The Lambeth Branch of UNISON, the second largest trade union in the UK, has raised over £2000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians through a fundraising drive throughout the Borough’s workplaces. Nationally, UNISON has committed to send a donation of £10,000 to Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and Lambeth Branch activists collected a further £2020.43 for MAP’s Emergency Appeal for Gaza through a series of collections amongst Lambeth’s workers.
In the wake of recent Israeli military action, MAP has set up an emergency task force team to provide medical supplies and expertise throughout Gaza, as well as ensuring that the central blood bank has sufficient capacity and can provide emergency shelter. Palestinian medical sources say at least 1,300 Palestinians have been killed and 5,500 injured as a result of Israel'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.
Lambeth UNISON voted at its January Branch Committee to condemn the recent slaughter of Palestinians and the ongoing occupation by Israel. Calling for, "an immediate end to the slaughter of defenceless people and the [ongoing] siege of Gaza" the Branch concluded that, "Israel is a terrorist and apartheid state," and 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.
Lambeth UNISON International Officer Gurmeet Khurana, stated: “It’s great to see Lambeth’s workers demonstrating their solidarity with the people of Gaza. To raise over £2000 is fantastic and many more people donated online through the publicity produced by the branch. Thanks to all members and Branch activists who worked to raise awareness and provide material support for the Palestinian people. However, all trade unionists must continue to raise this issue in our branches and with our members and step-up solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Palestine.”
Jon Rogers, Branch Secretary added: “The trade union movement in Britain can play a crucial role in putting pressure on the British Government as well as the Israeli state to end the occupation of Palestine. Lambeth UNISON is proud to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Palestine and we will continue to support those in Britain and around the world who are working to bring equality, democracy and peace for all in the Middle East. We encourage branches in UNISON and other unions to do the same.”
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. For more information visit: http://www.map-uk.org/
Contact:
James Caspell
+44 (0)7941 154912
James.caspell@gmail.com
Gurmeet Khurana
+44 (0)7828 668496
gkhurana@lambeth.gov.uk
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
GREEN COUNCILLOR PASSES LIVING WAGE MOTION FOR LAMBETH
Lambeth's Green Party Councillor, Becca Thackeray has successfully passed a motion endorsing the principle of a Living Wage for all those carrying out work for the London Borough of Lambeth.
At a full Lambeth Council Meeting on Wed 28 Jan, Cllr Thackeray, successfully proposed 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 hundreds of staff who work for the Council via contractors are often not and forced to endure poverty pay.
Cllr Thackeray's original motion would have made Labour-run Lambeth responsible in ensuring that all employees of the hundreds of sub-contractors used by the Authority are also paid the Living Wage, including cleaners, security/reception staff and labourers, but a wrecking amendment put forward by Labour was passed to neuter the most relevant role of the motion.
The original motion stated that, "Lambeth Council reaffirms its support for the establishment of the London Living Wage, set at a level calculated by the Living Wage Unit to avoid the 'working poverty trap' in the capital, a situation affecting around 400,000 Londoners who are paid less than can reasonably fund the basic costs of living in London."
However Labour ensured that the part of the motion was deleted which would make Lambeth responsible for ensuring that its hundreds of sub-contracted employees were similarly guarenteed a Living Wage.
At a full Lambeth Council Meeting on Wed 28 Jan, Cllr Thackeray, successfully proposed 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 hundreds of staff who work for the Council via contractors are often not and forced to endure poverty pay.
Cllr Thackeray's original motion would have made Labour-run Lambeth responsible in ensuring that all employees of the hundreds of sub-contractors used by the Authority are also paid the Living Wage, including cleaners, security/reception staff and labourers, but a wrecking amendment put forward by Labour was passed to neuter the most relevant role of the motion.
The original motion stated that, "Lambeth Council reaffirms its support for the establishment of the London Living Wage, set at a level calculated by the Living Wage Unit to avoid the 'working poverty trap' in the capital, a situation affecting around 400,000 Londoners who are paid less than can reasonably fund the basic costs of living in London."
However Labour ensured that the part of the motion was deleted which would make Lambeth responsible for ensuring that its hundreds of sub-contracted employees were similarly guarenteed a Living Wage.
Labour Lies on Living Wage
Last week Cllr Thackray, the Green Party councillor, proposed the Living Wage motion for all council employees and sub contracted employees in Lambeth. As noted already on this blog, it is already policy in the neighbouring boroughs of Southwark and Lewisham. Feedback from South London Citizens, and other organisations backing the campaign for raising the wages of poorer workers, was that the two boroughs where there would be the most resistance to this would be Lambeth and Tower Hamlets.
Cllr Thackray put her motion but then the following amendment was tabled by the Labour group in Lambeth:
"This Council is a Living Wage employer as no Lambeth Council employee earns less than the London Living Wage (LLW) of £7.45 per hour. In fact the lowest pay rate for our direct employees is higher than the LLW at £8.08 per hour and only 147 staff earn less than £10 per hour. In addition, contractors such as Veolia, the Council’s waste management contractor, pays at least LLW to all their staff. The Coucnil acknowledge the importance of the London Living Wage to help alleviate the ‘working poverty trap’ in the capital, the situation affecting around 400.000 Londoners who are paid less than can reasonably fund the basic costs of living in London.
This Council will continue to work towards the reduction of differentials terms and conditions between directly employed staff and those employed by the Council’s contractors, with the aspiration of applying the Lambeth minimum wage to contractors’ staff."
So the Labour amendment was passing Lambeth off as a council which pays all its subcontracted staff at least £7.45 per hour and that their wage rates are higher than average. This I do not believe to be true and I would like to see facts and figures to challenge this. This would require some assistance from those working in the council. Now that the motion has been passed with this amendment, everything possible must be done to ensure that it is enforced and that those staff who are being paid lower than the London Living Wage are made aware of their rights under the policy and their cases brought to light.
As Green Party parliamentary candidate for Vauxhall, I will work to ensure that this policy is implemented and will, together with Cllr Thackray, work with trade unionists in the borough to ensure that this becomes a reality and not just another piece of Labour spin.
Cllr Thackray put her motion but then the following amendment was tabled by the Labour group in Lambeth:
"This Council is a Living Wage employer as no Lambeth Council employee earns less than the London Living Wage (LLW) of £7.45 per hour. In fact the lowest pay rate for our direct employees is higher than the LLW at £8.08 per hour and only 147 staff earn less than £10 per hour. In addition, contractors such as Veolia, the Council’s waste management contractor, pays at least LLW to all their staff. The Coucnil acknowledge the importance of the London Living Wage to help alleviate the ‘working poverty trap’ in the capital, the situation affecting around 400.000 Londoners who are paid less than can reasonably fund the basic costs of living in London.
This Council will continue to work towards the reduction of differentials terms and conditions between directly employed staff and those employed by the Council’s contractors, with the aspiration of applying the Lambeth minimum wage to contractors’ staff."
So the Labour amendment was passing Lambeth off as a council which pays all its subcontracted staff at least £7.45 per hour and that their wage rates are higher than average. This I do not believe to be true and I would like to see facts and figures to challenge this. This would require some assistance from those working in the council. Now that the motion has been passed with this amendment, everything possible must be done to ensure that it is enforced and that those staff who are being paid lower than the London Living Wage are made aware of their rights under the policy and their cases brought to light.
As Green Party parliamentary candidate for Vauxhall, I will work to ensure that this policy is implemented and will, together with Cllr Thackray, work with trade unionists in the borough to ensure that this becomes a reality and not just another piece of Labour spin.
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