Newcastle Emlyn and Cenarth Pathfinder Walk

Off message but last week Gill and I spent a wonderful week in a static caravan, located in an isolated small holding in mid Wales.  The weather was marvellous and we managed to go on a number of lovely walks locally (despite many blocked paths, which I will be contacting the local Ramblers footpath secretary about, since I have never come across so many serious obstacles on "rights of way" including barbed wire and permanently shut gates).

On our last day, we went on this 7 mile circular Ordnance Survey pathfinder walk (our walk is in the 2011 edition and I assume that this walk is also in the latest version).  No paths were blocked but they were overgrown in parts and wearing shorts was probably not a great idea if you have sensitive skin. 

The walk starts and finishes in Newcastle Emlyn, which is a small historic Welsh market town with a ruined castle (with a fascinating but bloody history). It is a "Orange" level walk but not too strenuous, lots of ups and downs, enclosed paths, tracks, lanes and woodland.  The Cenarth falls and water walkways are delightful. There are also great views towards the end of the walk overlooking the town and the river Teifi.

I recommend the freshly made sandwich deal at the Ty Croeso deli in the main street (sandwich, crisps and drink for £4.50). 

 

Double Rainbow over Newham Dockside (Is there really a pot of gold buried in East Wing?)

 

This evening I came out of Newham Dockside after a "in person/blended" Pension Committee meeting and was stunned to see a double rainbow across the skyline. 

I have seen double rainbows in the past but I have never seen the rainbow being reflected in this way by glass windows. 

It would appear that the end of the rainbow is in the East Wing of Newham Dockside. I think in the Facilities Management section. 

Newham could definetely use a (large) pot of gold. I wonder if Terry & Conrad will be there with their pick and shovels first thing tomorrow? I would expect nothing less. 

 

Meeting up with Stroppy Bird & Dave

It was great to meet up this evening with Yvonne and Dave at the Evin Restaurant in Dalston. It has been at least 2 years since we last met up (due to you know what). I had forgotten where the Overground platform was at Stratford station. 

Yvonne is a Councillor and Mayoral advisor in Hackney and Dave is a journalist. 

We first met in the Royal Court of Justice in 2009 (with Alex Hilton) when we had a little libel issue to sort out. This took about 2 years. 

Yvonne and I both bored Dave silly with our conversion about the exciting life that  London Councillors lead (knocking on doors, wearing hard hats and visiting dog pounds). 

We hope to meet up with our legal guru Robert Douglas soon (Alex is currently in Thailand I believe but will also try and invite)

Newham Coop Summer Social - 7pm-9pm, Thursday 29 July

 I will hopefully be there but have another late night clash...

We're hiring a Campaign Organiser - Newham Labour

Role: Newham Labour Group Campaign Organiser 

Working For: Newham Labour Group

Salary range: £36,108.99 - £40,000 per annum subject to experience (gross and inclusive of London Weighting. Full-time and based on national Labour Party pay scale range 26 – 28)

Duration: Fixed term to October 2022

Application deadline: Midday, Friday 13th August 2021

Check out https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/7356156/newham-labour-group-campaign-organiser/ for further details 

 

Blog: Six months into our new era | General secretary's blog | News | UNISON National

Blog: Six months into our new era | General secretary's blog | News | UNISON National: It's been an incredibly busy but productive and fulfilling first half year as your general secretary – with many achievements across our great union

Stratford Park walkabout (aka as West Ham Rec)

Picture college from last weeks evening walkabout around our marvellous park. We had a large number of council officers, Councillors (only the 3 West Ham Ward Cllrs) and Police. This park is such a wonderful asset and has just a great potential. Watch this space. 

 

Greater London Black Members & Labour Link: Be A Councillor Course

Pleased as Chair of UNISON Greater London Labour Link to be jointly hosting this course with our Black members/Labour Local Government. 

 

Kitchener’s Last Volunteer

 

Just started to read. My maternal Grandfather, Fredrick Matthews MC, a South Wales Steel Worker, volunteered in 1915 and fought in the trenches (Gallipoli, France, Belgian) for the rest of the war. 

Update: Finished book and a great read about a long life. There is also a Newham connection. Henry was brought up in next door Walhamstow and went to a school in Newham and used local libraries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Allingham

Knockholt Pound & Chevening House walk

Off message but went on lovely 5 mile circular walk last Sunday with Gill in North Downs, Kent. Great views marred a bit by road noise from M25 for part of the route. Not a tough walk at all for such marvellous prospectives.  

Check out the free website (donations welcome) https://kentwalksnearlondon.com/walk-24-knockholt-pound-chevening-circular-5-miles/

It is around 50 minutes by car from Newham. There is railway station about 2 miles away so you could extend walk if using public transport. 

I think I saw a Battle of Britain Flight Spitfire flying overhead but not sure and I was too slow to take a proper photo.  

Chevening House, dominates the skyline for much of this walk and is the marvellous "grace and favour" home for the current Foreign Secretary. I can think of better uses. Just saying...

The village pub, Three Horseshoes, was shut but stopped off at nearby village pub, The Bulls Head, for a beer, which was very nice and the food looked excellent. 

Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival 2021 goes online

 

Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival 2021 goes online

"With Covid restrictions still uncertain for large events, together with our unions and sponsors, we are organising yet another packed agenda online.

From Friday 16 to Sunday 18 July 2021, we will be bringing you discussions, debates, radical history lessons, lots of music and all the best of the Festival straight into your living room.

Fans of the Festival will be able to watch free on Facebook group, Youtube channel, or right here on website".

www.tuc.org.uk/events/tolpuddle-martyrs-festival-2021

 

www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk

East Ham High Street North Councillor ASB scrutiny walkabout

 

After many months of being a Covid "Stay at home" keyboard warrior today, I actually went on two outdoor "walkabouts". 

First one was early morning with members of Newham Council ASB Scrutiny Commission and officers from our Community Safety and fly tipping team, which had been organised by our Chair, Cllr Daniel Lee-Phakoe. 

We met outside East Ham library and then went with the enforcement team in and around East Ham High Street North to find out more about what they do. 

It was fascinating to talk to them and then see these council officers in action. 

They identified and issued removal notices on abandoned cars, took enforcement action on dangerous storage of potentially hazardous materials, made checks on road side skips and scaffolding sites to make sure they are legally licensed. They also checked on the use of disabled parking permits and seized a permit that they believed was being misused and reported that person, who was using the permit, for criminal prosecution. 

We also came across fly tipping and the misuse of Council provided bins by private companies who should be responsible for clearing up their own rubbish. 

It was also good to see Council enforcement officers in action and while being polite and respectful while they are doing their job by actively tackling ASB in one of our of most important High Streets in our borough.  

I noticed that many residents also turned to the team for advice and support on various issues (including elderly residents who knew and trusted them and enjoyed talking to them). 

This evening I had another Council walkabout in Stratford Park (my West Ham ward) which I will post upon another time

"Ban racists for life from all football matches in England"

I am not a football fan and also I am not English but from a Welsh/Scots background but I have lived in England far longer than anywhere else. I was disappointed for Wales and Scotland teams but pleasantly surprised and pleased how well the English team performed on and off the matches. England should be so proud of their young team and the fact they did better than any other in the last 55 years. 

They are all in my mind true English Gents. I am incensed by the vile and disgusting racist abuse that some of them have received after yesterday's match. A close UNISON friend of mine who is black (and happened to have served in our Armed Services) sent me a screen print of something on Snapchat which left me stunned and enraged (which was also separately circulated in another UNISON  activists Whatsapp group).

I have signed this petition for life long bans for all such racists at football matches  but I hope that the Police can (and will) act and prosecute these criminals who have produced and shared such vileness. 

This is what a union mate, who is a very traditional white working class boy from Bethnal Green had to say about such abuse

"Ignorant arseholes. They all did their very best... and they can be proud of their achievement to get that far.."

Agreed. Well done boys. 

UNISON Special Labour Link National Forum 2021 Motion 8: Charity Contracts - Race to the Bottom

 

This is the motion and my speech from last Saturday's (3.7.21) UNISON Special Labour Link National Forum meeting.  I moved this Greater London motion 8 about the Volunteer sector and the race to the bottom with regard to staff terms and conditions - and what we can do about it as a Labour movement.

Many thanks to Jordon Creed from London Voluntary Organisations branch who sent this motion to London Labour Link, who supported it and sent it to our National Forum on behalf of all London Labour Link Members. 

I am fairly confident (touch wood) that this is a campaign we can win. Not only is this National Labour Link policy but at a meeting last week of London Regional Council officers and Regional Management team, everyone was very supportive and it feeds into our existing campaigning on UNISON Ethnical Care contract and the response to Covid. 

I also last week spoke virtually at Kilburn and Finchley branch Labour Party and my UNISON branch executive about the campaign and I am more than willing to speak to any other Labour movement meetings. 

Motion 8. Charity Contracts: Race to the Bottom

Forum believes that we need to ensure across London there is no race to the bottom in terms of pay, holiday, sickness when charities bid for contracts.

Forum calls upon the National Committee to call upon Labour councils and representatives, including the Mayor of London, to commit to not giving contracts to any providers that do not pay the living wage and use zero hour contracts and give their employees only statutory sick pay.

Forum believes local authorities and the Greater London Authority should have terms and conditions of employment which are clearly specified and protected in agreements when competitive tending takes place.

Forum believes this will also improve the quality of the service as contracts will be awarded on the basis of quality not just the lower cost and support collective bargaining in the community sector workplaces across London.

Greater London Region

Moving motion 8

Chair, Forum, John Gray, Greater London Regional delegate moving motion 8 “Charity Contracts: Race to the bottom”

Forum, this motion is London centric but I am sure the issue of a “race to the bottom” in the Charity and voluntary sector applies to all regions and nations.

I don’t need to tell anyone here about the simple, day in, day out, misery of all workers, who have to exist on a minimum wage, insecure employment and no employer sick pay.

And of course it’s not just about the workers and their families, who are our members, as vital as that is, it’s also about the residents and clients who receive these services. Who don’t want overworked and stressed carers, who have to work 60 hours a week to pay the bills.

The question is what as a Union and a Labour link do we do about it? What do we do about it? Passing motions for motions sake never achieved anything. So let’s think things through. 

Firstly, let’s not be forgetting that while charities get funding from various sources including the NHS, the commissioning of services by local government is key.

While we want services to be provided in-house whenever possible and I note that by doing so, it would in fact at a stroke mean that in most, not all Councils, the objectives of this motion would be obtained. So defending public services from future outsourcing and campaigning to bring back services in house is a given.

But in the meanwhile, we need to press all our levers, industrial and political, to campaign for all councils and Mayors to insist that all their commissioned services, pay at least the real living wage, ban imposed zero hour contracts and pay proper sick pay.

Now we cannot ignore that there are legal and funding difficulties, after 10 years of austerity local authority funding has been cut by up to 50%.

But let us work with councils to take on the rouge employers who threaten them with legal action if they impose such conditions. Many employers want to stop this race to the bottom, they want a level playing field, in order to provide better services. We need to work with these employers and target those who will not.

Forum, passing this motion should also be just a beginning, we want more for our members. As well as a real living wage we want a living pension provision, we want to sustain decent terms and conditions by also demanding trade union recognition and sectorial pay bargaining.

Forum, while we will not win every battle, this issue, is one that I think the Labour movement family can win. Let us act as a united Labour movement family, by campaigning as a union, work with progressive labour councils and employers and then by doing so - win real benefits for our members, not least, putting money in their pockets and purses of our members, which to me is why the labour movement was formed.

Forum, please support this motion, I move"

I was very happy that 99% of delegates supported this motion. 

100+ economists urge finance ministers to tax the banks - raise your voice with them!

                                                                     Hi Friend,

Today, as G20 finance chiefs gathered in Venice, Robin delivered this letter from more than 100 major economists, urging them to immediately introduce a Robin Hood Tax on banks to help cover the costs of the post-pandemic recovery.

No time to waste? Take action in 2 seconds by retweeting us, or sharing on Facebook here.

Take $100 billion from banks: top economists tell Finance Ministers!

 

Robin’s list of signatories spanned every continent and included renowned US economist Jeffrey Sachs, and France’s Gabriel Zucman.

The urgent appeal from such highly regarded experts was covered in the Guardian and leading French paper, Le Monde.

The pandemic has multiplied existing inequalities both at home and abroad. Health systems have been brought to their knees; economies shutdown; livelihoods deteriorated and loved ones lost. But whilst wealthier nations begin to regenerate due to accelerated vaccine rollouts, poorer nations, already seriously burdened by debt, are being forced to make life and death choices between servicing their debt and the provision of healthcare for their citizens.

If the G20 implemented a Robin Hood Tax on banks, an additional $100billion could be generated every year to help nations support their people’s health and livelihoods, address the devastating impacts of a warming planet, and prepare for future pandemics.

Amplifying this letter is a crucial step in our plan to make those who can afford to - pay the most.

There’s no time to waste. Help us broadcast this story far and wide!

You can retweet our post here, or share on Facebook or Instagram.

Thanks so much for your support. The G20 finance ministers need to know the world is watching.

Together, we can tax the banks now!

From the team at Robin Hood Tax

UNISON Housing Associations branch votes to nominate Anu Prashar for London Labour Link seat

I was really pleased that my branch executive voted unanimously (Labour Link members only) to nominate Anu for the London seat on the National Labour Link Forum. She is indeed a "doer, not just a talker". 

Nominations have to be submitted by 5pm 14 July after a meeting of the branch or the branch executive (only Labour Link members can actually vote). 

Meeting an old friend and comrade at the Prospect of Whitby

 

This evening I met up with a UNISON friend and comrade, Kridos Pavlou, at the Prospect of Whitby riverside pub in Tower Hamlets. We had been planning this meet up since before the pandemic and eventually it happened. 

It was great to meet up, discuss family, politics, trade unions and mutual acquittances over excellent "steak & kidney pie, mash, cabbage and gravy" (me) and Kridos favourite "fish n chips". The beer was good (for me only as Kridos does not drink), staff friendly and spectacular views of the river Thames. The history of the pub and apparently overlooking a place of public execution is also fascinating. 

I will never forget the support that Kridos and other UNISON colleagues gave me when I had a spot of bother back in the day. (Kridos is pictured next to me top left). This picture used to be on the back page of the TUC Hazards at Work handbook for quite a few editions. 

UNISON Special Labour Link National Forum 2021 Motion 3. NHS Pay

 Check out this introduction post to Saturdays Forum

Motion 3. NHS Pay

"Forum, Chair, John Gray. Greater London delegate moving motion 3 “NHS Pay”

Forum, this motion is very much complementary to previous motions and amendments and I will not need 5 minutes to move and I will keep things short and hopefully sweet and will concentrate on one argument only.

Forum, We are all in favour of better pay for all public service workers in the best of times but we are now in the worst of times, surely the last 18 months of Covid has reminded everyone of the absolutely key role of NHS staff in protecting all of us?

The battle over Covid is not over anytime soon and there is not just a moral argument on why NHS staff need better pay but it is the interests of all of us here, our families and friends, our neighbours, everyone - to have a NHS workforce that feel valued, that are not feeling angry and disenchanted, that pays enough to be able to recruit and retain staff to do the job.

Regardless of the Covid tragedy, we need a fully functioning NHS. I declare a person interest. My own Mum is 80, not in great health but she still keeps me and my sisters in line via Facetime but I want her to be continued to looked after in the marvellous way she is by the NHS in Wales

Forum you know this just makes perfect sense. Support the motion, let’s get the Party to commit to review NHS pay and terms. I move"

Hat tip photo Lola

Happy 73rd Birthday NHS

 Happy birthday NHS. Makes me think that my Mum is 80 and was born when there was no NHS, but she was lucky that she had no major health problems when she was little. 

UNISON Labour Link Special National Forum 2021

Yesterday was the UNISON Labour Link National Forum for 2021. Labour Link is the political fund in UNISON for members who volunteer to pay a levy to affiliate to the Labour Party. 

It is made up of elected regional reps and delegates from UNISON self organised groups. Normally it is held at a hotel and is spread over 2 days but due to Covid it was a virtual meeting 9.30 to 3pm via zoom. There was I think just under 100 delegates. 

I thought it went really well (in the circumstances) and the Chair, Gordon McKay, did a great job in these difficult times, with his own unique ability to be authoritative and self-deprecating at the same time. Gordon is a Scottish NHS nurse and must have had a welcome day off yesterday, since today he had a 12 hour shift undertaking Covid vaccinations. 

My role was as an elected Greater London regional delegate and I was able to speak twice on our motions which were both fully supported by Forum. There was some superb contributions from other London based delegates on a number of debates. 

I will post my speeches (including one that I did not give due to a mix up) over the next few days and some thoughts on how we might now try to implement. Passing motions for motions sake is pretty pointless and we need to think of next steps. 

Post lockdown beer & curry

Last night I met up with 3 friends who I have not seen since pre lockdown March 2020. We were celebrating David Boyles birthday with Trevor Dean and Montrose Matty. We were all UNISON reps in Tower Hamlets Housing department back in the day. 

It was great to meet up with comrades in person and have a few beers in a local pub, then to go to Aromas Restaurant in Forest Gate for a slap up meal. During the course of the evening we obviously put the world to rights. 

We could have legally met up earlier but we had decided to be cautious and wait until all of us had been fully vaccinated and that things seem somewhat settled. 

Ironically both Trevor and I received the 1st AZ vaccine in March that was made in India, that the EU has not yet declared to be an accepted vaccine in order to travel to Europe and avoid self isolation. 

Hopefully this will be sorted out soon.

This was to me a very welcome sign that things are getting back to "normal" but no one really knows exactly what will happen next with Covid and we do need to be prepared for the unexpected. 

(Photo of Aromas mixed grill which is a main course but also an excellent starter when shared between 2 very greedy people. Our table had 2 mixed grills as starters between the 4 of us)

Batley and Spen: Labour is back after by-election win, says Starmer

 

Superb news. Well done Kim

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57696431

(and Newham Labour activist and former Councillor, Jose Alexander, who I understand was the number one national tele canvasser for this by election)

Fantastic stuff Jose

Update: check out this very interesting viewpoint on the by election result

Romford Road (Atherton) Swimming Baths 1934

 

Hat tip for this wonderful collage to LCC Municipal https://twitter.com/lccmunicipal/status/1410575532434104323 (&@LondonNurse2015 for drawing it to my attention) . A souvenir brochure on the opening of the baths in 1934.

It has now been knocked down and rebuilt as a leisure centre (with a pool) but I remember swimming in the old baths (freezing cold when the boilers broke down). The drinks machine hot chocolate was pretty horrible but was warm and sweet. 

Apparently it cost £147,000 to build in 1934 and some of the money came from the government in order to give the unemployed work. 

During the 2nd world war it was used as a morgue for victims of the Bliz. 

The baths were very similar to those in my home town of Buckley in NE Wales which was paid for by a one penny levy on each ton of coal mined locally.