Windrush 75th anniversary - London UNISON & Newham

 

This evening I attended two events remembering and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the ship, Empress Windrush, docking at Tilbury Port, Essex  in 1948 with several hundred West Indian migrants, who came to the "motherland" in order to fill job vacancies and rebuild the UK after 6 years of Total War with Germany and Japan. 

At the UNISON HQ centre in Euston Road, our National Officer for Equalities, Gloria Mills gave a moving and personal account of her own family, who faced terrible racism, exploitation and discrimination (landlord signs saying "No Dogs, No Blacks and No Irish").  

Hackney Deputy Mayor, Anntoinette Bramble, (and UNISON LGA branch equalities officer) gave a passionate speech about how black workers must always fight for their rights and for justice in their workplace. 

Next were a series of award for union members who had distinguished themselves and I was pleased that Newham Council Branch secretary, Gloria Hanson was recognised and given an award.  

After this I went to the Old Town Hall in Stratford, for the Newham celebration. I missed the main event but was able to chat to people and also admire the black and white photo exhibition of the "Windrush" generation entering the UK. The main Newham Council celebration of Windrush will be on Saturday. 

Anu Prashar "The Members' Choice" for UNISON Labour Link Greater London

By now UNISON members who are part of Labour Link (the political fund that supports the Labour Party and fights to bring UNISON values and priorities into the Party) should have received their ballot form by post to their home addresses (and email if the union has a valid email address for you). You can only vote once! since the security code can only be used once.

The ballot helpline is @ UNISON Direct - 0800 0857 857 if you require your ballot paper in a different format, or if you haven’t received one by 13th September, they can help. There is also a textphone number 0800 0967 968 for members with hearing difficulties.

Outside London check out below my personal recommendations for other contested regional seats. 

Newham UNISON AGM 2016: Right to Buy and Pay to Stay

Last Friday I was a guest speaker at the UNISON Newham Local Government branch AGM in East Ham Town Hall. I spoke about the Housing Bill which is currently going through the House of Lords. I was there as a Housing Worker and UNISON Regional Council Officer.

Gloria Hanson (2nd left) and Kim Silver (3rd left) had been re-elected unopposed as Branch Secretary and Chair.

There was a really good presentation first by Thompson Solicitors (left) on "How to win a personal injury claim and how the union can help". After I spoke, UNISON Regional manager Vicky Easton gave an update on the Trade Union Bill.


Before my speech I asked how many people present had heard about "Pay to Stay" and only about half put their hands up. I then asked how many were Council or Housing Association's tenants and again about half put their hands up.

This is really frightening. Leaving aside for the moment that the Government is stealing property belonging to hard pressed Councils to pay for its right to buy discount election bribe for Housing Association tenants (and London will be used to pay for discount in Councils all over the Country that has sold or transferred its housing stock)

What tenants do not understand is under "Pay to Stay" if they have an household income of £40k per year in London (and £30k elsewhere) their rent may double or even treble! Since they will have to pay market rents for their homes. In London this will mean that two NHS nurses earning £20k per year would have to pay up to an incredible £12k extra per year for their home.

In the Q&A there was an interesting discussion about what politics actually means and why there is apathy amongst some union members even if government policies have a huge impact on their lives.

I said what many people don't realise is that politics is all about choices. The current government has made a political choice to double or even triple the rents for millions of workers. They made this choice because they ideologically believe in the "market" and everyone should pay the market rate. If you don't think that this is right then you should either support another political party who opposes it or just pay up and don't whinge about it. Your choice!

Newham Local Government Branch AGM 2015 - The threat to your pensions- "if it sounds too good to be true then..."

On Friday I was invited to speak at the annual general meeting of the Newham UNISON branch at the Town Hall in East Ham.

This was in my trade union capacity as the Chair of the London UNISON pension network. This is my written speech below.

"Thank you Gloria and Newham UNISON for inviting me to speak on this very important issue. Like many of us in the Labour movement I wear a number of different work hats but I am proud to be here today as a Unison rep on my local government pension scheme (LGPS) committee for the past 20 years or so.

I was privileged to talk to this AGM some years ago about the many advantages of joining the LGPS. I now want to speak to you today about a possible threat to your pension and that of your families and friends.

It is complicated but maybe it is best if I outline what I believe to be the problem and what I think is the solution, then throw it open to the Q&A.

Firstly, let us never forget that Pensions are a fundamental trade union issue. In fact one of the founder unions that went to form UNISON was set up specifically to argue for pensions for its members. A former manager of West Ham Council trams was instrumental in setting up that union and the LGPS.

In my grown up job as a housing officer in the East End of London, I see first hand the miserable and degrading poverty that so many of our elders live in. Too frightened to put the heating on in winter, surviving on cheap out of date foodstuffs, too poor to buy their grandchildren treats.

In many ways, the current pension future facing workers is now even worse. Millions of workers in our sector have no access to any employer pension, since they work part time or are paid too little. Millions more are being cheated by their employer with tiny and inadequate contributions. While complete untruths are said about the sustainability of defined benefit schemes such as Local Government Pension scheme and other public sector schemes.

To top it all, this Tory led government, will from next month April 6, allow thieves and con merchants to steal and feast upon our members pensions, in what I have no doubt will be the greatest ever miss-selling scandal.

From April 6 this year, this Conservative led government is about to play a huge trick on ordinary working people. People who have skimped and saved over the years to put money by for their futures. This money is being deliberately put at risk and the only ones to benefit will be the City crooks that finance the Conservative Party, as they rob our members over the age of 55 of their money and that of their spouses.

Remember the Tories hate anything that is collective, they don't want pension boards or independent trustees looking after their members money and making sure that it is safe. They would rather dismantle our person schemes and hand them over directly to big business to profit from.

Tory Chancellor, George Osborne, calls April 6 "pension freedom day". Colleagues, this is not freedom, it is an occupation, an occupation by those who see you as easy pickings; an occupation that will destroy lives and end up with many of our members retiring into and dying in poverty.

Our members in the Local Government Pension Scheme and other funded Pension schemes will be targeted by armies of thieves, spivs and charlatans, as they did under Thatcher, when millions of people were told to buy personal pensions and sell their company schemes.

Those of you here who have pension money invested in stakeholders or auto enrolment schemes will also be targeted by those wanting to steal your futures as well. Even worse, last week during the budget, the Tories announced that pensioners who have already taken out private pensions will also be able to cash them in. At the cost of a tax liability and even more rip off charges.

We must as a union save our pensions and save our members from having them stolen from them and exchanged for snake oil.

We have a responsibility to make sure that our pensions are safe. As I said before one of the reasons for forming unions was for decent secure retirements and nothing has changed since, so we must do whatever is necessary to defend our members and defend their pensions. Thank you".

(picture Newham UNISON Chair Gloria Hanson, regional officer Dan Peppiat and area organiser Sally Tsoukaris - by coincidence today there was a feature on crooks planning to fleece pensioners)

Greater London UNISON Labour Link Delegate Elections 2015

I was pleased last week to hear that I had been elected unopposed to this year's UNISON Labour Link National Forum with Jonathan Slater and James Beckles.

There is still an election for female delegates to National Forum and Labour Party Conference.

I would recommend (in a strictly personal capacity) that Greater London Branch Labour Link's consider  supporting :-

National Labour Link Forum FEMALE SEATS Green Ballot Paper (5 Votes)

ALASIA, Sanchia
BENTLEY, Lynn
GREEN, Yvonne
HANSON, Gloria
SILVER, KIM

Labour Party Conference 2015 GENERAL SEAT Red Ballot Paper (1 vote)

GREEN, Yvonne

Ballot papers have been sent out to all London Branches and have to be returned by 12 Noon this Friday 27 March 2015. 

Picture above is of Yvonne Green (featured in the Independent Newspaper) who has also this year been elected (by a massive majority) to be the London UNISON Convenor.

Below is their joint election statement

"We are all seeking election to represent the views of APF payers in the London Region at the National Labour Link Forum.

We support the link we have with the Labour Party. Labour in National Government has delivered real improvements for our members. We do not know what will be the result of the General Election but for the sake of our members, our NHS and our union, we need to do whatever we can to defeat this ConDem Tory Government in May

Labour needs to appeal to their core Labour vote and champion trade union issues to help them win. We want to move our members concerns up the Party political agenda, using our influence to promote Labour movement values such as:-

• Reinvestment in public services
• Increase public sector pay and keep defending our pensions
• Access to fair and affordable housing for public sector employees and their families
• A fairer taxation system
• Government policies that promote growth and jobs.

You want delegates who will be listened to and not be afraid to argue for change within the Labour Party but who also realise that the only alternative to Labour is another dose of Clegg and Cameron.

It is vital that we ensure that Labour Link becomes more visible within the union. We need to encourage APF members to join local Labour Constituency Parties and be elected to positions of responsibility in order to further the progressive agenda.

Next year London will also be electing a London Mayor and new Assembly and we need to play our part in this election. But we now must unite around the Party and work to bring down this ConDem Government on May 7"

London UNISON Regional Council AGM 2015

On Wednesday 4th February 2015 at 10am it is the Annual General Meeting of the Greater London UNISON Regional Council.

It will take place at the Holiday Inn Conference room, Coram Street (across the road from Russell Square tube station). Doors open at 8:45am.

There will be guest speakers, reports and motions but the chief purpose of the AGM is to elect Regional Council Officers and committee members.

This will be last AGM as Regional Convenor for Gloria Hanson who is stepping down. Gloria has done a fantastic job as Convenor for many years but now thinks it is time to let someone new take over. Existing Equalities Convenor, Yvonne Green, is standing and she will make a terrific Regional Convenor.

The forces of light and reason are standing a full slate against the ultra left evil ones.  So if you are a UNISON branch delegate to the AGM please consider voting as below:-

Yvonne Green - Regional Convenor 

Conroy Lawrence - Deputy Regional Convenor 

John Gray - Regional Finance Convenor 

Liz Baptiste - Regional Equalities Convenor 

Lynn Bentley - Regional Publicity Officer

Update: Clean sweep - Victory for forces of light and reason!

#J10 Strike, Picket, March & Rally

This picture is from the picket line outside Newham Town Hall in East London this morning.

I was there early with other members of West Ham Labour Party to show solidarity with UNISON, GMB & Unite strikers calling for "Fair Pay".

Newham UNISON branch Chair and Secretary Gloria Hanson and Kim Silver (middle of photo) were official stewards.

Hat tip photo Inside Housing

Later that day there was a very successful march through central London followed by a rally in Trafalgar Square.

This strike was about justice and fairness for predominantly female, low paid, Council workers providing vital public services. Their pay has been reduced in real terms by a 20% (5th) since 2010. Enough is enough is enough. Check out my opinion piece here.

Jon Cruddas MP - Guest Speaker #LabLink14

First guest speaker of National Labour Link Forum was Jon Cruddas MP, Head of Labour's policy review.

Jon started by admitting he had nearly been late today since he had gone to the wrong hotel and hoped that no-one would be tape recording him on behalf of Tory Central Office.  For the first time at our Forum meeting I noticed that there was a BBC camera crew present for his speech.

Jon praised UNISON as a "great union representing front line public servants in very difficult circumstances. The Labour Party Manifesto will have to set out our plans to rebuild our country at time of little or no money. The past 30 years of Neo liberalism has seen the slowest ever growth after a recession and huge debts. There will be a £70 billion deficit in 2015".

He argued that while the welfare state had been a profound achievement in the 20th Century - it now needs renewal. You need three things "1. an inclusive economy - pro worker and pro business. Stop the abuse of zero hour contracts and agency workers. There needs to be an increase in the minimum wage and greater use of a Living Wage, repeal of the Lobby Act, fair taxes and build homes. 2. We need a whole family approach such as extending free child care. 3. Inclusive politics. We have trickle down government . It should be trickle up. There should be freedom of information obligations on all providers of public services. Procurement should help decide wages".

"We need to rebuild this country.  The recent announcements on Labour plans for Councils and regions is the biggest devolution of power in 100 year.  Labour will win if our national story is - hope not despair".

During the wide ranging Q&A that followed London Delegate, Gloria Hanson, asked Jon what was Labour policy on trade unions and will he be supporting our strike on July 10th?  Jon replied by saying he had been a trade union activist before he became a Labour activists. Unions are not just about wages, but about being a voice at work and industrial democracy. Its work in progress. He also replied "I hear what you say about the Strike but it is not for me to be first to respond". That response I suspect disappointed the watching TV crew even more than the rest of us.

So as ever, a competent and lively performance by Jon. But it is more of "wait and see". The Labour Party National Policy forum is going to be in a couple of weeks and until the manifesto is out we will not really know what Labour policies will be in 2015. On the whole, so far so good. Hopefully more good stuff to follow.   

UNISON Greater London Regional Council AGM 2014 Election Results

"The results of the elections held at the Council AGM on 25 February 2014 are given below. The elections were conducted, in accordance with the Regional Rules, under the single transferable voting system (STV) and were carried out by the Electoral Reform Services.

REGIONAL CONVENOR (1 to elect)
HANSON Gloria                                    150 Elected
KELLY Glenn                                        49 

DEPUTY REGIONAL CONVENOR (1 to elect)
LAWRENCE Conroy                            140 Elected
THOMPSON Marsha Jane                    54 

REGIONAL FINANCE CONVENOR (1 to elect)
GRAY John                                            140 Elected
SANGARAPILLAI Vinothan                 54 

REGIONAL PUBLICITY OFFICER (1 to elect)
BENTLEY Lynn                                    142 Elected
CASHMAN Ruth                                   52

REGIONAL EQUALlTIES CONVENOR (1 to elect)
GREEN Yvonne                                     144 Elected
LAWLER Gabrielle                                42

REGIONAL YOUNG PERSONS CONVENOR - Michaela Smikle was elected unopposed".

Update: just compared it to what I thought was a great result in 2013. This time even better!

Victory for forces of light and reason!

The "evil ones" have been seen off again and the union is safe.

Great news - the forces of light and reason slate was successful today at our UNISON Greater London Regional Council AGM.

Gloria, Conroy, Lynn, Yvonne and myself were all re-elected.

I don't know the actual margin but going by the reaction I found when talking to delegates I suspect that it will be  significant.

This will be a kick in the teeth to the divisive "sour grapes brigade" who will have to find other excuses for the consistant failure of rank and file delgates to support ultra left fringe groups.

I will post further reports on the AGM later in week. 

Future Directions Striker speaks at UNISON London Regional Council

Yesterday was the UNISON London Regional Council meeting chaired by our Regional Convener, Gloria Hanson.

The first speaker was Alan Tate (left of picture) from the Communications union, CWU, who spoke about the privatisation of Royal Mail.

There was no need to do this - Royal Mail had been transformed in recent years and was making money. Why can Railtrack be publicly owned and still able to access the capital markets for investment but Royal Mail could not? The tax payers have been ripped off not only by the below value share offering but the loss of huge Royal Mail property assets across the Country.

CWU will go on strike November 4th if they cannot reach a deal on pay and to protect pay and conditions.

Next speaker was UNISON Senior National officer (not in picture) Donna Rowe-Merriman, who briefed us the Higher Education joint union strike over pay, which will take next Thursday 31 October. The pay claim is affordable and HE institutions can afford to pay more but choose not to while thousands of their directly employed staff are not even paid a living wage but exist on minimum wage rates. Further details of the strike action and regional rally's to follow. 

Final Speaker was Karen Shadwell (2nd from right), UNISON member of Rochdale branch. Karen is a disability support worker with high needs clients. She works for an organisation called "Future Directions" who are cutting her pay by nearly £100 per week.  She and her colleagues have been on strike for 29 days in recent months. Check out my past posts related to this dispute here, here and here. She was supported at this meeting by UNISON Local organiser, Karen Ellis.

Karen was an inspiration and received a standing ovation at the end of her speech. She had been up at 5am this morning in order to get here in time and was very nervous beforehand since  this was her first ever speech to such a meeting. Her speech was excellent. As her UNISON NEC member for Community, I offered her and her colleagues my support.

We have recently agreed in London for a donation  to the strike fund and sent a message of support. You can send messages of support and donations to Helen Harrison, branch secretary, Rochdale UNISON, 46 Richard Street, Rochdale, OL11 1DU. Email: unison@rochdale.gov.uk. Cheques can be made payable to Rochdale UNISON.

UNISON and her Future Directions had been to talk at ACAS on Friday and Monday. Hopefully a satisfactory result will be reached.

(2nd from left in picture is our London Equalities Convener Yvonne Green and behind her a bit obscured, Karen Ellis ). Hat tip photograph Karen Westwood.

A Life for Freedom in South Africa: Denis Goldberg 80th Celebration

The picture is from the celebration of the 80th Birthday of South African freedom fighter Denis Goldberg. This took place in the South African High Commission in Trafalgar Square, London.

The celebration was in aid of the development Charity Community HEART  that Denis helped set up.  My fellow UNISON NEC member for Community, Izzy McVicar, organised the event.

Denis (centre - seen with London UNISON Convener Gloria  Hanson, Deputy Convener Conroy Lawrence and me lurking at the back) spent 22 years in prison during the struggle against apartheid. He was sentenced in the same trial as Nelson Mandala. However, since he was white, he was of course put into a different prison.

In his speech Dennis joked that he and his fellow ex-prisoners are the only people who celebrate the 50th anniversary of their arrests and for only getting life sentences (the prosecutors wanted the death penalty).

Although he is very proud of all that has been achieved in a free South Africa he recognises that there is much still to be done. He does think it is a little arrogant that some people in the UK criticise the lack of equality in South Africa when they have had since 1870 to do something about inequality in the UK. 

On a positive note Denis thinks that "the hormones in our teenagers" will eventually solve our racial differences.

How to allocate a £1 billion of pension assets?

Picture is from an unusual meeting held recently with other members of Newham Pension Committee on fund "asset allocation".

What types of investments you should allocate pension fund money into is arguably the most important decision that a board or trustees can make. Far more important than deciding who you employ to manage the funds day to day or even how much they charge.

Depending on your fund requirements, if you say decide to invest too much money in high risk equities rather than lower risk bonds it could have a devastating impact. Conversely if your fund really needs to take more risk and you think the economic outlook is right, then it can have a very negative effect if you opt for the safe options.

Newham decided that instead of having the usual type of review meeting meeting, where our fund advisers will  present  issues and options to the Committee who will then be expected to make a decision - to try something different. So the fund officers organised a special "round table" meeting and invited different City professionals and the Committee members (including the trade union reps) to debate and argue what should be our asset allocation fundamentals.

There was  a robust but productive wide exchange of views and I think all committee members went away with a much better understanding of the problems and possible solutions than a dry presentation. Good stuff. I recommend other pension schemes should consider doing the same. (picture of me with Cllr Ayesha Chowdhury and UNISON pension rep Gloria Hanson)

May Day March & Rally London 2013

This lunchtime I went on the traditional London May Day march from Clerkenwell to Trafalgar Square.

It was a cheerful, noisy and very colourful event. The lovely blue (not Tory of course) skies and sunshine helped. Lots of red flags trade union banners, music and political chanting.

A little strange perhaps to see so many banners with smiling pictures of Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Mao in the West End of London but no one seemed to mind.

You bump into a number of Labour movement people during the march you know but haven't seen for ages.  You meet new people who you happen to be marching alongside and can have some good political conversations but usually it's a discussion about the weather.

I helped carry our UNISON Housing Association branch banner and the UNISON Greater London Regional banner. Normally due to political elections it is difficult to attend the March but this year there are no elections in London tomorrow.

Centre of picture college is UNISON London Regional Convener Gloria Hanson speaking to the rally at Trafalgar Square. Below is the excellent and well received speech she made.

"My name is Gloria Hanson and I’m very proud to be here today sending you solidarity and unity from UNISON Greater London Region.

May day has been celebrated in London since the 1880’s and if the Tories have their way that’s what we’ll be returning to:-

•     before the NHS when healthcare was based on wealth not need,

•     when only the rich received an education & a decent standard of living

•     when there was no minimum wage, no holiday or sick pay, no health & safety and no rights at all for workers

•     when the poor and needy had nothing to look forward to except the workhouse

This Tory led Government came into power determined to pick up where Margaret Thatcher left off but after 3 years in office its clear it is going to be much worse, with an austerity agenda slashing our public services and the welfare state in a way she could only dream off.

Millions of jobs in the public sector lost, unemployment reaching record levels, our NHS and many of our schools and essential public services effectively privatised or sold off to the highest bidder. 

Our pay has been frozen as the cost of living soars, our employment & equality rights under threat and cuts to housing & other benefits will be devastating for all – especially in London. Our most vulnerable citizens are being made to bear the brunt of a financial problem that was not of their making.

Our parents and grandparents fought long and hard to establish our public services and many of the rights we take for granted today.  We cannot allow them to ride roughshod over them, whilst giving tax breaks to their rich friends. We must stand together as workers and trade unionists to defend them.

As we celebrate May Day here today we must remember that unity is strength, and when we stand together with one voice we WILL be heard".

My UNISON NEC 2013 Ballot Paper for Greater London & Community

Vote for the forces of light and reason!

UNISON NEC London & Health Candidates: Use your vote and have your say!

More candidates in UNISON NEC elections 2013 who support the interests of ordinary union members.

UNISON London Labour Link Forum 2013: Decent Pensions for All

Picture from last week's UNISON London Labour Link annual forum in the UNISON HQ.  I chaired the Forum meeting with Gloria Hanson (see to my left).

It was a good business meeting where we discussed with Link delegates from London branches the financial report, this years work plan and motions to the National Forum.

Gloria took Chair when I moved this motion on "Decent Pensions for All".
 
"This Forum notes:-

That many private employers providing public services across all Service Groups have in recent years announced plans to stop offering a decent defined benefit scheme to new members or stop existing members building up further pensionable service.

Some employers and pension providers are planning to massively increase employee pension contributions. This will make them unaffordable.

The reasons given are that they must protect the fund against rising “pension liabilities”. This is nonsense.  It is well known that due to needlessly overcautious assumptions by many schemes and inflexible accounting practices, the “costs” of defined benefit pensions have risen in a totally artificial manner.  This has meant that pension schemes appear to have high deficits when in fact this has nothing to do with their underlying strengths or weaknesses.

Properly run and regulated defined benefit pension schemes are as affordable today as they have ever been. Most defined contributions schemes will not result in members getting adequate benefits when they retire. Our members will die in poverty and the taxpayers will have to subsidise bad employers for their poverty pensions.

If in the future decent defined benefit schemes are only to found in the traditional public sector then this will under mind their long term future.

This Forum calls upon Labour Link :-

To support and campaign to save all defined benefit pension schemes that we have members in from closure.

To lobby the Government to change accounting practices .

To examine the case for employers to be encouraged to seek alternative defined benefit provision in our sector and what role the Labour movement can play in this provision. In many other countries trade unions provide pensions.

To ask Labour Link to campaign within the Labour Party for a decent defined benefit pension for all".

It was accepted unanimously and selected to be one of our two regional motions submitted to the National Forum.

Afterwards there was a special joint meeting of London and Eastern England UNISON link members with guest speakers Richard Howitt, Labour Member of European Parliament and Chuka Umunna MP Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Which was followed by Q&A's which I will post upon later.

Do You Hear the People Sing? London UNISON Regional Council AGM results 2013

REGIONAL COUNCIL AGM 2013

ELECTION RESULTS

The results of the elections held at the Council AGM on 6 February 2013 are given below.  The elections were conducted, in accordance with the Regional Rules, under the single transferable voting system (STV) and were carried out by the Electoral Reform Services.

REGIONAL CONVENOR (1 to elect)

HANSON Gloria	121	Elected
THOMPSON Marsha Jane	65

DEPUTY REGIONAL CONVENOR (1 to elect)

LAWRENCE Conroy	117	Elected
WATKINS Phoebe	70

REGIONAL FINANCE CONVENOR (1 to elect)

GRAY John	124	Elected
SANGARAPILLAI Vinothan	62

                       

REGIONAL PUBLICITY OFFICER (1 to elect)

BENTLEY Lynn	116	Elected
CASHMAN Ruth	69

REGIONAL EQUALITIES CONVENOR (1 to elect)

GREEN Yvonne	125	Elected
LAWLER Gabrielle	58

REGIONAL YOUNG PERSONS CONVENOR – 1 Vacancy

SMIKLE Michaela

Automatically elected  Clean sweep. Hat tip Youtube link to CS

VICTORY: For London UNISON Centre Left

The Greater London UNISON Regional Council AGM took place today and I am pleased to report that the forces of light and reason yet again soundly defeated the Evil Ones (aka "the miserablists") and re-elected the Convenor Dream team headed by Gloria Hanson and Conroy Lawrence.  Lynn Bentley as Publicity Officer; Yvonne Green as Equalities Convenor and myself as Finance Convenor.

Many thanks for all your support London comrades!

In the meanwhile enjoy this great video and music.

TUC #Oct20 March for A Future that Works

Another fantastic Labour Movement march and rally for an alternative economic policy,” A Future that Works”. 150,000 in central London and many more in Glasgow and Belfast. The weather held out for us. It was mild and balmy with lots of sunshine. A colourful, lively, noisy but peaceful protest against the wrecking of our economy by this one trick Tory Coalition of economic illiterates. 

I was in the main UNISON component near the front of the march, going to and fro from my Housing Association branch banner to the London regional one. In picture collage below you see UNISON comrades, my local Labour MP Lyn Brown with West Ham CLP; Newham folk gathering at Stratford Station, UNISON Regional Convener Gloria Hanson, Deputy Convener Conroy Lawrence, Regional Publicity Officer Lynn Bentley and NEC member Kim Silver. See also Labour Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rachel Reeves.

We all booed Starbucks and Vodafone shops we passed by as being tax cheats and thieves.  

I heard that the selfish idiots who shamed our movement at the end of the march last year with their pointless yobbery tried to infiltrate our march this year wearing masks and were told in no uncertain terms by rank and file activists “Oi, take your masks off your cowardly b*****ds” and the 0.001%ers were “persuaded” to go forth and multiply elsewhere.

The Rally at Hyde Park was better organised than last year. Great speeches from Ed Miliband and Dave Prentice. Afterwards London region UNISON retired to the ‘spoons at Marble Arch to celebrate the March. The pub was packed out with marchers and you could not move around without finding people to argue and debate about putting the world to rights. Some made more sense than others but this is really why we were all there.

We did not march for marching sake but to make the case for an alternative economic policy. Austerity does not work. Our National debt is growing and our economy is still tanking. We need a different way to run our country.

(I'll post more pictures of the march on Facebook tomorrow).