A Million Voices at Westminster

Yesterday UNISON took its Million Voices campaign to the House of Commons. Check a report here “more than 100 MPs accepted our invitation to hear from our members just how important the work they do is, and why investment in these services is vital during a recession.

Dave Prentis introduced the campaign, talking about how UNISON members are “helping individuals, families and communities get through this recession. They’re laying the foundations for a better future – a fairer, stronger society.”

Ordinary UNISON members - A school cook, a teacher assistant, a child social worker, a psychiatric nurse and a ward housekeeper explained to the audience about the key public services they provide. Our London Convener Gloria Hanson also spoke.

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, thanked members for driving the campaign: “your words speak more powerfully than we ever could.”

Picture is of Susan an UNISON nursing rep.

Housing Matters 16 November 2009

I am sure that many folk have been left bereft at the lack of Housing Matters posts during the last few weeks but apologies I have been a bit busy. A pity since there has been some interesting housing stuff going on recently.

Why did the most highly paid Housing Association boss ever - John Belcher - leave Anchor Trust?
Inside Housing speculates here on the reasons why the £391,000 per year CEO left in the same year that the Trust posted a £35 million loss. I’m intrigued that there are rumours that the going rate for an early bath CEO is a year’s pay upfront (no Schedule One problem with that it appears while with more junior staff earning far, far less it is often a different story). Is it anything to do with the anti-trade union decision by Anchor to de-recognise Unite as its trade union last year? I see that the relatively new Chair of the Anchor Board is Aman Dalvi the Head of Regeneration and Planning at Tower Hamlets Council. Maybe it was something to do with Hyde HA CEO David Eastgate at this year's Labour Party conference comment here about excessive CEO pay? There are “several highly paid outliers” but “don’t tar us all with the same bush”.

Chickens live better than Children
Roof Magazine here reports on the campaign by Shelter to update the 1935 definition of overcrowding. Suggesting that MP’s have more concern about the living conditions for factory chickens than children living in overcrowded homes. Applying these standards and actually explaining them to residents is at best completely embarrassing to any housing officer never mind the resulting personal misery of overcrowding for our tenants. Unfortunately Shelter have joined forces with London arch Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson who thinks that the fairer taxation that would be needed if you were actually serious about ending overcrowding is comparable to Stalinist mass murder. Hmmm.

Housing Associations to float on Stock Market
I have no doubt that this story will go up and down in line with the likely expectations of a Tory Government next year.

A Million Voices for a Million Homes
On Wednesday at the House of Commons there was the launch of UNISON/Apse report into the rebirth of Council Housing. This is part of the UNISON Million Voices Campaign.

FED attacks rents cuts
The National Housing Federation not unsurprisingly attacks the decision by the Government for them to cut rents in line with the latest deflation figures. This is a serious issue for many Housing associations but I am still trying to remember exactly what was the attitude of the FED to the abnormal inflation figure of 5% last September?

What would the founders of the Housing Association movement think of such a headline? Just a thought.

(picture taken in a West Ham Newham Homes estate during a summer evening while fighting the good fight)

A Million Voices for a Million Affordable Homes: New UNISON/APSE Report

Due to being at the Stoke Rochford I am going to miss tomorrow evenings UNISON/ASPE launch at the House of Commons of a joint report into the capacity of Councils to begin to build new homes.

Our General Secretary Dave Prentis will be there with Housing Minister John Healey to respond to the report then there will be a Q&A led from Heather Wakefield, Head of Local Government, UNISON, Kelvin Hopkins MP and Judy Mallaber MP.

Other Labour MP’s are expected to attend. As soon as I get a copy of the report I will post on it.

UNISON’s “Million Voices” campaign includes a housing component – a million voices for a million affordable homes (see main picture - double click to read).

(John Healey has recently confirmed that he will be attending a future meeting of UNISON Housing Association branch Labour Link members at the House of Commons: date to be arranged).

Million Voices for Public Services

UNISON launched their “Million Voices” campaign at the Labour Party conference.

All delegates should visit the UNISON stall and sign up to support.

Picture includes Barking and Dagenham Schools crossing officer, Louise Couling (aka Lollypop lady)

A Million Voices for Change

Please share this UNISON million voices message