Equality: how radical can the next Labour Government be?

Newham Compass & Fabians are holding their next event on how radical the next Labour Government will be with regard to achieving greater income equality.

This will be held on 7.30pm Tuesday 4 December 2012 at West Ham Supporters club in Green Street.

The guest speaker will be Sean Baine from the Equality Trust. The trust is "an independent, evidence based campaign working to reduce income inequality in order to improve the quality of life in the UK". It was set up by the authors of the Report "The Spirit Level".

Sean spoke at my UNISON Housing Association branch AGM early this year on the same subject. I met him again last month at the launch of Class. He is very good speaker and it should be an interesting debate.

I have a Council meeting clash that evening so might not make it. My take on this is that is the most important political issue and is central to nearly all my beliefs. Radically reducing levels of income inequality should be a key manifesto pledge.

Yet we cannot just sit back and pontificate about this but we need to get out and convince the Great British Public that this is necessary and will benefit everyone in our society. 

UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2012

Picture from my branch AGM held last week at the UNISON centre in Euston.  The branch has 3500 members working in 180 different employers in Greater London and the South East.  We organise and represent all Housing Association staff staff, whatever post they hold. Sixty per cent of branch members are women. We have over 150 elected local representatives.

I had been been re-elected (unopposed) as Branch Secretary. The guest speaker was Sean Baine from the Equality Trust who spoke on "Why inequality is bad for all of us - and what we should do about it".   Sign the "Fair London" petition calling for the London Mayor candidates to take action on income inequality in London (Ken Livingstone is the only mainstream candidate to have signed). A branch motion "Why Income Equality at Work is Better for Everyone" will be going to 2012 UNISON National Delegate Conference.

By coincidence Sean had worked with our office manager Moira in Haringay Council 30 years before (see left of picture next to our branch Chair Joel Bodmer). This was the first time they had met since then. Sean was also the CEO of Stepney Neighbourhood when I worked for Tower Hamlets (don't think we met).

Reminder: UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2012

UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM 2012

My Union Branch AGM takes place on Thursday 16 February 2012 at the new UNISON headquarters in Euston (5 minutes walk from either Euston or Kings Cross station). I have been re-elected unopposed as Branch Secretary. We will hold two separate meetings during the day and evening to try and maximise attendance.  All branch members welcome!

Our guest speaker will be Sean Baine, the Co-Chair of the London Equality Trust on "Why inequality is bad for all of us - and what we should do about it".  There is also a motion to be debated on income inequality in Housing Associations. The Equality Trust was set up by the authors of the "The Spirit Level". 

I will try to arrange a visit beforehand to the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson museum which is inside the UNISON building.