Unison NDC 16 - On the Vote to Leave

UNISON Press release "Commenting on the news that the UK has voted to leave the EU, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: 

“The people have spoken, and they have made a clear call for change – and a different relationship with Europe. 

“We will be working in the coming weeks and months to hold the leave campaigners to the promises they’ve made – that there will be more money for the NHS, and that our rights at work will remain intact.

 

“But this also has to be a time for our country to heal. At its best the campaign has enabled genuine debate and discussion in our homes, workplaces and communities about the future of the economy and the kind of country we want to live in. 

 

“At its worst, the campaign has been typified by hatred, vitriol and misinformation that have done a huge disservice to our democracy and values.    

 

“Over the coming weeks and months, all political leaders must think about how to address the issues that people in our communities care most about – falling incomes, insecure jobs, unaffordable housing and the huge challenges facing our public services after more than half a decade of cuts. “

 

Europe: Should we stay or should we go? Sunday Night Live Sunday 28 Feb

Register here Sunday, 28 February 2016 from 17:00 to 18:30 Stratford East Picturehouse - Salway Road London E15 1BX GB - View Map

"In the first of a two-part Sunday Night Live special on Europe this week’s session will examine the key issues and arguments, with speakers from the Labour In and Labour Leave campaigns, ahead of the EU Referendum on the 23rd June.

With the British public facing the most important economic choice in a generation, this session offers an opportunity between now and then to delve into some fundamental questions about Britain’s place in the world. With membership of the European Union bringing jobs, growth and investment – and representing a single market consisting of 550 million consumers (the largest commercial market in the world, bigger than the US and China); plus a raft of social benefits, this session will explore:

What are the benefits and risks with Brexit? Does it really signal a move to isolationism and threaten Britain’s economic prosperity by destabilizing its place at the heart of the global economy?
Will Britain’s national identity be strengthened or diminished if the majority of British voters opt to leave?

Was Cameron’s EU deal the best possible in the interests of the country or his leadership – and future - of the Conservative Party?

Will campaigning for staying in help the Labour Party march achieve electoral success in 2020?

What are the key issues you need to think about when determining what’s best for you, your family and your country?"

Generation Rent Rip Off: Private rents in UK double the European average

This article from National Housing Federation shows that not only are rents in UK the most expensive but double the European average.

A staggering 40% of income is spent on rent compared to 28% European average.

This means that workers have less money to save for a deposit and explains why the housing benefit bill is rocketing.

Germany has the most people privately renting and their average is only 25%.

Solution? We need to increase supply by building more homes of all tenures and introduce rent controls.

Tories letting gangsters and sex offenders off the hook?

I don't always agree with Tower Hamlets Labour Colleague, Dan McCurry, but his post here on the Tories refusing to allow criminals arrested in the UK to be electronically checked against European wanted lists is pretty damning.

Dan should know his stuff since he is a criminal law legal executive who is called out to Police stations to represent people detained.

"Because the Tories don’t want integration between our criminal justice system and the rest of Europe. This means that foreign paedophiles and murderers can come to this country and evade detection"

He points out most serious criminals "on the run" are often only found when they are caught carrying out minor crimes such as fare evasion or being involved in a "punch up".

At the moment in the UK if you are a foreign national wanted in Europe on serious offences and you are arrested and electronically finger printed, there is no automatic check with Europe and they will usually walk free. I assume that British nationals suspected of serious crimes in Europe will also go free as well?

There has to be safe guards but I can't see why this should be a unsolvable problem?  The UK is already an attractive hiding place for criminals since we have no identity cards.

Dan believes that the Tories are "are sacrificing our security for the sake of their own infighting over Europe".

The truth about UKIP (they're even worse than the Tories)

Great post on "Unions Together" on the truth about UKIP. What many workers fail to understand is that UKIP is not just a protest vote against Europe led by some loud mouth millionaire maverick who doesn't like his Brussels sprouts!   UKIP is an ultra right wing Tory extremist Party, who would cut our pay, get rid of TUPE protections, maternity rights, sell off the NHS, cut taxes for the rich and get rid of paid holidays. 

I think the wider Labour Movement has to take some responsibility for our failure to make it clear to our members that many of the employment rights that people take for granted in this country are actually only there because of the European Union and if right wing fanatics such as UKIP had their way, workers in this country would be completely stuffed.

Our relationship with Europe does need reform and we need to have grown up conversations about immigration and our national identity but for most folk voting UKIP is simply cutting your nose to spite your face.

The last thing we all need is a political Party even more right wing and reactionary than even this current Tory led coalition Government.  

The role of trade unions in Europe

(Guest post by London UNISON activist and Regional Labour Link Committee member Sanchia Alasia ).  "Trade unions have a strong and ever growing important role to play in the European Union. Many European countries are currently bearing the brunt of harsh austerity measures, high youth unemployment and threats to employment rights, which trade unions need to stand up and fight against.

Take the UK for instance. The chancellor George Osborne announced at the Conservative Party conference this year that workers could gain shares within companies in exchange of valuable employment rights such as unfair dismissal, redundancy and the right to request flexible working and time off for training. A few pounds in shares is not worth works giving up hard won employment rights by won by our trade unions. If for example you received £2,000 in shares and they increased by 100% you would still only have £4,000 but could be sacked tomorrow.

 The ideology of the Tory led government is to denigrate the trade unions as they regularly do in the House of Commons and make light of employment protections that workers are entitled to. The shocking thing is that companies will be able to force this on new recruits if they choose from April 2013, which is only a few months away.

My trade union, UNISON currently has a fantastic campaign about the living wage, which is an hourly rate set independently every year. It is calculated according to the cost of living and gives the minimum pay rate required for a worker to provide their family with the essentials of life. In London the 2012/2013 Greater London Authority rate is £8.55 per hour and outside of London the current rate is £7.45. 

 This campaign by UNISON, spurred me to work with one of my fellow councillors at Barking and Dagenham council, Josie Channer, who is the chair of the living and working select committee to ensure that low paid council workers have been given the living wage.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is an organisation that has a united voice on behalf of the common interests of workers, at the European level. It represents 85 trade union organisations in 36 European countries. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) based in the UK is a member of the ETUC. The TUC is the voice of Britain at work with 54 affiliated unions (including my union UNISON), representing 6.2 million working people from all walks of life. They campaign for a fair deal at work and for social justice at home and abroad as well as negotiating in Europe.

It is important that the TUC continues to work alongside the ETUC to promote full employment, social protection, equal opportunities, good quality jobs, social inclusion, and an open and democratic policy-making process that involves citizens fully in the decisions that affect them across the European Union. It is only through workers’ consultation, collective bargaining, social dialogue and good working conditions that innovation, productivity, competitiveness and growth in Europe will thrive".

"Britain & Europe: Which way for Labour?" Newham Compass & Fabians

A rather topical debate on "Britain and Europe: Which way for Labour?" will take place 7.30pm on 21st February at the West Ham Supporters' Club (the football club not the Labour Party! NewhamTrades Council also use to meet here). Organised by the local branches of Newham Compass and the Fabians. 

I've not heard Jon Cruddas MP speak about Europe before and no doubt he will have some interesting perspectives.  While Anita Pollack lives in Newham and was the MEP for London South West from 1989 to 1999. She wrote the excellent book "Wreckers or Builders: A History of Labour MEPs 1979 to 1999" which one day I will try and do justice to in a review.

Yesterday at the UNISON NEC Policy Committee we had a good presentation and debate on Europe. The irony of ironies is that the Prime Minster, David Cameron, for short term political advantage "veto's" (sort of) an agreement on saving the Euro solely to appease his own anti-Europe fanatics.

When in fact the actual measures he opposed for Europe are pretty much the same hard line slash and burn budgetary cuts being pursued at home.