International Workers Memorial Day 2023: UNISON & Safety Advisors Honour the Dead & Work together for the Living

 

Today we held a simple but powerful remembrance ceremony to mark International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD 28 April). IWMD is supported by trade unions and responsible employers across the world to remember those who have died of accidents at work and from work related ill health. It is also a campaigning day to make all workplaces safer. 

This was organised by the London UNISON Housing Association branch members but supported also by a local GMB branch and professional safety advisers from Clarion & L&Q Housing associations.  These are the two largest "shops" in our branch. Wreaths from UNISON, Clarion and L&Q were laid. 

We met at the beautiful "Clasping Hands" statue in the historic Three Mills Green park in Stratford, East London. UNISON National Officer, Andrew Dobbie explained that at this very site in 1901 three workers sacrificed their lives, one after the other, in a ventilation shaft, trying to rescue another worker who had collapsed at the bottom of the shaft from fatal gases. Even the basic health & safety measures of the time had not been followed. I mentioned that this was not just an historic issue, in nearby Watney Market, Stepney in 1990 three workers were killed in a sewer in similar circumstances.

Other speakers spoke that even now, 2 workers per week, on average do not return home from work and the risk to UK health and safety if the Government goes ahead with plans to rescind european safety legislation. Another speaker spoke about the very recent 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse which killed (manslaughter?) over 1100 worker in Bangladesh. 

Many thanks to the UNISON & GMB members (including a former London Assembly member and a former Council leader), national and regional officers, Councillors and the professional safety advisors for attending. I had apologies from many others and look forward to making this event even better next year. 

Vote Murad Qureshi For GLA List (Last chance - Poll closes Wednesday at 12 noon)

Labour ballots close Wednesday - Please help me get back on the GLA & take the fight to the Tories

"Dear Member,

Reminder: Deadline to vote is 12 noon on Wednesday 19th February

Murad Qureshi

Please make every effort to vote if you have not done so already. Please remember that the email address you are looking for is takepart@cesvotes.com. If you have not had this yet, please check your spam and junk folders as it may be there, and check that your firewall is not blocking it....

...Contact londonassembly@labour.org.uk if you have any queries.

Regards,

Procedures Secretary
London Assembly Selections Committee

"Speaking for the many in London" Vote Murad Qureshi for GLA List

I have just voted online for Murad Qureshi "1" to be one of our future London Labour Assembly members after the elections in May.

Murad is being supported by Greater London UNISON Labour Link (and he is a former member of my UNISON branch) and a wide range of other affiliates and leading Labour movement figures. In fact, I don't think I have seen such a spread of support in any recent internal Labour election. Have a look at all his endorsements.

All London Labour Party members (128,000 of us I believe) should have got an email from CES takepart@cesvotes.com last week. I got mine on 5/2/20 at 14.12. Check your junk folders but if you did not receive anything contact londonassembly@labour.org.uk.

It took me about 3 minutes to vote (and if you can find that email you don't need to know your ballot numbers or stuff like that. Click on link in email and you go straight to the vote)

Ballot finishes on 12 noon on Wednesday 19 February 2020.

Murad for the London Assembly

(Murad is a former member of my branch and being supported by Greater London UNISON Labour Link)

"Boris Johnson 's government is pursuing a divisive and reactionary agenda across the board.

We must stand shoulder to shoulder with all those communities, trade unions, migrants and others resisting the Tory attacks.

Now is the time to unite our party, take the fight to the Tories, get Sadiq Khan re-elected and secure a London for the many, not the few.

Having served as an Assembly Member (AM) until 2016, I want to get back into City Hall to stand up for Londoners.

As an experienced campaigner, I have a proven track record of working against austerity and privatisation. Working with Trade Unions and local Labour Groups I helped save fire stations from austerity cuts and post offices from closure.

I believe Labour must continue to oppose cuts and support investment in our future, including through extending public ownership and a green new deal.

As Jeremy Corbyn’s successor as Chair of the Stop the War Coalition, I have been at the forefront of the anti-Trump marches.

We will continue these protests every time he comes to our shores and oppose his attacks on our Mayor.

We must continue to stand up to hate and for unity, not division.

I also want to continue working with all the campaigns l have been involved with on tackling the climate emergency - against expansion of airports in London like Heathrow and City Airport, for improvements in air quality and reductions in noise pollution.

As the inspirational student climate strikers showed us, we need a politics that puts people and planet - not private profit - first.

I'd like to thank all the CLPs who nominated me and everyone who has supported my campaign so far, including the CWU and UNISON Labour Link Greater London regions, London Labour Left, Socialist Health Association, plus MPs Andy Slaughter, John McDonnell, Diane Abbott & Council Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham, Cllr Stephen Cowan.

A better world is possible. Please give me your support.

#MuradforLondon

“As AM, Murad worked tirelessly to fight Mayor Johnson’s proposed cuts to police and fire stations. Indeed the team at North Ken fire station, the first team to the Grenfell Tower fire over two years ago, have acknowledged that he was probably instrumental in saving their station.

Murad has the rare qualities of understanding issues and problems from all quarters of our unequal society with empathy and kindness, while being able to grasp complex issues and how best to lobby, argue and petition the appropriate people at the right time.

I have no hesitation for endorsing Murad as a GLA candidate”
Emma Dent Coad of Kensington

"On the knocker" in Sloane Square

This afternoon I went to campaign in the Tory held marginal in the Cities and Westminster seat. We met outside Pimlico Station and after a short speech by our impressive Labour candidate, Gordon Nardell, I went off with a canvass team with fellow West Hammer, John Morris and my old GLA Assembly/UNISON comrade, Murad Qureshi.

We were sent to canvass for Labour on the Westminster side of Sloane Square, which as you can imagine was very different from the canvass I went to yesterday in a largely working class part of Thurrock in Essex. The average price of homes for sale in Sloane Square is over £1.3 million. The average price for Thurrock was £361,000.

Westminster also has some of the most deprived areas in London.

This part of Cities and Westminster was not, I freely admit, a particularly "Corbyn or Labour Friendly" part of London but we did identify new Labour supporters and, of course, the purpose of canvassing at this stage is also to identify who are non supporters, so that we do not waste any further resources on contacting them.

I really enjoy going to different areas and being challenged as a Labour supporter and, as usual, nearly everyone we spoke to was polite and not aggressive or confrontational. Even if they do not agree with you, the vast majority of people I have spoken to while canvassing over the years are actually pleased that you have come to their door to seek their views (even if they don't want to actually speak to you).

My best conversation of the session was with an elderly retired senior military officer, who said he didn't normally vote since he has spent most of his life outside this country but the one and only time he did vote, he had voted for Labour.

Afterwards some of us warmed up and had a quick pint at a wonderful pub called the "Fox and Hounds" which was hidden away and you would never know it existed from the high street. 

UNISON Housing Associations Labour Link AGM 2017 - Keynote speaker John Healey MP

Many thanks to John Healey, Labour Member of Parliament for Wentworth and Dearne in South Yorkshire and Shadow Secretary of State for Housing and Planning, for being our keynote speaker at the event, which took place in the House of Commons.

It was touch and go whether John was able to attend since there was an Opposition debate on Supported Housing at the same time.  Thankfully he was able to attend and gave us an excellent insight into Labour plans for housing and answered a wide range of questions from members present.

UNISON Labour Link members (who have chosen to affiliate to the Labour Party) from all over London and many different Housing Associations were present. Including members who had never been to any trade union meeting before.

Check out the superb Labour Party Housing Party manifesto ("New Deal for Housing") that John and Jeremy launched in June. If only we had won...

John has spoken at our AGM in the past as a Labour Minister in 2010 and we look forward to him addressing a future AGM as a Labour Government Secretary of State some time very soon!

Many thanks to John's staff & UNISON London region for helping to organise this event.

We also had former Greater London Assembly (and our branch) member, Murad Qureshi, who gave a critique of the Mayor, Sadiq Khan's housing plans. While our branch Local Organiser, Mary Stump, (who is also a former activist in our Branch before joining UNISON) gave us an update on the "mega mergers" of Housing Associations that is currently going on.

I gave my report as branch Labour Link officer and called on members present to make sure that they play their part in the election of a future Labour Government by getting out there and campaigning.

After the meeting some of us we retired to a well known chain bar/restaurant in Whitehall to enjoy a meal and drink courtesy of Regional Labour link. On route we stopped off outside the gates of Downing Street to pay our respects  (see bottom left picture).

(apologies this post is rather late but I had a technical problems with the photographs which I have only recently resolved)

UNISON Greater London Housing Association AGM 2016: Branch Secretary's report.

My UNISON branch AGM is 6pm Monday 22 February at the House of Commons, Committee room 19.

We are the guests of Sadiq Khan MP, Labour Candidate for London Mayor, who is our keynote speaker. This is my report to the AGM as the branch secretary.

"2015 was dominated by the dreadful general election result and the return of a Tory Government determined to carry on with Thatcher’s project to smash trade unions and destroy social housing.

Many of our employers have capitulated to government bullying over Right to Buy, pay-to-stay and rent cuts. Our number one aim this year is to prevent our employers making us pay the price of their surrender which they will try to do by attacking our services, jobs, pay, and terms and conditions.

We can expect some organisations to fold due to financial pressures while others rush to merge and consolidate. The only defence that workers can rely on is their trade union and their colleagues.

Employment law is important but it is a safety net and usually a last resort. The best defence at work is a collective defence. If we have more members in the union, more members becoming activists and stewards, we have more power and influence at work.

The more power and influence we have, the better the outcome for us.

Housing Associations members have also had some successes this year with personal injury claims – in July 2015 three of our members received compensation totalling £60,000 following a terrifying violent attack at work. The members were supported by UNISON to return to work and UNISON’s solicitors, Thompson's assisted them in making claims against their employer. While the real strength of trade unions is in collective action, this case shows that the legal services offered by the union can also help members in securing the compensation they deserve if their employers have been negligent or endangered them at work.

It has been yet another busy year for the branch. Our 2015 AGM was held in the London Assembly building with Stella Creasy MP and Murad Qureshi AM as our keynote speakers. We finally finished our own restructure and we are now fully staffed with new IT equipment.

We sent full delegations to our UNISON Community Service Group and National Delegate Conferences. Our motion on pensions was debated at NDC as part of a successful composite and branch executive member, Doreen Davies, spoke in favour.

In March we said goodbye to temporary Outreach Worker Andy Robinson. April 28 was Workers Memorial Day and we organised a wreath laying event with local MP, Lyn Brown, in Newham, East London, at the site where four workers were killed (in 2016 we will organise a similar event).

In September we celebrated branch Case Worker, Nazan Sen’s 20th anniversary in the branch and the branch executive presented her with flowers and wine glasses to mark the occasion.

In October we took part in the demo in Manchester against Austerity and in November the TUC parliamentary lobby against the anti-trade union bill.

In January of 2016, East Thames activist and branch Welfare officer, Mitsy Harmon-Russell was featured in the UNISON eFocus magazine. Mitsy’s message was that being involved with UNISON has built her confidence and made her much more likely to speak up at work when she thinks something needs changing. Mitsy is a shining example of how by becoming an activist you not only help grow the union but the union will also help you grow.

How about you getting more involved with the union? Interested in finding out more? Please ring the branch and ask to have a chat with Joy or Victoria about getting involved.

John Gray Branch Secretary

Murad Qureshi Standing up for City & East

'We need an experienced City and East representative like Murad, who can hit the ground running. With his strong track record of effectively holding the London Mayor to account, he offers all the people of East London a campaigning GLA member who will deliver results from day one of his election.'  Cllr John Gray (& UNISON)

Many eligible voters have already take part in the election for the Greater London Assembly City & East Labour candidate but there is still another 2 weeks of the ballot to go. There is even a hustings arranged for next week!

"As well as choosing our next Leader, Deputy Leader and Mayoral candidate, as a member in City and East London you will also get the chance to choose who you want to represent you as Labour's candidate for the London Assembly.

Before you vote you can put the candidates to the test in a hustings on Wednesday 2 September from 7pm at Queen Mary University. This is your chance to put your questions to the candidates and hear them make their case for why the want to represent City and East London on the Greater London Assembly".

Murad Qureshi AM on West Ham and the Olympic Stadium

It is the last chance tonight to watch the BBC investigation "When the Hammers struck Gold" on iPlayer.  The programme was first shown on August 6th and alleged that the UK taxplayer has been ripped off in the deal over the use of the Olympic Stadium in Stratford and the private owners of West Ham FC have made a fortune out of it.

"It's costing taxpayers hundreds of millions to convert the Olympic Stadium into a home fit for West Ham Football Club. With the amount spiralling, BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan investigates a deal that is shrouded in secrecy, and that could make the club owners even richer while leaving us to foot the bill".

This clip is from the programme and shows London Assembly member, Murad Qureshi, being interviewed about the secret deal between the London Mayor and West Ham FC. Murad quite rightly questions why the deal has to be secret when a similar arrangement with Manchester Council and Manchester City FC over the Commonwealth Games Stadium was open and transparent.

Murad is standing to be the Labour Candidate for the GLA seat "City and London". He has the support of Greater London UNISON and his stance over the Olympic Stadium shows he is very capable of holding the Mayor to account. 

Thank you from Murad Qureshi AM

"An experienced candidate, who can stand-up for East London". Congratulations to UNISON Nominee, Murad Qureshi, for gaining a CLP nomination and being on the ballot paper for City & East.

The role of a London Assembly member is to represent their constituents and hold the Mayor to account. To do this effectively you have to be experienced, honest, organised and competent. Murad has these attributes. Below is his latest flyer.

    "Thank you the nomination.

As a sitting Assembly Member, l can get on with the job of standing up for City and East London straight away, for example through constituent work and scrutinising the Mayor. All this while making the case for more public resources for this very large and diverse constituency. Recent examples of scrutinising the Mayor include how he wasted council tax monies when he brought the water cannons and his denial of how money laundering in London is affecting the housing market. Constituent work include representing  Londoners against a huge development casting a shade over their homes and getting the Mayor to tackle underground tube noises for residents before the 24 hour service on the tube is running. Critically London’s population explosion will be greatly felt in City & East and it will need the infrastructure to cope. This case needs to be made now before a new Mayor comes in and as a sitting AM l am well placed to argue for transport infrastructural investment on the roads to the buses, a lot more housing initiatives for East Enders to be housed, protecting & defending public services like the Police & Fire Service - and making sure all this doesn’t adversely impact on peoples quality of life like breathing polluted air. To do this, l will work with our colleagues in local government in all three Labour held boroughs and the City of London; the wider labour movement like the Unions and Co-op Party; party members from all the CLPs and take a strategic approach to the issues important to all of us. MURAD QURESHI AM

Branch Labour Link News: Leadership; London GLA & National Committee elections

NEWS

To APF payers in Greater London Housing Associations Branch

With so much going on I thought this would be a useful time to update APF payers in the branch on recent Labour Link activity.

·         LABOUR LEADER & DEPUTY LEADER ELECTION

The National UNISON Labour Link Committee met on Wednesday and decided to nominate Jeremy Corbyn for Leader of the Labour Party, with Yvette Cooper as second choice.    For Deputy Leader UNISON will nominate Angela Eagle with Stella Creasy as second choice.

This was after consultation with all regions.  In London APF payers were sent an electronic survey and encouraged to give their views on their preferred candidate for both Leader and Deputy Leader (as did the branch survey). 

In the past all UNISON APF payers would have received a vote in the ballot to elect the Leader and Deputy but following the Collins Review this has changed.  Now only members that have signed up to become a UNISON Affiliated Supporter will be eligible to vote alongside Labour Party members.

Anyone who supports Labour's aims and values is entitled to sign up.  You don’t need to be a Labour Party member it’s free, quick and easy to do.  To register and find out more go to http://support.labour.org.uk/.   The deadline to register is 12 noon on Friday 12 August. 

UNISON’s decision to nominate Jeremy and Angela is a recommendation and members are of course free to cast their vote as to who they think should lead the Labour Party.

·         LONDON MAYOR & GLA CANDIDATES

UNISON Affiliated Supporters who register will also get a vote in deciding Labour’s London Mayoral Candidate and Greater London Assembly members. UNISON London Labour Link decided to make no recommendation for London Mayor but there are three UNISON members standing who will make excellent candidates and I would urge registered affiliated members to consider supporting either Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan or David Lammy. 

UNISON have nominated GLA candidates Murad Qureshi for City and East and Ivana Bartoletti for Havering & Redbridge who have been nominated and will be on the ballot paper. Members eligible to vote in may wish to consider supporting these UNISON candidates.

·         NATIONAL LABOUR LINK COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

The London region has one representative on UNISON’s National Labour Link Committee.  A process is currently underway to elect the London rep for the next two years. 

Our branch nominated Deirdre Costigan to represent the views of APF payers across London.

Within the next day or so you will receive a ballot paper to your home address.  I would encourage you to use your vote and return it without delay in the pre-paid envelope.  The ballot will close on Friday 25 September. 

If for any reason you do not receive a ballot paper by 18 August you should contact the ballot helpline at UNISON Direct on 0800 0 857 857.

·         GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN LABOUR LINK

You are receiving this email as an APF payer in the branch.  If you’d like to find out more about getting more involved in UNISON Labour Link or representing the branch at your CLP (if you are a Labour Party member) please get in contact.

·         JOIN THE LABOUR PARTY

Finally, if you are interested in joining the Labour Party you can do this for a reduced trade union rate of just £1.96 per month by going to https://join.labour.org.uk/

If anyone wants to clarify any please email me or ring.

Regards

John Gray

Branch Labour Link Officer

West Ham Votes for Jeremy Corbyn and Tom Watson

A little late but last Thursday West Ham CLP narrowly nominated, Jeremy Corbyn, as Labour leader ahead of Liz Kendall, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper. Tom Watson, was nominated as Deputy leader beating Caroline Flint, Stella Creasy, Angela Eagle and Ben Bradshaw. Local boy Unmesh Desai was also comfortably nominated as the City & East GLA candidate ahead of Murad Qureshi, Howard Dawber, Abdal Ullah, Ashton McGregor & Feryal Demirci.

It was one of the largest West Ham meetings (122 members) I have attended and took place in the Vicarage Lane Community centre in my ward. All members were invited to give speeches and make nominations. I think probably a fifth of those present spoke including young and new members. The speeches were often quite passionate and waiting for the results was tense and rather exciting.  Everyone behaved themselves (even Red Tel) and  I think we did our CLP proud.

As a Party member I nominated Andy Burnham for leader and spoke in favour of Stella Creasy for Deputy. As a UNISON delegate I nominated Murad Qureshi for the GLA seat who has the support of Greater London UNISON.

Afterwards there was food and the traditional Labour Party raffle. When everything was cleared up a few die-hards went down to the Black Lion to further analyse in detail the results and debate the merits (or otherwise) of candidates.

UNISON Nominates Murad for City & East London

I was pleased that Greater London UNISON Labour Link has given a supportive nomination to Murad Qureshi for the directly elected GLA seat City & East.

Murad has been an existing Party list Assembly member since 2004 and before that was a London Councillor.  He has also worked in Housing and regeneration in East London.  Murad was part of the team that designed and built in my opinion some of the finest modern social housing homes I have ever seen.

He is a member of my branch and has been very supportive of UNISON over the years and recently spoke at and hosted our Annual General Meeting at City Hall.

Murad would be an excellent replacement for John Biggs who is stepping down after winning the election for Mayor of Tower Hamlets.