Trade Union Phonebank. Join the calls for change!☎️

 

Back from visit to North Wales (mostly related to family issues) and now home in East London and ready for the fray. 

I hope to attend this Labour Unions for Labour phone bank TRADE UNION PHONEBANK – MONDAY 10 JUNE, 6-8PM | Labour Unions and organise others for London UNISON Labour Link members (and of course West Ham and Beckton)

LabourUnions

@labourunionsuk

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1h

Trade Union Phonebank. Join the calls for change! The #NewDeal for Working People only happens if we win a Labour Government. Let’s win it together. June 10 6-8 PM Central London Limited spots!

London Labour Conference 2024

Recovering from a busy weekend at the London Labour annual conference, as a UNISON Labour Link delegate. I arrived late on Saturday due to advice surgery commitment and missed keynote speakers David Lammy MP and Ellie Reeves MP. 

The venue was packed and a large number of stalls outside conference hall. There was definitely a positive conference buzz but also a recognition that the London Mayoral and GLA election in May (only 60 days away) will be tough and bloody since the Tories have resorted to the sewer in a desperate bid to avoid defeat. The Forthcoming General election will be equally vile. 

During lunch there was a great fringe organised by Labour Unions on the "New Deal for Working Parties" commitment. Our UNISON regional secretary, Jo Galloway, took part in the panel debate. 

Later there was another very interesting panel debate on AI and I asked the question that while I am not a luddite and welcome most technological change, there is a genuine real concern about AI being used to replace human face to face contact (I am a housing officer and there is a move to not meet residents in person but instead communicate via email and telephone) and that many back office workers face job insecurity from AI. We must have a "Just transition" and protect vulnerable workers. 

I also attended a useful seminar on election campaigning, there is a new script for door knocking and look forward to trying it out. 

The outstanding item yesterday was the speech to conference by London Mayor, Sadiq Khan. He arrived with no fanfare and started speaking to delegates and shaking hands (and being asked to pose for many selfies!) - See main picture in collage. The London Labour Movement "love" for Sadiq, was to me, pretty obvious. The many dreadful and disgusting comments made against him in recent days by senior Tories must have taken their toll on him and his family, but he is fighting back and gave a passionate and rousing speech which inspired and enthused conference. 

After conference there was a fund raising dinner with further speeches and the inevitable Labour raffle, where I continued with my run of luck in these events, by winning the book "Tribes" by David Lammy MP, which I look forward to reading. 

Conference started at 9am this morning (Sunday) and for some reason I needed lots of coffee to keep me up to speed. 

There was a number of great debates and speeches (including another panel debate on the importance of "New Deal"). I enjoyed the good humoured and intelligent presentation by Sadiq's campaign manager Matthew Greenough, (Known apparently in London circles as "Welsh Matt", who to my extreme pleasure, repeated a famous saying by St David in Welsh)

He was also in another panel debate on the GLA election, where I asked the question should we respond to the awful and disgusting racist comments, by trolls that are made on nearly every tweet Sadiq makes? He said "no", it will just amplify these hateful messages which is what they want and instead concentrate on the many positive things that Sadiq is doing to improve the everyday lives of Londoners. 

Later GLA London Labour Group Leader, Len Duvall, spoke about the "Battle of Ideas" that is going on in this campaign, while the closing speech was by local MP, Rushanara Ali, who called out the "Shame of the desperate Talking talking down her Borough...no longer is there "dog whistle" politics, it's now a fog horn"

There was a number of other fantastic contributions by many other speakers and delegates that I haven't listed. 

My final comment is to thank the London affiliated unions for electing me to the London Labour Party Regional Executive Committee, which  I look forward to serving upon. 

Vote Labour & Vote Labour Movement Family

Yesterday evening I joined a UNISON Labour Link telecanvassing session (via dialogue software) for Peter Hannell, who is a para medic and a elected UNISON committee member of Greater London Labour Link. He is standing to be a Labour Councillor in Bennetts End ward in Dacorum Borough Council (Herts).

This evening I did another session for Lola Oyewusi, who is a housing worker and another UNISON Labour Link Committee member, who is standing in Walderslade ward, Tonbridge & Malling (Kent).

Both sessions went well and we got a majority of Labour contacts and also positive feedback from voters who had met the candidates while they were out door knocking. I also talked to former life long Tory voters who pledged to never vote Conservative ever again, after the "shambles" of the last few years.

Telecanvassing can be very difficult and frustrating, since there are so many people who screen calls (for understandable reasons) but by being persistent tonight I was able to make 64 calls and get 33 survey results in one hour. Probably far more than if I had been door knocking. I also had many decent political conversations (and a couple of "difficult" ones) with residents. While I much prefer face to face contact, dialogue can clearly work. 

Good luck to all Labour candidates tomorrow and let us send a message that this Tory Government needs to go - and go very soon. 

Newham Labour Unions - the Right to Strike - Thursday 2 Feb 23

This is our 2nd meeting to organise and rally Labour Party supporting trade union branches and activists in Newham. The Tory Government threats to the basic human right of taking strike action simply  must be opposed. Find out more about what is at stake and what we can do about it. 

All Labour Party trade union supporters welcome (including everyone whose union is not currently affiliated to the Labour Party but you are still a supporter)

Thursday 2nd Feb at St Lukes Centre, Canning Town, E16 1HN 6.45pm

Labour National Day of Action Canvass and Newham Labour Unions feedback on Lab22 Conference

 

Yesterday was a bit busy. In morning I helped out my UNISON branch to empty its office in Holloway Road then in the afternoon, I was a panel speaker at an informal feedback session in Newham to talk to Labour Union members on the recent Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. 

Well done to Panel Chair (and organiser) Liz Booker and my fellow panelists Unmesh Desai (our local London Assembly member and GMB activist) and Rita Chadha (Community) for their excellent presentations. There was a wide range of people in the audience who challenged us with really good questions and comments. Local East Ham MP, Stephen Timms, spoke at the end with his thoughts on Conference and "recent" political events.

In my introductory remarks I described what I believe the unions want from the Labour Party (win power at Westminster to protect us from hostile judges  and employers!) and also how I became a UNISON Labour Link delegate at the recent conference and what we did as delegates. 

I told my very favourite quote from former TGWU  union leader, Jack Jones, who when he was asked if could ever imagine the unions becoming divorced from the Labour Party, he replied "Divorce? Never. Murder, often"

After the feedback, we were split into 2 canvass teams and I went out in East Ham to speak to residents with Stephen and all the 3 local ward Councillor members. On the whole it was a very positive canvass and residents seemed pleased to see us coming to them, knocking on doors and speaking to them. 

"The Tories are driving our country, our currency and our communities into the ground".

It’s vital we put a stop to them.

That’s why I’m standing to be Kensington’s next Labour MP. http://www.metecoban.com

Labour Party Conference 2022 (& plug for fringe ‘Levelling up net zero: How can we invest in a fair and just transition?’)

 

Labour Party conference starts on Sunday in Liverpool and I am looking forward to being one of the two elected UNISON Labour Link delegates for Greater London. I will post when I can.

However, quick plug with a different hat for a fringe I will be speaking at on behalf of the Local Government Pension Fund Forum. 

Levelling up net zero: How can we invest in a fair and just transition?’

Labour Party Conference fringe meeting

Monday 26 September at 12:30 to 13:30

Hall 2, Room 4, ACC Liverpool

CHAIR 

·         Paul Hackett, Director, the Smith Institute

SPEAKERS

·         Olivia Blake MP, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Net Zero

·         Professor Nick Robins, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, LSE

·         Cllr John Gray, Vice-Chair, Local Authority Pension Fund Forum

"Thank you for your support UNISON" KAM RAI for Chingford & Woodford Green

"Proud to be backed by my union @unisontheunion to be Labour's candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green. 

With the Tory cost of living crisis hitting workers hard, I'll always stand with the trade union movement to fight for fair pay and conditions. 

http://kamrai.co.uk"

Kam is a hugely impressive candidate who stood out in an exceptionally strong field seeking Greater London UNISON Labour Link nomination. He will make a great MP. 

John Gray

Chair UNISON Greater London Labour Link

London UNISON Labour Link phone bank with Abena Oppong-Asare MP

 
Photo (hat tip @iamritabegum) from tonight's Greater London UNISON Labour Link sponsored phone bank for the London Mayor and Assembly elections. I was pleased as elected Chair of the regional Labour Link committee to welcome long standing UNISON activist Abena to address the session on the importance of re-electing Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan and a Labour Assembly victory in May. 

I was also very pleased that we had another old union comrade, TSSA ringer, Sam Tarry MP also present! 

Many thanks for UNISON @JackTMPhipps for organising. 

Next week in Newham the Labour unions are planning another telephone bank session with our local East London & City Labour candidate, Unmesh Desai. 

Vote Murad Qureshi For GLA List (Last chance - Poll closes Wednesday at 12 noon)

Labour ballots close Wednesday - Please help me get back on the GLA & take the fight to the Tories

"Dear Member,

Reminder: Deadline to vote is 12 noon on Wednesday 19th February

Murad Qureshi

Please make every effort to vote if you have not done so already. Please remember that the email address you are looking for is takepart@cesvotes.com. If you have not had this yet, please check your spam and junk folders as it may be there, and check that your firewall is not blocking it....

...Contact londonassembly@labour.org.uk if you have any queries.

Regards,

Procedures Secretary
London Assembly Selections Committee

Murad for the London Assembly

(Murad is a former member of my branch and being supported by Greater London UNISON Labour Link)

"Boris Johnson 's government is pursuing a divisive and reactionary agenda across the board.

We must stand shoulder to shoulder with all those communities, trade unions, migrants and others resisting the Tory attacks.

Now is the time to unite our party, take the fight to the Tories, get Sadiq Khan re-elected and secure a London for the many, not the few.

Having served as an Assembly Member (AM) until 2016, I want to get back into City Hall to stand up for Londoners.

As an experienced campaigner, I have a proven track record of working against austerity and privatisation. Working with Trade Unions and local Labour Groups I helped save fire stations from austerity cuts and post offices from closure.

I believe Labour must continue to oppose cuts and support investment in our future, including through extending public ownership and a green new deal.

As Jeremy Corbyn’s successor as Chair of the Stop the War Coalition, I have been at the forefront of the anti-Trump marches.

We will continue these protests every time he comes to our shores and oppose his attacks on our Mayor.

We must continue to stand up to hate and for unity, not division.

I also want to continue working with all the campaigns l have been involved with on tackling the climate emergency - against expansion of airports in London like Heathrow and City Airport, for improvements in air quality and reductions in noise pollution.

As the inspirational student climate strikers showed us, we need a politics that puts people and planet - not private profit - first.

I'd like to thank all the CLPs who nominated me and everyone who has supported my campaign so far, including the CWU and UNISON Labour Link Greater London regions, London Labour Left, Socialist Health Association, plus MPs Andy Slaughter, John McDonnell, Diane Abbott & Council Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham, Cllr Stephen Cowan.

A better world is possible. Please give me your support.

#MuradforLondon

“As AM, Murad worked tirelessly to fight Mayor Johnson’s proposed cuts to police and fire stations. Indeed the team at North Ken fire station, the first team to the Grenfell Tower fire over two years ago, have acknowledged that he was probably instrumental in saving their station.

Murad has the rare qualities of understanding issues and problems from all quarters of our unequal society with empathy and kindness, while being able to grasp complex issues and how best to lobby, argue and petition the appropriate people at the right time.

I have no hesitation for endorsing Murad as a GLA candidate”
Emma Dent Coad of Kensington

Greater London UNISON Labour Link supports Kent candidates in Gravesham and Chatham Thursday 2 May 2019

There is no Council elections in London this year so we asked our next door regional UNISON Labour link comrades to recommend where London UNISON members could go on Thursday.

So far 2 requests both in Kent :-

1."London Labour Link Colleagues,

We have been asked to help out on election day in Gravesham in South East Region.

If you are free on 2 May and are able to travel to Gravesham you will be picked up and dropped off from the station.

They will be out door knocking from 9am until the close of poll, and any time during the day that you are able to help would be appreciated.

We can cover any travel expenses you may incur, and food and drink will be laid on locally.

If you wanted to travel directly there by car the committee rooms that have been booked are at the following locations; the Northfleet and Gravesend West Committee Room is 62 New House Lane, Northfleet, Kent, DA11 7JN which will be the key focus as they also have a Kent County Council by-election. The 2nd address for Gravesham East is 4 Kenia Walk, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 4HN.

Contact details for the day will be Shane Mochrie-Cox 0782 455 2520.

If you are able to help out on this day, please reply with the following info;

- What times you could help (eg. From 11am – 2pm)

- Whether you would prefer to travel by train and will need picking up, or if you will travel by car

- A contact number for you, so you can be contacted on the day if necessary"

2. Also my UNISON branch assistant secretary Lola is also standing near Chatham:-)

"You can get trains directly from Kings cross St pancreas platform 11 high speed to Chatham station and then take a taxi to the address. Bus 155 also from Chatham not that reliable takes you to the village. You can get trains from Victoria & London Bridge station to Chatham. Not an Oyster route . We don’t have a campaign coordinator we are doing everything by ourselves.

330 pilgrims Way Wouldham ME1 3RB. Park the car towards the Borstal end of the lay-by opposite. Up the steps in the middle (call me when you arrive if you need help climbing them). It’s the dark green one. Lola”

Labour rebuilding Burham and Wouldham - May Council elections

Today I attended the UNISON National Labour Link Committee and offered support for Labour Council candidates, who are standing in May 2 in our UNISON East and South East regions. London does not have any "planned" elections this year, so we hope that London activists will go and help out comrades elsewhere.

The Eastern and South East regional reps present were more than happy with this offer.

In the meanwhile may I pass on a plea for help by my UNISON branch assistant secretary, Lola Oyewusi, who is standing in Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council for Labour. It is currently a Tory ward but anyone who underestimates Lola - does so at their peril!

Obviously we will target marginals but I will be off to Kent at some stage to help out my branch colleague.

Check https://twitter.com/lab_ton_malling?lang=en  and https://www.facebook.com/LabTonMalling/

London Region at UNISON National Labour Link Forum 2018

Picture College of the London delegation at work and at play while at the national forum earlier this month in Newcastle for the UNISON Labour Link political fund that supports the Labour Party.

I am the London Regional Chair but was at forum as an elected representative of the NEC on the National Labour Link committee.

I was really pleased how many London speakers spoke at the forum. Not just the usual suspects this time (but how many times did Doreen speak?)

UNISON Labour Link nominate Faiza Shaheen for Chingford & Woodford Green

Greater London UNISON Labour Link have  given a supportive nomination to Faiza Shebeen to be the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the seat. There were a number of excellent UNISON members seeking nomination. I have seen Faiza speak at a number of Class events (the Labour movement think tank where she works as its director) and I think she will make a great local PPC to take the seat away from Ian Duncan Smith.

"UNISON does phenomenal work fighting for public sector workers in the face of Tory attacks. Years of cuts and pay freezes must end - and we need a Labour government to turn it around.

As the candidate for CWG, I will be working closely with UNISON members to campaign for fair pay and public sector investment, and I am really grateful for their support in this selection".

Janet Daby selected as Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Lewisham East By Election

Congratulations to UNISON Labour Link nominated candidate, Janet Daby, for her convincing win today.

Janet won 63% of the vote to become the Labour Party Parliamentary candidate in the forthcoming by election. Well done to Janet and her team of supporters. Commiserations to the other candidates.

Many thanks for her kind comments about the support that UNISON was able to give her.

We have been able to support a number of different successful candidates recently in London.

I have already received an email from the Labour Party asking (I assume to all West Ham CLPers) to canvass at the following dates:-

Let's get teams out to support her.  I assume some evening slots will be available soon.


         
           Sunday 20th May at 2pm, meeting at Grove Park station


·         Monday 21st May at 2.30pm, meeting at Grove Park station

·         Tuesday 22nd May at 2.30pm, meeting at the Burnt Ash Hill Methodist Church on Burnt Ash Hill

·         Wednesday 23rd May at 2.30pm, meeting at Grove Park station

·         Thursday 24th May at 2.30pm, meeting at the Burnt Ash Hill Methodist Church on Burnt Ash Hill

·         Friday 25th May at 10.30am, meeting at the Burnt Ash Hill Methodist Church on Burnt Ash Hill

·         Saturday 26th May at 4pm, meeting at the Crown Pub, Burnt Ash Hill

·         Sunday 27th May at 2pm, meeting at the Crown Pub, Burnt Ash Hill

UNISON Greater London Labour Regional Committee AGM 2018 (& Supporting free school meals!)

Today I was re-elected unopposed as the Chair of the UNISON political fund in London that supports the Labour Party for a 2 year term.

I was really pleased that long standing Committee member Yvonne Green was elected as the Vice Chair.

Yvonne is also our well respected Regional Convenor as well as a being a UNISON branch secretary and Chair of a Labour Party Local Campaign Forum.

UNISON is now the largest trade union in the UK and Greater London is one of our biggest regions.

At the AGM London Assembly member, Fiona   Twycross,  gave us an excellent report on the Greater London Assembly.

Her online petition
"Protect Free School Meals - hungry children do not learn" now has 280,000 signatures. Please click and sign (then share) 

UNISON and Unite have officially endorsed Rokhsana Fiaz as the Labour candidate for Newham Mayor

Both UNISON and Unite have officially endorsed Rokhsana Fiaz as the Labour candidate for Newham Mayor in May.

Unison “Greater London Region UNISON Labour Link is pleased to support our union member, Rokhsana Fiaz, to be the next Labour candidate to be Mayor of Newham. Rokhsana’s manifesto is fresh, innovative and full of policies that Unison supports including building more homes at social rent & insourcing of public services”.
Yvonne Green, Greater London UNISON Convenor 

Unite: “Unite are pleased to support Rokhsana Fiaz in the selection as Labour candidate for Newham Mayor”

Jim Kelly, Chair Unite London & South Eastern Region

It is time to build Newham’s future together: Please get in touch, Rokhsana would like to hear from you

Mail info@rokhsana.org: Tweet @rokhsanafiaz Web: Rokhsana.org Face Book: @Rokshana4Newham 

Promoted by John Gray, on behalf of Rokhsana Fiaz who is seeking to become Labour’s candidate for the Mayor of Newham, at 59a Woodford Road, London E7 0DJ

Thank you from Murad Qureshi AM

"An experienced candidate, who can stand-up for East London". Congratulations to UNISON Nominee, Murad Qureshi, for gaining a CLP nomination and being on the ballot paper for City & East.

The role of a London Assembly member is to represent their constituents and hold the Mayor to account. To do this effectively you have to be experienced, honest, organised and competent. Murad has these attributes. Below is his latest flyer.

    "Thank you the nomination.

As a sitting Assembly Member, l can get on with the job of standing up for City and East London straight away, for example through constituent work and scrutinising the Mayor. All this while making the case for more public resources for this very large and diverse constituency. Recent examples of scrutinising the Mayor include how he wasted council tax monies when he brought the water cannons and his denial of how money laundering in London is affecting the housing market. Constituent work include representing  Londoners against a huge development casting a shade over their homes and getting the Mayor to tackle underground tube noises for residents before the 24 hour service on the tube is running. Critically London’s population explosion will be greatly felt in City & East and it will need the infrastructure to cope. This case needs to be made now before a new Mayor comes in and as a sitting AM l am well placed to argue for transport infrastructural investment on the roads to the buses, a lot more housing initiatives for East Enders to be housed, protecting & defending public services like the Police & Fire Service - and making sure all this doesn’t adversely impact on peoples quality of life like breathing polluted air. To do this, l will work with our colleagues in local government in all three Labour held boroughs and the City of London; the wider labour movement like the Unions and Co-op Party; party members from all the CLPs and take a strategic approach to the issues important to all of us. MURAD QURESHI AM

Branch Labour Link News: Leadership; London GLA & National Committee elections

NEWS

To APF payers in Greater London Housing Associations Branch

With so much going on I thought this would be a useful time to update APF payers in the branch on recent Labour Link activity.

·         LABOUR LEADER & DEPUTY LEADER ELECTION

The National UNISON Labour Link Committee met on Wednesday and decided to nominate Jeremy Corbyn for Leader of the Labour Party, with Yvette Cooper as second choice.    For Deputy Leader UNISON will nominate Angela Eagle with Stella Creasy as second choice.

This was after consultation with all regions.  In London APF payers were sent an electronic survey and encouraged to give their views on their preferred candidate for both Leader and Deputy Leader (as did the branch survey). 

In the past all UNISON APF payers would have received a vote in the ballot to elect the Leader and Deputy but following the Collins Review this has changed.  Now only members that have signed up to become a UNISON Affiliated Supporter will be eligible to vote alongside Labour Party members.

Anyone who supports Labour's aims and values is entitled to sign up.  You don’t need to be a Labour Party member it’s free, quick and easy to do.  To register and find out more go to http://support.labour.org.uk/.   The deadline to register is 12 noon on Friday 12 August. 

UNISON’s decision to nominate Jeremy and Angela is a recommendation and members are of course free to cast their vote as to who they think should lead the Labour Party.

·         LONDON MAYOR & GLA CANDIDATES

UNISON Affiliated Supporters who register will also get a vote in deciding Labour’s London Mayoral Candidate and Greater London Assembly members. UNISON London Labour Link decided to make no recommendation for London Mayor but there are three UNISON members standing who will make excellent candidates and I would urge registered affiliated members to consider supporting either Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan or David Lammy. 

UNISON have nominated GLA candidates Murad Qureshi for City and East and Ivana Bartoletti for Havering & Redbridge who have been nominated and will be on the ballot paper. Members eligible to vote in may wish to consider supporting these UNISON candidates.

·         NATIONAL LABOUR LINK COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

The London region has one representative on UNISON’s National Labour Link Committee.  A process is currently underway to elect the London rep for the next two years. 

Our branch nominated Deirdre Costigan to represent the views of APF payers across London.

Within the next day or so you will receive a ballot paper to your home address.  I would encourage you to use your vote and return it without delay in the pre-paid envelope.  The ballot will close on Friday 25 September. 

If for any reason you do not receive a ballot paper by 18 August you should contact the ballot helpline at UNISON Direct on 0800 0 857 857.

·         GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN LABOUR LINK

You are receiving this email as an APF payer in the branch.  If you’d like to find out more about getting more involved in UNISON Labour Link or representing the branch at your CLP (if you are a Labour Party member) please get in contact.

·         JOIN THE LABOUR PARTY

Finally, if you are interested in joining the Labour Party you can do this for a reduced trade union rate of just £1.96 per month by going to https://join.labour.org.uk/

If anyone wants to clarify any please email me or ring.

Regards

John Gray

Branch Labour Link Officer