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Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Bulletin No.31
Monday 20 February 2012
TUSC News
Public rally to launch London TUSC GLA campaign: Speakers: Bob Crow, TUSC candidates, plus others to be announced. If you live in London come along and get involved…
Wednesday 21 March, 7.15pm at 235 Shaftesbury Avenue London WC2H 8EP. For venue see: http://bit.ly/AvAGGK.
You can see the new TUSC GLA election postcard here: http://bit.ly/yCWmD5
If you live in London we want you to get involved in the campaign. E-mail tuscbulletin with your borough. We are aiming to set up borough campaign committees so that everyone can get involved locally. Want to campaign for TUSC in your trade union? Then let us know what union you are in at the tusc bulletin e-mail address.
Please make a donation to support the campaign: http://www.tusc.org.uk/donate.php
President of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) selected to lead new trade unionist and socialist electoral challenge for Greater London Assembly Elections in May 2012.
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has selected Alex Gordon President of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) to lead its list for the London Assembly elections due to take place on 3 May 2012. Nick Wrack has been selected No2 on the list. You can find the list so far and the press release here: http://bit.ly/wl3KBm
Put out a press release announcing your candidates
You can take the structure of the press release and use it for your own campaign. Alex Gordon’s quote as President of the RMT can be used to show national support for your local campaign.
If you are a candidate get yourself on Twitter
Coventry candidate Dave Nellist is on Twitter @davenellist and has over 1200 followers. Martin Powell-Davies, who is on the GLA TUSC list has almost 300 followers @MPDNUT . Remember to tell us if you are on Twitter and TUSC Independent will follow you and retweet @TUSCindependent.
Rugby TUSC calls public meeting to launch 2012 Council election Campaign ‘Why we need anti cuts candidates’
Monday March 19 7.30 Utd Railway Club, Spring St. Main speaker: Nick Wrack (TUSC National Steering Committee and ISN) http://bit.ly/gd9tJr Rugby TUSC has also bee busy on the media front getting media coverage over its criticism of the Welfare Reform Bill. http://bit.ly/gd9tJr
Remember: when you announce the launch of your election campaign tell us a tuscbulletin and we will advertise it here.
From the Unions
RMT confirms action on Heathrow Express over sacking of driver and continuing victimisation of RMT activist
Following a massive “Yes” vote for action, rail union RMT has announced a wave of industrial action in support of sacked driver Zahid Majid who, despite a series of meetings, Heathrow Express have refused to reinstate http://bit.ly/yKihie
FBU furious at cuts to fire alarm responses from councillors who voted themselves a 25 per cent increase in their allowances
Devon and Somerset fire crews facing a third year of a pay freeze say they are ‘gobsmacked’ that fire authority councillors voted themselves a 25 per cent increase in allowances. The move came at the same fire authority meeting which cut the fire service response to domestic fire alarms….to save money http://bit.ly/yRmTDq
Jobs saved at Birmingham Connexions
Birmingham UNISON is celebrating after seeing off the threat of redundancy to more than 100 Connexions staff in the city http://bit.ly/w6P8wY
Government in court over pension changes
Today, Monday February 20th, seven unions are mounting a legal challenge, on behalf of millions of public sector workers, over what inflation index is used to increase their pensions. The seven unions involved are the CWU, FBU, PCS, NASUWT, POA, Unison and Unite. http://bit.ly/wvTETO
GMB members employed by Carillion at Great Western Hospital in Swindon are taking strike action this week
They have planned two protest demonstrations to protest that staff from Zurich Insurance and the Nationwide Building Society are being used as strike breakers http://bit.ly/Af7VMx
Usdaw secures compensation for former McCowan’s workers
The shop workers Union has secured more than £200,000 compensation for 103 former employees of iconic Scottish sweet manufacturer McCowan’s made redundant when the company folded in October last year. http://bit.ly/AySwJt
TK Maxx joins retailers quitting unpaid work scheme for jobseekers
Clothing store chain joins Sainbury’s and Waterstone’s in pulling out as Poundland reviews its policy after human rights case http://bit.ly/zg5kmE
Information burst
Housing Emergency – Time for an Alternative: http://bit.ly/y8QMkA
One view of what is going on in Greece: http://bit.ly/xlSNeg
Dispatches from the Dark Side’ by Gareth Peirce: http://bit.ly/wuvyAW
Deprivation and death by inequality
This report looks at patterns of death by socioeconomic deprivation. It examines the interaction between deprivation, sex and age group, and place and underlying cause of death. Here: http://bit.ly/A2COQu
Government ‘may sanction nerve-agent use on rioters’, scientists fear: http://ind.pn/yLxrji
The Impact of Austerity Measures on Households with Children
Relative child poverty is set to increase between 2010–11 and 2015–16 by around 400,000, and absolute child poverty (as defined in the Child Poverty Act (2010)) will increase between 2010–11 and 2015–16 by around 500,000. See:http://bit.ly/zwXhqk
EVENTS
Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts invites you and your organisation to attend a meeting to discuss election work.
We are keen to ensure that the defence of living standards and public services is top of the agenda in elections and that voters are offered a real choice so that they can vote for candidates prepared to make a stand against the cuts. We will be discussing the strategy outlined in the attached paper. http://bit.ly/z2l3CW 19.00 on Tuesday 28th Feb, Main Hall, Vauxhall Centre, Johnson Place NR2 2SA
Carillion Workers Protest over Strike Breaking
Tuesday 21stFebruary from 11.45am Outside Carillion Facilities Management
8th Floor
1 Eversholt Street
London
NW1 2DN http://bit.ly/Af7VMx
Lobby of Partliament to defend Sixth Form Colleges and 16-19 funding
Thursday 23rd February outside Parliament with a Rally in Committee Room 5 from 2pm. It will be addressed by NUT Deputy Gen Sec, Kevin Courtney and by Toni Pearce, Vice President of the NUS http://bit.ly/xaNiPx
Lobby Cambridgeshire County Council budget setting meeting
Monday 21 Feb 5pm Cambridgeshire county council, Shire Hall, CB3 0AP Cambridge CB3 0A http://on.fb.me/xLsfEi (Facebook) http://bit.ly/xOM9Vk
UNISON demonstration against North Somerset Council Cuts
Tuesday 21 Feb 2012 5:30pm Town Hall, Weston super Mare BS23 1UJ http://bit.ly/xDHHFm
Mass protest rally over Kirklees Council cuts.
Wednesday 22 Feb 12:30pm Market Place HD1 2YZ http://bit.ly/zX4oc5
Stop the attack on UNISON in Swindon
Thursday 23rd February 6pm Lobby of the Full Council Meeting Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon SN1 2JH. Included in the budget is a proposal to cease the central funding of two part-time UNISON posts. The Council is proposing to make the two post-holders redundant. http://bit.ly/wBo5s0
York Stop the Cuts Council Budget Protest
Thursday 23 Feb 6–8pm, St Helens Sq, York http://bit.ly/at77j0
Protest @ Pickles – Leeds
Saturday 25 Feb 10.30am Assemble Woodhouse Moor to March to City Square The Tory Local Government Conference is being held in Queen’s Hotel, Leeds. Eric Pickles is speaking on the Saturday 25th February, planning the next round of savage cuts http://bit.ly/zLDPQo
Lambeth Council Cuts Demonstration
Wednesday 29 Feb 6:00pm Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton SW2 http://bit.ly/f6BTqY
European Trade Union Day of Action
Wednesday February 29 In the face of a worsening economic and social situation and the ever-tougher austerity measures being imposed by Europe’s leaders as the only solution, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has called for a European day of action on the eve of the European Council.http://bit.ly/wrvxl5
Boycott Workfare National Day of Action
Saturday 3 March Currently there are actions in Brighton, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Central London, Sheffieldand Tunbridge Wells – see website or facebook for details http://bit.ly/xs7KLx
TUSC information
You can find out more about TUSC at: http://www.tusc.org.uk/index.php
To donate to TUSC go here: http://www.tusc.org.uk/donate.php
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TUSC aims to bring trade unionists, socialists and anti-cuts campaigners together to stand candidates at elections who are committed to representing working-class interests. Resistance to the cuts is vital, but we also need a political alternative to the policies of cuts and privatisation. TUSC believes that a new working-class party is needed that campaigns for a democratic socialist society run in the interests of the millions not the millionaires.
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