From Darren
Here is Brian Coleman's response to the formal question I tabled at today's Fire Authority meeting, requesting an investigation into injuries to firefighters excercising their legal right to strike.
(i) Question 257 from Councillor Darren Johnson AM (Green Party):
Will the Chairman request the Commissioner undertakes a formal investigation, including an independent element, of the following > reported incidents during industrial action on 1 November:
a) firefighter hit by a car at Croydon Fire Station, and withholding
of first aid equipment;
b) FBU London representative and firefighter hit by fire engines at Southwark Fire Station
And will the Chairman ensure that the findings of such an investigation are published?
Reply from Chairman
No.
>
>
>
> Darren Johnson AM
> Green Party Member
> London Assembly
> City Hall
> Queens Walk
> London SE1 2AA
> 020 7983 4388
>
> http://www.london.gov.uk/profile/darren-johnson
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Mayor must call chair of Fire Authority to account & Darren Johnson's formal question for the 18th November LFEPA meeting.
News Release
Darren Johnson
London Assembly Green Party Member
www.london.gov.uk/profile/darren-johnson
Press Office: 020 7983 4424, 07967 205 330 Darren:07887 737 276
9th November 2010
Mayor must call chair of Fire Authority to account
Darren Johnson has responded to comments by Brian Coleman, the chair ofthe London Fire and Emergency Authority. Mr Coleman has suggested that Fire Brigade officers should explore, as part of the budget process, whether the Brigade needs all 27 of the fire appliances removed from
stations during the current industrial action to be returned or whether there is an over-supply of appliances.
Darren Johnson said:
"It is highly provocative and badly timed comment, which raises the prospect of unacceptable cuts to the fire service in London. Most Londoners breathed a sigh of relief when the Fire Brigades Union responded to legitimate concerns over safety and called off their strike
on bonfire night. The chair of the Authority should be helping to sort out the trade union's grievances, not stirring things up in this way.
The London Mayor needs to step in and remove Brian Coleman from his role as chair, as he has become a barrier to the dispute being resolved."
ENDS
Darren Johnson is available for comment
GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY
------------------------------
Darren Johnson's
formal question for the 18th November LFEPA meeting.
'Industrial action on 1 November: investigation of incidents'
Darren Johnson
Will the Chairman request the Commissioner undertakes a formal investigation, including an independent element, of the following reported incidents during industrial action on 1 November:
a) firefighter hit by a car at Croydon Fire Station, and withholding of first aid equipment;
b) FBU London representative and firefighter hit by fire engines at Southwark Fire Station?
And will the Chairman ensure that the findings of such an investigation are published? '
Darren Johnson
London Assembly Green Party Member
www.london.gov.uk/profile/darren-johnson
Press Office: 020 7983 4424, 07967 205 330 Darren:07887 737 276
9th November 2010
Mayor must call chair of Fire Authority to account
Darren Johnson has responded to comments by Brian Coleman, the chair ofthe London Fire and Emergency Authority. Mr Coleman has suggested that Fire Brigade officers should explore, as part of the budget process, whether the Brigade needs all 27 of the fire appliances removed from
stations during the current industrial action to be returned or whether there is an over-supply of appliances.
Darren Johnson said:
"It is highly provocative and badly timed comment, which raises the prospect of unacceptable cuts to the fire service in London. Most Londoners breathed a sigh of relief when the Fire Brigades Union responded to legitimate concerns over safety and called off their strike
on bonfire night. The chair of the Authority should be helping to sort out the trade union's grievances, not stirring things up in this way.
The London Mayor needs to step in and remove Brian Coleman from his role as chair, as he has become a barrier to the dispute being resolved."
ENDS
Darren Johnson is available for comment
GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY
------------------------------
Darren Johnson's
formal question for the 18th November LFEPA meeting.
'Industrial action on 1 November: investigation of incidents'
Darren Johnson
Will the Chairman request the Commissioner undertakes a formal investigation, including an independent element, of the following reported incidents during industrial action on 1 November:
a) firefighter hit by a car at Croydon Fire Station, and withholding of first aid equipment;
b) FBU London representative and firefighter hit by fire engines at Southwark Fire Station?
And will the Chairman ensure that the findings of such an investigation are published? '
Monday, 8 November 2010
US/ UCU demo 'Fund Our Future' is this Wednesday, 10th November
The joint NUS/ UCU demo 'Fund Our Future' is this Wednesday, 10th November. Assembly will be at 11:30am Horse Guards Avenue in London and the march will begin at 12.30 through Westminster and past the Palace of Westminster.Nearest tube: Westminster. Alternatively, if you live in London, you can meet LSE YGs on Houghton Street 1t 11:30. (Contact Zain:07950458207)
The demonstration is a protest against government plans for tuition fees to increase to on average £6,000, with the prospect of the elite and most prestigious Universities being able to increase their fees to a maximum £9,000.
This is an onslaught on Higher Education and will ensure that not only those from the wealthiest backgrounds will be able to go to University, but also only those from the academic elite as Universities with less well developed commercial services and with less prestigious academic traditions will struggle to continue to attract those students from more impoverished backgrounds (like Middlesex University and London Met) as well as cover the cost of teaching cuts.
At the moment we need more public funding in HE, not less..please join us if you can.
The demonstration is a protest against government plans for tuition fees to increase to on average £6,000, with the prospect of the elite and most prestigious Universities being able to increase their fees to a maximum £9,000.
This is an onslaught on Higher Education and will ensure that not only those from the wealthiest backgrounds will be able to go to University, but also only those from the academic elite as Universities with less well developed commercial services and with less prestigious academic traditions will struggle to continue to attract those students from more impoverished backgrounds (like Middlesex University and London Met) as well as cover the cost of teaching cuts.
At the moment we need more public funding in HE, not less..please join us if you can.
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Coalition of Resistance Against Cuts & Privatisation National Organising Conference - 10am-5pm, Saturday November 27th
Camden Centre Bidborough St, London WC1H 9AU (opposite St Pancras station)
Register here: http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/?p=317
Already several hundred people have registered for the conference. If you have and have not yet heard back from us please don't worry. We will be sending out tickets and a full programme of sessions in the next week. We have had to book further space for the conference and have obtained three large halls within 100 metres of the Camden Centre for workshops and forum sessions.
Apart from the opening and closing plenaries, sessions will include:
• Organising against the cuts locally
• Defending the Welfare State
• States of Inequalities
• Mobilising in the unions
• Analysis of the crisis
• Debate on our alternatives
• What should political representatives do?
• What future for education?
• Cultures of Resistance
• Youth and students
• Women and the crisis
Confirmed speakers include: Billy Bragg, Caroline Lucas MP, Tony Benn, John McDonnell, Paul Mackney, Bob Crow, Jeremy Dear, Dr Jacky Davis, Professor Colin Leys, Dot Gibson, Zita Holborne, Ozlem Onaran, Derek Wall, Lindsey German, Chris Baugh, Laurie Penny, John Hilary, Lowkey and many others.
There will be speakers from local anti-cuts groups from around the country. The National Secretary of the French railway unions will report on the recent strike wave there. And there will be a fraternal speakers from the People's Charter and other organisations.
The conference will discuss a plan of action and will elect a National steering committee.
Please register for the conference. You can either do this online using paypal or by printing off the form - http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/?p=317 - and sending it to our office with a cheque to the address below.
Conference Registration:
Unemployed / Student Rate £3.00
Standard Rate £5.00
Representative £10.00
The conference is costing many thousands of pounds to put on and we are keeping the registration fees as low as possible to allow maximum attendance.
We need volunteers to help cover the forthcoming student and Stop the War marches. Please contact Sam on 07872481769 if you can help.
There will be a small number of stalls for movement organisations at the conference and these will be £75 each. The stalls will have to be booked and paid for in advance.
Coalition of Resistance badges and t-shirts are now available and will on the website soon.
Please circulate this bulletin throughout the labour and trade union movement.
Andrew Burgin
07939 242229
Coalition of Resistance
Housmans Bookshop
5 Caledonian Road
London N1 9DX
www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk
Register here: http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/?p=317
Already several hundred people have registered for the conference. If you have and have not yet heard back from us please don't worry. We will be sending out tickets and a full programme of sessions in the next week. We have had to book further space for the conference and have obtained three large halls within 100 metres of the Camden Centre for workshops and forum sessions.
Apart from the opening and closing plenaries, sessions will include:
• Organising against the cuts locally
• Defending the Welfare State
• States of Inequalities
• Mobilising in the unions
• Analysis of the crisis
• Debate on our alternatives
• What should political representatives do?
• What future for education?
• Cultures of Resistance
• Youth and students
• Women and the crisis
Confirmed speakers include: Billy Bragg, Caroline Lucas MP, Tony Benn, John McDonnell, Paul Mackney, Bob Crow, Jeremy Dear, Dr Jacky Davis, Professor Colin Leys, Dot Gibson, Zita Holborne, Ozlem Onaran, Derek Wall, Lindsey German, Chris Baugh, Laurie Penny, John Hilary, Lowkey and many others.
There will be speakers from local anti-cuts groups from around the country. The National Secretary of the French railway unions will report on the recent strike wave there. And there will be a fraternal speakers from the People's Charter and other organisations.
The conference will discuss a plan of action and will elect a National steering committee.
Please register for the conference. You can either do this online using paypal or by printing off the form - http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/?p=317 - and sending it to our office with a cheque to the address below.
Conference Registration:
Unemployed / Student Rate £3.00
Standard Rate £5.00
Representative £10.00
The conference is costing many thousands of pounds to put on and we are keeping the registration fees as low as possible to allow maximum attendance.
We need volunteers to help cover the forthcoming student and Stop the War marches. Please contact Sam on 07872481769 if you can help.
There will be a small number of stalls for movement organisations at the conference and these will be £75 each. The stalls will have to be booked and paid for in advance.
Coalition of Resistance badges and t-shirts are now available and will on the website soon.
Please circulate this bulletin throughout the labour and trade union movement.
Andrew Burgin
07939 242229
Coalition of Resistance
Housmans Bookshop
5 Caledonian Road
London N1 9DX
www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk
Private teachers' pensions subsidised
Sunday 07 November 2010
Millions of pounds in taxpayers' money is being used to subsidise pensions for teachers at elite public schools such as Eton and Harrow, the government has been forced to admit.
The disclosure came today in response to a Freedom of Information request regarding independent school membership of the Teachers' Pension Scheme made by the Green Party.
Eleven named institutions, including Eton, Harrow and Cheltenham, have 1,639 members of staff in the scheme with the top 100 schools receiving an estimated £40 million in subsidy per year.
London Green Party chairman Noel Lynch said: "It's scandalous that taxpayers are unknowingly paying towards the pensions of teachers at schools like Eton and Harrow. It will come as a surprise to a lot of people that these elite, private-sector employers have access to the government's Teachers' Pension Scheme to the tune of over £40 million."
Mr Lynch said the money should be ploughed into more urgent areas such as building new local schools in deprived areas and employing more teachers.
Millions of pounds in taxpayers' money is being used to subsidise pensions for teachers at elite public schools such as Eton and Harrow, the government has been forced to admit.
The disclosure came today in response to a Freedom of Information request regarding independent school membership of the Teachers' Pension Scheme made by the Green Party.
Eleven named institutions, including Eton, Harrow and Cheltenham, have 1,639 members of staff in the scheme with the top 100 schools receiving an estimated £40 million in subsidy per year.
London Green Party chairman Noel Lynch said: "It's scandalous that taxpayers are unknowingly paying towards the pensions of teachers at schools like Eton and Harrow. It will come as a surprise to a lot of people that these elite, private-sector employers have access to the government's Teachers' Pension Scheme to the tune of over £40 million."
Mr Lynch said the money should be ploughed into more urgent areas such as building new local schools in deprived areas and employing more teachers.
GET REAL ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE! Willesden Library 23/11/10
Time to tell the politicians...
GET REAL ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE!
Faced with cuts to jobs and services it’s easy to forget that if we don’t act now climate change will be a far worse threat to our future than the economic crisis. If the banks are too big to fail, then so is the planet. We need carbon cuts, not job cuts!
Come to the Local Public Meeting
Tuesday 23 November 7.30pm
Willesden Green Library Centre 95 High Road NW10 2SF
(nearest tube, Willesden Green)
Speakers:
Jonathan Neale, Campaign against Climate Change, author One Million Climate Jobs Now!
Derek Wall, Green Party, author No Nonsense Guide to Green Politics
Nick Grant, National Executive, National Union of Teachers (pc)
Ann Hunter, Brent Lib-Dem Councillor
PDF of leaflet at http://gptu.net/gleft/BCaCCLeafletPublicMeeting231110.pdf
Join the National Climate March
March on Parliament for a Zero Carbon Britain
Saturday 4 December 12.00 noon Hyde Park
Brent Campaign against Climate Change
www.brentcacc.com
www.campaigncc.org
GET REAL ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE!
Faced with cuts to jobs and services it’s easy to forget that if we don’t act now climate change will be a far worse threat to our future than the economic crisis. If the banks are too big to fail, then so is the planet. We need carbon cuts, not job cuts!
Come to the Local Public Meeting
Tuesday 23 November 7.30pm
Willesden Green Library Centre 95 High Road NW10 2SF
(nearest tube, Willesden Green)
Speakers:
Jonathan Neale, Campaign against Climate Change, author One Million Climate Jobs Now!
Derek Wall, Green Party, author No Nonsense Guide to Green Politics
Nick Grant, National Executive, National Union of Teachers (pc)
Ann Hunter, Brent Lib-Dem Councillor
PDF of leaflet at http://gptu.net/gleft/BCaCCLeafletPublicMeeting231110.pdf
Join the National Climate March
March on Parliament for a Zero Carbon Britain
Saturday 4 December 12.00 noon Hyde Park
Brent Campaign against Climate Change
www.brentcacc.com
www.campaigncc.org
Friday, 5 November 2010
FBU have called off their planned 47 hour strike today
Guardian mentions FBU concerns for public safety
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/04/firefighters-call-off-strike-bonfire-nightStrike called off?
SW says management agrees to accept arbitration
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=22958
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/04/firefighters-call-off-strike-bonfire-nightStrike called off?
SW says management agrees to accept arbitration
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=22958
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