DEFEND OUR PUBLIC SERVICES-NO CUTS
MAKE COUNCILLORS PAY AT THE BALLOT BOX
DEFEND OUR UNION BRANCH
STOP THE WITCH-HUNT
Up and down the country, local councils, be they Labour, Tory or Liberal Democrats are cutting our services and axing our jobs. Even Councillors from the Green Party have a record of voting for cuts. Where the BNP have been elected, their councillors have been ineffective and they have voted in favour of cuts.
This is in stark contrast to Socialist Party councillors who have not just consistently voted against cuts, but have led community campaigns outside of the council chamber. In Lewisham, Socialist Party councillors Ian Page and Chris Flood played a leading part in the successful campaign to stop the sell-off of council housing in New Cross and have supported the campaign to stop the closure of Deptford Job Centre.
Now, more than ever, we need councillors willing to fight for our jobs and our service. A recent confidential report from the Greenwich Council Labour group proposes the following:
Over £30 million of cuts to jobs and services
A “review”- in other words cuts- of terms and conditions for council staff; in particular evening and weekend working costs.
Reviewing sickness absence levels
Increased “productivity”. This means working harder but for no more pay!
Review all council services with a view to transfer to the trading company; a first step to privatisation
Review “Social care”, to consider “enterprise models” and “shared services”. This is about outsourcing social services.
Review of low priority activity. This means cutting non-statutory services.
The cutback will not be limited to council staff. The public will also suffer. For instance the report states:
“Review of eligibility criteria beyond care services” “ Restricted access to services” and incredibly “examine options to reduce demand and volume”.
We can’t accept this! Council workers will have to fight to save our jobs, wages, pensions and conditions. But public service workers should not have to fight alone. We all rely on essential public services. We have to be prepared to fight alongside those who also use our services.
In Greenwich, the UNISON branch has been at the forefront of fighting cuts to services and attacks on council staff. Once again, the UNISON branch is preparing to take a leading role. But the union leadership at a national level are tied to new Labour. They see the re-election of a Labour government as a priority.
That is why UNISON branch secretary and Socialist Party member Onay Kasab is still being attacked by the union leadership. He still faces suspension from office as a result of a vicious and brutal witch-hunt conducted by fulltime officials who want to make the union safe for new Labour. No trade unionist wants to see the election of a vicious anti-working class Tory government. But to simply argue that Labour would be a lesser evil will not do.
Whether there are 100 or 500 job losses as a result of cuts in Greenwich is not relevant. Our principle is that an injury to one is an injury to all. It is this unity that has allowed us to win our past campaigns. That is why every working class community threatened with cuts and privatisation should stand trade union, socialist or community activist candidates against the big parties at next May’s council elections
MAKE THE CUTTERS PAY AT THE BALLOT BOX
SAVE OUR SERVICES
If you would like to help in our work to build a campaign for a new workers party, to break the trade unions from New Labour then join us
Socialist Party demands:
-No public sector cuts
- No compulsory redundancies and cuts in wages, terms and conditions for public sector staff
- For a programme of public works to fight the scourges of unemployment and poverty, with local councils mounting a campaign to demand money from the national government if necessary
-For a new mass workers party to expose and replace the rotten politics of the mainstream parties.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Unison black members reject witch-hunt
"Unless Mr Kasab and his colleagues are punished, black Unison members can have no confidence in the union fighting racism." These were the words of the Unison national officer who acted as the prosecution in the union's case against four Socialist Party members.
A Unison member
Yet, in the first week of the attacks, in June 2007, a black Unison member told the Socialist Party fringe meeting at the union's national conference: "They are not going to use the colour of my skin for their own purposes."
From the outset, the union leadership have been prepared to misuse the issue of racism. The long campaign to defend the four has shown that this is in fact a political witch-hunt.
Black members in Greenwich Unison have been to the forefront in expressing outrage at the charges against their Unison branch secretary, Onay Kasab. Many have said that if the ban on him holding union office is upheld, they will have no hesitation in resigning their union membership.
A recent meeting of Unison's national black members' committee was attended by general secretary Dave Prentis. There are over 260 BNP members in the union and he was questioned about the lack of action on this. Members also called for the union to reconsider its action against the four, as the sanctions were too harsh.
Then last week Unison held its annual national black members' conference. Onay Kasab was the delegate from Greenwich. He spoke in the debate on fighting the BNP about his role in leading the strike action at Hither Green back in 1988 against the fascist Skeggs and the role of Greenwich Unison in the campaign to close the BNP headquarters in Welling. Both campaigns were successful.
He told the conference that as a result he had received racist hate mail and had been targeted by racists. Finally he spoke of the scandal of the lack of action against the BNP members in Unison. He compared this with the treatment of the four and demanded an end to the witch-hunt.
He received several ovations during the three minutes he was allowed to speak. This obviously frustrated the general secretary who was sitting behind the podium. Several delegates reported that his face looked like thunder!
Delegate after delegate approached Kas after his speech, to congratulate him and to condemn the witch-hunt.
A Unison member
Yet, in the first week of the attacks, in June 2007, a black Unison member told the Socialist Party fringe meeting at the union's national conference: "They are not going to use the colour of my skin for their own purposes."
From the outset, the union leadership have been prepared to misuse the issue of racism. The long campaign to defend the four has shown that this is in fact a political witch-hunt.
Black members in Greenwich Unison have been to the forefront in expressing outrage at the charges against their Unison branch secretary, Onay Kasab. Many have said that if the ban on him holding union office is upheld, they will have no hesitation in resigning their union membership.
A recent meeting of Unison's national black members' committee was attended by general secretary Dave Prentis. There are over 260 BNP members in the union and he was questioned about the lack of action on this. Members also called for the union to reconsider its action against the four, as the sanctions were too harsh.
Then last week Unison held its annual national black members' conference. Onay Kasab was the delegate from Greenwich. He spoke in the debate on fighting the BNP about his role in leading the strike action at Hither Green back in 1988 against the fascist Skeggs and the role of Greenwich Unison in the campaign to close the BNP headquarters in Welling. Both campaigns were successful.
He told the conference that as a result he had received racist hate mail and had been targeted by racists. Finally he spoke of the scandal of the lack of action against the BNP members in Unison. He compared this with the treatment of the four and demanded an end to the witch-hunt.
He received several ovations during the three minutes he was allowed to speak. This obviously frustrated the general secretary who was sitting behind the podium. Several delegates reported that his face looked like thunder!
Delegate after delegate approached Kas after his speech, to congratulate him and to condemn the witch-hunt.
Angry reaction to Unison witch-hunt
From 20th Jan edition of The Socialist
Four Socialist Party members who are members of Unison, Brian Debus, Glenn Kelly, Suzanne Muna and Onay Kasab, are being witch-hunted by their own union. At the moment the outcome of their appeals to Unison against suspensions from holding union office is awaited, as is the decision of an Employment Tribunal.
Hundreds of angry Unison members and other trade unionists have complained to Unison's leadership during the course of the witch-hunt. These are excerpts from a few of their emails and letters.
"I write to express my disappointment at the union's decision to ban someone like Brian who has worked tirelessly to support staff in Hackney for so many years.
I am not a particularly political person but I would defend anyone's right to vote and campaign freely and without prejudice or sanction...
Having been a Unison member for over 13 years I am now questioning whether this is a group I would want to belong to."
"I have never heard a complaint about [Brian] from other people. I could not believe that he could be accused of committing a racist offence even by his own trade union. I myself cannot accept any such accusations against him as a member of this union."
Hackney Unison members
"I have followed the disciplinary case against Onay Kasab aka Kas with some interest particularly as I have been a member of Greenwich Unison for about 16 years.
I was shocked to find out that he has been suspended from holding office for three years.
Although I don't share his politics 100% I have found Kas to be a very hard-working trade unionist and a very able branch secretary. I have seen quotes from the likes of Rory Bremner and Mark Thomas that Unison is making itself look foolish, stupid and authoritarian and I agree with them."
"I am very worried that the integrity of our union is under threat. My opinion is that this is a flagrant misuse of my union subscription for political cleansing.
I would ask you what measures are being taken to ensure a democratic union? I would ask you what measures are being taken to ensure a legal, even-handed and respectful union?"
Greenwich Unison members
"I would have thought that the union should respect the democratic wishes of the ordinary members who have repeatedly re-elected them [the witch-hunted four].
The disciplinary committee are out of touch with the members and are themselves bringing the union into disrepute in the eyes of the members whose actual jobs, wages and conditions are under the worst attack we have faced in decades.
The only people who will take solace from this are the out of touch NEC members and the bosses. It will do nothing to inspire the members I represent that the union leadership is serious about fighting the real enemy - the bosses and government who are trying to cut the jobs, wages and conditions."
Ronnie Stevenson, Glasgow Unison, personal capacity
"I hear today that the four have been found guilty, this beggars belief! This decision could have a profoundly negative effect on members, many of whom in my own branch are totally disillusioned with the union nationally and would view this as no more than a bloody minded and spiteful attack on four honest and genuine union representatives who have a proud record of standing up for their members' interests no matter what their ethnic background.
Maybe that was their true crime, because by their actions in fighting for the most vulnerable in society, for fighting against low wages and privatisation, and by their past record of fighting and putting real alternatives to the scourge of the BNP and of exposing the fraud that is New Labour, they have shamed a spineless and impotent union bureaucracy, a bureaucracy that despite recent sound bites is in shameful collusion with a morally bankrupt New Labour government, and offers no alternative to the issues that affect the day to day existence of ordinary - dare I say - working class people, ...but then life is just more comfortable that way isn't it?"
A Unison health member
"I have been appalled over the last few years at the lengths to which certain people in Unison have gone to try to discredit Glenn Kelly and his three colleagues.
I am a Unison member in Bromley and have always thought the charges spurious, brought to fulfil some hidden agenda.
Now the tribunal has revealed that certain people do have a hidden agenda - I ask you to immediately organise an independent enquiry into the allegations...
Our union must be shown to be democratic and fair and above board in all its dealings otherwise people will leave in droves over this and good people will be unwilling to stand for office. How can we stand against other organisations/people where unfairness and dishonesty rule when we are just as bad?"
A Bromley Unison member
"We cannot afford to lose the input of these activists with a Conservative government on the horizon. At present we are fighting job cuts, offshoring and low pay rises in our industry. These are our priorities, not spending Unison resources investigating so-called rule breaches like this one."
Unison South West Gas branch committee
"The racism slur does not stand up to the slightest scrutiny and would be almost comical, were it not so damaging to the good names of these activists and the sentence returned so severe.
As for the charge of attacking the integrity of the Standing Orders Committee, I cannot see that this serves any purpose; least of all Unison or the Committee themselves.
What has Unison got to fear from open debate? Dragging names through mud on trumped up charges and the crushing of dissenting voices are not the sign of a strong organisation at ease with itself."
"I am urging you to remove the charges from my branch secretary and the other three activists. On a personal level, I would not want to continue to belong to a union which treats its members in this mean spirited and manifestly unjust way."
Unison, Tenant Services Authority members
Four Socialist Party members who are members of Unison, Brian Debus, Glenn Kelly, Suzanne Muna and Onay Kasab, are being witch-hunted by their own union. At the moment the outcome of their appeals to Unison against suspensions from holding union office is awaited, as is the decision of an Employment Tribunal.
Hundreds of angry Unison members and other trade unionists have complained to Unison's leadership during the course of the witch-hunt. These are excerpts from a few of their emails and letters.
"I write to express my disappointment at the union's decision to ban someone like Brian who has worked tirelessly to support staff in Hackney for so many years.
I am not a particularly political person but I would defend anyone's right to vote and campaign freely and without prejudice or sanction...
Having been a Unison member for over 13 years I am now questioning whether this is a group I would want to belong to."
"I have never heard a complaint about [Brian] from other people. I could not believe that he could be accused of committing a racist offence even by his own trade union. I myself cannot accept any such accusations against him as a member of this union."
Hackney Unison members
"I have followed the disciplinary case against Onay Kasab aka Kas with some interest particularly as I have been a member of Greenwich Unison for about 16 years.
I was shocked to find out that he has been suspended from holding office for three years.
Although I don't share his politics 100% I have found Kas to be a very hard-working trade unionist and a very able branch secretary. I have seen quotes from the likes of Rory Bremner and Mark Thomas that Unison is making itself look foolish, stupid and authoritarian and I agree with them."
"I am very worried that the integrity of our union is under threat. My opinion is that this is a flagrant misuse of my union subscription for political cleansing.
I would ask you what measures are being taken to ensure a democratic union? I would ask you what measures are being taken to ensure a legal, even-handed and respectful union?"
Greenwich Unison members
"I would have thought that the union should respect the democratic wishes of the ordinary members who have repeatedly re-elected them [the witch-hunted four].
The disciplinary committee are out of touch with the members and are themselves bringing the union into disrepute in the eyes of the members whose actual jobs, wages and conditions are under the worst attack we have faced in decades.
The only people who will take solace from this are the out of touch NEC members and the bosses. It will do nothing to inspire the members I represent that the union leadership is serious about fighting the real enemy - the bosses and government who are trying to cut the jobs, wages and conditions."
Ronnie Stevenson, Glasgow Unison, personal capacity
"I hear today that the four have been found guilty, this beggars belief! This decision could have a profoundly negative effect on members, many of whom in my own branch are totally disillusioned with the union nationally and would view this as no more than a bloody minded and spiteful attack on four honest and genuine union representatives who have a proud record of standing up for their members' interests no matter what their ethnic background.
Maybe that was their true crime, because by their actions in fighting for the most vulnerable in society, for fighting against low wages and privatisation, and by their past record of fighting and putting real alternatives to the scourge of the BNP and of exposing the fraud that is New Labour, they have shamed a spineless and impotent union bureaucracy, a bureaucracy that despite recent sound bites is in shameful collusion with a morally bankrupt New Labour government, and offers no alternative to the issues that affect the day to day existence of ordinary - dare I say - working class people, ...but then life is just more comfortable that way isn't it?"
A Unison health member
"I have been appalled over the last few years at the lengths to which certain people in Unison have gone to try to discredit Glenn Kelly and his three colleagues.
I am a Unison member in Bromley and have always thought the charges spurious, brought to fulfil some hidden agenda.
Now the tribunal has revealed that certain people do have a hidden agenda - I ask you to immediately organise an independent enquiry into the allegations...
Our union must be shown to be democratic and fair and above board in all its dealings otherwise people will leave in droves over this and good people will be unwilling to stand for office. How can we stand against other organisations/people where unfairness and dishonesty rule when we are just as bad?"
A Bromley Unison member
"We cannot afford to lose the input of these activists with a Conservative government on the horizon. At present we are fighting job cuts, offshoring and low pay rises in our industry. These are our priorities, not spending Unison resources investigating so-called rule breaches like this one."
Unison South West Gas branch committee
"The racism slur does not stand up to the slightest scrutiny and would be almost comical, were it not so damaging to the good names of these activists and the sentence returned so severe.
As for the charge of attacking the integrity of the Standing Orders Committee, I cannot see that this serves any purpose; least of all Unison or the Committee themselves.
What has Unison got to fear from open debate? Dragging names through mud on trumped up charges and the crushing of dissenting voices are not the sign of a strong organisation at ease with itself."
"I am urging you to remove the charges from my branch secretary and the other three activists. On a personal level, I would not want to continue to belong to a union which treats its members in this mean spirited and manifestly unjust way."
Unison, Tenant Services Authority members
Education trusts are "academies lite"
From the 20th Jan edition of The Socialist
Education bosses in Greenwich have begun laying off workers and slashing and burning terms and conditions of some of their lowest paid workers. They are preparing the ground for a new education trust run by the University of Greenwich. The two schools selected to be part of the trust are Eltham Green school and Eglinton School in Plumstead.
Paul Callanan
Teaching assistants (TAs) from the two schools lobbied the council on 8 December. Michelle Nimmo, a TA at Eglinton school, explained how she was sacked while on maternity leave.
Michelle was called to a meeting with no one to represent her in a room full of strangers and given notice that she was being made redundant. The school's head teacher didn't even attend the meeting because she was on holiday in Indonesia!
Meanwhile at Eltham Green school 39 workers have been made redundant as part of a so-called "restructuring" package. TA Kirsty Gibson explained that this has been done so that bosses can "pick off the most vulnerable workers". As a result the school has lost experienced workers.
She also explained that this is an attack on staff pay, terms and conditions as the council have now opened up 39 new vacancies at the school. Former staff will be able to apply for these positions but those that get the jobs will do so on much lower terms than before.
The next night a meeting was held to discuss the fightback. The meeting was first addressed by Onay Kasab, Greenwich Unison branch secretary and Greenwich Socialist Party member who said: "the trust proposition is a very real threat that we mustn't lose sight of. The redundancies, cuts and the trust are all linked, in spite of the council's denials."
His call to stand candidates at the next council elections, that would really represent parents and teaching staff was well received.
Lewisham National Union of Teachers branch secretary and Lewisham SP member Martin Powell-Davies then told the meeting about a similar attack being carried out by Lewisham council, who are trying to impose a trust on parents and teaching staff.
He explained that councils' new found enthusiasm for trusts is because of the unpopularity of academies and that trusts are simply "academies lite".
He pointed out that one danger of academies is that "staff would no longer be working for the council but competing trusts who want to hammer down terms and conditions". Also so-called "difficult children" could be turfed out or denied places at schools as the trusts compete with each other.
This was backed by a TA from Eltham Green school who said that "difficult" students are already being expelled on flimsy reasons in preparation for the trust.
The meeting finished by agreeing to organise a demonstration in Eltham.
The Socialist Party demands:
No compulsory redundancies
No cuts to staff pay, terms and conditions
No to trusts
For education to be controlled by elected local authorities, parents and staff
Any new staff to be taken on with the same pay, terms and conditions as existing staff .
For a joint campaign of parents, pupils and staff to oppose attacks on education
Education bosses in Greenwich have begun laying off workers and slashing and burning terms and conditions of some of their lowest paid workers. They are preparing the ground for a new education trust run by the University of Greenwich. The two schools selected to be part of the trust are Eltham Green school and Eglinton School in Plumstead.
Paul Callanan
Teaching assistants (TAs) from the two schools lobbied the council on 8 December. Michelle Nimmo, a TA at Eglinton school, explained how she was sacked while on maternity leave.
Michelle was called to a meeting with no one to represent her in a room full of strangers and given notice that she was being made redundant. The school's head teacher didn't even attend the meeting because she was on holiday in Indonesia!
Meanwhile at Eltham Green school 39 workers have been made redundant as part of a so-called "restructuring" package. TA Kirsty Gibson explained that this has been done so that bosses can "pick off the most vulnerable workers". As a result the school has lost experienced workers.
She also explained that this is an attack on staff pay, terms and conditions as the council have now opened up 39 new vacancies at the school. Former staff will be able to apply for these positions but those that get the jobs will do so on much lower terms than before.
The next night a meeting was held to discuss the fightback. The meeting was first addressed by Onay Kasab, Greenwich Unison branch secretary and Greenwich Socialist Party member who said: "the trust proposition is a very real threat that we mustn't lose sight of. The redundancies, cuts and the trust are all linked, in spite of the council's denials."
His call to stand candidates at the next council elections, that would really represent parents and teaching staff was well received.
Lewisham National Union of Teachers branch secretary and Lewisham SP member Martin Powell-Davies then told the meeting about a similar attack being carried out by Lewisham council, who are trying to impose a trust on parents and teaching staff.
He explained that councils' new found enthusiasm for trusts is because of the unpopularity of academies and that trusts are simply "academies lite".
He pointed out that one danger of academies is that "staff would no longer be working for the council but competing trusts who want to hammer down terms and conditions". Also so-called "difficult children" could be turfed out or denied places at schools as the trusts compete with each other.
This was backed by a TA from Eltham Green school who said that "difficult" students are already being expelled on flimsy reasons in preparation for the trust.
The meeting finished by agreeing to organise a demonstration in Eltham.
The Socialist Party demands:
No compulsory redundancies
No cuts to staff pay, terms and conditions
No to trusts
For education to be controlled by elected local authorities, parents and staff
Any new staff to be taken on with the same pay, terms and conditions as existing staff .
For a joint campaign of parents, pupils and staff to oppose attacks on education
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