It's The Sun Wot Lost it!

Hat-tip thingy the "other" John's blog

“the message for the General Election is clear: Game on”

It was great waking up this morning to hear the by-election result in Glasgow North East. Given the national polls and economic difficulties this was a stunning victory for Labour.

The New Labour MP (in the literal sense of the word) Willie Bain described it as a “fantastic victory for Gordon Brown and Labour”. Willie also put the success down to voter’s memories of the “Last Tory recession”.

Which I am certain is very true. We need to keep the faith for 2010. Despite our frustration and disappointments with the Party we know in our heart of hearts that there is no alternative for ordinary working people to Labour. Tonight on the 6pm news I saw Glasgow pensioners at a local community club tucking into a good (and no doubt healthy) meal while describing why they remain loyal to Labour. To them it is still the only Party for working men and woman.

While I suspect that the recent completely vile and despicable behaviour of The Sun “Newspaper” somewhat helped contribute to the Labour victory. I do think that this triumph was in part due to the “it’s the economy stupid” prospective. While there was a mistaken pandering in the past by Labour to neo-liberal Economic arguments which are now clearly the main cause of this current recession (thankfully we did not deregulate as much as the Tories wanted); the Tories are ideologically opposed to the Labour Government measures to save jobs and protect people from the recession while also fundamentally opposing the expansionary financial measures needed to bring us out of the current mess. I think that people are beginning to recognise this. We need to roll this message out nationally.

This morning UNISON colleagues from Scotland I spoke to on our course were not only pleased with the result but also ecstatic that the BNP had lost their deposit. Glasgow North East has a very high number of asylum seekers in the constituency yet voters had rejected the politics of Nazi hate and discrimination.

BTW - There was the usual, dismal and utterly pointless performance by the various Heinz 57 trot lost deposit brigades.

What has UNISON ever done for us?

Light hearted sketch exploring how trade unions have shaped our work place. Hat-tip thingy.

UPDATE: this video was a part of a team project on this course

Support the Postal Workers! - London Meeting 16 November

11am Remembrance Day: Stoke Rochford Hall

Most of the teaching time spent on this UNISON course (see previous post) has been in the Library of Stoke Rochford Hall. During the 2nd world War the Hall was the headquarters of the second Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. On the floor of this Library the maps and plans were laid out for the ill fated “Arnhem” Campaign in 1944.

This morning while out for a run in the surrounding park land I came across a tree planted in remembrance to the Canadian crew of a British Lancaster Bomber “which crashed nearby" killing them all on 28 April (now Workers Memorial Day) 1945. Just days before the end of the 2nd World War in Europe.

The Course agreed this morning to have a few minutes silence at 11am to remember all those who gave their lives for freedom.

A Million Voices for a Million Affordable Homes: New UNISON/APSE Report

Due to being at the Stoke Rochford I am going to miss tomorrow evenings UNISON/ASPE launch at the House of Commons of a joint report into the capacity of Councils to begin to build new homes.

Our General Secretary Dave Prentis will be there with Housing Minister John Healey to respond to the report then there will be a Q&A led from Heather Wakefield, Head of Local Government, UNISON, Kelvin Hopkins MP and Judy Mallaber MP.

Other Labour MP’s are expected to attend. As soon as I get a copy of the report I will post on it.

UNISON’s “Million Voices” campaign includes a housing component – a million voices for a million affordable homes (see main picture - double click to read).

(John Healey has recently confirmed that he will be attending a future meeting of UNISON Housing Association branch Labour Link members at the House of Commons: date to be arranged).

UNISON Leadership School: Stoke Rochford 2009

This week I am taking part in the UNISON Leadership School course which is taking place in Stoke Rochford, Grantham.

There are about 50 of us participating in the course. Lay activists from all over the union as well as UNISON employed staff (regional and Head office). This is the first such course ever run by UNISON (and I have not heard of any other union in the UK running anything similar). It is being delivered by (enthusiastic) UNISON national learning and organising team with the help of NEC members. I think this is a hugely positive and forward thinking initiative by UNISON..

So far there has been a mixture of presentations followed by discussions in small working groups. Our first speaker yesterday was Helen Black the Regional Secretary for East Midlands. She explained the economic and political context; national trade union trends and what lies in the future. One quotation she referred to was “The quality of leadership, more than any other single factor determines the success or failure of an organisation” Fiedler and Charmers.

Since then we have been grappling with different explanations and methods of leadership. Transformational, transactional, intuitive or shared/collective. The course is also being accredited by Ruskin College (to level 3 and 4).

Stoke Rochford itself is an old manor house owned by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and used as a education and training centre. It is set in a stunningly beautiful countryside location.

On Thursday Ed Miliband MP is also coming to speak to us. If I get the time I’ll try and post further updates.

Construction Safety Conference & AGM

SERTUC Question Time - 24 November 2009

In these modern progressive times where we are moving towards globalisation do unions still serve a purpose? What specific purpose do they serve?

PANEL DISCUSSION (AUDIENCE Q&A):

• Trevor Sterling (Chair – Thompsons Solicitors)
• Fraser James (Actor)
• Glenroy Watson (RMT)
• Karen Jennings (National Secretary for Health, UNISON)
• Linda Perks (Regional Secretary Greater London, UNISON & SERTUC Executive Committee)
• Rosemary Laryea (Presenter, Colourful Radio)
• Sam Gurney (Policy Officer, International Department, TUC)

(click on picture to bring up further details)

Hayes & Harlington - WW1 Roll of Honour

remember