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!

Next Trades Council: Tuesday 20th November

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 20th November, 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 (October) and matters arising.

4. Treasurer's Report

5. EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL- THE IMPACT OF THE "CORE OFFER" CUTS 

6. Other Union Campaigns:

(a) Derecognition of NEU at East Sussex College Group

(b) RMT ongoing safety dispute at Southern

(c) Retail Update

(d) NHS Update

(e) Other campaigns

7. Events

(a) Tony Benn film- report

(b) Engels Plaque etc. update

(c) Early Planning for 2019 events

8. Any other business

DEMONSTRATE: Hands OFF Milton Grange and Firwood House

East Sussex County Council are proposing to cut or close services at two essential local Adult Social Care facilities:  Milton Grange and Firwood House.  Together these social care homes provide nursing and therapy, and short-term residential services and respite to support older people with a range of physical needs including dementia, and enable them to return home.

There will be a demonstration outside Milton Grange on SATURDAY 3RD MARCH at 1.45pm to oppose the plans. 

Stephen Lloyd, MP for Eastbourne will be speaking, and local TV and press will be in attendance.

Please come along and show solidarity.

The County Council’s public consultation closes on 25^th April.  Please visit the website and have your say by clicking here

A local petition has already attracted nearly 10,000 signatures. Sign the petition if you haven’t already done so by clicking here 

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!

Next Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 17th November

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 17th November, 7.30pm at the View Hotel (formerly known as the Unite/T&G Eastbourne Centre), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. 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 (September) and matters arising. 
4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer
5. ANTI CUTS CAMPAIGNS- including adult social care and others
6. LIVING WAGE CAMPAIGNS: Update on campaigns, including reports from Unison, People's Assembly and others involved in the campaign.
7. Report from  East Sussex County Association of Trades Councils
8. 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 !

Trade Unionists Support the People's Assembly Against Austerity

Eastbourne Trades Council is proudly supporting the establishment of an Eastbourne People's Assembly, which will be launched on Saturday 19th September. Affiliates to the People's Assembly nationally include Unite the Union, Unison, NUT, ASLEF, TSSA, UCU, the Fire Brigades Union and the South East Region of the TUC.

There have been swingeing cutbacks in public services and local government expenditures during the last 5 years because of economic and social policies implemented by central government, which justifies such policies as being the 'austerity' necessary to ensure future 'prosperity'. These cutbacks have affected the people of Eastbourne in many ways, such as increasing poverty, homelessness, and reducing access to essential health and social services.

Mirroring the establishment of a national People’s Assembly that campaigns against austerity, a group of Eastbourne activists is creating a local organisation, the Eastbourne People’s Assembly against Austerity. This new local group will raise awareness about the impact of austerity, campaign against it both locally and nationally, and promote the alternatives to austerity that would protect or restore our vital local services.

The Eastbourne People's Assembly will be launched on Saturday 19^th September at Our Lady of Ransom Church Hall in Grange Road, Eastbourne and is expected to attract participants from a wide range of community, faith, campaign and trade union groups as well as individual activists. Doors open at 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start.

The launch will commence with keynote speeches by, amongst others, Mark Steel - comedian and columnist for The Independent newspaper - and national People's Assembly secretary and co-ordinator, Sam Fairbairn. The main focus of the evening will be sharing ideas and suggestions about how to build up the Eastbourne People's Assembly and how to develop the campaign against austerity locally.

Anyone interested in attending the launch please  book your free ticket on Eventbrite by clicking here.