Happy New Year to all welcome 2011

Happy New Year to all, friends and everyone who knows me.

2010 has been an interesting and exciting year with many unique events happening. I left Lambeth on the 30 March after being there for 22 years and I left behind very close friends and colleagues that I will always keep in touch with and of course I will never forget the challenges, struggles and indeed the victories and some triumphs we all achieved there.

Happy new year to everyone! I hope the arrival of 2011 is a time for reflection a time to remember what's important, to forget and forgive and move on! Happy New Year!

Nick Venedi

The Lambeth Unison years, the diary

I have now been able to go through my personal diary, kept since 1988 and have managed to get most of the information in order. Facts that I recorded (there are some gaps) will probably make good or interesting reading on how one of the most dynamic branches in the country developed, progressed and survived over a period of 20 years.

Most of what I have to say is positive and constructive but like with any other story telling venture some of what I have to say may not be appreciated by a few, at the same time parts of what will be written may not make me look good either, but that's how accurate story telling goes.

Lambeth Unison is a strong, dynamic vibrant TU branch with many unique characters . The branch draws its strength from its diversity but it is that diversity of backrounds and opinions that may have led to some conflicts and misunderstandings. I have always seen those in the branch as members of a very extensive family. I am proud to be an active member of Lambeth Unison and to have served its for more than 2 decades. I dedicate this diary to my many friends in Lambeth Unison.

The diary will cover:

The 12 week payroll dispute and how it divided and united at the same time the branch;

The service plan during the Linda Bellos years and severe cuts;

The fight with the Thacher government;

Reg Race report;
The censuring of a Branch Secretary by the Branch Committee and the habit of turning against Branch Secs;
The removal from office of an ex Branch Secretary (who became Chair) and the hostility towards him;
Refusal of ex NUPE branch to merge with Lambeth Unison A;
Disputes with region and national;
The Jon Rogers affect and the general Secretary election;
United left connection;
The London Weighting Dispute and mad strategies;

Relationship with regional Secs, Chris Humphries, Nick Wright, Linda Perks;

The 6 years as regional Finance Convenor;

Heather Rabbats years;
How Revenues and Benefits were privatised in 1997 and how we won the battle to bring them back in house;
The link with Lambeth Labour;

Other campaigns and disputes and other major events.

I shall start publishing the diary in the early part of January and I shall cover major events not necessarily in chronological order, I will of course make corrections if someone who was there has a different recollection of what happened.

My quote....

'' I never expected to be loved by everyone but I am happy that the vast majority of those I supported could have benefited from my genuine desire to help them. I have always been able to separate political disagreements from personal hostility and antipathy and have always led from the front never hesitating to take on challenges or take action to protect the branch and its integrity. I may disagree with some in the branch but I will fight to protect their right to say what they think... ''

Problems in retirement

Government figures released today suggest that 1 in 6 people alive today, around 10 million, will live to the age of 100. Good news for those who make it of course but not so good for those who will be condemned to live in poverty.

The stats of course do not tell us how comfortable or easy people in retirement will be and with proposals to change the pensions system it will mean that those who retire will need to at least be in part time employment to survive.

The major difficulty with the theory that links retirement with continuing to work is the fact that there is huge prejudice by employers towards anyone who is either under 23 or over 50 with stats showing that it is 3 times harder for someone over 50 to get an interview never mind a job. So I have no idea how the government intends to encourage people to remain in employment if it is so hard for that group to get a job? How many of us know of reorganisations where the employer is so clear that anyone over a certain age has to be removed?

The unions have to do more on this subject as well and initiatives to deal with ageism and ageist attitudes need to be developed in line with other EOP policies. The reality is that if you are over 50 and you are out of a job because of redundancy then it will be very hard for you to find another job.

Difficulties in retirement

A bleak picture of retirement has emerged , with a study revealing that millions of people will have to work in retirement, or struggle with barely enough income to survive. And while it is worrying enough that over 50% of those over 55 do not have savings, even more alarming is the level of debts older people are carrying.So just how bad have things become?Among the most shocking findings of the report is that one in ten people over the age of 75 are still paying the mortgage, with an average outstanding debt of £72,500. Some 20% of those over 55 still have a mortgage, with an average of £64,511 left to pay on it.

This is of course of great concern to those members who have retired with average pensions falling and with government proposals to changing the way pay increases are awarded. More should be done for those in retirement to link with 'parent branches' and join the fight that we will all have to be involved with soon.

Ed Milliband

There is speculation and comments in some sections of the press that Ed Miliband wants to modernise the party (whatever that means) by changing some of the rules, one of the proposals could be to reduce the role of the unions and redefine the role we have. Now this does not surprise me as I never thought that Ed would be any different than say David M who is openly right wing and its obvious that Ed played the left wing card just to get elected.

I think it will be a huge error of judgement to make the shift away from the TU's and of course it was the TU's that created the party. Any attempts to move away from this sacred link will with out any doubt drive many of us away? That would not be right and we must fight this idiotic idea!

Pictures from 2010

with family friends..

Start preparing...

Pictures from 2010

Memories from 2010...

Merry Xmas

Merry Christmas to all

Merry Christmas to all this is the time to reflect, to forgive and forget...

Animal cruelty

Traditions are a beautiful and warm way to celebrate holidays. But not when they include animal cruelty, like slicing off the fins of live sharks to make shark fin soup.

Shark fin soup is a dish served on Lunar New Year and at other celebratory events like weddings. But the origins of this meal are unsavory and cruel: It's produced by hunting and catching sharks, slicing off their fins, and throwing them back into the sea to die by suffocation, blood loss or predation by other species.
Tens of millions of sharks are killed every year to meet the demand for shark fin soup, a terrible blow to the many species of which are already threatened with extinction.

Are coalition cables at breaking point?

No one I know is surprised about Vince Cables honest outburst and it would seem that deep inside him he has remembered his true values. I said it before and will say it again the Lib Democrats have been deceived with this coalition 'deal' and it is about time that they wake and smell the coffee in the country! The reality is the Cons are pushing their agenda using and abusing the Liberals. I know of long term committed Liberal Democrats who strongly disagree with what's going on. It was a huge mistake to get into bed with the the Cons. My advice to any true Lib is to get a quick divorce on the grounds of severe adultery and deception!!! Do it before you pay the price at the ballot box!

The Savoy hotel

I just finished watching the second part of the Savoy on ITV1 covering the re opening of the hotel on 10 October 2010.

The programme is a journey into deep shallow land and it clearly shows us how the other 0.1% of us live so it is what it is and it doesn't pretend to be anything else, its for those who live in a different world or a different planet. Saying that the documentary is well presented and it could be seen as entertaining. I hope that the wages of the stuff who work there are good? Management could perhaps get some advice from Paloma Vivenco ex The Apprentice who could teach them a trick or two.

Do we need to regulate blogs?

I understand the technical arguments advanced by some on other blogs concerning the matter to do with bloggers belonging to a TU capable of representing them. Simon Chapman made the argument and the technical reasons as to why this isn't possible clear in his reply to an article on Elizabeth Winkler's page and he is of course right in many ways.

I would imagine that if Simon is right and joining a TU isn't possible then bloggers should consider getting together and forming some sort of a collective with rules and a code of practice? And then maybe have a democratic structure to allow for decisions or a change in rules to take place? The ‘collective’ can of course be attached to an established TU like a Self Organised Group is in Unison.

I think this is a subject that needs more debate but we should have some rules on how TU bloggers conduct themselves I am, for example, against allowing non constructive anonymous comments but I am aware that many publish negative and sometimes offensive content.

TUC March 26 March 2011

Some may think it is too early to start planning the TUC march for jobs and services but the success of this event is crucial if we are to make an impact on government policy, so firm, specific and intelligent preparations need to be made from now.

There are those who say that one million protesters marching on the streets of London will not make the coalition government change their course and that a similar gathering did not persuade Tony Blair to change his plans on the war but I disagree with this. Tony Blair had a firm majority in the commons this lot do not!

The Con the Libs coalition are not as united as they may appear to look and there is evidence that the Tories are worried about how the Lib part of the amalgamation may collapse so more pressure from angry voters could shift the balance. Nervous Lib Democrats could easily turn against their own leadership and create a situation where the the country goes to the ballot box. No one I know actively voted for a coalition between the Tories and the Libs that is just not true and at the very worst some people may have felt comfortable with a Labour Lib version but not what we have today. The Libs can't help have a Tory in disguise as their leader!

Climate change in Bangladesh: building capacity and speaking with one voice

In November, Judith Carreras of Sustainlabour visited Bangladesh as part of a TUC-funded project to support the Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation to work on climate change. The project aims to build capacity within trade unions on the issue of climate change, to build a common position, and to lobby the Bangladesh government and donors such as the World Bank to properly consider employment issues within climate change.Below are some extracts from Judith's diary during her week-long visit.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18952-f0.cfm

Sparky attacks snowman...

Sparky was caught attacking a snowman that we built in our garden this morning, when asked why he felt the need to do this he had very little to say ...

The Great Xmas party

Was great to see friends last night from Lambeth Unison who turned up to the Unison get together and after Xmas dinner party. The event reminded me of what a great place Lambeth is and how close we all are and how funny to hilarious some of us are.. lol. I agree with those who were there who said that it was probably one of the best get together for many years!. I am clear now that my heart will always be with Lambeth and my fellow friends and Lambeth activists. Season greetings to everyone! I shall be seen more friends next week when attending other events in Lambeth

Good bye Joan...

Today's entry is dedicated to our lovely friend Joan who died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday 15 December. Myself Juliet and others in the Lambeth Unison office got to know Joan for the last 12 years as she was the allocated cleaner for our office. We developed a friendship and she often looked after my dog Sparky who she loved. I learned of the sad news this morning when Juliet called me, its weird to think that she has gone so quick after the death of her beloved husband Leo. Joan would have been a guest at our Xmas lunch which is strangely enough held today so she will be missed. Good bye friend may you rest in peace....

Xmas no 1

Excellent idea, go and buy this single to remind everyone never to trust Nick Clegg...

http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=6478

The local government pension scheme

As expected the local government pension scheme has come under attack by the government which is looking for ways to make us all pay for the mistakes committed by bankers. I am reproducing a statement issued by Heather Wakefield, Head of Unison Local Government sector there is also a more detailed entry o John Gray's blog which makes good and essential reading http://grayee.blogspot.com/2010/12/get-your-facts-right-about-local.html :

“Another week, another attack on the local government pension scheme. These so-called independent pensions consultants and government ministers should get their facts right before they resort to crude scare-mongering.“Eric Pickles is plain wrong. Less than 6% of council tax payments fund pensions. More than 50% is made up of employee contributions and investment returns.“The local government pension scheme is in good shape, and is a vital way of allowing mainly low paid workers to save for their retirement. A report out this year confirmed that the scheme could cover all its liabilities for the next twenty years, without a single penny more in contributions. What’s more, the scheme invests hundreds of billions in UK stocks and shares every year – a huge boost to our economy. “With pensions, its vital to take a long term view. It is totally misleading to take an assessment of the schemes liabilities now and make claims for the future that don’t stack-up. All investments have taken a knock thanks to the financial crisis, but given time they will recover.”

Ivory trade

It's surprising, but despite a ban on ivory trade, the U.S. is the world's second-largest retail market for elephant ivory. That means the U.S. is one of the major drivers of elephant poaching in Africa. End ivory trade in the US and all over the word. Ivory trade is possible despite an official ban because protections under the Endangered Species Act are riddled with loopholes. For example, tusks from African, but not Asian, elephants can be brought into the US as hunting throphies. We can't sit back and allow the U.S. to support a flourishing ivory trade while African and Asian elephants continue to die. Help close these ridiculous loopholes so that we can have a true ban on ivory trade in the U.S.

Keep the post public coalition December 15 rally

Trade Union activists all over the country will be joining a mass meeting organised by the CWU tomorrow starting at 11 in central London so I urge all who can attend to be there to show solidarity and support. The general public are very much against the privatisation of the postal services so a sustainable campaign capable of delivering results is needed. We are all in this one together.

Join politicians, trade union leaders and hundreds of postal workers at a national rally to protest against government plans to privatise Royal Mail. All welcome.

When: 11am - 2pm on Wednesday, 15th December 2010
Where: Central Hall, Storey's Gate, Westminster, London, SW1H 9NH.

Speakers include shadow Business Secretary John Denham and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas. CWU general secretary Billy Hayes and deputy general secretary Dave Ward will be joined by other politicians and trade union leaders.
The timing is intended to give MPs a very clear message of the dissatisfaction with the Postal Services Bill and the deficiencies within the Bill, prior to the Parliamentary Christmas recess.
The Bill is currently in committee stage and CWU believes there are huge loopholes which put the universal service and post office network at risk.
Postal workers will also be lobbying their local MPs in parliament after the rally.
Write to your MP and sign the petition
Other Keep the Post Public events around the UK
The campaign so far
Postal Services Bill 2010

X Factor 2010

Well its all over and Matt Cardle, who in my opinion was indeed the most talented of those participating, won the vote and has become the winner of X Factor 2010 with Rebbecca Ferguson coming a close second and One Direction third.

The programme has had its many critics and its persistence has given rise to the emergence of what I call the Cappuccino Anarchists who tried to discredit the show by campaigning to get Wagner, who unfortunately was as talented as a tomato sandwich, win. But they did not succeed.

I was in two minds as to whether the anti X Factor brigade was justified in putting so much energy into attacking the concept but I am, on balance, in favour of what we have simply because it gives those who would not otherwise be known an opportunity to exhibit their talents and no one can deny the fact that Matt Cardle and Rebbecca are top acts. The question to the oppositionist brigade is whether they think that young people like the ones in the final could ever break the net and make it without the help they got?

The biggest challenge for any future events is to ensure that there is some fairness in who is involved and that the 'show' does not become the playground of PR practitioners who are desperately trying to outplay each other. There should also be some way to make sure that the event is not dominated by Simon Cowel who is of course incredibly successful in his own right but uses the programme to inflate his already big ego. He is, however, an animal lover and about the same age as me so maybe he is right and I am wrong? But hey seriously lets have less control and give others the opportunity? What do you think Simon?

The Savoy hotel

Interesting to watch the new documentary shown on ITV tonight covering the life and times of those who work in the Savoy a hotel build in 1889 with 268 rooms and managed by Fairmont and recently refurbished at the cost of 100 million.

The documentary promises to show us how the other half, well the other 1% of us, live and what those who work there get up to. I shall be keeping an eye on this programme purely because I am curious.

Tonight's 'episode' has already shown us some colourful characters. I was particularly concerned however, putting on my TU hat, to see how the Chief Butler elected to tell us all that he uses his 'gut instinct' when selecting 'suitable people' in his opinion, to do the job and doesn't just rely on what qualifications they have on paper. Now I don't want to pick on this guy who is probably quite good at what he does and genuinely believes in the methods that he uses but his methodology needs looking into, we live in a meritocracy and appointing people on gut instinct is not the right thing to do, not according to the Cipd or the TUC!. I would imagine that he didn't mean what he said and was just showing off? Well I hope so.

Apart from this incident the hotel looks splendid but I am sure that neither Unison or the TUC will be holding their next conferences there! Good documentary though and worth watching and following how things progress?

SERTUC supported Latin America Conference

The annual Latin America Conference at TUC Congress House, supported by SERTUC, has become a highlight on the calendar and source of reference for many.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18928-f0.cfm

TUC Internet petition on jobs

The TUC and the International Trade Union Confederation are supporting an Avaaz internet petition to send to French President Nicholas Sarkozy to get jobs and growth onto the global agenda of the G20 in 2011. Please support the petition and encourage others to sign up.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18932-f0.cfm

Iranian Trade Unionists

The TUC is supporting a global trade union campaign in solidarity with Iranian trade union leader Reza Shahabi, who has been on hunger strike since 4 December in protest at his continuing imprisonment. The global campaign includes the ITUC, ITF and Amnesty International. We are calling on the authorities in Iran to release him immediately.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18934-f0.cfm

CSU Rally 15 December 2010

Support the rally organised by the CSW on Wednesday 15 December 2010 in central London be there and show your solidarity! Don't let them privatise our postal services!

http://www.cwu.org/december-15-rally.html

Deidre Barlow was never innocent...

I was shocked to hear last night, whilst conversing with mates in a bar somewhere in Clapham village, that following the crash of the tram into Coronation Street Ashley the butcher boy from Weatherfield revealed, just before he dropped dead (thank God for small mercies!) that Deidre Barlow, Rashid, Langton is not Innocent and that she did in fact murder the 8 pints that were missing from Emily Bishops secret cellar. The information has been passed on to police who might investigate the matter when the weather gets better. Meanwhile viewers will be upset to hear that Dev has survived the accident and will not be dying (what a f... shame!)

In a statement issued by Deidre's agent D has denied planning a 23rd affair with Liz MacDonald's husband, she said that she was interested in MacDonald's but not the Liz Mac type... whatever next!!

The long struggle?

Good news that our NEC ( Unison) have agreed to increase the money put aside to coordinate campaigning and fighting against the governments obsession to punish the public sector for mistakes made by their banking mates. Here is the link from Unison which you can look at http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2082 . I am hoping that those of us at branch level, what they call grass roots, will be more involved on how to develop a nationwide campaign. There is a clear need for an intelligent sustainable and deliverable tactic to maximise success.

The other main news today of course comes from the media coverage of the student demonstrations. It is again a great pity that the very few have managed to spoil it it for the many others who congregated on the streets of London to demonstrate peacefully. There is no excuse for violence and I condemn all forms of aggression on the streets. We are not in Athens guys! The students have a legitimate right to express their frustrations and fight against the draconian measures imposed on them but they need to win the minds and hearts of the general public and smashing up parts of London will not be achieving that!

Join the student protests today

Thousands of students and those opposed to the ludicrous and unfair idea of imposing a huge increases in student tuition fees will be gathering in central London today to protest and remind MPs who will be voting later on in the Commons what their obligations are.

The proposal is unfair and if implemented will create an even bigger division between rich and poor students. We must not burden our young with huge debts.

Also welcome the call from our General Secretary, Dave Prentis, who urges those of us who can to join the students in a peaceful march today. Here's an extract from his statement:

' No amount of spin from the coalition government will disguise the fact that these huge rises will put off the poorer children from going to university and improving their employment chances. And higher education will become the preserve of the wealthy.We urge members to join students in their local protests and in lobbying their MPs. Outside Westminster, for example, on Thursday, 9,000 glow sticks will be lit to symbolise the £9,000 fees' increase. '

London Regional Council AGM

A reminder to the 152 branch Secs around London that the deadline for submitting nominations for Regional Council officer positions is this Friday, the deadlines are adhered to strictly so activists need to ensure that the process is followed. The London Regional Council AGM is scheduled to take place on the 9 February 2011. The contested positions include those for Convenor, deputy, Finance, Equality, Publicity and Young Members. I shall review and comment on who is standing for what when the information is given out.

Weatherfield mayhem

I would imagine many followers of corrie street would be deeply disappointed to see that the major disaster what hit Weatherfield did not kill off Dev and Ashley the two most boring characters on telly ever. On the other hand we saw a splendid attempt by Deidre Barlow to act she did however manage to help the situation by shouting 'Ken love'. Is tragedy the best way to celebrate 50 years of history? Call me old fashioned but I think not! They should get Wagner from X factor to sing the birdy song next week that should make interesting telly!

Keep the post public campaign

The CWU are holding rally on Wednesday 15 December to highlight and start the campaign against the proposal to privatise the post service, this is another daft idea that needs to be resisted.

http://www.cwu.org/december-15-rally.html

Is a blog an alternative to facebook?

Well let me start by saying that the thousands of readers who never read this blog have written in saying that perhaps there is a need to start a Socilistbook which will be an alternative to facebook, now whilst that could be a good idea I know that the average Socilaist boy and girl are very busy these days and the likelihood of that ever happening is nil, so I would suggest that right now the best alternative to facebook (which seems to get people and Bishops into trouble) is to blog.

A blog is a good way to keep in touch with people you know and those you don't but the process allows you to have a high degree of control something that appeals to me. In my case I see blogging as part of my daily routine, I wake up have a shower etc then turn on computer read email messages then an entry into the old blog, that wakes me up. Its also an alternative to doing a crossword, in addition you will end up having a record of what thoughts you had.

The disadvantage with blogging however comes from a potential employer being able to know quite a lot about you when you apply for a new job. It will take your friendly HR person a second to google you and find out that you like Kylie or Madona and that, in most cases, could be held against you. I am sure that I have been in that position myself recently when I applied for a job with BA and wasn't even shortlisted even though I was fully qualified. Are BA anti trade union? I am sure I am wrong, or it could be that my knowledge of Swedish literature put them off??

Money matters

I recently helped a friend recover money back from a bank that sold him a loan with compulsory insurance. The process was not complicated and it took less than a month to get a full refund. It is important that people who find themselves in that position take steps to get what they were forced to back and this applies to loans you may have had as long as 6 years ago so don't just say you are too busy to take action, you need a have clear plan and you have to do it, and if you don't have time and you can do with some help email me (don't send a comment on here) and I will see what I can do to help. And of course you don't need to go to expensive solicitors to start the ball rolling.

Trade unions confronting climate change in Cancun

Until the middle of December, energy and environment ministers representing governments from across the globe, unions and green organisations have taken all up residence in the Mexican party resort of Cancun.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18876-f0.cfm

Action against chages in pensiosn

http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2010/12/lobby-your-mp-to-fight-cpi-switch.html

Sweatshop conditions

Last month saw the TUC describe practices in some UK retail factories as 'a scandal', following an investigation by the Channel 4 programme Dispatches. The 'sweatshop conditions' faced by workers were both dangerous and pressurised, the TUC said.
TUC on Dispatches revelations @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/social/tuc-18788-f0.cfm

Cost of living concerns

Last month's inflation figures, showing RPI at 4.5 per cent in October, represented 'bad news for struggling families', the TUC said in response. With fourth-fifths of pay deals below 3 per cent, VAT about to be hiked, and a pay freeze about to begin in the public sector for workers on £21,000 or above, millions of workers faced a harsh cut in their living standards.
More on this @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-18817-f0.cfm

Listen to people not banks, G20 urged

The TUC took part in a massive international lobbying effort last month as campaigners urged the G20 to listen to people not banks, and tax financial transactions fairly.
The call came as global leaders met for their summit in Seoul, with 183 organisations from 42 countries - including members of the Robin Hood Tax campaign - signing a joint letter. The unprecedented coalition of unions, development, health, education and environmental NGOs represented over 200 million people worldwide.
Organisations belonging to the UK Robin Hood Tax campaign, including the TUC, urged David Cameron to work with other global leaders to 'make concrete progress towards the introduction of an internationally co-ordinated Financial Transactions Tax'.
More on this story @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18783-f0.cfm

Cuts campaign gathers pace

Preparations are continuing ahead of the TUC's national demonstration on 26 March next year against the coalition government's savage cuts. The event in Hyde Park aims to bring trade unionists, community campaigners, students, service users and charities together in a massive mobilisation against austerity.
As part of the build up, the TUC has launched a new website titled False Economy, setting out the damage the cuts will cause and how people can get involved in local campaigns to stop them.
Visit the new False Economy site @
http://falseeconomy.org.uk/

South London snowed under

Well I can understand why the whole system in South London has collapsed. There are very few trains leaving most of the S London stations, this is not at all surprising as we have never had snow in England before and therefore not prepared to deal with the 5 to 7 inches, wonder how they do it in Warsaw or Moscow? But we are just not used to it because we are a warm tropical country? Anyway at least I can stay in and enjoy (??) watching Trisha or Jeremy Kilimanjaro or whatever his name is, apparently Sharon and Tracey will be on later on...

14,000 years for Sri Lankan sportswear workers to earn Nike CEO's 2010 pot

TUC supporting Sri Lankan garment workers to win better pay and conditions

While Nike CEO Mark Parker is deciding what to do with his £8 million compensation package for 2010, the TUC is supporting sportswear workers in Sri Lanka to organise and win an annual wage of around £700 at minimum and better working conditions. At current wage levels, it could take Sri Lankan sportswear workers over 14,000 years to earn what Mark Parker made in 1 year. There's no disputing that this isn't playing fair. Sportswear brands sourcing from Sri Lanka include Nike, Adidas, Speedo, Puma and Reebok, and amidst violations of human and trade union rights, their profits continue to grow. It's time for these big brands to raise the bar on workers' rights and ensure workers manufacturing their products are paid a living wage.

And more snow....

Snowed in today not a single car has managed to go up the hill where I live. It looks good but not very safe...

World Aids day 1 December 2010

HIV: Act Aware – World AIDS Day 01 December 2010 Over 90,000 people are living with HIV in the UK and new infections continue every year. World AIDS Day 2010 is all about raising awareness to tackle HIV prejudice and help stop the spread of HIV. Get tested - it is recommended that everyone in a risk area gets tested at least once a year. HIV tests are confidential and it is possible to access 'rapid tests' where you can get the result there and then. We all can make a difference, whether it's through a donation volunteering or simply making wiser decisions regarding your sexual health. Together we can stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice. HIV: Act Aware.

London in snow

First snow in November for many years....

Pensions crisis

I am reproducing Dave Prentis statement found on the Unison website on the erosion in value of pensions.

'This week, news emerged that the value of public sector workers' pensions has dropped by up to 25%. This is due in part to the government's decision to use the CPI rather than the RPI to calculate pension increases.This means the cost of providing public sector pensions has already fallen and workers are losing out when they retire. Further attempts to cut pensions for social workers, teaching assistants and nurses would be unjustified.It's time the government turned its attention instead to the private sector, where two thirds of companies do not pay a penny towards their workers' pensions – leaving taxpayers with a multi billion pound means-tested benefits bill. '

Students and the Lib Democrats

The students are right to take to the streets and demonstrate their opposition to the draconian measures imposed by the government and the massive increase in tuition fees, they should do this is a peaceful way and the numbers that turned up shows that it can be done. It is not fair or right that the Libs should have so much to do this this policy. In addition Nick Clegg lied and no one should forget that. The best way to deal with the Libs is at the ballot box at the next election. No one should ever vote for the party that cannot be trusted.

Sri Lankan garment workers struggle

TUC supporting Sri Lankan garment workers to win better pay and conditions While Nike CEO Mark Parker is deciding what to do with his £8 million compensation package for 2010, the TUC is supporting sportswear workers in Sri Lanka to organise and win an annual wage of around £700 at minimum and better working conditions. At current wage levels, it could take Sri Lankan sportswear workers over 14,000 years to earn what Mark Parker made in 1 year. There's no disputing that this isn't playing fair. Sportswear brands sourcing from Sri Lanka include Nike, Adidas, Speedo, Puma and Reebok, and amidst violations of human and trade union rights, their profits continue to grow. It's time for these big brands to raise the bar on workers' rights and ensure workers manufacturing their products are paid a living wage.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18862-f0.cfm

Sodexo hospital workers strike

http://www.thesyndicalist.org.uk/north-devon-sodexo-hospital-workers-to-strike/

Is it time to regulate television programmes? X Factor 2010

We have the monopolies commission which looks into monopolistic practices, their job is to ensure (in theory) that no one individual or company exercises total control over our economy, this is of course connected with the world of commerce and how we relate to that.

But there is very little regulation when it comes to how the media and television try to control our minds. Now I don't want to start sounding like Mary Whitehouse (indeed I never want to look like her!) but there is something to be said about not allowing one individual to exercise so much power and control over what is shown on prime time television. The argument against having any regulation is that you will then have the state having more power over us and you will stifle freedom of expression, but on the other hand the current situation means that a company can manipulate certain programmes, like the X Factor, for their own benefit.

I am, on balance, against introducing measures to control this part of our lives but I would like to see people like Simon Cowel and any others who produce such manipulating programmes be made to pay 90% tax on all that they produce that way they will be doing it because they love it and not because they are self obsessed and want to make more money. In the mean time I am doing a u turn and will be voting for Wagner to win tonight (apologies to Matt and Rebbecca)

Was Mao misunderstood?

I was having a debate at the usual pub somewhere in Clapham village with a few friends last night like you do when you had a hard week and you are glad that the weekend has arrived and Lord Young has resigned and moved back to legoland.

One of them, who is as charming as Robert Mugabe and looks like Anne Widdecombe (on a good day) insisted that Mao was a piss artist and that he was simply self obsessed, in other words an unlikely leader who happened to be in the right place at the right time and slipped through the net, then another friend produced evidence based on what a member of the gang of 4.5 had said which would prove that Mao liked to have a drink or six. The ridiculous thing about the debate is that no one remembers any of the detail of what was said this morning it is however true that Mao's cultural revolution was a nasty attempt to control the minds of people who have a right to exercise their right to free thinking. He was a dictator and a nasty piece of work like all other dictators.

Lord Young and legoland

I seemed to have offended a certain 'reader' of this splendid blog who has taken the trouble to write complaining about my 'age discriminatory' entry a few days ago. Unfortunately this person has chosen to post a comment without leaving his name and as my policy on anonymous comments is not to publish them (unless they are positive or constructive) I shall not be allowing the publication. This individual however makes some interesting points but, like any Tory I ever met, misses the point. Saying that I would however state that Lord Young's age had no relevance to my criticism of his view of the world we (we and not him) live in, in fact I am sure that citizens of legoland would not have been offended? I don't see how he thinks we never had it so good? Perhaps that could be the case on the planet Zannusi? Happy to allow the comment if you identify yourself mate.

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/lord-young-and-lego-land.html

Industrial action and strikes

I was one of those branch Secretaries/activists who was always sceptical about the value of strike action and was always careful not to encourage continuous balloting of members for matters that did not merit walk outs because I saw strike action as a last resort. Members these days are not willing to lose pay unless they are satisfied that there is no other alternative.

I was involved with several pay disputes between 1990 and 2004 when national action was called for by the union and it was those events that proved to be more successful than any of the others. There were of course other local disputes in Lambeth, for example, where we were less successful. So I would say that we, as a union, should utilise the mood of the country right now and ensure that the 26 of March is followed by more industrial action.

We must be careful, on the other hand, not be mislead by 'leaders' who will have us think that they have the strategy right and ready like the London Weighting dispute an adventure that was abandoned by 'leaders' who failed to deliver on the promise that the arrival of Ken Livingstone (the Socialist Messiah) would have produced the goods (in other words a total miscululation). That adventure plan was filed in some draw somewhere in London to be forgotten. We need to be careful and scrutinise every detail that these 'leaders' come up with, we need intelligent, deliverable strategies that can be supported by the 95% of members most of whom cannot attend town hall meetings to vote on these matters. Lets have responsible leadership and sustainable strategies.

Bishops, weddings and facebook

I have dealt with cases in the past where members I was representing got into trouble because of what they said on face book. One case, many years ago, involved a member of staff who also had her line manager listed as a friend on face book. She was annoyed with him so she posted some nasty comments on her page which he of course got to see. You can guess how the story ends.

But coming back to the reason for this story I honestly don't know why Willsden has to have a Bishop? If Willsden has a Bishop then why doesn't Streatham or Clapham have one? Whatever.

Anyway the Bishop got into trouble because he forgot that what you put on face book will be read by many others so he decided to tell all that Will and Kate won't make it beyond the Olympics after the next one. Now I don't care if someone is a Republican or not and of course many are. It just isn't nice to go and tell the world that two people who look like are in love won't be making it? The Bishop should mind his own business and he should start doing a blog instead of posting stuff on face book (that's what I did when I deactivated my facebananabook) In the meantime I don't know which union represents Bishops but he needs some urgent advice to get out of this one?

Student fees and the Libs

Angry students marched on the streets of central London yesterday to protest against the governments decision to impose changes in the fee system which are completely unfair, unworkable and a disgrace. I won't deal with the small number of incidents where people behaved in an unacceptable way towards the police. Those who went on the march to provoke and cause damage are a small minority and they have nothing to do with the strong majority of students who are simply not going to sit around and accept the destructive approach this government has chosen to go down. I don't know anyone in my own circle of friends and contacts who does not agree that the students are right to protest.

I am also amazed how mainstream Lib Democrats are allowing the power hungry small group who are in control of their party push them down the point of no return. The Libs have now lost any credibility and they have shown themselves to be the party that makes promises that they never keep. Nick Clegg should resign and join the Tory party he will be more comfortable amongst them and Simon H should get off the fence and object to what is going on. I know the electorate will punish those responsible at the next election in the meantime the fight and the resistance will continue.

Portugese day of action

Portuguese trade unions have organised a day of action to protest against the austerity measures being and the government's 2011 budget plan to cut wages for civil servants by 5 percent and freeze pensions.

Portugal is following Greece, Spain, France and Ireland in the fight against cuts with a major protest march also been planed here in London on the 26 of March. It is ironic that a crisis created by the incompetence of the banking system is being paid by the same people who had to bail the banks out.

World Aids day 1 December 2010

Each year, we mark World AIDS Day on December 1st. World AIDS Day is an opportunity to remember those we have lost to the pandemic and to battle against this deadly killer. The World Health Organization announced recently that HIV/AIDS is the number one cause of disease and death among women ages 18-49 worldwide. AIDS has already taken the lives of 25 million people and 33 million more are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS around the world today.And yet, as infection rates rise, the public's level of awareness of their very real risk for contracting HIV wanes. We have a funding crisis for HIV/AIDS worldwide. Even the current budgeted relief programs come nowhere close to meeting the need we have to get those who require treatment into care. And stigma continues to prove as deadly as the disease itself, keeping people from getting tested and treated for HIV/AIDS. Those of us involved with the Trades Union movement need to do more to promote awareness and fight for more resources

X Factor

Well what can I say. The inevitable happened again and the talentless Wagner has been kept in the house.

There is now a real fear that he will win because of the confrontation Cheryl Cole had with him on Saturday night. He will now get another sector of the vote and win those who will see him as the underdog. The British public do not like to see the underdog been kicked and Cheryl's PR advisers were totally incompetent in advising her to have that conflict with him. Perhaps I should also support him and give in...

Jon Rogers and the NEC

We will soon be faced with having to decide who to nominate to represent us on the NEC here in London. I will be supporting and hopefully campaigning for Jon of the Rogers to be returned.

Now I know I was criticised before for supporting Dave Prentis and others for different positions but I always vote with my head. I worked with Jon for many years and we were very close associates for at least 10 years. We did not always agree on how to manage our branch but we had a clear understanding of where the division of labour was. I know how Jon works and he is a brilliant representative for London. He is absolutely dedicated to the job and loves his involvement with the NEC. I also know that there are those on the top of Unison who secretly welcome his critical role within the NEC although they will never admit to it publicly.

In conclusion I would say that a vote for Jon and a nomination will be the right thing to do. I am hoping that more branches nominate him this time than before. A vote for Jon is a vote for real democracy.

Save the tiger

The tiger could be extinct by 2022 if action isn't taken

World leaders and wildlife campaigners have met in Russia to consider practical ways for raising the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to bring the tiger back from the brink of extinction.

The summit had delegates from 13 nations where tigers live in the wild and it was chaired by Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, in his home city St Petersburg.

The four-day summit is good news albeit a bit late given that the extinction of the tiger would represent "a historic, cultural, spiritual, and environmental catastrophe" and if action isn't taken now it could be late.

Charities and conservation groups warn that the species could be wiped out by 2022, the next Chinese year of the tiger, because of deforestation and illegal poaching.

Over the past century, the number of wild tigers has tumbled from 100,000 to just 3,200 today. At least three sub-species have already gone extinct and others could soon follow. This isn't acceptable and more should be done to allow these proud animals to live in the wild.

X Factor and Wagner

Well the saga continues and the anti establishment movement aimed at discrediting the show and Simon Cowels monopoly on reality programmes seems to be getting stronger with people being persuaded to vote in favour of Wagner who can't sing, can't dance and looks like a bag of chips left on a Wall after a November monsoon.

Now I said this before and will say it again, the show should not be controlled by people like Simon who has definitely reached his sell by date and should make room for others but it allows young and talented people like Matt and Rebbecca to exhibit the talent they have. Where else would they have that opportunity? So whilst I sympathise with the cappuccino anarchists from Clapham and Camden I would say that on balance people should be encouraged to vote for someone who is good at singling? Lets see whether Wagner stays in after tonight?

The Royal wedding

A fellow blogger has send me a link and asked me to insert it on my blog but I couldn't manage it. Its a link connected to a face book movement which basically supports an argument aimed at insuring that the tax payer does not pay for the wedding of William and Ms middle class. As I said I could not get the link to work so apologies for that but anyone interested in finding out can just google the subject.

I am also keen not to get involved in any debate which may look like I am against two people getting married because they are basically in love. Katie Middleton middle class seems nice enough and William has very little choice other than to become the King one day so lets not spoil it for them. I am of course a socialist and believe in equality and fairness and do not like distinctions but even in a pure democracy you have an elected president who behaves, more or less, as monarch would. You also have fierce anti establishment figures like John Preston, who end up embrassing what the institution brings and become part of it by becoming Lords. So on balance, and given the a Royal wedding will bring in the tourists and give London at least a mini boom, I am not too anti. So lets leave them alone as the chance of removing the monarchy in this country is none existent. So lets enjoy the artificially created euphoria that the event will create. My mother seems to be happy about the whole thing so it must be ok.. she also says that no one knows who the president of Greece is whereas everyone knew King Constantine 9Prince Williams God father..) she may have a point.

26 March march

I was at regional committee also last Tuesday and John Gray is right to report that the biggest part of what we discussed was around the 26th March march. Everyone agreed that we should make sure that the day is a success.

There was also a debate around the students demonstration that took place the week before and some on the committee thought it was a big success and an example of how things should be done. My view is that the demonstration was well organised and the students are of course right to gather and protest, but nothing excuses those who destroy the message and the effort of everyone else. Violence and criminal behaviour are not an acceptable form of protest and those who engaged with those 'activities' managed to give the hostile media a reason to focus on what they did and dilute the important message the students were trying to deliver.

I don't think anyone at committee justified the actions by the few. We now need to make sure that we have at least a million on the march in March and that it is done right and correctly!

Lord Young and Lego land

It would appear that Lord Young's comments may have been taken out of context (not that young) It looks like what he meant to say is that those people who live in Lego land have never had it so good, he probably also thinks that Cinderella had something to do with the invasion of Poland before the start of the war.

I looked at the figures and the plethora of stats about our standards of living and everything you can think of from the price of travelling to the retail price index has gone up. Lord Young seems to think that we are all rolling in it because interest rates have gone down but that only applies to a small number of people with small mortgages they still have to find money to pay for the huge increases that the government have imposed and the new VAT rates which are coming in from January will see to it that most of us will be worst off than ever before. Good that he has resigned, he should perhaps move to Lego land?

X Factor

Just had lunch with friends from Lambeth, the best borough in London. I keep close touch with many friends there and indeed I occasionally go in to help with case work when am needed, I don't mind at all as Lambeth is in my blood. Glad to see they are doing well and happy to help when I can.

The subject of conversation I was having with this group of members/friends was the X Factor and the nonsense around the cappuccino anarchists attempt to destroy the credibility of the show, its now not that amusing and not funny! The majority of those I spoke to (4 women so a very representative example) think that the show gives young (and older) people the opportunity to exhibit their talents but we all agreed that removing Aiden Grimshaw last week and keeping the completely untalented Wagner in takes the biscuit and it must stop. Those protesting about the control Simon Cowell has over the 'programme' have a good point but if the show goes down it could be at the expense of those with talent like Matt and Rebbecca, so we are all hoping that this nonsense stops and Wagner is removed this weekend.

Whaling

In the very waters where Iceland's tourists marvel at whales, whalers are murdering these gigantic creatures. Whalers have killed 148 endangered fin whales and 60 minke whales this year. Whaling is cruel, unnecessary and doesn't make sense economically. Whale watching is a humane, sustainable and profitable alternative to whaling -- in fact, it generates more than $15 million a year for Iceland's coastal communities. Speak out to end this cruel practice

Can the Euro collapse?

Well lets just say things are not looking very good as far as the Euro is concerned. The Mastricht treaty which set up the adventure and started the ball rolling was simply unspecified text on a piece of paper. Not many member states have been able to meet the criteria or stick to the so called rules. Europe is simply embarrassed to admit that it was all thrown into a big cooking pot without the right ingredients and with no set recipe!

As a result some of the countries that were encouraged to be part of the Euro zone for political reasons, like Greece, have failed miserably and its people will now be paying a heavy price. The German economy is doing very well as their main trading partners are China and Russia so it could be that they do not need to put up with the problems of having to rescue the Southern states (and Ireland) out so they could either consider abandoning the Euro or change the rules to let the 4 problem states float on their own.

There are of course political consequences if the Euro project is killed and it is clear that real integration cannot take place if there isn't a common currency but is the price we are all paying right now too heavy? Is Europe ready to compete with the USA, China, Russia and India? The argument should be that we should all be more united and face this crisis together but it doesn't look like we can. A more simple solution would be for France and Germany to form a version of a union between themselves and leave the rest of Europe on their own, but I hope this doesn't happen.

UK governments position on Cyprus

Britains's former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw’s comments suggesting partition of the island were not shared by MPs during a House of Commons debate yesterday.

Last week Jack Straw annoyed the 300,000 British Greek community when he said in an article that it was time for the UK government to “consider the formal partition of Cyprus” if the current reunification talks fail. Meaning that if the Greeks on the island did not accept a solution which would allow Turkey to have military control over the island then there wouldn't be a deal.

During yesterday’s debate David Lidington, British Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs, highlighted that the British government was against any solution that involved the division of the island, while also reiterating London’s position for the support of talks on a just and long-lasting solution of the Cyprus problem. He also commented that the current situation was not beneficial for either of the two sides and that it was Turkey’s obligation to help the conditions for a settlement in Cyprus.

The debate, initiated by Labour MP Jim Sheridan, was attended by many MPs both Labour and Conservative. The comments made by Jack Straw angered many in the community who correctly observed that he would not have suggested a partition of Northern Ireland as a solution to that problem which is almost identical. He can of course say anything he likes now that he is no longer in office but he has now lost a lot of support.

Organising for a successful 26 March

I reported my concerns yesterday to the London regional committee about the delay in us getting together a major event to demonstrate opposition to the drastic cuts imposed on us by the Con every Lib coalition government. Friends form TUs on the continent were asking me recently why it takes so long to organise opposition. I explained that it is better to plan something carefully even if it means waiting for some time rather than jump into it without much thought. A member of the regional committee yesterday reminded us that the anti cuts movement in France and Greece didn't at the end achieve much. He was of course wrong about this and even if he was partly right I wasn't sure if he was telling us that we should just sit back and do nothing? Its sometimes difficult to figure out what people mean when they make profound statements but are not clear. I think Jesus of Nazareth had that habit and he ended up having 4 guys interpret what he said (hundreds of years later) differently, or was it Brian?

Going back to the event on the 26 March I would imagine that we will have to make sure that we are all there and make sure that we have more than a million people turning up. It is important that we plan this day carefully and make sure that the government gets the message. Every branch Secretary must be made responsible for putting more effort into this than anything else before.

News of the wedding

Everyone of course would know by now, unless they have been on the planet Zanussi, that there is a big wedding coming up next year spring or summer time. I wish the two getting married the best of luck and I hope the wedding boosts the London economy which I imagine it would given that the event will attract more tourists who will then spend more money in Selfridges and Debenhams or indeed Sainsburys buying souvenirs they will never want or be able to use.

But that is how the capitalist economy works (according to the Rogerites) so the wedding, the Queens jubilee thingy and the Olympics will create a feel good factor which will allow people to spend more money on their credit cards (forgetting they have to pay it all back on huge interest rates) and therefore give David Cameron a temporary economic boost which would allow him to claim that he was the one who got us out of the recession! Scandalous!

The Biscuits Gate scandal

I can report that the rumours concerning the lack or removal of biscuits from the Regional Committee today are correct. It appears that my successor, John of the Gray, who became Regional Finance Convenor after me, has introduced drastic financial measures which include the periodic withdrawal of biscuits? I confronted the Regional team following the meeting today and reminded them that during my 6 years in office we never went without biscuits!! I can distinctly remember in fact that the variety available in my times was second to none! I am given to understand that our John was pre occupied with pre wedding plans or something?

Euro zone in danger...

Looks like the dream of achieving Euro Federalism will be put back for now. The Greek economy has more or less collapsed (although the resilient Greeks are fighting back) and Ireland is now following with Portugal, Spain and Italy ready to join the 'we got it all wrong club'.

So this could be the end of the current version of monetary union. I doubt as to whether the Franco German alliance will allow this situation to continue for much longer. I said it before and I will say it again you can not have a common currency if you do not have a central bank controlling local (national) economies so the member states in the Euro will either have to give up financial sovereighty or let the Euro go down the toilet... But Europhobes beware, the Euro project has not come to an end this is just a minor set back. We can't afford to go back to pre war days, Europe needs to unite and deal with the changing world.

Standards of service

This is a subject I raised on a few occasions when I was Branch Secretary. In fact I started a system where myself, and those working close to me, guaranteed that every member who emailed an inquiry or a question would get a reply within a 24 hour period. We managed to keep to this promise even if it meant that the reply the member got was to say that we would be looking at the issue they raised and they will get a response within an x period of time. This proved to be successful.

But I know of cases now where a member would either call or try to make contact with the union office and not get a reply for weeks. Unison operates a fairly good system where someone can ring Unison Direct. UD will then email a Branch Secretary and tell them to contact the member. But this service costs money as the member has to pay for the call. I am also aware of people trying to make contact when they are facing horrendous circumstances at work but cannot get through abandoned phone lines.

There are of course many in the TU movement who insist that we are not an AA or RAC type of organisation and we should not be getting into service level agreements or issuing guarantees. I profoundly disagree with this notion and I think we must offer or at least commit ourselves to some standards of 'excellence' members deserve better attention from the activists who are elected not just to enact revolution but to also support those in need.

Periods of consultation

Terms and conditions can be changed with the employees' consent, or if this is not forthcoming, the employer has the option of dismissing the employees and re-engaging them on new contracts with new terms and conditions. If proposing to dismiss and re-engage a workforce of 20 or more employees, the employer should carry out a collective consultation either with representatives from the recognised union, or if there is no union, with employee representatives, elected through the ballot process if necessary. For a workforce of between 20 and 99 staff, the consultation period is 30 days, whereas a workforce of 100 or more requires a 90-day consultation period.

TUC welcomes release of Aung San Suu Kyi

TUC General Secretary welcomed the release today of the leader of the Burmese opposition, Aung San Suu Kyi, but warned that the Burmese dictatorship still held thousands of political prisoners, refused to allow democracy, free speech or free trade unions, and continued the systematic use of forced labour.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18812-f0.cfm

Animal abuse in the Ukraine

Animals in Ukraine are popular attractions in circuses and mobile zoos. Unfortunately, the living conditions for these animals often include exposure to the elements, dirty cages and abuse.And there are no laws to protect them. The Association of Animal Protection Organizations of Ukraine has started a petition to urge the Ukraine government to protect these animals. You can get involved by writing to your MP urging them to protest on your behalf to the Ukraine Embassy. Cruelty to animals is unacceptable and must be stopped.

Minister Stefanos Stefanou on J Straws comments

PARTITION of the island is not an option, and British former foreign secretary Jack Straw who suggested the notion, is in contradiction with a protocol signed by Cyprus and Britain, the Cyprus government said yesterday.
“Partition is not an option for us, “ government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said of the comment piece penned by Straw and published in The Times.
The spokesman said Straw’s positions were in conflict with a memorandum of understanding signed by Cyprus and Britain in 2008, which speaks of reunification on the basis of a bizonal, bicomunal federation, and not partition.
“If Mr. Straw is promoting partition then he should know that this means – according to the Treaty of Establishment with which the UK acquired two military bases in Cyprus – that she cannot hold on to these bases in Cyprus,” Stefanou said.
The memo's key clauses refer to the UK's obligations emanating from the 1960 treaties, including its role as a guarantor power, as well as a commitment not to support “any moves towards the partition of the island or the recognition or upgrading of any separate political entity”.
“(Partition) is not an option for the United Nations and the various international organisations as it is not for the European Union itself. There are resolutions, and decisions, both by the UN and the EU,” Stefanou said.

The Capuccino Anarchist and x factor

I know this is not a subject of great interests to fellow TU activists who would rather have a pint or 6 in the Prince of bananas pub on a Saturday night before they go out clubbing but the X factor is a fascinating show which has attracted controversy recently.

It would appear (for those of you not familiar with the format) that there is a movement from what I call Cappuccino Anarchists to discredit the 'credibility' of the show. Now I know that I have been very critical of Simon Cowel previously and those who are trying to control the minds of the young via the media but the show offers the opportunity for some who would never have been seen before to enter Shallow land and make their dream true by exhibiting what they have.

This year we have two very good talented contestants Matt and Rebbecca but we also have a total banana called Wagner who is as gifted as I am Swedish his talent on the Richter scale is 0 out of 10 yet he keeps getting voted back in. It would appear that the Cappuccino Anarchists are trying to make him win to show the establishment that the British people will not be controlled by media manipulation. Now that in itself is attractive to me I am however concerned that the process of inactive rebellion will undermine the success of Matt or Rebbecca who are, in my totally expert opinion (who said I was big headed?) the best entrants we ever had. So the Capuccino anarchist rebellion will damage the chances of these young people who are very good at what they do and that would be a shame. I know that their leader reads this blog as I got some comments from him/her so maybe they need to rethink?

The need for a bloggers association

Elizabeth Winkler, a fellow blogger from Bristol, recently suggested or asked the question as to whether bloggers need to have a union. I think that most of the bloggers who appear on the TU cyber space pages are of course already members of strong established unions but there is a clear need for those of us who express sometimes controversial views online to belong to some kind of an association as we are clearly placing ourselves on the firing line.

And I believe that we are all vulnerable for attack from those who do not agree with our views. In fact a recent incident which affected me personally has persuaded me of the need to have a collective. I recently applied for a job with a huge multinational corporation, I won't mention their name for legal reasons (at this stage anyway) I had all the qualifications that were required and my experience would have been considerably more than most others applying. The company also operates a DDA associated recruitment scheme where an applicant who meets the criteria is offered an interview. But I was not offered anything. In addition to that I know that the company in question took a look at my blog and would have without any doubt decided that thy did not need a person with a strong TU background on board. My personal situation is not that important and I am preparing a case against this anti TU company. My point is that we place ourselves on the front line and would benefit perhaps from having some forum where we can support or help each other? And there are many other examples I can think of like the legal case against John of The Gray and various attacks against Jon of the Rogers.

Here's the entry from Elizabeth http://www.bristolnuj.org.uk/2010/11/11/do-bloggers-need-a-union/

Mateo Lopez

The TUC has joined with Amnesty International in protesting about the shooting of Guatemalan trade unionist Mateo Lopez. General Secretary Brendan Barber has written to the Guatemalan Ambassador in the UK demanding an enquiry and protection for Mateo and his family.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18808-f0.cfm

Alex Epstein and the apprentice

I am still profoundly annoyed by Lord Sugars decision to remove Paloma Vivenco from the apprentice last week and I am still waiting for him to call me and explain his logic.

But I am also happy that Alex Epstein was removed this Wednesday. I fear that we have all been set up and that he was someone who was placed there to take negative criticism. On balance he did less bad ( if that's a right term?) than the week before so I am trying to figure out the logic used by our captain of industry when assessing and making decisions? On the other that could be the whole point of the show?

Student protests

Caroline Flint was right to say last night on Question time that the 50 or so students who turned to aggression during the demonstration of 50,000 protesters managed, by turning to violence, to get a hostile media turn its attention away from the real issues facing us all. An otherwise peaceful gathering of people who object to the introduction of an unfair system managed to damage and dilute the message, saying that we must not forget that the vast majority of people oppose this measure and more should be done to challenge its validity.

It is just not fair to impose such a huge burden on our young, we will make them carry debts of £70,000 and expect them to retire at 70 the way things are going. On top of that we have a deputy PM who gave guarantees before the election saying he would never agree to an increase go back on his word. What kind of an example is that to our young? Ihope the Libs pay for this at any elections coming up!

Cyprus

I am reproducing a letter printed in the Guardian by Peter Droussiotis President of the Cypriot Federation of UK.

It is imperative that all TU activists campaign for the unification and integrity of the sovereign state of Cyprus in accordance with numerous UN resolutions. The partition/division of the island will be a catastrophic end result of a long process. The two communities are capable of resolving their dispute if left on their own in a federal unified bio communal state without outside interference.

From P Droussiotis

Dear Sir,

Jack Straw, in his article No ifs or buts, Turkey must be part of the EU, makes many points several of which are valid, while others are grossly inaccurate and misleading. However, the entire premise of the piece ignores three critical reasons why Cyprus remains a barrier to Turkey’s EU accession: human rights, justice and international law. Rather than blindly repeating his claim that the EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs the EU, Mr Straw ought to ask himself why the international community has steadfastly refused to legitimise Turkey’s military occupation of northern Cyprus and why the United Nations has repeatedly re-affirmed its condemnation of that occupation. The answers are too numerous to list here but amount to one basic fact – Turkey’s invasion and continuing military occupation are illegal and breach human rights on a scale that the EU cannot possibly bear within its ranks. As ever, the key to a solution is in the hands of the Turkish government, whose control of the puppet regime in occupied northern Cyprus is indisputable. A solution that reunites the island for the benefit of all Cypriots, and which leads to the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from the island, will boost Turkey’s chances of joining the EU like no other single factor. But this requires Turkey to change its bullying behaviour and give the Cypriot people a chance to live in peace, in their own free and reunited country.
Yours faithfully,

Peter Droussiotis
Federation President

Remember those who died in conflict

Remembrance day today. We remember those who died in conflict in battlefields around the world unknown soldiers and heroes. Those who gave up their lives so that the rest of us can enjoy the benefits of freedom and democracy.

Student demostrations and huge fees

I wrote about the unacceptable situation created by the government and the massive increase in tuition fees. It is not right that a 21 year old today would leave higher education with something like £70,000 debt which she/he would have to repay on top of their mortgage etc, this just isn't right and it will create a situation where we have the rich being able to afford higher education and the poor forced to avoid it.

The demonstrations by more than 30,000 students yesterday in central London clearly shows the frustration felt by those in higher education and it is understandable. It is not, however, clever to turn a peaceful demonstration into a violent insurrection by the few, this is not right and it will allow the media and others to focus attention on that rather than the real issue. It is also remarkable that the Lib Democrats are on record giving guarantees that they would never support an increase before the election and they are now the party pushing these changes forward. This sheer greet for power should be punished and I hope that the NUS will go ahead and put a candidate against every Lib Dem at the next elections in conjunction, hopefully, with the Labour party.

Equal Pay issues

This report, published jointly with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Unison and the Fawcett Society, explores the issues around equal pay.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-18795-f0.cfm

Cruel practices and whaling

Despite international pressure, Iceland continues to kill hundreds of whales each year. These creatures have enough challenges in their lives without having to dodge harpoons. Tell Iceland that you think whaling is unacceptable.

This year, Iceland whalers have killed 148 endangered fin whales and 60 minke whales this year. The fact that such a progressive country does not realize the detriment this process could inflict on our oceans is ridiculous. Whaling is a brutal practice. Being such large animals, whales can take up to a half an hour to die. How can we let this practice continue?

Jack Straw on Cyprus

A divided island

I am currently dealing with the fall out from a statement made by ex Minister of Justice, Jack Straw who has, unfortunately, angered many in the British Greek community.

Jack Straw chose his words carefully following a visit to Britain this week by the Turkish President. But by making his 'double message' statement (something that politicians are very used to doing) he has annoyed many in both the Greek and Turkish communities.

The ex Minister gave the usual 'We want to help but never want to do anything' message which is standard practice but then went on to add that the international community might have to get used to the idea that partition of the divided island is the only solution. This is despite numerous UN resolutions making it clear that the illegal occupation of the island, a sovereign independent state, by Turkish mainland troops is not acceptable.

Jack Straw appears to be saying that given that a solution could not be found in 36 years (one that allows Turkey to have military control as the 2003 Anan plan did) the division of the island by an economically more powerful Turkish state (in other words one that could trade with Britain more successfully than little Cyprus) could be accepted.

The Greek community is up in arms and many are not happy with these irresponsible statements which can encourage the acceptance of a de facto military solution. So out of the window goes our moral standards in favor of economic benefits? The fact remains that Greece, Turkey and Britain guaranteed the 1960 Constitution of the Republic and their role in the event of the constitution being violated (as was the case in 1974 by a CIA coup) was to move in and restore the status quo which did not include the murder of 3,000 civilians and the creation of 200,000 refugees. So I have no idea where Jack Straw, a judicial genius (I think not) can be right on this one. Would he advocate the partition of Northern Ireland? The situation there being similar to the essence of the Cyprus problem? The answer is NO and he would be wrong to even suggest it. But it is ok to encourage the division of a small island because Cyprus is more and expendable! What double standards!!

The Cyprus problem is a chalenge to all of us in the West but the rule of international law must prevail and accepting the division of the Republic because the occupying power is stronger than the victim is a total disgrace! The people of Cyprus will not accept partition.

In praise of Euro Federalism

I agree that Europe is getting some of its financial planning policies wrong but advocating the withdrawal of Britain from the EU, as seems to be the norm these days, is wrong. The idea behind a united Europe comes from the need to move away from the small state mentality that dominated the 20th century and nationalism. A United Europe offers an opportunity for us all to move towards real integration. The way to fight against some of the regressive moves coming currently from Brussels is to campaign with other partner countries for a more socialist approach. Leaving will take us back to pre 1940s Europe and we don’t want that?

Capuccino Anarchists and the X Factor

It is obvious that there is an anti Simon lobby consisting of a small number of 'Cappuccino Anarchists' as I call them, who are determined to discredit the X Factor show by getting as many people to vote for the worst ever act and by doing so keep the only man who can't sing, Wagner, in the show.

Now whilst I have some sympathy with moderate armchair type of anarchism, I think these people, who are obviously bored with life, are in danger of ensuring that this guy Wagner wins the X Factor. This will of course mean the end of the show and turn it into the C for crap Factor (in which case am entering as a singer next year!) It will be a great shame as the show allows undiscovered talent to shine and young people given the opportunity to follow their dream!

Creative thinking and the cost of higher education

First of all it is unacceptable that a modern successful society like Britain with huge wealth is making its young people start their working lives with huge debts around their necks. The average student leaving university will have to repay loans up to £70,000 after graduation. In addition a student who is today 22 would expect to work until she/he is 68 before retiring! This isn't right!

Saying all of that we do have a problem with sorting out the deficit this country has and we need to find creative ways to deal with this. I would assume that if the average student today will face a £70,000 bill for their education after doing a 3 year degree it means that they pay £23,300 a year to do this. If we could be creative and reduce the number of years a degree takes to complete from 3 to 2 years and reduce the fees then the same student will be paying £23,000 to £30,000 less to complete their studies.

In addition students here in the UK could be more creative and look at the option of studying elsewhere in Europe where the fees are much lower. A student, for example, who wishes to study in Greece or Germany would only have to pay around £15,000 (if not less) for the entire length of their degree.

And before anyone sends in comments saying that I am supporting the governments obsession with making students pay more I am making it clear that I am not. I am simply looking at the mess we are in and different ways to deal with the fallout.

Burma's sham election results

Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary and the TUC General Council's international spokesperson, called on the international community to reject the sham elections just held in Burma, at a rally in Trafalgar square on Saturday, 6 November 2010.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18787-f0.cfm

Matt Cardle is the main man!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-5M93tovEs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR6iwgTmvys

VOTE FOR HIM!

Simon Armitage on Odysseus

The island of Ithaca as it looks today...

A powerful and thought provoking documentary by Simon Armitage on BBC4 tonight just before the equally as interesting new series on 'The glory of Greece' which starts next Monday on the same channel.

The Illiad and the Odyssey are of course two vast (in terms of volume) poems that we had to learn when I was at school in Greece in the 70s and in classical Greek! The poet Homer wrote both of these about 3,000 years ago when the Greek nation was enjoying its 'golden stage'.

The Odyssey is about the King of Ithaca and his army trying to return back to the Kingdom of Ithaca following the end of the war in Troy.

Its the story about his adventure back to Ithaca which took a good 10 years and its simply the story about the conflict that we all have within us when we are younger. Its about the temptations that we face and the many challenges and whether we can at the end of a long journey settle and find our own Ithaca by winning the challenges that we constantly face. My own Odyssey was the time I served in Lambeth and my role with Lambeth Unison and my moving away and re inventing myself.

The Odyssey is also important to the Greek nation because it signifies the almost continuous struggle faced by the Hellenes, like the current one with the economic crisis, but it is also a lesson that teaches us that it is in moments of crisis and massive challenge that we fight back, organise and prevail and I can see that already with the reaction to current the economic crisis.