Workers Memorial Day - Tuesday 28 April 2020 Theme: Coronavirus

For a number of years my trade union branch (UNISON Greater London Housing Associations) and West Ham Labour Party have supported Workers Memorial Day with a ceremony at the "Clasping Hands" statute in Stratford.

Workers Memorial Day is an international event held every 28 April to remember workers who have been killed at work or have died from work related diseases.

This year we cannot hold such a physical memorial event due to Coronavirus social isolation requirements, but I think everyone understands that 2020 Workers Memorial Day, will be especially important, as we remember all the health and care workers who have died from Coronavirus as well all the other workers such as the bus drivers, cleaners and shop workers.

Check out the call by the TUC for a minutes silence at 11am on Tuesday 28 April.

I have to make the point that no one mentions at the current daily Government briefings on Coronavirus that we are now trying to play catch up after 10 years of austerity for the NHS and social care never mind the official ridicule and scorn shown in this past decade towards workers "elf & safety".

UNISON NEC Elections 2019: Nominate Denise and John for Community Seats

"Dear Branch Secretary

We did send a request on 7 January 2019 and we apologise for sending another request if your branch has already decided nominations but we believe that some branches did not receive our previous request. We understand from UNISON that your branch is entitled to nominate for Community NEC seats. Please see attached our joint nomination request (see also below). We hope your branch will consider nominating us. If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

NEC Elections 2019: Community General Seat & Female Seat Nomination Request
John Gray Denise Thomas

RMS 3083288 RMS 8688788

31 January 2019

Your branch is entitled to nominate candidates to the two Community seats for this year’s National Executive Council elections. We request that your branch considers nominating John Gray for the General Seat and Denise Thomas for the Female seat.

Denise is currently the Major Charities representative on the Community Service Group Executive (SGE). She is also a grassroots UNISON activist holding positions as Branch Black Members Officer and Welfare officer for Ymlaen/Forward Cymru Wales. Ymlaen/Forward Branch has over 4500 Community members in over 400 organisations. Denise is the secretary of the UNISON Black Workers Self Organised Group and sits on her regional committee and women’s committee.

John is currently the Community NEC General seat representative and has been an activist in UNISON for many years and held a number of branch and regional positions including Treasurer, Health & Safety, Welfare, Labour Link, International officer and Assistant Secretary. He is employed by a large Housing Association and is the Branch Secretary of the Greater London Housing Associations Branch which has over 3000 Community members. Recently he led a successful campaign that resulted in UNISON winning a ballot by a massive majority in favour of trade union recognition.

Denise has a background working in the Voluntary and Community sector for the past 26yrs supporting Adults with learning disabilities. As a branch activist Denise has focused on organising, recruitment and representing members to get a fair pay deal within her organisation. As a regional activist and SGE member she has fought to promote equality and inclusive work places.

John has served the union as a NEC member on the Policy and Development Committee, Trustee on the UNISON staff pension fund, National Labour link and is a trustee of UNISON “there for you” (Welfare) fund Committee & Vice-Chair Industrial action committee.

We deserve a Pay Rise!

Care and support staff wages in particular are under threat as unscrupulous employers deliberately underbid to win contracts then try and do their upmost to destroy TUPE protections.

Many Housing management organisations are cash rich after years of rent rises yet still refuse to give their staff decent pay rises. In the voluntary sector employers are funding the National Living wage by attacking terms and conditions and increasing workloads. 2

Both of us as NEC and SGE members have been working and campaigning with branches and regions to oppose these measures. We believe that Community members must play our part in opposing Austerity and arguing for an alternative economic policy. We need to pull together and get rid of the current UK government

We also support the Community specific campaigns below such as:-

· Better funding & resources for branches that support Community members. Community workers often work for small employers and in isolated workplaces.

· Campaign for Inclusive Workplace policies by employers

· No public money for “union busters”. Any employer that does not have a trade union recognition agreement should be barred from grants or contracts from local or national governments.

· Sector Wage Councils. Set up to decide the pay and conditions of all staff by collective bargaining including a living wage minimum for all Community workers and agency/sub-contractors.

· UNISON Ethical Care Charter. All employers must be called upon to support and sign up.

· Better governance and democracy. Increasingly many of our employer management boards are run by highly paid unelected and unrepresentative “elites”. There should be union employee representation on all Community Trust or management boards, especially remuneration committees (if applicable)

· Defend Pensions. Protect the Social Housing Pension fund and the Pension Trust from further cuts. Access to a decent defined benefit pension scheme for all.

· Better health & safety at work in particular protecting members by supporting the “End Violence at Work” charter.

· Recruit & train more activists to support members

We believe that we would both work together well as your Community NEC team. While Denise’s employer is a charity, John’s is a housing association, so we represent and complement both of the major sectors in the Community Service Group.

If you would like either of us to come and attend a branch meeting or hustings (under UNISON election rules) then please let us know and if we can, we will be delighted to come and speak.

Denise Thomas & John Gray

What is austerity?

"There's a lot of talk about Tory austerity. But what is it? Let's break it down, brick by brick".

Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz delivering on election manifesto promises and shares power

On Monday evening Newham Council Cabinet & Mayoral proceedings was important, historic, a little exciting yet also reassuringly mundane. In the finest tradition of UK Local Government.

There was a mass of important Council business to wade through including a budget update a report on the eye wateringly painful decisions we will have to make due to the Government's ongoing Austerity programme and huge cuts to our budget.

However, alongside unanimous support for a policy calling on any Newham School considering becoming an academy to firstly hold a ballot of staff and parents there was also really significant democratic and constitutional change agreed.

See Evening Standard report

"London’s first directly elected female mayor has surrendered most of her executive powers less than six months into the job".

Rokhsana Fiaz, the mayor of Newham, has agreed to delegate executive decision-making to her cabinet of senior councillors.

Elected mayors usually hold more power than traditional council leaders because they can approve major plans alone. But Labour’s Ms Fiaz has now pledged that significant decisions will in future be made with a majority vote of the mayor and cabinet — diminishing her own power over the borough.

She said: “This represents the most fundamental change to the elected mayoral model since its introduction [in Newham] way back in 2002.

“This scheme of delegation essentially moves all the decision-making that is held by one person, me, to the entire cabinet, which includes six members. It is all part of the process of bringing good governance, better decision-making and transparency to the way in which we do business.”

Ms Fiaz was elected by residents in May, winning 73.4 per cent of the vote after ousting Britain’s longest-serving elected mayor Sir Robin Wales as Labour candidate in a fierce party selection battle.

The former charity and public relations worker was backed by Momentum and given support by its founder Jon Lansman during the contest. John Gray, cabinet member for housing on Newham council, said: “It is not often that politicians give up power.

“Effectively the mayor is still the mayor but she has delegated power to make decisions to the whole cabinet. We have collective cabinet responsibility, which I think is something we all welcome.” After her election Ms Fiaz promised to eventually hold a public referendum on Newham’s directly elected mayor model.

She described herself as “agnostic” about the position and said the vote would be part of a “democracy review” in the borough. The referendum is likely to take place two years into her term.

(So on Monday it was the last ever Mayoral Proceedings and in future Newham Council Executive decisions will be made by the Cabinet. She is still the directly elected Mayor and it is still a powerful position. She can appoint (or replace) cabinet members, can make decisions alone in an emergency and chairs cabinet meetings. 

What she has done is to give up her legal right to make all decisions herself and give this to the cabinet, who will collectively discuss and (if necessary) vote on decisions. 

In a somewhat similar way to the UK government cabinet which is chaired by the Prime Minister. Unlike the previous administration, where the Mayor acted in a Presidential manner, like the USA or France. 

As I lifelong collectivist, I am really pleased at this decision but realise that cabinet members will have to raise their game from being purely advisory to being a decision making part of the Executive) 

In Newham we are going to be a staggering £1337 worse off per household due to Tory cuts.

Check out this Tory cuts calculator to find out how your community has suffered (and due to suffer even more) from a decade of Tory cuts. Think about how much more housing or extra Police or healthcare,education and youth services could have been provided with this money.

West Ham TULO sets up Anti-Austerity Campaign Group

Last week trade union affiliates and activists to West Ham Labour Party were invited to a meeting organised by Kim Silver, who is its trade union liaison officer. ‎ At the meeting was also Peter Smith, who is secretary to the Newham joint trade union committee. 

West Ham trade union activists have been in discussions with the NJTUC for some time about forming ‎an anti-austerity campaign group. At the meeting we had a useful and constructive debate about how we can campaign against Austerity and put forward an alternative economic policy. 

It was agreed to plan and hold a launch event with if possible some keynote speakers. 

At the meeting we also discussed how to support the lobby of Parliament on 2 November against the Tory Anti-trade Union Bill. 

Kim is also looking into holding a welcome meeting for the new 461 individual trade union affiliate members in West Ham‎. Hopefully we can get Unison to support this meeting.

Osborne plays a deceiving game

Hat tip to Bob S for his link to Facebook site "Fight Propaganda" who have dissected George Osborne's speech at the Tory Party Conference last week. Check the references below.

"With scores of economists indicating through open letters that Osborne is making bad financial decisions, and indicators of poverty rising sharply, It is impossible to see these parts of his speech as anything other than misleading propaganda.

Market crash not Labour: www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/former-bank-of-england-governor-claims-labour-government-not-to-blame-for-last-financial-crash-9948434.html Crash started in America: http://www.economist.com/news/schoolsbrief/21584534-effects-financial-crisis-are-still-being-felt-five-years-article

More debt than every Labour Government: www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2014/06/17/the-coalition-will-leave-more-debt-than-all-labour-governmen

Slowest economic recovery since 1720: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Documents/quarterlybulletin/threecenturiesofdata.xlsx www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/britain-has-taken-longer-to-recover-from-recession-than-at-any-time-since-the-south-sea-bubble-9645218.html 

Homelessness up 40%: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics 

Food bank use: http://www.trusselltrust.org/stats 

Longest sustained decline in average wages since records began: www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/british-workers-suffering-worst-decline-in-real-wages-on-record-9789942.html 

Economist open letter: http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2015/06/12/80-economists-say-osbornes-economics-make-no-sense-in-the-guardian/ 

Transcript of speech: https://www.politicshome.com/party-politics/articles/news/george-osbornes-full-speech-tory-conference"

London against Austerity Conference - 4 July 2015 Islington Town Hall

No acceptance of austerity | March with Labour members

Dear <<First Name>>, LONDON AGAINST AUSTERITY CONFERENCE Councillors, communities and trade unionists together GLATUC - the Greater London Association of Trade Union Councils - have called a conference to bring together trade unionists, councillors and community activists to discuss developing joint campaigning against austerity and its impact on local services. Councillors from across London are encouraged to attend to widen discussion about how we collectively respond. Supported by Islington Labour Group, sessions on the day will include: strategies to oppose cuts to grants to the council or organisations  supporting campaigns for staff pay and conditions and maintaining services  maintaining and returning council services in-house  Speakers on the day will include: Islington Council leader Richard Watts Islington Housing Executive Member James Murray  Barnet UNISON Secretary John Burgess Labour NEC local government rep Alice Perry REGISTER FOR LONDON AGAINST AUSTERITY Time: 10am Date: Saturday 4th July Venue: Islington Town Hall Tube: Highbury & Islington (Victoria/Overground) and Angel (Northern) Registration page

I will be at UNISON National Labour Link Forum in Manchester on the 4th so unfortunately will miss this event. My West Ham Labour colleague, John Whitworth, is going and will be encouraging Newham Councillors and Party members to attend. Click on Link here 

UNISON Community Conference 2013: Day 1

This is the seminar and conference for UNISON Community members who work in the Voluntary and Housing Association Sector which opened Friday afternoon in Manchester and finished (early) 5pm Saturday.

The first speaker was Karen Jennings, UNISON Assistant General Secretary seen in picture with the Service Group Executive Chair, Kevin Jackson and National Officer Simon Watson.

Karen describes herself as an unusual trade unionist since she is softly spoken. Her message however was pretty forthright and direct. The next few years are going to be tough and we are going to have to fight to protect members but if we cannot improve our union density then we will have no voice and no strength.

Next speaker was James Meadway, from the New Economics Foundation on "The Financial Crisis". James started off by hoping he would not depress us too much. I thought that he didn't and actually he raised hopes by pretty much abolishing the Tory led Government case for austerity and gave delegates the ammunition for arguing that there is a different way of running our economy. The last thing you should in a recession when there is no demand is cut government spending. What should be done instead is reverse austerity; redistribution of income; import less and democratise finance (break up banks).

After this we had a presentation by West Midlands Community branch about the highs and lows of setting up a regional wide branch.  That is a single branch for all UNISON members in the region who work in our sector (Voluntary organisations and housing associations).  Hats off to regional activists and staff who have obviously worked their socks off to get the branch up and running and to the National union for being prepared to seed fund it. It is still early days but it is a leading model of branch organisation and every other branch with community members can learn from it.

Finally there were separate regional meetings of delegates to welcome everybody and explain about conference business (speaking on motions, picking up voting cards, split votes etc) and a chance for branch representatives to decide what motions to support and to plan who will speak on what).  The London meeting also had a far ranging debate about putting our Community world to rights.

Despite the rain, a Friday night in Manchester City centre is always a good night out and I ended up with my Wexford born Branch Chair in a St Patrick's Day (or rather week) beer tent outside the Town Hall listening to live Irish music and drinking Guinness. Not sure it was the best preparation for my pension’s speech the following day...

Update: see UNISONactive take

Sectarianism, Miserablists and opposing Austerity

I’ve been meaning to comment on this post made by my esteemed UNISON colleague, the NEC member for Skidrow-on-Sea, attacking an unnamed UNISON branch secretary (and as usual interfering in the internal democracy of other branches and Service Groups).

He selectively criticises the branch secretary for sending out an email to all staff warning them of attempts by the SWP and the SP to hijack their campaign to defend public services. However, he fails to mention or quote that part of the email that states the reason why it was sent out. 

Which was due to the violence, abuse and thuggery shown by various outsiders in a “hate fuelled frenzy”. This and threats to patients safety is actively undermining the campaign and putting off potential supporters .

It's the old story of "rule or ruin" by "wreaking and splitting". Ordered by the so called democratic centralist leadership of the various ultra left sects (not by all their rank and file members) if they cannot get their own way.

This is not the way to oppose Austerity nor win anything.

Considering that my esteemed colleague publicly derides anyone who disagrees with him as a "poodle of the ruling classes" it is just hypocritical of him to criticise anyone else as being in any way sectarian.

I also note that the hard working and respected branch secretary he is having a go at started life as a porter in a hospital, who then put himself through night school to eventually become a fully qualified nurse.  Who still works shifts as a nurse on the wards. Unlike the full time middle class bureaucrat who snipes at him from afar.

(ps I am also of course furious that anyone else apart from me should have been awarded “Sectarian of the Year” especially after my 2012 masterpiece Moanie fibbing miserabalists and the LGPS 2014)

Hat tip picture Rustbeltradical (and some interesting comments!)

UPDATE: I have been reminded how the Ultra left got up to similar tricks and destroyed any chance of forming a broad anti-austerity coalition in Local Government in 2011.

Austerity: What next after #Oct20?

A rather intense (to be polite) picture of me speaking at Saturday's SERTUC Council meeting at Congress House. The New TUC GS Frances O'Grady had just made a cracking speech.

I was supporting the GLATUC motion on "Austerity".

"President, Council, John Gray UNISON speaking in favour of Motion 1. I will try and keep this short since much of what I wish to say has already been said. But "What next" after Oct 20 is the key issue for the Labour Movement. We must firstly continue to educate and inform our members in the Great Battle of Ideas over the Economic Alternative to Austerity.

Despite the magnificent march of last weekend, I am reminded of past reports by our own Regional secretary, Megan, to this Council and the comments you have just heard from Frances, that a majority of trade union members still think that "Austerity" is necessary, the "Cuts" are necessary and there is "No Alternative".  

While we can turn out many of our activists and their families on a Saturday to protest unless we can also persuade our rank and file members, their families and their friends that there is a different way to run our country, then we are simply not going to be able bring about change.

Council, the truth of the matter is that we have a huge job of work to do. We need to not only educate but to  organise and unionise. Especially in the private sector where 85% of the workforce are not only not in any union but many of them have simply no comprehension or understanding of unions. They are Thatchers Grandchildren.

Perhaps Council, one other practical way forward is to bring to peoples attention that there are already examples of successful countries such as Sweden or Norway which are run differently. Frances mentioned "The Spirit Level" research that everyone is better off in more equal societies. Where there is greater income equality, greater trade union density and greater worker involvement in the wider economy.

Arguably Council, there is already out there A Future That Works; and it is only a ferry ride across the North Sea. Council, please support this motion. 

Frances O'Grady at SERTUC Council

This morning I went to the Trade Union Congress Southern & Eastern Regional Council (SERTUC) as an UNISON delegate at Congress House.

Our keynote speaker was Frances O'Grady, the General Secretary (elect) of the TUC. This was the first time in living memory that any TUC GS had addressed our Council.

Despite being under the weather with a cold, Frances gave a cracking speech. Wide ranging, thought provoking, honest, passionate, but pragmatic.

I base this post on my tweets made during her speech with the usual disclaimer for thumb fumbling haste and any mistakes or omissions are my responsibility.

She firstly greeted us as "sisters, brothers and fellow plebs! SERTUC region is important since 26% of all trade union members live here. We need to act smart and inspire people. Work with different community groups. Even the Women's Institute. Our job is to turn opposition to Austerity into a mass movement and in the long term achieve a better, fairer society.

We must tackle growing income inequality. The top 10% are 500 times richer than the bottom 10%. While the City Spivs get massive bonuses the lowest paid have food banks. This in the 7th richest society in the world.

The "Spirit Level" book proves that such inequality is bad for everyone. We want tax justice. We want Starbucks, Amazon to pay their taxes.

We need a change in economic policy. Even the IMF, which is not known for being a left wing organisation, recognises that workers need to have money in order to buy things to create demand and jobs.

What we want is not only a transfer of wealth but a transfer of power. Why can't we have employee representatives on Company remuneration committees?

It is understandable, but we must be careful about the big danger from a decline in trust in politics. If people lose hope, it could be very bad for us and progressive politics. We have to be very careful about our language.

Any further mobilisation must be a demonstration of strength not weakness. We have to be clever and not burn out our members.

There are arguments that a general strike could be legal but this depends on European law and anyone with any experience of this, knows it takes years for these cases to be decided. Firstly we have to ask our affiliates if there is an appetite for action.  Also, if we have a general strike without a ballot, we have to be honest with people, that they could be dismissed if they take part. Union funds could also be sequested by Courts.  Any general strike cannot just be a public sector strike. It must be supported in the private sector.

Frances finished by making it clear that this is a weak coalition government and that there is widespread fear even in the middle classes, about such things as youth unemployment, housing shortage and the sharks such as Virgin, circling our NHS. If we go about it in the right way we can and will give this government a good kicking.  

(Check out my twitter account for 27th October for a fuller report of Council. I did speak on the Austerity motion which I will post upon separately) 

Corporate Tax-Dodging Causes Austerity #Boycott Starbucks

Companies such as Starbucks, Amazon.CON and Vodaphone seem to think that only the little people should pay taxes. Bite back little people. 

The Spirit Level, Unions and an alternative economic policy

Check out my post here on the UnionHome blog that Austerity is the problem while trade unions and income equality can be the solution.  

Labour Attack Dog Supports #tuc12 March

Well, picture is from yesterday's West Ham Labour Party and trade union stall in Stratford High Street  supporting next week's TUC March against Austerity and for an alternative economic policy.

Labour Attack dog, Yorkshire terrier Cara, is seen in arms of her owner, local MP Lyn Brown . Cara was certainly one of our chief assets on the stall. People were queueing up to give her a stroke and a cuddle. Any opposition faced being licked to death by Cara.

This gave us the opportunity to encourage Newham residents and trade union members who haven't so far made other arrangements to meet up next Saturday 20 October at 10am outside Stratford Station to travel down to the embankment to march together.

Check out why Newham residents and trade unionists are marching here and here. 

Outsourcing & Austerity: Civil Society & the Coalition Government"

Today I was a breakout session speaker at this conference in Congress House. I spoke alongside senior employment rights officer at the TUC, Hannah Reed. Our brief was "What is happening to the voluntary sector workforce".

I will post another time on the wider conference (which was very well organised). Below is my crib sheet for my session. I believe that notes taken of the whole conference will be published on line. Will update when get details.

"Overview
Austerity & Outsourcing affects not only clients & users but also staff. There has been a “Race to the Gutter”. Cuts in SP funding and removal of ring fencing. Deliberately breaking and undermining of TUPE.

Means that many staff have had pay cut by up to 30%, increase in working week, cutting of leave, threat of redundancy and job insecurity.

Growth of agency workers/temporary contracts; bank/0 hour’s staff; tax cheating bogus self employment, greater use of “volunteers”.

Redundancies and recruitment freezes means increased case loads & greater workplace demands which leads to stress and the cutting of corners in providing services. 

We all know what happens when organisations serving vulnerable groups start cutting corners to cut costs.

There is a huge reputational risk to organisations and a potential discrediting of whole sector. Some organisations want to employ only part time workers not full time so they can claim state benefit top ups!

Wider content is the attack on employment protection for workers by the Coalition. The doubling of the time needed before you can claim unfair dismissal, charging upfront fees of over £1000 for ET, withdrawal of health and safety measures etc.

Need to understand why workers pay and conditions are relevant to the wider community, due to the local economic impact and that on the quality of service. Many experienced and trained care workers can get more money packing shelves in Tesco’s.

What we need to do?
All Unions want genuine Partnership with employers and Community groups/representative organisations. Discussions around sectorial agreements on quality, safeguarding and price. We want to work with like minded people who will say enough is enough – we cannot go below this level and provide decent services. Not just Trade union provider interest but we are citizens as well who rely on these services.

 

Workers and community activists can work together (both got inside knowledge, local campaigns).  Top and bottom approach.

Unions recognise that we have to get our act together as well. Never organised properly in the sector in past. UNISON now has a specific section for all Community & Voluntary. I am one of two elected NEC members. Setting up local branches specifically for C&V trade union members.

 

Trade union recognition. Need to get members to join. Cannot understand why some "reputable" organisations refuse to recognise trade unions? A blockage to working together. What have they got to hide?

Campaign/lobby together (openly or otherwise) the Government, Councils and Devolved nations. Especially Labour & progressive "one nation" elements (discuss). The unions don't yet punch their weight in our sector.

 

Finally

While there is a lot we can do change policies and occasional defeat the Coalition. (such as water down Health Bill and new look pensions LGPS 2014). There has to be bigger political issue. Educate our members and public that there is a credible alternative economic model to Austerity.  We need a plan B.

Increasing the pay of the low paid is one way of increasing demand and growth. While huge amounts of taxpayers’ money is being used not to pay off debt but subsidise poverty wages. 

 

We have a job of work to do with our members and public on this vital subject.

Outsourcing and austerity: civil society and the coalition government

Friday 5 October 2012 in Congress House. "A conference jointly hosted by TUC, NAVCA, NCIA, UNISON and Unite, this conference aims to bring representatives of charities, trade unions, voluntary, community and faith groups and other civil society partners together to look at the impact that the coalition government has had on civil society and the communities we serve and to consider what political and organisational responses we might adopt".

 

I'm taking part in a morning breakout session " What is happening to the voluntary sector workforce?. 

West Ham Labour Party Supports TUC March #Oct20

Just back from General Committee (GC) meeting of West Ham Labour Party. At which this motion was passed unanimously.

“West Ham Labour Party welcomes the call from the TUC to help organise a National March for A Future That Works on Saturday 20th October 2012.

We agree to work together to maximise the participation of Newham Residents, employees, Labour Party members and affiliates to this event as we did for the 26th March 2011 TUC march for the alternative.

We welcome the TUC publication “Austerity is Failing. We Need A Future That Works” and recognise the need to ensure that in the next General Election a government is elected that will implement an alternative economic policy, to deliver that Future that Works".

Newham trade unions and Labour Councillors have agreed to produce a joint leaflet and organise stalls in Stratford and Green Street to publicise the March. Also we will be organising a Newham meeting point for residents and Labour Party members who want to travel to the starting point and march together. Details to follow.

I'll post further on the GC later. 

UNISON London Labour Link Training

Picture is from the recent London UNISON Labour Link training event. Branch officers and activists came together from all over Greater London and all UNISON service groups.

We are here holding literature supporting the TUC anti-austerity March on Saturday 20 October.

The training event itself was excellent. It was a pilot and designed to equip Branch Labour Officers with the skills needed to further the Union within the Party. It was also how to use our access and influence to get a better deal for our members.

The first session was on "Why Politics?".  We need to be able to explain to our member's why politics matters. Politics is not about speeches in Parliament but its about their pay, its about building schools and running hospitals. Other sessions were on "tackling arguments about Labour Link"; "role of Labour Link Officer"; "Building a Branch network"; "Strategic Campaigning and lobbying MP's".

During a role play session I took on the part of a Conservative MP being lobbied by Labour Link activists...and yes, people did say I was very convincing :)

Feedback from all present was very positive and further sessions are being planned. Many thanks to National and Regional staff for putting on such a good event.

Photo by KW.

Interview with Asahi Shimbun Correspondent

Last week I was interviewed by Wataru Sawamura (picture left) who is a correspondent for the Japanese newspaper "Asahi Shimbun". This is the 2nd most popular paper in Japan. He had also interviewed previously our Regional Equalities Convenor, Monica Hirst who is a NHS nurse. Wataru explained that he is interested in finding out more about the human cost of austerity in the public sector but also in Japan the public sector was seen as offering secure employment.  Many Japanese who work in the sector were worried about their future and what was happening to such jobs elsewhere.

I tried to explain the impact of housing benefit cuts in London which will result in the "cleansing" of the poor from much of London. Wataru understood this concern and expressed his view that one of the notable things about London is that the poor and the rich lived next door to each other unlike other more polarised capital cities such as Paris.

We also discussed that in the UK many public services such as the care and support of the elderly and the disabled are provided by the  third sector ("not for profit" Housing associations and charities). Yet currently there was a race to the gutter by some providers and commissioners of such services. Decent providers are being undercut by rogues (Rachman Employers) who win contacts to care for the vulnerable by sacking and demoting workers while also slashing their pay and conditions.  

Wataru had not heard of the book "The Spirit Level" and its praise of Japan as being the most equal society in the world with regard to income inequality and the benefits that come from this. I said that in my understanding in Japan unlike the UK if an organisation has genuine economic difficulties then their managers will usually act as leaders and volunteer for pay cuts before asking their staff for sacrifices. In the UK some care and support charities cut the pay of their (already low paid) staff and then go on to pay their senior management team bonuses for reducing such costs.

Wataru accepted that in Japan mangers did take their responsibilities carefully but in recent year’s most new jobs had been on short term agency contracts so many Japanese are very worried about the future direction that their society will take.