Number 10 E-Petition on Olympic Health Centre Promise

My local Labour Party CLP, West Ham, is running a campaign against the decision by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) not to honour a promise to build a purpose built health centre in the Stratford Olympic Village for 2012. Our Labour MP, Lyn Brown, is fully behind us.

Click here to sign the petition or cut and paste this http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/OlympicPromise/

This health centre had been promised as an Olympic legacy for the local community. Once the Olympics took place, the heath centre should have been passed over to the Newham health authority to meet local needs. We will be collecting signatures at a street stall in Stratford next weekend.

The petition says “We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to take action to ensure that the Olympic Delivery Authority makes sure that the promised Health facility is built at the same time as the Olympic village for the benefit of the athletes and then the wider local community. Also to make certain that the Government will commit itself to ensuring a measurable Olympic legacy for the East End of London in skills, jobs, homes and facilities and create an accountable agency to oversee the legacy to the local community"

Further information
The London Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) had promised that a badly needed £10 million health centre would be built in Stratford, Newham, East London. The centre was to cater for athletes during the Games then to be handed over for the benefit of local people afterwards as an Olympic legacy. A funding crisis is threatening to delay the construction until 2020. Many fear that once the ODA is disbanded after the games then no-one is legally liable to build the centre.

The picture above is of of 13 year old Sylvia Diggory who was the first ever NHS patient in 1948, meeting Nye Bevan. He asked her if "if I understood the significance of the occasion and told me it was a milestone in history — the most civilised step any country had ever taken and a day I would remember for the rest of my life". She said of course, "yes". I thought it was somewhat apt.

Yes We Can (watch on telly)

What a good idea! UNISON Labour Link are celebrating Barack's inauguration for UNISON staff by watching it together live on telly. Hopefully this will catch on in other workplaces.

Jasper the Cat (beware of foxes?)

Very, very off message but since many bloggers appear to enjoy posting pictures of their animals, especially cats. I am now pleased to post a picture of one of my sister’s cats, Jasper, a pedigree Persian with lots of character, sitting uninvited on her kitchen table last weekend.

I always felt a little left out of it since while I am rather fond of pets we live in a flat without a garden, so we don’t have any.

By coincidence I am just back from our local Labour Party meeting where a longstanding party member told us that she remembers seeing a fox running down the street with a dead cat in its mouth!

I have often wondered about this when you see the desperate placards on street furniture about lost cats? Is this widespread? If so I think that the pro fox hunting brigade may get a spike in support!

Big Mac Uncovered – McDonald’s isn’t loving Unions

(Hat-tip thingy to Tom P). No surprise here – McDonalds is taking part in a rear guard action in the States against a new “union friendly” law regarding recognition agreements called the “Employee Free Choice Act”. The SIEU are running a compaign to try and see them off.

McDonald's isn't lovin' free choice for its employees. The fast food giant is reportedly organizing its restaurant owners to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act. McDonald's has reportedly even formed an "internal response team...to actively participate in the opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act."

McDonald's has more than 600,000 employees in the US, many of whom earn less than $10/hour. But last year its CEO took home more than $13 million.

Now McDonald's leadership is actively organizing to prevent its employees from standing up for themselves at work.

Write to McDonalds and say employees need the Employee Free Choice Act - we'll send your letters to McDonald's headquarters to make sure they get the message.

Maybe send a letter to the British Head office expressing your concerns and while you are at it ask when McDonalds are going to recognise unions in the UK?

Head office, McDonald's Restaurants Ltd:11 - 59 High RoadEast FinchleyLondon,N2 8AW

Day in the Life of Trevor - Working Class Tory

Waiting at home for British Gas to come and fix a leaking boiler I received a Google alert about a wonderful story written in 2004 by long lost American Cousin called originally “Day in the Life of Joe Middle Class Republican”. The original was by a John Gray (from Cincinnati, Ohio July 2004). It had been updated following the Obama victory here. I’m sure my “cousin” won’t mind me reworking it to the UK in 2010.

"Trev is determined to have a good day despite it all. He's still disappointed that Labour did so well in the election, that Gordon Brown will be Prime Minister again, and Labour will have a big majority in the House of Commons. But Trev’s a strong, freedom-loving, independent kind of bloke, and he doesn't intend to let the Labour lemmings ruin his life.

Trev and some of his equally Conservative friends have talked about the beatings the Tories have taken in the last four elections. They can't agree on why it happened, but they do agree on one thing, their bedrock truth: Whatever's wrong, it's the fault of the government, the unions and the bloody Labour Party.

Trev thinks about these things soon after he wakes up in his home in the London Borough of Bexley. He showers and walks to the kitchen to get the kettle going. His shampoo bottle is properly labelled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some interfering liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.
The water he uses is clean and safe because, at one time, tree-hugging extremists fought for effectively enforced, minimum water quality standards.

While he waits for his cuppa, Trev takes his daily allergy and blood pressure medications. His medicine is safe and effective because, years ago, some big-government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and got the government to oversee the production of pharmaceuticals. Trev pays £8.54 per month for all his prescriptions thanks to the NHS, because 50 or more years ago, lazy union members helped make sure that a Labour Government was elected which introduced a National Health Service. All the actual medical treatment he has received over the years from his local doctor and in hospital have all been free.

Trev cooks up some bacon and eggs (both of which are safe because of Government food regulations and inspections), then turns on the radio in time to hear a right-wing talk show host rail against "government entitlements." "Bloody right," thinks Trev, "only wusses think the government owes them something ... bunch of Labour slackers."

Trev gets dressed, goes outside and takes a deep breath. The air is clean because environmentalist wackos 30 years ago got all worked up about industries polluting the atmosphere.

He gets in his Jeep and drives to work in the Isle of Dogs on a government-funded, government-maintained and government-patrolled highway. His vehicle is among the safest in the world because some fuzzy-thinking, "Kumbaya"-singing Labour weenies fought for car safety standards. Trev pulls into his office building's parking lot, made affordable for him and his company by tax breaks.

Trev starts his workday. He enjoys paid holidays, a 35 hour working week, overtime and a decent pension because lazy union loafers fought and died for enforceable working standards. Thanks to the Union if Trev is injured on the job, or God forbid, loses his job, he'll get Company and state sick pay, industrial injury compensation, redundancy payments and unemployment benefit as well as help with his mortgage-- all because some Frenchified socialist didn't think people should starve or lose their homes because of a temporary problem.

At lunch, Trev and some work friends drive to a local government-inspected restaurant while listening to Talk Radio. As they wait for their food, they talk about how tired they are of picking up the tab for "lowlifes who'd rather get a government handout than work," and their friends in "government". -- Which reminds Trev that he needs to send off his student loan payment. That money sure came in handy when Trev attended his state subsidised technical college.

After work, Trev goes home, checks his e-mail and surfs his favourite conservative Web sites for awhile. The Internet is readily accessible to Trev because some British-hating liberals convinced Parliament that giant communications companies shouldn't be given quicker Web access than ordinary citizens.

Trev plans to visit his parents this evening, they live out in Bow near Vicki Park. He drives again on the subsidised roads and soon pulls into the driveway of his parents place. His parents couldn’t get a mortgage from a bank to buy their home. They were only able to get one from their local council. And wouldn't you know it -- the house didn't have inside toilets or central heating until some pinko activists got together and demanded improvements and government grants for the area.

Trev, as always, is glad to see his parents, who are now retired. They live on the State pension and a decent company pension, all because some nosy Labourites made sure they could take care of themselves so Trev wouldn't have to.

As Trev drives home from his parents' house, he listens to a radio talk show. The host is talking about a new book that claims Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal in America actually prolonged the Great Depression, even though serious historians who agree with that premise are nearly non-existent. The host goes on, reminding listeners that conservatives are great and socialists are evil. He doesn't mention that it was conservatives who fought like wildcats against every protection and benefit Trev has enjoyed that day. As he pulls into his driveway in Bexley, Trev thinks to himself, "You're bloody right! We don't need any more big-government losers taking over our lives! Why can't everyone be a self-made man like me? People should take care of themselves without government help, just like I have."

Housing Matters

What happy times we live in... 22 Housing Associations are in “dire straights” according to a report by “housing guru”, Tony Pidgley, the chairman of Berkeley Group.

Genesis Housing is in hock to London & Quadrant (L&Q) for £20 million soon after losing their finance director. It’s a back-up facility only - which has not been drawn - apparently.

Major builder Taylor Wimpey has laid off its entire affordable housing team.

It is nice to know that the directors of private house builders Bellway have awarded themselves massive bonuses despite a “dire” (it’s that word again) business year.

Thanks to the Inside Housing site.

“Oversacking” Redundancy a false economy say CIPD

Shock horror! I am in agreement with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development! (CIPD - the HR professional body). I heard their Chief Economist, John Philpot, being interviewed on PM while driving home. The terminology, like nearly all modern day HR jargon is awful but John warned companies against what he called “Oversacking” of staff during the present crisis.

Not only is redundancy expensive (average of at least £16,300 per worker) but research has shown that in past recessions companies have panicked and unnecessarily made staff redundant then had to incur pointless costs to reemploy when the upturn comes along. Research has also found that redundancies increase staff turnover and reduce the productivity of the staff who are left.

“It is urging employers to plan for recovery by retaining their people, rather than downsizing and risking long-term damage to their business... Employers should hold their nerve and focus on retaining talent and investing in the skills of their people. It is these people with their commitment, productivity and ability to add value who will ultimately keep individual businesses and the whole of the UK competitive, and put us in a strong position to recover from the downturn quickly.”

I hope that those Housing associations which are laying off skilled development workers take note!

Check out the press release here (which does not include the “Oversacking” term for some strange reason).

A Plaid Cymru Councillor in the family

At the New Year’s family meal I posted upon yesterday I had a long chat with my niece Holly’s step-dad, Greg Robbins, who was elected as a Plaid Cymru Councillor for Llandudno District Town Council last May.

Greg is enjoying being a Councillor and is active in the Plaid Cymru Party. I must admit that I was surprised that Greg hasn’t experienced any “problems” being a card carrying Welsh nationalist. Greg looks “Welsh” and speaks with a North Walian lilt but he was born in England and his mother is English. His Dad did have family in North Wales but Glen admits he is only “technically” half-Welsh.

Interestingly, Greg also does not speak Welsh either. In the best traditions of British (and Welsh) local government when he was elected councillor he was appointed as a governor of the only Welsh speaking school in Llandudno. When he attends school governor meetings he therefore has to rely on the interpreter who also translates for the 4 or 5 parent governors who are also non-Welsh speakers.

Greg said he has never experienced any difficulties in the Party over his background and lack of Welsh. I am astonished by this since in the past I have come across “some” (not all by any means) Plaid Cymru activists who frankly put the BNP to shame for their views of the English (and anyone else they deem to be non-Welsh and therefore “sub-human”). Nowadays such views are now seen as being clearly racist. When I lived in Scotland, “some” Scot Nats were just as bad.

Greg said that Plaid had changed and there was a new face to the Party that welcomed English migrants who believe in self determination for Wales regardless of their origin or the fact that they speak Welsh or not. He reminded me that there is a Bengali Plaid Cymru deputy mayor of Colwyn Bay!

I have now lived longer in Newham than Wales so I really don’t know what Welsh nationalist sentiment is nowadays. I hope Greg is right. I do have my doubts. While I think independence for Wales would be a disaster (not only for Wales but also the rest of us) I hope my fears are wrong.

Picture is from the Llandudno Plaid Cymru website attacking the expansion of local offshore wind farms. Which I think are a good idea!

Waiting for news from Afghanistan

On New Years Day we went out for a meal in Llandudno, North Wales with our pregnant niece, the lovely Holly, her partner Mike and family. The meal started out a little tense since Mike’s brother is in 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Afghanistan and his Mum had just rang Mike to say that the TV had reported that there had been a further combat fatality that day but they were not releasing any names.

Mike handled the news very well. 45 Commando had suffered a number of casualties that tour and he obviously had gone through this awful waiting period before.

Mike had to leave the table during the meal to take a mobile telephone call. However, he came back to the table to tell us that bizarrely a very close friend of his had just won £50,000 on a lottery scratch card! His friend had texted a photo of the winning card. So good news!

A little while later Mike had another text to ring his Mum and he left the table suddenly. A short time later he came back with a big smile; his brother had rang his Mum from Afghanistan, and was safe and sound. Big cheers from everyone at the table.

We were a happy family who enjoyed their meal but I think we were all aware of those families who did not have good news this Christmas or beforehand. Our thoughts are with them all.

Our thanks to all British forces personnel who are putting themselves in harms way. Hero’s everyone of them, Per Mare Per Terram (or Air).

“Injury in the name of profit is not acceptable”

Back to “The Smoke” after the Holiday. The boredom of driving long distances over the holiday period to visit friends and families was alleviated by listening to Radio 4’s ‘end of the year’ programmes. They revisited many of their key stories and yesterday, I listened to most of “Face the Facts” with John Waite (photo right). There was the horrific story of caravan park owners who tried to frighten elderly residents into selling their vans to them for peanuts by fire bombing! There is a loop in the law that gives such residents the least amount of legal protection of any tenure.

Another story looked at how seemingly ‘respectable’ companies break the law by demanding employees are CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked when they are only legally able to do so with adults who work with children or vulnerable children (and certain specific occupations such as solicitors and accountants). This issue has also arisen in my branch, with some housing associations carrying out CRB blanket checks of all employees, regardless of whether of not they work with children and vulnerable adults. Must add this one to my “do something about it” list for 2009.

This radio programme is also credited with helping to bring about a public enquiry into the Stockline Plastic Factory Explosion which killed 9 workers in 2004. There seems to have been a sad tale of an inadequate safety culture in the factory before the explosion and insufficient Health & Safety Executive (HSE) regulation. The deaths probably could have been avoided with a few hundred pounds worth of preventative maintenance. The company was only fined £400,000 for the 9 deaths. One positive result (if ‘positive’ is the right word to be used in such circumstances) is that currently companies which breach health & safety laws are assessed for fines by the courts on the basis of financial information submitted by that company. Dr Bill Wilson MSP (whose quote is the title of this post) is trying to pass a bill that would ensure that such companies have an independent assessment of their finances.