November 2005

Secretary’s Report November ‘05 Wolverhampton, Bilston & District TUC www.wolvestuc.org.uk

The next delegate meeting is Thursday 17th November – details in mailing
2006 BRANCH AFFILIATION FORMS HAVE BEEN SENT OUT – PLEASE FOLLOW UP YOUR OWN BRANCH asap
NB wolves.tuc@unisonfree.net no longer works please use info@wolvestuc.org.uk or wolvestuc@blueyonder.co.uk

West Midlands members voted 3: 1 to take industrial action in support of their claim for compensation following the start of the new shift system in the West Midlands for firefighters.

WB&DTUC – STOP THE WAR
We fear that soon the 100th British soldier will die in Iraq. To date 97 have been killed. It is important that this moment does not pass unnoticed or unprotested. Military families have asked that the British people mark the day that figure is reached with protests and vigils. The day the 100th soldier’s death is reported members of Military Families Against the War http://www.mfaw.org.uk will lead a vigil in Parliament Square and the names of these 100 soldiers and of 100 Iraqi dead will be read out.

The next day there will be 100 similar protests in 100 towns across the country and on that day, we call on supporters to assemble at 5pm Queens Square, Wolverhampton.

Saturday 19th November. TU meeting on Venezuela (organised by UNISON & VSUK)- Friends Meeting House (Priory Rooms), 40 Bull Street, Birmingham, B4 close to Snow Hill Station.
10.30am showing of “The Revolution will not be Televised” followed by buffet & discussion with Venezuelan speaker noon-1.30pm To book your place  Andy 0121 2881388 / Dave 01902 554093

Lighthouse (www.light-house.co.uk) Wolverhampton, Saturday 10th December, 6pm, there will be a special screening of Who Shot The Sheriff? a film made possible by the generous support of the Amicus trade union, detailing the history of Rock Against Racism. It links the 70s struggle to stop the NF with current campaigns aiming to stop the likes of the fascist BNP gaining ground in Britain today, plus a talk by Lee Billingham of Love Music Hate Racism. Lots of rarely seen archive footage from the punk & RAR era – including the infamous 1978 Carnival in east London`s Victoria Park where 100,000 marched to the show headlined by The Clash & Tom Robinson Band.
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Agenda item 5 Resolution: Rahimi Family Must Stay Campaign

The Rahimi family, Zohrieh, Alirezah and their six year old son Navid are facing imminent deportation back to Iran where they face imprisonment, torture and possible execution. The family are living in Wolverhampton with Navid attending the local St Mary’s Roman Catholic school.
In Iran, Zohrieh, and Alirezah were both political activists. Alirezah had been imprisoned and tortured for his beliefs. On being conditionally released Alirezah received death threats from his employers.
Consequently the family fled Iran and in August 2004, they claimed asylum in the UK. Their claim and subsequent appeal was turned down. Since then they have suffered two dawn police raids. Their doors were broken down and they were forcibly removed from their homes and detained. Zohrieh endured a 28-day hunger strike in protest at their imprisonment. After the second raid they were placed on a plane to Iran. Once on board Zohrieh, put up a struggle and persuaded the pilot not to take them out of the UK. The fear of return to Iran has taken its toll on Zohrieh, who, since coming off hunger strike has suffered a mental breakdown and has been admitted to Penn Hospital.
This TUC agrees to write to the Minister of State for Immigration, Tony McNulty MP asking him to grant full refugee status to the family. Also to write to our local MPs raising the issue with them.
WB&DTUC will support the campaign by making a financial donation.
Proposed by: Wolverhampton General UNISON