Wedding of Anika with Naim

I was honoured to be a guest this evening at the wedding of the eldest daughter Anika of my Newham colleague, Cllr Abul Bashar Syed (also a fellow Union activist with the CWU) and Mrs Niheli Syeda (Shemoli). 

It was a lovely meal and great to meet up with so many friends and colleagues to celebrate Anika and Naim's wedding. 

On my table there was a number of interesting guests such as Billy Hayes, former General Secretary of the CWU with whom I had a conversation about the religious origins of Everton FC (he is not a supporter but put to right a theory that a Uncle had once told me).

I will be asking Syed about how we can in Newham offer solidary support for the forthcoming CWU strikes. 

Many thanks to the staff of the City Pavilion for looking after us so well. 

Lab12: TULO reception (and the move to the right)

While waiting for Ed Miliband to come and speak to the packed out fringe organised by TULO (trade union liaison organisation). General Secretary of the CWU, Billy Hayes, made a request for the Labour Movement present to move to the right (and stop blocking the doorway to people trying to get in)

Harriet Harman spoke first about the need to get the Tories out and how the unions can help especially in areas such as East of England where we are still strong but the Labour Party are weak. She also made it clear that she wanted Labour MPs to be as representative and diverse as our voters.

Which was a theme taken up by Billy and GMB General Secretary, Paul Kenny. Who both made it clear that there must be more working class and trade unionists MPs. Paul said "People who know what its like to be shouted at by their bosses".

Ed talked about taking the fight to the Tories, need for self discipline, build more homes and make Banks serve the public, not the other way round.

Highlight was a rousing passionate speech by Laura Pidcock (see picture - sorry about quality) who reminded us that if MPs don't understand, talk, look or sound like working class people then they will not vote for them.   

SERTUC Rally: organising to defeat public service cuts (and splitters and wreckers)

Yesterday there was a successful and vibrant Labour movement rally at Congress House about grown up trade unionists organising with others to defend public services.

There were a few problems which I will return to later. This official trade union rally of affiliated trade unions and trade councils from all over London and the South East was organised by SERTUC. Who had spent a lot of time, money and energy organising an event to unite the Labour movement against the Coalition cuts and to be a springboard to organising against them.

The Rally started at 12 noon. There was an excellent and diverse line up of speakers. I was there with London UNISON convenor Gloria Hanson and other delegates to the SERTUC Council meeting that had been held immediately beforehand. Trade union branches who had marched to the Rally arrived at about 12:10 with their banners.

At about 12.30 Gloria and I were concerned, since numbers seemed a little light and many UNISON members that I expected to be there were missing. I went out to look for them. I knew the march had finished at nearby Bedford Square, which is just around the corner from Congress House. I went there and was astonished to find that a separate rally had been organised by the “NSSN” (aka as SPEW - Socialist Party of England & Wales) in Bedford square with speakers and a PA. There was around 300 people present I guess, The speaker’s at the time were busy happily attacking trade union leaders and “New Labour” (don’t think they actually understand that there has been change of government).

I went looking for London UNISON members. I said hello to an old UNISON Hackney mucker but most UNISON members I found actually thought that this was the SERTUC rally. I pointed the way to Congress House. I eventually found a bunch of London UNISON members having a chat together about 75m away from the main SPEW rally and gently chided them to come to Congress House as soon as possible.

When I got back to the Conference hall it was pretty full. CWU leader Billy Hayes gave a passionate speech about how hard work and organising had saved the Post office from privatisation in the past and will do so in the future.

FBU President Mick Shaw spoke about the cuts that fire-fighter’s have already faced across the country and that there is nothing less to cut. Today’s strike action in London by fire fighter’s is as much about protecting the service to the public as about stopping them all being sacked and re-employed on inferior terms and conditions.

Brand New Labour MP, Chuka Umunna, gave an assured Labour movement family speech (I’m trying to upload it to YouTube but having a few technical problems) pointing out the real differences between Labour and the ConDems.

Other stuff I found interesting was that the annual interest rate on new government debt (gilts) is 1.8%... in 1945 National debt was 250% of GDP yet we then went on to create the welfare state... the NHS, nationalised Coal and Steel and a mass public house building programme... the journalists who vilify trade unions would not be able to write a sentence if they had not been properly taught by trade union members.

RMT leader Bob Crow gave his usual high octane, finger waging and podium thumping speech. Great fun to listen to and highly entertaining if you are a trade union activist and but essentially empty and forgettable to everyone else (except for the hat – which was memorable). This is a problem. Which I think Bob knows.

By the time Steve Hart, the London UNITE regional secretary came to the rostrum the wanabee alternative SERTUC organisers had turned up and made the mistake of trying to repeatedly shout him down (as they do – it reminded me of a London UNISON AGM). Steve stopped and just took the abuse for about 30 seconds then laid into the “Peoples Front of Judia” and the “wreckers and splitters”. To which the hall erupted into loud clapping and cheers . This shut ‘em up and Steve continued with his attack on the real enemy – the ConDems.

Why do we put up with these Rule or Ruin sects?

SERTUC regional Secretary Megan Dobney spoke next to close the conference. The usually mild mannered and consensus Megan asked the idiot fringe present to “shut up and listen for a change”. She pointed out that the unions must either change government policy or change the government...from 1920-1960 national debt in this country was never less than 100%...72% of the cuts will come from purse not from the wallet.

On 26 March we need to have a successful TUC March against the cuts....in SERTUC there are about 1/3rd of all trade union members nationally...we need therefore to get at least 1 million members from SERTUC on that march, if we cannot even do that then we will risk losing the battle... we must not forget the elections next May.

Everyone must remember the discipline and commitment by this Government to their manta that this recession was left to them by the Labour Government...we must show the same discipline and commitment to our manta and show that this recession is due to a global banker’s crisis - not ours.

Next Steps for Labour? Progressive London meeting

Last night I went to a packed meeting of Progressive London at Congress House. Considering that the Labour Party had just been beaten and we now have a Conservative led Government the atmosphere was remarkably positive and even upbeat.

Some brief thoughts on each speaker and the Q&A. The usual health warning about the literal accuracy of my hastily scribbled notes.

The meeting itself was ably chaired by Joy Johnson. CWU General Secretary, Billy Hayes kicked off condemning the recent injunction obtained by British Airways against today’s strike and the need to defend public services from cuts. He pointed out that the public deficit is only so high because of the collapse of tax revenues caused by the Banker’s recession. Future Party funding and retaining the trade union link with Labour was a key concern.

Mehdi Hasan from New Statesmen. He is the only panel member who was not a Labour Party member but saw himself “on the left” and a “critical friend” (whatever that means with a journalist?). Labour lost 90 seats and a million votes but there was no “3rd place” meltdown. The Tories and Liberals lost also. This was not “1997” and with a coalition of the likes of Ian Duncan Smith and Chris Huhne as well as Tebbit and Kennedy, Labour should have a good chance of winning office within 5 years. But need a complete rethink. Contrition and learn lessons. Make 3 apologies. Iraq, civil liberties and the deregulation of financial markets. Don’t go to the right over issues such as immigration. The “Great British Public” is to the left of New Labour. Predicted that the CONLIBS “married in haste and will repent at leisure”.

Chris McLaughlin, the editor of Tribune (and a former Labour Councillor in Newham!). Clegg never wanted a coalition with Labour. Labour now needs a leader to fit its policies and not policies to fit the leader. Reject the free market culture. The BNP still need to be watched since they got their highest ever share of the Parliamentary vote (2%). Get rid of Trident.

Newly elected Labour MP for Bolton Wigan and former Hammersmith and Fulham Councillor, Lisa Nandy. She reminded us all not to forget the many good things done by Labour in the last 13 years. Labour has to reflect and learn. Immigration is key issue but one that we failed to explain. We made excuses for social policy failings such as the failure to build sufficient housing. Instead of ignoring difficult problems we should be challenging them. She gave a  very confident and articulate speech.

Emily Thornberry re-elected MP for Islington South and who bucked the trend and increased her majority. Brought up herself in a Council estate by a single mother. Labour needs to support the idea of “Big Government” as a central ideology since this is the only way to deal with the huge problems facing us. She won in Islington by working with the unions and developing a “door step” culture in the Party and being on the estates. Getting the working class vote out. Treating the electorate with respect and not telling lies like her Liberal Democrat opponents. They spoke to 6,000 people in 4 weeks. She is proud to be Labour and it is a proud movement with a great future.

Last but not least was Ken Livingstone. Labour did have a good first term (devolution and minimum wage) thanks to the legacy of John Smith. But the Party conference was transferred away from being a "People's Parliament" to a media mirage. First the power of the CLP’s was broken then the unions were taken in by promises of access and influence. Read Alastair Campbell's diary to see the contempt in which the unions were actually held and how Neil Kinnock (no friend of Ken) was as far back as 1995 so rude about New Labour and predicted it would fail. Labour was lucky that there had been a collection of wankers leading the Tory Party or we would have lost before. God was good to us. It was not Gordon Brown being grumpy on YouTube that we lost.

He referred to the book “The Spirit level” and how more equal societies such as Norway are far better societies. We need to redistribute wealth. We need the political will to make changes and bring to an end the neo-liberal nonsense. The deficit even in 4 years will still be far lower than it has been for the 2/3rd of the last 200 years. A 1/3rd less than Clement Atlee faced in 1945 when he then went on to create the welfare state. The public are with us. In London we have a 2% Labour lead. It is important to have a new leader but we must change the structure of the Party and return Conference to being the Parliament of working and middle class people.

There was quite a lively and wide ranging Q&A. I managed to ask the panel a question. I agreed that we should be reviewing and changing policies and structures but we also need to win the “Battle of ideas” with our opponents. Our ideas did appear to become tired towards the end and we need to think afresh and revitalise if we are to win. I also said that I came from Newham where we had won on May 6th 63- nil. Which went down okay with the audience and the panel (but Ken did come back and say that the structures were vital). UNISON London Regional Secretary, Linda Perks and Unite Regional Secretary, Steve Hart, also asked questions.

Emily reminded everyone to be courteous during the leadership campaign and the necessary debate about the future direction of the Party. After all there is “nothing more uncomradely than the Labour Party at times”.

I enjoyed the debate and the spread of views but I do think that there is a danger that the debate could descend into a battle about what should have been done by the last Labour government rather than planning the future of the next.

Good to speak to Labour Party bloggers – Tom Miller and Peter Kenyon (NEC meeting today).

Wednesday PM – Co-op, Education (Free School Meals), Royal Mail Pension

Gareth Thomas MP, chair of Co-op Party addressed conference. The Co-op movement is on a bit of a roll at the moment. It’s not just about the failure of the demutualised banks and building societies but new interest in co-operative provision of public services – housing, hospitals and even schools.

The Education debate saw a barn standing speech in favour of free school meals by Newham Councillor Unmesh Desai (see picture). Newham is part of a government pilot to offer free school meals to all primary schools. A commitment to roll this programme out nationally in the Labour manifesto next year is IMO a "no-brainer".

Next we had some alternative show business glamour with awards given out by the Labour Party supporter Eddie Izzard.

Billy Hayes the CWU General Secretary successfully moved the emergency motion on the Royal Mail pension deficit. This deficit is mostly due to contribution holidays by the state owned Post Office during most of the period of Tory rule and the Party will now be pressing the government to take responsibility for it.

Support Your Local Postal Workers

This lunchtime at work, one of the reception staff came up to my desk with a bunch of leaflets. They told me that striking Posties had come in and asked them if there was a union rep in the building, who could put one of their leaflets on the union notice board and distribute the rest.

I went down to the reception but they had already left. I saw that they had put the same flyers on all car windscreens parked all along the Roman Road. It was a pity that I missed them. They only left 5 leaflets. These flyers were very good. The title was “A message to the public” and explained in simple direct terms the Posties’ case and what people could do to help.

I was pleased that when I went back to my desk and gave people copies of the flyer that it generated a discussion with work colleagues on the strike, the impact that it was having and what people thought of it. Only a few people joined in but others listened. It was pretty favourable, even those who were unsympathetic about strikes (“them and the bloody railway union are always on strike”) had a “good” story about their favourite Posties, past and present. It is of course, one of the last personal “door to door” services that most working people grew up with and still cherish. Even though nowadays most people buy stuff at the supermarket or online rather than on the doorstop (milk, newspapers, rent, insurance, savings etc) because it’s cheaper and suits them more.

I think that people were interested in the leaflet since it explained that the strike was about “proper trade union issues”. For example; opposing pay cuts and the slashing of their pensions. As well as being sent home early one day, and then expected to work longer hours whenever management needed them, without notice or extra pay. One working Mum present said she couldn’t do such a job when her kids were small since she had to have regular hours to pick them up from school. The prospect of letters being delivered at 4pm and the ending of Sunday collections didn’t go down very well either.

Our local East End sorting office in Bromley- by-Bow is on a “Wildcat” unofficial strike. I have just heard on the radio that a high court judge has granted an injunction banning next week’s “official” strike action. Don’t know what the reason is but I can guess.

By coincidence I was late getting into work this morning and heard the first 15 minutes of “Desert Island Discs”. The guest was former Postie, Alan Johnson, the Secretary of State for Health. Alan of course was the former General Secretary of the Posties Union, the “Communication Workers Union”. Alan and the CWU have “fallen out” since. This is a shame. Alan gave a very moving account of being brought up in poverty amongst very difficult family circumstance in London during the 1950s. Not the usual picture of life in the 50s of happy, smiley families who left the front door unlocked, but one of extreme poverty, cold, hunger, overcrowding and common place violence. However, when he was asked how he coped with modern pressures as health secretary he said he was used to it. When as General Secretary of the CWU, he was in charge of 160,000 trade union members who were on all out strike action, he soon learnt to cope with pressure. I suppose Billy Hayes is learning fast too.

UPDATE - 00:15 BBC 24 report a "deal" - strike settled?

UNISON/Unite/GMB/CWU rally

“Social Justice at Work – the heart of the British Identity”? Monday evening. The Big 4 trade unions.

Picture of Unite-Amicus General Secretary Derek Simpson in full flow, then Tony Woodley GS Unite–TGWU, Chair Gloria Mills (UNISON), Paul Kenny GS of GMB and of course Dave Prentis GS of UNISON. Billy Hayes of the CWU couldn't make it. They all seemed very relaxed and confident. Dave gave a good speech and I think was the only person I heard at the conference to mention the “S” word.

Short time for Q&A so unable to ask my question on the unions working together to promote Capital Stewardship. Saw Derek (much, much later) at the Billy Bragg concert and said to him I suppose this is not a good time to talk about trade unions and pension governance? Unfortunately he agreed it wasn’t. Oh well, if you don’t ask….