UNISON members - Do you want to have a say in Labour's leadership election?

One click and you'll be registered to vote in the Labour leadership election |   View in a browser Do you want to have a say in Labour's leadership election? As a member of UNISON's Affiliated Political Fund, you are eligible to vote in Labour's forthcoming leadership election – and, for those in London, the election for a London mayoral candidate. To activate your vote, you need to sign up as a registered Labour Party supporter. Agree to the two statements below to activate your vote immediately 1. I support the aims and values of the Labour Party, am not a supporter of any organisation opposed to it. 2. I agree that UNISON may share my details with the Labour Party and that the Labour Party may contact me using the data supplied for balloting purposes.* CLICK HERE TO AGREE AND ACTIVATE YOUR VOTE * Full name, date of birth, gender, email and postal address details will be shared. You may unsubscribe from communications at any time. Why are you receiving this email? To take part in political activity, unions are required to maintain a political fund. At UNISON, a small proportion of your subscription (3%-6.5%) can go either into the Affiliated Political Fund (Labour Link), the General Political Fund (GPF), both, or neither. You don't pay any extra to be in either of the political funds, it's just your say over how that portion of subscription is allocated. Our records indicate you pay to the Affiliated Political Fund (Labour Link). Labour Link works directly within the Labour Party to take UNISON’s policies into the heart of the party. If you wish to change how your subscriptions are allocated, you can download and complete a form to  transfer to the General Political Fund, contribute to both funds, or contribute to neither.

Keep in touch

You are receiving this email as a member of the affiliated political fund in UNISON. UNISON, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY. Tel: 0800 0 857 857 (lines open 6am-midnight, Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm Saturday

This email was sent out to UNISON APF members last week. The link in this post is not live. So if you are a member you need to find your copy and click on the link. It only takes one "click" to become a Labour Party supporter and have a vote in the Labour leadership contest (and if you work in London, the Labour Mayor candidate).

If you are not a UNISON APF affiliate you can become a supporter for £3 year by clicking here.

If you are already a member of the Labour Party you do not need to become a Supporter. You will only get one vote in the election which will cross reference the electoral register. 

The Bare Necessities of Life...

A member of my UNISON branch has contacted me about a new food co-operative, he is helping to set up in a foyer in Borough, South London.

Due to harsh benefit sanctions many of the young people who live in the foyer are dependent on local food banks and donations from nearby Borough Market to survive.

The Co-op has received a £500 "start up" grant from Southwark Council to buy such bare necessities’ as food, cleaning products, shampoo etc. at a low price which we can then be sold and money reinvested in stock so that there will be a continuous and sustainable business.

The project is being led by residents who will be involved in all aspects of the co-operative. Who will gain skills around running a business which they can then use when applying for jobs.

They have a website https://thebarenecessitiesgateway.wordpress.com and twitter account @the_necessities and would appreciate any help, support and publicity.

There is a big launch on Wednesday 17 June which I will miss since it clashes with UNISON NDC conference.

I think this is a fantastic initiative and wish it well.

Of course why the 5th richest country in the world allows vulnerable young people to go hungry in the first place is another issue.

London against Austerity Conference - 4 July 2015 Islington Town Hall

No acceptance of austerity | March with Labour members

Dear <<First Name>>, LONDON AGAINST AUSTERITY CONFERENCE Councillors, communities and trade unionists together GLATUC - the Greater London Association of Trade Union Councils - have called a conference to bring together trade unionists, councillors and community activists to discuss developing joint campaigning against austerity and its impact on local services. Councillors from across London are encouraged to attend to widen discussion about how we collectively respond. Supported by Islington Labour Group, sessions on the day will include: strategies to oppose cuts to grants to the council or organisations  supporting campaigns for staff pay and conditions and maintaining services  maintaining and returning council services in-house  Speakers on the day will include: Islington Council leader Richard Watts Islington Housing Executive Member James Murray  Barnet UNISON Secretary John Burgess Labour NEC local government rep Alice Perry REGISTER FOR LONDON AGAINST AUSTERITY Time: 10am Date: Saturday 4th July Venue: Islington Town Hall Tube: Highbury & Islington (Victoria/Overground) and Angel (Northern) Registration page

I will be at UNISON National Labour Link Forum in Manchester on the 4th so unfortunately will miss this event. My West Ham Labour colleague, John Whitworth, is going and will be encouraging Newham Councillors and Party members to attend. Click on Link here 

John Biggs wins Tower Hamlets Mayoral contest for Labour!

Great news. Woke up this morning to find out that John Biggs is the new Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets.

Yesterday evening West Hammers were out with at least 3 teams "on the knocker" reminding supporters to vote in Lansbury ward. My team was in and around the Bloomfield Estate by the Limehouse Cut. The canvass was positive for Labour but there was clearly a large vote for the "independent" candidate, Rabina Khan. An usually large number of people who had voted declined to confirm who they had voted for - which is always a worry.

I had been cautiously optimistic during the campaign since local Labour activists I had spoken to had been on the whole, reasonably confident. Sometimes in the past they tend to be a bit of a misery (mind you usually with some cause).

The canvass tonight was pretty good humoured, energetic (lots of non lifted housing blocks to climb up and down) and included a brief fuel stop for chips. There was a mixture of well kept social housing and new private gated blocks. In one very expensive warehouse conversion we got into the flat door numbers were beamed down onto the floor (see top right of collage).

Finished off with drink (and obligatory sausage roll) at Galanisers Union in Bromley-By-Bow.

It will be interesting to see who will replace John Biggs as our local Greater London Assembly member (his current job).

Labour also won the Council by election in Stepney Green  and Sabina Akhtar was elected. Congratulations to John, Sabina and Tower Hamlets Labour Party for a magnificent victory.

What Amazon Isn't Telling You (ripping off its workers, evading taxes and its bosses lining their pockets)

Hi John,

On Wednesday, Amazon bosses will be schmoozing with their shareholders at the big company annual meeting. CEO Jeff Bezos will be boasting record sales. But we’ve teamed up with some Amazon workers to make sure that’s not the only story that gets told.

Will you share this video to make sure the truth behind Amazon’s sales are heard this week?

While Jeff’s lining his pockets, Amazon workers are paying the price. Their testimonies are a dismal tale of miserable working conditions, stress, poverty wages and job insecurity. With reports of aggressive anti-union tactics, Amazon workers often feel unable to speak about their treatment.

The more people that see this video, the more difficult it’ll be for Amazon to admit it’s just about making money. Amazon sees their thousands of temporary workers as disposable items. But these are people, and it’s time Amazon treated their workers fairly.

On Wednesday, a few Amazon workers are heading to the meeting in Seattle to get the truth out and demand some change. Let’s make sure their story is shared far and wide: can you watch and share the video below with your friends and family?

Share the video Amazon doesn’t want you to see.

Lots of love,

Amazon Anonymous x

 

PS. You might have seen in the news: Amazon has decided that paying *some* tax in the UK might be a good idea after all. As of this month, they are aiming to pay corporation tax in the UK.

Let’s take it with a pinch of salt - and see how much they actually pay! But it’s a great sign that Amazon caves to pressure. To the thousands of us who boycotted the rotten company over the Christmas, through to the independent bookshops who are fighting back: the pressure works as long as we keep at it :) 

Tomorrow is election day in Tower Hamlets!

"Do you have any spare time tomorrow? If so come and join us in Tower Hamlets to get Labour voters out to vote for John Biggs as the new Mayor. 

We've got two sessions: 1pm and 5.30pm at Stratford station (5.30pm meeting John outside the station near the station sign).

Both group's will be heading to West Ham's campaign base for the day - 23 Celtic Street, E14 6QB (near Langdon Park DLR) where we'll be met by Richard (078724 17288).

If you're can't make either of those times you can turn up to Celtic St campaign base any time between 7am and 9pm - they'll be pleased to see you.

Happy campaigning...

Julianne Marriott
Vice Chair
West Ham Labour party"

Why "Right to Buy" will be another nail in the coffin of the Housing Association movement

The 1966 BBC television play "Cathy Come Home" about homelessness and its back drop is credited with kick starting many modern day Housing associations.

Sadly, some (not by all means all) have forgotten their social mission and instead become money making machines for their chief executives and senior management team and don't give a damn about the homeless, their existing tenants or their staff.

Another nail in the coffin of the Housing Association movement is the Tory plans to extend the "right to buy" at a massive discount to their tenants. Everyone who believes in the basic human right for secure, safe, affordable and decent housing for all - need to get together and campaign to defeat this proposal.

The emergency motion below has been submitted by my UNISON branch to our National Conference next week. I hope (as always) the standing orders committee will be gentle with us and the motion is debated.

Government plan to extend “Right to Buy to Housing Associations

This conference notes:-

• The announcement in the Queens speech on May 27 2015 that the Government intends to extend the Right to Buy to Housing Associations. It is believed that the Government will push ahead with this legislation as a priority. 
• The Housing crisis in this country with regards to the chronic shortage of decent affordable homes in all tenures.   
• That there is an intention to “bribe” tenants to buy their homes with massive discounts. This will costs billions of pounds.
• If there is billions of pounds available to bribe tenants then this money is better spent on building new homes at social rents 
• To pay for these discounts local authorities would be expected to sell off up to 5% of their stock. 
• It is unclear how local authorities who have transferred all their stock to housing associations will be able to sell “5%” of homes they no longer own? 
• Housing Associations are charities and the Charity commission has strict rules on the buying and selling of land and assets. 
• In some local authority areas up to 70 % of properties bought under the Council Right to Buy have ended up in the hand of private landlords.
• In recent years only 1 in every 19 homes sold under Council Right to Buy have been replaced. 
• If this plan was to go ahead it would make the housing crisis worse by reducing the existing stock of supply of social housing for vulnerable and low paid families. 
• Housing associations already forced to borrow against their existing stock to fund building new homes will find with their assets sold at a discount the cost of borrowing will increase and they can in fact build less. 
• Many Housing association sector believe that this proposal will threaten their ability to raise new loans to build homes and even continued existence. This will impact not only on residents (many of whom are UNISON members) and workers. 
• That Conservative plans in the 1980s to force RTB on Housing Associations were defeated following a successful campaign in the sector supported by trade unions. Eventually a bill was defeated in the House of Lords. 

This Conference calls upon the NEC to :- 

• Oppose this plan to extend right to buy to Housing Associations.
• Support and help organise a campaign against the extension and work with other trade unions, tenant and resident groups, employers and recognised NGOs to oppose these plans. 
• Call on Labour Link to work within the Labour Party to oppose this measure". 

Greater London UNISON Housing Association Branch

Re-elected as UNISON National Executive Member

I found out this morning that I had been re-elected for a third term to the UNISON National Executive Committee (which is the UNISON "Parliament" of our 1.3 million members, which runs the union in between our National delegate conferences).

Many, many thanks to all the UNISON branches who had nominated me and all those who voted to support me. I am the Community General seat member for the part of UNISON which organises in the Housing Association and Voluntary sector. 57,433 members were balloted.

While I was pleased to get 1975 votes to 648, the turnout was only 4.9% (and not untypical in these elections) which is appalling and something we simply must-do-something-about and not just whine as some do.

Commiserations to Kieran Grogan who stood against me and to my Community running mate, June Poole, who missed out by only 61 Votes to Jane Bryan who was re-elected to a second term. Congratulations mind you, to Jane.

As in all elections there was a number of shock results and surprises but the NEC is still firmly in the hands of the forces of light and reason for the next 2 years.

I will be speaking in the next few days to some good comrades who lost and some new ones who have just won.

It is going to be a really horrible and tough time during the next few years for trade unionists and we need to make sure that our union is safe, strong and there for our members. I think we have a NEC team that can deliver.

(picture of my old NEC "seat" on 9th floor of UNISON centre in Euston, London. Click on picture to bring up more detail)

West Hammers with John Biggs and Sadiq Khan MP campaigning for a Tower Hamlets Labour Mayor in Isle of Dogs

This afternoon we meet up outside Crossharbour station in the Isle of Dogs. It was a large turnout from all over London. Sadiq and John said a few words to rally the troops then we were sent off to various parts of the Island, mostly to deliver leaflets.

West Ham Labour Party Chair (and Stratford Councillor) Charlene Mclean led our team, ably assisted by our very own West Hammer Young Pioneer, Esme. We leafleted the east side of Manchester Road, in between the Samdu Estate and the Police Station alongside the River Thames. The weather was lovely and warm and we were quite envious of those who were sitting on the "beach" enjoying the rays.

Then I came across a plaque in Dudgeons Wharf remembering 5 fire fighters and another worker who were killed by an explosion while tackling a fire on this site in 1969. It was the worst single loss of life in the London Fire Brigade since the 2nd World War. One of our team, East Hammer Malcolm, used to be member of the now disbanded London Salvage Corps which was once part of the London fire office.

Afterwards we stopped off at the The George Pub (opened 1864) and as yesterday proceeded to once again put the world to rights.

Election day is this Thursday 11 June so if you can come and support John Biggs as Labour Mayor on the day please do and check out http://www.johnbiggsformayor.com/events. 

1200 dead so far & 7 years to go? Qatar: The human toll of FIFA’s corruption

Shocking chart and story from Washington Post. Hat tip TUC Risks. People quite rightly go on about the corruption and money but what about this waste of human life? Support the TUC "Play fair" campaign.

"The Washington Post has flipped the focus from the financial corruption gripping football’s global governing body, instead highlighting concerns about the considerable and deadly human price paid as a result of FIFA’s failings.

“In the end, it only took a $150 million scandal to make Americans care about soccer,” the paper notes. “FIFA, the notoriously corrupt and yet seemingly invincible governing body of world soccer, has finally landed itself an indictment that some would say is worthy of its reputation.

The charges against a handful of senior FIFA officials include money laundering, racketeering, bribery and fraud. In short, the federal lawsuit alleges what millions of soccer fans have suspected all along: that FIFA officials have been using the organisation's massive influence to line their pocketbooks.”

 But the Washington Post adds “a closer look suggests that there is a lot of real-world suffering happening as a direct result of FIFA's decisions. For the most obvious example of this, look to Qatar… a report by the International Trade Union Confederation has estimated 1,200 deaths so far, with up to 4,000 additional worker deaths by 2022.”

 Commenting on the corruption charges laid by the US Justice Department against several FIFA officials, the paper notes “as the families of 1,200 dead workers can attest, in many ways the damage has already been done. If FIFA board members did indeed accept bribes from Qatar to let it host the 2022 cup, it would show how backroom corruption can have widespread and fatal consequences.”