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.

Next Trades Council: Tuesday 9th October

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 9th October, 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 (July) and matters arising.

4. Treasurer's Report

5. Campaigns Update:
(a) Derecognition of NEU at East Sussex College Group
(b) RMT ongoing safety dispute at Southern
(c) Retail Update
(d) NHS Update including pay settlement and DGH parking
(e) IndyCube and Community Union self-employed workers' campaigning.

6.  Anti-Cuts campaigns: including East Sussex Save the NHS, People's Assembly and campaign against Social Care Cuts in ESCC.

7. Events:
(a) Modern Slavery campaign- possible link with the Co-op Party campaigning
(b) Engels Plaque update
(c) Pride Report

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Marching with Pride

Eastbourne Trades Council were proud to be represented at the Eastbourne Pride march and festival this summer.  A number of union banners took part in the parade, and we had a stall at the park, where information about the work of the trade union movement supporting LGBT+ workers was available.  Thanks to members of NEU, Unite, UCU, GMB and Unison for their help with the stall.

Pride will happen in Eastbourne next year- lets make sure EVERY union with members in Eastbourne is represented on the march!

Retail and Hospitality Campaigns Successes

Usdaw has negotiated a significant pay rise for all retail staff in Tesco, taking the basic hourly rate to £8.42 over the next two years.

The deal includes improvements to maternity and new starters pay and a partial consolidation of premium pay into the hourly rate. The first stage of the pay increase will be paid from November.

Usdaw national office Pauline Foulkes said:

“Tesco’s recent difficulties are a matter of public record and the staff have played a big... part in helping turn the company around. Last year they received a one-off 5% bonus in recognition of that.

Meanwhile, Unite campaigners yesterday handed a petition to business secretary Greg Clark urging him to release the government report into tips for restaurant staff. The petition calls on the business secretary to give staff 100 per cent of their tips with complete control over how they are shared out, ban bogus "tronc" schemes and make the code of best practice mandatory.

The 2015 tipping abuse scandal sparked outrage, leading to a huge public backlash, after it emerged that restaurants, including Pizza Express, Bill’s and Strada were pocketing tips and service charge payments intended for staff. The consultation for submissions closed a year ago yet the report is nowhere to be seen. The petition will be delivered to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in Victoria Street at 1pm today.

The union has been forefront in exposing the rip-off culture that has seen restaurant bosses creaming off money left for tips that customers thought were going to cash-strapped staff.   The two-month long government consultation was launched on 2 May 2016, after an eight month review into the dubious tipping practices of some of the UK’s most popular restaurant chains, first exposed by Unite at Pizza Express in the summer of 2015.

Back and Marching on May Day!

After nearly 30 years, we brought back the May Day union parade today- marching through Eastbourne to a rally at the Wish Tower slopes. Our banner proudly joined by NUT, RMT, Unite and Musicians' Union, plus East Sussex Co-operative Party and Workers' Memorial Day.

Setting off from NUT HQ

Dave Brinson, Trades Council and NUT Secretary compered the proceedings, noting that it was nearly 30 years since we'd had a May Day march in Eastbourne.  Paul Howard of Eastbourne People's Assembly (also an NUT member) spoke about the campaign against Austerity, and linked up the effects of this on a range of services.

Len Caine at the centre of our banner

Lucette Davies, a journalist and NUJ member  spoke about the newly formed East Sussex Save the NHS campaign, and how the STP plans are the latest attempt by the Government to run down NHS services to soften them up for full-on privatisation. She urged trade unionists to support the local campaigns.  There was a shout out for the Save the DGH campaign too- with stalwart committee members Jake Lambert and Lee Comfort in the crowd.

Line up at the Lawns!

Keith Mitchell of East Sussex Coastway RMT talked about the ongoing struggle from his members against Driver Only Operation and the removal of a safety critical member of on-board staff.  He contrasted the two days of training for the new, cheaper On Board Supervisors, compared with the months of training and then year of probation for the properly trained and licensed conductors.  He also raised the scandal of disabled passengers potentially having to request assistance 24 hours in advance if they want to travel from unmanned stations- scandalous and potentially illegal under Equality Act 2010.

Finally, Betty Gallacher, veteran Unite activist and Chair of Bourne Out LGBT spoke about her years of campaigning for equality work as the first female union secretary on London Transport buses, and then as Convenor of 6 major garages. Betty has organised the Eastbourne Mardi Gras festival which will be Eastbourne's first Pride in July.  Local trade unionists are urged to support and attend a celebration of diversity.

The sun came out for our picnic afterwards, too. A big thank you to those who braved early rain to join us. Let's make it bigger and better next year!

It was great to get such comprehensive coverage from the Eastbourne Buzz news website- Sharon and Dave came with us all the way on the march.  Watch their report below- and please share!

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 !

No World Cup without Workers' Rights !

Anyone who will be in London on Tuesday 28th April may want to support this event for Workers' Memorial Day:
International Workers Memorial Day: Tuesday 28 April

10.30am – Building Worker Statue – Tower Hill EC3 (Tower Hill tube)

12.30pm – Qatari Embassy, 1 South Audley Street W1K 1NB  (Green Park tube)

No World Cup Without Workers Rights

It has been estimated that by the time the 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicks off, 4000 workers could die in the virtual slave labour system in which migrant workers in particular are denied basic rights. We demand that unless this slaughter is stopped the vote on the host country must be rerun.

Speakers:  Gail Cartmail – UNITE the Union; Steve Murphy – UCATT; Construction Safety campaign; London Hazards Centre; Relatives of workers killed at work

Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living

Better Red Tape Than Red Bandages

Remembering the Dock Strike of 1889- Hastings Event

To commemorate the 125th anniversary of the London Dock Labourer's strike,

Hastings District Branch of Unite the Union SE/6253  is holding a meeting to celebrate the strike which along with the Matchwomen and Gas Workers strikes launched the New Union movement.

Speakers include:
 

Louise Raw:  Author of the ground breaking book  Striking a Light which gives a detailed account of the 1888 strike at Bryant and Mays and the working women who led and took part in it.
 

Terry McCarthy: Author of Dock Strike 1889  Terry is also the former Director of the National Museum of Labour History.

 

The meeting is to be held at the White Rock Hotel Hastings in the Sea Front Lounge 2.30pm till 6.00pm on Saturday  the 25th of October. The White Rock Hotel is on the Seafront  opposite the Pier, the Postcode is TN34 1JU.

There will be plenty of time for debate. Anyone who can sing can contribute ! This is an open meeting all are welcome

Contact 'hastings@unitetheunion.org' for further details

 

Eastbourne Trade Unionists marching with Pride

Trade Unionists from Eastbourne were well represented in the Brighton Pride parade, yesterday.

As trade unionists we are proud of the work we have done, and continue to do in fighting for equality- and Pride is a visible celebration of this.

The NUT South East region had an open topped bus, decorated with artwork from students at several local schools, highlighting the history of the equality struggle, and those parts of the world where LGBT people are still persecuted. Dave Brinson, secretary of Eastbourne Trades Council proudly waved his flag on this float.

Unite the Union had a bright float, featuring the Trades Council's very own Sharon Wentworth, and members of East Sussex FBU marched with the East Sussex Fire and Rescue service's brightly decorated fire engine. We were especially pleased to see them, to thank them for their work on Thursday.


The RMT Union marched proudly with their branch banner, and members of the POA were well represented in HM Prison Service's walking float.  Usdaw members marched proudly with the Tesco LGBT network, and GMB had a well-stocked information stall at the park.

It was great to be joined by students from Sussex Downs College- some proudly wearing t-shirts from the college's LGBT and Supporters network.

Maybe, with 4 active Trades Councils in East Sussex, we should consider our own float for next year- to represent the other trade unions active in our area, and to celebrate the work the that Trades Councils do every day of the year, in fighting for equalities and rights. Let us know !

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 !

AGM- Priorities for 2014

The Eastbourne Trades Council held its AGM on Tuesday 1st April, at the Unite Eastbourne Centre.

The meeting welcomed new and old delegates and supporters, and also stood for a minute's silence in honour of the recently passed Tony Benn and Bob Crow.

Val Thomas (NASUWT) was re-elected as Chair, with Georgina Hazeldine (Unite) as Vice-Chair.  Dave Brinson (NUT) was re-elected as secretary, and Gordon Dyer (Unite) as Treasurer.

The meeting welcomed new affiliates CWU (Southdowns, Weald and Rother branch) and RMT (East Sussex Coastway branch) to the Trades Council.

The meeting discussed priorities for the year- including support for:-

Workers Memorial Day, 28th April.  We will again be collecting signatures for a remembrance card in the Town Centre during the weekend before, and will be writing to all churches and places of worship in Eastbourne, asking them to mark the day.

Hastings Trades Council's Five Days in May joint event with trade unionists in Dieppe, France.  We will ensure that our banner is at the Hastings end, and will circulate information to all of our workplaces.

Supporting the Save the DGH- Option 7 campaign. The "consultation" being carried out at the moment does not allow respondents to support maternity and paediatrics being multi-sited at both Eastbourne and Hastings. We will expose this sham of a consultation, and urge our members and supporters to actively campaign for consultant-led services at both sites.

The meeting also awarded the Len Caine Award to long-standing former  Unite steward, health and safety officer and branch chair Ray Goree.  Ray is unwell at the moment, so arrangements will be made to present him with his prize soon.

Hands off our Hospitals- film from 38 Degrees

Campaigning group 38 degrees have contacted us today regarding the Care Bill and Jeremy Hunt's plans to seize powers to fast-track hospital closures:

Jeremy Hunt’s ‘hospital closure clause’ is dangerously close to becoming law. [1] It could put all hospitals across England at risk and it has just been announced that the crucial vote is only a week away. If we’re going to win this we’ve got to move quickly.

Our best chance to stop it is if David Cameron and Nick Clegg see that the reputation of their party is at risk if the plans go ahead.

Luckily we’ve got exactly what we need! Over the last few days, award winning filmmakers have been working at break-neck speed to pull together a hard-hitting video. Everyone watching will see why Jeremy Hunt’s plans need to be stopped.

If all 2.5 million of us who get this email share the video with a few friends it will be seen by more people than the X-factor, Eastenders or the Great British Bake-off! So please check it out below and then forward it on and share with your friends, family and colleagues.

Already 150,000 of us have signed our names to the petition against the hospital closure clause. Now we need to make sure that everywhere they turn, Cameron and Clegg see that the public outrage about the hospital closure clause. Please watch and share thevideo now

Act now to oppose Clause 118- No English hospital will be safe !

NO English hospital is safe

Dubbed the 'hospital closure clause' no hospital in England will be safe from financially driven closures if we don't act now.
Following the High Court ruling against the secretary of state, Jeremy Hunt’s decision to close the successful and solvent Lewisham Hospital, he is now trying to get the law changed.

Clause 118 is being rushed through Parliament. If it becomes law the secretary of state will have won. Hospitals will be shut at the whim of Whitehall bureaucrats, without full and proper consultation with patients and the public, and without even any agreement from the new GP commissioning groups (CCGs).
This means that even if a local hospital is successful and financially viable it can be shut if a neighbouring NHS trust is failing - no matter how vocal local opposition is to the plans. 

We can’t let him get away with it ! Our local MP, Stephen Lloyd  has a vote – the Care Bill will have its third reading in the House of Commons at the beginning of February 2014.  Click here to send (and customise) a prepared email letter urging Stephen Lloyd to oppose this clause, which has potentially grave implications for the DGH and other local health services !

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 !

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.

Trades Council Meeting: July

There will be a meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council at 7.30pm, Tuesday 10th July, at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (formerly T&G) , Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade unionists are invited, (although only delegates from affiliated unions may vote on financial and policy matters.)

The guest speaker will be local Unite member, author and campaigner Paul Richards.  Paul was a Special Adviser on Communities to Hazel Blears in the last Labour government, and had sought the Labour Party nomination for the forthcoming Police Commissioner election.  Although Paul was unsuccessful in this, he still has a lot of information and ideas about these important first elections.

Paul will be speaking about the Police Commissioners, the role and powers that they will have, and how trade unionists should be getting involved.  (Note: The Trades Council is party-politically independent, and does not support or endorse any party or candidate. Paul is invited as an expert speaker and a long-standing Unite the Union member !)

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. Paul Richards- Author and Unite member- The Police Commissioner Elections

6. Priorities for Summer campaigning

7. Any other Union 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.

 Any apologies, or requests for information, to the Secretary please

Remploy- Well Done: more to do !

Well done to all Eastbourne Trades Unionists who e-mailed Tory Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan-Smith over plans to sack over 1,500 disabled workers in the Remploy factories.

Sally Kosky, National Officer of Unite the Union writes:-

"Hi everyone,

Thank you for all your emails to Iain Duncan Smith - he's had over 12,000 of us telling him to keep his hands off Remploy, and we're not letting up!

Overnight, we had this billboard put up outside Chingford station, slap bang in the middle of the work and pensions minister's constituency - and a mere 350 yards from his office. We just went to see it this morning, and we think it should get his attention nicely:

Can you help us spread the photo far and wide online to get more support for the Remploy workers? Use the links to share it right now on Facebook or Twitter.

Thanks all! Together, we're making this an issue that'll be hard for the minister to ignore for much longer.

Best,

Sally Kosky

National Officer

Unite the Union

P.S. If you'd also like to share the photo with friends and family by email, please send them this link

Stop the coalition sacking 1,500 Disabled workers ! Send a message today.

Unite the Union (and other unions such as GMB representing workers in the Remploy factories, which provide work for mostly disabled workers) are campaigning against the appalling decision by Iain Duncan Smith to shut down 54 Remploy factories and throw 1,518 staff on the dole.

Len McCluskey, Unite General Secretary, writes:

"Dear Friend,

Sacking decent workers makes no sense.

In a shameful move, the Tory Work and Pensions Minister Iain Duncan Smith is trying to shut down 54 British factories and throw 1,518 hardworking people on to benefits. Even worse, these are Remploy factories – so the workers he wants sacked are mostly disabled.

Help us keep British factories open for business and stop this government putting disabled workers on the scrap heap.

 

Click here to send a message to Iain Duncan Smith, asking him to meet with Remploy workers. It won’t take you more than a minute to do – but it’s a minute that could save the jobs of over a thousand disabled people.

 

Shutting down Remploy shows just how heartless and arrogant this government is. In fact, Iain Duncan Smith told a Remploy worker to her face that he wanted to make her unemployed so he could give someone else a “proper job”. 

 

This is unjustified and nasty. As a union official I had responsibility for Remploy’s workers and I know firsthand that they absolutely do “proper jobs”. Remploy is a brilliant testimony to the British manufacturing industry and it provides real work for disabled people in this country – and we should be proud of it. 

 

I know too that Remploy is much more than a workplace to its staff. Steve Collins, a worker in North Staffs factory, told us that his job at Remploy "saved his life", offering him somewhere he can earn a dignified living, after years of bullying in mainstream employment. This is what Remploy means to its workers – and why we can’t just let it be destroyed.

 

Tell Iain Duncan Smith what you think of his decision to throw 1,518 hardworking disabled people on the scrap heap. Ask him now to save British factories and jobs.

 

Closing down our factories and forcing people on to benefits makes no economic sense at a time when more than two million people in this country are out of work.

 

With the full force of our members’ voices, we can put enough pressure on the government to save Remploy. Thank you for standing up for these workers."

 

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.