September Trades Council Report

The September Trades Council discussed a range of campaigns and issues involving union members in the borough. Arrangements for the coach travelling from Lewisham to the NHS demo outside the Tory Conference in Manchester to the  financed jointly by us, the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign and others were finalised.

Welfare Campaign

We then discussed ongoing work on this campaign. We focussed on how to turn promises to scrap the Bedroom Tax, end the injustice of zero hours contracts and  paying the London Living Wage a practical reality now rather than simply awaiting the outcome of the General Election in 2015.

Disputes

Reports on national disputes involving FBU,  CWU, NUT, PCS, UNITE and UCU were given and ways we could support them were identified. Two local disputes need further mention: UNITE members at One Housing Group have made some progress after a series strikes. The union is consulting members on further action. The second dispute involves UCU and GMB at LESOCO where technicians are at risk of redundancy.  Rumours abound that management intend to replace technicians with apprenticeships. This is the college that has made millions selling property as result of its merger! The unions will do all the can to stop these redundancies

Campaigns

Progress  reports were heard about other campaigns such as the RMT Justice for Cleaners campaign and the PCS fight to stop the closure of Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres. Finally the Trades Council agreed  to affiliate to and support the great work of the South London Anti Fascist Group.

We continue our work to support trade union members and others in Lewisham and elsewhere campaigning for a fairer and better society - come and join us!    

  

Next Trades Council meeting

The September Trades Council will be held on Tuesday 24/09/13 from
7 to 8:30 pm.

The venue for meeting is the Deptford Campus of LESOCO (Lewisham) College. Nearest station - Deptford Bridge DLR.

Lewisham Trades Council is open to all trade unionists who live, meet or work in Lewisham borough.

We look forward to meeting you.

Summer Update

Avid readers will have noticed that there have not been any new posts on this blog recently. Lewisham Trades Council members are working on several campaigns and continue to lend support to both the FBU and Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign.

We are currently trying to sort out funding for coaches to travel to the TUCs SAVE OUR NHS demonstration in Manchester on Sunday 29/09/13 and have been planning further activities.

This includes establishing a campaign incorporating our policies on welfare, jobs, Living Wage, training, housing and trade union rights. We are currently in discussion with other parties about this and hope to launch the campaign in the Autumn

Please watch out for further posts  

Thanks for the solidarity - Lewisham stands united

LEWISHAM STANDS UNITED AGAINST THE BNP

STATEMENT FROM LEWISHAM NUT

Lewisham NUT would like  to thank the many trade unionists, community campaigners, residents and youth, from across all sections of our community, that have made clear that they were going to respond in such large numbers to the call for a Unity Rally against the BNP outside the Lewisham Islamic Centre (LIC) on Saturday.

We are in no doubt that the size of the likely turnout in Lewisham, as well as neighbouring Woolwich, helped to persuade the Metropolitan Police to impose conditions under the Public Order Act instructing the BNP to move their march and rally to Whitehall.

In these circumstances, and although the NUT and the LIC had discussed the possibility of continuing with the rally to celebrate the unity shown, once again, by the people of Lewisham against those who would try to divide us, the Islamic Centre has decided that “after careful consideration, we have decided that the most responsible course of action to now take is to cancel the rally” on Saturday.

The NUT obviously respects this decision to cancel the rally and is asking that you pass on this information, and our thanks, to others who may have intended to gather in Lewisham on Saturday to show your opposition to the BNP’s provocations and to stand in solidarity to the Islamic Centre.

As the Lewisham Islamic Centre has stated: “It gives us great satisfaction  to  hear that one of the most significant reasons that the  BNP cancelled their march was  because of the community concerns expressed by the communities of both Boroughs  … we believe that the coming together of so many different faiths, different races  and so many different sections of society to  unite with one voice declaring “you pick on one of us, then you pick on all of us” …  is indeed the real manifest victory.  The achievement is therefore two fold – firstly, the BNP march through our great Borough has been cancelled and secondly, the  action of the  BNP has reaffirmed the unity of the community within our Borough ,which has always been strong”

Lewisham NUT understands that there is likely to be a counter-protest against the BNP/EDL march in Central London that those that were intending to rally in Lewisham may wish to attend. However, Lewisham NUT and other Lewisham trade unionists will also be monitoring events locally tomorrow in case of any attempts to threaten the Islamic Centre in spite of the police ban.

We hope that all those that have come together to oppose the BNP’s attempts to build support after the horrific murder of Lee Rigby will maintain the links that we have built, strengthen our community ties, and work together to campaign for schools, homes and jobs for all, not racism.

Martin Powell-Davies, Secretary, Lewisham NUT                         Friday 31 May 2013

Lewisham unites against the BNP on Saturday

It was always inevitable that the BNP would try to build support on the back of the Woolwich killing. However, rather than demonstrating in Woolwich on Saturday as it was first thought (and a UAF anti-racist festival/demo will be going ahead at 12 noon in General Gordon Square, Woolwich), the BNP have now announced that they now plan to march (or take cars) away from Woolwich and converge on the Lewisham Islamic Centre (which is close to Lewisham Hospital) instead.

In these circumstances, Lewisham trade unionists clearly have a responsibility to organise a protest to make clear to the BNP that their racist lies will not be allowed to divide our community - and also to offer solidarity to the Islamic Centre.  The Islamic Centre has also called on support from a range of organisations for coordinating a peaceful rally against the BNP on the day of the march.

Final details have now been confirmed for a unity rally outside the mosque:
2 pm outside Lewisham Islamic Centre
365 Lewisham High St, by the Shell Garage near the Hospital

A Lewisham NUT leaflet can be downloaded from:
http://local.teachers.org.uk/templates/asset-relay.cfm?frmAssetFileID=10834

The text from the leaflet is written below:

 

Don’t let the racists divide us!

The horrific murder of a young soldier in Woolwich has rightly been met with overwhelming condemnation. However, now the British National Party (BNP) are trying to use the understandable outrage at this attack to gain support. On Saturday afternoon, they are planning to march on the Islamic Centre in Lewisham. Lewisham has a proud record of standing united against all those who would divide our community. Join the protest to show the BNP that the trade unions, residents and young people of Lewisham are standing united against this provocative march.

Lewisham National Union of Teachers (NUT) utterly condemns the killing of the soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich. This was an appalling tragedy for the victim, his family and friends. Local residents showed great bravery in intervening to try and assist him.
However, the racist attacks in the days that followed must also be condemned. Amongst other attacks, three petrol bombs were thrown at a mosque in Grimsby and a fried chicken shop was smashed up in east London. These actions, just like the killing in Woolwich, are carried out by a tiny number of people who are totally unrepresentative of most people.
Racist organisations like the BNP and their ilk are trying to feed off the desperate conditions of poverty and hopelessness that exist in parts of Breadline Britain. When food banks can't keep up with demand, when there’s a shortage of decent homes and school places for our youngsters, then the BNP’s racist lies can seem to provide easy answers. But BNP hatred provides no way forward. 

In fact their divisive racism can only set back the struggle against poverty. Racism weakens the force in society that has the potential to defeat government cuts - the power that comes from a united struggle of working people, of all backgrounds. That’s why the NUT, along with other trade unions, organises to oppose the BNP but also to build united  action to oppose privatisation and cuts to schools, hospitals and other public services.
Lewisham has a proud tradition of standing up to fascism and racism. We need to show that unity again this Saturday. As the Lewisham Islamic Centre has rightly said, “the purpose of the march to conclude in our Borough and outside our Centre is to create discord, division and disunity”.
We must not let the BNP succeed in building support out of this tragedy. Let’s stand together and show the BNP that we will not let racism - or terrorism - divide our community. 

OPEN Trades Council: Welfare Campaign

Lewisham Trades Council are fully committed to campaigning against cuts to benefits and to defending the Welfare State. We will be organising a public meeting at a later date but would like to discuss plans for the campaign with neighbouring trades councils and anyone who would like to work with us

We have therefore decided to open up our next meeting to all who wish to attend and support our campaign. Details as follows:

Day and Date: Tuesday 02/07/13

Time: 7pm to 8:45pm

Venue: Deptford Campus, Lewisham College, Deptford Broadway

Nearest Station: Deptford Bridge DLR

For furthe information contact: tony.reay@gmail.com   

 

May Trades Council Report

Lewisham Trades Council met on Tuesday 14/05/13. The following reports were received and decisions taken:

Venezuala Solidarity Campaign -  

After hearing a from a guest speaker, the trades council agreed to affiliate to the campaign.

FBU campaign

A donation to the FBU was agreed and we urge all trade unionists to attend the public consultation meeting on Wednesday 22nd May and voice their opposition to the proposed closures.

Welfare Campaign 

In advance of a public meeting later this year we agreed that the next trade council on Tuesday 02/07/13 would be open to all local activists and groups to discuss practical plans to build the campaign. We agreed to invite several organisations including neighbouring trades councils.

Banner Theatre show 8/06/13 

We agreed to co-sponsor this event arranged by Greenwich & Bexley Trades and Bromley Trades Councils

Delegates reports as follows:

TSSA continuing to campaign against job cuts at stations, which jeopordise passenger safety in the evenings.

UCU reported campaigns against redundancies in Tower Hamlets and Lewisham colleges.

CWU telecommunications are recruiting several workers from the sub contractors installing Virgin Media. The first formal request for union recognition has already been made.

NUT - Campaign against attacks on pay and conditions will see a strike in the North West on 27/06/13. Other Regions including London will be striking in the Autumn term.

PCS - set to strike again as part of pay and conditions dispute on Wednesday 05/06/13