URGENT: DGH Public Meeting Tomorrow ! (Thursday)

URGENT !

There is a public meeting TOMORROW EVENING (21st August) organised by the GMB Union about the future of our District General Hospital, entitled: "Is Eastbourne Hospital being 'managed' to ruin ?"

The meeting is at 7.00pm at the Unite Eastbourne Centre, Grand Parade, Eastbourne, BN21 4DN.

The GMB, which represents a large number of staff working for the hospital and the wider NHS, says:

"Do you feel that Hospitals, Community Services and Staff are just not safe in [East Sussex Hospitals] Trust hands ?  With wards closing, services diminished and moved, staff redeployments without consultations, enforced down-bandings and pay cuts.  We feel that Eastbourne, Hastings and East Sussex deserve better. We must not allow the continued EITHER/OR option of delivering healthcare within the ESHT.  

Your Hospital, Your Services, Your Jobs.  It needs you now to help save it. Come along and help the fight back."

All local trade unionists and their friends and family are urged to attend.

Justice for Firefighters Geoff and Brian !

As we salute those firefighters who battled to save our Pier, it's time for justice for the families of late East Sussex firefighters Geoff Wicker and Brian Wembridge, who lost their lives battling another tragic fire in 2006. Despite a ruling of negligence against the fire service, their families are still awaiting the compensation ordered.

In 2006 Geoff and Brian lost their lives tackling a fire at Marlie Farm. After investigation, this was found to be down to negligence on the part of the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Despite a court ruling that compensation must be paid, the fire service is refusing and stopping the bereaved families recovering from this traumatic event.

The High Court identified a number of failings by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service:

• Failure to train staff on the risks of a significant explosion with fireworks stored in bulk and the correct manner in which to approach explosives incidents.
• Failure to pre-plan (ie carry out standard inspections and build their findings into an emergency response plan) for an explosives incident at Marlie Farm, despite warnings about the site, the evidence of poor water supplies and ESFRS’ knowledge of the widespread, bulk storage of fireworks in Sussex.
• Failure by the fire and rescue service’s Mobilisation and Communications Centre to pass on information received in calls they received, for example, that a “huge explosion” or “large explosions” had taken place.
• Failure to order an evacuation once the presence of large fireworks in the shipping container was strongly suspected.
• Failure to execute the evacuation properly once it was belatedly ordered.

After a string of rulings and appeals, a high court judgement ruled that East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service must pay compensation to the bereaved families. They are refusing to drop the appeal against liability and are yet to pay any compensation.  Until they do their families simply cannot move on.

We want justice for Geoff, Brian and their families. We want East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to honour the ruling of the court and accept their responsibility and liability for compensation.

Please click here to sign the petition

The Fire Authority is comprised of elected councillors from the City of Brighton and Hove, and from East Sussex County Council.  There are members of all parties (Tory, Lib Dem, Labour, Green, UKIP and Independents) on the authority.  You can find out who your local members are by clicking here.

UPDATE: A word about our MP

A few people have said that I was a bit harsh on our MP Stephen Lloyd in yesterday's post about the Pier staff affected by the fire. Reading it back, I don't think there is anything that isn't pertinent or true in there. But I am happy to elaborate.

I am a political opponent of Stephen Lloyd, although the Trades Council itself does not endorse or oppose individual party candidates.  I disagree with Stephen on many things, although there are also many areas where we agree, and, indeed have campaigned together.

Stephen has spoken to the Trades Council's meetings on several occasions, as has David Tutt, as have several delegates who are not just trades unionists, but also Lib Dem members or supporters. Stephen has supported a number of trade union campaigns in Eastbourne- speaking at rallies and meetings, and even, unashamedly,  to members on picket lines. We value our relationship with our MP, even when we vehemently disagree with him.

And so to the Pier. I make no apology as Secretary of the Trades Council for speaking out for a fair deal for Pier workers. I make no apology for pointing out that their employment law protections have been weakened as a result of detrimental changes in the law brought forward from the Government of which Stephen Lloyd is a member. 

However, I am assured that, as our constituency MP, Stephen is actively pushing for an outcome that is fair and just for those staff who face losing their livelihood, and, especially noting his past record of working with us, and with working people facing injustice, I am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt- for the moment.

I, the Trades Council, and every trades unionist in Eastbourne will be watching carefully to make sure that the Pier staff get a decent deal that respects their importance to the local economy, and their dedicated service. If there is any suggestion that they are going to be screwed over- we will not hesitate to tell the world.  Let's see what happens !

Dave Brinson- Secretary, Eastbourne Trades Council.

 

Are you a member of Pier staff ?  Do you want advice or support about your contractual rights ?  Please let us know via e-mail here.

UPDATE: Pier workers- deafening silence

Stephen Lloyd MP has published a list of Frequently Asked Questions on his website, which you can read here. However, on the issue of the Pier staff, there remains a deafening silence, other than the repeated assurance that they will get help with their benefits. Mr Lloyd assures them:

"What about those who have lost their job on the Pier?   Eastbourne Borough Council have a team of benefit advisors [sic] who should be able to assist. Their address is 1 Grove Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4TG. Additionally, the MP has contacted the Job Centre Plus to ensure that they are fully aware of the situation. Their address is 2 St Annes Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3XX."

So, to those who have lost their livelihood, the MP offers the address of the nearest dole office.

What Stephen Lloyd SHOULD be asking is:-

How many staff were employed in total on the pier, and how many individuals (including seasonal, casuals etc.) were employed by different companies ?

How many of these staff had more than two years service (under reforms that he voted for, only staff with two years service can apply to an Employment Tribunal for a decision on unfair dismissal. So, a staff member with 23 months service has virtually no rights, and Mr Lloyd thinks that's fine.)

Those staff with two years service will be entitled to redundancy money. However, if there are 20 staff in any one company facing redundancy, there should be a paid 30-day consultation period with staff, to ensure that all options are considered fairly. Is this happening ?

Those staff without two years service will be entitled to be paid until a decision is reached about their jobs, and then they should be paid their contractual notice.  How many staff are in this position, and what is their notice entitlement ?

How many affected staff were on the notorious zero hours contracts ?  If there are any, the chances are they have stopped being paid already (a bit like White Star line did at the point the Titanic sank) and will continue in unpaid limbo. Are there staff in this situation, and if so, what does Mr Lloyd think about it ?

The additional funding to support the economy will help the small traders on the pier, and quite rightly so. But, again, not a single word about how this funding will be used to alleviate hardship or support the move to alternative employment for Pier staff.  Why no answers ?

 

Are you a member of Pier staff ?  Do you want advice or support about your contractual rights ?  Please let us know via e-mail here.

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 !

UPDATE: Support package unveiled, but what about the Pier Workers ?

Pic by Sophie Lewis

Not a phrase that a lot of trade unionists would use often, but it was a good thing that David Cameron was in Eastbourne today.  The PM and chancellor visited the scene of the Pier fire, spoke to those involved in the rescue, and announced that up to £2 million, apparently from the coastal communities fund, would be made available to support the local economy. At face value- very good, but, as always, the devil will be in the detail.

Cynics point out that Eastbourne is a key marginal seat, and the election is only months away. This is undoubtedly true, but any government of any political hue should be taking this disaster for Eastbourne's community seriously. While Cameron managed to get a swift plug for the Tory candidate in on his social media within hours of the visit, the main thrust appears to be focused on being supportive. His political opponent, Stephen Lloyd, our Lib Dem MP has also seemed to be extremely busy on this issue.  Commendable, and indeed, no less than our community should expect of an elected representative, again, whatever their politics.

First of all, and this seems to have been made clear today, the money should not be for the restoration of the pier itself. This was a privately owned building, and should have paid for adequate insurance.  If there are additional costs around the accuracy and quality of a rebuild, there are grants available from sources such as English Heritage that would be more appropriate.

The small, usually sole traders with concessions on the Pier have been specifically mentioned as being targeted from this fund, and we should support that. These people are  not "big business"- they are very much part of the working people's movement, and many face ruin.  Already suggestions of stalls at Airbourne and pop-up shops in empty units have been mentioned, and this is quite right.

But- and this is the big but- what about the people who worked on the Pier- in the arcade, in the bars, in Atlantis, on the maintenance and management of the Pier ?  Support for them seems an unanswered question at the moment.

We know that many of these staff were on relatively low wages, and there were no union recognition agreements in place (although we believe that there were individual union members working on the Pier.) They have lost their livelihood too.

As trade unionists, we should be demanding, first of all, that the employers (and their insurers) meet their obligations, both contractual and moral. If there are to be job losses, there should be a consultation with the staff and representatives, plus contractual notice. Staff on temporary contracts will not have accrued the right to redundancy money, but should still be paid their notice period.  We don't know how many, if any, staff were on the notorious zero-hours contracts, but if this is the case, they should be given a deal based on the hours they would have expected to work, and the employers should be publicly shamed if this is not offered. Those staff who are individual members of a Union should contact them right away for advice and support.

Even with their contractual rights however, many of the workers will face hardship. Already on fairly low wages, some may face as little as a week's notice, and then the task of seeking alternative employment at this late stage in the season, where most high-season vacancies will have been filled.  The Chamber of Commerce has been heavily involved in the talks in the past few days- they should strongly urge their members to offer any vacancies to staff displaced by the fire.

And, of course, the money to support "the local economy". This must include support to alleviate the hardship of ordinary working people who gave their services to the Pier, and find themselves facing uncertainty through no fault of their own.  The fund must be used to help them too.

We are informed that the MP and the task group that has come together, are looking very seriously into the plight of the Pier workers, and that an announcement is due very soon. To help them, we provide this useful graphic (we have started from 4.00pm yesterday, when it became clear that the Pier would be closed for business for some time.)  We will take it down when Pier staff get the fair deal they so rightly deserve.

 

Are you a member of Pier staff ?  Do you want advice or support about your contractual rights ?  Please let us know via e-mail here.

Eastbourne Pier Tragedy: A trade unionist's perspective

Every trade unionist, resident, worker and visitor to Eastbourne was horrified by the blaze which devastated our Pier yesterday afternoon. Today, the full extent of the damage becomes more visible- with the old ballroom/blue room/arcade building reduced to an iron shell.

As trade unionists, our first mention must be to our brothers and sisters in the Fire Brigades Union, who bravely and expertly fought the fire- in particular managing to stop the blaze spreading to other buildings along the pier. Had that happened, we would probably be joining the ranks of those seaside towns whose piers were lost for ever.

Next, we think of the effect on jobs and working people in our town. While much has been made of the "decline" of the English seaside holiday, tourism remains buoyant in Eastbourne, supported by the conference and language school trade.  Hotels remain popular, and day trips swell the numbers throughout the season.  Thousands of jobs depend either directly or indirectly on that flow of visitors to our town- in shops, hotels, arts and historical venues, restaurants, the transport industry- and those services that support all people in Eastbourne, whether resident or visitor.

Eastbourne's seafront has been key to the town bucking the trend as far as seaside resorts go.   The well maintained Victorian façade has given us an edge over many rivals- and the Pier is central to that. Look at any brochure, magazine article, even many of the signs in the town, and the Pier is genuinely iconic.  Even the film industry has drawn on the town- Brighton Rock was actually filmed using Eastbourne's Pier !

So, what needs to be done ?

First of all- Eastbourne is open.  Many community leaders have been quick to talk up the town. MP Stephen Lloyd has been a highly visible figure: while we don't always agree with him, it is right that he, and all representatives of the town keep making that point.

However, we need to try and avoid some of the wilder speculation that has been going on- whether about how quickly or otherwise the pier will be reopened, right down to some of the stranger conspiracy theories doing the rounds on social media (I won't insult your intelligence by linking to them) .  The experts from the police support and  fire service (many of them our members) will be carrying out the most thorough investigations, and we should support them in doing that.

Already, some cynical comments have been made about how the re-opening of the Pier will be affected by "'elf and safety" rules.  Well, as trade unionists, who every year remember our brothers and sisters who are injured or killed at work, we know the value of safety rules at work.  Given that the Pier will carry hundreds of people, over water, with limited exits, it seems reasonable that safety is a top priority ! We should be pushing for the Pier not just to be reopened in the quickest way possible, but also in the safest way.

There are many people who directly rely on the Pier for their livelihood.  Staff who are employed on the Pier will face an uncertain time, and we should be available to give whatever support and advice we can (both to union members and not) to make sure that they are treated both in line with their contract, but also in a way that is fair and values their service to the company.   Many of the small outlets are run by small, sole traders, who potentially face ruin: and we should welcome the fact that the first priority of the fundraising efforts being set up is to support these people- many of whom could not get insurance for a pier-based business. If there are staff facing hardship, especially any short term staff who have not accrued employment rights (now requiring 2 years thanks to the coalition's attack on workers' rights) then the fund should look at how to support them too.

Then, of course, comes the need for the Pier to be properly restored.  The Pier is owned by a private company, and we assume that they have adequate insurance to cover such an iconic Grade 2* building.  However, insurance companies are often reluctant to pay out more than they deem necessary, and the community needs to ensure that no half-measures are taken or corners cut in restoring it.

I can draw on a bit of convoluted experience here.  I was a director of the company that runs  Stoke Rochford Hall, the NUT's training centre, in a Grade 1 listed building in Lincs. A few years ago, we suffered a devastating fire, which seriously damaged the building.  As well as us and the insurers, the local authority, English Heritage and others all took an interest, in ensuring that the building was not just restored, but restored in the highest quality manner.  It was not always easy, but the end result was an award-winning restoration that employed some of the most skilled (and scarce) artisans in the country.  Nothing less should be good enough for Eastbourne Pier !

Dave Brinson is Secretary of Eastbourne Trades Council, an official of the National Union of Teachers, and an Eastbourne resident of more than 30 years.

Trade Unionists are encouraged to join the Twitter and Facebook groups for the friends of Eastbourne Pier- @EBPier  and on Facebook here.  Pier workers who would like informal advice about their employment rights should contact the Trades Council, in confidence, by clicking here.

Photo: Sophie Lewis

We Marched for our NHS !

Eastbourne Trades Council members were proud to join hundreds of others in marching for jobs and services at Eastbourne DGH today.

Lee Comfort and Sharon Wentworth (Unite) marching proudly
through Eastbourne with the Trades Council banner.

GMB members led a march to highlight the agenda of cuts, closures and downgradings at our local hospital, in a march around Eastbourne town centre, followed by a rally on Eastbourne Seafront that heard from Union officials, staff at the hospital, a speaker from Sussex Save our NHS, Liz Walke from Save the DGH, and even Eastbourne's coalition MP, Stephen Lloyd.

Eastbourne Trades Council Secretary, Dave Brinson, spoke on behalf of the Trades Council. He highlighted the culture of suspicion and fear that the current DGH management has instilled in staff, and referred to the oft-quoted claim about the difficulties of recruiting to Eastbourne's hospital: saying: "if you want to recruit staff, why not stop screwing over the working people you already have ?!"

"Trade unionists in Eastbourne come from all backgrounds- public and private sector. Socialists, people who vote for Stephen [Lloyd], even the odd Tory. But as trade unionists, we are united by one thing: we know that we are stronger when we stand together, fight together and win together."

"To quote the late, great Bob Crow. If you spit on your own, you can't do much. If we all spit together, we can drown the bastards !"

The campaign goes on. You can find out more at the Save the DGH campaign, the Trades Council's Eastbourne Trades Unionists for our DGH site, or GMB Southern Region.

MARCH TODAY with GMB for our hospital

GMB, representing many staff at Eastbourne DGH. has called a march and rally in Eastbourne today (Saturday)  Eastbourne Trades Council is proud to be supporting the march, and urges all trades unionists to join.

Following on from two extremely successful lunch time demo’s outside Eastbourne General Hospital, the GMB union have today announced a march and rally on Saturday 26th July through the town centre of Eastbourne to highlight the latest unfair and unreasonable redeployments of over potentially 200 staff from around the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust to other areas within the county without undertaking meaningful consultation with unions and staff.

The march will start at 10.30am from the Eastbourne Pier, travel through the town centre and make its way back to the seafront for a rally at the Wish Tower.

Read more about the march, and GMB's campaigns on behalf of staff at the DGH, by clicking 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 !