Trump and May's Climate Disaster: Rise Up! - 22, 29 April and more

There are some exciting events coming up in April -  opportunities to show solidarity with our friends in the US fighting their government's climate denial; to tell our own government that their dismal record of cuts to climate action is a poor response to the escalating climate crisis; and to take practical action.

Scientists in the US have responded strongly to the Trump administration's plans to slash climate science budgets, as well as rejection of facts and evidence in a range of other areas (including the choice of a climate denier to head the key agency in charge of tackling climate change).

On 22 April, Earth Day, they will march in Washington, and in other cities in the US and around the world. We'll be joining the March for Science in London with a climate change bloc. (Facebook event). There are also science marches planned in Edinburgh, Bristol, and Manchester.

On 29 April, as the People's Climate March takes place in the US, we're taking a message of solidarity to Westminster Bridge and rallying for UK campaigners to rise up for climate action! Find out more on our website and on Facebook.

So far we're aware of other UK solidarity events in Reading, Canterbury and Huddersfield. If you're organising something locally, do get in touch!

Londoners can join our planning meetings, the next one is this Thursday - details on Facebook and our website.

We want 29th April not just to be a symbolic action but an opportunity to facilitate people's involvement in further practical campaigning  - and in that spirit wanted to flag up a couple more events...

With AGM season coming up soon, join ShareAction on 5 April to find out how you can help hold companies to account, taking your climate change questions to CEOs. 

And further ahead, there's a global week of divestment action 5-13 May. In the run up to this, 350.org and People and Planet are running training events round the country for this from now until 9 April.

Hope to see you soon, and let us know about events coming up we may have missed!

Claire and all at CCC

News from Grunwick 40 View this email in your browser

A message from Grunwick 40 and mural artist Anna Ferrie Hello, especially to those who came to our mural workshops in Willesden last year. We wanted to let you know about progress with the Grunwick 40 commemorative mural as many of you have been asking for an update. We had hoped to have the mural up by now but issues with site permissions and bureaucracy have meant that we can't yet move forward to install the panels. However, the mural composite designs are done and incorporate all of the artwork that was produced in the workshops. We are working hard to speed up the process to ensure the mural can be installed and unveiled within the next few months and we hope be able to bring you a firm date soon. In the meantime, you may be interested in The Art of Protest event later this month where we'll be discussing the different ways that art can be used to remember radical histories. We hope to see you either there or when we launch the mural! Anna Ferrie and the Grunwick 40 team

SERTUC Regional May Day and Workers' Memorial Events 2017

SERTUC Regional May Day and Workers' Memorial Events 2017

* Bedford May Day - Monday 1 May 2017

* Chelmsford Workers’ Memorial Day - Friday 28 April 2017

* Chelmsford May Day Celebration - Wednesday 3 May 2017 

* Ipswich May Day Festival - Sunday 30 April 2017  

* London (Central) March and Rally - Monday 1 May 2017

* Oxford May Day Celebration - Saturday 29 April 2017 

* Southampton May Day Celebration - Monday 1 May 2017

* Southend May Day Celebration - Monday 1 May 2017

* Waltham Forest Workers’ Memorial Day - Friday 28 April 2017

More information: sertucevents@tuc.org.uk 

TUC Directory of Trades Union Councils 2016 (PDF), is available.

Other update

Issued: 2 June, 2015

SERTUC activities and events

SERTUC Pensioners Committee Seminar

Hold the date Friday 17 March at Congress House. With Alex Cunningham MP Shadow Pensions Minister and Neil Duncan-JordanNational Pensioners Convention. Register at sertuc@tuc.org.uk and more details soon.

SERTUC Creative Leisure Industries Committee Conference with Show Culture Some Love

Saturday 25 March at Congress House. Register at sertuc@tuc.org.uk and see the flyer here https://sertucresources.wordpress.com/sertuc-events/

Levellers Day 2017

·        Friday 19 May 2017 Levellers Night at the CWU’s education centre and Alvescot

·        Saturday 20 May 20117 Levellers Day commemoration, march and debate at the Burford Recreation Ground

Burston Strike School Rally 2017

Sunday 3 September 2017 – note the date now! First confirmed speaker: John Hendy QC

Workers’ Memorial Day events

Chelmsford trades council Friday 28 April

12.30pm at Central Park (near the lake and viaduct at the Memorial Tree). Speaker: Dan McCarthy NASUWT

Waltham Forest trades council Friday 28 April

·        1pm at Waltham Forest Town Hall with speakers from Unite, WF trades council, London Hazards Centre, NUT, Thompsons Solicitorswftradescouncil@gmail.com

·        5.45pm at Low Hall to remember the worker killed on the A406 a couple of years ago

·        After that: a commemoration to remember Marian Nemit, a building worker killed nearby

London details to come

Norwich details to come

May Day events

Bedford Monday 1 May details to come

Chelmsford Wednesday 3 May

A musical celebration with Robb Johnson and Rick Christian at the Asylum Club. With speakers and raffle. acoburn@blueyonder.co.uk

Ipswich Sunday 30 April details to come

London Monday 1 May details to come

Norwich details to come

Oxford details to come

Reading details to come

Southampton Monday 1 May

11am to 3pm in Palmeston Park. More details to come ellarobertanoyes@gmail.com

Southend Monday 1 May

12 noon High Street stall, 2pm music at O’Neill’s Rachel.heemskerk@gmail.com

Waveney details to come

Trade Union actions

PCS National Gallery protest

Monday 13 March 6pm Support the demand for last year’s agreement to be implemented. https://www.facebook.com/events/305401203196359/

TUC

New advice for H&S reps on workplace stress

A TUC/HSE publication https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/tacking%20workplace%20stress%20without%20edits.pdf

3 day course for TU admin and support staff

Monday 3 to Wednesday 5 April Manchester. To provide support staff with the understanding and skills required to effectively support their union’s organising strategies and campaigns https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/tuc-organising-academy-award-supporting-organising-course

Unionlearn ULR survey

Complete the short survey so unionlearn has a better idea of what you’re up to! https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/news/2017-union-learning-survey-now-open

Other actions/events

Orgreave Truth Justice Campaign Make some noise for justice Monday 13 March

2pm at the Home Office. Details here http://otjc.org.uk/make-some-noise-for-orgreave-13th-march-2017/

To add to this newsletter contact mdobney@tuc.org.uk

SERTUC activities and events

Third Show Culture Some Love Conference

Dear Friend,

(A) Show Culture Some Love Conference

We are pleased to be able to announce the provisional programme of speakers for the Show Culture Some Love Conference - which is taking place on Saturday 25 March in TUC Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS. To register for the conference, please email sertuc@tuc.org.uk

Conference Registration

Registration on the day will take place between 12 noon to 1.00pm. Free sandwiches and refreshments will be provided in Room 1.

Conference Programme

Megan Dobney, (SERTUC Regional Secretary) will open the conference.

(a) Main Session (1.00-2.30pm)

Chair: Clara Paillard (President, PCS Culture Sector)

Speakers:

·         Julie Ward, MEP

• Alan Gibbons (The Library Campaign)
• Hamida Ali (Equalities Officer, Equity)
• Hannah Bagua Lawson (National Museums Wales), BECTU Picturehouse campaign and Tate campaign (from the floor) + any other “live” campaigns will be speaking from the floor.

(b) Equality Workshops (2.30-3.30pm)

(1) Race, Racism, Art & Culture

Chair: TBC

Speakers:

·         Zena Edwards (Shake!)

• Emily Porter (Artists’ Union England)
• Mitty Ranagavigan (International Slavery Museum)
• Jennifer Lim, (“Yellowface”)

(2) Disability, Culture & Art

Chair: Mark Leopard (TUC Disabled Workers Committee)

Speakers:

·         Ellen Clifford (DPAC)

• Ruth Gould (DadaFest)
• Mik Scarlet (Equity)

(3) LGBT, Art & Culture

Chair: Theresa Easton (Artists Union England)

Speakers:

·         Matt Exley, PCS Branch Chair, National Museums Liverpool and Pride & Prejudice

• Queering Museums – invited
• John Shortell (Musicians’ Union) 

(4) Gender, Art & Culture

Chair: Rosie Hilal (Equity)

Speakers:

·         Andrea Cunningham, (V&A, Museum of Childhood) - invited

• Bridget O’Conor, (Kings College, London)
• Emma Reeves (WGGB)

The TUC Young Workers conference is being held on the same day in Congress House and a speaker has been invited to address our conference.

(c) Issues Workshops (4.00-5.00pm)

(1) Arts & campaigning

Chair: Shenagh Govan (Equity)

Speakers:

·         “Professionally Made, Professionally Paid” (Emmanuel de Lange, Equity)

• “Work Not Play” (Dave Webster, MU)
• “Free is NOT an option (Chris Jury, Writers Guild)
• Artists Union England: invited

(2) The Arts & “Brexit”

Chair: Tracy Edwards (PCS Culture Sector)

Speakers:

·         Equity speaker: invited

• Tony Lennon (BECTU)
• Dave O’Brien (Edinburgh University)

(3) Developing and taking forward the Show Culture Some Love programme

Chair: Tom Taylor (SERTUC Creative & Leisure Industries Committee)

Speakers:

·         Clara Paillard (PCS)

• Mike Quille (Culture Matters campaign)
• Culture Unsustained campaign speaker – invited
• Hannah Bagua Lawson (National Museums Wales)

(4) National Libraries and Museums Campaign

Chair: Candy Udwin (PCS)

This will be an open forum to discuss the next steps for the campaign following the demonstration on 5 November 2016.

(d) Closing session (5.00-5.30pm)

Chair: Tom Taylor (Secretary, SERTUC Creative & Leisure Industries Committee)

Speakers: Each workshop to appoint a speaker to report back the two action points agreed by the workshop.

(e) Social (5.30pm onwards) - Details to be confirmed.

(B) Other issues

(1) National Gallery Protest

PCS has organised a protest at the National Gallery on Monday 13 March from 6pm. This is in response to the failure of private contractor, Securitas, to honour an agreement reached with the union to offer “broadly comparable” pay, terms & conditions as part of the settlement of the 2015/16 dispute.

(2) Bread & Roses Poetry Award

Cultural Matters has announced details of its “Bread and Roses Poetry Award”. Prizes are £500 award for first place, £250 for second and £100 for third. Entries are invited by 31 May 2017. For full details see:

http://www.culturematters.org.uk/index.php/arts/poetry/item/2469-bread-and-roses-poetry-award

With best wishes,

Tom Taylor

Show Culture Some Love Campaign

Subject: Third Show Culture Some Love Conference

Dear Friend,

Please find attached the text of an announcement that has been made on Facebook (FB) in respect of the third Show Culture Some Love conference – which is being held on Saturday 25 March in TUC Congress House.

Pre-booking is essential – and you can reserve your place by emailing us at:

sertuc@tuc.org.uk

We are currently working to confirm speakers – and updates will be sent out in due course. Please note that we are also intending to organise a pre-conference “happening”, (further details to be confirmed), and a social at the end of the conference.

Details of the event on FB can be via the link below. Please feel free to share and to invite people to attend:

https://www.facebook.com/events/184618248693568/

Please let me know if you need any further info.

With best wishes,

Tom Taylor

(Secretary, SERTUC Creative & leisure Industries Committee)

UCU campaigns update

Dear colleague

In this week's campaign update:

Higher education bill: peers defy government on Tef and degree awarding powers
This week, in response to concerns raised by UCU, peers made a string of amendments to the higher education bill which block plans for Tef ratings, break the link between the Tef and tuition fees, and ensure new providers must meet improved quality standards before awarding their own degrees. UCU thanked peers for listening to staff and students despite vice-chancellors urging them to back the bill and, with your help, we will continue to campaign against the damage this bill will do to higher education.

Further education women transforming lives and communities 
This week saw International Women’s Day and the launch of a short film showcasing inspirational stories of women and further education. The video showcases interviews with a range of teachers and learners describing how women have overcome barriers and changed their lives through further education and the crucial role colleges play in communities.

See here for full update including:

·  In the news

·  Stamp out casual contracts – report on work

·  University of Brighton UCU votes for action 

·  Refugee Action campaign

·  Protest over A-levels cuts at Ealing College

·  Show Culture Some Love: save the arts

·  Free CPD courses for UCU members

·  March against Racism, 18 March

·  UCU LGBT+ research conference 2017

·  Welsh baccalaureate

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns

FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL STAFF AT NATIONAL GALLERY

FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL STAFF AT NATIONAL GALLERY 

PROTEST AT EXHIBITION GRAND OPENING
MONDAY 13 MARCH 6pm

National Gallery

Trafalgar Square

https://www.facebook.com/events/305401203196359/

This protest will take place outside the grand opening of the Michelangelo & Sebastiano Exhibtion to highlight to all the important guests our demand that the Gallery stick to their agreement for fairness. 

Your support for the 100 day strike by PCS members in 2015 helped win an agreement from the National Gallery and private company Securitas that included a guarantee that new Securitas staff would be given broadly comparable terms and conditions to those employed by the gallery.

But well over a year later Securitas has not made one move towards this. New staff suffer lower grades and worse pay,annual leave, sick and maternity pay.

We don't believe that workers should pay the price of privatisation. 

PCS have already raised this at national level with Securitas and the Gallery. Now we are asking National Gallery Director Dr Finaldi to intervene to make sure the agreement is implemented as soon as possible.

PLEASE JOIN US TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
or SEND A SOLIDARITY MESSAGE to NoPrivatisationAtNG@gmail.com. 

Please share this message, thanks!