Friday 30 October 2015

SOAS dispute: demand Sandy's immediate and unconditional reinstatement.

On Wednesday 28th October 2015 Sandy Nicoll, a long standing and steadfast activist and trade unionist, was suspended by SOAS management on grounds of alleged gross misconduct.
The allegations are not only false but have been fabricated in an attempt to victimise him and undermine the trade union support for the student's occupation of SOAS against massive cuts and course closures.
Sandy Nicoll has worked tirelessly at SOAS for over 21 years during which time he has represented and supported thousands of mainly low paid support staff in the Higher Education sector and beyond, who have been routinely underpaid and badly treated.
He has also been a key activist in the 'Justice for Cleaners' campaign that has lifted the mainly migrant cleaners from poverty wages to the London Living Wage as well as other significant gains.
SOAS claims to strive to create an atmosphere of community, collegiality and co-operation. However, attacking students' rights to protest, suspending trade union representatives and treating cleaners like second class workers is hardly conducive to achieving such aims.
The protest and solidarity by hundreds of students, staff, teachers and supporters has already resulted in SOAS University being shut for the day in response to Sandy's suspension.
An injury to one is an injury to all.
Please sign the  petition at https://www.change.org/p/reinstate-victimised-soas-unison-branch-secretary-sandy-nicoll to tell SOAS management that we will not tolerate this victimisation and to demand Sandy's immediate and unconditional reinstatement.

Counterfire report on soas dispute

The shutdown at SOAS today over the suspension of Sandy Nicoll is a sign of the battles ahead. But it could also be the beginning of a movement against cuts in higher education more generally

SOAS, University of London has been shut down today. Hundreds of students and staff gathered outside the main building this morning demanding the reinstatement of Sandy Nicoll, Unison branch secretary, after he was suspended yesterday over allegations of gross misconduct.
The incident involves an accusation that Sandy had let several students and others through a security barrier in the main building yesterday, who then attempted to occupy the Director Valerie Amos’ office.
All of this is taking place in the context of a management document, leaked at the beginning of the academic term, which ranked all courses at SOAS according flawed methodology, and suggested that a third of these courses be cut. Although the document was withdrawn, serious reputational damage was caused and there has been no investigation as to what led to the drawing up of such a document in the first place.
The rationale for the curriculum review – and potential course cuts and job losses as a result – is part of the School’s plan to make £6.5 million in cuts by 2019, in order to maintain a 5% budget surplus recommended by HEFCE. SOAS currently operates with a £1 million surplus.
Staff and students fear that cutting £6.5 million would change what is unique about SOAS – its languages, regional specialisation and a critical approach to social sciences and humanities. 
Students responded by occupying the Brunei Suite. They have been in occupation for over three weeks now, demanding no course closures, no redundancies, no outsourcing and the democratisation of governance at SOAS. The occupation has raised vital questions about what it means to study at SOAS, but also broader questions over the marketisation of education in Britain.
Over the weekend, management turned off the heating and Wi-Fi in the Brunei Suite, turned up the air conditioning, and hired private security to monitor the occupation, barring anyone from entering. The attempt to force students out of the occupation is an infringement of the right to protest.
This led to a massive outpouring of solidarity from students and staff with the occupation. Yesterday afternoon over 300 students and staff gathered outside the Brunei Suite, and entered the building en masse. Security had to step aside.
This victory showed the increasing unity across the School against potential job losses and cuts. The attempt to fragment any co-ordinated response to these cuts by scapegoating the Unison branch secretary has escalated the situation.
A rally is taking place at 1pm on the steps of SOAS involving students and staff. Trade unionists from across London will participate. Pressure must be put on SOAS management to reinstate Sandy Nicoll, reject proposed cuts and any potential job losses, and follow democratic process in determining the future of SOAS. The current struggle at SOAS could become the lynchpin for fighting against cuts to higher education across the country.
from http://www.counterfire.org/news/18040-the-battle-over-the-future-of-soas

The Green Party Trade Union Group sends solidarity and support to Barnet Unison members who will be on strike on on 2 November 2015.

The Green Party Trade Union Group sends solidarity and support to Barnet Unison members who will be on strike on on 2 November 2015. This is the latest of a series of strikes called by Barnet Unison against Barnet’s proposed almost total outsourcing of all its council services. Barnet Unison strikers are making a stand to defend not only their own pay and conditions but also to defend an accountable and proper level of services to the people of Barnet. If Barnet succeeds in its outsourcing strategy, similar extreme measures are likely to be inflicted by local authorities throughout the country. We congratulate Brent Unison on its commitment to the provision of properly staffed, democratically accountable, high quality local services and would like to see the struggle taken up in other local councils.

Noel Lynch GPTU Chair and Barnet Green Party

The reasons for the strikes are explained here UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said: “Our members want to work for the Council, they want to be directly accountable to the residents of Barnet. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which will have to place the shareholders’ legal demands before local residents’ needs. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which uses zero hours contracts. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which will not pay the London Living Wage as a basic minimum. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which won’t allow their colleagues to belong to their Pension Scheme, and our members don’t want to work for an employer which will take jobs out of the borough. That’s why 87% of our members working for the Council voted ‘Yes’ to taking strike action. So far the Council has failed to come close to agreeing to any one of these demands

People's Assembly Against Austerity Rally and March

The People's Assembly Against Austerity

-

It's not going well for the Tories. They've faced a humiliation over their plans to cut Tax Credits, Cameron's pre election lies have damaged their credibility & public opinion is turning against them.

Despite the Tax Credits bill being rejected in the House of Lords, the Government have said they will still go ahead with the cuts. Yesterday David Cameron refused to answer Jeremy Corbyn's question over Tax Credit Cuts six times during Prime Minister's Questions. He refused to say whether hard working families would be left worse off come April. Cameron said we have to wait until Osborne delivers his Autumn Statement for further details. This simply isn't good enough.

The Tories still plan to cut billions from the welfare bill, to privatise our services and to drive millions into poverty.

Before the Autumn Statement there are two important events in London:

Rally: Saturday 21 November

London Rally: Building the Fight Against Austerity
Central Hall Westminster 1pm - 5pm
Organised by the Trade Union Coordinating Group and supported by The People's Assembly
Entrance by ticket only - click here to book
Invite your friends on Facebook

Speakers include:
John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor; Yanis Varoufakis, Former Finance Minister, Greece; plus representatives of unions and campaign organisations.

Protest: Tuesday 24 November

Tories: Out of Credit - Out of Office Now
Assemble 6pm Trafalgar Square, march to Downing Street for rally
Invite your Friends on Facebook
The People's Assembly is calling a National Day of Action on the eve of the Autumn Statement. Join us

Also...

Saturday 5 December
People's Assembly Annual Conference

It's time for everyone who wants to see a change to come together once more and decide how we create a movement that can stop austerity in it's tracks. Whether you've been central to the organisation, or if you just want to find out how you can get more involved, join us and help decide how we get rid of this government before 2020. Tickets and more information here


The People's Assembly Against Austerity
http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/

Sunday 25 October 2015

GPTU Trade Union Bill leaflet

Please find attached a GPTU Trade Union Bill leaflet that i will be distributing at a local meeting in Brent ( Thursday 29th October, 7.30pm at the Learie Constantine Centre Dudden Hill Lane (Nr Dollis Hill) tube.) and at the TUC meeting and parliamentary lobby on London Monday 2 November 2015, Central Hall westminster from 12 noon. Help with leafletting the latter would be appreciated.



THE TRADE UNION BILL

“A savage and vindictive assault on uk employment rights” Caroline  Lucas MP

On  new laws to restrict trade unions.  “For a Government elected by only 24 per cent of eligible voters to propose a 40 per cent minimum turnout for public sector strikes reeks of hypocrisy.(…) If the Bill is passed into law, I would be prepared to join trade unionists and others in taking non-violent direct action to resist it.”

·        The government proposals will impose greater restrictions on trade unions than any other voluntary sector membership organisations
·        Employers will be able to bring in agency workers with a view to breaking strikes, regardless of the consequences for health and safety.
·        Trade union protests and pickets will be subject to levels of public and police scrutiny and controls that go far beyond what is fair and acceptable in a modern democracy.(see TUC Briefing on TU bill).

The right to strike must be protected. We will not accept restrictions that make the withdrawal of our labour meaningless by allowing agency replacement staff. We will not accept restrictions that make strike action near impossible to organise.  Our trade unions need to work together to resist any such changes to our rights. “ Romayne Phoenix, Green Party Trade Union Liaison Officer








The Green Party sees the main cause of environmental crisis as being the way businesses and governments treat everyone and everything on the planet as things to be exploited for profit. All Green Party policies AIM to bring about major changes in politics and economics The TU group and the Green Party have supported unions in dispute such as the NUT, UCU FBU, PCS RMT,GMB  and Unison. Our elected representatives have fought for workers’ rights from local level to the European Parliament.

The Green Party has consistently opposed anti-union laws and will seek their repeal at the earliest opportunity. The Green Party Trades Union Group is affiliated to the Campaign for the Repeal of the Anti-Trade Union laws .

THE GREEN PARTY:
·         Opposes privatisation and PFI schemes
·         Campaigns for fair pay and decent conditions
·         Opposes the sale/privatisation of council housing and demands affordable social housing.
·         Campaigns for investment in public transport within a publicly controlled, integrated transport system.
·         Supports public services such as health and education funded through taxation, with the well off paying their fair share.
·         Campaigns for fair trade
·         Supports a Basic income for the unwaged which would remove means testing, Job Centre bullying and pressure to take low paid jobs.
·         Encourages unorganised, temporary and migrant workers to join a union


Tuesday 20 October 2015

Join the TUC and union members from all over the country coming together to lobby and rally against the trade union bill on Monday 2 November 2015,













Lobby and rally, London Monday 2 November 2015

Lobby your MP

Join the TUC and union members from all over the country coming together to lobby and rally against the trade union bill on Monday 2 November 2015, Central Hall, Westminster (rally) and the House of Commons (lobby of parliament).
This is a big opportunity to make sure MPs hear directly from people who are worried that the bill will undermine the right to strike and risk public safety and service quality. We’ll meet up at Central Hall in Westminster to hear some inspirational speakers, and then in groups head off to the House of Commons to meet our MPs and explain why they should vote against the bill. The rally will kick off at 1pm and the lobby at 2.30pm. 
Lobby your MP

Lobby and rally, London Monday 2 November 2015Lobby your MP

Join the TUC and union members from all over the country coming together to lobby and rally against the trade union bill on Monday 2 November 2015, Central Hall, Westminster (rally) and the House of Commons (lobby of parliament).
This is a big opportunity to make sure MPs hear directly from people who are worried that the bill will undermine the right to strike and risk public safety and service quality. We’ll meet up at Central Hall in Westminster to hear some inspirational speakers, and then in groups head off to the House of Commons to meet our MPs and explain why they should vote against the bill. The rally will kick off at 1pm and the lobby at 2.30pm. 
Lobby your MP

Climate CHANGE 29th November london Demo 12th DECEMBER 2015: A mass mobilisation in Paris



Climate CHANGE 29th November london Demo 12th DECEMBER 2015: A mass mobilisation in Paris
Peter Murry <yrrumuk@googlemail.com>



29th NOVEMBER 2015:
On this date, a huge protest will be taking place across London on the eve of the crucial Paris climate talks, which will take place from the 30th November to the 12th December.
Around the world, in major cities, people will be coming together to demand that our governments take action to save our beautiful planet. Across the UK, people will be working together to make this the biggest, most poignant demonstration yet, and our unified voice will resonate from London across the globe to call for real action on climate change.
Join us - let's show international solidarity in the fight for climate justice!
12th DECEMBER 2015:
A mass mobilisation in Paris - if our leaders fail us, we fight on. We do not accept half measures, we need a fair deal and one that takes the radical action demanded by the science.
Transport to Paris will be coordinated by UK organisations working together: watch this space.
The French Coalition Climat 21, working with international civil society has put out a call-out for international action - here is their statement below:
"The fight for a safe climate for all neither begins nor ends with the Paris climate talks. But 2015 is our best moment in years to come together to demand the world we know is within our reach: a world with an economy that works for people and the planet; a world safe from the ravages of climate change; a world with good jobs, clean air and water, healthy communities and sustainable development for all. To change everything, it takes everyone. Join us at the following mass mobilisations, and together we can bend the course of history.
On September 26th and 27th, in Paris and cities across the country, and beyond, we will mobilize to support and showcase citizen-driven initiatives to address climate change and power the energy transition.
On November 29th, we’ll take to the streets of Paris, and major cities across the world united in many voices for action on climate change. The weekend before the talks begin we’ll get ahead of the politicians to set out people’s demands for the world to know: from food, to jobs, to energy and poverty eradication.
During the two weeks of the COP, there will be more and more actions blooming, particularly in Paris.
From December 5th onwards, a big space for convergence, debates and mobilization will be open to all those who want to take part in this citizen mobilization as well as contribute to alternative solutions to climate change
On December 12th, come to Paris and join the inspiring mass mobilisation to mark the peak of two-weeks of escalating actions. Let’s come together and demonstrate the power of our movement and send a clear signal for a brighter, cleaner, safer and more just future for everyone."


Friday 16 October 2015

SERTUC activities and news

SERTUC activities and news

SERTUC trades councils conference

Stronger Unions - Stronger Trades Councils - Stronger Communities Saturday 31 October at Congress House, with Matt Wrack FBU, Kate Osamor MP and many more. Full agenda here https://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

SERTUC unionlearn annual conference

Tuesday 3 November at Congress House, register at Aryan@tuc.org.uk Agenda here https://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

SERTUC Women’s Rights Committee training seminar

Friday 27 November at Unite House London, with TU Bill, Abortion Rights, workshops and comedian. Full agenda herehttps://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

SERTUC health & safety reps conference

Trade unions campaigning for better health, safety and well-being at work and in the community Friday 5 February 2016 at Congress House. Registration details here https://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

National Minimum Wage (from 1 October)

·         £6.70 for workers 21 and over
·         £5.30 18-20 years
·         £3.87 for 16-17 years
·         £3.30 for apprentices under 19, or 19 and over in their first year

Burston Strike School Rally

Peter Everard Smith’s photographs from the 2015 Strike School Rally are available to view at www.photosmithuk.com/burston2015

SERTUC with ACAS conferences – note the dates

·         London Thursday 4 February 2016
·         East of England Monday 15 February 2016


TUC
Lobby of Parliament on the Trade Union Bill Monday 2 November – book a meeting with your MP, full details herehttps://www.tuc.org.uk/lobby-your-mp


Disputes/union actions

NUT Irish Teachers Evening

Wednesday 21 October 6pm London with Philipa Harvey & Kevin Courtney NUT, Austin Harney SERTUC, Lloyd Colfer London GAA, music by Irish Coalminers, refreshments provided http://local.teachers.org.uk/harrow/events/event.cfm/eventid/1028

NUT and ATL in Berkshire

The Education Bill: What does it mean for Berkshire children? Saturday 14 November panel discussion (with Steve Madden BBC Berks, Max Hyde NUT, Kim Knappett ATL, Danny Dorling Oxford University, Jo Smith Fair Funding Campaign, Greg Wilton Bracknell Young Teacher3pm Reading, refreshments 5pm, Banner Theatre “Chicago, the great teachers strike 6pm http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/education-bill-what-does-it-mean-for-berkshire-children-tickets-18570840885?aff=affiliate1

NUJ Black History Month event

Honouring activist and journalist Claudia Jones. Tuesday 27 October 6.30pm London keynote speaker Clive Lewis MP. Full details herehttps://www.nuj.org.uk/events/claudi-jones-lecture-2015/


Trades Council actions

Greater London Association of Trade Union Councils

Reclaiming International Women's Day - organising meeting Friday 16 October Barking 6pm more info from Susan Aitouazizs.aitouaziz@hotmail.co.uk


Other actions/events

Theatre: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

Townsend Productions present this acclaimed two handed presentation of Robert Tressell’s classic book  - running to 31 October in Peckhamhttp://www.townsendproductions.org.uk/productions/the-ragged-trousered-philanthropists

Theatre: United We Stand

Townsend Productions present the story of Des Warren, Ricky Tomlinson and the Shrewsbury Pickets – 2 to 14 November in Peckhamhttp://www.townsendproductions.org.uk/productions/united-we-stand

Show Racism the Red Card

Launch of new film Immigration: What’s the Story? Thursday 22 October, 5pm London including guest speaker Christine Blowerhttp://www.theredcard.org/news/news-and-events?news=6032

National Pensioners Convention

Parliamentary lobby on social care and pensions Wednesday 4 November 11.30 onwards, contact NPC 020 7383 0388

Schools Out UK: LGBT History Month

Theme: Religion, belief and philosophy Thursday 26 November Cambridge, all day and evening http://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/showcase-set-for-november-26th/

Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign – not TTIP!

Briefing on Nicaragua, ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America) and Latin American integrationhttp://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/news/article/150/alba:-fair-trade-and-solidarity-not-'free-trade'

Bishopsgate Institute – suffragette events

·         Votes, Wages and Milk: the East London Federation of Suffragettes, talk by Sarah Jackson 7.30pm Tuesday 27 October £9/£7http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/event/640/Votes-Wages-and-Milk-The-East-London-Federation-of-Suffragettes?&Keyword=&TypeID
·         The Suffragettes who Demanded more than the Vote, 6 week course, Wednesday 2pm beginning 28 October, tutor David Rosenberg £103/£76 http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/course/2362/The-Suffragettes-Who-Demanded-More-Than-the-Vote?&Keyword=Keyword&Category=London&TimeOfDay=&



To add to this newsletter...

Monday 12 October 2015

Thank you again for your support! We could not have succeeded in winning the outcome that we have without your amazing solidarity.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT

PCS members at National Gallery returned to work on Monday 05 October after 111 days on strike.

All back in together Highlights of 111 days on strike! Thank you again for your support! We could not have succeeded in winning the outcome that we have without your amazing solidarity. We will be having a drink in the Silver Cross Pub Whitehall (near Trafalgar Square) from 6.30pm on Thursday 15 October. All welcome

 GUARANTEES FOR STAFF & CANDY UDWIN REINSTATED

We have won the best possible guarantees for those facing privatisation. This includes agreement that terms and conditions for those transferring can’t be changed without PCS agreement and that new starters are to have broadly comparable terms and conditions. There are also guarantees on union recognition, the Living Wage in future, staffing levels and rosters. We also got agreement for a review of the private contract after a year and an inquiry into what went wrong at the gallery.

FUTURE PLANS
* We plan to launch a national campaign with PCS and others to keep museums and galleries free, publicly funded and publicly run so please watch this space!
 * We hope that our success will help encourage others to do the same. Please support PCS Members at National Museum of Wales on strike again on 20 October
 * Kill the Bill Rally Tuesday 13 October 6pm Committee Room 10 Houses of Parliament with Mark Serwotka and others.
Rally at 5pm outside Parliament with Candy Udwin from PCS National Gallery

Thursday 8 October 2015

London Federation of Green Parties SPEAKERS' meeeting 29/9/2015: "Greens, Trade Unions/"NHS/Whistleblowing"/NUCLEAR POWER

P.Murry:Trade Unions and the Greens.P.Murry is Secretary of the Green Party Trade Union group (gptu), has been a trade unionist for most of his working life, including being a tu branch officer in NATFHE (now known as the University and Colleges Union) and is currently Trade Union Liaison Officer for Brent Green Party also at https://youtu.be/K8ur9AvH3-8 Published on 8 Oct 2015 Elizabeth Cotton. "NHS/Whistleblowing" London Federation of Green Parties, Speakers' meeting 29/9/2015. Elizabeth's talk will look at the state of health and social care in the UK from the perspective of the people that deliver those services. From whistleblowing to bullying the working culture in the NHS has been described as operating under a 'pervasive culture of fear'. This talk will look at the systemic and workplace factors that are keeping people from speaking up about what's happening to health and social care. We will also look at how people survive working in the sector. Elizabeth Cotton is a writer and educator working on precarious work and mental health. She is an academic at Middlesex University and runs www.survivingwork.org and writes a column Battles on the NHS Frontline: Surviving Work in health and social care for the conversation.com. As part of this work she is collecting anonymous Stories from the Frontline which can be submitted to info@surivingwork.org Elizabeth is currently working on her new book Surviving Work: How to Manage Working in Health and Social Care, Gower 2016. If you would like to contact her anonymously to talk about your experiences of working in health and social care please contact her on info@survivingwork.org or visit www.survivingwork.org also at https://youtu.be/XoZhVWpwzKw Paul Ingram on NUCLEAR POWER.Paul Ingram Executive Director British American Security Information Council (BASIC) Web: www.basicint.org Twitter: @basic_int also at https://youtu.be/jxou8OxlMIg TU's, NHS/Whistleblowing and nuclear power:questions and discussion also at https://youtu.be/IsP0D0SWugY

Wednesday 7 October 2015

UCU London Retired Members Branch :Next branch meeting - 12th November & Anti-racist demonstration in Dover

Next branch meeting - 12th November at 2pm

Meetings take place in the union office in Carlow Street NW1 7LH, nearest tube Mornington Crescent.
All retired academic staff are welcome (as well as those about to retire).
I will be out of the country, with no internet, until early November, but I shall catch up with any emails you may send as soon as I get back.
In the meantime, we have received a request from the Kent Anti Racism Network.

Anti-racist demonstration in Dover

"Just 2 weeks ago 300 Nazis marched through Dover chanting "Fuck off refugees". The National Front had a banner on the march, as did Combat 18 and other far right groups. Kent Anti Racism Network plan to organise a mass campaign in the area with thousands of leaflets, streets stalls and events.
We are also planning a demonstration in Dover on October 17th and would appreciate your support for the event."

download a leaflet from here...
 
Copyright © 2015 UCU London Retired Members Branch, All rights reserved.
UCU London Retired Members Branch - members and supporters

Our mailing address is:
UCU London Retired Members Branch
53 Fladgate Road
Leytonstone, London E11 1LX
United Kingdom

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015

Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015. Suzanne Jeffery introduction also at https://youtu.be/qhvvJf3NQJo Martin Mayer, Sheffield Trades Council – Welcome to Sheffield Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015 also at https://youtu.be/gwGg56Cz8I0 Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015 Louise Haigh, MP also at https://youtu.be/IoBb-SJdIU4 Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015 Dani Paffard Divestment Campaigner for 350.org also at https://youtu.be/5IgwrGXGZIU Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015:  Graham Petersen, Environment Officer for UCU – report-back on International Climate Jobs Conference also at https://youtu.be/xnIEXb34ztk Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference 19/9/2015: Opening Plenary questions and discussion also at https://youtu.be/rynqpoBt_YY Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015 Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership workshop part 1 with John Hilary of War on Want also at https://youtu.be/VWicrXjx-7w Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015 Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership workshop part 2 with John Hilary of War on Want also at https://youtu.be/Ev_5LUhJn18 Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015 Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth – International campaigner: Refugees and climate Change part 1 also at https://youtu.be/LUvgBzOjsvY Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference Sheffield 19/9/2015 Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth – International campaigner: Refugees and climate Change part 2 also athttps://youtu.be/h87BSMIfNtI Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference 19/9/2015 closing plenary part1 also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG3w1nWhq4w Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference 19/9/2015 closing plenary part2 also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ApHDWaRYPU Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference 19/9/2015 closing plenary part3 also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC43d_DAtJk Campaign against Climate Change TU group conference 19/9/2015 closing plenary part4 also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pTW84Czsn8

Thursday 1 October 2015

Bahrain: unions launch campaign against UK failure to act on abuses

Bahrain: unions launch campaign against UK failure to act on abuses
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Bahrain: unions launch campaign against UK failure to act on abuses

Joint Press Release from Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, MENASolidarity and UCU
The following press release on Bahrain has its origins in the motion our Retired Members branch sent to UCU Congress. As Branch Secretary I would like to thank our comrade Dave Binns for all the work he has put in on this issue
Call for independent audit of FCO assistance to Bahrain.
UK and global trade unions today launched a campaign highlighting “widespread and systematic” human rights abuses in Bahrain and calling for an independent audit of UK government aid to the Gulf monarchy.
The University and College Union (UCU), initiated an open letter condemning British failure to act over repression in Bahrain, which has now been signed by the largest trade unions in the UK including UNITE, UNISON, GMB, CWU, NASUWT, RMT, NUT, NUJ, RCN, PCS, USDAW and BFAWU.
It has also gained the backing of Trade Union Congress (TUC), which represents 52 unions across the UK with a combined membership of 5.5 million, and Education International, the world’s largest trade union federation, which represents over 30 million education employees across 400 organisations worldwide. Union officials will launch a drive for further signatures at the Labour Party conference, which opens in Brighton on Sunday.
The statement highlights the continued detention and torture of opposition leaders, unionists, teachers, medics and students, despite rising levels of UK financial assistance aimed at supporting the Bahraini government. Signatories condemned the lack of transparency surrounding the spending, noting their shock “that there has been no independent assessment made of this expenditure of public money despite a clear deterioration in Bahrain’s human rights record”.
The statement demands an independent assessment of the FCO’s assistance spending to Bahrain, urging that “any military, diplomatic and security ties are handled with a view to ending human rights abuses”. These calls come in the wake of criticism from the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, which stated in 2014that the FCO should have “bitten the bullet and listed Bahrain as a country of concern”as there was “little or no evidence that Bahrain has made enough progress in implementing political reform and safeguarding human rights”.
Elizabeth Lawrence, President of the University and College Union (UCU) said:
UCU welcomes the fact that the TUC, Education International and so many trade unions have signed the letter concerning human rights in Bahrain.  We salute the work of all those seeking an end to human rights abuses in Bahrain and send our best wishes to trade unions and human rights defenders in Bahrain.  We also call upon the British government to take a much tougher stance with this oppressive regime. UCU members are actively engaged in Bahrain solidarity work and our annual Congress passed its latest resolution on Bahrain in May 2015.”
In 2015, the UCU congress passed a motion condemning the construction of a new British naval base in Bahrain, and ongoing UK government support for the monarchy in the midst of human rights violations such as the imprisonment of Bahraini teachers’ union leader Mahdi Abu Dheeb.
The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said:
“This is a landmark stance by trade unions in the UK who are standing in unity against human rights abuses in Bahrain. We thank all of the signatories for their work in sending a clear message to the government that their support for the government of Bahrain will not go unnoticed by the British public.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Members who are interested to read more on the branch's work on Bahrain, should follow the link to our Solidarity with the People of Bahrain page...
An article giving the background to the joint union initiative may be found here...
Copyright © 2015 UCU London Retired Members Branch, All rights reserved.
UCU London Retired Members Branch - members and supporters

Our mailing address is:
UCU London Retired Members Branch
53 Fladgate Road
Leytonstone, London E11 1LX
United Kingdom