Workers Memorial Day

A big thank you to those who came along and supported us in commemorating Workers Memorial Day in Eastbourne on Saturday 28th April.

We shared information about those we had lost as a result of their work locally, and on how unions and others are campaigning locally, nationally and worldwide to improve safety at work.

We are also proud that our banner was prominently carried in the May Day March last weekend.

Bigger and better next year- "Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living!"

March with us on May Day!

Commemorate May Day (a bit late, but using the May Day holiday!) with workers around the world. March with our trade union banners through Eastbourne Town Centre and up to the Wish Tower Slopes for speakers and a picnic.
 
Following last year's success, let's make this year even bigger! Assemble on the grass outside the NUT office on Hyde Gardens for an 11.00am start, If your union branch has a banner (or flags etc. but please no balloons) bring it along!

Speakers will include Eastbourne People's Assembly, East Sussex Save the NHS, Bourne Out LGBT and a striker from the current teachers' dispute.

Workers' Memorial Day 2018

APRIL 28TH IS INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY.

The purpose behind Workers' Memorial Day has always been to "remember the dead: fight for the living" and unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering events or memorial to remember all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated.

Eastbourne Trades Council wants to make sure that we make a big commemoration of the day in our town. We'd like to distribute literature remembering those who have lost their lives at work, and about current campaigns by unions and others to prevent future deaths through safer workplaces. 

We will be holding a Street Stall at Bankers' Corner, Terminus Road, on Saturday 28th April, from 10.00am to 12 noon. All welcome to join us.  Let us know you're coming by clicking here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2282997531927210/

More info on Workers Memorial Day from the TUC at https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/national/workers-memorial-day

Protestival! 7th April in Eastbourne

Eastbourne People’s Assembly is hosting a fabulous day of exploring and celebrating the arts and activism. The day will include theatre, music and spoken word from acts such as Charlie X, Tony Hylands, The Four-Fathers, Madamme Charzan, Little Red, Dan Wilkes and much more. There will be something for everyone.

The event will be on Saturday 7^th April, from 3-10pm at the Crown and Anchor pub, on Royal Parade.

Tickets £15 exclusively from Pebble Records, the Basement, 14 Gildredge Road, Eastbourne. Proceeds go to the Matthew 25 Mission for their work in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our town.

Eastbourne TUC Says: Congratulations Amy!

Amy Murphy, secretary of Usdaw in Sussex, has been elected as the Union’s new national president.

Trades Council secretary, Dave Brinson said: “Way back in 2010, a handful of local trade unionists sat in a room in Eastbourne Town Hall, and agreed to try and re-form a trades council for Eastbourne.

We succeeded, building the vibrant trades council we now have- and I am thrilled that one of those trade unionists ‘who believed’ is now national President of Britain’s fifth largest Union.

Amy has been a great and steadfast friend of trade unionists in Eastbourne, and will be an excellent President of Usdaw.”

Trades Council AGM: 27th March 2018

The AGM of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 27th March, at the View Hotel, Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade unionists (including retired trade unionists) are invited, although only delegates from affiliated unions may stand as officers or vote on financial or policy matters.

A G E N D A

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Minutes of the AGM from 2017

3. Adoption of Rules for 2018 (proposal is same as for 2017) and new affiliates.

4. Officers' Reports and Accounts

5. Election of Officers for 2018

a) Chair

b) Vice Chair

c) Secretary

d) Assistant Secretary

e) Treasurer

f) Additional non-officer members of the Executive Committee, if required

5. MAY DAY PARADE and WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY: to update preparation for these events and agree any arrangements. 

6. NHS Campaigning: update on the launch of the East Sussex Save our NHS Campaign

7.  Eastbourne Pride: To update on arrangements and to agree any financial commitments. 

8. Updates from other Union campaigns.

9. Dates  of meetings for 2018-9

10. Presentation of the Len Caine Award

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 

Solidarity with UCU at Sussex Univerity and nationwide!

Eastbourne trade unionists stand in solidarity with the University and College Union members taking strike action in defence of their Final Salary Pension scheme, in the face of proposals that would lead to a hit of between 20 and 40% to their pensions.

UCU members at the University of Sussex will be taking action on:
Thursday 22 February, Friday 23 February, Monday 26 February, Tuesday 27 February, Wednesday 28 February,
Monday 5 March, Tuesday 6 March, Wednesday 7 March, Thursday 8 March, Monday 12 March,
Tuesday 13 March, Wednesday 14 March, Thursday 15 March and  Friday 16 March.

The UCU explain...

WHY WE ARE STRIKING:
We are university staff and members of the University and College Union (UCU) and we are taking strike action to defend our right to a fair pension. University employers want to end guaranteed pensions and reduce retirement income for all.

PENSIONS UNDER ATTACK:
University staff have always accepted pay levels that are lower than comparably skilled professions, partly because we had a decent pension. Now our right to a well-earned retirement is under attack.

WHAT EMPLOYERS’ HARDLINE PROPOSALS WOULD MEAN:

• Final pensions would depend on how the stock market performs not on contributions.
• A reduction in retirement benefits by between 20% and 40% depending on grade and length of service. A typical lecturer stands to lose around £10,000 a year.
• The worst pensions in the education sector, far worse than those available to both school teachers and staff in ‘new’ universities.
• A recruitment and retention crisis as staff seek better financial security elsewhere

STRIKING IS ALWAYS A LAST RESORT:
No education professional wants to strike but we also deserve long-term security and our students deserve staff who are able to focus fully on the job. We have called for extended negotiations with the employers but, disappointingly, talks ended with the changes being imposed. Staff feel angry and betrayed but even now we call on university leaders to work with us to find a solution and avoid widespread disruption for our students.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR STRIKE

UCU members voted overwhelmingly for this action on the highest turnout this union has seen. We have been left with no choice but to take strike action and to withdraw the goodwill that the university relies upon but that has been taken for granted.

Visit the UCU's website for more information by clicking here.

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. 

Next Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 16th January

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 16th January, 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 (November) and matters arising

4. Treasurer's Report

 5. CAMPAIGNS:

            (a) CWU Royal Mail dispute

            (b) RMT Southern Rail dispute

            (c) Teachers' Pay dispute with East Sussex County Council

            (d) Other Union Campaigns

 6. EVENTS:

(a)   MAY DAY:  To confirm dates and provisional arrangements for the May Day march 2018. 

(b)   PRIDE:  To agree any financial commitments for Pride 2018, and how to encourage more trade union participation in the parade.

(c)   TOLPUDDLE: To update on possible transport to the Tolpuddle Martyrs Rally

(d)  WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY

7. NEWSLETTER:  To approve content and budget for the newsletter which will be sent out prior to the AGM to act as our “annual report”

8.   AGM- to confirm details of speakers, and nominee for the Len Caine Award