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

Next Trades Council Meeting- Tuesday 14th November

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 14th 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. CAMPAIGNS:

            (a) CWU Royal Mail dispute

            (b) RMT Southern Rail dispute

            (c) USDAW Respect for Shopworkers Campaign

            (d) Other Union Campaigns

 6. EVENTS:

Bill Ball from Lewes Trades Council will speak about possible joint work, including possible coach to Tolpuddle 2018, plus any early planning needed for May Day, WMD, Prides etc.

7. Any other business

The bar will be open afterwards!

Solidarity with RMT

Eastbourne Trades Council send solidarity again to Eastbourne RMT members taking action to retain a safety-critical staff member on all rail services. It is a strike for jobs, for disabled passengers' rights, for safety of all passengers- and all trades unionists should support it!

Make sure that you are armed with the facts regarding this dispute!  Download:

Southern Rail Driver Only Operation Dispute- THE FACTS

GTR Dispute- THE FACTS

The Safety Critical Role of the Guard: A dossier on the Dangers of  Driver Only Operation

Solid YES vote by CWU members

In the first test of the Tory Government's anti-union "thresholds", CWU members in the Royal Mail have voted decisively to take strike action in defence of members' pensions and conditions.  The ballot saw a huge 73% turnout, smashing through the Government's imposed threshold, and 89.1% of those voting voted YES.

The Communication Workers Union has today served notice on Royal Mail Group for the 48 hour strike beginning at 11:00am on Thursday 19th October. This will involve 111,000 postal workers.

The vote was sparked by the company’s attack on the pension rights of hard-working postmen and women and the refusal of the employer to engage seriously over pay, working hours, future job security and the need to improve and grow the service to the public.

The union’s deputy general secretary (postal) Terry Pullinger said:

“This ballot result is hugely significant and demonstrates a strength of feeling that can only be translated as a massive vote of no confidence in the managerial leadership of the Royal Mail Group and the direction that they advocate.  Any sense of vocational spirit and working together with management has been lost in a climate of fear and insecurity. This massive failure in trust has created a break down in relationships and a toxic environment where working together to solve difficult problems has become almost impossible. The managerial leadership has failed and should resign or be sacked. This is a dispute about honour and we refuse to simply stand aside,” Terry added.

Reacting to the result, CWU general secretary Dave Ward said:

“This is a fantastic result for our members and indeed the wider trade union movement. As the first union to test the Trade Union Act we have passed with flying colours. The mixture of a fantastic campaign, led by Terry Pullinger and the Postal Executive, a brilliantly innovative communications strategy and an inspirational ground force has returned a resounding result.   The CWU have tapped into a mood amongst workers in across the UK. Our members are prepared to stand up and fight to protect their terms and conditions and we will do everything within our means to defend them,” Dave added.

We will keep trade unionists in Eastbourne informed of picket lines, and any other action they can take to support our colleagues in their dispute.

Next Trades Council Meeting: 3rd October

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 3rd 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. Conferences Reports (TUC and Labour)

6. CAMPAIGNS:
   (a) RMT Southern Rail dispute
   (b) CWU Royal Mail dispute
   (c) USDAW Respect for Shopworkers Campaign
   (d) Other Union Campaigns

7. EVENTS:
Report on Nature of the Beast showing, and  any early planning needed for May Day, WMD, Prides etc.

8. Any other business

Nature of the Beast

Eastbourne Labour Party will be presenting the first showing of this acclaimed documentary film about Labour and trade union stalwart Dennis Skinner MP at the Curzon on Saturday 30th September. The event has been sponsored by the Trades Council, Unison East Sussex Hospitals branch and Usdaw Sussex.

Tickets are £6 with £5 for concessions, and can be booked in advance through Eventbrite by clicking here.

You can find out more about the film at the filmmakers' website by clicking here  and there is a trailer for the film viewable on YouTube by clicking here.

Come and See us at Eastbourne Pride!

We will be proudly supporting Eastbourne Pride/Mardi Gras tomorrow- come and visit our stall at Princes Park.

Pride, and the LGBT+ campaigns led by trade unions and others are just as needed now as they ever were- see the TUC's "The Cost of being Out at Work" here.

Next Trades Council Meeting: 4th July

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 4th July, 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 (January) and matters arising (draft minutes from the AGM will also be available)
4. Treasurer's Report and Bank Mandate action
5. ELECTION UPDATE: how the result of the general election affects campigning in Eastbourne and beyond, including relations with Stephen Lloyd MP
6. SUMMER CAMPAIGNS: To receive updates on ongoing campaigns and activity from affiliates- please bring any information and/or details of action we can help with!7. Reclaim May Day- reports, lessons learnt and future plans?
8. Summer newsletter
9. Any other business