Lambeth libraries: Unison strike: TODAY Monday 22 and TOMORROW March 23

Green Party TU Group‏@GreenPartyTU

Solidarity to UNISON staff in Lambeth libraries on strike 22/23 March. Please visit your closest Lambeth library to support them if you can

 LATEST NEWS

• Support the UNISON strike action, 22nd and 23rd March. The community and library staff stand together in opposing the library cuts and closures.
• Come to our next public meeting, Thursday 24th March, Carnegie Library, 7pm.
• Email GLL and tell them they are making a mistake.
• Keep writing to your Councillors. We have made it easy for you to tell them what you think.
• Sign the petition that is now available online and at all libraries.

 Lambeth Unison strike: TODAY Monday 22 and TOMORROW March 23 

Community campaigners can support the strike action. Please go to your library entrance on the strike days for any time you can spare, to talk to members of the public about the cuts and closures. Please also consider donating to the strike fund as staff will be losing pay to support our libraries.

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Campaign materials for download.

Print and distribute as much as you can.

 Download GLL leaflet

 Download Minet Library campaign poster

 Download Don’t steal our librairies petition

 Download leaflet for Lambeth Parents

Window posters and stickers available soon.

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Click the button to show an email you can send to GLL to show how unhappy you are

Email GLL

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ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN TO SAVE LAMBETH’S LIBRARIES

In October 2015 Lambeth Council has announced it will decommission half of our libraries. Minet, South Lambeth, Durning, Upper Norwood, Carnegie and Waterloo all might close if we don’t act.

Then, it was proposed that Minet, Carnegie and Tate South Lambeth libraries should be turned into gyms, run by leisure centre contractor GLL. The proposal is for these to have so-called ‘lounges’ with a small selection of books – but no staff. Upper Norwood Joint Library will also lose its staff. Lambeth is calling these ‘neighbourhood libraries’. We do not accept that such provision can be called libraries. The remaining libraries, already under pressure, will become overcrowded, staff and book stock will be reduced.

Since, public pressure has delivered a temporary reprieve for Tate South Lambeth. However Minet and Carnegie are still due to close on April 1st and Upper Norwood left without staff and the alternative plan put forward by the current Head of Libraries has been rejected.

Even in a time of cuts, we do not believe that this is sensible or necessary. We are resisting these plans and coming up with alternatives of our own.

Our libraries—which last year had 1.3 million visits—provide a vital service, helping people to access information, benefits, government services as well as books, the Internet and activities for children. Libraries are essential for access to information and education.

We are library users and staff working together to save Lambeth’s library service. We support wholeheartedly thealternative plan by Lambeth’s current Head of Libraries for a community and staff mutual service.

There are many things you can do to help the campaign. Please make sure also to visit your library, talk to the librarians, and contact your local friends’ group.

Film with interviews by Tim Peterick

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anti-academy protests 23/3/2016

Martin Francis via lists.riseup.net

Following the achievement of a former Green Party member in getting more than 100,000 signatures on an anti forced academies petition to parliament over the weekend it is crucial to continue the pressure with maximum attendance  at these protests.

UCU campaigns update:

Guidance on further education (FE) area reviews is available here providing information explaining the process and timescales and setting out our position on the proposals and you can catch up with all the latest developments in FE here.

3. In the news
• UCU responds to budget
• Sally Hunt talks casualisation in Times Higher
• Schools white paper
• UCU Scotland welcomes Commission on Widening Access report
• Guardian HE gender equality debate roundup
• College principal pay hikes
Read all about it here.

4. Stand up to racism tomorrow, Saturday 19 March
Please join UCU in supporting the ‘Stand up to racism’ demonstrations tomorrow Saturday 19 March in London, Cardiff and Glasgow. UCU general secretary Sally Hunt will be speaking at the London event and meeting points for all three demos are as follows:
• London demo assembles 12 noon, BBC Portland Place, London, W1A 1AA
• Cardiff demo assembles 11:30am, Clare Gardens, Cardiff, CF11 6EN
• Glasgow demo assembles 10:30am, George Square, Glasgow
5. Campaigning on casual contracts: ‘our working environment is your learning environment’
A busy week in our campaign for secure employment for ALL staff:
• UCU general secretary Sally Hunt called on universities to come clean on insecure employment practices in an article in this week’s Times Higher Education.
• Kelvin Hopkins MP tabled an early day motion (EDM 1265) highlighting the issue of job insecurity in HE - please take a few minutes to contact your MP and ask for their support for the motion.
• We launched an excellent new function on our Rate for the job webtool allowing hourly paid lecturers to check their pay.
6. Undergraduate teaching quality survey – have your say
If you teach on an undergraduate HE course at any UK university, FE college or private provider please add your voice to the debate about teaching quality by filling in this short survey which you can find here.

7. Reduction in your take home pay from April
Please note that due to the introduction of the new single state pension you may notice a reduction in your take home pay from 6 April 2016. The reasons why, and more detailed information on this, can be found here.

8. Free Miguel Beltrán – video message to UCU members
Jailed academic, Dr Miguel Beltrán, has recorded a moving message from inside the notorious La Picota prison thanking UCU for campaigning for his release and for an end to the persecution he has suffered for criticising the Colombian government. Please watch and share the film and sign the Labour Start petition.

9. People’s Assembly march for health, homes, jobs and education
UCU members will join the anti-austerity march for health, homes, jobs and education assembling at 1pm, Gower Street, London, NW1 on 16 April 2016. Invite your friends on Facebook.

10. Develop your career with UCU
There are still some places available on the following courses, which are free to all members. More details and registration:
Classroom management – Luton, 19 April
Voice care for educators – Sheffield, 21 April

11. Initial teacher training in the education white paper
UCU has highlighted concerns about proposed new quality measures and ‘centres of excellence’ for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) announced in the white paper from the Department of Education this week, and the general secretary is writing to the Secretary of State on the issue today.

12. Hands off our schools - say no to forced academies
Following the announcement that all schools are to be forced to become academies, often against the will of local communities, parents and teachers; our sister union the National Union of Teachers (NUT) is organising a march to the Department for Education on Wednesday 23 March, assembling 5pm at Westminster Cathedral, Victoria Street, London, SW1P 1QW.

All the best

Justine Stephens
UCU head of campaigns

George Osborne wants to take money away from people living with disabilities.

George Osborne wants to take money away from people living with disabilities. [1] The support he’s slashing, known as the Personal Independence Payment, is used by disabled people to help them live an independent life - for aids to help with things like washing and dressing. [2] In other words, money needed to live with dignity. Conservative MPs are panicking. Some are already saying publicly that they don’t support taking this money away. [3] George Osborne is looking isolated, and one thing 38 Degrees members can do right now is show the public are against his cruel plans too. We need to move fast. If thousands of us get behind a huge petition today, we can force George Osborne to do the right thing and keep this crucial support for disabled people. Please will you add your name now? Sign the Petition The UK is better than this - better than taking money away from people who need it most.Taking away help to do the most basic things and live an independent life. 38 Degrees members believe in fairness, and when our government is hurting people who most need support we won’t stand by. Last Autumn, George Osborne tried to cut tax credits. This would have made many struggling families worse off. But 38 Degrees members mounted a massive campaign to stop him. And, together, we helped stopped that cut. [4] People power can stop this cruel cut too.The more of us who rally in defence of people with disabilities, the more toxic we can make this for George Osborne, and the faster we can force him to back down. So let’s get this petition going straight away. If you agree that George Osborne’s cuts are just plain cruel, add your name to the petition demanding he scraps them now: Sign the Petition Thanks for being involved, Bex, David, James, Blanche and the 38 Degrees team PS: This isn’t just a small cut to people's budgets - it means people with disabilities and their families losing around £70 a week. It means losing the lifeline. Conservative MP Andrew Percy says these cuts hit “exactly the wrong people.” [5] He’s right! Add your name to the petition now: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/save-personal-independence-payments PPS: If you or a loved one are likely to be affected by these cuts, there is support available. Disability Rights UK have a useful factsheet on PIP: http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/personal-independence-payment-pip Carers UK can provide help and advice: http://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice The Citizens Advice Bureau can offer information on various benefits and where other financial help may be available: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ NOTES [1] Guardian: Disability benefit cuts not acceptable, Conservative rebels tell Osborne: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/17/tory-rebels-osborne-disability-benefit-cuts-just-not-acceptable BBC: Government not backing down on disability cuts despite minister's words: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35839282 [2] Gov.uk: Personal Independence Payment overview: https://www.gov.uk/pip/overview Guardian: Benefit cuts threaten independent living for thousands of disabled people: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/15/disability-cuts-cutbacks-destroy-independent-living-budget [3] The Telegraph: Budget 2016: George Osborne faces mass Tory rebellion over disability cuts: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12196418/uk-budget-george-osborne-black-hole-deficit-live.html And more and more Conservative MPs are speaking out over Twitter: Sarah Wollaston MP: https://twitter.com/sarahwollaston/status/710735914901831680 Michael Fabricant MP: https://twitter.com/Mike_Fabricant/status/710746651556716544 [4] 38 Degrees Blog: Tax Credits Win! https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2015/11/25/tax-credits-win [5] Evening Standard: Chancellor faces ‘open rebellion’ over benefits cut for the disabled: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/chancellor-faces-open-rebellion-over-benefits-cut-for-the-disabled-a3205696.html

38 Degrees is funded by donations from thousands of members across the UK. Making a regular donation will mean 38 Degrees can stay independent and plan for future campaigns. Please will you chip in a few pounds a week? Start a direct debit Unsubscribe: If you no longer wish to be part of our movement and receive our emails you can unsubscribe here. This email was sent to yrrumuk@googlemail.com. 38 DEGREES Limited by guarantee Registered Company No. 6642193 in England and Wales Registered office: 40 Bowling Green Lane, London, EC1R 0NE

NO NHS CUTS AT ST GEORGE'S HOSPITAL

NO NHS CUTS AT ST GEORGE'S HOSPITAL

Please support GMB domestics and caterers facing cuts
DEMONSTRATION THURSDAY 24th MARCH 12-2pm

Meeting at St George’s Blackshaw Road entrance
Marching from St George’s to Tooting Broadway and back at 12:00 and 1:30pm (to time with GMB members’ shifts)

St George’s NHS Trust and Mitie, their private catering and cleaning contractor, have signed a deal to reduce the privatised cleaning and catering service right across the hospital. Patients and workers will be put at risk.
Please help GMB members resist these cuts!
Please do bring your banners, be visible and help us make some noise!

For more info contact Kieron Merrett, GMB Regional Organiser, on 07866 441 656 or kieron.merrett@gmb.org.uk

Conference: The role of education institutions in tackling climate change, Friday 13 May

Dear Colleagues,

How should the education sector in the UK respond to the challenge of climate change?

What are the opportunities to put the sector at the forefront of action around the Paris agreement?

This event will address 3 cost-cutting themes that are central to delivering a low carbon transition:

·         education and Skills

·         research

·         finance.

Speakers: Lisa Nandy (MP and Shadow Energy Minister) has confirmed. A range of speakers from education and research have also been invited.

Venue: University of Manchester.  J17 Renold Building.

Date: Friday 13 May 2016

Time: 11.00am - 3.30pm

To register at this free event, please go here:

https://www.ucu.org.uk/education-and-climate-change-conference

Regards,

Graham Petersen

UCU Environment Co-ordinator

Carlow Street,

London NW1 7LH

Tel. 020 7756 2527

Emergency Protest: Hands Off Our Schools, No Forced Academies Assemble 5pm, 23 March 2016 Westminster Cathedral march to Department for Education

Emergency Protest: Hands Off Our Schools, No Forced Academies Assemble 5pm, 23 March 2016 Westminster Cathedral march to Department for Education

The Tories have accelerated their attack on our education with Osborne's announcement yesterday that all schools will be forced to become academies. The National Union of Teachers have called an emergency demonstration in London next Wednesday (details below). Here's a useful article explaining why academies are damaging our education - click here.

This week also saw the High Court reject the governments injunction on the proposed NUT industrial action and Tuesday saw a solid strike turn out from teachers in Further Education. 

Emergency Protest: Hands Off Our Schools, No Forced Academies
Assemble 5pm, Westminster Cathedral march to Department for Education 

 

This also makes the national demonstration on Saturday 16 April more important than ever. Please keep inviting your friends, sharing on Facebook and get involved with the mobilisation in your area. 

March for Health, Homes, Jobs & Education
Saturday 16 March, London 
Details here

Also... 

This Weekend is the Stand Up to Racism, Refugees Welcome National Demonstration. Saturday 19 March. Assemble at 12pm Portland Place W1A 1AA.
 


Please let us know if you can get down to this and help us with the People's Assembly stall. Contact, tom@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk

Also this Sunday 20 March, we will be holding a Mega-Stall in Camden to promote the big demo on 16 April. 

 

Please let us know if you can along and help out! Contact,office@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk

See you on the streets!


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