October 2016

Secretary’s Report OCTOBER 2016 Wolverhampton, Bilston & District TUC

 

Wolves Pride – several of our delegates took part in the march with our banner and also running a stall with TUC LGBT material from Congress House.

 

10,000 took part in the Midlands TUC – Austerity has Failed – demo

@ Tory Conference Birmingham. Our banner was again present.

 

Saturday 29th October – TUC Midlands Equality Conference

The second annual Equalities Conference of the TUC in the Midlands 11am. @CWU Offices, Summer Lane, Birmingham B19 3TH. Registration to attend this conference should be made to mkesterton@tuc.org.uk and any queries 0121 2364454 followed by networking buffet.

National Minimum Wage rates increased 1st October 2016: 25+yrs £7.20 (no rise)

21-24yrs £6.95, 18-20yrs £5.30, 16-17yrs £4.00, apprentice rate £3.40

 

Save and Support The Pegasus Pub from closure – our May Day venue is under threat, though still open. Appeal to Magistrates Court after W’ton Council Licensing Committee revoked licence – sign the petition here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-and-support-the-pegasus-pub-from-closure-and-losing-licence

Attendance Allowance campaign by Midlands TUC Pensioners Network – see www.wolvestuc.org.uk for model letter which has now been taken up nationally.

 

THE LUCAS PLAN – celebrate its 40th anniversay – Sat NOVEMBER 26th, BIRMINGHAM

The Lucas Plan was a pioneering effort by workers at the arms company Lucas Aerospace to retain jobs by proposing alternative, socially-useful applications of the company’s technology and their own skills. It remains one of the most radical and forward thinking attempts ever made by workers to take the steering wheel and directly drive the direction of change. 40 years after, we’re facing a convergence of crises: militarism and nuclear weapons,climate chaos, and the destruction of jobs by automation. These crises mean we have to start thinking about technology as political, as the Lucas Aerospace workers did. The conference will aim to re-open the debate about industrial conversion and democracy. http://lucasplan.org.uk

Blacklisted – new film of the 7 year campaign to get some justice for the blacklisted workers and their supporters around the Blacklist Support Group which was set up in the aftermath of the raid on the Consulting Association in 2009. The historic £75million settlement won by the workers and their unions – Unite, UCATT and GMB – represents a huge victory but is only a fraction of what is really owed in terms of lost wages over years and decades. But the fight for real justice, to secure employment and unionise the sites is still ongoing.

Film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRfVcfQWNE4

Book: https://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/ Blacklist Support Group: www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/

 

Axe The Hosing Act Summit on 22 October, 11.30am, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD. more information about the Axe the Housing Act campaign and the Summit www.axethehousingact.org.uk/category/news/

 

new TUC film about trades union council work: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lXYBJCDD0E

 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply