Green Party Councillor Proposes Living Wage For Lambeth

At a full Lambeth Council Meeting on Wed 28 Jan at 7 pm, Cllr Becca Thackeray, Lambeth's Green Party Councillor, is proposing a motion to make Lambeth Council a "Living Wage" employer. Currently through national pay bargaining rules, every direct employee is paid a Living Wage, but the hundreds of staff who work for the Council via contractors are often not and forced to endure poverty pay.

The motion commits the Council to paying all staff, including sub-contracted staff, the London Living Wage and to use local strategic partnerships and other private sector engagements to promote the living wage more widely.

In November, Green Councillor Jenny Jones successfully passed a motion to make Southwark Council a Living Wage employer. Southwark was only the second Borough to adopt official policy backing a Living Wage, with Lewisham being the other where there are 6 Green Party Councillors.

The Living Wage is the real minimum rate of pay that enables a worker to provide a decent standard of living for themselves and their family. In London, the Living Wage currently stands at £7.45 per hour. The background to this figure can be found in the document, A Fairer London: The Living Wage in London (GLA 2008). Many service sector workers - including cleaners, security guards and catering staff - experience low pay and difficult, sometimes exploitative working conditions. It is estimated that in London alone 400,000 people fall into this working poverty trap.

It remains to be seen if the New Labour Council will support the resolution in Lambeth. The Living Wage is supported by trade unions across London. Whilst New Labour Councillors cross picket lines and force more job cuts, the Green Party continues to campaign in the interests of Lambeth's workers.

Message of solidarity to the students of SOAS, LSE, Essex and Kings College universities

Dear comrades,

I am writing to send a message of solidarity on behalf of the Branch Committee of the Lambeth Branch of UNISON.

We salute your courage in campaigning tirelessly for the Palestinian right to education. The tide is turning against the legitimacy of the Israeli Apartheid state and the student movement is crucial to that. We support you in your occupations to bring about firm commitments to Palestinian students from your universities.

You may also be heartened to know that this morning our Branch Committee voted to support calls for academic, cultural and economic boycotts of Israel.

In solidarity,

James Caspell
Lambeth UNISON Young Members' Officer

LAMBETH UNISON CALLS FOR BOYCOTT OF "APARTHEID" ISRAEL

The Lambeth Branch of UNISON, the second largest trade union in the UK, has voted to condemn the recent slaughter of Palestinians and the ongoing occupation by Israel at a meeting of its Branch Committee this morning.

At its monthly meeting of representatives, the Branch called for, "an immediate end to the slaughter of defenceless people and the [ongoing] siege of Gaza." The Branch concluded that, "Israel is an...apartheid state," and has advocated academic, economic and cultural boycotts of Israel in an effort to delegitimise the Occupation of Palestine, and build international and domestic pressure against the state.

For over 6 decades Israel has carried out policies of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people.1.5 million people live in Gaza, which is now effectively open air prison. For years Israel has blocked the transport of food, medicine and vital supplies forcing the people of Gaza to live in inhumane conditions and the vast majority of people are unemployed.

Palestinian medical sources say at least 1,300 Palestinians have been killed and 5,500 injured as a result Israeli's latest military offensive. The United Nations states that some 50,800 people are now homeless and 400,000 are without running water. Staff in Gaza report that many more people could die as medical equipment runs out.

Nationally, UNISON has committed to send a donation of 10,000 to Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and Lambeth Branch is raising its own donations locally. The Branch voted to affiliate with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and to work towards submitting an emergency motion to the UNISON National Delegate Conference in July, demanding diplomatic sanctions and boycotts against Israel. The Branch also resolved to build links with Palestinians, Israelis and Egyptians who oppose the assault on Gaza and to send messages of solidarity to those students at British universities who have undertaken occupations demanding support from their institutions for the Palestinian right to education.

Lambeth UNISON's International Officer, Gurmeet Khurana, stated: "The British trade union movement played a crucial part in denouncing and delegitimising the racist ideology of Apartheid in South Africa, and now it must do the same for Israel. The only peaceful solution is one brought about by political and economic equality in the Middle East, and as such the policy of the Israeli state in carrying out ethnic cleansing needs to be condemned unequivocally."

Ends
Notes for Editors
1. For more information about Lambeth UNISON, visit: http://lambethunison.blogspot.com/

2. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) works for the health of Palestinians (especially in conditions of occupation, displacement or exile) based on principles of self-determination and social justice: http://www.map-uk.org

3. BRICUP is an organisation of UK based academics, set up in response to the Palestinian Call for Academic Boycott.: http://www.bricup.org.uk

4. Palestine Solidarity Campaign: http://www.palestinecampaign.org

Contact:
James Caspell
Lambeth UNISON Publicity Officer
James.caspell@gmail.com

Socialist Candidates Challenge Lambeth UNISON Bureaucracy

A group of socialist activists in Lambeth have produced a manifesto which they hope will politicise UNISON members and provide the platform on which to build a "fighting, member-led branch" based on clear socialist politics. The manifesto was the basis for candidates to contest elections at the Lambeth UNISON AGM on a "Lambeth Activists" platform.

The platform currently comprises independent socialists, members of Permanent Revolution, the Alliance for Workers Liberty, Workers Power and Green Left, the ecosocialist platform within the Green Party.

Policies include fighting against all redundancies and job losses, maximising participation and control of the union by ordinary members and ending automatic and uncritical UNISON support for Labour in building a left alternative.

For more information, visit: http://lambethmilitants.blogspot.com/2009/01/lambeth-activists-for-fighting-member.html

James Caspell, a member of Green Left, won the post of Publicity Officer after making a speech in which he outlined a plan to "give members the confidence to fight the Council, fight the Government and ultimately fight capitalism". Rekha Khurana of Permanent Revolution took the posts of International Officer and Assistant Publicity Officer. Dan Jeffery, also of Permanent Revolution, was elected as a National Conference Delegate and Regional Council Delegate.

In his speech for the election of Membership Officer, which was lost by just three votes, Dan outlined that “we need to provide socialist answers to pay and job cuts”. He also highlighted the case of a colleague who because of privatisation had had her pay slashed and now had to work over 50 hours a week, while consultants for Lambeth in the same building get £1000 a day.

After the AGM, Rekha Khurana emphasised that far from being an electoralist front, the activists’ aim was to work with and engage all those who share a socialist political perspective and work towards rebuilding the union movement at the grassroots: “We need to coordinate our struggles with other local trade unions as well as with workers in other countries to win better rights for all”.

Other contested elections were narrowly won by the incumbent branch bureaucracy, though both the speeches and polices of candidates standing on the Lambeth Activists platform were widely supported amongst members, who welcomed the first set of seriously contested branch elections in a generation.

Notes to Editors

To see full platform, election results and list of candidates, please visit: http://lambethmilitants.blogspot.com/

Students establish university occupations over Gaza

The disgusting atrocities being committed by Israel have ignited the student movement in way that has not occurred for a generation.

Two days ago, the Brunei Gallery at SOAS was occupied and is still ongoing. For more info see: http://soassolidarity4gaza.blogspot.com/ Talks and lectures on wide-ranging political issues are being discussed and students have been climbing through the windows to get in!

In the last few minutes, comrades have taken to the stage in the main theatre at LSE and have established another occupation. I encourage all comrades who can to join them!

For peace and Palestine!

James Caspell
Lambeth UNISON Young Members Officer
Honorary Member, LSE Students' Union

Lambeth UNISON AGM Election Results - Analysis to follow

"Lambeth Activists" highlighted in red, party affiliations in brackets:

Chair
Peter Woodward (Labour) 106 elected
Dan Jeffrey (Permanent Revolution) 69

Assistant Branch Sec
Khi Rafe 111 elected
Reg Morrison (Independent Socialist) 64

Membership Secretary
Katrina Hoogendam 89 elected
Dan Jeffrey (Permanent Revolution) 87

Publicity Officer
James Caspell 105 (Green Left/Green Party) elected
Andrew Tullis (Socialist Party) 69

National Local Government Male Delegate
James Caspell 53 (Green Left/Green Party)
Nick Venedi and
Jon Rogers (Labour) 80 elected

Lambeth Activists elected unopposed:

Assistant Publicity Officer
Gurmeet Khurana (Permanent Revolution) elected

Young Members Officer
James Caspell (Green Left/Green Party) elected

International Officer
Gurmeet Khurana (Permanent Revolution) elected

National Delegate Conference
Dan Jeffery (Permanent Revolution) elected

Regional Council
Dan Jeffery (Permanent Revolution) elected

Vigil for Gaza outside the Brixton Tate Library on Friday 16th January at 5.30-7pm

There is a plan to hold a Vigil for Gaza, ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal outside the Brixton Tate Library on Friday 16th January at 5.30-7pm, called by the local Stop the War Coalition.

Lambeth Activists - For a fighting, member-led branch

We are a group of activists who believe that UNISON and the trade union movement at large needs to be rebuilt from the grass-roots, encouraging maximum participation and control of unions by members and giving workers the confidence to fight collectively for their own interests in their workplaces.

We are comprised of a group of independent socialists, members of Permanent Revolution, the Alliance for Workers Liberty, Workers Power and Green Left, the ecosocialist platform within the Green Party.

We want an inclusive, active, fighting union that effectively takes on management and the government by involving all workers in action to defend and extend our rights.
Over the last ten years the Lambeth UNISON branch has halved in size and is no longer as effective at protecting our members. We need new blood – passionate activists who are prepared to give their all to fight for members and involve them in the running of the branch.

If you agree with our policies, we ask you to support us!

Candidates for elections at the 2009 AGM:

Chair
Dan Jeffery

Assistant Branch Secretary
Reg Morrison

Membership Officer
Dan Jeffrey

Publicity Officer
James Caspell

National Delegate Conference
Dan Jeffery

Local Government Conference
James Caspell

Regional Council
Dan Jeffery

The following candidates have been elected unopposed:
Assistant Publicity Officer
Gurmeet Khurana

International Officer
Gurmeet Khurana

Young Members Officer
James Caspell

If elected, we will:
« Demand to see Lambeth Council’s accounts and find out why and how Lambeth housing is millions of pounds in debt. No more £1000 per day consultants! Open the books!
« Fight against all redundancies and job losses – including “voluntary” redundancies. Campaign for staff to refuse to cover posts and refuse overtime while staff are being made redundant
« Launch an anti-bullying campaign and end the culture of management bullying and harassment
« Campaign to end scales 1, 2 and 3. Decent wages for all!
« Launch an effective campaign for decent wage increases and an increase in London weighting. We need to force the UNISON leadership to escalate the campaign to include sustained strike action and occupations if we are to win.
« Have no more talking shops and no more “sweetheart deals”– worthless agreements with employers and Councillors made without support of the members.
« Ensure decent working conditions for all staff. Lambeth must abide by health and safety law!
« Build a campaign to defeat plans to further privatise services and cut jobs; fight to bring all council services back in-house. No more auctioning off of council houses!
« Oppose the ALMO – fight for council housing to be brought back under direct council control
« Campaign to set up a Direct Labour Organisation (DLO), implement apprenticeships and training to provide staff and local people with skills and jobs.
« Work with residents to oppose service cuts, privatisation and above inflation increases in rents and charges, and demand substantial investment in public services.
« Demand that councillors support Lambeth’s workers and tenants – or campaign against them in the next local elections. End automatic and uncritical UNISON support for Labour.
« Win the increased severance payments staff have been promised.
« Fight for branches to have the right to set up hardship funds to support members in time of need

How we will build the Branch:
« Organise to recruit and involve temporary workers, shift workers and young people. Campaign for lower union fees. The more members we have, the stronger we will be!
« A steward and notice board in every shop – fighting the bosses in every workplace.
« Ensure convenors and stewards visit workplaces and hold regular workplace meetings.
« An easily accessible web site publicising contact details and actions taken by Branch Officers.
« Regular newsletters in every directorate – let’s communicate our successes.
« Fight against racism, sexism, homophobia and all forms of discrimination. Assist democratic and accountable self-organised groups to get more members involved.
« Branch officers to be fully accountable – all Convenors and Officers to publish monthly reports of how they spend their time to serve you.
« Make the Branch Office more attractive and welcoming, for the use of all members.
« Branches and Directorates to have the right to elect industrial action committees and control and manage their own industrial disputes.

Our broader policies:
« Demand that national and regional UNISON officials are elected annually. All representatives should get the average worker’s wage. Our General Secretary earns £100,000+ a year!
« Fight for to scrap the anti-union laws such as the ban on secondary strikes
« Work to stop climate change, starting by establishing workplace environment reps
« Fight for mass mobilisation and self-defence by the working class and oppressed groups against the BNP and other far-right organisations.
« Show solidarity with workers across the world! Coordinate our struggles with other local trade unions and with workers in other countries to win better rights for all.

"Green bans, red union": film showing and social

7pm, Thursday 5 February
The Bread & Roses, 68 Clapham Manor Street, London SW4 6DZ

As part of our fundraising drive, South West London Workers' Liberty will be holding a showing of "Rocking the Foundations", the story of the New South Wales Builders Labourers Federation in the 1970s, and how they built a powerful, politicised workers' movement that stood up for the environment and sustainable communities. (For more about the BLF, see here.)

Facebook group here.

Followed by a speaker from Workers' Climate Action, discussion and a social.

£2 unwaged, £3.50 waged, £5 waged

For more information email ruthycashman@yahoo.co.uk

Lambeth UNISON Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Lambeth Branch of UNISON will take place on Tuesday 13 January from 12.30 to 14.30 in Lambeth Town Hall. Lunch will be provided.

The AGM sets the Branch's policy and priorities for the coming year. It is also the place where we elect Branch Officers who run the branch on members' behalf - so it's important that all UNISON members come along if they can.

Motions (16 in total) and reports have now been published on the Lambeth UNISON Branch blog.

Click here to visit the Lambeth UNISON blog to resad the motions and reports.

Should your office be closed?

· The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 stipulate that the minimum temperature in an office should be 16 degrees Celsius (61 Fahrenheit).

· Further relevant statute legislation is section 6 of the Offices Shops & Railway Premises Act 1963. The appropriate bits state:

- "(2) Where a substantial proportion of the work done in a room to which the foregoing subsection applies does not involve severe physical effort, a temperature of less than 16 degrees Celsius (61F) shall not be deemed, after the first hour, to be a reasonable temperature while work is going on.

- (3)...there shall be provided for persons who are employed to work in a room to which... this section would apply, conveniently accessible and effective means of enabling them to warm themselves.

- (6)It shall be the duty of the employer of persons for whom means of enabling them to warm themselves are provided in pursuance of subsection (3) of this section to afford them reasonable opportunities for using those means, and if he fails so to do he shall be guilty of an offence."