Speech on a "New Direction for the Labour Party" Motion 3

"Chair, Forum, Gloria Hanson, Greater London Region, moving motion 3 – A new direction for the Labour Party. Accepting the amendment from Scottish region.

Forum, I’m not here to sing the praises of the Labour Party and the Last Labour Government. But I could.

Equally I am not here to try and bury them either, which I could as well.

Instead what this motion is concerned about is making sure that at the next General election the Labour Party has a simple and clear overriding policy that not will not only inspire and unite us, but would be a platform to victory and give a mandate for the most far reaching and radical Labour government since 1945.  

Our society has become more and more unequal in recent years and decades. The gap between the rich and the poor, has become bigger and bigger. For decade after decade this gap has now become a gulf. It is now time not only to stop this – but to reverse it 

In the past this forum has agreed with the research found in the Book “The Spirit Level” that the more unequal the society in terms of income, the greater the ill health, the shorter the life expectancy;

The more unequal the society, the greater the crime rate, the shorter the schooling.  

Forum, Income inequality kills, it destroys people’s lives, if wreaks our society and divides us into the few haves, the many have nots... and the remaining... have nothing. 

So forum we know what the problem is – next we have to decide what to do about it?

The most successful societies in the world are therefore those who have the smallest gap between the rich and the poor. No society is perfect; no society is an absolute model for our island to choose.

But there are two facts things about more equal and successful societies.  One is that they have much higher rates of progressive taxation and public spending. 

The second fact is the gap between top and the bottom in terms of pay is simply, much, much lower. 

So the answer Forum is the next Labour government must be brave, it must be decisive. It must legislate for progressive taxation to pay for improved public services. Next it must also legislate and take action to bring down the pay of the rich and bring up the wages of our people.

Let us have a living wage not a minimum wage,  Let us end the scandal of public subsidy for bad employers who don’t pay decent wages; Let us follow the lead of the new French socialist president and lower the salaries of top public servants,  Let us as they do in many other countries let us put worker representatives on the boards of all companies; Let us rebuild an economy that delivers good jobs on decent money and not one built on financial speculation

We need our Party, our Labour Party to agree to promise to reduce income inequality by the end of its term and to take the necessary political and economic action to achieve this goal. 

What we want Forum is not rocket science. It is a plain and simple. We want a better society for ourselves and our children and this is one of the ways to achieve it.  

A society based on Fairness and need which will benefit all. Finally Forum, in one way this is not really about a new direction for our party - as a much needed return to our roots.  

Forum I move" 

UNISON NDC 12: Income Inequality

Gloria Hanson, Regional Delegate and Regional Convenor for the Greater London Region, moving composite E – Income Inequality.

UNISON has a tremendous track record in fighting inequality. But there is one form we seem to have stopped talking about. Income inequality. Wealth discrimination. As my mum would say – the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

I know I don’t need to tell you this.  But it’s time to go back to basics. To expose the ever increasing gulf between rich and poor.

Today the richest 10%of the UK population own more than 100 times the wealth of the bottom 10%. What an absolute disgrace .

This is the biggest gap in wealth since the Second World War. What’s even more frightening is that the gap is becoming a gulf.

At work, income inequality causes low staff morale; resentment and mistrust from clients, residents and services users alike – where the ordinary worker earns chicken feed in comparison to the chief executive. Even ‘not for profit’ organisations are jumping on the bandwagon - paying huge salaries to senior managers and slashing pay and terms & conditions of those of us who actually provide services and do the job.‘not for profit’ organisations are jumping on the bandwagon - paying huge salaries to senior managers and slashing pay and terms & conditions of those of us who actually provide services and do the job.

 

The book "the spirit level" has shown a clear link between income inequality, health and social problems. If you haven’t read it –do; you won’t regret it. It proves that the smaller the gap between rich and poor, the more successful the society is. If we reduce levels of income inequality in the UK we could increase life expectancy, decrease infant mortality rates, reduce crime and achieve better education attainment for our children.

Countries where the gap between the top and bottom earners is almost non-existent like Cuba; prove it - 　　 improved mortality rates; quality free healthcare for all; quality free healthcare for all; lowest crime rates in all of Latin America; lowest crime rates in all of Latin America; 99.8 percent literacy rate.  They’ve got it right; all workers sharing the wealth of the country

But back to - ‘we’re all in this together Britain’. I’d like to know exactly WHO is in WHAT together;

The Tories are so divorced from reality. A reality where bankers – who we all know caused the financial crisis - are once again earning bonuses of millions of pounds each year. Whilst ordinary workers are still barely earning the minimum wage.  Having to do two or three jobs to put food on the table and simply pay soaring bills.

This Tory government is robbing the poor to stuff the bank accounts of the rich. Cameron; Clegg and Osborne are no Robin Hood or merry men; and I certainly don’t want to see them in green tights!

The Government isn’t listening; it’s blithely continuing with its agenda. So what is the answer?

Let’s go back to why trade unions were formed in the first place, why we formed the labour party over 100 years ago ......to campaign for workers and the working class.  We need to remember our roots and lead the way in the fight for a fair and just society. Work with other like minded organisations; campaign for laws to ensure income regulation in the public sector.

In the London region we have affiliated to the Equality Trust; and will work with them to raise this issue with our members and keep them informed of the facts. We must elect politicians with enough bottle to tackle this; to work with us to win a society where workers earn what they are due and not a pittance because the rest is in the pockets of the fat cats; chiefs and bosses

As a mother I want a better future for my children and for their children.  As a life-long Labour party member; I want Labour to be brave politicians who will grasp this nettle and return Britain to the workers.

As a trade unionist, I want my union to work within the Labour Party to campaign for this policy to make Britain a fairer place to live and work.  Workers across Britain know what’s wrong; but they don’t know how to fix it – we need to lead the way.

Conference – I move

UNISON: Voting for Ken and Labour

Picture of London UNISON Convener Gloria Hanson and NEC member Irene Stacey (left) with Labour Mayor Candidate Ken Livingstone. In my (totally unbiased view) it is absolutely vital that everyone who cares about public services in London goes out next Thursday and votes for Ken and all Labour candidates.

UNISON Labour Link (APF) London Regional elections 2012



Dear Colleagues

Strictly in my personal capacity I would request that you consider supporting the following candidates in these elections. Please pass on to any other branches you think may support us.

REGIONAL LABOUR LINK COMMITTEE Male Seats 5 votes (blue paper)
ANDERSON, Jason

BODMER, Joel

DAVEY, Mike

GRAY, John

GRIFFITHS, ALAN


NATIONAL LABOUR LINK FORUM Male seats 3 Votes (yellow paper)
ANDERSON, Jason

DAVEY, Mike

GRIFFITHS, ALAN


NATIONAL LABOUR LINK FORUM Female Seats 5 Votes (pink paper)
ALASHIA, Sanchia

BENTLEY, Lynn

DAVIS, Doreen

HANSON, Gloria

SILVER, Kim


LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 2012 General Seat 1 Vote (pink paper)

DAVEY, Mike

Many thanks please give me a ring if you have any queries. Ballot papers have to be back to Cally Thompson at Regional office by 12 noon Friday 16 March 2011. You can fax by 020 7535 2105.

Don't forget to sign up for London Labour Link forum by this Thursday 1 March (the Forum takes place the following Tuesday 6 March 4.30-6pm at the new UNISON centre). Later that day 6-8pm at the Centre there is a launch event on a campaign pack for Ken Livingston and the GLA candidates. Ken will be there to say a few words. This invite is for all activists.

John Gray

London Regional Council Officer Election Results 2012

REGIONAL CONVENOR

HANSON Gloria         122 Elected 

THOMPSON Marsha Jane  69


DEPUTY REGIONAL CONVENOR

LAWRENCE Conroy  118 Elected 

WATKINS Phoebe       71 


REGIONAL FINANCE CONVENOR

GRAY John                 126 Elected

SANGARAPILLAI Vinothan 62
                

REGIONAL PUBLICITY OFFICER

BAIN Naomi          71 

BENTLEY Lynn    112 Elected


REGIONAL EQUALITIES CONVENOR

CASHMAN Ruth   69

HIRST Monica       118 Elected  

UnisonActive take on defeat of London trots

Check out UnisonActive report : "UNISON London Region's existing leadership team, led by Convenor Gloria Hanson, saw off an attempt by the SWP and its sympathisers to take over at yesterday's Regional Council AGM. This is the seventh victory in a row for London grass root union activists who soundly defeated the challengers at the ballot box.

UNISON President Eleanor Smith was a keynote speaker together with Labour Party candidate for Mayor, Ken Livingstone. A motion attacking Boris and supporting Ken and Labour Assembly members in the election in May was passed unanimously. Motions calling for "Secure and Affordable Housing" and "Why income equality at work matters to everyone" were passed and prioritised as regional motions for National Delegate Conference.

Greater London UNISON Regional Council Officers 2012/2013

We were re-elected at the AGM today. Many thanks to all those who supported us :)

UNISON London Regional Council AGM

Today is the UNISON London Regional Council AGM. Where the forces of light and reason will once again face the evil ones. I've enjoyed recently the paranoid and distorted ramblings of their wannabe dear leader and his attempts to rewrite history.

His righteous posts remind me why London Unison members got fed up with the self indulgent pantomime student union politics of Regional Councils in the past and voted with their feet not to attend. Of the time that London Regional Council (yes, the most important region) was regarded with amusement by the rest of the union, an irrelevance by most employers and a private club run by Monty Python "Life of Brian" reenactment enthusiasts by many members.

So to stop going back to the bad old days and to continue to build the fastest growing region in the union may I respectfully request if you are a London delegate reading this on your smartphone to:-

VOTE FOR:
Gloria Hanson – Regional Convenor
Conroy Lawrence – Deputy Regional Convenor
John Gray – Regional Finance Convenor
Monica Hirst – Regional Equalities Convenor
Lynn Bentley – Regional Publicity Officer

Public Pensions dispute: do we talk or walk?

Next week I will be attending a national UNISON briefing on the pensions dispute which will be followed by a meeting of those Service Group Executives (SGE) who have members in the Local Government and NHS pensions schemes.

The SGE’s is made up solely of elected lay members. I sit on the Community & Voluntary SGE and we will be debating and making a decision on whether to support the framework agreement on resolving the pensions dispute. I posted here my initial views on the agreement. Whilst I look forward to the briefing and the debate, the more I think about it, the more convinced I am, that we have to see this through. We need to carry on talking and not walk out of negotiations at this point.

Calling for walkouts is one thing but actually getting people out on strike nowadays is very, very difficult. First and foremost you have to convince members that this strike action is an absolute last resort. When all other attempts and means to negotiate have been exhausted. We were able to demonstrate this was the case for the November 30 strike. Members know that there has been concessions made and will expect us to try our best to put together a deal before being called out again.

We also need to raise our game. The strike on November 30 was a great success but in many ways we punched above our weight. We now know where we were strong and were we were not. We need to build upon our strengths and organise in those areas where we simply don’t have the membership density or steward structure to deliver.


Some unions appear to have rejected talking further and want to plough on with further strike action. If that is their decision then fair enough that is their choice, I for one will not interfere with their internal democratic decision making process. I do wish that others would do the same with UNISON! While I accept that some may argue tactically that the talks will not result in an acceptable offer and instead we should organise more strikes. I do not accept for a moment that to keep “Unity” we must refuse to negotiate until we get an offer that all 27 different trade unions in all their different pension schemes find acceptable. This is just nonsense.

The real threat to “Unity” will come if the unions start arguing amongst themselves with the loud mouths braying their “betrayal politics” mantra. The gains and real improvements that have been already won through the decision to strike and the ballot will be forgotten. Such division would only benefit this Tory led coalition. Pensions is not the only dispute that we are going to have to fight in the next 3 long years.

In my previous post I pointed out that some commentators are in danger of cutting off their nose to spite their face. I also think there is a risk that some in TIGMOO would rather indulge in sectarian infighting and point scoring, rather than carry out the hard work of recruiting members and stewards. Now, I am of course, a well known wallflower, who would not dream of indulging in polemic arguments with anyone.. but I would honestly rather be fighting the Tories and not other trade unionists.

However, I can’t resist this story. I met someone recently who told me how he had been hounded out of one of the ultra left sects because of the “crime of pessimism”. He was formally denounced for raising concerns about its support for a particular industrial dispute. As an experienced trade union activist he was surprised that his concerns were ignored because it did not fit the Party line. He was ordered to either repent his “pessimism” or face expulsion. In this case he didn’t talk he walked and left the sect before he was expelled. Needless to say that dispute ended in yet another glorious defeat...

Jessie Jackson 70th Birthday Party in UNISON HQ

Last night UNISON hosted a 70th Birthday Party in honour of Rev Jessie Jackson at the UNISON Centre in Euston, London. Our President Eleanor Smith introduced Rev Jackson and Keith Vas MP. Labour Leader Ed Miliband was the keynote speaker.  This fantastic song was sung live by the Rev Jackson's daughter Santita. In the video background are my fellow London UNISON Regional Council colleagues Gloria, Monica and Conroy (and a few other UNISON faces).

Update: if you have trouble opening video check youtube

UNISON Housing Association Pension Strike November 30

I had all the placards, banners, flags and leaflets etc at home, so I took a minicab this morning at 6.30am to the picket and lobby at Islington. It was a relief to see that there was 3 branch members waiting for me on site at 7am.  We then spent the next couple of hours busy setting things up. The concourse outside the Highbury and Islington Underground station and the traffic island is very busy and high profile.  We put placards, balloons and flags on railings, trees and street furniture.  While leafleting and talking to the public. 

There was an overwhelmingly positive reaction from commuters and passersbyes.  A few idiotic comments but so few as to be remarked upon. Unite members who were not on strike had taken leave in order to take part. Journalists from the "Morning Star" and "Inside Housing" came to visit and interview us.  As well as a Swiss journalist. We had "Jiving for decent pensions" lessons given free to pickets by Sarah, our branch finance officer, who is a Jiving Dancing champion and instructor (see next post).  I was  the only one who didn't mind the lessons being filmed despite me being completely rubbish at jiving!

There was also a successful branch picket outside Gem House in Aldgate.

Next some of us went to the local Islington rally outside the Town Hall, while I went to meet Gloria Hanson, the UNISON regional Convenor in Holburn. We took part with branch members in the march through central London. At the Rally in Victoria Embankment, Gloria was a speaker to the estimated 30,000 crowd. Afterwards we joined the UNISON picket line outside St Thomas Hospital which went on until 6pm. We had a little break to see a guest off but returned to the picket line later until it finished. Then a quick beer (or three) and home.  I'll post futher pics on the Strike day later.

Completely knackered but it was a really good day. I hope you-know-who-you-are: are listerning and will have the decency to give us pension justice. Go on - surprise us.

Barnet lockout, strike and lobby

The title of this post could have been "Big guns target Barnet" (I'll explain later). I left the TUC conference a little early to get to Hendon Town Hall to join the UNISON lobby against the Tory plans to privatise 70% of the staff employed by Barnet Council. 

Earlier in the day, the incompetent and completely daft, Barnet senior management team had decided to send home all workers who came into work in the morning while planning to strike in the afternoon.  This meant that the employer employed 19th century bully boy employment tactics and "locked out" its workers and prevented them from providing a service.  They turned a half day strike into a full day?  I thought managers wanted to avoid strike action!

At the rally there were a number of speakers.  Pickets reported back and messages of support were read out (including from our General Secretary Dave Prentis).  Local residents, activists from UNISON and other unions spoke in support, including London Regional Convenor Gloria Hanson (see picture) and the Regional Secretary, Linda Perks.  The rally was also a lobby of a meeting of the full Barnet Council.  Barnet Council Labour Group had tabled a motion calling for the end of the "One Barnet" Easy Council policy.  Deputy Labour Leader Barry Rawlings (former NUPE steward) spoke to the rally about their motion.  Well done to the Branch, the pickets and to John and Helen for a successful strike and rally.

(According to my esteemed NEC colleague the Ship on the London UNISON regional banner seen behind Gloria is the Battleship HMS Belfast which is moored in the Thames.  For some reasons the Guns of HMS Belfast are always pointed towards the London Borough of Barnet!).  Stop press  Barnet Labour Group walked out of the Council chambers last night when the Tories refused to allow them to debate their motion.