UNISON Greater London Labour Link Forum 2018: Speaker Joe Cox "Unions Together"

This picture is from last weeks joint meeting with UNISON Labour Link Greater London & Eastern Region Annual Forum. This took place in the UNISON centre in Euston Road, London.

I had chaired the Greater London Forum meeting beforehand. I really think that there such an excitement about Labour politics currently and that all unions should use this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to recruit and organise.

The Guest speaker was Joe Cox from "Unions together". He gave a powerful speech (see text below).

"Good morning colleagues and comrades.

Thanks for inviting me here and thanks for everything you do in your workplaces and for the Labour Party.

My name’s Joe and I’m from TULO – The National Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation or unionstogether as we are known more commonly.

We have two roles:

- To be the voice of the 12 affiliated unions within the Labour Party

- To campaign for a Labour government in the TU movement because we believe that only a Labour government will govern in the interests of working people and their families.

Right now the choice between a Labour Party that will govern for the many and a Tory government which govern for the few couldn’t be starker.

And the consequences could not be bigger.

I’d like to take a few minutes of your time today to encourage you to do everything you can to send a message to the Tories at these local elections on May 3rd.

I’d like to start by taking you back to April 2017.

I was in Labour HQ when Theresa May called the general election.

You can imagine the reaction.

We were all extremely calm and hugely delighted.

Let’s not forget, we were 21% behind in the polls.

What transpired was for my money the most incredible general election campaign in post-war history.

The general election campaign showed the Labour movement at its best.

- A bold manifesto which gave hope to millions

- A newly enthused influx of Party members and trade unionists campaigning up and down the country

- A trade union movement that provided the grounding and insight of working people as well as resources the party needs

During the campaign the Labour Party tapped into a growing sense of anxiety and frustration.

Britain is the 5th richest country in the world…

…But working people are poorer than they were 8 years ago

Britain is the 5th richest country in the world…

…But working people are under increased pressure to deliver more for less in their workplaces.

Britain is the 5th richest country in the world…

…But homelessness is increasing.

Britain is the 5th richest country in the world...

...But life expectancy in our poorest communities is going down

Britain is the 5th richest country in the world…

...But under the Tories more children are in poverty, our NHS is failing and our schools and social care are in crisis.

More and more people feel that the system is rigged against them, but in 2017 the Labour Party, you, gave people hope that things could be different.

Fast forward to March 2018 and it’s all too easy to forget that we have made huge strides forward.

We are neck and neck with the Tories and we are the biggest political party in Western Europe.

And with local elections on May 3rd now is the time to build on last year’s successes.

Because we know what a difference Labour councils make:

- Over 89 Labour councils paying the living wage

- Over 30 councils have signed UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter providing dignity for those in care and for care workers

- Newham Council providing free school meals for all primary school students

- Islington Council delivering 2,000 genuinely affordable homes by 2019

- Oldham Council introducing a licensing scheme for private landlords to stamp out the letting of poor quality accommodation

- Preston Council buying locally to support 1,600 jobs and keeping wealth in the local community

Many more Labour councils doing extraordinary things under really difficult circumstances.

Labour councillors - the foundation stone to forming the next Labour government.

The Labour Party was born from the trade unions in 1900 because working people needed a collective political voice.

They needed a collective voice that could compete with the power of capital, bosses, business and landlords.

Working together TU’s and the Labour Party have achieved so much.

- The formation of the NHS in 1945

- The first Equal Pay Act in 1970

- The minimum wage and rights to paid holiday in 1998

- The Equality Act 2010

So much has changed since 1900 and yet so much has remained the same.

In the run up to the snap election in 2017 the Tories received the following donations:

Andrew Law, hedge fund manager - £250k

Steven Parkin, logistics mogul – £250k

Mark Coombs, investment manager - £300k

John Griffin, owner of Addison Lee - £900k

John Gore, theatre producer - £1 million

John Armitage, hedge fund manager - £1million

The Conservative Party, the party of the rich, for the rich, by the rich.

They might have the money but we have the people.

We have people like yourself that deliver public services day in and day out. You know what Tory failure means on the ground. You are best placed to persuade colleagues, neighbours, family and friends that voting Labour can improve their lives.

So let’s use this opportunity to send a message to the Tories.

Let’s use these elections to say to voters:

Vote Labour to give local government the funding it needs

Vote Labour for real action to tackle the housing crisis

Vote Labour for a world class education for all

Vote Labour for safer communities

Vote Labour to give working people the pay rise they deserve

Vote Labour to give the NHS and Social Care the funding it needs

Vote Labour – for the many, not the few."

Tired of the TORIES? LABOUR put working people, & their families, FIRST. 5 reasons to REGISTER to vote TODAY

This is a great flyer sent out today by Unions Together.  Which I will be taking with me and use to encourage trade union members & constituents to register to vote. Just scan the code and register.

Proud Union Labour Activists

This collage is from the "Unions together" TULO Rally in London on Monday. Last week Ed Miliband and UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, spoke at the national TULO rally in Birmingham with over 1000 union members present.

General secretary of the GMB, Paul Kenny, was the first main speaker and he compared the huge number of people who are now forced to beg for insecure jobs on poverty wages with what happened in the London Docks in the 19th century. He pointed out that the Sunday Times Rich list reported that the personal wealth of the richest had doubled since 2010 while working people have had their income slashed. He condemned UKIP for attacking the exploited and not the exploiters.

Next was Jack Elliot, a GMB member and grass roots Labour Party activist, who first voted in 1945. He attacked the ultra left Party TUSC for betraying workers, working with racists and doing what they can to let the Tories win. To loud cheers, he told us that "he had a go" at the Trotskyist newspaper sellers outside as he came in.  He called for a real unity of all things and vote Labour.

UNISON Branch secretary Emine Ibrahim spoke passionately about the 18% cut in wages in real terms for Council staff since 2010. How her members cannot pay their bills and rely on loan sharks to survive until pay day. She called on all of us to work in the marginal seats to bring about a Labour victory.

Unite General Secretary, Len McCluskey, urged all union members to vote Labour and get rid of the Tories. The Tories are the party of fear while Labour is the party of hope. Reject the Tory path to food bank and rip off Britain. Make sure the super rich and corporate elite pay their bloody taxes! Ed Miliband and Labour put hope back into politics. Vote for Change. Vote Labour and kick the Tories out and build a better Britain.

London Assembly member, Tom Copley, described his job has trying to keep his eye on Boris as London Mayor. A difficult job since Boris he is rarely at his post as Mayor. Tom urged union members to remember the 11 million people who rent their homes from private landlords and how important it is for them to have a Labour government, who will cap rent rises and introduce 3 year tenancies.

Manuel Cortes, from the railway union TSSA believes that Labour leader Ed Miliband will rebalance our society and economy away from the interests of the top 1,000, who have increased their wealth by £250 billion since 2010. He is really pleased that Labour have promised an industrial policy if they win power.

He reminded us that Ed has said that it is not leaders that change the world but movements.

TUC General Secretary, Frances O'Grady, began by stating that she was proud to be the daughter of immigrants and proud of the role that people like her mother made to the NHS as a nurse. She looked forward to a Labour government introducing worker reps on company remuneration committees to stop greed at the top. She thought the Tories claim to be "the workers party" as convincing as Cameron's claim to support West Ham FC.

Last speaker was Uma Kumaran, the Labour candidate for Harrow East in London. When she speaks to people and says she is a trade unionist, some say she doesn't look like one. She replies that it does not matter what you look like to be a trade unionist but do you believe in common decency for all and standing together in order to achieve it.  

Unions together for Labour: Rally for your rights - London Monday 27 April 2015

"Fight for your rights and join us at our Central London rally as we campaign to stop the sell-off of our NHS, for secure jobs – tackling insecurity and abolishing zero hour contracts, decent wages, rights at works –making employment justice a right not a privilege and solving the cost of living crisis.

In the most unpredictable election in a generation, the issues which matter to us could hang by a thread; by a few votes in the most marginal constituencies.

We will hear tub-thumping speeches from TUC General Secretary, Frances O’Grady, GMB’s Paul Kenny and TSSA’s Manuel Cortes as well as Harrow East Labour’s Uma Kumaran and more speakers yet to be announced!

This our last chance, as trade-unionists, to come together, and rally to stop the Tories by signing up to campaign for Labour where it’s most needed in the final stretches of the general election campaign.

Join us on the 27 April! Bring your trade union banners!

WHEN

April 27, 2015 at 6pm - 9pm

WHERE

University of London Union
Malet Street
London WC1E 7HY
United Kingdom
Google map and directions"

To attend you must RSVP here 

It's time to choose Labour #ED4PM

It will soon be time to choose. Who do you want as Prime Minster for the next 5 years. Cameron or Ed. "Unions together" (TULO) are reminding workers of the choices. Do they really want another 5 years of right wing, pro rich and anti worker policies?

The Manifesto for Change - Call for Trade Unionist's to Vote Labour

Great video from Trade Unions for Labour (TULO) on the Labour Party "Manifesto for Change". A quietly spoken, Paul Kenny, from the GMB asks trade unionists to "When it comes to Vote, Vote Labour, no other Party, No other movement is going to deliver that change for you"

Don't Let UKIP steal what matters to you.

Check out this poster from Unions Together (TULO).  People just do not appreciate how anti British worker and economically right wing is the ultra Tory UKIP.

"Chairman of TULO and leader of the GMB union, Paul Kenny, warned that “Nigel Farage is just another banker, trying to flog his snake oil while forgetting to tell us about the small print...

He really does not want people knowing that UKIP will take Britain’s working people back to the dark ages, scrapping basic rights we fought hard for and relied upon by the 31 million workers in this country to make life fairer like maternity leave, sick pay, and paid holiday leave".

Great British Rip Off

Last month I went to the "Great British Rip Off" debate at the House of Commons. Sponsored by "Unions Together"; "Class" and the Parliamentary "Trade Union Group".

The excellent Katy Clark MP, from Trade Union Group of MPs Chaired (apologies for not getting her into picture!).

Zoe Williams from the Guardian was the first to speak (2nd left - another useless photo by me). She thought tonight that she was speaking to the converted on why inequality is "bad" but she doesn't understand why the Tories don't get that despite the economy picking up on GDP, inequality is still growing? Wages have not gone up since 2003. 

There is 500k "self employed" who are not really employed but playing the benefit system and then another 500k on insecure "0 hour" contracts, then 150k on unpaid placements.  People are not being paid enough. They cannot buy enough. There is not enough demand and ideology is hamstringing the economy.

Tories would rather have a weak economy than free collective bargaining,

Even a living wage for all will not solve housing crisis. Housing is not affordable even on a high wage. So many cannot afford housing then something radical may actually happen. Solution is collective bargaining, land tax and collective housing provision.

Next was Sadiq Khan MP who agreed that we have seen a Great British Rip off in recent years. The most wealthy have increased their wealth while the poorest have become even poorer. 28% of Londoners live in poverty despite 60% of them being in work. 

In his constituency of Tooting he has many houses worth £1 million plus but it also has food banks.The last Labour government spent money on improving the housing stock but did not spend enough on building new homes. A future Labour government will build 200,000 new homes per year by the end of its term.

Sadiq noted that in most successful countries there is more collective bargaining over pay (I will ignore the silly interpretation that a branch of the stupid Party online made about his comments)

Matthew Pennycook, the Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Greenwich and Woolwich was next. He reminded us that for the first time, the majority of people in poverty were in work. Since the election the average family is worse off by £1600 per year. Stagnant wages have caused a massive cost of living crisis.

A living wage is part of the solution but not the silver bullet. We also need affordable child care and (real) affordable rents.

Final speaker was the General Secretary of the TUC, Frances O'Grady. 

Frances asked for not a plaster but to address the root cause of poverty. Which is giving Billions to subsidise poverty wages to employers who can afford to pay more. We need a fair share of wealth in this country and a right to bargain. We need wage councils or "Fair Pay" councils (whatever you want to call it) who can work on the whole pay package.

We need a new economy, a  fair economy and in tribute to the RMT trade union leader, Bob Crow who died recently, we need greater public ownership. 

Frances finished by quoting Docker trade union leader (and former Newham Labour Councillor) Vic Turner, who when asked what trade unionism is all about answered "its about working class people looking after each other".

(usual disclaimer about the absolute accuracy of my hurried note-taking)

#Lab13 Unions Together Reception

Straight after close of conference yesterday I went to a packed "Unions Together" reception.

The Chair of the Parliamentary Trade Union Group, Ian Lavery MP spoke first and called for us not to be divided but to unite and remember who the real enemy is - the Tories.

This was followed by a trade union speaker from Columbia who thanked the Labour Party and the trade unions for their support and solidarity against their oppression.

After his speech, GMB General Secretary, Paul Kenny made a brilliant intervention by reminding people chatting at the back of the room that if everyone here (400 people?) were trade unionists in Columbia, over the course of 10 years -  two thirds of you would be dead.

Ed Miliband (above) in his well received speech, stressing the repeal of bedroom tax, action on blacklisting and zero hour contracts.  He spoke about meeting a Labour Party member who was 107 years old and had took part in the famous Cable Street protest against the fascits in 1936. He also echoed the words of Ian by stressing that the real enemy is this Tory Government and that we must win the battle against them not for the interests of the Party but for the British people.

Unions Together Political School - apply now for Sept 2013 course

This video is from the organisation representing trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party called "Unions Together". Who have been leading a campaign to make politics more representative and encourage more working people to become Councillors and MP's. You may recognise one or two of the folk mentioned. I posted previously on this excellent course here.

"Our politics needs to change.

Of the MPs in Parliament at the moment:
a quarter went to Oxford or Cambridge
86 MPs used to be lawyers
156 MPs used to work in business
90 MPs used to work in politics
only 25 MPs used to work in manual jobs
fewer than 1 in 4 MPs are women.

That's why unionstogether is working to make our politicians more representative.

We are running a political school to open up politics to more people.

The unionstogether political school ran for the first time in 2012. It was set up to strengthen the link between union members and the Labour Party. If you want to use your skills as a union activist – skills like campaigning, negotiating and representing people – in your community, then this is the course for you.

The political school is an important part of making sure trade unionists are at the heart of the Party, making sure that the voices of working people continue to be heard in the Party that was founded out of the trade union movement.

The course is designed for people who are looking at different ways they could get substantially more involved.

It’s not an entry-level course about how politics and the Labour Party works. But it is for people who want to get politically involved in different ways. We’ll show you different ways you could use your union rep skills to represent your community now or in the future – as a Councillor, or even a Member of Parliament.

The next political school will begin in September 2013, with a residential weekend course, and applications are open until June 10th.

The course is primarily for people who are members of one of the affiliated trade unions that are part of unionstogether. If you are unsure if your union is affiliated to the Labour Party then you can check here. If you are a member of a union, but not a unionstogether union, and you want to apply for this course, then please do contact us".

TULO: Join our Fight to Save the NHS

Email From Unions Together: "Dear John Just yesterday, when the scrutinising eyes of the media were firmly fixed on the Murdochs’ evidence to Parliament, the Government made an announcement that shows their true colours on the NHS – the privatisation of £1 billion of NHS services. Starting in April, whole swathes of the services our NHS provides will be opened up to the private sector – including wheelchair provision for children.

We’ve heard a lot over recent months about Cameron and Clegg’s ‘reform’ of the NHS. Health professionals, patients’ organisations and the public united in their campaign to slam the breaks on the reforms.
Cameron and Clegg claim to have watered down their plans, but their NHS Bill is still a deadly threat to our National Health Service – and yesterday’s announcement proves it.

If Cameron and Clegg get their way, it will mean:

• more privatisation and more companies making money from all parts of our health service
• worse patient care including cuts, hospital closures and longer waiting times
• more red tape making it harder for nurses, doctors and other health professionals to do their jobs
• millions of pounds wasted on new bureaucracy which should be spent on patients

After the Summer break, these plans will come back to MPs in the House of Commons. Will you join our fight to stop them?

http://www.nhsalert.org.uk/joinourfight

Before the General Election, Cameron promised to “protect the NHS”, to “give the NHS a real rise in funding” and to “stop NHS reorganisations”.

But he’s breaking every single one of these promises.

After just one year of his Tory-led government, one in ten people are now waiting over 18 weeks to get into hospital for the treatment they need. And he is making it easier for private patients to jump the queue.

We have to work together if we are going to protect our NHS from Cameron and Clegg’s plans to destroy it. Will you join our campaign?

http://www.nhsalert.org.uk/joinourfight

It's our National Health Service - join our fight to save it.
Yours,
Helen

Unions urge their members “Vote Labour on May 6th

This is another excellent video from “Unions Together”. Featuring a number of trade union activists explaining why they are voting for Labour and asking their members to do so as well. Included is TSSA and East Ham Labour Party activist, Amarjit Singh, and our very own UNISON “Lollypop lady”, Louise Couling, who is of course standing for Labour against BNP Barnbrook in Barking and Dagenham.

There is an important call for Union members to volunteer to help out on polling day. I know from past experience that on the day Union members will simply turn up at polling stations and offer to help out.  Many more will volunteer if they are asked.

“There is only one party that reflects trade union values and that is the Labour Party”...

This latest “Unions together” video shows Unite Joint General Secretary, Tony Woodley, explaining that Labour Party supporting trade unionists can make a difference in this election. Many people will listen to them and that people are starting to realise what they will lose if the Tories get in or if the Liberals let them into power. Minimum wages, pension credits and investments in public services will all be at risk if the Tories win. He urges members to use the trade union phone banks to get the message over

Next there is pictures of a GMB canvass team in the Labour marginal of Westminster North “on the knocker” for top local MP Karen Buck. However, I do note that the team is being led by London UNISON Health activist and Labour warhorse Francis Prideaux!

Click on this link to make calls for Labour.

Vote for your favourite Labour achievement

Unions together are running a poll here on your favourite "Labour achievement" in the past decade.

There is a good spread of achievements that all Labour Party affiliated trade unionists should be very,very proud of - I picked "decisive action on the financial crisis". 

That's not to say that there aren't some policies not being listed that I would like to see.  But that is a debate for another time.  Not now.

Now we must rally around the Party and get our people to wake up and  smell the coffee at the simply bloody awful propect of an incoming Tory government. 

We already have a little taster of Tory attitudes to decent terms and conditions for workers.  Time to stop the carping, move on and start organising for the next 4 weeks and prove that we can deliver.  IMO of course.

"I remember the Tories..."

I am not sure that many people remember Tory government properly and of course many have only known life under Labour and have not a clue how vicious and nasty Tory rule can be.

Email your MP about “fair play on redundancies” - Unions together

Time is running out. Email your MP now to support this campaign. Check out this excellent short video of from grass roots Labour supporting trade unionists. They explain why they think it is so important that redundancy rates needs to be significantly increased. I posted on this last month about how we also need to stop any race to the bottom by good employers who pay above the rate.

Below is an urgent message from Tony Woodley

This Friday, Members of Parliament will have the chance to vote to make redundancy pay fairer, as Lindsay Hoyle MP's Bill is due to receive its second reading in the Commons.

Labour's trade unions have worked together on this campaign, to get a better deal for workers - a better deal that is more important than ever in these tough economic times.

Unions work hard to look after their members' jobs - but when redundancies do happen, unions also want to make sure that those affected get a fair deal. But for most workers, if they are made redundant, the payment they would get for each year of service is not based on how much they earn a week - it is capped at £350 - about half of average earnings.

This is an issue that matters to millions of ordinary working people up and down the country - thousands of people have got in touch with their MPs to ask them to support the Bill. Earlier this week, we asked our supporters to get in touch with us to let us know why fair redundancy pay matters to them.

Being made redundant has a huge impact on individuals, families and communities. It's only fair that we make sure people get the fairest deal possible.

We have had great support for this campaign from Labour Members of Parliament, and we urge them to turn out this Friday to vote the Bill through. And we also hope the government listens - to their own MPs, to the trade unions, and to all the ordinary people who deserve a better deal - and acts to right this wrong.

Tony Woodley
Chair, TULO - Labour's unions togetherJoint General Secretary, Unite the Union

PS. Email your MP now if you haven't yet done so.

Fair Deal on Redundancy

I’ve just emailed my MP to ask her to support the “Unions Together” campaign in support of the proposed bill to increase statutory redundancy pay.

Check out the link here to email your MP. You only need your post code and it took me 2 minutes. Forward the link to as many people as you can.

Many employers do pay above the statutory minimum but unless we get this increased then good employers run the risk of being under pressure to pay less. It would be a race to the bottom that we do not want to take part.

This is the request from Helen at Unions Together

"On Friday March 13th, Lindsay Hoyle MP will be putting forward a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons that would uprate the current level of statutory redundancy pay – the minimum that workers can expect to be paid if they are laid off. When it was first introduced, this was more than double the average weekly wage. But because it has not been increased with inflation, it is now worth only half of average pay. This is an important issue for working people, particularly in these turbulent economic times.

Because of the rules on Private Member’s Bills, we need enough MPs to turn up to support the Bill, or any MP who opposes it can just “talk out” the Bill, preventing it even getting to a vote. It is crucial that we ensure there are enough Labour MPs supporting the Bill in the House of Commons on March 13th so it can move forward. That’s where you can help – by writing to your MP and asking them to be in the House of Commons for the debate".

Join "Unions Together" facebook here

UPDATE: I got an email response from my MP Lyn Brown this morning and we will have a "talk" about this issue.