Old Town Hall Stratford Christmas Lights Carols

Last night I went to a Christmas Carol concert inside the historic Old Town Hall in Stratford.  There was a choir from Carpenters Primary School who sang a lovely mixture of traditional and modern carols.  Including (I think) Gloria in excelsis Deo in Latin.

This was in front of the Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, Councillors, Council officers, teachers and parents.

Afterwards the Old Town Hall Christmas lights were switched on and there was a reception for the Children and their parents.

Everyone was pleased when Robin asked the Children how many were learning to play instruments at the School.  Nearly all of them put their hand up. The "Every Child a Musican" programme is now
bring run in 61 Newham Schools.

Keeping a beady eye on the performance in the left hand corner of the hall was this bust of the first ever Labour MP Keir Hardie.  I think he would have been pleased as well.

My N30: Day of Action for Decent Pensions for All

This collage is a snap shot of some of the experiences that I had during the Strike and Protest action held on Wednesday. Double click pic to bring up detail.

Pictures of Highbury and Islington roundabout full of UNISON placards and flags; the Housing Association private repair contractors who drove past and gave us the "thumbs up"; the Jiving for decent pensions and (of course) the march and SERTUC rally and finally the St Thomas hospital Picket line.

I will post these pictures on FaceBook later. (UPDATE see here)

One thing I should add is that this industrial dispute and day of action was really about decent pensions for all. Public service pensions are benchmarks for every decent pension scheme.  If they are destroyed then in my view,  every single good pension scheme is also at risk. Defined Benefit or Defined Contribution.

Now, I realise I might be a little bit unfair but the Government seem to be using the argument that since some private sector workers have rubbish pensions then so should the public sector.  Does this mean that since some workers are on the minimum wage (£6.08 per hour) then all workers should be on a minimum wage?

LAPFF Conference 2011: The Continuing Crisis

Another early start on Thursday to get to the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) 16th annual conference in Bournemouth from East London for 9am. LAPFF “exists to promote the investment interests of local authority pension funds, and to maximise their influence as shareholders whilst promoting social responsibility and corporate governance at the companies in which they invest....Formed in 1990....combined assets of over £100 billion”.

It is of course quite ironic that this conference took place less than 24 hours after I had been on a (number of) picket lines in the biggest industrial dispute since 1926 over pensions.

Both of the local government pensions schemes I have an “interest” in are members of LAPFF. This year for the first time I was at the conference as a Councillor rather than as a Staff side representative. Which caused some confusion. I’ll try and post on as many of the excellent presentations and debates as possible. If you are a member of a local authority pension committee or panel in any capacity (and any Party or Union) then this is the conference to come to. It is politically non-partisan which in this context I think is very much a good thing.

Tom Watson MP was to be the opening speaker but his mum has fallen ill so he has had to send his apologies. The Chair of LAPFF Cllr Ian Greenwood and PIRC Tom Powdrill instead did a presentation on “The Hacking Scandal: Lessons for Investors”.  

LAPFF have been trying to remove James Murdock (son of Rupert) as Chair of BSkyB not so much with regard to the appalling behaviour of News of the World reporters etc but concern about his independence and the reputational risk to our investments and what this is doing to shareholder value. For example will OFCOM still consider NewsCorp to be a fit and proper shareholder of BSkyB? If they don’t - what impact will this have to Pension fund investments in BSkyB?

Jiving for decent pensions: November 30 Strike and Protest

Video from UNISON Housing Association Branch picket and lobby in Islington yesterday.  Check out the formal report on the branch and regional strike here. Sarah is our Branch Finance Officer and a champion Jiver and instructor.

It was I think a useful "stunt" to capture people attentions. Shame I am am quite so useless at it!

UNISON Housing Association Pension Strike November 30

I had all the placards, banners, flags and leaflets etc at home, so I took a minicab this morning at 6.30am to the picket and lobby at Islington. It was a relief to see that there was 3 branch members waiting for me on site at 7am.  We then spent the next couple of hours busy setting things up. The concourse outside the Highbury and Islington Underground station and the traffic island is very busy and high profile.  We put placards, balloons and flags on railings, trees and street furniture.  While leafleting and talking to the public. 

There was an overwhelmingly positive reaction from commuters and passersbyes.  A few idiotic comments but so few as to be remarked upon. Unite members who were not on strike had taken leave in order to take part. Journalists from the "Morning Star" and "Inside Housing" came to visit and interview us.  As well as a Swiss journalist. We had "Jiving for decent pensions" lessons given free to pickets by Sarah, our branch finance officer, who is a Jiving Dancing champion and instructor (see next post).  I was  the only one who didn't mind the lessons being filmed despite me being completely rubbish at jiving!

There was also a successful branch picket outside Gem House in Aldgate.

Next some of us went to the local Islington rally outside the Town Hall, while I went to meet Gloria Hanson, the UNISON regional Convenor in Holburn. We took part with branch members in the march through central London. At the Rally in Victoria Embankment, Gloria was a speaker to the estimated 30,000 crowd. Afterwards we joined the UNISON picket line outside St Thomas Hospital which went on until 6pm. We had a little break to see a guest off but returned to the picket line later until it finished. Then a quick beer (or three) and home.  I'll post futher pics on the Strike day later.

Completely knackered but it was a really good day. I hope you-know-who-you-are: are listerning and will have the decency to give us pension justice. Go on - surprise us.

Striking for Pension Justice on November 30

Today Wednesday 30 November UNISON and 36 other trade unions will be on strike and/or protesting to protect public service pensions from collapse. If these schemes go - then Pension Trust and Social Housing
Pension Schemes could be next
(Note could be – we simply don’t know what the fall out will be)

Some UNISON members may not even be in a pension now but one day they will want to belong to a scheme that is secure, affordable and will look after them and their family. The existing public service pensions are benchmarks for all schemes. Unless we win this fight then everyone’s future will be at risk. Members ask themselves “do they want to end their lives living in poverty?

Never forget that not a penny of the money that ministers are trying to take from pension schemes will go towards improving them, instead it will simply all go to the Treasury to pay for the excesses of the bankers.

The branch is organising two Official Strike pickets and lobbies - starting 7am in Central London

• · Circle Housing Group Headquarters in Islington Circle House 1-3 HighburyStation Road, London N1 1SE – 3 minutes’ walk from Highbury & Islington station.With “Jive for Decent Pensions lessons” at 11.00am Contact: John Gray 07432 150 530 

• ThamesReach in Aldgate Gem House, 122-126 Backchurch Lane, London E1 1ND – 3 minutes’ walk from Aldgate East Contact: Joel Bodmer 07891 941 376

UNISON have balloted 12 London based employers on Strike Action. See UNISON strike action 30 November FAQS 

Colleagues on the picket lines and lobbies will be handing out leaflets to non-union staff and members of the public explaining why UNISON members are taking action. It is expected that all schools will be closed.  

Other events

· TUC regional rally, assemble from 12 noon Lincolns Inn Fields, march 1.00pm to rally 2pm at Victoria Embankment, SW1. 

· Join local UNISON picket lines, NHS hospital lunch time protests and rallies where you live map of events. (branch press release)

Newham Labour Group Statement on Pension Strike Tomorrow

At last night's meeting of Newham Labour Group the following statement was agreed unanimously. 

"We are proud of our Council staff who work extremely hard to deliver the high-quality services that our residents value, despite the savage and unprecedented cuts being imposed by this Tory-led Government.

At the same time, the pensions of Council staff in Newham and across the country are also under attack. Trade union members have a legitimate right to take action in defence of their hard earned pension rights, many of whom are low paid and cannot afford the proposed reform of public sector pensions.

We understand and share the anger felt by Council workers towards the Tory-led government's attack on their pensions and we sympathise with Newham residents who will lose out through the disruption to vital services as a result of strike action against this Tory-led government."

It is already existing Council Policy to oppose the attempt the wreck the local government pension scheme. See here and here.

Picture from the TUC March in March. This was the Newham assembly point outside Stratford Station. East Ham Labour MP Stephen Timms, Newham Labour Mayor Sir Robin Wales and members of the Labour Group, with trade unionists and Party members.

London Marathon 2012 Wk 5: Forest Gate Industrial School

I felt stronger this week. Running every day (no rest day in programme?). 45 Minute Fartlek on Wednesday but main run was for 40 minutes on Sunday. I ran along back streets to Forest Lane Park, E7. Which is a hidden Newham gem.

It use to be the site of Wood Grange Manor. The home of the Quaker Banker, Samuel Gurney (see West Ham Park). Who gave the land to the local workhouse who built on site the Forest Gate Industrial School (see above). Over 600 young boys from Whitechapel, Poplar and Hackney "Poor Law" unions lived here. A "Oliver Twist" style institution where in 1890 - 26 boys were killed in a fire. Many of them died locked in barrack like dormitories. Shocking.

The school later became Forest Gate Maternity Hospital. In 1940 during the Second World War it was bombed and badly damaged. Nowadays only the facade remains and the main building is divided into private flats. The nature park to the rear is well worth a visit.

I next ran towards the new Newham shopping centre at Westfield’s, past the excellent pub The "Railway Tavern". There is a complicated path which eventually takes you to the front of the shopping centre and bus station. I then ran back over the "bridge" and back home past the Cart and Horses pub (the first ever venue for heavy metal band Iron Maiden) thorough Maryland and then a straight run along Forest Lane towards home.

I am running the London marathon next year using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless Youth charity "Alone in London". Click here to sponsor me.

Pension Strike - Hollywood Version

Weird and wonderful YouTube video from Barnet UNISON (as always) on the public service strike to save pensions next week. I don't recognise the first clip and I am not a great fan of Star Wars (but I have a view on the "dark side").  The rest of the clips are great.  So lets work together for a wonderful life after N30 :) I am certainly proud to be in a union.

Elizabeth Abbot burnt to death for being a Witch 1683

Last Sunday I went for a walk in Essex starting in Takeley. A few miles into the walk in the tiny hamlet of Helmans Cross, Great Canfield I came across a "Parish Stocks" and "whipping post". Which was vaguely interesting. 

What was more unusual was that this idyllic rural country crossroad was where Elizabeth Abbot was burnt to death as a witch in 1683. It is pretty shocking to think that just over 300 years ago that we were murdering people by burning them alive for being "witches". The vast majority were of course not a witch but were mentally ill, or had fallen out with their neighbours or were just different.

I've tried to google and get more information about Elizabeth and what happened but apart from this I can find nothing.