March 2013

 

Wednesday 20th March @ 7pm

The Legacy of Hugo Chavez – Social Justice & Latin American Unity

Carrs Lane Church Centre, Carrs Lane, Birmingham B4 7SX

Francisco Dominguez (Secretary Venezuela Solidarity Campaign)

Dave Auger (Unison West Midlands International Officer)

 

TUC courses will be delivered at: Bilston Campus:   mikee@shrewsbury.ac.uk   01743 342531

UNION Stewards STAGE 1 starting Mon 22 April 2013  10 x Mondays
HEALTH & SAFETY REPS STAGE 1 starting Tues 23 April 2013  10 x Tuesdays 

Wolverhampton Workers’ Memorial Day Remember the Dead,   Fight for the Living 
 Sunday 28th April    22^nd annual local commemoration

12.30pm Cenotaph, St Peter’s square Wolverhampton WV1 1TS

speakers: Ivan Monkton UNITE NEC – Agricultural Workers’ safety

      Steve Witton UCATT – Construction industry safety

                Warinder Juss GMB -Tory attacks on H&S laws

Rev. Bill Mash, Industrial Chaplain,  Nick Kelleher, Secretary WB&DTUC,    wreath laying ceremony

Bedroom Tax – those in receipt of Housing Benefit being subjected to benefit cuts April 2013:

The proposal will affect an estimated 660,000 working-age social tenants

– 31% of existing working-age housing benefit claimants in the social sector.

The majority of these people have only one extra bedroom

How much will people lose?  – Even the ConDems say those affected will lose an average of £14 a week from the very basic benefit currently deemed the minimum needed to live off.14% of Housing Benefit for one extra bedroom and 25% for two or more extra bedrooms.

All claimants who are deemed to have at least one spare bedroom will be affected. This includes:

• Foster carers because foster children will not be counted as part of the household
• Single fathers whose kids visit at weekends and holidays
• Families with disabled children
• Disabled people including people living in adapted or specially designed properties.

Additionally, Wolverhampton council is making people pay 8.5% of Council Tax out of their benefits.

 

10 branches still to re-affiliate; UNITE branches have reported delays due to re-structures.

Thanks to branches that have re-affiliated for 2013: 

ASLEF                              Community 17000              Community (W’ton Craft) Community Hall Palm Community (West Midlands)                                      CWU (W’ton)                   FBU       NUT   

PCS(West Mercia)               UCATT                            UCU University                UNISON Acute        UNISON General                UNISON Police Staff           UNISON University         UNITE (Finance &Legal)