four key transport access pledges

Dear Alan, The general election is fast approaching, and with some major changes due in UK politics over the next few years it’s more important than ever to ensure Disabled and older people’s voices are heard. There are 13 millions Disabled people in the UK, but all too often our views are overlooked. It’s now twenty years since our right to access services was passed into law – but many of us face a daily struggle to even use our local bus service. It’s time all the parties gave the Transport access the priority it deserves. Since Theresa May’s election announcement last month, Transport for All (TfA) has reached out to all the major parties asking that they sign up to four key transport access pledges and encouraging them to commit to transport access in their manifesto. Restore deferred Access for All funding and commit to continuing the scheme beyond 2019. Enshrine the right to access in law. No more rail staff cuts. Strengthen the law around wheelchair priority on buses.

Make your voice heard General elections are a great opportunity to influence the views of candidates in your local community. We need as many Disabled and older people from across London to reach out to ensure our voices are heard. Register to vote by 11:59pm on 22 May. Sign up for a postal vote, if you’re concerned that you may be unable to vote on June 8th. Ask your candidates to sign up our four demands for accessible transport Challenge your candidates at a hustings event. Transport for All is organising a few hustings (e.g. Redbridge). Click here for more information. Write to your candidates. We created a template letter which you can download on your website: just click on the following button.

Write to your candidates

Alternatively, please contact Catherine: catherine@transportforall.org.uk. Best wishes, Raphael

#TrashTheTories Maidenhead - Saturday June 3rd meet for 2pm at rail station forecourt.

#TrashTheTories

Maidenhead - Saturday June 3^rd  meet for  2pm at rail station forecourt.

 

Please join us if you can as Maidenhead which is Theresa May’s constituency has been chosen for Disabled People Against Cuts last national demonstration before the General Election.

 

With the station as the starting point at 2pm DPAC will take its message #TrashTheTories to the heart of Theresa May's constituency to highlight the horrors that disabled people have faced on a daily basis since they came to power in 2010.

The UN has found the UK government guilty of the grave and systematic violation of disabled people's human rights and we will be making it clear that enough is enough, to the voters of Maidenhead.

 

The Tories have heartlessly attacked disabled people with their vicious anti-austerity cuts which have hit disabled people 9 times more than any other group and those with the highest support needs 19 times more.

 

In all the years we have been campaigning, it has never felt so desperately important to get the public to understand; Tory policies are starving, isolating and ultimately killing us.

 

Trains to Maidenhead leave from Paddington station about every 15 minutes and take between 30-47 minutes. The train company is Great Western and return fare is £11.80.

 

Some funding is available to cover travel costs and if you need help with these email usmail@dpac.uk.net

Indro Sen's appeal against dismissal to be heard today

Indro Sen's appeal against dismissal to be heard today

Sen teaching students in a park in his spare time back in 2007

Indro Sen, College of North West London, and UCU represenattive will be presenting his Appeal against dismissal from his post at the College of North west London today.  Sen has been supported by many trade unionists, students and ex-students and Brent Green Party LINK

A petition in support of Sen will be presented  LINK along with comments from some of his supporters:

Click to enlarge

Meanwhile comcern over precarious employment such as zero contracts and fake apprenticeships are likely to become General Election issues.   The College of North West London was the victim of an apprenticeship fraud LINK and the UCU called for an public inquiry LINK.

On Wednesday the Metro reported on the Superdrug apprenticeship scheme where young workers alleged their was not real apprenticeship, just a company ploy to emply them on low wages. LINK

The Government’s Air Quality Action Plan is so flawed it is no wonder they wanted to bury this until after the election

_{BATTERSEA AND WANDSWORTH TRADES UNION COUNCIL (BWTUC) SLAM GOVERNMENT NEW CLEAN AIR STRATEGY FOR NOT REMOVING DANGEROUS POLLUTANTS FROM THE WANDSWORTH AIR LEAVING PEOPLE TO GET ILL OR DIE PREMATURELY} 

_{The Government’s Air Quality Action Plan is so flawed it is no wonder they wanted to bury this until after the election says BWTUC} 

_{Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council (BWTUC) slammed the Government newly published plans to improve air quality as being totally ineffective and that they will utterly fail to remove dangerous pollutants from the air in Wandsworth.} 

_{The Government were forced to produce an Air Quality plan for consultation by the courts this month.¹ They had tried to use the election as a reason to delay publication but this was rejected by the Court.} 

_{Graham Petersen, spokesperson for BWTUC, said "if this document represents their vision of how the public will be protected from air pollution it is no surprise they wanted to keep it under wraps.} 

_{If this is how you respond to the Number 0ne public health hazard then the Conservative Party have lost all credibility on this important issue. Instead of providing clear leadership from central government, control measures have largely been delegated to local authorities. This wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t the same government that have stripped local government finances to the bone. A public health emergency that claims the lives of around 40,000 people every year requires a clear national direction.} 

_{People in Wandsworth are in the front-line of toxic air. We have the most polluted street in Europe – Putney High St. Levels in some parts of the borough show over 2 twice the legal limit of 40ug/m³ for nitrogen dioxide}. ² _{In April, the Wandsworth Guardian quoted a report that showed 29 schools in the borough located in areas exceeding the safe legal limit.   Wandsworth Council’s own Air Quality Action Plan identified the importance of a campaign ‘to national government towards a non-diesel economy’ as a priority action. If they are serious about this then the Council should join us in condemning these inadequate proposals.}

_{BWTUC believes that new statutory duties are required under a Clean Air Act that provides a national plan covering low emission zones, clean energy public transport provision, and duties on manufacturers and employers.} 

_{Currently businesses pay a fraction of what it costs the NHS to treat victims of toxic air. Yet it is employers that are the root cause of diesel emissions from their transport fleet as well as the individual work journeys to and from work made by their staff.} 

_{That is why BWTUC believe that air quality is a workplace issue. It is also why we provide funding for awareness raising initiatives like the Greener Jobs Alliance training modules on Air Quality which will be launched at the end of the month.³} 

_{It is clearly now a political issue in this election. The Government have shown they have no effective strategy. This is not strong leadership, it is passing the buck, and relying on a voluntary approach that will not deliver on the scale required.
End
Contact details: Graham Petersen email:grahampetersen4@hotmail.com / Tel 07879492339
Notes to editors
¹ ‘Improving air quality in the UK: tackling nitrogen dioxide in our towns and cities’. May 2017. Consultation closes June 15th, 2017. BWTUC will be responding to this consultation.https://consult.defra.gov.uk/airquality/air-quality-plan-for-tackling-nitrogen-dioxide/supporting_documents/Draft%20Revised%20AQ%20Plan.pdf}

_{² Nitrogen Dioxide levels exceed the legal limits in large parts of Wandsworth according to data from Kings College London. REF BWTUC press release   http://www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/?page_id=642}

_{³ The Greener Jobs Alliance is funded by BWTUC and provides regular updates on air pollution and other environmental issues. On May 27th it will be launching a new set of Air Quality training modules at the University and College Union Annual Congress in Brighton  http://www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/}

Climate Change: Top Ten Election demands from the Greener Jobs Alliance

Climate Change: Top Ten Election demands from the Greener Jobs Alliance

The Steering Committee of the Greener Jobs Alliance has put forward these 10 election demands to ensure that climate change should be central to the General Election campaign.

1.     Keep the Climate Change Act 2008. Stick to the UK’s legally binding commitments to cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 as a minimum. Ensure that UK energy and industrial policy is effectively aligned with the Committee on Climate Change projections and carbon budgets.

2.     Trust the people with a massive boost to energy democracy. Support a new wave of community based solar and onshore wind projects with ambitious feed-in tariffs wherever there is local support. Lift the ban on onshore wind projects. Support for local authorities to set up municipal energy supply companies.

3.     Ban fracking and respect local democracy wherever fracking applications are opposed by local communities.

4.     Cut energy bills and carbon emissions with a nationwide home insulation programme. ‘Retrofit’poorly insulated homes and build new, low energy social housing, using as far as possible direct labour, and supported by high quality vocational education and training. Make ‘Energy efficiency’ a national infrastructure priority to create decent jobs, reduce fuel poverty and reduce fuel bills.

5.     Make education for sustainable development a core priority across the education system. Prioritise research funding that will promote the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

6.     Create a million skilled climate jobs: invest in all forms of renewable energy, low carbon jobs and skills, including electric vehicle manufacture, rail investment, and build a full supply chain to make and supply renewable energy technologies in the UK.

7.     Create a new Green Investment Bank in public ownership and with full accountability. Use the green bank to support Regional Development Board investment in green energy and transport infrastructure projects.

8.     Create a National Climate Service to oversee the transition to a low carbon economy This to include a Ministry for Climate Jobs, Skills and Social Protection’ to equip the UK to a transformation of the world of work working across all Government departments and industrial sectors.

9.     Introduce an Environment Protection Act to incorporate vital European directives into UK law. Commit the UK to retain membership of the European Court of Justice to ensure that our citizens have the same environmental protection rights as all EU citizens, wherever environmental standards are at risk.

10. Introduce a Clean Air Act to tackle air pollution once and for all. Place a clear legal responsibility on employers and businesses to address air quality and develop a network of low emission zones in pollution hot spots.

Declaration of interest: I am a member of the Greener Job Alliance 

Ritzy Cinemas dispute/ sanitised history /University of Puerto Rico

Ritzy Cinemas dispute

Ritzy Cinema workers have been campaigning for Picturehouse and Cineworld Cinemas to pay the London Living Wage across all London cinemas for just short of ten years. In a repeat of one of the largest strikes in UK cinema history in February, five Picturehouse cinemas went on strike simultaneously on Easter Saturday 15 April. There was further action on May 1st.

Workers at Picturehouse cinemas have been striking since last September for the Living Wage. Picturehouse continue to refuse negotiations despite owner Cineworld announcing £93.8 million profit for 2016 last month.

Members of the campaign have been calling for a public boycott of Picturehouse and their owners Cineworld since 25 February.

BECTU press release...

Sign a petition...

Will a sanitised history be launched with Mayflower 400?

Danny Reilly of the newly formed Mayflower Mavericks Campaign examines emerging issues around the plans to celebrate the 400th anniversary in 2020 of the pilgrims’ voyage to the US in Plymouth.

More details...

University of Puerto Rico

The students of the University of Puerto Rico are currently on indefinite strike against massive cuts in funding for both public education and the health service. The Branch Secretary has sent a message of solidarity.

More details...
 Ritzy Cinemas dispute/ sanitised history /University of Puerto Rico

UCU campaign update:

UCU campaign update:

Government rushes through dangerous higher education bill
The controversial Higher Education and Research Bill finally completed its passage through parliament yesterday. MPs and peers agreed to a number of watered down amendments to ensure the bill became law before this parliamentary session ended. Writing in the Huffington Post, Sally Hunt said that in the rush to get it through, the government had managed keep its long-term plans to marketise the sector firmly on track.

College leaders’ pay boost while staff salaries remain frozen 
More than half of college leaders received a salary increase last year – at the same time as their staff were subject to a pay freeze, according to new figures in today’s TES. UCU head of further education Andrew Harden said: ‘College leaders who tell staff that the money is not there for a fair pay rise – all while pocketing massive pay rises themselves – are an embarrassment to the sector.’

Find out more about your pay and how it compares to your principal’s and staff at other colleges using our Rate for the Job online tool here.

See here for full update including:

• In the news
• General election 8 June: make our voice heard
• Higher education pay: employers’ final offer
• Manchester Metropolitan University: management fail to silence campaign to save jobs
• Further education England pay claim
• UCU academic boycott of London Metropolitan University
• Mayoral candidates asked to support FE charter
• Celebrate May Day: international workers’ day
• Chechnya: stop the persecution of gay men
• Workers’ Memorial Day, 28 April
• Rule 13: procedure for the regulation of the conduct of members

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns