Newham Classic 10k 2011

Off message: The photo collage is from the Newham Classic 10k Run on Sunday.  We started and finished in West Ham Park (my Council ward). Double click picture to bring up detail. The run took 1 hour 8 minutes (3 minutes earlier than last month's Newham London 10k). Must do better.

The weather was lovely and warm with blue skies and sunshine. The blossom of the the trees on route was simply gorgeous.  Mr "Reggie, Reggie" Sauce" Levi Roots, helped see us off (top left).  Picture of Tessa Sanderson cheering us on on (bottom left).

Main top picture is of the elite athletes storming past us home in just over 30 minutes! Bottom middle is of Mr Singh, who competed the race in good time despite being 100 years old!  While bottom right is another one of the race finishers proudly wearing his medal.

New SWP Split: Propagano the Revisionist Resigns!

Following the shock resignation tonight of leading SWPer, Chris Bambery, I thought it was only right and proper, that I should repost Comrade Mercader's superb youtube video "D.HALLAS".  This exposes the evils goings on of the rich folk who control the Soggies' Central Committee.  Interesting how few of the old Guard are left (pardon the pun) since 2008.

I note that Chris complains that the Party still owes him money he lent it during its recent financial crisis.  Hopefully Baron Loads a Money will step in and help.  If not we could always set up an appeal fund?

Hat-tip lots and lots of people:)

UNISON NEC Elections 2011: The Forces of Light & Reason in London

Ballot papers are due out today.  These are the candidates for London Regional seats that I will be supporting and I hope you will support as well.  You can usually (its not always that clear) guess from reading the election statements, who are the sensible left candidates and who are supported by the evil ones.

Labour Party AV Debate: Stratford Thursday 28 April 2011

West Ham CLP and London UNISON Labour Link are sponsoring this debate on the AV vote in Stratford on Thursday evening 28 April 2011 (Workers Memorial Day!).

John Debham MP will speak in favour of AV and Margaret Beckett MP will speak against.  The venue is only a short walk from Stratford stations, it is comfortable and there will be plenty of seats. 

I am personally a supporter of AV in Parliamentary elections.  While I think there is a progressive majority in this country and that AV will benefit the Labour Party and our policies.  I recognise that no one really knows how the Great British Public will actually vote if such a system is introduced.  Regardless of this, I do think that the principle of each MP having the support (or rather the preference) of at least 50% of their constituents is just right and proper.  The only thing I cannot bear to think is of course that my vote would be in any way to be an endorsement of Clegg.  But who really gives a monkey anymore what he thinks of anything never mind what he considers "miserable compromises".

SO - VOTE LABOUR AND VOTE YES TO AV IN MAY.

Captain Frederick John Matthews MC: Royal Naval Division

This is the scanned picture of my Teid (my Welsh maternal grandfather) which I received yesterday morning.  In the beginning of the First World War there were too many volunteers for the Royal Navy. So Winston Churchill created the Royal Naval Division which fought on land but retained Naval ranks and traditions.  

"It was regarded as a highly efficient fighting force and played a prominent part in some of the bloodiest battles of the war".

Teid had volunteered to join the Navy in 1915 and was sent to the RND.  He eventually became a Captain (temporary wartime commission RNVR). He fought in Gallipoli and on the Western front in the First World War. In 1917 he was awarded a Military Cross for attacking and capturing a German Machine Gun post and taking 40 prisoners.

After the War he became a Regular Warrant Officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and in the Second World War he was a Warrant officer in the Royal Air Force.  So he served in all three Armed Services.  I was 9 when he died in 1971.

This picture is important to me.  I have waited a long time to get a copy.  It was obviously displayed in pride of place in my grandparents' home in Denbigh, North Wales.  Together with the actual Military Cross and the Certificate of Honour from his hometown of Abercarn.  All my (seven) maternal aunties and uncles also had copies displayed prominently in their homes.  I am sure that many families can relate to this experience.

However, equally important to the Mathews family, Teid, was also known as someone who would stand up for ordinary people in the local community.  Someone who write and send letters to Landlords, employers, the Bank, the Council or whoever - on behalf of those who could not express themselves in this way.

In our family we took pride in him representing ordinary working people as well in his bravery in Battle.

TUC March for an Alternative: What would Clem do?

Tower Hamlets Labour Party on the TUC March 26th.  With the very apt placard to the front "What would Clem do?" (Clement Attlee - former Labour Prime Minister and local MP).   This is important because the National Debt in 1945 was far, far higher than now and yet the Labour government of the time led by Clem managed to nationalise Coal and Steel, have a mass housing building programme and set up the NHS. 

Those were the days!  Hat-tip Col. Roi. Picture Dan McCurry.

March for the Alternative Big Night Out

"After the 26.03.2011 TUC March for the Alternative Philosophy Football organised a 'Big Night Out in association with the TUC. Featuring the spoken word electronica of Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, comic Josie Long, juggler Rod Laver and soulful acoustic from Maddy Carty. Plus contributions from trade unionist, campaigners, journalists and marchers on what the protest mean to them.

'Does my Society Look Big In This' T-shirt available from www.philosophyfootball.com"

UNISON National Housing Seminar 2011: "We Ain’t Seen Nothin' Yet"

Keynote speaker, Heather Wakefield, Head of UNISON Local Government. (Usual health warning about the accuracy of my hurriedly typed notes) "It seems to have been a very long year. So much destruction has taken place. We now know that Nick Clegg “cries”. Bless his heart. His cabinet of millionaires that wreaks our welfare state. £80 billion in cuts. With no mandate to do so. Before the election Nick Clegg said not a single front line worker would be affected.  Check out Richard Murphy’s excellent blog on taxation. The Tory minister who boasted that these are cuts that “Mrs. Thatcher could only have dreamed about”.

This financial crisis was caused by banks and financial services. Who caused a massive reduction from 60% to 35% in the share of wealth. This led to the debt crisis. They lent mortgages to those who could never pay for them. It was not us, not you, that caused this crisis - but the friends of this Cabinet. They are proposing massive cuts in housing and people’s rights. Pay cuts, even though Local government pay is the lowest in all public services. The new White paper that will propose that all public services in England will have to be put out to tender. Also the review of “public duties”. We ain’t seen nothing yet - I am very sorry to say. We all know someone who has been made redundant. Many Tory and coalition councils don’t have to cut as much as they need to - they are not necessary. Thanks to Pete Challis for his work on educating branches and regional organisers on Council finances and show it is possible to not make such cuts. There are 3 things to do

1. Get technical – get on top of budgets.
2. Get political. There has been a lot of disengagement by branches in politics - especially in England. Nowadays a lot of branches do not think they should engage politically but I think we should be doing this. We have to use the local elections to give the coalition a “bloody nose” if we can. This is essential. Certainly not everything was rosy under a Labour government and Labour councils, we all know that, but just think of the difference between now and then. We have to undermine them.

3.Massively increase density. It is around 50% in local government but below this in some branches. We cannot allow our industrial bargaining position to fall in line with lower density. There is no excuse for any reduction in density. We must build organisation and strength. We have got to use our industrial muscle only when we can and when it will achieve what we want it to do. Industrial action is an important weapon. I’ve been told off in the past as being too keen than some about strikes but if we have industrial action that does not deliver – this does not improve things. If we have industrial action over pay or pensions we need to get our records updated. We cannot afford to take action that is not successful. That is what the government wants us to do – to get egg on our face. Take precipitate industrial action.  

UNISON branches are doing an amazing job day in and day out. We may not stop every redundancy. But we have seen success by taking councils on over finance, equality impact statements and campaigning. We have had successful industrial action and I am sure we will continue to have more. This is a government who despite being hard nose bastards can be forced to backtrack and do a “U turn”. Have seen this over Forests but also plans to cut housing benefit for those who are unemployed. There was a partial victory over EMA and the “break” over plans to privatise our NHS. It can be done. Got to be very canny about the way we do it.

Our primary job is to defend our members - we are a trade union but we must also win the argument with the public against privatisation. We cannot afford it. Public money goes down the drain; millions spent on drawing up processes and increased money for senior management. Don’t forget the shareholders premium. Privatisation only delivers cheaper services on the backs of cuts in our member’s wages and conditions. They have got rid of the 2 tier code so new starters will not be paid decent pay and terms. Decent Pensions will also soon go. Privatisation is the biggest threat face the union.  

So what to do? March 26th was a great day. In itself it may have affected the NHS proposals. They, the government, would love us to wear ourselves out by constant marching and industrial action. How do we build on March 26th? How to keep the pressure up on the government and coalition councils? Develop a massive movement against this government from the bottom up. There is no other alternative. We can have another March 26 and this would not change the governments mind. We in housing have to work with tenant and resident groups, voluntary organisations and others and not just fight for pay and pensions. The groups who are taking action against tax corruption such as London Citizens and UK uncut. Important social movements that are born of the same feelings as us. They are different from us. We in the unions are big organisations and are use to leading, but we have to work with others. There are problems with the politics. But by working with other unions and peoples who feel like us - we can derail this government". 

UNISON National Housing Seminar 2011: City of York

This year the seminar was held in York. I went up last night and this morning before breakfast went for a run (aka slow jog) around it’s almost complete City walls (see picture).

This was quite a fitting start in one way for a housing event since apart from the glorious displays of spring daffodils on the grass banks under the walls, you are acutely aware of the huge range of different types of homes and buildings that exists. From the medieval Shambles to the modern scandinavian style wooden fronted low rise blocks. Small traditional family terraces and the mansions with huge gardens next to the Minster.

The housing stock looked in relatively good condition with no obvious graffiti, vandalism or dumped rubbish. The communal washing lines were even in use and it would appear that residents had left clothes hanging up to dry overnight. I am sure that there are problems with Housing in York (homelessness and affordability?) which are not readily apparent. I did wonder how “sustainable” the new housing units would prove and whether they will still be in use in 500 years time.

There were around 100 branch delegates present at the seminar from Council’s, ALMO’s, DLO’s and Housing associations up and down the Country.

The Chair of the UNISON National Housing Forum Nick Olgard welcomed us and reminded everyone about last year’s seminar when we had the then Labour Housing Minister John Healey present, who he called one of the best ever housing minister’s with Graham Shapps. Then we were worrying about possible Tory Housing polices – now we know.

Our first (keynote) speaker was Heather Wakefield, Head of UNISON Local Government. I’ll post on this next.

Mad Bankers' Disease: BMA search for Vaccine

                     

 As seen in Norwich City centre last week. I couldn't possibly comment.