Don't lose your right to vote
The government has changed the system for registering people to vote, so the number of 18 year olds registered to vote has plummeted.
25% fewer school-leavers are registered to vote than 3 years ago.
Register to vote now online in a few minutes https://www.registertovote.service.gov.uk/register-to-vote/start
WASPI
Women Against State Pension Inequality 
National, Local Waspi Demo' Day on Friday 26th May 2017
Queen's Square, Wolverhampton
11-1pm
speakers include
Lynn Trannah Wolverhampton, Cannock & Staffs WASPI
Eleanor Smith, LP general election candidate W'ton SW
other electoral candidates are invited and Women's groups.
WASPI fights the injustice done to all women born in the 1950s affected by the changes to the state pension law (1995/2011 acts) raising pension age for women from 60 to 68 and to achieve fair transitional state pension arrangements. They raise awareness and offer speakers.
A new local group of Cannock, Stafford and Wolverhampton WASPI has been established,
Out of the Darkness
Out of the Darkness - new exhibition at Wolverhampton Art Gallery
. The exhibition showcases the talents of the Black Country's homeless community who have been documenting their lives through the medium of street photography and oral history.
It will be open to the public until Sunday 4th June
next WB&DTUC meeting
Thursday 15th June 2017
Delegate Meeting
starts at 7-15pm ends 8-45pm @Wolverhampton Civic Centre (Wulfruna Street entrance)
at 8pm: speaker
Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Over 1,500 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel have been participating in the hunger strike led by senior Fatah official Marwan Barghouthi since April 17 to protest the torture, ill treatment, and medical neglect of prisoners at the hands of Israeli authorities, as well as Israel’s widespread use of administrative detention -- internment without trial or charges. The hunger strike is largely being ignored by the western media.
Read their demands here: http://www.maannews.com/
Write to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, request it urgently raises the hunger strike with Israel, and ends its violations of international law and human rights conventions in the treatment of Palestinian prisoners.
http://palestinecampaign.
PALESTINE HUNGER STRIKE solidarity Protest Vigil FRIDAY 19th May, Queens sq, Wolverhampton
TUC Women Chainmakers' Festival of Cradley Heath
Tired of working day and night for starvation wages, the Women Chainmakers of Cradley Heath in the Black Country in 1910, downed their hammers and stood up for their right to earn a living wage.
Led by the founder of the National Federation of Women Workers, Mary Macarthur, their ten week strike successfully established the right to a minimum wage.
The annual Midlands TUC Chainmakers Festival, held in Cradley Heath High Street on Saturday 1st July, is the largest celebration in Britain of women's political history.
It re-enacts the struggle and celebrates the achievements and strugle of the trade union movement both then and now.
Trade union courses locally 2017
We had confirmation recently from the Skills Funding Agency that we will receive 50% funding for the TUC programme. After a very positive meeting with Shrewsbury Colleges’ senior management team, I can confirm that we are open for business. 50% funding is a cut on what we received last year so it’s important that we maintain viable classes. We cannot let the collective resource, capacity, knowledge and experience that is found in the college trade union studies disappear. Nothing can substitute for the classroom experience of representatives coming together and learning from each other, facilitated by a tutor. The message is ‘Use us or lose us’! Once we have gone there is no going back.
Thanks for your continued support, please do all that you can to send your representatives on our courses.
In solidarity Mike Edwards - Trade Union Studies
Union Reps Stage 1 10 x Mondays from 24 April 2017 at Shrewsbury College & GMB Offices, Hanley, Stoke on Trent
Health & Safety Stage 1 ten weeks 9 am – 4 pm 10 x Tuesdays from 25 April 2017 at Shrewsbury College & GMB Offices, Hanley,Stoke on Trent
courses will take place in Wolverhampton if sufficient demand
These are available for all courses from Trade Union Studies at Shrewsbury College, London Road, Shrewsbury SY2 6PR
Tel: 01743 342531 [*This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.*]
Justice for the Shrewsbury 24 Pickets
Thursday 21st September - Shrewsbury 24 campaign speaker reporting on trhe long awaited outcome of the Criminal Case Reveview Commission.
organised by Wolverhampton TUC Civic centre Wolverhampton 7-15pm
The Campaign fights for justice for the wrongful prosecution of 24 building workers following their strike in 1972.
“We were not guilty of any crime... Any fair-minded person looking at the evidence would conclude there has been a miscarriage of justice.” Terry Renshaw
The Shrewsbury 24 were not guilty of conspiracy. They were the victims of one
Terry Renshaw at Dudley TUC March 2017
National Minimum Wage rates increase
- adult hourly rate of the national minimum wage 25 years+ is £7.20. From 1st April 2017, the hourly rate of the national minimum wage for those of 25 years and over only increased to £7.50. It will rise again 1st April 2018.
- adult hourly rate of the national minimum wage 21-24 years is £6.95
- development rate (which covers workers aged 18-20 years) is £5.30
- rate for 16 to 17-year-olds is £4/hour
- for apprentices under the age of 19 and those aged 19 and over in the first 12 months of their apprenticeship, the apprentice minimum wage rate is £3.40 per hour
- For those working aged 16-24, their rates are due a rise 1st October 2017
Monday 1st May 2017 May Day Wolverhampton Workers' Day
Read more: Monday 1st May 2017 May Day Wolverhampton Workers' Day
West Midlands Combined Authority
Elections for Mayor are on thurs 4 May 2017
Following recent developments a further briefing was held to keep trades union councils up to date with information on the TUC engagement with the WMCA on Saturday 25th March 2017, a report will be given at our next delegate meeting on 20 April.
Action For Rail
Thursday 30th March 2017 - 9 volunteers came out campaigning for RMT Save Our Guards. Wolverhampton TUC joined RMT involving UNISON, Unite, FBU and NUT members.
Dying to Work campaign
The Midlands TUC's Dying to Work Campaign is being taken up nationally.
SUCCESS - Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council and Wolverhampton General UNISON branch called on Wolverhampton Council to sign up and incorporate the campaign's recommendations into it's employment practice. A report went Cabinet in February 2017 and this was agreed and signed with UNISON and Midlands TUC secretaries Adrian Turner and Lee Barron in April.
Midlands TUC Pensioners’ Network
next meeting: 12th July 2017 – 12.30 for 1pm – at Unite, Pride Park, Derby.
+ Report to Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council of latest meeting
Education cuts campaigning
Request from Kevin Courtney, General Secretary, National Union of Teachers to support campaign against education cuts
Morning Star the left's daily paper, is co-operatively owned by it's readers and essential reading for all trade unionists
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