On Saturday afternoon in the centre of Brixton, an event to demand the Living Wage for Lambeth organised by the South London and Lambeth sections of London Citizens. A large crowd had gathered, representing churches and mosques in Lambeth.
The political glitterati had also appeared – Tessa Jowell, Chukka Umunna (Labour candidate for Streatham and sometimes called the ‘British Obama’) Chris Nicholson (Lib Dem candidate for Streatham) the Labour Council Leader, Steve Reed and the Lib Dem group leader, Ashley Lumsden – no sign of the Tories.
Green Party Councillor, Becca Thackeray, had put a motion to Lambeth over a year ago asking for the Living Wage for contracted staff etc but it had been blocked by Labour.
However, when London Citizens announced that Lambeth’s contracted staff were not receiving a Living Wage – they produced a cleaner from Brixton Market, who told how he was trying to live on £100 per week and had a child to support also.
The Council Leader’s face was a joy to behold. But better was to come. As each politician placed a symbolic ballot paper into a box indicating that they would support the LW in Lambeth, they were addressed by a young Muslim activist from LondonCitizens who read out a formal statement.
As Reed prepared to pledge to vote, the LC speaker addressed him saying: “Cllr Reed, you told us some months ago that all contracted staff in Lambeth were paid a Living Wage but we have found out that this is not the case. We met with the Head of Procurement and she told us that Veolia staff are not receiving it.” Once again he looked stunned and his Cabinet Member for Finances, who was standing nearby was panicking. He then addressed the crowd and said that the only reason Lambeth had not paid the LW was because the previous administration had not placed it in the contract and this meant that they had to wait for a new contract.
This is not at all the case and a clause could have been placed in the contract for a Living Wage. Clearly the Cllr Reed was trying to wriggle out of his past and he then signed up to the promise to introduce the LW for all contracted staff, as did the Lib Dems.
Tessa Jowell tried to rescue the situation by stating that the Labour Party’s manifesto was calling for a Living Wage for all staff (cleaners etc) employed at Whitehall. Why this was not done before now? Ken Livingstone introduced the policy years ago.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Anticapitalist Manifesto Online
The Anticapitalist Manifesto, Drinkall for Vauxhall: for the millions, not the millionaires is now online!
You can view it by going to Workers Power.
All feedback welcome!
You can view it by going to Workers Power.
All feedback welcome!
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Lambeth Labour manifesto threatens to sack ALMO
"We will give Lambeth Living 12 months tp improve quality of repairs , reduce the time taken to re-let empty homes , keep rent rises down and improve the service to leaseholders or we will sack them and put the service under new management."
This comes from an administration which told us that ALMOs bring a more efficient service than in directly managed authorities!
It is not clear whether this means bringing the housing managment back in-house under direct council control or whether it means continuing with the partially privatised arrangement under a new leadership.
Get your fellow tenants and election candidates to sign up to the Manifesto for Council Housing launched at the recent Defend Council Housing conference - go to www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk for more details.
This comes from an administration which told us that ALMOs bring a more efficient service than in directly managed authorities!
It is not clear whether this means bringing the housing managment back in-house under direct council control or whether it means continuing with the partially privatised arrangement under a new leadership.
Get your fellow tenants and election candidates to sign up to the Manifesto for Council Housing launched at the recent Defend Council Housing conference - go to www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk for more details.
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Lambeth UNISON Election Vote Vetoed
The Unison website states that "UNISON is a member led democratic organisation".
However, a motion passed at a recent Lambeth UNISON Branch Committee, calling for an indicative vote at a hustings of local general election candidates, has been vetoed by UNISON's largely unelected regional bureaucracy.
Lambeth Activists have long campaigned for the democratisation of political funding in order for workers to advance their collective interests, rather than blindly fund a Labour Party that has publically promised to "cut deeper and tougher than Margaret Thatcher".
A motion previously submitted to Lambeth UNISON's Branch Committee, calling for the formation of a local voluntary political fund had already been vetoed. An amended motion was then passed calling for a hustings after which an indicative vote would be held.
An (unelected) regional officer has since advised Lambeth UNISON that to even conduct a show of hands at a hustings to gauge support for political candidates, could be in breach of national rules. "Rule J" states that political support and resources may only be given to the Labour Party through the Labour Link. This is despite the fact that the majority of members in Lambeth and nationally in UNISON have opted not to support to the Labour Party!
What then for the right of these members to collectively advance their interests in the political arena? It seems that Unison is not as "member led" as it claims to be.
However, a motion passed at a recent Lambeth UNISON Branch Committee, calling for an indicative vote at a hustings of local general election candidates, has been vetoed by UNISON's largely unelected regional bureaucracy.
Lambeth Activists have long campaigned for the democratisation of political funding in order for workers to advance their collective interests, rather than blindly fund a Labour Party that has publically promised to "cut deeper and tougher than Margaret Thatcher".
A motion previously submitted to Lambeth UNISON's Branch Committee, calling for the formation of a local voluntary political fund had already been vetoed. An amended motion was then passed calling for a hustings after which an indicative vote would be held.
An (unelected) regional officer has since advised Lambeth UNISON that to even conduct a show of hands at a hustings to gauge support for political candidates, could be in breach of national rules. "Rule J" states that political support and resources may only be given to the Labour Party through the Labour Link. This is despite the fact that the majority of members in Lambeth and nationally in UNISON have opted not to support to the Labour Party!
What then for the right of these members to collectively advance their interests in the political arena? It seems that Unison is not as "member led" as it claims to be.
Local Trade Unionists Stand for Parliament
Voters in the Vauxhall constituency of London will get the chance to vote for socialist alternatives to New Labour in May, with two trade unionists running against Labour MP Kate Hoey.
Jeremy Drinkall from Workers Power will be standing on an anticapitalist manifesto, saying on the streets and doorsteps that ordinary people should not pay for an economic crisis caused by the rich.
Jeremy, who is a teaching assistant at a local school, plays an active role as a Unison shop steward in Lambeth. He has taken part in local efforts to protect council housing and is on the steering committee of the national Right to Work campaign which fights against unemployment. Jeremy has long contributed to the work of Lambeth Activists in the local community.
Joseph Healy has been elected by Lambeth Green Party to stand as the Parliamentary Candidate for the Vauxhall Constituency at the next general election.
He is currently Male Co-Convenor of Green Left, the ecosocialist, anti-capitalist platform within the Green Party. He is also the Green Party's delegate to the Stop the War Coalition and an active anti-war campaigner. Joseph has also supported the work of Lambeth Activists, and indeed joined Local Government workers on the picket lines at Brixton Town Hall in 2008. He is also an active member of Unison.
We hope that residents of Vauxhall consider voting for one of these candidates with the aim of building a strong and democratic socialist movement in Lambeth, independent of political and industrial elites.
Whilst trade union bureaucrats are still trying to trick workers into voting for yet more job, pay and service cuts under Labour, Vauxhall residents can now use their vote to protect public services, the environment and the rights of trade unions to organise.
Jeremy Drinkall from Workers Power will be standing on an anticapitalist manifesto, saying on the streets and doorsteps that ordinary people should not pay for an economic crisis caused by the rich.
Jeremy, who is a teaching assistant at a local school, plays an active role as a Unison shop steward in Lambeth. He has taken part in local efforts to protect council housing and is on the steering committee of the national Right to Work campaign which fights against unemployment. Jeremy has long contributed to the work of Lambeth Activists in the local community.
Joseph Healy has been elected by Lambeth Green Party to stand as the Parliamentary Candidate for the Vauxhall Constituency at the next general election.
He is currently Male Co-Convenor of Green Left, the ecosocialist, anti-capitalist platform within the Green Party. He is also the Green Party's delegate to the Stop the War Coalition and an active anti-war campaigner. Joseph has also supported the work of Lambeth Activists, and indeed joined Local Government workers on the picket lines at Brixton Town Hall in 2008. He is also an active member of Unison.
We hope that residents of Vauxhall consider voting for one of these candidates with the aim of building a strong and democratic socialist movement in Lambeth, independent of political and industrial elites.
Whilst trade union bureaucrats are still trying to trick workers into voting for yet more job, pay and service cuts under Labour, Vauxhall residents can now use their vote to protect public services, the environment and the rights of trade unions to organise.
Friday, 26 March 2010
Campaign publishes socialist anti-BNP leaflet
The Socialist Campaign to Stop the Tories and Fascists is a new campaign supported by labour movement activists across the country, including John McDonnell MP. It supports a Labour victory, combined with a fightback by the unions against the anti-working class New Labour leadership. (For more see the website.)
The campaign has produced a special leaflet for union branches and anti-racist and anti-fascist groups campaigning against the BNP.
The text of the leaflet is below.
You can download copyable versions (either colour or black and white) here, or order copies by emailing stopthetoriesandfascists@gmail.com
£20 for 1,000 leaflets; for smaller orders please inquire.
***
Socialist Campaign to Stop the Tories and Fascists
THE BNP SERVE THE RICH BY DIVIDING US
The British National Party are racist thugs, pretending to speak for the 'white working class', but actually spreading division and hatred among working-class people. No one will gain from their campaigns except the bosses and the rich.
What is the BNP?
The BNP exploits the problems we face - wage cuts, unemployment, lack of housing and services. It never supports workers fighting back. It is viciously anti-union. From the miners' strike, when it called for the army to smash picket lines, to the recent posties' dispute, it always opposes workers standing up for themselves.
Why is the BNP against unions? Because unions are about workers of all backgrounds - young and old, black and white, British-born and migrant, all religions and none - coming together to fight the bosses for better pay, conditions and rights. The BNP wants to divide us so the bosses can keep us down.
The BNP blames everything on politicians 'betraying Britain' - the capitalists calling the shots are conveniently forgotten. The BNP themselves are politicians of the worst sort. BNP leader Nick Griffin has claimed £200,000 expenses since being elected as a Euro-MP!
In fact, workers born in Britain have far more in common with workers who have moved here and workers in other countries than with the British bosses sacking them, cutting their wages and privatising their services!
If it ever comes to power, the BNP will destroy the unions and every democratic right. Its top brass are Hitler-worshippers. Workers voting BNP is like turkeys voting for Christmas.
Real problems - fake, racist solutions
The problems the BNP exploits are real. Things were bad enough before the recession. Now, though they argue over the details, the leaders of three main parties agree the working class should pay with cuts for the economic crisis caused by the bankers.
Without a strong workers' movement putting forward socialist answers to the capitalist crisis, the BNP will try to fill the gap with racist and fascist 'answers' - letting the real culprits off the hook and scapegoating migrants, asylum-seekers and minorities.
Immigration: BNP lies
The BNP claims Britain is filling up and that migrants are wrecking our public services, stealing jobs and driving down wages. Rubbish!
Where would the NHS or public transport be without migrant workers? Public services are overstretched because of cuts and privatisation, not because of immigration.
The reason thousands of families can't get a council house is because New Labour has kept the Tories' policy of selling off council housing and not building more. Meanwhile luxury offices and homes are built for the rich.
Migrants do not get a better deal. In fact, many asylum-seekers are denied access to services; many more are brutally locked up. 5.5 million British people are 'immigrants' in other countries. They have a right to acceptance there - and migrants from other countries have a right to acceptance here.
There is plenty of money in society to pay for decent jobs, homes and services for everyone - if the government taxed the rich, instead of giving billions to the banks.
To fight the bosses and win we need to unite workers across divisions of race, religion and origin, and demand equal rights for all, no matter where they've come from. Only the bosses benefit from a divided working class.
The working class should not pay for the bosses' crisis
The Visteon car components and Vestas wind turbine workers who occupied their factories to stop jobs cuts showed the way to fight back. So have strikers in the post, British Airways and education. Only struggle can stop the cuts - whoever is in power.
The unions should demand:
* Jobs for all. Cut the working week without loss of pay. Nationalise companies which axe jobs. Stop the cuts and create millions of public sector jobs.
* No wage cuts. A £9 an hour minimum wage, no exceptions. Decent pensions and benefits for all.
* Stop and reverse privatisation. Tax the rich to rebuild the NHS and public services.
* Decent homes for all. An urgent program of council house building and repairs.
* Nationalise the banks and use their profits for jobs, homes and services.
* Put MPs on a worker's wage, with strictly controlled expenses.
Fight for a workers' government!
The working class needs a government which serves its interests as the Tories, Lib Dems and New Labour have served the rich. We need a government which backs our struggles in the workplace and in the community. We need a government based on the grass-roots labour movement, which can solve the economic crisis by acting against the bosses, and taking control of the wealth which we create but they enjoy.
***
Who we are
We want to stop the Tories and their plans for huge cuts and attacks on workers' rights. We want a Labour victory, but are organising to fight New Labour's Tory policies. Labour is different from the Tories because of its base in grass-roots working-class organisations like trade unions.
The unions should put forward working-class, socialist policies and kick out the anti-working class New Labour leaders, like Brown and Blair.
***
Find out more:
stopthetoriesandfascists.wordpress.com
stopthetoriesandfascists@gmail.com
020 7207 3997
***
Promoted by Martin Thomas on behalf of the Socialist Campaign to Stop the Tories and Fascists, 67 Grayson House, London EC1V 3SS. Printed by Upstream, PO Box 823, London SE15 4NA.
The campaign has produced a special leaflet for union branches and anti-racist and anti-fascist groups campaigning against the BNP.
The text of the leaflet is below.
You can download copyable versions (either colour or black and white) here, or order copies by emailing stopthetoriesandfascists@gmail.com
£20 for 1,000 leaflets; for smaller orders please inquire.
***
Socialist Campaign to Stop the Tories and Fascists
THE BNP SERVE THE RICH BY DIVIDING US
The British National Party are racist thugs, pretending to speak for the 'white working class', but actually spreading division and hatred among working-class people. No one will gain from their campaigns except the bosses and the rich.
What is the BNP?
The BNP exploits the problems we face - wage cuts, unemployment, lack of housing and services. It never supports workers fighting back. It is viciously anti-union. From the miners' strike, when it called for the army to smash picket lines, to the recent posties' dispute, it always opposes workers standing up for themselves.
Why is the BNP against unions? Because unions are about workers of all backgrounds - young and old, black and white, British-born and migrant, all religions and none - coming together to fight the bosses for better pay, conditions and rights. The BNP wants to divide us so the bosses can keep us down.
The BNP blames everything on politicians 'betraying Britain' - the capitalists calling the shots are conveniently forgotten. The BNP themselves are politicians of the worst sort. BNP leader Nick Griffin has claimed £200,000 expenses since being elected as a Euro-MP!
In fact, workers born in Britain have far more in common with workers who have moved here and workers in other countries than with the British bosses sacking them, cutting their wages and privatising their services!
If it ever comes to power, the BNP will destroy the unions and every democratic right. Its top brass are Hitler-worshippers. Workers voting BNP is like turkeys voting for Christmas.
Real problems - fake, racist solutions
The problems the BNP exploits are real. Things were bad enough before the recession. Now, though they argue over the details, the leaders of three main parties agree the working class should pay with cuts for the economic crisis caused by the bankers.
Without a strong workers' movement putting forward socialist answers to the capitalist crisis, the BNP will try to fill the gap with racist and fascist 'answers' - letting the real culprits off the hook and scapegoating migrants, asylum-seekers and minorities.
Immigration: BNP lies
The BNP claims Britain is filling up and that migrants are wrecking our public services, stealing jobs and driving down wages. Rubbish!
Where would the NHS or public transport be without migrant workers? Public services are overstretched because of cuts and privatisation, not because of immigration.
The reason thousands of families can't get a council house is because New Labour has kept the Tories' policy of selling off council housing and not building more. Meanwhile luxury offices and homes are built for the rich.
Migrants do not get a better deal. In fact, many asylum-seekers are denied access to services; many more are brutally locked up. 5.5 million British people are 'immigrants' in other countries. They have a right to acceptance there - and migrants from other countries have a right to acceptance here.
There is plenty of money in society to pay for decent jobs, homes and services for everyone - if the government taxed the rich, instead of giving billions to the banks.
To fight the bosses and win we need to unite workers across divisions of race, religion and origin, and demand equal rights for all, no matter where they've come from. Only the bosses benefit from a divided working class.
The working class should not pay for the bosses' crisis
The Visteon car components and Vestas wind turbine workers who occupied their factories to stop jobs cuts showed the way to fight back. So have strikers in the post, British Airways and education. Only struggle can stop the cuts - whoever is in power.
The unions should demand:
* Jobs for all. Cut the working week without loss of pay. Nationalise companies which axe jobs. Stop the cuts and create millions of public sector jobs.
* No wage cuts. A £9 an hour minimum wage, no exceptions. Decent pensions and benefits for all.
* Stop and reverse privatisation. Tax the rich to rebuild the NHS and public services.
* Decent homes for all. An urgent program of council house building and repairs.
* Nationalise the banks and use their profits for jobs, homes and services.
* Put MPs on a worker's wage, with strictly controlled expenses.
Fight for a workers' government!
The working class needs a government which serves its interests as the Tories, Lib Dems and New Labour have served the rich. We need a government which backs our struggles in the workplace and in the community. We need a government based on the grass-roots labour movement, which can solve the economic crisis by acting against the bosses, and taking control of the wealth which we create but they enjoy.
***
Who we are
We want to stop the Tories and their plans for huge cuts and attacks on workers' rights. We want a Labour victory, but are organising to fight New Labour's Tory policies. Labour is different from the Tories because of its base in grass-roots working-class organisations like trade unions.
The unions should put forward working-class, socialist policies and kick out the anti-working class New Labour leaders, like Brown and Blair.
***
Find out more:
stopthetoriesandfascists.wordpress.com
stopthetoriesandfascists@gmail.com
020 7207 3997
***
Promoted by Martin Thomas on behalf of the Socialist Campaign to Stop the Tories and Fascists, 67 Grayson House, London EC1V 3SS. Printed by Upstream, PO Box 823, London SE15 4NA.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
David Milliband's Tour of UK - Hammersmith
TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN PROTEST! PROTEST!PROTEST!
LONDONWIDE STWC PROTEST:
BRING THE TROOPS HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN
MILIBAND IN HAMMERSMITH
DAVID MILIBAND PROTEST TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY 6.00PM ST PAUL'S CHURCH HAMMERSMITH BROADWAY LONDON W6
Please note Foreign Secretary David Miliband will be at St Paul's Church, Hammersmith Broadway, London W6 this Friday. If you are a resident in Hammersmith please try and attend this meeting and raise appropriate STWC questions.
To attend the public meeting all you need to do is email MP Andy Slaughter in advance and say you will be attending the meeting andy@andyslaughter.com
There will also be a SSAC PROTEST outside the church - banners, placards, orange jumpsuits and hoods.
STWC & SSAC have alerted press.
STWC says Milband "....has been much in the news recently, having failed in his protracted attempt to cover up British involvement in kidnapping and torturing -- a defining feature of the "war on terror"."
Foreign Secretary David Miliband will be touring Britain in the coming weeks, holding Labour Party meetings to discuss Britain's foreign policy. PLEASE INFORM WSTWC by reply to this message if you have news of future LP meetings inviting David Miliband or other leading Cabinet figures.
LONDONWIDE STWC PROTEST:
BRING THE TROOPS HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN
MILIBAND IN HAMMERSMITH
DAVID MILIBAND PROTEST TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY 6.00PM ST PAUL'S CHURCH HAMMERSMITH BROADWAY LONDON W6
Please note Foreign Secretary David Miliband will be at St Paul's Church, Hammersmith Broadway, London W6 this Friday. If you are a resident in Hammersmith please try and attend this meeting and raise appropriate STWC questions.
To attend the public meeting all you need to do is email MP Andy Slaughter in advance and say you will be attending the meeting andy@andyslaughter.com
There will also be a SSAC PROTEST outside the church - banners, placards, orange jumpsuits and hoods.
STWC & SSAC have alerted press.
STWC says Milband "....has been much in the news recently, having failed in his protracted attempt to cover up British involvement in kidnapping and torturing -- a defining feature of the "war on terror"."
Foreign Secretary David Miliband will be touring Britain in the coming weeks, holding Labour Party meetings to discuss Britain's foreign policy. PLEASE INFORM WSTWC by reply to this message if you have news of future LP meetings inviting David Miliband or other leading Cabinet figures.
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