Support for Tube strikes

CAMPAIGN AGAINST TUBE PRIVATISATION (CATP)

TUBEWORKERS’ JOBS: OUR SAFETY ON THE LINE
CATP SAYS: DON’T PUT PASSENGER SAFETY AT RISK


Passenger safety is under serious threat as London Underground (LU) cuts safety-critical maintenance checks and announces job cuts of almost 800 staff. Yet, in the past few weeks, there have been 2 fires in the Tube and a runaway train near-disaster on the Northern Line.

In July, automatic smoke detection systems at Euston failed to sound the alarm when a fire started on an escalator. The station was only evacuated through the experience and vigilance of station-based staff. But their jobs are among the 800 that LU proposes to cut.
London Fire Brigade has formally raised the failure of fire detection systems to activate in an internal incident report.

The incident has close parallels with the Kings Cross disaster of 1987 that was caused by mechanical friction in the closed chamber underneath an escalator that ignited accumulated dust. An earlier fire in 1984 at Oxford Circus station was probably caused by a build- up of flammable materials in a contractors store.


THE RUNAWAY TRAIN

CATP supports the RMT and TSSA’s demands on safety and jobs : Boris Johnson should call an immediate halt to the station job cuts programme and there should be a full, external investigation into fire detection systems on escalators across the Tube network.

CATP also expresses its horror at the runaway train incident on August 13th at the start of the morning rush-hour.  An engineering train leaving Archway broke from a failed emergency coupling.  A collision with a passenger train was narrowly avoided just before quarter to 7am by quick-thinking staff in the central coordination unit.  Overnight works on the Northern Line are the responsibility of Tube Lines (still managed by a private firm, despite having been bought by Transport for London).

LU fleet maintenance staff voted for action short-of-strike, after LU announced plans to double the length of time between safety-critical train inspections from 14 to 28 days. Managers are now ignoring safety agreements.

LU proposes cuts of almost 800 jobs – including station staff and 450 ticket office staff. They claim this will save £16m, but the overtime ban has already cost them £15m! The RMT  tabled alternative cost saving proposals, including setting a maximum wage to curb “fat cat” salaries (the Commissioner of Transport received £393,551 last year), etc. But LU feel they cannot afford front-line jobs or regular maintenance. So, after many attempts at discussion, RMT and TSSA balloted their members for strike action. As passengers, we support action to defend our safety and security.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
CATP asks passengers to:
• raise the issues in your local union branch or community group
• contact Boris Johnson at City Hall or mayor@london.gov.uk
• contact your member for the GLA at City Hall, Queen’s Walk, SE1 2AA
• Join CATP supporters in leafleting a Tube station near you. Call Dave on
0207 837 3886 to find out where leafleting is organised or go to www.catp.info

"1 Million Green Jobs".new version of the pamphlet will be launched on Thursday 14th October

This week the Trades Union Congress agreed to support the call for "1 Million Green Jobs". Over the last year, our pamphlet has sold thousands of copies in the Trade Union and environmental movement arguing the case for Climate Jobs.

 

A new, updated and expanded version of this pamphlet is about to be re-launched. This will take account of the government cuts agenda and argue that Climate Jobs can solve the economic and environmental crises we face.

 

The new version of the pamphlet will be launched on Thursday 14th October, 6pm-8pm in Committee Room 10 of the House of Commons.

 

Speakers are: Caroline Lucas MP, John McDonnell MP, Chris Baugh (Assistant Gen. Sec PCS) and Jonathan Neale editor of the pamphlet. Chairing will be Suzanne Jeffrey of the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union group.

 

Please publicise and distribute this through your networks.

 

Martin
 

Martin Empson
Treasurer, Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union group
079 585 35231
swpmre@yahoo.com

PCS report on tuc (1m Green Jobs etc)

Green jobs and high pay commission

Government should do more to create green jobs

PCS delegate Adam Khalif spoke to composite motion C7 – climate change - which called for more action from the government to promote low carbon energy. Adam highlighted the work PCS has been doing to combat climate change, particularly in support of the motion’s aim to create one million green jobs.

PCS are encouraging activism amongst our members around green issues

He said: “PCS are encouraging activism amongst our members around green issues encouraging our bargaining groups to appoint green lead reps in order to identify good and bad progress, monitor progress and develop a network of green reps.”

He went on to say that PCS has worked with other unions, a range of academics and NGO’s to expand the ‘One Million Climate Jobs’ pamphlet which is being launched next month. He said that it shows how creating a million climate jobs is both technically feasible and affordable and argues for public investment in renewable energy that exploits the natural wind and wave resources of the UK.

The motion was carried unanimously.

TUC should create shadow high pay commission

Motion 27 – high pay commission - called for congress to set up a shadow ‘High Pay Commission’ that would expand on the work being done by the coalition government’s commission that only looks at high pay in the public sector.

Speaking to the motion, PCS delegate Dee Luxford said that ideally the commission would look at the whole of the earnings distribution and not just the top and diagnose why the middle and the bottom fall so far behind. She stated that 63% of civil servants earn less than £25,000 per year.

Dee warned that the unions cannot just sit back and watch the high pay commission and that we must expand on its work. “If they are not prepared to look at the economy as a whole,” she said, “then we must do it for them.”

The motion was passed unanimously.

PCS tax justice argument persuasive according to Bank of England governor

Guest speaker Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England addressed congress and took questions from delegates. Janice Godrich, PCS president, posed a question about closing the loopholes that allow tax avoidance and whether we should increase rather than cut HMRC staff to tackle the tax gap.

Mervyn King responded by saying, “It would be wrong for him to comment on tax policy,” but adding, “I hear your points and they sound persuasive.”

More on PCS at the TUC 

TUC motion on Climate Change (passed at congress 2010)

C7 Climate change

Composite of motion 31 and amendments

Congress agrees that the overwhelming body of scientific opinion supports the conclusion that climate change is real and significantly attributable to human activity. The Copenhagen climate change summit made clear that a step change in policy is needed to deliver the necessary emissions reductions to curtail dangerous climate change.

Congress further agrees that sustainability not profit should be the determining factor in measuring a successful recovery from the current economic crisis.

As recognised by the Committee on Climate Change, ‘a road map to decarbonise the power sector is key to wider economy decarbonisation’. Congress is therefore disappointed that, although making supportive statements, the coalition Government has delayed key decisions that would ensure a secure and balanced low carbon energy supply for the UK. Evidence in the recent TUC/EIUG report revealed uncertain policy frameworks’ impact on energy prices and green investment in energy-intensive sectors. Urgent action is needed, including:

• reforms to support a stable floor price for carbon
• a regulatory framework that encourages investment in staff and skills as well as infrastructure renewal
• strategic government support to stimulate innovation and UK supply chains
• pursuit of a binding global carbon reduction agreement to prevent carbon leakage.

Congress calls on the General Council to pursue these objectives as part of an active industrial strategy that also prioritises investment in high quality green jobs and skills in energy-intensive industries to increase efficiency and enable a positive contribution to a low-carbon economy.

Congress instructs the General Council to:

• seek early meetings with Government ministers to emphasise the need for early progress to decarbonise energy production and to establish an ongoing basis for consultation with relevant unions
• lobby for regulatory reform in order to support low carbon investment
• press for a more pro-active approach to promote development of skills to support sustainable development
• support a campaign for 1 million green jobs that would create employment that delivers in areas of need, i.e. transport, housing and energy and has positive environmental impact.

Mover: Prospect
Seconder: Communication Workers’ Union

Supporter: Community

Model motion: Nov 6 demo against racism, fascism, Islamophobia

UAF, our sister organisation Love Music Hate Racism and the Muslim Council of Britain have called a national march to end with a carnival on Saturday 6 November.

The demo is backed by the TUC – now we want to ensure as many local trade union branches and community organisations as possible give their backing. Pass this model motion to support the demo.

support the demo

If your trade union branch or community group would like to support the march and carnival, pass this model motion:

This union/organisation notes
1) The rise of racism and fascism across Europe.
2) Organisations like the English Defence League terrorising communities across Britain.
3) The dramatic rise of Islamophobia.

This union/organisation resolves
1) To support the UAF/MCB march and carnival on 6 November 2010.
2) To donate £ …………… to Unite Against Fascism to help pay for the cost of organising the event.

Bananas at Finsbury Park! Support for RMT strike

Please send in short reports of yr experiences at the picket lines throughout London this morning.For example:

In the morning rush hour, we went Bananas at Finsbury Park! There are outrageous legal restrictions on official pickets, but these do not apply to CATP supporters so we were able to distribute leaflets far and wide to passengers explaining why the strike was happening. Local cafes and shops were also happy to display leaflets.

Bus workers and passengers clearly understand that our safety on the Tube as well as hundreds  of jobs are under severe threat. The public's solidarity with RMT & TSSA's united fight was extraordinary.

CATP supporters re-fuelled ourselves and union comrades with bananas and cups of coffee. Unity is strength in every possible way! 

In Solidarity,

Jan

for CATP 

Midlands PROTESTS AGAINST THE CUTS OF THE CON-DEM GOVERNMENT

Midlands: PROTESTS AGAINST THE CUTS  OF THE CON-DEM GOVERNMENT
> 
> Wednesday October 20
> 
> 5.00pm-6.45pm
> 
Outside the Government Office of the West Midlands   5 St Philips Place  (off Colmore Row, by the Cathedral)
> 
The Government will be announcing its planned cuts in the Comprehensive  Spending Review on this day so come along and join the protest. 
> 
 The West Midlands has some of the worst unemployment in the country and the government cuts already announced are making it worse. We need to  fight back and to unite in the face of these attacks.
> 
The People's Charter
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> Birmingham Conference
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> Saturday October 23
> 
> 10.00am - 4.00pm
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> The Council House, Victoria Square Birmingham
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> A day of debate and planning against the cuts and for an alternative  Britain. Confirmed speakers include Tony Benn and John Hendy QC
> 
> More details to follow.
> 
> Further information please contact
> 
 pcbirmingham@hotmail.co.uk
> 
 Birmingham People's Charter, c/o Birmingham TUC, Allison Street,  Birmingham
> 
> /Every day is a little revolution./