Canning Town and Beckton visits and doorsteps

 

Today  I joined the West Ham & Beckton Labour Parliamentary candidate, James Asser, with local Councillors, Rohit and Shabs, for a tour of shops and businesses in Canning Town. James chatted to owners about issues facing them on the high street. It then absolutely poured with rain, during which I drove to the printers to pick up leaflets while James and the others took shelter in a Labour supporter home. 

The rain stopped and for a while it was blue skies and sunshine. We then went and knocked on doors in a relatively new, nearby high rise and talked to residents about what issues were important to them. 

The need for safer streets was a number one priority for both residents and local businesses.  Tory governments cut the Police of 20,000 experienced officers and the Met by over £1 billion. They are not the party of law and order.  

In the afternoon I went to knock on doors in Beckton with our council by election candidate, Blossom Young, my fellow ward Councillor John and UNISON colleague Mushtaq. Labour Friends of Bangladesh were also there to help with the door knock and we got over 150 contacts.  

Newham Labour Unions - the Right to Strike

 

Picture collage from meeting on Thursday evening at St Lukes, Canning Town. This is the second meeting in Newham of Labour Party supporters who are trade union activists. Our launch was here https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2022/10/labour-national-day-of-action-canvass.html. Unmesh Desai and myself both chaired. Some key supporters were unable to attend due to clashes. 

The focus of the meeting was opposing the Tory attempts to get rid of the basic human right to take strike action. 

Our main speaker was Michael Gavan, from the NEU union, who explained the threat but was also able to give an update on the previous day's strike action in Schools across Newham. The bill (which should be called the "sacking of nurses and teachers" Act) has passed the House of Commons but has yet to go to the House of Lords. Since it is not a Government manifesto commitment, the Lords can cause problems. But we cannot rely on the Lords or even legal challenges, we must campaign as a movement to defeat it. 

Rohit Das Gupta also gave an update on UCU industrial action and I gave one on the UNISON London Ambulance. strikes (next strike is 10 Feb).

There was also a thoughtful and constructive discussion about next steps and agreed to consider a number of proposals such as a Labour union stall outside Stratford station on the "Right to Strike", possibly combined to celebrate "Love Unions" week 13-19 Feb;WhatsApp Broadcast Group on dates and times of Newham pickets lines and protests; Supporting local strike action by CWU; writing articles for Labour movement media on what we are trying to achieve in Newham and supporting the Workers Memorial Day Event in Stratford on 28 April. 

We are hoping to arrange monthly meetings from now on rotating from West Ham to East Ham. All Newham Labour Party supporters and trade union activists welcome. 

Hat tip photos Shantu