14th Floor: The History of Social Housing in Tower Hamlets

Last week I finally saw the film "14th floor: The History of Social Housing in Tower Hamlets". I've worked as a housing management officer in Tower Hamlets for the last 24 years so as you can imagine I am just a little interested in this subject.

Columbia Buildings (1872) is mentioned which I use to manage in 1992 just before the estate action bid which transformed it into one of the most attractive buildings in the borough.

Good to see Mike Tyrrell and many other Tower Hamlets housing characters talking about their experiences. Mike is now the CEO of Tower Hamlets Community Housing (THCH) and in the film he talks about how his newly appointed staff find it impossible to believe that as a child in the 1960s he and his family lived in a 2 bedroom flat without its own toilet or bath.

I must admit that I disagree with the romanticism of the 27 storey Balfron Towers in Poplar designed by Ernő Goldfinger.  While I personally like living in high rise tower blocks I cannot see how how people ever thought that such monstrosities were ever suitable for young families with children.

There should also been more about the truly radical history of social housing in Tower Hamlets. Such as the role of the suffragettes, rents strikes, defeating the fascists at Cable Street and "Red Stepney". 

I also think that the film was rather spoilt at the end by being too uncritical of modern developments. I have no doubt that there is lots of examples of good decent sustainable social housing developments currently taking place. But for a "history" programme it is just far too soon to judge. Many of the historic estate developments judged now to have been disastrous and knocked down (before even the loans to build them had been paid off) had at the time been thought "wonderful" and won lots of prize's and awards.

The intro video clip is a good taster to the film. I am surprised it is not on YouTube?

UPDATE: Mike Tyrrell corrected me on FaceBook to say it was "not a two bed flat we lived in but a two roomed flat. One room as a bedroom and the other as a living room and kitchen, let alone sharing the toilet on the landing with neighbours!!!!!!!!!!". Retired housing worker Bob Sheldrick also posted "I spent the first 21 years of my life in BG , living on the Horwood Estate- Pott Street. Unlike Mike we did have our own bathroom and toilet but central heating- no chance! We all lived in walk-up blocks back then and I saw mothers with their prams and babies literally climbing 8 flights of stairs". ..and people call those times "the good all days".

No time to say goodbye to Virgin Media (and the bearded one)

I am finally free of Virgin Media and its anti-trade union bearded one! I think that I have been a customer of the cable company (in its various reincarnations) for about 15 years. You can click on the label "Virgin media" below for the back ground. When I saw that disgusting video Richard Branson put out attacking trade union recognition I felt I had no choice but to leave.

It has been quite a journey. I've been shouted at and threatened by their managers, my phone deliberately cut off, complaints ignored and then finally given 4 minutes notice by email that they were cutting off (again) not only my home telephone but this time my TV and broadband service in breach of my contract and against my express instructions!

They didn't dare charge me the £144 they had threatened, however to be honest that given that the senior management at Virgin are so nasty and malicious that I had half expected them to cut me off again. It's pretty pathetic and vindictive. But this is what you come to expect if you are a Virgin Media customer.

Anyway, I am still continuing the fight and have asked for clarification on their useless responses to date and have even asked to be put back on Virgin (I know, I know...but 4 minutes to get someone else is clearly inadequate) until I can get an alternative provider. We will wait and see.

I will post soon on how to to cancel your Virgin Media service. There are much better and cheaper providers out there. The real problem I think with Virgin Media is that it acts like a monopoly and that is why it has such a poor service ethos and is so expensive and unresponsive. I have some ideas on this front. So watch this space.

(ps I love this "Time to Say Goodbye" song and like to post it whenever possible)

"We will never re-elect you if you wreck our NHS..."

Sleeping with the enemy: Ken's offer to Vince about bringing down the Coalition

Today there was a London Labour Party Manifesto meeting at Congress House.  I missed the morning session due to my Council surgery and a Fair Pensions Training on shareholder Activism (which I had to leave early). 

Ken gave a keynote speech to the meeting after lunch and was on form.   He compared the 77% of funding that Boris received during the last Mayor campaign from City Bankers and Hedge fund managers with the 80% he received from trade unions and trade union members. Unlike Boris he was proud of his funding.

Boris is planning to increase fares by 2% above inflation for the next 20 years. If he is elected Ken has pledged to cut tube fares by 7% and bus fares by 11%.

On Housing issues Ken spoke passionately about a London Living rent and a GLA rental agency. He also reaffirmed his commitment to work with London Council (and the LPFA which the Mayor runs) pension funds  to get them to fund investment in Housing. I will of course declare an interest in this subject. I also have never understood why British pension funds do not invest in residential rental properties?

Ken being Ken had to say something to bring a smile to our faces. His despair at this present Coalition government and his wish for it to fall led to him making a typically "Ken" offer to even sleep with Vince Cable if this meant the government would "fold".  An offer that Vince will no doubt....

Rachman Employers: A Branch Secretary Report

On Thursday it is the UNISON Housing Association Branch AGM. This is my contribution to our annual report.

"2011 was a pretty rubbish year for many members. We either had no pay rise or one far below inflation. While in Care and Support, many employees have had their pay, terms and conditions cut. There has been redundancies and job insecurity. The TUPE transfer of staff to Rachman landlords who claim to be “charities” and “social” landlords yet win contracts by deliberately putting in uneconomic bids. Then once they win, they sack, slash, burn and bully staff into leaving or taking huge pay cuts. Knowing full well that at the same time they are putting vulnerable clients at risk. This is a disaster waiting to happen.

But it was not only doom and gloom. The lesson of 2012 is also where we had good union organisation, where there was a higher density of members and an active steward structure, we were able to better defend members, protect jobs and conditions. We made a real difference.

The Public Service Pension strike in November 30th also showed our employers that the branch can deliver effective strike action and picketing. I suspect there will be further such disputes in the future although industrial action will always be very much a last resort.

2012 will be a very difficult year as well. From April, the Government will double the length of time needed to claim unfair dismissal from 12 months to 2 years and is proposing changes to ACAS guidelines to “simplify” dismissal procedures. It is even contemplating introducing “no fault” sacking where you could be dismissed by your employer (with minimum compensation) without them even having to give you a reason. Also from April, if you have been unfairly treated or even discriminated against by your employer you may have to pay up to £1750 to go to a tribunal. I could go on and on about attacks over health and safety, redundancy consultations, TUPE etc.

Workers have to realise that they cannot depend on the “law” to protect them at work. The best defence is a strong union and collective action. So help yourself (and your union) by recruiting a work colleague, going to local union meetings and think about becoming a steward or a health & safety rep.

Finally many thanks to the activists, stewards, branch staff and of course our tireless UNISON full time Regional organiser Colin Inniss for all their hard work during the last 12 months".

John Gray, Branch Secretary

“Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too.” (Google it)

UnisonActive take on defeat of London trots

Check out UnisonActive report : "UNISON London Region's existing leadership team, led by Convenor Gloria Hanson, saw off an attempt by the SWP and its sympathisers to take over at yesterday's Regional Council AGM. This is the seventh victory in a row for London grass root union activists who soundly defeated the challengers at the ballot box.

UNISON President Eleanor Smith was a keynote speaker together with Labour Party candidate for Mayor, Ken Livingstone. A motion attacking Boris and supporting Ken and Labour Assembly members in the election in May was passed unanimously. Motions calling for "Secure and Affordable Housing" and "Why income equality at work matters to everyone" were passed and prioritised as regional motions for National Delegate Conference.

Greater London UNISON Regional Council Officers 2012/2013

We were re-elected at the AGM today. Many thanks to all those who supported us :)

UNISON London Regional Council AGM

Today is the UNISON London Regional Council AGM. Where the forces of light and reason will once again face the evil ones. I've enjoyed recently the paranoid and distorted ramblings of their wannabe dear leader and his attempts to rewrite history.

His righteous posts remind me why London Unison members got fed up with the self indulgent pantomime student union politics of Regional Councils in the past and voted with their feet not to attend. Of the time that London Regional Council (yes, the most important region) was regarded with amusement by the rest of the union, an irrelevance by most employers and a private club run by Monty Python "Life of Brian" reenactment enthusiasts by many members.

So to stop going back to the bad old days and to continue to build the fastest growing region in the union may I respectfully request if you are a London delegate reading this on your smartphone to:-

VOTE FOR:
Gloria Hanson – Regional Convenor
Conroy Lawrence – Deputy Regional Convenor
John Gray – Regional Finance Convenor
Monica Hirst – Regional Equalities Convenor
Lynn Bentley – Regional Publicity Officer

London Marathon 2012 Wk 15: Beckton Alps

Training run of the week was on Saturday just before the heavy snow. I had to keep running for 1 Hour 40 minutes. I decided to go south along the Greenway (Northern Sewer outlet) towards the Thames. I joined the Greenway near Newham General Hospital going past West Ham FC fans who were quite happy following their win in the local derby with Millwall FC. 

At the junction with the A13 the Greenway seemed to stop. I was not sure what to do so I decided to carry out a long time ambition and go to the top of Beckton Alps. I have driven past the "Alps" many times. Its actually the spoil heap from the Beckton Gas works which use to be on the site. It is supposed to be the highest point in Newham and the highest artificial hill in London.

The gas works themselves were used to film the final battle scenes of "Full Metal Jacket". Afterwards I ran home past St Marys Magdelene (the oldest Norman Church in London whose vicar is the Councillor Rev. Quintin Peppiatt!) then across Central Park and the back streets to home taking 1 Hour 41 minutes.

I am running the London marathon in April 2012 while sort of using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless charity for Young People "Alone in London". Click here to sponsor me.

"Closer to Home"

Check out this excellent article on housing posted here on "Labour List" by Newham born and bred Labour Party activists, Ellie Robinson and David Christie.

Today being the 200th anniversary of Dickens birth it is very apt to debate the appalling housing conditions that is still found even today in parts of the East End of London.