Solidarity With Striking UNISON London Ambulance Service Workers

This afternoon I joined the UNISON LAS picket outside Newham Dockside Building, which is owned and used by the Council for its services but parts of the building are leased to London Ambulance Service (LAS) as its control centre for North London. 

The strike call had been particularly solid and effective. When the LAS Branch secretary, Eddie Brand (see centre left of Mayor with his famous beard) arrived here this morning at a prearranged time, nearly the entire staff on duty walked out on strike and joined the picket. 

Other Newham Labour Councillors had visited the picket line before and after but the Labour Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz (UNISON Member) joined us and spoke a few words in support of the strikers. 

Being a responsible branch and union, I observed Eddie approach the pickets after being contacted by local management, that they needed two of the strikers to return to duty to deal with an increase in priority emergency calls, for which two volunteers promptly agreed to return. 

It was really great to chat and talk to the strikers about about the stress and strains of their job, the impact that the cost of living crisis was having on them and their families as well as national politics and the lack of a 24 hour canteen in Dockside!

On the way back I stopped off again at West Ham Ambulance Station and spoke to pickets who were braving the rain but receiving great support from car drivers hooting their horns in support. 

Double Rainbow over Newham Dockside (Is there really a pot of gold buried in East Wing?)

 

This evening I came out of Newham Dockside after a "in person/blended" Pension Committee meeting and was stunned to see a double rainbow across the skyline. 

I have seen double rainbows in the past but I have never seen the rainbow being reflected in this way by glass windows. 

It would appear that the end of the rainbow is in the East Wing of Newham Dockside. I think in the Facilities Management section. 

Newham could definetely use a (large) pot of gold. I wonder if Terry & Conrad will be there with their pick and shovels first thing tomorrow? I would expect nothing less. 

 

Royal Docks & NHS Nightingale Run

This evening I went for sunshine run (aka "very slow jog") from Newham Dockside Building to Thames Barrier across Royal Docks past the now "on standby"NHS Nightingale (Excel Centre) through Custom House back to Newham Dockside. About 4 miles-ish in around 55 minutes (including photo stops)

I was so pleased that the Excel Centre was turned into a London wide NHS Covid-19 hospital facility and so glad that it turned out that it was not really needed (so far and hopefully it never will)

I was thinking of NHS Nightingale and all our key workers during #ClapForKeyWorkers tonight. 

Newham Council Dockside Friday evening

Love it. Edited slightly to remove canopy roof (as suggested by Ali G) and with a little help from google. 

View from my office

Welcome to Newham

Mears Cats at Dockside

This evening there was an action outside Newham Dockside by the People's Empowerment Alliance for Custom House (PEACH) led by Mears Cats.

Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, was at a Youth Board meeting in Stratford and asked me to go and speak to the protesters. The action was about the slowness of the Council to progress the agreed transfer of short-life homes into housing cooperatives. Now I know the full facts, I think we do owe PEACH an apology for not being quick enough (and most importantly, not keeping them up-to-date with what is going on)

The next meeting with PEACH and the Mayor will be on 30 May and I am sure that we will be much closer to sorting things out by then.

Picture college of today and past actions with PEACH, the Mayor and Mears Cats.

Dusk from 4th floor of Newham Dockside last Friday evening

Fantastic view of East London from Newham Dockside Building 1000

Showing solidarity at UNISON stall Newham Council Dockside Building

I stopped yesterday at the UNISON stall at Newham Dockside building to chat with colleagues and especially our top UNISON Branch Chair, Kim Silver. UNISON is by far the largest trade union in Newham (and of course the best) and is also now the biggest union in the country with some 1.3 million members.

We discussed the exciting news that after so many years of UNISON campaigning and also thanks to the commitment of our new Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, Newham will finally become not only a London Living Wage employer but also sign the UNISON Ethical Care Charter.

Up to 1000 Newham care workers, mostly female and black residents, who are currently suffering poverty pay will have a pay rise of up to £100 per week, proper training and occupational sick pay. All new Newham Council contracts will require a London Living wage. Newham will become a Community Wealth Building Council and campaign for all employers in Newham to stop paying poverty wages.

Kim is Newham Custom House born and bred. As well as being a UNISON branch officer, anti-poverty and disability advocate she is also a local magistrate! She is your genuine grassroots Labour movement activist.

I am so proud to call her my comrade, even though in our new respective roles, we will not always agree and no doubt she will give me a severe ear bashing (or far worse) from time to time.