RMT members on London Underground and First Great Western Trains are taking simultaneous strike action to defend their jobs, terms and conditions and our service. They are staging a strike rally at Paddington Station from 17:30 in a show of strength and unity. Please come and show support for these workers in their struggle. Bring red flags. Bring friends. Bring solidarity.
Tuesday, 7 July 2015
Thursday, 2 July 2015
Staff and parents at Small Heath School are fighting academy conversion.
Staff and parents at Small Heath School are fighting academy
conversion. The following report is from one of the organisers;
Following our strike a month ago against the threat of
academisation at the school, Small Heath School NUT, NASUWT and ATL members
took another day’s strike action on Thursday 2nd July. It was another vibrant, confident and solid
strike and the 3 entrances to the school were picketed by large numbers of
teachers, parents and students (a group of parents even brought wonderful food
to the picket line!). Messages of
support were received from far and wide.
Again, the strike made the news.
The strike got a wonderful boost the evening before with a
parents’ meeting that was also attended by many staff. Every parent that spoke supported the
striking teachers and agreed that the strike was necessary . Richard Hatcher from Birmingham CASE and
Salma Yaqoob addressed the parents and both inspired a number of parents to
come forward to begin to organize a community campaign to fight alongside
staff.
The teaching unions remain united in opposing any planned
academisation of the school and there will be a further union/parents’ meeting
at The Rex Centre, Small Heath at 5-7pm on Tuesday, 14th July. Parents want this to be a springboard for
their actions over the summer in building a campaign that will be ready for the
battles that lay ahead next term!
acknowledgements to https://birminghamcase.wordpress.com/2015/07/02/second-strike-at-small-heath-school-prompts-solidarity-from-parents-on-the-picket-line/ and Martin Francis
Sotheby’s sells a Warhol for £20.9m as cleaners protest for better conditions
Sotheby’s sells a Warhol for £20.9m as cleaners protest for better conditions see https://www.facebook.com/groups/GreenLeft/permalink/10153471539206255/
This is an attack on the trade union movement locally and an attempt by the City Council to make it more difficult for the trade unions to defend their members and the public services in the City.
We note with dismay the proposals submitted on behalf of Coventry City Council that would significantly cut the amount of time that local union officers have to act on their members’ behalf, with many unions facing a greater than 50% reduction.
This is an attack on the trade union movement locally and an attempt by the City Council to make it more difficult for the trade unions to defend their members and the public services in the City.
We note that:
· These cuts will seriously affect industrial relations within the authority.
· They will lead to more stress and anxiety for council employees.
· They come at a time when the Tory government is planning even greater cuts and attacks on local services as well as our members pay and conditions.
· The cuts to facilities time will cost more money than it saves.
· Coventry Council is attempting to force this through without following proper procedure as is dictated by our collective agreements.
The Joint Trade Unions have lodged a formal dispute with the City Council about the way it is conducting its so-called consultation and in respect of the fact that they are not following proper procedure. This dispute has the backing of UNISON, UNITE, ATL, NASUWT, and NUT at both local authority and regional level.
We call upon Cllr Ann Lucas, Leader of Coventry City Council, as well as the Labour Party Group, to withdraw these proposals.
Sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/councillor-ann-lucas-coventry-city-council-withdraw-the-current-proposals-to-cut-trade-union-facilities-time-in-coventry-city-council?recruiter=69619084&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=mob-xs-share_petition-reason_msg
Cuts to Legal Aid
Dear All,
There has been too little in the news about this,
A few weeks ago the Ministry of Justice announced the implementation of significant cuts to Legal Aid rates in criminal cases that will come into effect from today. The cuts impose an 8.75% reduction in solicitors' fees. As a result solicitors up and down the country (including those who practice at the Magistrates' Courts in Haringey) have decided to undertake no work on new legal aid cases from today. Criminal barristers are balloting among themselves between now and the 14 July to decide whether to join solicitors in a similar action.
This cannot be called a 'strike' because regardless of the outcome of the ballot each barrister must make his or her own decision on whether to refuse to do new legal aid work. However, if enough lawyers decide to join this action then the effect will be to bring the criminal justice system to a halt. No lawyer wants to do this but many of us feel that we are left with no choice. If the cuts come into effect it will not be possible for lawyers to properly represent their clients and we simply will not have a fair and effective criminal justice system.
We have endured years of reductions in fees whilst repeatedly pointing out to the Ministry of Justice how it could make significant savings to its budget, without cutting legal services to the most vulnerable. Even without these cuts we will be struggling with massive, ill-thought out changes to legal aid contracts.
We have been here before - last year in fact when Chris Grayling backed down from introducing similar cuts in the face of action by the legal profession. Now the Government, no doubt emboldened by the election victory, is back for another go. It is vital that they do not succeed.
There is some information about this on the London Criminal Courts Solicitors' website (www.lccsa.org.uk) When I get the chance, I will write something more substantial about the nature of the cuts, the issues at stake and how people can support the action. (although I already owe Mike a blog piece on the Human Rights Act). Hopefully, when presented with a true picture of what is going on Green Party members will support us.
Many thanks
No room for trade union rights at upscale Myanmar hotel
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Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Campaign against Climate Change We will be staging a mass "die-in," 8 july
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1:33 PM (6 minutes ago)
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Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/
Info re London action copied below (there are other actions elsewhere in the country)
In London we'll assemble at Parliament from 5.30 pm We will be staging a mass "die-in," where everyone will lie on the ground as if dead in front of Parliament to highlight the deaths caused by cuts to welfare services and benefits. In the run-up, we want you to draw chalk body shapes on the floor around the city with #AusterityKills written there too, and tweet the photo!
These stunts come at a great time since Ian Duncan Smith recently attempted to block the publication of "death statistics" that will reveal how many people have died within six weeks of their benefits being stopped. Meanwhile just weeks ago, a supporter of The People's Assembly set up a petition to demand the release of these figures, and more than 220,000 signatures later, it appears the Cameron has begun to sweat at the collar. The figures are now to be announced according to the Guardian's recent article:
http://www.theguardian.com/soc
We will also be protesting in support of the numerous unions on strike on June 8th. It truly will be a day of broad and solid action!
Info re London action copied below (there are other actions elsewhere in the country)
In London we'll assemble at Parliament from 5.30 pm We will be staging a mass "die-in," where everyone will lie on the ground as if dead in front of Parliament to highlight the deaths caused by cuts to welfare services and benefits. In the run-up, we want you to draw chalk body shapes on the floor around the city with #AusterityKills written there too, and tweet the photo!
These stunts come at a great time since Ian Duncan Smith recently attempted to block the publication of "death statistics" that will reveal how many people have died within six weeks of their benefits being stopped. Meanwhile just weeks ago, a supporter of The People's Assembly set up a petition to demand the release of these figures, and more than 220,000 signatures later, it appears the Cameron has begun to sweat at the collar. The figures are now to be announced according to the Guardian's recent article:
We will also be protesting in support of the numerous unions on strike on June 8th. It truly will be a day of broad and solid action!
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