Greener Jobs Alliance newsletter & ccc planning meeting Thursday 2nd March 6.30pm at the Institute of Education.

The latest Greener Jobs Alliance newsletter is out now: http://www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/?page_id=29

Contents:
1. Editorial – Trade Unions’ Stand on Carbon Pollution
2. Government Fails to Make Safe Case for Heathrow
3. Air Quality - A Workplace Issue
4. Stop the Attack on the UK Solar Industry
5. Changing Face of Climate Change
6. Emissions Impossible
7. March for Science! London 22 April

Campaign against Climate Change 

Open meeting - London solidarity with 29 April Climate March

Thursday 2nd March 6.30pm at the Institute of Education.

On 29 April the US climate movement will be marching in Washington and across the country, marking Trump's 100th day in office. https://peoplesclimate.org/
On 29 April the US climate movement will be marching in Washington and across the country, marking Trump's 100th day in office. Donald Trump's administration is a threat to the future of our planet, and we need to stand in solidarity with US activists, while holding our own government to its climate commitments.
Want to be involved in plans what we can do in London on 29 April - and on the March for Science the week before? Join us this Thursday, all welcome.
Venue: Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 0AL (open area in the foyer)

acknowledgements to Claire - Campaign against Climate Change

College of NW London support meeting

Demo for a Living Wage. Support the Picturehouse Strike!

Demo for a Living Wage. Support the Picturehouse Strike!

Saturday at 12 PM - 3 PM Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7, United Kingdom

Details

Every year at the end of February Hollywood honours the year’s best films and those who made them. But this year we want to celebrate the Oscars with the people at the other end of the cinema business - Sold out screenings, a constant flow of popcorn followed by stacks of cups and empty packets afterwards - Oscar season is a busy one for cinema workers, the Hidden Figures.

Whilst we all do our best to be as charming and magical as Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone when dishing out the popcorn and sliding beers across the bar, our pay packet is a far cry from the big bucks of Hollywood.

But we aren't asking for a million dollars. We just want enough to keep on living in the Big City. The London Living Wage is something union members of Picturehouse have been pushing for since 2014. The campaign has been growing ever since, now with four sites out on strike! Picturehouse and Cineworld are working very hard to crush our campaign and all we get from them in the way of negotiation is Silence.

So we’re having to make a song and dance about it.

Join us for a demo on the 25th of February!

Cineworld, who own Picturehouse, have recently bought the Empire Cinema in the centre of Leicester Square, which we though would be perfect for our Arrival. Then we will take a tour of a few other of the companies cinema hot spots in the west end.

Come Hell or High Water, the campaign will go on until our employers award their workers union recognition, commit to a more ethical pay scheme and pay their workers a Living Wage. Because every worker deserves enough to live comfortably on. Every worker.

20th February - MIGRANTS DAY OF ACTION

20th February - MIGRANTS DAY OF ACTION

This coming Monday, 20 February, is a day of action against Trump and in support of migrants.  Since his inauguration, Trump has attempted to push through an agenda of division, racism and bigotry. But this has been met by big resistance, from the shutdown of US airports to the mass protests here in the UK
In London the following events are planned:
3pm, Parliament Square. Called by Stand Up To Racism and People’s Assembly,
6pm, Parliament Square. Called by Stop Trump.

UCU campaigns update

Dear colleague

In this week’s campaign update:

Celebrate migrants this Monday: One Day Without Us, 20 February
This Monday 20 February UCU is supporting the One Day Without Us celebration of the contribution migrants make. Please link arms, hold up posters and post selfies with hashtags #ucu and #1DayWithoutUs. More information, events and downloads here.

Monday is also the day MPs will debate whether to allow Donald Trump a state visit and activists will march on Parliament to say no to the racism and division of Trump and the populist Right. See here for other 'Stop Trump' events taking place across the UK.

'Cradle to Grave' event calls on progressives to take control 
Please watch and share this short film of last weekend’s 'Cradle to Grave' conference which brought together voices from across education and progressive politics to discuss the future for education in a post-Brexit world.

This year's event to defend public education saw an excellent range of speakers and covered topics including the transformative power of further education, widening access to universities, and how education can counter racist myths and help create a fair and just society.

See here for full update including:

·  In the news

·  Celebrate migrants this Monday: One Day Without Us

·  'Cradle to Grave' event calls for progressives to take control

·  Defend jobs at Manchester Metropolitan University

·  Your vote, your voice, your union: UCU election

·  'It's our NHS' march against cuts, closures and privatisation

·  Stamp out casual contracts, Friday 24 February

·  'Truth for Giulio' campaign for student murdered in Egypt

·  Professional development courses

·  Reinstate Dawn Holdman campaign

·  Use of personal information under the Data Protection Act

·  Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI)

·  March against Racism, 18 March

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns

Coroner orders inquest into ‘fit for work’ man who collapsed after leaving jobcentre

About 100 activists and their allies have taken part in a protest and vigil to mark the death of a disabled man who died minutes after leaving a jobcentre… six months after a government contractor found him “fit for work”.

Lawrence Bond is said to have collapsed on the pavement shortly after leaving Kentish Town jobcentre, following a back-to-work appointment.

He was reportedly awaiting the result of an appeal against being found fit for work and therefore ineligible for employment and support allowance (ESA), the out-of-work disability benefit.

Disability News Service (DNS) has confirmed with the London Inner North coroner’s office that there will be an inquest into his death later this year.

The inquest could be heard by the same coroner, Mary Hassell, who found in January 2014 that a disabled man, Mr A*, had taken his own life as a direct result of being found fit for work and ineligible for ESA, following a work capability assessment (WCA).

That verdict, and the “prevention of future deaths report” that Hassell sent to the Department for Work and Pensions – warning that other disabled people with mental health conditions could die if DWP failed to take urgent action to make the test safe – have proved hugely significant in the continuing campaign to scrap the WCA and hold ministers accountable for their failings, and for the deaths of other benefit claimants.

Although the circumstances of the two deaths are different, DNS understands that Lawrence Bond was found fit for work in July 2016 following a face-to-face assessment at the same examination centre that found Mr A fit for work in 2013.

He was assessed by Maximus, the discredited US outsourcing giant that took over the WCA contract from Atos in 2015. Mr A was assessed by Atos.

This week’s protest and vigil (pictured) was organised by two local activist groups, Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group and the disabled women’s organisation WinVisible.

Among those who spoke were Lawrence Bond’s sister, Iris; Gill Thompson, whose disabled brother David Clapson died after having his benefits sanctioned; Labour’s shadow chancellor, John McDonnell; and Mr A’s daughter.

Claire Glasman, from WinVisible, said friends of Lawrence Bond had travelled from as far as Brighton and Somerset to attend the protest.

She said: “We wanted to pay our respects to Lawrence Bond first of all, so his death didn’t get passed over. Every life matters.”

But she added: “We have just had it with people dying like this.”

She said WinVisible had supported many disabled women who have either been unfairly found fit for work, or have lost their benefits because of a failure to attend a WCA.

One woman, with the chronic lung condition COPD, lost her ESA for several months after Maximus rejected her excuse for being 10 minutes late for an appointment: that she couldn’t run to catch a bus because of her COPD.

Glasman told DNS: “It all took months. Meanwhile, she lost weight, her only income was disability living allowance, and she was having to go round to someone else’s house for food.”

Film director Ken Loach also spoke at the protest, and was among those to have drawn a comparison between Lawrence Bond’s death and the main character of his film I, Daniel Blake, which was released last year.

The film features a man with a long-term health condition who is found fit for work through the WCA process, and eventually collapses and dies while trying to appeal that decision.

Asked whether DWP was concerned about Lawrence Bond’s case, and whether it had launched an internal investigation, a DWP spokeswoman said: “The local jobcentre had been supporting Mr Bond and our sympathies are with his family at this difficult time.

“ESA decisions are made following a thorough assessment and after considering all of the evidence, including that provided by a claimant’s doctor or other medical professionals.

“Anyone who disagrees with a decision can ask for it to be reconsidered, and if they still disagree they can appeal.

“The details of Mr Bond’s death have not yet been confirmed and there has been no inquest.”

Maximus had not responded to requests to comment by noon today (Thursday).

* Andrew’s family have requested that DNS does not publish his real name

http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/coroner-orders-inquest-into-fit-for-work-man-who-collapsed-after-leaving-jobcentre/

acknowledgements to Alan Wheatley

Video: Climate Change Refugees conference 11/2/2017

Video: Climate Change Refugees conference 11/2/2017

‘Climate Refugees’- The Climate Crisis and Population Displacement: Building a Trade Union and Civil Society Response

Organised by the Campaign against Climate Change and Friends of the Earth, supported by the TUC, FBU, TSSA, CWU, PCS, NUT, Unite, Unison, Stand Up to Racism & BARAC UK

Saturday 11th February 2017

Now at  https://greentulondon.blogspot.co.uk/p/video-cloimate-change-refu.html

UCU: short film of our annual ‘Cradle to Grave’ conference

UCU: short film of our annual ‘Cradle to Grave’ conference 


Dear colleague

I’m pleased to invite you to watch this short film of our annual ‘Cradle to Grave’ conference which took place last weekend bringing together progressive voices in defence of public education.

This year the focus was on what a post-Brexit future holds for further and higher education and we were lucky to have an excellent range of speakers including shadow chancellor John McDonnell MP, author Melissa Benn, political commentator Steve Richards, and academics Professor Kalwant Bhopal, Dr Vicky Duckworth, Dr Rob Smith and Sir Peter Scott.

The event saw the launch of our booklet produced with Refugee Action challenging negative perceptions about refugees and a central theme of the day and of my speech was the urgent need for us as educators and trade unionists to stand up for progressive values and against the racism of Donald Trump and the populist Right.

I hope you enjoy the film – please share it with colleagues and friends and also support the national ‘One Day Without Us’ day of action in defence of migrants on Monday 20 February.

Thank you.

Sally Hunt
UCU general secretary

SHOW CULTURE SOME LOVE DAY OF ACTION 14 FEB

SHOW CULTURE SOME LOVE DAY OF ACTION 14 FEB

As part of the TUC #Heartunions week, The Show Culture Some Love Campaign has organised a day of action on 14 February alongside a number of trade unions, campaigns and groups across the arts and culture sector. Please come along to the events or post a selfie! https://www.facebook.com/Show-Culture-Some-Love-681369251974861

In Birmingham the Show Culture Some Love Campaign invites you to come and give Birmingham Museum and Arts Gallery ‘A Great Big Hug’ on Valentine’s Day. We will be meeting at 13.15 Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH.

In London we will be participating in a walking tour celebrating the Capital’s cultural heritage and the unions that represent the people who make it all possible. Facebook event

The tour is being supported by TUCHeartUnions, Artists’ Union England, BECTU, Equity, FDA, General Federation of Trade Unions, Musicians’ Union, NUJ, PCS, Prospect, Southern & Eastern Region of the TUC (SERTUC) and the Writers Guild of Great Britain.

Between 12.00-14.00 we will be visiting • Palace Theatre • Curzon Soho

• National Gallery (Between 12.15-12.30)

• English National Opera• Royal Festival Hall• BFI• National Theatre• ITV• Tate Modern • Globe Theatre

STOP UNION BUSTING AT THE TATE

Securitas – running down conditions in the Culture sector

Protest at Tate Modern from 1.45pm

Sign the EqualiTate petition

Privatised workers employed by Securitas at Tate and National Gallery in PCS members have been facing problems with this company.

Please sign our petition and circulate widely. If this private company is allowed to get away with bypassing the union and eroding our terms and conditions then this will give the green light to other companies in our sector to do the same.

PLEASE ALSO SUPPORT THESE DISPUTES HOWEVER YOU CAN

Equality and Human Rights Commission workers sacked by email

EHRC sacked PCS and Unite members while on strike against redundancies giving them a day to clear their desks

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/disgraceful-and-humiliating-treatment-of-sacked-ehrc-workers-as-they-clear-their-desks

Picture House strikers fighting for a living wage

Support their demonstration on 25 February

https://www.facebook.com/events/1370376026370008

https://www.facebook.com/RitzyLivingWage/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE

UCU campaign update:

 UCU campaign update:

One Day Without Us, 20 February: UCU celebrates migrant contribution
20 February is United Nations World Day of Social Justice and UCU is supporting the One Day Without Us mobilisation which invites supporters to celebrate the contribution migrants make - link arms, hold up posters and post selfies with hashtags #ucu and #1DayWithoutUs. More information, programme of events and downloads here. Dr Michiel van Ingen from LSE says why education staff and students should support the day of action here.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt argues here that the education community can be a positive force to help shape society and be a vehicle for change following the Trump election and Brexit vote. UCU’s ‘Cradle to Grave’ conference on the defence of public education takes place this weekend on the theme of ‘Education without borders’ with speakers including shadow chancellor John McDonnell, political commentator Steve Richards and campaigner Melissa Benn.

National bargaining in further education
As the Association of Colleges (AoC) considers abandoning national pay bargaining UCU has called for a commitment from colleges to abide by what is agreed nationally on pay. Speaking in the TES this week, UCU head of further education, Andrew Harden said ‘UCU remains committed to national bargaining, but that commitment must be shared by colleges.’

See here for full update including:

• In the news
• Closure of Manchester Metropolitan University Crewe campus: no to redundancies
• Trade union victimisation at University of Liverpool: reinstate Dawn Holdman
• Hourly paid lecturers win better contracts thanks to UCU
• Professional development courses
• UCU trustee, general secretary, officer and national executive committee elections 2017 - ballots open
• 'Truth for Giulio' campaign for student murdered in Egypt
• Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI)
• Academic-related, professional staff meeting
• Membership portal and support site: 'My UCU'

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns

STAND UP TO TRUMP: NATIONAL ORGANISING SUMMIT

It's obvious Donald Trump, is a racist, sexist and bully. He's also very far from being the President 'for the people', he's already cutting corporation tax, attacking the unions and trashing the meagre social care provision that exists in the United States. That's why the People's Assembly is playing a key role in building the movement to challenge Trump and his policies. As Theresa May gets closer to and closer to the Trump administration he poses a very real threat to the people of Britain too, May is already opening the door to US firms to buy up parts of the NHS in new trade deals with Trump. This has to be stopped. 

It's vital we bring the broadest coalition of organisations together, say not to Trump, no to racism, no to sexism no to austerity. 
Trump and everything he represents, is not welcome in the UK. 

All progressive organisations are welcome, if you or your organisation is interested in getting involved with the mobilisations against Trump, please get in touch us by emailing us at office@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk. 

STAND UP TO TRUMP: NATIONAL ORGANISING SUMMIT

Join us on Saturday 18 February at 10am - 5pm, Friends House Euston organised by the People's Assembly, Unite the Union, CWU, NUT, Muslim Association of Britain, Stop the War Coalition, Stand up to Racism, and others.

Registration, speakers and agenda will be available soon. 


Check out Facebook Event and share widely
Nearly Two Million people signed the petition calling to 'Prevent Donald Trump from making a State Visit'. It's clear that the majority of people in this country do not want him here. Even John Bercow spoke against the Trump Visit. Despite this, Theresa May has dismissed the wishes of the people and said the visit will go ahead. 

The petition will be debated in Parliament on Monday 20 February. A day of action across the country will take place to coincide with the debate in parliament. 

In London protests will take place in Parliament Square as the reading happens and continue into the evening. In other towns and cities protests will take place and the National Union of Students have called on students to a walk out of lessons. More details of the day of action will be available soon. 

The other key issue is the NHS, already facing a humanitarian crisis, with new Trade deals with the states on the cards, the NHS could be facing it's final moments if we're not ready to stand and fight for it. 

Join us Saturday 4 March, 12pm Tavistock Square for the #OurNHS National Demonstration.  


Click here for the Facebook Event and share widely. 

See you  on the streets. 


The People's Assembly Against Austerity
http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/