UNISON - Defend the Four - lobby the hearings tomorrow

 

  

Defend the Four Lobby

LOBBY OF HEARINGS  Friday 17th JULY

 

Lobby from 8.30 am; The Grange, Holborn Hotel, 50-60 Southampton Row, WC1B Nearest tubes Holborn or Russell Square.

 

It is possible that these could be the last hearings before a decision is made as to whether charges are made against the four and if so what disciplinary action will be taken against them.

The amount of support that the four have received so far is tremendous and very much appreciated by the four.  Many of you have attended all the lobbies and we are asking you to once again turn out on the  17 July 2009

Protest letters to Dave Prentis D.prentis@unison.co.uk are also important (please send copies to:    info@stopthewitchhunt.org.uk)

 

GROUNDBREAKING COURT CASE

The Four are taking their case to court to test a European court ruling that states that people cannot be discriminated against on the grounds of "Philosophical Beliefs". The four are arguing that Unison is discriminating against them because they adhere to distinctive philosophical beliefs (i.e. those of the Socialist Party.)

More updates in future newsletters.

Donations to the campaign are also needed. Please make cheques payable to 'Stop the witchhunt', and send to: Defend the Four Campaign, PO Box 858, London, E11 1YG.

 

Support the joint UNISON and UCU strike at London Met Uni tomorrow.

Many of you will already be aware of the campaign at London Met Uni. Management have proposed cutting a 1/4 of the workforce around 800 jobs!

UCU have already taken a day of strike action and tomorrow will take another day this time (thankfully!) with UNISON members as well.

The picket lines will be at the campus buildings in Holloway Road, Moorgate, Aldgate East, and Whitechapel at 8am

There will then be a rally at 12 at Central House Building - opposite Aldgate East tube on the District line.

To send solidarity messages, get more info on picket details or the situation at london met see http://savelondonmetuni.blogspot.com
MarshaJane
xx
www.unionfutures.blogspot.com

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Labour Link Forum report 2009

Please see below report from Val Graham a unison and Labour Representation Committee member.

Unison Labour Link National Forum 2009

What a difference a year makes -two little elections. Well one euro/local election and one Unison NEC election to be precise.

Last year was my first as a delegate to the National Forum. Dave Prentice, reeling from the National Conference move to review the union's political arrangements, spent much of his speech Trot bashing, particularly singling out the Socialist Party. A motion from my region, East Midlands, calling on labour link to consider how to be more discriminating in our relationship with labour MPs present and future was the only motion not passed at the forum, the opposition being led by Ann Black of the National Committee. It would frighten off the poor dears!

This year, Dave Prentice spoke at Conference and at the Forum knowing that the game was up for New Labour and that, according to him. eight members of the Socialist Party had been elected to Unison NEC. There was a bit of SP bashing but mainly Dave outlined a strategy for Unison and the unions as a whole. Not feeding the hand that bites us was a part of this. He took privatisation and specifically NHS privatisation as the keystone, calling on members to campaign for a change of policy in the party and target Labour Link funding to this end. He said he would be calling on the other affiliated unions to do the same and would press unions such as RMT to re-affiliate to the party to join the fight inside. Someone pointed out that Bob Crowe had joined the SLP.

He was critical of attempts by these unions to stand candidates in elections and called for unity around a TU intervention to influence the Labour Manifesto. He said he did not think he could support a manifesto which did not put clear red water between Labour and the Tories on the issue of privatisation.

He said he would be approaching other unions to support a motion to LP Conference on NHS privatisation and that they would seek a restoration of the right to put motions to Labour Conferences, starting this year.

Three ministers spoke at the forum. Delegates made clear their frustration with Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband about privatisation.
What was worrying was their claim that they and Andy Burnham were unaware of the activities of the Competition Panel and the advanced plans to market test PCT services with a view to retaining only 25% in-house. They just could not see what we were concerned about. Delegates looking for inspiration were sadly disappointed.

The only clear red water came from Pensions Minister Angela Eagle who made a clear commitment to retain the LGPS which both Tories and Lib Dems want to scrap, though the commitment was linked to a raising of the retirement age.

During the workshops to discuss Dave Prentice's call on Labour Link,
It was hard to get delegates thinking about a different approach.
In mine, I proposed getting MP,s and PPC.s signed up to the million voices campaign and also to link regional funding to agreed activities which linked Unison with the party and which furthered the unions obectives rather than giving it for constituency development plans .

I hope LRC Unison member find this info useful.

Val Graham, Chesterfield CLP and Unison.

MarshaJane
xx
www.unionfutures.blogspot.com

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Being a mum has 'devastating' impact on earnings

The fawcett society released research today that shows motherhood reduces women's pay and potential employment prospects.

Before becoming parents, men and women were equally likely to be employed but, after having children, 57% of mothers of under fives were in paid work, compared with 90% of fathers.

The report also found mothers working full time suffered a pay "penalty", while pregnant women were vulnerable to discrimination (this is nothing new to those of us who are active in trade unions but the report provides some good stats that we can campaign around and take up as unions)

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report in full from http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk//index.asp?PageID=971

 

 

Press release. 9/7/09

The Fawcett Society , today released a report that calculates the impact that becoming a mum has on a woman's earnings. The report, entitled 'Not having it all: How motherhood reduces women's pay and employment prospects'  is a new survey of existing research, drawing together the most recent data from academic and government sources. It finds that:

• Before becoming parents, men and women are equally likely to be employed but childbirth marks the start of a great divide which continues even after children have left home. Just over half (57%) of mothers with children under 5 are in paid work compared to nine tenths of fathers.

• Even those women working full time experience a pay penalty – partnered women without dependent children earn 9% less than men on average but for mothers with two children working full time the pay gap is 21.6%

• Pregnancy can make women particularly vulnerable to discrimination. During the recent downturn there has been a marked increase in the numbers of women seeking help because they believe they have experienced pregnancy related discrimination.

The Fawcett Society today called for new policy responses to reduce the impact of motherhood on a woman's earnings. Four priority areas emerge from the report:

1. Provide mothers with the support they need to return to jobs at their previous skills levels
2. Enforce and extend the law to protect pregnant women and women on maternity leave
3. Create substantially more part-time work in higher paid occupations
4. Tackle the low pay that exists in sectors primarily employing women.

Dr Katherine Rake, Director of the Fawcett Society commented:

"The choice of whether and when to return to employment is of course a very personal one. However, it is critical that those mothers who choose or need to be in paid work should be able to do so without suffering a pay penalty. 

These findings will have particular pertinence in the run up to the school holidays when mothers are often facing the biggest challenge in trying to combine employment and child care. The report shows that women are nine times as likely as fathers to arrange not to work during school holidays .