Our first meeting of the year discussed a packed agenda and
agreed that we should support a number of activities in the coming period.
These include:
·
The March
for Homes: 12 midday, Saturday 31/01/15 (Elephant & Castle) www.marchforhomes.org
·
Time to
Act on Climate Change public meeting: 7:30pm, Thursday 12/02/15 (Goldsmiths
College) and its demonstration on Saturday 07/03/15 www.campaigncc.org
·
Unite
Against Racism and Fascism national conference: 9:30am Saturday 21/02/15
(TUC HQ) www.uaf.org.uk
·
Transatlantic
Trade and Investment Partnership public meeting: Tuesday 24/02/15 (Catford
Town Hall) www.lpbp.org.uk
·
Lobby of
Lewisham Council against budget cuts: 6pm Wednesday 25/02/15 (Lewisham Town
Hall)
·
UN Anti
Racism Day demonstration: 12 noon, Saturday 21/03/15 (Trafalgar Square) www.standuptoracism.org.uk
We also agreed that we should organise following:
·
General
Election hustings meetings: we agreed we should support the hustings
meeting being arranged by SELPA at Goldsmiths and arrange another meeting at
the Town hall or appropriate venue in the Catford end of the borough.
·
Bromley
Council De-recognition of trade unions: we agreed this was a disgraceful
act and to formally write to the unions affected offering our full support in
their campaign against this.
·
Living
Wage/Fair contracts campaign: we agreed to pursue this with various
contacts we have made.
·
Banner
Theatre: we agreed the Wickham Arms gig was a success and we should try and
arrange a venue where they can perform the whole show about the NHS/Save
Lewisham Hospital Campaign.
·
Film
show: we agreed that the showing of “Still the Enemy Within” was in was a
great success and that we would arrange more film shows during the year.
Delegates reported the following from their unions:
·
Unite.
Lewisham Town Hall: working hard to increase membership levels and
campaigning to achieve better pay for workers covered by the Glendale
contracts.
·
UCU
Lewisham & Southwark College: awaiting full details of budget cuts
announced recently.
·
Equity:
pursuing disputes involving non payment of holiday pay and “volunteer”
contracts on behalf of members.
·
UCU
Goldsmiths: proposed pension deal has been put membership, branch
considering their view.
·
CWU:
continued problems with union recognition from satellite/phone installation
contractors. Dismissals and employment law breaches commonplace.
·
NUT: planning
for action in February in five local schools where academy status are being
considered
·
PCS:
employers stopping deduction of union subscriptions over next months, campaign
to switch members to DD underway. PCS to give evidence to Work & Pensions
Select Committee 21/01/15 calling for sanctions to be withdrawn from the
benefit system.
