UNISON London Regional Council AGM 2011

This morning is my third Labour Movement AGM in less than a week.  I have at least 4 more before the end of the Month.  At the London Regional Council AGM, the forces of light and reason will be battling with those of the destructive left who wish to destroy any chance of building real unity in the movement against the cuts - for example they want to hand all powers over Council finances to highly paid Chief officers to do as they see fit. 

I think we need now more than ever a Sensible Left lay leadership in the region who can unite the union across all our Service Groups and face the coming challenges of cuts, privatisation, reorganisations and direct attacks on our union.  We need an experienced, successful and proven leadership who will put the union first.  

So support Gloria and her team.

Gloria Hanson - Regional Convenor
Conroy Lawrence - Deputy Regional Convenor
John Gray - Regional Finance Convenor
Monica Hirst - Regional Equalities Convenor
Lynn Bentley - Regional Publicity Officer
Emma Rolland - Regional Young Members Convenor

UPDATE: Victory for Sensible Left slate. Full sweep. Report to follow.

CONDEM Cuts: Megan tells it as it is

SERTUC Regional Secretary, Megan Dobney (standing on left), addresses the London UNISON Regional Council (sadly inquorate - but we know why).

The usual health warning on the absolute accuracy of my rather hurried typed notes.

Megan - "...there are 3 choices facing us: 1. work for a collapse of the coalition, 2: Defeat the Coalition in a General Election or 3: "armed insurrection" (this was a Joke).

Megan realised that some of the people present would in fact want "armed insurrection".  However she pointed out that this could never happen since it was not TUC policy.  So if you wanted this to be policy you should put in a motion to next year's Trade Union Congress (knowing the limited reasoning skills of some of my readers - I will stress this was also a joke).  Option 1 is her choice: Bringing down the Coalition is more likely and we do not want to wait 5 years.

Megan believes that public services are a bulwark against barbarism.  But we have a problem opposing cuts since according to some surveys - 50% of the public support the idea of CONDEM "savage cuts" including 40% of trade union members! This show's the scale of problem. We have to explain in the teeth of the media basis, what is really going on. Why the government is wrong and cannot deal with the deficit by cutting public sector investment which is essential for growth. Cuts will lead to unfairness and recession. VAT is regressive and any increase in basic tax is so also and will not help those who due to the Bankers recession are at risk.

We should get the tax that is currently avoided and evaded.  The "Robin Hood" tax would bring in lots of money for a very small outlay.  The PCS argue convincingly that 20 thousand more tax officers jobs would bring in £20 billion in tax income.  National finance is not to be paralled with consumer budgets. You saw this last week when the German government finally paid off it war debt, it's debt from World War One! While it took us 60 years to pay off our 2nd World War debt. 

Organisation in our workplace is absolutely essential but not enough - there are 6.5 million trade Unionists but this is not sufficient  We have to work with our communities. we need to stress that public sector cuts are not just job cuts but services cuts as well.

The cancellation of the "Building Schools for the Future" resonated with many people.  They could see the cuts taking place to something they could measure and value. This not just about being a romantic opposition but about good organsiation. 

If a 1pm Club faces closures don’t wait for a demo of 9 workers outside the town hall but get service users, family, friends, shop keepers to come and protest. This is an attack on communities, not just an attack on a group of workers whose jobs might go.

We need to be aware of CSR on 19 October and the SERTUC/TUC plan to target the 150 Tory/Lib Dem MP's who are at most risk at the next General Election.  Some of them might be the most vicious towards the cuts but they are also very fond of their seats! 

Numerous other demos on 23/10/10.  Congress House rally 12-1.45. It has to be a good turnout. Megan does not want to know everyone there personally. This is crucial.

In May 2011 the Tories and Lib Dems must feel the pain.

A Marathon is not a sprint. Who knows what to expect with them at the moment. The Child benefit fury.  They didn’t expect at all the reaction that got and that is important. Also the stresses and strains over tuition. We need to be creating the understanding that allows voices to be heard.

A recentl Yougov polls may have showed that 70% want housing benefit cuts but at the same time - 60% do not want the Post Office privatised. This is an outcome of work done last year by CWU. We must do the same. Local campaigning. Unison is ideal because you have centre in every town. In the recent strikes in France there was wonderful inspiration. In one small town of 5000 - 25% of the population was on rally. In every small town thousands of people protested. This make the government realise that this is not us looking after jobs but defending the rights and needs of our communities. We are not going to win with mass rallys of polemic but by detailed work, organised work and working with communities. Finally, to finish with a chilling moment she reminded us what Cameron said at the recent Tory conference.

“Look what we have done in 5 months imagine what we can do in 5 years”.

UNISON London Regional Council 8 December 2009: CWU solidarity

Picture of London UNISON convenor Gloria Hanson at our Regional Council meeting on Tuesday giving a cheque for a £5000 to the London CWU Regional Secretary, John Denton.

This money is a donation to the London CWU official “hardship fund” from London UNISON. Even though industrial action has been suspended (for now!) London CWU members have taken over 20 days strike action and many claims for hardship from CWU members are being made.

12,500 workers lost £25 million in wages. Banks and finance companies are now threatening legal action against CWU members who have run into financial difficulty due to the strikes. To send money to the fund check detail here CWU London Divisional Committee – Hardship Fund and send to John Denton, Regional Secretary at CWU London Region, 2nd Floor, 33-41 Dallington Street, London EC1V OBB.

Look at past posts on CWU/Newham Compass meeting here and the picket line here.

Support the Mainstream not the Extreme - London UNISON Regional Council Elections 2009

Never mind the recent political excitement in America, nor even the current Derek Simpson and Kevin Coyne fight for Amicus Unite, the real exciting election Battle is about to take place on February 4th – the London Regional Council Elections!

This is a fight for the lay leadership of London UNISON. The Socialist Workers Party (SWP)dominated “United Left” (UL) is standing a slate against the forces of light and reason. The Socialist Party (SP) have even given up on their long sulk and gone crawling back to the UL even though none of their supporters are candidates. Some dirty deal over future NEC elections methinks. Fancy the SP backing the SWP!

The serious point is do we want London UNISON and its funds run by ordinary members or supporters of tiny, obscure, unrepresentative Trotsky sects?

All of the UL (Regional Council Officers) candidates work in London Town Halls, none of them work in London hospitals, colleges, utilities or the voluntary sector. No wonder other London UNISON service group activists think that UL is a Local Government club.

Now I know some of them are very sincere revolutionary activists, not that you would know it from their election statements mind! The question is, will having a union leadership which wants to on strike constantly, wants to provoke confrontation and strife at all times, which takes orders from extremist "central committees" act in the best interests of ordinary members?

I am amazed that UL cannot find any black members to stand for the top posts of convener and deputy convener? This is London for crying out loud! The current dream ticket of Gloria Hanson (Assistant Social Worker) and Conroy Lawrence (Hospital Electrician) are black activists who have done wonders for all UNISON members in London. But what message is UL sending to London black members by only fielding the UL bureaucracy white "usual suspects" as candidates for the top two positions?

The alternative I am part of is a broad base, left of centre, unity alliance of activists who represent all, repeat all parts of our great union in London. I’ll post my election statements and slate next.

Remember this is my blog and I take responsibility for my comments. If you want to have a go at me and my politics then by all means do so – having a go at others and those who can’t answer back will just end up being deleted. Rubbish in, Rubbish out.

Comrade Mercader has sent me a video on these matters that I would like to share with you. Please forward this link to any Regional Council delegates.

Earphones or speakers on!