Edward Nolan - Certificate of Merit for 40 Years Labour Party Membership

Picture of Edward (Ted) Nolan receiving his Certificate of Merit from the Labour Party at last nights West Ham CLP fund raising dinner.

The award was presented to Ted and his wife by Ed Balls MP and our local MP Lyn Brown. It was signed by Party leader Ed Miliband and General Secretary Iain McNicol.

Ted has been a member of the Party for over 40 years. A former HGV driver and Transport & General Workers Union activist.

He has lived in Newham all his life apart from 2 years he spent as a Rifleman while on national service during the Malayan Emergency. As well as a tireless organiser for the Labour Party Ted has also spent much of his life as a respected champion of tenant's rights.

A true Labour Movement Hero.

Metropolitan Housing Shooting

This is an article that I wrote today for our branch newsletter. "The exact details of what happened yesterday over the shooting of a Metropolitan HA housing officer and a bailiff during an eviction are unknown.

The use of guns against housing staff is thankfully incredibly rare but don’t forget the recent survey by "Inside Housing" that found yet another year on increase in assaults on staff. In the meanwhile an incident such as this concentrates minds.

Local stewards and safety representatives should be thinking of asking management when did they last review staff risk assessments and safety procedures? Have staff and the union been properly consulted on these documents? Are staff reps invited and enabled to attend safety committees? Do you have a register of residents who may be violent? Is this register up to-date and most importantly is it being used? Is there adequate resources made available for health and safety in your organisation?

The branch is planning to hold a training workshop for all our reps. Details will be sent out soon.
Remember a unionised workplace is a safer work place. The more of us in the union the safer all of us will be in work. If you are interested in being a UNISON safely rep contact the branch. Check out the excellent safety resources on the UNISON website here.

The Spirit Level Documentary Trailer

"Dear Friends, Many of you will remember the extraordinary crowd funding campaign run last year for The Spirit Level documentary. Thanks to your generous support, the filmmakers have now been able to begin this ambitious project - but there is more work to be done.

This Spirit Level film is an official documentary based on Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett's seminal book. It shows how the rising gap between rich and poor has impacted on our societies, and aims to engage people on the issue of inequality, helping them to discover how it affects them and what can be done to reduce it.

We want a film that is talked and written about, that gets into cinemas and televisions, and that reaches millions. More importantly, we want a film that can help us achieve real, tangible change in policies and attitudes that help reduce inequality. The film is being funded by thousands of small donations, and has so far raised a staggering £45,000. This has enabled filmmakers to capture interviews with some of the world’s leading thinkers from the US, UK and Europe.

They've also gathered stories from the frontline of inequality all over the world, but these too need to be filmed. The Spirit Level's filmmakers are aiming to raise a further £30,000 to start this filming; with your help they can get there. If you're able and would like to donate to this project, please visit the film's website. Alternatively, please consider sharing the documentary's trailer with friends, colleagues and online networks.

For more information on the project's progress, and to hear from Katharine Round, Director of The Spirit Level, on the story so far, please visit: http://thespiritleveldocumentary.com/blogW.

Ronald Valentine Higgins - East End Docker, Footballer, Trade Unionist & Lancaster Bomber Gunner

On Sunday 23rd June there was a Newham Labour Party "meet the candidates" BBQ in Cody Docks, Canning Town. Party members met potential candidates standing for selection in 2014.

West Ham MP Lyn Brown was the special guest.  Cody Docks is an amazing regeneration project but even this was out shined on the day by the 3 generations of the Higgins family from East Ham.

I first met 90 year old Ronald Valentine Higgins (born 14 Feb 1923) several years ago at another Labour Party BBQ on Wanstead Flats. Ron has had a pretty incredible life. He started his working life in the famous Thames Iron Works, which was not far away from Cody Docks and the home of West Ham FC. He later played for West Ham and Leyton Orient FC. Since he was a semi professional footballer, he was not eligible to compete in the 1948 London Olympics, even though his running times matched that of the leading British competitors. He also managed East Ham FC.

Before this he served in the RAF during the Second World War as a gunner on Lancaster Bombers. He took part in 32 missions. The life span of an average Lancaster Bomber crew was only 20 missions. They had to complete 30. After the War and football, Ron worked in the Docks and became a GMB convener.

Picture of me, his son also called Ron, Cllr Forhad Hussain, Cllr Terry Paul then below Ron Senior and Hanif Abdulmuhit (picture taken by Ron's Grandson Paul).

I think we were all really proud and humbled to meet Ron.

National Action Mesothelioma Day - Friday 5 July Stratford Town Hall

Friday 5th JULY 2013
"You are invited to attend a commemorative event at 12:30pm to remember all those who have died and who are suffering because of asbestos
Speakers
Peter Williams Head of Asbestos and personal injury,
Field, Fisher, Waterhouse
John McClean GMB National Safety Officer

There will be a release of doves, at 1pm, followed by a short seminar, and a buffet will be provided.
The event is organised by London Hazards Centre and East London Mesothelioma Support, ELMS.
All invited but please RSVP to margaretsharkey@lhc.org.uk

5 facts about asbestos

1 Asbestos is a known human carcinogen and there is no safe level
of asbestos exposure.
2 54 countries have banned asbestos. The UK finally banned all types
of asbestos in 1999.
3 Asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis, lung, and gastrointestinal
cancers, and an aggressive cancer called mesothelioma. The average
life expectancy of a mesothelioma patient is six – twelve months.
4 Asbestos-caused diseases have a 10 – 50 year latency period from
initial exposure to development of disease.
5 The World Health Organisation estimates that 107,000 workers
die annually from exposure to asbestos. And in the UK over
3,200 die from mesothelioma each year according to HSE"

#UNDC13 Chair of Standing Order's tickling stick

Here we have the Chair of UNISON Standing Orders Committee, Clytus Williams, giving his traditional Friday morning final report to conference with the aid of music and a Knotty Ash tickling stick. 

We were after all in Liverpool and I think his version of the Ken Dodd classic was his best SO report ever. 

How can I ever forget the words  

"Happiness to me is a Group debate,  A Composite that we all rate".

 

#UNDC13 Nothing too good for the workers - Friday am

This picture is of my messy desk on the NEC platform in front of the UNISON NDC conference hall on the Friday morning.

When I arrived that morning I found this bottle of Champagne on it.

There was no message with it so I asked colleagues if they had seen who had left it there? I was told a man with grey hair and glasses had left it for me (which ruled in 90% of male delegates).

I thought that I may have won it in a raffle but have since found out it was a thank you gift from someone who I had helped out when he got himself in a little bit of bother a while ago. It was not needed but a nice gesture. 

It's Criminal - (Probation Against Privatisation)

Excellent Video by NAPO! "The Government plans to outsource 70% of the Probation Service's work to private companies such as G4S, Serco and Sodexo. This will include supervision in the community of ALL low and medium risk offenders, running treatment programmes, unpaid work and more.

Napo believes these plans are ill thought through, thin on operational detail and, with the planned tight timescale, will be unworkable. But, most importantly, they will undermine the good work the service is doing and pose a threat to public safety.

Ideology first -- community safety last
The true motivation behind these plans is to drive down costs regardless of the impact on service quality. There is also an ideological commitment to privatisation. Currently Probation Trusts are not being allowed to bid for their own work. Napo believes justice and public protection should not be about profit. It should be about public safety, reducing reoffending, rehabilitation and preventing further victims. There is already a successful organisation providing this in England and Wales. It's called the Probation Service. Don't let it be destroyed.

What you can do: Contact your MP to let them know that you oppose the Government's plans

Find out more: http://www.napo.org.uk/about/probatio...

Sign the Probation Service e-petition: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petit...

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaveProbation

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favour of fair use.

#UNDC13 Health & Safety Fringe - thursday lunchtime fringe

The NDC health and safety fringe was titled "Safety in Numbers" with presentations on campaigning in hospitals and Glasgow City branch on workplace stress.

There was some disquiet on the perceived lack of emphasis by some delegates on health and safety in conference business and the UNIZONE. While I think we need to do far more on safety issues in recent years it has raised its profile at conference. We, the activists just need to do more to increase this profile further.

One suggestion was that many members do not appreciate "elf & safety" at work but when you ask are they concerned about stress, violence, overwork, bullying...? they "get it". Another was that a set time for conference ought to be set aside to debate workplace health and safety issues.

#UNDC13 Greater London UNISON NDC Social - Wednesday late

I am well behind on my posting on last weeks UNISON NDC conference so will try and catch up over the weekend.

Top UNISON social of the conference was of course that of London Region. The Thistle hotel was an excellent location with a private bar and disco area with a balcony overlooking the Mersey.

We all had a free first drink due to the hotel messing up the regional delegate meeting on the Monday  evening.

Conference is not just about speeches, debates and fringes. Delegates have been known to have the odd drink and to let their hair down once or thrice.

Proceeds from (£5) ticket sales, advertising and raffle went to UNISON Welfare/There for you.

Many thanks to regional staff for running around and organising it.