Next Trades Council Meeting: 28th September on Zoom

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, on Tuesday 28th September 2021, via Zoom.  All Eastbourne trade unionists are welcome to attend. 

Please register in advance by clicking here

A G E N D A 

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Approval of any new affiliations.

3. Minutes of previous meeting (July 2021) and matters arising.

4. Treasurer's Report

5. NHS CAMPAIGNING:  To update on affiliated unions' campaign for a decent pay rise for NHS workers, and against privatisation.  Speakers to include Lib Whitfield from GMB. 

6. Other Campaigning reports from affiliated Unions and other campaigning organisations.

7. Any other business

East Sussex says: SAVE OUR NHS

The Launch meeting of an East Sussex Save the NHS Campaign to unite people, who care about the NHS, across the region covered by East Sussex Healthcare Trust will be held on Monday 9th April.

Our NHS is now suffering its deepest crisis since the birth of the service nearly 70 years ago. Unless we unite to fight against the politics that is creating this crisis we face a bleak future where healthcare will become a luxury and not an automatic right.

This will be a speaker event that will try to explain what is happening right now to our cherished service and what we can do to try and protect it. There is good reason to feel hopeful that a public campaign to fight for local services could be successful. This has already happened in many other areas.

Speakers for the evening will be:

Dr Carl Walker;
Madeleine Dickens from Sussex Defened the NHS,
Lloyd Russell Moyle, Labour and Co-operative MP.

There will be a Q&A session towards the end of the evening.

The meeting will be held in the Central Hall at the View Hotel, where there is disabled access. Doors will open at 6.30pm.   Admission is free, but attendees are asked to register in advance by clicking here. 

No To Sussex Ambulance Outsourcing

GMB Warn That Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups Are Taking Huge Risks In The Outsourcing Of Patients Transport Services.  Failure to ensure that proposed incoming private ambulance contractors are fit and capable to provide this vital service from April 1st is unforgivable says the Union.

GMB, the union for the ambulance service, has discovered that Hampshire based VM Langford's and Essex based Thames Ambulance Group have been appointed by Coperforma to deliver Patient Transport Services in Sussex.

Coperforma were awarded the contract to provide non-emergency patients Transport Services across Sussex from 1 April 2016. The provision for Patient Transport Services in Sussex has been split between Thames Ambulance Services who will service Brighton, central Sussex and the north Sussex corridor and VM Langford who will provide patient transport services across both East and West Sussex.

All current South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) ambulance service staff will be transferred to their new provider with 97 going to VM Langford.
GMB members are raising concerns that, with 6 weeks to go, locations of ambulance base stations have still yet to be announced.

Gary Palmer, GMB regional organiser, said “Outsourcing and sub-contracting by The Sussex Clinical Commissioners Group and Coperforma, could lead to disaster for Patient Transport Services in Sussex through the appointment of VM Langford’s and Thames Ambulance Group to deliver transport services across Sussex. Patients and front line NHS professionals, who currently deliver a caring, responsive, first class service to the public across the county, will suffer.

Coperforma led a drawn out, secretive and badly handled search for private ambulance service providers, which resulted in nearly all of their preferred choices pulling out on consideration of what we can only presume to be a financially disappointing and unfavourable contract.

GMB has raised concerns to both the CCG and Coperforma that they have produced nothing to lessen our member’s concerns that VM Langford’s will be unable to provide the necessary base equipment and the vehicles necessary to mobilise and commence service provision on April 1st.  As future employers they have yet to convince transferring staff that they are committed to NHS values and that the current agenda for improvements to terms and conditions won’t be under threat.

GMB and SECAmb had arranged a second meeting with VM Langford’s to fully layout their deployment plans. This was cancelled at their request and rearranged for the 25th February. A further two weeks potential consultation has been lost and that is not acceptable.

It’s time for the CCG to come out publicly about the concerns it has shared with GMB and SECAmb in recent meetings about VM Langford’s and their ability to deliver any sort of service for the people of Sussex together with an acknowledgement of the real fears and concerns of staff over their appointment and ability to deliver an NHS standard service.

GMB are calling for the CCG to halt the rush to force this privatisation through and to push the transfer process commencement date back by at least 3 months. It is vital that we ensure that the patients, staff, public and unions involved can be confident that patient lives, the jobs of our members and the effectiveness of the service as a whole are not put at risk. Ensuring the capability and long term stability of those involved in the contracts mobilisation is an absolute necessity. 

GMB will not stand by and allow our members, together with the patients and public of Sussex to receive a substandard service and detrimental treatment off the back of inexperienced providers looking to make a fast buck.” 

Probation Services: For Public Protection not Private Profit !

At 12 noon on 5th November members of the National Association of Probation Officers  will  commence strike action for 24 hours,  returning to work at 12 noon on 6th November. This action coincides with the ‘People’s Assembly’ planned day of demonstrations.

They are holding a Rally in Brighton.  This will start at 2:30 at Brighton Railway Station and will then make its way to Brighton Pavilions via Probation Headquarters. (Trafalgar Street) Please do your best to come along and join the Napo Rally-  all trade unionists and supporters are very welcome. The following day, Wednesday 6th the strike continues up until 12:00, and NAPO are picketing as many offices as they can on that day.

You can find out more about NAPO's campaign against privatisation by visiting their website here.

Save our Royal Mail

Despite its annual profits showing that the Royal Mail is viable as a publicly-owned service, the coalition government seem determined to push ahead with privatisation.

Privatisation of the Royal Mail will mean:-

Prices will go up

Until 2012 stamp prices were subject to regulatory control. This meant that people and businesses were protected from excessive price rises. But to make Royal Mail more attractive to potential investors the government removed those controls. Overnight the price of a first class stamp rose from 46p to 60p – a whopping 30% increase and the biggest since 1975.
As a private company, focused on increasing shareholder returns, Royal Mail will want more significant price increases. To make matters worse a privatised Royal Mail will be eventually be obliged to charge VAT on its services adding 12p to the cost of a first class stamp.
With politicians unable to exert influence over a privatised Royal Mail just one more increase similar to the 2012 price rise will make a first class stamp 94p. So the £1 letter really will not be far off.

Business will be squeezed

For many small businesses, especially those in rural areas there is often no alternative to the Royal Mail. Suffering from high energy bills and other overheads, businesses can ill afford to see the cost of using the postal service shoot up. Yet that is precisely what will happen if Royal Mail is sold off.

The countryside will be isolated

Royal Mail provides a lifeline to people and businesses in rural areas. It will go where its competitors fear to tread and it charges the same to deliver a letter to the North of Scotland as it does to London.
And it does so just as often.
Everyone understands that it costs more than the price of a stamp to deliver a letter to a rural address.
That is why, despite assurances to the contrary, the postal services regulator is working to determine the real cost for deliveries to rural areas. It has also looked recently at how it can reduce the daily delivery service to addresses in the countryside.

Post Offices will close

The local post office is a focal point for the life of so many small towns and villages across the UK. Where pubs and other shops have disappeared, the post office has remained. But when that goes, the life of a village often disappears with it.
Many small post offices have a fragile existence and rely upon Royal Mail for business to survive. Yet the 2001 Postal Services Act fully separates the Post Office Counters’ network from Royal Mail. The government will point to a recently signed business agreement between the two. But that cannot guarantee that a new, private owner, free to do as they choose, will honour that agreement in full. For example they may wish to re-negotiate its terms or move more of its business to other retail outlets.
And the more cash that Royal Mail takes from post offices, the more will close.

Free post for HM Armed Forces will be stopped

Royal Mail provides a freepost service for British forces personnel. These letters and parcels from loved ones are vital for our armed forces. To receive personal items including cherished family photographs provides a major boost for those in combat.
But a privately owned Royal Mail will not want to maintain this non-profit making service – and neither can it be compelled to. If we do not protect the public service ethos of Royal Mail, the free post lifeline to HM Forces will be scrapped.

Support the campaign to Save our Royal Mail !-  visit the website here and sign the petition.

Solidarity with the NUT in Hastings

As you may have heard, NUT members at William Parker Sports College in Hastings will be taking strike action tomorrow, in protest at their transfer to the ARK Academy chain, which does not recognise School Teachers Pay and Conditions.

While Hastings is not in our Trades Council area, a number of members live in Eastbourne- and the actions of East Sussex County Council in this saga do not bode well for trade unionists in Eastbourne schools !   While only NUT are taking tomorrow's action,  all of the TUC-affiliated unions in the school (NASUWT, ATL, UNISON and GMB) are firmly opposed to Academy status, and the way that East Sussex have imposed the ARK chain without any debate or consultation with staff, unions, parents or the local community.

(ARK, incidentally was set up by hedge fund managers, and run by a board of trustees including fund managers, bankers, the Tory Party treasurer and a former News International executive.)

The NUT  had productive talks with East Sussex County Council and ARK last week, and were willing to postpone the strike action to allow for further talks. Under trade union law, this would have required the employer to request an extension to the negotiation time.  EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL REFUSED, ON AT LEAST THREE OCCASIONS, TO TAKE UP THIS OFFER.  

 

If the county believe that they can call members' bluff over this, they are sorely mistaken. Members gave a 100% yes vote for action, and are angry at the intransigence of the County Council.

Messages of solidarity can be sent via Dave Brinson, East Sussex NUT Division Secretary.  The campaign has a website where these will be displayed alongside other information about the dispute.  View the site here.

Trades Council Meeting: November 13th

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 13th November, at 7.30pm, at the Unite Eastbourne Centre, Grand Parade, Eastbourne.

 

Our guest speaker is Garry Hassell from the RMT, who will be speaking about the Action for Rail campaign, which is supported by RMT, Aslef, TSSA and Unite. The campaign seeks to make the case for a publicly owned rail system run for people not profit. You can read more about the campaign at their website here: http://actionforrail.org/

 

All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting, which will also discuss other business, including the next steps following the well-attended 20th October march, and other local campaigns.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

4. Guest Speaker: Garry Hassell, Action for Rail/ RMT

5. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer
6. Any other 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.

Brighton TUC- Protest at Lib Dem Conference

The Liberal Democrats- junior partners in the coalition Government- will be holding their Annual Conference just down the coast in Brighton later this month.  Our colleagues in Brighton Trades Council will be staging a protest against the austerity policies of their Government on Saturday 22nd September.

Brighton Trades Council are pointing out that:

"The government has embarked on an unprecedented programme of cuts and privatisation.

Schools, hospitals, councils, benefits, the welfare state is torn apart while jobs are lost and pay is cut, Debt reduction through 'austerity' in Britain and across Europe has now been proved not to reduce deficits, but it is part of a massive transfer of wealth from the poor to the very richest.

The Lib-Dems prop up a government that has seen the wealth of the richest 1,000 people increase by £78 billion since they took office. This is the party who pledged to scrap tuition fees and protect EMA, yet EMA has gone and tuition fees have been tripled. "

Trade unionists are urged to join Brighton unions and anti-cuts activists in a march and rally- assembling at The Level, Brighton, at mid-day on Saturday 22nd September. For more information, visit the Brighton Trades Council website here.

Police Commissioner Elections: Ask questions, then vote !

The July meeting of the Trades Council  was pleased to welcome author and journalist Paul Richards to talk about the forthcoming Police Commissioner elections.

Paul was a special adviser to the last Government on Communities; and was an unsuccessful candidate for Labour’s nomination for the Sussex election. However, as a committed trade unionists, and a  Unite and NUJ member, we thought Paul would be ideal to talk to us  about the role of the commissioners !

Trade Unionists should consider the fact that the elected commissioner will set the budget headings for Sussex Police and its strategic priorities.

Paul highlighted the different attitudes likely to be taken by candidates on issues such as community policing, hate crime (especially race and LGBT) and protecting both uniformed and support staff jobs from cuts and privatisation.

The commissioner will also have control over the budget allocated for Victim Support work, and we should ask serious questions about how this will be allocated.

Paul spoke of the likelihood that the racist BNP will target this election, and that racist and fascist parties tend to do well when there is apathy and a low turnout- which is why it is vital that all trade unionists vote and encourage their workmates to turn out and have their say.

Eastbourne TUC, like all trades councils and the national TUC,  is party-politically independent and does not endorse any individual party or candidate. We urge all local trade unionists to read all of the material, follow all of the campaigns and weigh up the issues for themselves- then make sure you turn out to vote- and encourage others to do the same !

THE POLICE COMMISSIONER ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY 15^TH NOVEMBER.

Save the NHS: Petition handed in to Stephen Lloyd MP

Over 400,000 people signed the petition against the coalition's NHS "reforms" organised by the 38 Degrees campaigning group.

Trades Council secretary Dave Brinson joined local organiser Lucette Davies and other local campaigners to present the Eastbourne section of the petition to Stephen Lloyd MP on Saturday 25th June.

Dave says: "Hundreds of thousands of trade unionists, patients and health professionals have
made their dismay at the coalition's cuts and privatisation agenda for the NHS loudly and clearly heard. The coalition are now making a big play that they have 'listened': let's wait and see whether their actions reflect their warm words !"

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

Trades Council Meeting: April 5th

TRADES COUNCIL MEETING- with "KEEP THE POST PUBLIC" speaker.

There will be a meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council at 7.30pm, Tuesday 5th April 2011, 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.)

A G E N D A

1. Introductions and apologies for absence


2. Approval of new affiliations.


3. Minutes of previous meeting- for information only (the AGM Minutes will be formally approved at the 2012 AGM)


4. Matters Arising from the Minutes.


5. Treasurer’s report- Gordon Dyer


6. Guest Speaker from Keep the Post Public Campaign Peter Sinnott of the local Communication Workers’ Union will talk about the campaign against privatisation of the Royal Mail.


7. Anti-Cuts Campaigning: Where next after March 26th ? Report on progress of Eastbourne Anti-Cuts activity.


8. Local Elections: Update on campaigning opportunities around the Borough Council elections, including any threat of BNP candidates.


9. Union Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.


10. Articles and timing for next workplace newsletter


11. Any other business

Royal Mail- Not For Sale !

March and Rally- Saturday 19th March at 12.30, at The Level in Brighton.



12.30: Assemble at The Level, Union Road, Brighton
13.15: March through Brighton, returning to The Level at
14.15: Rally with guest speakers and music from Love Music, Hate Racism.



Speakers invited include:

Billy Hayes and Dave Ward (CWU)
Caroline Lucas MP (Green)
Cllr Gill Mitchell (Labour)
Dot Gibson (National Pensioners' Convention)
Cat Smith (Compass Youth)
Phil Clarke (Brighton Stop the Cuts Campaign)



For more information, contact the Communication Workers Union at keepthepostpublic@virginmedia.com

Keep the Post Public

Eastbourne Trades Council welcomes the Communication Workers Union as our latest local affiliate. The CWU is currently running a national campaign against Post Office privatisation.

The union believe that the Post Office is a vital part of the local community. But the government’s plans to privatize the post office will cut or increase the cost of services which small businesses, communities and vulnerable groups rely on.

In particular the union believe three things will happen if the Postal Services Bill is passed in its current form:

Mail services cut
Royal Mail delivers and collects to 28m UK addresses for six days a week for a single stamp price (uniform tariff). This is called the universal postal service; it is expensive to provide, particularly in rural areas. The Government has been keen to stress this service will be protected under a privatised Royal Mail.
However, the reality is that in order to make Royal Mail attractive to investors, it will need to cut the cost of providing those services. That is why the bill compels the proposed postal services regulator, Ofcom, to review the universal postal service within 18 months. Such a review, with the need to make Royal Mail attractive to investors as a backdrop, is hardly likely to determine that the current universal service minimum requirements should become more onerous! At least nine clauses in the Postal Services Bill allow the regulator to amend or vary the application of the minimum requirements that make up the universal service. Such sell-offs are very rare internationally, but in Holland the minimum requirements were reduced following privatisation.

Increase in mail prices
The Postal Services Bill allows for Ofcom to make an assessment of the financial burden of the universal service on Royal Mail and to make recommendations for how to alleviate this burden. While the Bill requires that prices be affordable — this leaves wide scope for price increases. Already the Regulator has approved a huge 5p rise in stamp prices next year. Still higher prices would be deeply unpopular and run counter to public perception of what it is to protect the universal service.

Local Post Offices under threat
There is no guarantee in the Postal Services Bill that Royal Mail will continue to use the Post Office as the primary retail outlet for some or all of its products. A privatised Royal Mail could choose to use other outlets such as supermarkets or high street chains. This would deprive the post office network of a third of its income, and would put thousands of post offices at risk, especially in rural areas where post offices are particularly struggling. Fewer post offices in these areas mean that vulnerable groups in those communities will have to travel further to get access to vital services.

You can get involved in the campaign against privatisation- including a model e-mail for your local MP, by visiting the CWU's Keep the Post Public website here.