to be followed by 1% rises. New regional pay plans mean that everyone outside London might face further cuts.

We can’t afford not to.

Civil servants and other public sector workers are uniting to defend everything we have worked for. The government is:

·         Making civil servants pay up to three times as much for smaller pensions after working up to eight more years – or even longer.

·         Freezing wages while prices are soaring

The latest scheme is regional pay – which would mean wage cuts for everyone outside London. The strike is your chance to take a stand with colleagues from across government departments and with other trade unions across the public services.We are demanding real negotiations with the government, not imposed cuts.

Who else is involved?

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers across the civil service, the health service and education will be joining the 10 May walkout."

You can find out more from PCS about the strike by clicking here

You can find more from lecturers' union UCU by clicking here

You can find out more about the Unite the Union health action by clicking here.

Media Coverage of the Strike

Good media coverage of the action and the rally in Eastbourne.

• Online slide show of photos from the Herald


• On strike day, the Gazette ran a significant feature on Trades Council secretary and NUT official Dave Brinson


• Feature from Unison, looking at the impact of the changes on low paid workers.


• Also, local MP Stephen Lloyd (former speaker at the Trades Council) says that the Government is offering a "reasonable" compromise, and is offering "even more money" (they aren't!)


• School Closures listed in the Eastbourne Gazette. More than half of East Sussex schools were completely shut.

The Eastbourne Herald of 2nd December reported that its online poll suggested that 51% of readers supportted the strikes. The same issue also contained a bitter and ill-informed article by Anne-Marie Field, suggesting "More attitude, less gratitude." Very few Trade Unionists will agree that asking to receive the pensions that we paid for in good faith throughout our working life is asking any sort of favour !

Eastbourne says "Hands off our Pensions"

A huge turnout of public sector workers and our allies from private sector staff and retired workers attended the Trades Council organised rally at Eastbourne Bandstand on November 30th.

Originally, the plan had been to meet at the top level of the bandstand and then march down to the Unite Eastbourne Centre for a rally. However, by 10.30 it became visibly apparent that there was no way even half of those assembled could fit into the Conference Hall. So, thanks to some portable PA equipment (provided by Calvin Prior of Calvin Prior and the Riderbacks) an impromptu open-air rally was staged at the bandstand.

Trades Council Secretary and NUT Executive Member Dave Brinson opened the proceedings, welcoming the huge turnout from a range of local unions.

As well as the teachers' unions NUT, NASUWT and ATL, support staff, local government and health workers from Unison, GMB and Unite, civil servants from PCS and university and college staff from UCU, there were banners from specialist unions such as the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, the Society of Radiographers and the Association of Educational Psychologists. We were joined by Head Teachers from the NAHT, taking action for the first time in their history, and school inspectors and advisers from Aspect. Most heartening was the significant support from private sector staff who were not on duty that morning, but had come along to show solidarity.

Dave pointed out the fact that the Government continues to refuse to revalue the schemes, to tell us how much of our money is in the pot. He told the crowd that "...I have a small savings product, and when I go to the bank, they tell me how much is in it, how it's doing, and what fees they are taking. Why will the Government not show us the same courtesy ?"

He ended with a plea to all those assembled not to let the Government and the tabloid press paint this as a public vs private conflict. He quoted from the excellent research by the National Pensioners' Convention showing the appallingly low level of the state pension in comparison to other European countries, and the attacks on occupational and private pensions in recent years.

Finally- he invoked Ricky Tomlinson's Jim Royle character in response to the allegations of "gold plated pensions" citing the average woman worker in local government who will retire on just £2500 a year. "Gold plated ....?" he asked. The crowd were able to finish the Jim Royle-style sentence !

Sharon Wentworth and Gordon Dyer spoke on behalf of private sector workers in Unite the Union, expressing firm solidarity. Gordon told the crowd that we had a "neo-Thatcherite Government declaring war on working people"

Christine Lewis and Dave Fellows from Unison spoke, along with a colleague from PCS. The 500+ crowd then marched through the town centre to the Town Hall, with Gordon Dyer proudly leading the march under the Trades Council banner.

Fair Pensions for ALL: The Facts

Fair Pensions for All is a pamphlet produced jointly with Unite, PCS, UCU and the National Pensioners Convention. This document dispels the myths about public sector pensions, exposes the scandal of pension provision in the private sector and sets out the compelling case for fair pensions for all.

• The UK currently has the fourth lowest state pension in the EU- only Estonia, Latvia and Cyprus pay less to keep pensioners in security and dignity in old age. The basic state pension is currently £102 a week, worth only 57% of the government’s official weekly pensioner poverty level of £178


• More than two million UK pensioers officially live below the poverty line, with a further million in fuel poverty.


• Just over a decade ago nearly half of all private sector workers were in a workplace pension scheme; today it is only a third.


• However, while pensions have been ripped away from ordinary workers, the directors of large companies continue to net very generous pensions averaging £175,000 per year in retirement. These generous fat cat schemes at the top lapped up the bulk of the £37.6bn in tax relief that private sector pensions get every year.


• The Hutton report “firmly rejected the claim that current public service pensions are ‘gold plated’ …the median payment is around £5,600”. This equates to just over £100 per week in retirement. For a woman worker in local government the average pension is just £2,600.

Download the full facts, in the leaflet HERE

N30: Eastbourne Rally for Pensions

EASTBOURNE SAYS: HANDS OFF OUR PENSIONS !
Decent pensions for ALL

A rally to support the public sector pensions strike, and to call for action for dignity and security in retirement for all – in both the public and the private sector.

Wednesday 30th November.
The Unite Eastbourne Centre, Grand Parade, Eastbourne Seafront

Assemble at 10.30am by Eastbourne Bandstand; rally at the Unite Centre at 11.00am

Speakers to include: DAVE BRINSON (NUT National Executive), DAVE FELLOWS (UNison Schools Convenor) and speakers from the striking Unions.

Eastbourne Unites to Defend Pensions

Trade unions across the public sector are preparing to take action to defend pensions against an onslaught from the Government that would leave millions of public servants working longer, paying more and getting less in retirement.

The Government has made what it claims to be concessions, and the unions are carefully considering the implications of these- however the Government still refuses to carry out a valuation of the pension funds to tell us how much money is in the schemes. (The agreed changes to the pension schemes in 2005-6 were made based on the valuation, and were sustainable and affordable. What has changed in the intervening years ?)

If you buy a financial product (such as a pension) from your bank, you would expect to be told how much money is in it, how it is performing, and what fees are being taken. We expect no less from the Government !

And this is NOT a public vs private sector dispute. Trade Unionists in the private sector have seen dreadful attacks on their pensions, with employers failing to make appropriate employer-side contributions, or taking complete breaks from their obligations when the schemes were healthy (so calles "pension holidays") The Government must take urgent action to ensure that all workers have access to a decent pension scheme to provide dignity and security in old age.

In Eastbourne, members of the NUT, the ATL, and UCU education unions, and PCS civil servants took well supported action in June. It looks increasingly likely that they will be joined by Unison members across the public sector, who have voted to approve action, plus results are awaited from the NASUWT teachers' union, the National Association of Head Teachers, and general unions GMB and Unite. Senior civil servants in the FDA and specialists in Prospect are also balloting.

Officers of the local unions will be meeting this week to discuss what action can be taken to publicise and support the campaign, including on the 30th November if we are forced to take strike action. Watch this site for updates.

ALL OUT for Public Service Pensions: June 30th

Members of the National Union of Teachers, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the University and Colleges Union and the Public and Commercial Services Union will be taking strike action over attacks on their pension schemes on 30th June.

Members are angry at proposals that would make members work longer, pay more and get less for their pensions. The Government is plucking figures from the sky, yet have consistently refused to undertake a valuation of the pension funds (overdue by more than a year) to prove whether or not the schemes, which members pay handsomely for, are sustainable. We firmly believe that such a valuation would show that they ARE.

The Government has made much of its willingness to "negotiate", but the negotiations have been next to meaningless. They refuse to discuss:

The 50% increase in members' contributions to the schemes (even though the unions had already agreed to an increase if the Government could demonstrate that this was necessary to make the scheme sustainable- and proved by a revaluation)

The increase in retirement age from 60 or 65 (depending on the schemes) to 68 years old.

The move to a "career average" scheme- hitting women members hardest, who often secure their promotion later in their career becauseof family commitments (also with the threat of changing the accrual rate, so you would have to work 50 years, rather than the current 40 or 30, to get your full pension)

The imposed change in the calculation of inflation to determine annual increases in pensions from RPI to the lower CPI rate. This has been imposed on existing pensioners, despite the legal right not to have their pensions retrospectively changed.

In Eastbourne the action is going to be strongly supported. We know already that Bishop Bell, Eastbourne Academy, Hazel Court, Ocklynge, Bourne, West Rise, Langney, and Pevensey and Westham schools will be shut, with Ratton, Willingdon, The Lindfield, Cavendish, Shinewater and others opening only to a fraction of the students.

Sussex Downs College and the University of Brighton will be signifiacntly affected, and PCS members at the Department for Work and Pensions, the Tax office and the Driving Standards Agency will also be taking action.

Other unions including the NASUWT, Unison, GMB and the non-TUC National Association of Head Teachers are considering or have announced balloting for action in the Autumn.

Members of these Unions and other supporters are encouraged to attend the march and rally in Brighton, meeting at The Level for 10.30am, or the Hastings Rally at the White Rock Theatre also at 10.30am (Trades Council Secretary Dave Brinson and SERTUC Regional Secretary Megan Dobney will be speaking at the Hastings event.)

For more information on the Pensions Campaign, visit the NUT Website, the ATL website, the UCU website or the PCS website.

Hastings Trades Council March and Rally

Our brothers and sisters in the Hastings Trades Council will be staging a march and rally on 19th April to put the case for the alternatives to the savage cuts being inflicted on their town and our region, including:-

• CONQUEST HOSPITAL…….JOB CUTS AND CLOSURE OF WARDS


• ASHDOWN HOUSE…..JOB CUTS AND PRIVITISATION


• HERON HOUSE…..JOB CUTS AND PRIVITISATION


• HASTINGS COUNCIL…..JOB CUTS AND CUTS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES


• C.A.B……JOB CUTS


• HASTINGS VOLUNTARY SERVICES……JOB CUTS


• ROYAL MAIL……JOB CUTS AND PRIVITISATION


• TAX OFFICE….PARTIAL CLOSURE.

The demonstration is being supported by Unite, Unison, GMB, BUT, PCS, Usdaw, the CWU, FBU, RMT, TSSA and ASLEF, plus others from the local community. The march assembles at 12.30pm at Hastings Pier on Saturday 19th April. For more details contact the Sam Buckley of the Hastings Trades Council at swpsam@hotmail.com 0r 07807 289253

Support PCS members against cuts and victimisation

Civil Service union PCS is currenty balloting members over staffing cuts and the victimisation of Union reps in its Home Office group. Please click here for further information, and for a link to sign the online petition and e-mail your local MP.

There is a further article about the proposed job cuts in the Home Office on the main page ofthe PCS website here.

Eastbourne Trades Council- back up and running

The Eastbourne Trades Council had its re-founding AGM (after ten years) on 15th February at the Unite Eastbourne Centre.

Local union stewards and representatives from NUT, NASUWT, Unite, Unison, TSSA, PCS, Usdaw, GMB and NUJ met to agree plans for the coming year.

Megan Dobney, the Regional Secretary from the South East Region TUC (pictured) was the guest speaker and spoke about the role of the Trades Councils and the current campaigns of the TUC. In particular, she spoke about the organisation against the cuts- building for the "March for the Alternative" National Demonstration on 26th March, but also about the need to organise before and afterwards, especially in light of the local elections coming up in May.

The meeting agreed to support the demonstration, and to ensure a good presence from Eastbourne. We agreed to support the PCS coach, and publicise this to local trade unionists. There was also agreement to support the work of the Eastbourne Against Cuts group.

The officers elected at the meeting were: Val Thomas (Chair,) Dave Brinson (Secrteray,) John Goddard (vice Chair) and Gordon Dyer (Treasurer.) Ian Thomas and Sharon Wentworth were nominated to the Executive Committee. Michael Litchfield will take the Health and Safety and Disabilities responsibility, Claire French the womens' portfolio, Lib Blayney- young members, and Pia Sands and Pat Bacon the retail sector.

Any local trade unionists who would like to receive copies of the full minutes of the meeting, should contact the Secretary.

The next meeting will be April 5th, where the speaker to be invited will be on the CWU Keep the Post Public campaign.