Economic wizard Vince Cable has outlined his own idea for a legacy of
the Paralympics. By ditching Health and Safety checks he aims to make
sure plenty of people are disabled in the future.
We all know the tabloid jokes abour Health and Safety regulations,
tabloid stories about clowns being forbidden big shoes and children
being banned from playing conkers. However, most of us expect to buy
food that won't make us ill, or to work in a safe environment but it
is the "red tape" the government wants to destroy that ensures this is
so.
Unsurprisingly Alex Eichmann, head of regulatory policy at the
Institute of Directors, said: "The Government's efforts on
deregulation are welcome. Excessive regulation costs time and money,
both of which businesses would rather spend on developing new
products, hiring staff and building up British business both here and
abroad."
He failed to mention what a good idea "deregulation" of the banks
turned out to be.
It is ABC to any union Health and Safety rep that if a company can
maximise its profits at the expense of the health and safety of its
employees it will do so.
The only guarantee that employers will exercise a "duty of care" for
employees is a strong union organisation. Union health and safety
officers will have to take on the role which the Health and Safety
Executive has so shamefully abandoned.
Monday 10 September 2012
Monday 2 July 2012
Trade Unionists resist attack on disabled "scroungers"
There is - quite rightly - outrage when BNP and other far-right thugs
attack disabled people. Cameron and the media are doing just the same
thing, using their wealth and power rather than their fists.
Disabled people are among the hardest hit in the cuts and the
ideological assault echoes the eugenicist argument that disabled
people are "useless mouths." Cameron really ought to be careful
talking in these terms. For the general public there seem to be plenty
of "useless mouths" around the cabinet table, in the banks and in the
boardrooms.
The Disabled Teachers' Conference took place on the weekend of 30th
June to 1st July. Significantly the conference involved speakers from
UCU and PCS who are also involved in opposing the attack on disabled
people which is taking place. And the attack is ferocious.
Sasha Callaghan of UCU described a "reign of terror" by the
undeserving rich against the poor. "The government's attitude to the
poor harks back to the Poor Law of the 19th Century. Our past is in
front of us." The language used about disabled people; "scroungers,"
"shiftless" and "undeserving" echoes fascist rhetoric.
The NUT's Allan Grey added that in the light of Cameron's vicious
attacks on disabled people "it would believe the Labour Party would
represent us but I hardly need to say we can't."
The PCS representative, Austin Harney, revealed that PCS has balloted
on its political fund with the consequence that they will be able to
stand trade union candidates against pro-cuts candidates from any of
the political parties.
PCS members are being disciplined for merely telling claimants that
they have a right to "access to work" support. They have to accede to
requests but they can be in trouble for telling claimants their
rights.
The government attacks disabled people because they think they are
weak and have no allies. Certainly many of the charities on which
disabled people depend have folded in the face of the government
onslaught. Downing Street should be in the middle of a perfect storm
of recrimination from the charities but they are not. The butcher has
his big knife, but the lamb to be slaughtered has an open mind!
Only the trade union movement can provide the strong allies that
disabled people need. There was overwhelming enthusiasm for the TUC
anti-cuts demonstration in October but nobody wants to wait until
October before taking action against the government's disgraceful
attack on disabled people.
Derek McMillan
West Sussex NUT
attack disabled people. Cameron and the media are doing just the same
thing, using their wealth and power rather than their fists.
Disabled people are among the hardest hit in the cuts and the
ideological assault echoes the eugenicist argument that disabled
people are "useless mouths." Cameron really ought to be careful
talking in these terms. For the general public there seem to be plenty
of "useless mouths" around the cabinet table, in the banks and in the
boardrooms.
The Disabled Teachers' Conference took place on the weekend of 30th
June to 1st July. Significantly the conference involved speakers from
UCU and PCS who are also involved in opposing the attack on disabled
people which is taking place. And the attack is ferocious.
Sasha Callaghan of UCU described a "reign of terror" by the
undeserving rich against the poor. "The government's attitude to the
poor harks back to the Poor Law of the 19th Century. Our past is in
front of us." The language used about disabled people; "scroungers,"
"shiftless" and "undeserving" echoes fascist rhetoric.
The NUT's Allan Grey added that in the light of Cameron's vicious
attacks on disabled people "it would believe the Labour Party would
represent us but I hardly need to say we can't."
The PCS representative, Austin Harney, revealed that PCS has balloted
on its political fund with the consequence that they will be able to
stand trade union candidates against pro-cuts candidates from any of
the political parties.
PCS members are being disciplined for merely telling claimants that
they have a right to "access to work" support. They have to accede to
requests but they can be in trouble for telling claimants their
rights.
The government attacks disabled people because they think they are
weak and have no allies. Certainly many of the charities on which
disabled people depend have folded in the face of the government
onslaught. Downing Street should be in the middle of a perfect storm
of recrimination from the charities but they are not. The butcher has
his big knife, but the lamb to be slaughtered has an open mind!
Only the trade union movement can provide the strong allies that
disabled people need. There was overwhelming enthusiasm for the TUC
anti-cuts demonstration in October but nobody wants to wait until
October before taking action against the government's disgraceful
attack on disabled people.
Derek McMillan
West Sussex NUT
Thursday 31 May 2012
Privatisation in West Sussex County Council
Councillor Michael Brown has promised that outsourcing West Sussex
County Council services to private companies will save 58 million
pounds. He reassures us that there is nothing to worry about because
other outsourcing deals have seen staff being generously re-employed
by the profiteers taking over the role of the local authority.
It makes you wonder exactly how this 58 million pounds is going to be
made? If not by cuts in wages or cuts in staff, could it be magic?
Or is Councillor Brown's promise just another politician's pie-crust
promise? We all know how much they are worth.
Never mind. It will be quite legal and not at all corrupt for the
private companies awarded the contracts to make generous donations to
the Conservative Party in the future. So everybody wins. With the
exception of anyone who relies on council services, anyone who works
for the council or anyone who cares about the public services.
County Council services to private companies will save 58 million
pounds. He reassures us that there is nothing to worry about because
other outsourcing deals have seen staff being generously re-employed
by the profiteers taking over the role of the local authority.
It makes you wonder exactly how this 58 million pounds is going to be
made? If not by cuts in wages or cuts in staff, could it be magic?
Or is Councillor Brown's promise just another politician's pie-crust
promise? We all know how much they are worth.
Never mind. It will be quite legal and not at all corrupt for the
private companies awarded the contracts to make generous donations to
the Conservative Party in the future. So everybody wins. With the
exception of anyone who relies on council services, anyone who works
for the council or anyone who cares about the public services.
"56 up" Documentary highlights plight of public services
The BBC "56 up" program follows the lives of individuals in an
unprecedented documentary narrative spanning the time since the
participants were seven. This week it highlighted the plight of public
services. Lifelong library service worker Lynn Johnson said "for the
last thirty years I have been banging my head against a brick wall but
now nobody is listening. They say that the work I do, anybody could do
it."
It is worth emphasising she lost her job as a result of "nice Labour
cuts" not "nasty Tory cuts."
Now, rather than being able to take early retirement her husband has
had to take on full time work to make ends meet. "the goalposts keep
getting higher" for retirement. "People who started work assuming they
could retire at sixty, find the situation has now totally changed."
She regrets the fact there "is no party of the left" although she says
she is not political... and adds "they haven't got a clue what they
are doing. Some people are never ever going to recover from it and
unfortunately they will be quite devastated. We have no more left-wing
Labour Party any more. Tony Blair saw to that. They all veer to the
right. "
You can still see it on Youtube if you type in "56 up documentary" and
it is well worth a look. On the same program a wealthy Tory barrister
boasts that there is no class society in Britain :) Lynn felt her work
promoting literacy and love of literature with children had been
worthwhile. How many rich Tory parasites can say the same?
unprecedented documentary narrative spanning the time since the
participants were seven. This week it highlighted the plight of public
services. Lifelong library service worker Lynn Johnson said "for the
last thirty years I have been banging my head against a brick wall but
now nobody is listening. They say that the work I do, anybody could do
it."
It is worth emphasising she lost her job as a result of "nice Labour
cuts" not "nasty Tory cuts."
Now, rather than being able to take early retirement her husband has
had to take on full time work to make ends meet. "the goalposts keep
getting higher" for retirement. "People who started work assuming they
could retire at sixty, find the situation has now totally changed."
She regrets the fact there "is no party of the left" although she says
she is not political... and adds "they haven't got a clue what they
are doing. Some people are never ever going to recover from it and
unfortunately they will be quite devastated. We have no more left-wing
Labour Party any more. Tony Blair saw to that. They all veer to the
right. "
You can still see it on Youtube if you type in "56 up documentary" and
it is well worth a look. On the same program a wealthy Tory barrister
boasts that there is no class society in Britain :) Lynn felt her work
promoting literacy and love of literature with children had been
worthwhile. How many rich Tory parasites can say the same?
Sunday 29 April 2012
Lord Hutton's snout in the trough
Lord Hutton is well-known to public sector workers. He originated the
plan that we should work longer, pay more and get less in pensions.
Remember we are all in this together so of course the Labour Peer
(Yes, a Labour peer!) has had to take on the role of chairman of the
board of a privatised pension scheme delightfully named "My Civil
Service Pension" MySCP.
It has been portrayed in the media as an employee-owned business "like
John Lewis". John Lewis should definitely sue for defamation of
character. The employees will not own 75 percent of the business and
certainly won't be allowed to sack the chairman.
Sacking Hutton is mild compared to the views of most civil servants I
have spoken to. They would prefer more draconian measures.
Apparently Hutton is "a firm believer in the power of engaging
employees to drive innovation." and lining his own pocket.
Cutting pensions and privatising the retirement fund management is
something no employee asked for.
In the days of slavery, there were slaves who were liberated by people
who then went on to sell them back into slavery "down the river."
Clearly Lord Hutton, like John Lewis, is never knowlingly undersold
"down the river." To quote another Labour Peer, Lord Thomas who sold
out the 1926 General Strike, "I sold you all right, but I got a good
price for you!"
plan that we should work longer, pay more and get less in pensions.
Remember we are all in this together so of course the Labour Peer
(Yes, a Labour peer!) has had to take on the role of chairman of the
board of a privatised pension scheme delightfully named "My Civil
Service Pension" MySCP.
It has been portrayed in the media as an employee-owned business "like
John Lewis". John Lewis should definitely sue for defamation of
character. The employees will not own 75 percent of the business and
certainly won't be allowed to sack the chairman.
Sacking Hutton is mild compared to the views of most civil servants I
have spoken to. They would prefer more draconian measures.
Apparently Hutton is "a firm believer in the power of engaging
employees to drive innovation." and lining his own pocket.
Cutting pensions and privatising the retirement fund management is
something no employee asked for.
In the days of slavery, there were slaves who were liberated by people
who then went on to sell them back into slavery "down the river."
Clearly Lord Hutton, like John Lewis, is never knowlingly undersold
"down the river." To quote another Labour Peer, Lord Thomas who sold
out the 1926 General Strike, "I sold you all right, but I got a good
price for you!"
Saturday 21 April 2012
Fwd: Horsham lobby of Francis Maude 21 April 2012
Francis Maude. In the same month that millionaires in the government
gave a massive bonus to top-rate taxpayers the pay of public servants
was effectively cut by increases in pension contributions.
Teachers and PCS members are seen here.
Phil Clarke of the NUT was among the speakers (pictured with
microphone) "Come into the garden, Francis Maude and we'll tell you
what we think of public service cuts!"
The Conservative party declined to comment having pulled up the
drawbridge at their Horsham HQ.
Derek McMillan
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Lobby Millionaire Maude - pension pincher 21 April 11 am Horsham Railway Station
As part of the on-going battle to stop the government public sector pensions robbery PCS are organising lobbies of key MPs in the coalition.
This Saturday 21st April a group are travelling up to Horsham to pensions axe-man Francis Maude constituency.
Assemble at the Horsham Railway Station at 11 am
PCS are very keen to encourage delegations from all unions involved in the battle to join them and bring a branch banner.
A coach is going from Brighton at 9:15am via Worthing to Horsham. The coach leaves 9.15am St Peters Church, York Place, Brighton.
You are welcome to just turn up but if you can let Kev Dale know in advance how many seats you need email kev.dale10@gmail.com
This Saturday 21st April a group are travelling up to Horsham to pensions axe-man Francis Maude constituency.
Assemble at the Horsham Railway Station at 11 am
PCS are very keen to encourage delegations from all unions involved in the battle to join them and bring a branch banner.
A coach is going from Brighton at 9:15am via Worthing to Horsham. The coach leaves 9.15am St Peters Church, York Place, Brighton.
You are welcome to just turn up but if you can let Kev Dale know in advance how many seats you need email kev.dale10@gmail.com
Tuesday 20 March 2012
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Trades Council Meetings for 2012
Trades Council meetings are at 7.30 on the following dates:
Weds 7th March
Weds 16th May
Weds 11th July
Weds 19th September
Weds 7th November
The venue is St John's Chruch Hall
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/crawley-st-john-the-baptist/
Rally to Save Our NHS - 7 March
Date and time: 7 March, 18.00-19.30
Venue: Central Hall, Westminster and streamed LIVE online
Venue: Central Hall, Westminster and streamed LIVE online
Those who work in the NHS and those who use it are telling the
government they must think again about their controversial Health and
Social Care Bill.
We still have time to stand up and defend the NHS - and show peers,
MPs and ministers just how unpopular these proposals are.
Please show your support by coming to the rally in person, or pledging
to attend our 'virtual rally' live online.
Sign up now at http://www.goingtowork.org.uk/rally-to-save-our-nhs/
Sunday 1 January 2012
Brighton Unison LG Pensions Statement. NO SURRENDER
Below is a open communication from Brighton Local Government Unison to
regional and national officers.
regional and national officers.
I am asked by the vast majority of our Branch Committee, activists,
and by several hundred members, on-line(a massive response, since
Friday last), to express our deep concern at the latest developments
in the Pensions Dispute.
Four years ago we were told of a "once in a lifetime" deal on
Pensions. It is our collective view, and we believe this represents
all of the 95 percent of UNISON members that were out on strike on
November 30th (the remainder were mostly exempt staff), that ANY
climb-down from a united Trade Union position will be seen as a
weakness by this Government, with severe consequences for the future,
not just in terms of pensions.
Our negotiating position should only change when the Government makes
it clear they have moved - the communication below, is quite clear
that any move is dependent on Eric Pickles agreeing to such. And
exactly what is he being asked to agree on? What are the consequences
for the negotiations?
To myself, but more importantly to our members, basic negotiating
positions should not alter from our side, unless, and until, the
employers put a definite proposal on the table. They haven't so far,
throughout 12 months or more, unless one counts ultimatums as a
position, so why are we shifting ours?
This is utterly unacceptable to this Branch. We did not come out on
the 30th, to go "up the hill", and be left at the top.
Very simply, members will be asking, are asking, why the hell did I
take part in the most successful strike for many years, to see my
Union apparently, give away that "high ground" and appear to give in
to a "bully". The one thing we have learnt with bullies, is not to
give in - it makes them worse!
I do not fear that my Branch will lose members through this; we are
too strong, successful, and confident in Brighton and Hove for such a
luxury. Elsewhere, and I say this with some knowledge and experience,
may well be different.
The 4,300 members of UNISON in Brighton and Hove urge our national
leadership to argue for a continuing united front with our sister
Unions, and, even if that is not possible, to be prepared to stick to
the defined position of 30th November 2011 - that is, we have our
current pension arrangements and they need to stay as they are now.
Do not give in!
Yours Sincerely,
Alex Knutsen
Branch Secretary
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