"A Future that Works" : Building for the TUC London demo 20 October 2012

Picture from this morning's UNISON London Regional Council of Laurie Heselden from SERTUC briefing delegates on the demo.

The TUC are planning a major national demonstration in London on Saturday 20 October. The march will be called "A future that works" and its focus will be to end the austerity polices that have sent the economy back into recession. Laurie helped organise the successful "March in March" and the demonstration on 30 November 2012.

He believes for it to be another success then we need to get even more than the 500,000 people we got in March out on 20 October.

A communications website www.afuturethatworks.org.uk will be up and running before the summer break. An email group has been set up for union organisers and "...of course (we will use) twitter, both in advance and on the day". Laurie made a plea for more stewards to put themselves forward.

I will probably be marching with my branch but I will be working with Newham Labour Group, TULO and trades council to encourage and maximise the Newham Labour Movement family to march together again on 20 October!

As they say - watch this space as there will be lots and lots more on this event to follow.

SERTUC Health & Safety Seminar 2011

This seminar in Congress House had Hugh Robertson (TUC) and Judith Hackitt (HSE) speaking and was chaired by SERTUC regional

secretary, Megan Dobney (right of picture).

Hugh made the case that under this government, the cuts to the HSE and getting rid of essential safety enforcement and regulations, will lower standards and result in more work related accidents and illnesses.

In the Q&A that followed I said that things are very depressing but trying to make a small positive out of a huge negative - the best safety protection at work comes from trade union organisation. Many workers currently have completely unrealistic expectations of their legal rights and safeguards. We have to tell them that they will have even less rights in the future. So to protect themselves at work they must join a union and the union must recruit and organise the workforce to make things safe.

Judith accepted that there was unprecedented change but that the cuts do not have to mean that people will be less safe. The HSE is going to try and cut the backroom not the front line. Reviews can be a good thing. The aim is to remove unnecessary bureaucracy not protection. 

In the Q&A there was some "heated" comments which as usual Judith took on the chin and batted straight back. Megan had to remind people that they were "entitled to make forceful statements but must remember to remain on the right side of civility" (a wonderful Chair's intervention which I will steal). Judith did speak out against low fines for criminal breaches of safety laws. She would rather that there was much higher fines but that is the job of the Courts. She thought it was a disgrace that the death of a member of the public was worth more than a worker. She ended by saying the HSE were "not the enemy". That is true. 

While I do expect more people to be injured at work (and worse) due to the Tory and Lib Dem cuts in the HSE budget and the getting rid of essential protections, we have to blame the coalition and not the civil servants. Who at times have to implement and defend the indefensible.

I will post later on the Lofstedt report.

Union Strike Ballot Results for N30

AEP 64% for strike action 

ASPECT 75.1% for strike action 

ATL (30 June ballot mandate still valid) 

CSP 86% England & Wales for strike action (89.1% Scotland)

FDA 81% for strike action 

GMB 83.7% for strike action http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/gmb_vote_for_action.aspx 

NAHT 75.8% for strike action 

NUT (30 June ballot mandate still valid)

PCS (30 June ballot mandate still valid)

Prospect 75% for strike action

SCP 85.3% for strike action

SOR 86% for strike action

UCATT 83% for strike action https://www.ucatt.org.uk/content/view/1166/30/

UCU (30 June ballot mandate still valid)

UNISON 82% for strike action

Unite 75% for strike action http://www.unitetheunion.org/resources/pensions/protecting_pensions_for_our_pu/unite_public_sector_pensions_b.aspx

(hat tip SERTUC and Picture of UNISON Housing Association Branch members)

SERTUC Regional Council motion: Response to Government Economic Policies

This is a picture of me addressing the recent SERTUC (South East Regional TUC) Council meeting.

(Yes, I must remember to stick my head up from my speech notes when speaking).

Motion 1 was about the "Response to Government Economic Policies". It was quite a good motion which I spoke in favour of but I felt that it needed to be emphasised what November 30 should really be about.

"President, Council....Winning the Ballot with a big majority and a big turnout then making strike action on November 30th a success, is indeed the 1st important counter attack against this Government's policies.

But as a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme for 20 years and currently facing a bleak pension future. If we win the ballot then the strike action on November 30 is first and foremost an industrial issue. It is an industrial dispute around the fundamental threat to a basic term and condition for all workers. The right to a safe and secure future in retirement.

And we must continue to remind the public that this is a last resort industrial dispute brought about by the abject failure by this Government to negotiate.

The focus on November 30 should be the picket line. Winning the dispute with effective pickets on every single town hall and public building. Leafleting the public, talking to them about our cause, supporting hospital workers at their lunch time protests, then maximising turnout at rallies and lobbies.

Also as someone who now works for a private organisation that does not offer its new employees a safe and secure defined benefit pension. As part of this fight back we must never forget the 2/3 of employers in the private sector that do not pay a penny towards the pensions of their staff nor the horrific figure that 50% of all private sector workers have no pension provision whatsoever.

However, despite the impression given by the Daily Hates and the Tax Evaders Alliance, don’t forget that as well as the 6 million in public service pension schemes that there are still 2.4 million private sector workers who are still accruing service in private defined benefit schemes. They know if the public service defined benefit schemes collapse - so will theirs.

Council, the message to all workers, public and private sector, must be quite clear, that on 30 November we will be striking to defend safe and secure pensions for all".

SERTUC Regional Council 22 October 2011

Last Saturday morning I went to the South East Regional Trade Union Council (SERTUC) meeting at Congress House. This was before the UNISON International Seminar.

The forthcoming ballot and likely strike action on Public service pensions was the key topic. The President of SERTUC Martin Gould spoke first and in his speech he urged all the unions to remain united and not to fall out in oncoming battle and to work together.

The guest speaker was Assistant General Secretary of Unite, Gail Cartmail. Gail use to work with the Martin as T&G full time officials. Gail spoke about the 400,000 extra Children being forced into poverty by this Government’s policies. Britain is still a rich country not a poor country yet all these children will be living in poverty. The threat to the NHS from so called “social enterprises” such as Central Surrey NHS which has now been taken over by Virgin. How can there be a “jobs less” recovery? Why in Britain is it a legal excuse to sack workers to improve “profitability”. She has friends who are teachers in Greece who have had their pay cut by a third. No wondered there are such protests.

Some good news is that the European TUC is considering making November 30 an international day of protest. Next was a debate on motions which I did speak and will post about separately.

European Health and Safety Week 24-28 October 2011

Apologies this is a little late.  This week is European Health and Safety week.  The theme for 2011 is "Safe Maintenance". 

You can download the HSE poster here.  Futher details here and here.

I've just applied for a place at the SERTUC health and safety conference on November 25 at Congress House.  It is already fully booked so I have been placed on a waiting list.

As well as getting rid of employment rights for workers, this Tory led Coalition government is also trying to dismantle health and safety protections.  So it is important that everyone keeps up-to-date with what is happening.

I posted in March about the HSE and Socialist realism style safety posters. 

#Uint11 Introduction to UNISON's International Development Fund

Saturday and Day 2 of the 2011 UNISON International Seminar.  I missed the morning session since I had to attend SERTUC Regional Council. I'll post on that later.

After lunch National officer Ravinder Gill gave an introduction to the UNISON International Development Fund (UIDF).

The UIDF was set up in 2004 to support the unions international commitments and unions in developing countries.  The fund receives money from UNISON commercial partners not members subscriptions. Ravinder (who is a trustee with me on the UNISON staff pension fund) explained the funds approach to funding applications and project criteria.

Since beginning of this year 13 new projects have been agreed such as capacity building in the FTUK (Federation of Trade Unions of Kaw Thoo Lei) in Burma.

Key messages about UIDF projects: They should be strategic and sustainable, realistic timeframe, build relationships, utilise existing skills and experiences and establish a legacy.

Update on Strike Ballots for November 30 Day of Action to Protect Pensions

Hat tip SERTUC: What affiliates and others are up to over Strike Ballots and the Day of Action N30. Some I have never come across before.
AEP
http://www.aep.org.uk/home

ASPECT

Aspect and the Association of Educational Psychologists will be balloting members on options for dignified and lawful protest action on 30 November to stand up for fair pensions

http://www.aspect.org.uk/newsstory.php?id=2066

ATL

(30 June ballot mandate still valid) ATL　has agreed to hold a day of action on Wednesday 30 November to protest against the government's proposed changes to pensions. This might take the form of rallies, lunchtime meetings and events with community groups. ATL is also asking asking at least one member of staff from every school and college in England and Wales, plus delegations from Northern Ireland and Scotland,　to attend a lobby of Parliament　on Wednesday 26 October.

http://www.atl.org.uk/pensions/campaign/pensions-campaign-overview.asp

BDA TU

is conducting a postal consultative ballot with the result count due on Monday 10 October

BMA

(not affiliated to TUC)

A day of action to defend public sector pensions against major government reforms is being planned for 30 November. BMA is supporting the day through campaigning and lobbying activities. BMA Council has said a ballot of its members on industrial action remains a firm option for a later date if the government continues to refuse to engage in genuine negotiations on the future of the NHS scheme. http://www.bma.org.uk/employmentandcontracts/pensions/nhs_pensions_reform/publicsectorpensionsdayofaction.jsp CSP

the pensions ballot will run from 31 October until the 14 November

http://www.csp.org.uk/professional-union/union-support/pay-conditions/pensions/latest-news

FBU

http://www.fbu.org.uk/?p=4016

FDA

Following the FDA's decision to prepare a ballot of members for industrial action on 30 November, the union has launched its

Fair Pay, Fair Pensions campaign. http://www.fda.org.uk/Media/Whats-new/FDA-launches-Fair-Pay-Fair-Pensions-campaign.aspx
GMB

ballot ends on 16 November

http://www.gmb.org.uk/gmb_campaigns/other_campaigns/public_sector_pension_campaign.aspx NAHT (not affiliated to TUC)
The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), has confirmed the dates of its ballot on strike action over proposed pension cuts. Ballot papers will be despatched on Thursday 29 September and the ballot will close on Wednesday 9 November. If its members vote yes, it will be the first time in the union’s 114-year history that its members will have chosen to strike. http://www.naht.org.uk/welcome/comment/key-topics/pensions/naht-confirms-ballot-dates-for-strike-action/

NAPO

http://www.napo.org.uk/about/pensions.cfm

NASUWT

Ballot Timetable from 4 November to 17 November

http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/Whatsnew/NASUWTNews/NASUWTindustrialaction/index.htm

NUT

(30 June ballot mandate still valid) will be giving its full support to the TUC-led day of action on November 30

http://www.teachers.org.uk/files/NUT-News-Pensions-Sept11-7795.pdf 

PCS

(30 June ballot mandate still valid) NEC has endorsed a quarter of a million civil and public servants joining a public sector-wide strike on 30 November. This will be followed by a one-month overtime ban.　

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/index.cfm/id/71E53F51-A896-4F17-BFE19919B8F34D02 

POA

http://www.poauk.org.uk/index.php?jobs-pay-and-pensions

Prospect

Prospect's ballot runs from October 24 to November 14.

http://www.prospect.org.uk/news/pensionsjustice/

RCN

(not affiliated to TUC)

Following a special meeting, RCN Council said that industrial action balloting is ‘inevitable’ if rising anger about government proposals on NHS pensions is not addressed in the ongoing negotiations. Council agreed to support colleagues in the Day of Action on 30 November, though they did not decide to ballot immediately on industrial action. The RCN will now campaign to communicate the seriousness of the proposals and ensure that the RCN is ready to ballot as and when needed. http://www.rcn.org.uk/support/pensions SCP

The ballot opens on 4 November 2011 and closes on 14 November 2011.

http://www.feetforlife.org/podiatry-news/news-archive/nhs-pension-is-under-threat/

SOR

is balloting its members on strike action. The ballot opens on 24 October and closes on 14 November

UCU

(30 June ballot mandate still valid)

http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1320　

Unison

Ballot for strike action opens on 11 October and closes on 3 November.

http://www.unison.org.uk/pensions/voteyes.asp

Unite

is balloting its membership to take part in a day of action on November 30th 2011.

http://www.unitetheunion.org/publicpensions
(picture of UNISON sheltered schemes and foyer workers in Hertfordshire/Essex supporting the Strike ballot)