London Housing Associations branch nominates Christina McAnea as the next UNISON General Secretary

There was a really great online hustings and debate tonight with the executive committee members of the London Housing Association branch. 4 out of the 5 candidates (one of the 4 had someone speaking on their behalf) were able to join the committee on Microsoft teams. 

Candidates had 15 minutes each to present to the Committee and answer questions. Next was a lively discussion about the merits of each candidates. 

I spoke in favour of Christina, since I have seen her at UNISON NEC meetings for many years delivering comprehensive reports and answering many difficult questions. She also has the practical experience being part of a senior management team of a large and complex national organisation supporting 1.3 million members (1 million of which are women). 

The Committee decided overwhelmingly to support Christina and will be putting in a formal nomination notice to UNISON on behalf of our 3400 members.

#SaveUEL

 

Yesterday evening I took part in an "online Peoples Assembly" to support staff at East London University (UEL) under threat of redundancy due to impact of Covid-19. 

At this moment the university is consulting on making massive redundancies. I offered solidarity and support in my political and trade union role and made the point during my contribution that the future of UEL is massively important to Newham Council. If it sacks much of its teaching and support staff then its future is in doubt. 

UEL should be a key "Anchor Institution" for Newham Council's Community Wealth Building. We want our young people and other students from around the UK or the world to go to UEL, get educated, then stay and work in Newham, then start new businesses and services in Newham. We want to work with UEL and other institutions to tackle the scourge of poverty low pay and worker exploitation.

If UEL sack their staff then students will not get the education they expect and go elsewhere. 

The Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz has met with UEL trade unions and we fully support their campaign. 

It was good to see Zita and Unmesh were also speaking but I had to go off early to another Newham event. 

Newham remembers the 80th Anniversary of the Blitz

 

Today (7 September 2020) is the 80th anniversary of the Blitz when during the second world war, Nazi Germany tried to bomb Britain into submission by massive air raids in 1940/41. Some 43000 civilians were killed and many more injured. 

In Newham we marked this day by firstly holding a ceremony at the Council repairs depot in  Abbey Road E15 at 9am remembering the 13 Air raid wardens and firefighters who were killed at this site by a direct hit on 7 September. Modern day fire fighters from the LFB and many council repair staff were in attendance which was led by the Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz and the Deputy Mayor (Community) Cllr Charlene McLean. 

Next. we laid wreaths at the East Ham War memorial and mass grave site for civilian dead at Manor Park cemetery E12. I was asked to say a few words and just pointed out that we must never forget that it was the rise of fascism in Germany which resulted in all these innocent deaths and that we must constantly be on our guard against fascism to stop this ever happening again. 

Afterwards, my Councillor colleagues for West Ham ward (Cllr Charlene Mclean and Cllr John Whitworth) and I went to East London Cemetery E13 to visit the West Ham war memorial and mass grave which listed the hundreds of civilians killed by Nazi bombing (as well as 7 Royal Navy sailors from HMT Abronia which was also sunk I assume in the docks on 7 September 1940).

We also paid our respects at the memorial and mass grave of 105 London Borough of Hackney residents buried at this cemetery. 

It is clear from all these memorials that whole families were wiped out due to the bombing including unnamed babies whose names had not yet been registered. 

Later we went to Ranelagh Road E15 in our ward and placed a single red rose at the site of a local tragedy. A German war plane had been shot down on 7 September by RAF fighters but it had crashed into the gardens killing 5 local residents who had been hiding in their air raid shelters. 

This evening there was a excellent Facebook live panel video with local Newham historians about the Blitz. You can see the recording here:-

here https://www.facebook.com/newhamevents/videos/1190977721272201

Machlud Arfordirol / Coastal Sunset by Kyffin Williams

Medi / September 2020 Calendar by Welsh Landscape Artist, Kyffin Williams. The National Library of Wales.

NHS hero but my purse still says zero

 

Hat tip @LondonNurse2015  #NHS

80th anniversary of the start of the Blitz - Monday 7 September

 

My Grandfather, Sgt John Gray, served in an anti-aircraft regiment during World War 2 and my family believe he was involved in defending London from Nazi air attacks. 

Hat tip Newham web page "Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz and Newham Council will be marking the 80th anniversary of the start of the Blitz by laying wreaths on 7 September to remember those who died at the hands of Hitler’s bombs.

Mayor Fiaz will be joined by Deputy Mayor Councillor Charlene McLean (Communities) and Deputy Mayor Councillor John Gray (Statutory) at the mass grave and memorial in Manor Park Cemetery, Sebert Road, Forest Gate, at 10.30am to pay tribute to the civilian casualties of the enemy bombing.

Councillor McLean, Cabinet member for community neighbourhoods, said: “There are residents who remember the Blitz through direct experience or have learned about it through family stories, school lessons, movies or remembrance commemorations. It is important that those who lost their lives are not forgotten. It is also important that we remember the difficulties that those who were left behind had to face.”

Newham Council is also hosting an online exhibition to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Blitz.

Black Saturday -¬ Stories from the Blitz, features photographs and first-hand accounts from local residents who recall the first few days of the Second World War German bombing campaign, which lasted from September 1940 until May 1941.

The term Blitz was first used by the British press and is the German word for lightning. The bombing started on 7 September, or Black Saturday as it became known. For eight months, London was systematically attacked.

The aerial bombardment consisted of high explosive bombs and parachute mines, which had a devastating effect on the then boroughs of East Ham and West Ham. The Royal Docks area was one of the main targets for the Germans with the intention to damage the commercial life of London by bombing warehouses, wharves, railway lines, factories and power stations of the East End.

The Blitz ended on 11 May 1941 when Adolf Hitler called off the raids in order to move his bombers east for Germany's invasion of Russia.

Councillor McLean added: “The online exhibition tells the story of those early days in one of the darkest periods in our local history. The German Luftwaffe tried to break the spirit of this part of the East End, but they failed. The first-hand accounts of local residents are as awe-inspiring as they are tragic.”

You can visit the online exhibition and read the stories from the early days of the Blitz.

An online Facebook Live discussion will be taking place on 7 September at 6pm hosted by journalist Marieta Evans, co-founder of the Royal Docks History Club. Confirmed speakers include local writers and historians including former Newham Recorder editor and Royal Docks Forgotten Stories blogger Colin Grainger, former North Woolwich police officer Alan Godfrey, and Peter Stone, author of The Port of London. You can take part in the conversation though the Newham Events Facebook page.

Our Future in UNISON votechristina.org

Join us: votechristina.org

After years of representing UNISON members across all sectors, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, branches are supporting me to be their next General Secretary. They are putting their trust in me to be a General Secretary who really listens to UNISON members.

Here is my manifesto with my vision for our union and my pledges to every UNISON member:



https://bit.ly/34VIshB

My campaign is led by lay UNISON activists. We’ve secured the support needed from branches to make it on to the ballot, but we’re only just getting started.

Join us: votechristina.org

#ourfutureinunison 

S

Beautiful Wales: Grainrhyd

 

We are back in Newham from a glorious bank holiday weekend in Grainrhyd, Flintshire, North Wales seeing my mum, sisters, niece and family. It is the first time we have seen my Mum since lockdown. 

The picture is from an early morning walk in Grainrhyd of what I believe to be an ancient Welsh standing stone which appears to have been used more recently as a farm gate post. 

Would you rather?

Would you rather leave your child or your elderly parent without care? 

or

Smell urine or uncollected rubbish?

Impossible choices face our communities. But we can #SaveOurServices Write to your MP at https://unsn.uk/3kSnBRU to #DemandThe10Billion

"Are You Renting Privately - Know Your Rights"

 If you are being harassed or illegally evicted in Newham then contact our Private Sector Housing Standards on 020 3373 1950 or email privatehousing@newham.gov.uk. Check out aloso www.newham.gov.uk/illegaleviction

To be clear landlords or their agents face imprisonment if they harrass or illegally evict tenants. If appropriate we will also refer to Planning department enforcement team, Council Tax Fraud investigation, Inland Revenue Tax Evasion team and we will support tenants who can claim back Rent Repayment Orders.