German Democratic Republic of Greece in trouble

I have some serious problems with what is going on downtown Athens and I know many others have too. The reality of the situation is that Greece and other EU states have been put in a very difficult place.

Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Italy are facing major financial hardship. The Greeks are getting all the publicity because the resistance there is more vocal and severe, but this does not mean that the Greeks are more ruined than say Portugal a country with the same economy, same population and same size.

Spanish unemployment is 28% compared to 21% in Greece and this is just one example. It's just that the Greeks will not put up with having a non elected Governor imposed on them. The German Democratic Republic of Greece is resisting an attempt from what appears to be a German take over. Many in Greece are saying that its the system that needs to be changed and not them!!

Pensions marathon runs on

A further meeting of the TUC's Public Sector Liaison Group will take place later this week to discuss the next steps in the long-running dispute to secure pensions justice for public sector workers.

The run up to Christmas saw the TUC seeking to facilitate an overall settlement to the dispute that was fair and just - reflecting unions' diverse concerns about the impact of the government's 'reforms'.

This followed separate discussions covering the four main schemes for civil servants, local government workers, teachers and NHS staff.

Further details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-20424-f0.cfm

Is the London UL seen as too hardcore?

I wasn't surprised to see all the United Left candidates in London lose the election at the AGM on the 8th but I was expecting an improvement in the vote given the amount of work and effort many in the UL have put into the pensions dispute.

Comments on some other blogs would make us think that this is a major defeat for the forces on the left and one blog describes the UL as nothing else other than a subsidiary of the SWP. That is of course not true and any one person who wants to analyse the reasons for the situation in London would need to look at the process in place and how it all works or doesn't.

Delegates in London gather once a year from all over the region to do the business of the AGM. They represent the members who continue to vote UL candidates such as Jon Rogers on the NEC so where there are straight forward elections based on the principle of one member one vote the UL does not do badly at all.

A long term solution to the regional situation would be to introduce the one member one vote method where everyone who is a member gets to vote. They do so for any national elections so why not for the region?

My take on why the UL will not win an election in the region is to do with perceptions. Perceptions about how hardcore and on the left the UL are are somewhat exaturated.

The majority of those in the UL (and I did join for a year in 2005) are Labour party members who are very involved with constituency Labour party politics. But some delegates who attend AGM once a year seem to get information about who and what the UL are and what they do and of course they do NOT want to see their Regional Secretary either directly or indirectly attacked. This is a major and fundamental mistake made by the Politburo of the UL they should not be seen to be attacking the regional Sec at every opportunity? Or standing against the General Sec when the chances of winning are 0.01%?

I worked very closely with Linda Perks for 4 years and the assumptions about her method and style of managing are incorrect. We had main disagreements but we dealt with each other with understanding and respect. Organising the ESF was a major test for this and she did nothing to undermine my efforts to ensure that it was adequately resourced. So the UL could, if they chose to, have worked with her but of course they were used to handling Chris Humphries and Nick Wright differently. This has been a mistake. London delegates want an assertive Regional Secretary and they will feel threatened if she is attacked for things that do not matter to them.

So the reality is that a small majority of delegates to regional Council vote against the UL rather than in favor of anyone else. The challenge is to change the system to ensure that every member gets to chose and that can only be achieved if we had one member one vote! The overall situation is tragic for London as there are some charismatic and dedicated activists who are leading members of the UL they should be in leadership position but they never will unless they tone it down a bit?

I know I won't be making many friends following my comments but this is what I think and I always said what I feel! London deserves better leadership!

London Unison AGM matters

Few strange things yesterday at the London region AGM one to do with the decision not to decrease the quorum for regional Council meetings.

Those in favor of the change explained that reducing it from 33% to 25% would not be less democratic it would just reflect the difficulties delegates face traveling to central London and would help the region run its affairs. But the forces of no change voted against this idea which would, in my opinion, help the region have a life in between AGM's?

It is ridiculous that the region can only manage a meeting once a year. Scotland apparently manages to get 4 meetings even though delegates have to travel huge amount of distances. The vote was 76 to 71 in favor of the change but the rule would need a two thirds majority and of course the maths did not add up. The other reason it didn't happen is to do with the otherwise splendid Jon of the Rogers bringing humour into this debate and making childish jokes when supporting the motion. This was not the right time or the right place Jon! It didn't help!

London Unison AGM 2012

Jon of the Rogers on the left and Ken Livingsone on the right at the London regions AGM Ken thinks he might be ok with the election on the 3rd May as a Greek worker in a hospital he recently attended declared that he would be voting for him! Ken should have perhaps taken my advice last time and turned up at London Greek Radio when I set up an interview for him?? Boris bloody did!!! Sort out your PR our Ken!

As expected the AGM of the London Unison region took place yesterday with the usual results in the election of officers.

The United Left candidates did not win as some people thought they could and the reasons for that are many. One is to do with very little effort being put in to ensure victory and leaving things the last minute. The other appears to have more to do with some delegates who only attend regional Council once a year voting against what they perceive as being a very left wing slate, in other words they are not voting in favor of the other team they just prefer not to elect those they perceive to be on the far left. More needs to be done to make sure that those delegated to attend the Regional AGM know more about who does and says what. Otherwise I couldn't explain why Jon of the Rogers keeps getting a big majority at NEC elections but the UL candidtaes at regional Council never win? Something wrong there, the maths don't add up!

Unison London region AGM

The London region Unison AGM is taking place this morning with a number of interesting motions on the pensions dispute, which include tactics on where we go on from now. Also taking place is the election of officers with the usual people standing again but with some new activists challenging. I personally think the region needs a change and people like Marsha Jane, Ruth Cashman and P Watkins have something new to offer. Lets see how it goes..

Pensions dispute and tactics

Many are getting involved with the debate regarding the tactics around the pensions dispute and of course that is a good thing in a democratic system.

There are those who obviously don't want to put much effort into continuing the battle who clearly want to give up and these are the people who are making statements that are in a way giving ammunition to the other side. Then there are those who want to please everyone by saying things that both sides want to hear. And there is a smaller but more dynamic group who are committed to continuing the fight and are correctly saying that if we give up now the government and their mates will come back for more. I agree with the third category of people. We cant just tel our members that all they can do is take a day off on the 30 of November and then forget about it? Why would they trust us if we say that? More needs to be done and quick!!