Update on Brexit from UCU general secretary Jo Grady Inbox & demos on Saturday 31 august

Decision to prorogue parliament shows

 'contempt for democracy', UCU says

Responding to the prime minister's decision on Wednesday to 
prorogue  parliament from mid-September, UCU general secretary
 Jo Grady said:

'The Prime Minister's move to prorogue Parliament has confirmed
 his utter  contempt for  democracy. Today's decision has placed the
 country in uncharted  territory, and increased the uncertainty facing
 staff and students across the UK. 

It will seriously undermine the ability of our elected MPs to scrutinise
 the impact of the government's Brexit plans on further and higher
 education, and must be opposed.

'As trade unionists who are committed to democratic organisation,

 we need to channel our anger and despair into action.

 I will be attending the protest at Downing Street on Saturday, 

and I urge all members

 of UCU to join me.'

Last updated: 28 August 2019

STOPTHECOUP! 

JOIN THE NATIONWIDE 

WAVE OF PROTESTS

We can’t let Boris Johnson shut down democracy.

28th August 2019

---

Boris Johnson is trying to shut down our democracy so
 that he can deliver on his Brexit agenda. 

We we can’t just rely on the courts or parliamentary
 process to save the day. We all have a duty to stand up
 and be counted.

This Saturday, we’re organising a nationwide wave of
 protests. Join us and invite everyone you know.
 Let’s make it huge.

Aberdeen, 12 noon at the Castlegate. Event here.

Birmingham, 1 pm on Victoria Square by the Council House. Event here.

Bournemouth, 11 am, Bournemouth Square. Event here.

Brighton, 12 noon, The Level BN1 4ZN. Event here.

Bristol, 12 noon, College Green. Event here.

Cambridge, 12 noon, outside The Guildhall, Market Square. Event here.

Dundee, 2 pm, City Square. Event here.

Exeter, 11 am, Bedford Square. Event here.

Glasgow, 2 pm, George Square. Event here.

Leeds, 11 am, Town Hall. Event here.

Liverpool, 12 noon, St George’s Hall. Event here.

London, 12 noon, Downing Street. Event here.

Leamington Spa, 12 noon in the Pump Room Gardens. Event here.

Manchester, 12 noon, Cathedral Gardens. Event here.

Newcastle, 12 noon, Grey’s Monument. Event here.

Norwich, 2 pm outside City Hall. Event here.

Nottingham,  11 am, Brian Clough Statue close to Old Market Square. Event here.

Oxford, 11 am, Broad Street outside Balliol College. Event here.

Plymouth, 11am, Armada Dial. Event here.

Southampton, 12 noon, Guildhall Square. Event here.

Sheffield, 11 am, Town Hall. Event here.

Swansea, 12 noon, Big Screen at Castle Square. Event here.

Swindon, 11 am, 29 Wood St. Event here.

Tavistock, Friday (!) 12:30, Lockyer House, Paddons Row PL19 0HF. Event here.

York, 11 am, St Helen’s Square. Event here.

See you in the streets!

Update on Brexit from UCU general secretary Jo Grady Inbox & demos on Saturday 31 august

new film SOLIDARITY by LUCY PARKER (Trailer) This excellent new film is supported by LESE Construction Campaigns Task Group

The TUC LESE Construction Campaign Task Group (CCTG) meets regularly on a quarterly basis, and the meetings are well attended with lively debates on the current state of the construction industry in London and the South East.

Chair: K Williamson (UNITE)

Vice Chair: K Campbell (UNITE) 

Secretary: M Larkin (UNITE)​

 
Meeting Calendar

Friday 7 September 2019 

Solidarity will have its London Premiere followed by a Q&A with the Director @ Open City Docs Festival  Saturday 7 September 2019 (8.50pm) @ Regent Street Cinema

“Gave the blacklisting scandal a human face” Dave Smith, Blacklist Support Group

A new film SOLIDARITY by LUCY PARKER (Trailer)

This excellent new film is supported by LESE Construction Campaigns Task Group  

SOLIDARITY is about the secretive methods used against UK activists and trade unionists. In the film blacklisted construction workers and activists spied on by the police share their ongoing struggles.

Blacklisting in the UK construction industry impacted thousands of workers who were labelled 'troublemakers' for speaking out and secretively denied employment. Activists uncovered alarming links between workplace blacklisting and undercover policing. Solidarity attentively follows meetings between activists and law students, brought together for the film, revealing the determination of a community working together to find a route to justice.

The debut feature length film by artist filmmaker Lucy Parker it has been made alongside and features members of Blacklist Support Group, core participants in Undercover Policing Inquiry, and members of other campaigning groups including Justice For Domestic Workers, Cleaners and Allied Independent Workers Union, Independent Workers of Great Britain, Unite the Union, Police Spies Out of Lives, GWB, RMT, Unite British Airways Mixed Fleet, County Durham Teaching Assistants, Bakers And Food Alliance Workers Union, BECTU Picturehouse and many individual trade unionists.

All screening and support enquiries please contact: City Projects on 0781 306 2595 or info@solidarityfilm.com  

Friday 6 September 2019, Construction Campaigns Task Group

Friday 6 December 2019, Construction Campaigns Task Group

Friday 5 June 2020, Construction Campaigns Task Group AGM

Tuesday 28 April 2020, London Workers' Memorial Day 

Contact 

lese@tuc.org.uk

020 7467 1218
020 7467 1220

HOUSMANS NEWSLETTER – SUMMER UPDATE

HOUSMANS NEWSLETTER – SUMMER UPDATE

NEWS 
1. Richard Gott Library Sale

INSTORE EVENTS
2. 'Different Class: Football, Fashion and Funk – The Story of Laurie Cunningham' with Dermot Kavanagh
3. 'The Twittering Machine' with Richard Seymour
4. 'Prison: a Survival Guide', with Carl Cattermole and Erika Flowers
5. 'Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century' with Kehinde Andrews
6. 'Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto' with Aaron Bastani
7.  'This Land is Ours: The Fight for Land Justice' with speakers from the Anarchist Communist Group
8. 'Queer Heroes' – Exhibition & Book Launch
____________________________________________

NEWS  
1. Richard Gott Library Sale - Saturday 17th to  Sunday 25th August

Richard Gott is a former Latin America correspondent and features editor for the Guardian. A specialist in Latin American affairs, his books include Cuba: A New History, Guerrilla Movements in Latin America, The Appeasers (with Martin Gilbert), Land Without Evil, Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution, and Britain's Empire.

Richard has very kindly donated over 1,000 books from his personal library, across a range of subjects, but as would be expected, the collection has a particular emphasis on South American history and politics.

Housmans will be hosting a sale of these books, starting at 10am Saturday 17th August and finishing at 6pm on Sunday 25th August. New books will be put out continuously throughout the week.

As with all our book sales we are keen to keep the price of books as low as possible. The vast majority will be priced at £1 or £3, with a small selection priced at £5, or on rare occasion possibly higher.

Part of the donation includes a number of books in Spanish – these will be available for free, though we would ask you to consider making a donation at the till, with proceeds going to Haven Distribution, who provide books to prisoners.

Please do spread the word to those who might be interested.

Our sincerest thanks to Richard for this generous donation.
IN-STORE EVENTSAs many of our events are oversubscribed we are increasingly asking for tickets to be purchased in advance. Tickets can also be bought at Housmans and there may be some spaces available on the night, but strictly on a first-come first-served basis.

2. 'Different Class: Football, Fashion and Funk – The Story of Laurie Cunningham' with Dermot Kavanagh
Wednesday August 21^st, 7pm- tickets in advance from www.housmans.com/events
Cunningham blazed a trail for black footballers at a time when racism was rife on the terraces and won over hostile crowds with his mercurial style. A glamorous outsider, he was also a soul boy who danced on the 1970's Soho funk scene in bespoke suits. Cunningham's story is not only a football one, it is a story of London, race relations and youth culture too.More info here

3. 'The Twittering Machine' with Richard Seymour
Wednesday September 4th, 7pm- tickets in advance from www.housmans.com/events
In surrealist artist Paul Klee's The Twittering Machine, the bird-song of a diabolical machine acts as bait to lure humankind into a pit of damnation. Leading political writer and broadcaster Richard Seymour argues that this is a chilling metaphor for our relationship with social media. Through journalism, psychoanalytic reflection and insights from users, developers, security experts and others, Seymour probes the human side of the machine, asking what we're getting out of it, and what we're getting into.
More info here
4. 'Prison: a Survival Guide', with Carl Cattermole and Erika Flowers
Wednesday September 11th, 7pm- tickets in advance from www.housmans.com/events
Carl presents his essential guide to life in UK prisons – now fully updated and featuring contributions from female and LGBTQI prisoners, as well as from family on the outside. Carle will be joined by Erika Flowers who will share her experience of Holloway women's prison.
More info here
5. 'Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century' with Kehinde AndrewsWednesday September 18th, 7pm- tickets in advance from www.housmans.com/events
Back to Black traces the long and eminent history of Black radical politics. At its core it argues that racism is inexorably embedded in the fabric of society, and that it can never be overcome unless by enacting change outside of this suffocating system. Kehinde Andrews explores the true roots of this tradition and connects the dots to today's struggles by showing what a renewed politics of Black radicalism might look like in the 21st century.
More info here

6. 'Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto' with Aaron Bastani
Wednesday September 25^th, 7pm- tickets in advance from www.housmans.com/events
Aaron Bastani discuss his much talked-about book, which looks at the possibility of harnessing technological advances to moving beyond work, scarcity and capitalism.
More info here

7. AUTONOMY NOW presents:
'This Land is Ours: The Fight for Land Justice' with speakers from the Anarchist Communist Group
Thursday September 26, 7pm-  free entry, RSVP in advance from www.housmans.com/events
There is a long tradition of fighting for the land in Britain, most recently in the Scottish movement for land reform. People are beginning to question the idea of private property and moving to more radical ideas such as the land being a Commons - owned and controlled by us all. This talk will first look at the question of who owns and controls the land in Britain, consider what is being done in Scotland and elsewhere, and then open the discussion on what changes we would like to see.
More info here

8. 'Queer Heroes' – Exhibition & Book Launch
Friday 27th September, 7pm- free entry
Join us for an evening of art, books and drinks to celebrate the release of Arabelle Sicardi and Sarah Tanat-Jones' new book Queer Heroes, a beautifully illustrated collection featuring 52 LGBTQ+ artists, writers, innovators, athletes and activists who have changed the world from ancient times to present day. Sarah will be joining us to paint a brand new mural on one of the shop windows and will have prints for sale. Come along for a chat, a signed copy of the book and a celebration of queer history in all its wonderfully varied forms.
Please note: this event will not have a formal talk element.
More info here

open meeting with: Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor Transport Tuesday 10 September 2019 1 - 3pm

Event details

Date

Tue 10 Sep 2019 - 13:00 to 15:00

Location

TUC Congress House

23-28 Great Russell Street

WC1B 3LS London

United Kingdom

GB

Contact

jowilliams@tuc.org.uk

Cost

FREE ADMISSION (registration essential)

Overview

LESE Disabled Members Network in association with Pensioners' Network and Transport Industries Network

open meeting with: Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor Transport

Tuesday 10 September 2019 

1 - 3pm

Please register: jowilliams@tuc.org.uk or 020 7467 1218

Before joining the Mayor’s team Heidi was the Member of Parliament for Lewisham East. Elected in 2010, she served in the Whips’ Office before being appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Health. Between 2006 and 2010 Heidi worked as Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Lewisham and Cabinet Member for Regeneration.

As Deputy Mayor for Transport and Deputy Chair of Transport for London, Heidi will be focused on delivering the Mayor’s transport strategy: ensuring that London has a reliable, comfortable and affordable public transport system accessible to all; creating safe, healthy streets where people want to walk and cycle; and ensuring that new homes and new jobs are part of a sustainable, integrated transport system which delivers good economic growth across London.