Have Your Say on HighPay

Have Your Say on HighPay, a campaign tackling excessive boardroom pay has been launched this week and we are encouraging you to get involved.



We all know that the chief executives of Britain’s biggest companies have enjoyed staggering pay rises in recent years while average wages have stagnated. Clearly rewards for failure at the top simply must be stopped.
Most people believe that we are powerless to do anything about it…but that simply isn’t the case!
Your pensions fund is a shareholder in Britain’s biggest companies and gets a vote on their pay packages.
FairPensions have developed an online action tool which allows you to contact your pension fund manager directly to tell them enough is enough.
Take Action now www.fairpensions.org.uk/highpay

If you have pension savings or an ISA* then you have a stake in Britain’s biggest companies and you can take action today to help change the way companies reward their top earners.
This is a unique opportunity to break down the barriers to the boardroom and make your voice heard!
*Stocks and shares ISA only

NASUWT lobby against five term year in Nottingham

NASUWT members from Dales ward in Nottingham lobbied Councillor David Mellen on Saturday morning against the introduction of a five term year in Nottingham. 18 members, more than 25% of our members in the ward, gathered for a briefing before meeting the councillor to outline our reasons for remaining, with every other local authority in the country, on a three term year. The Nottingham Post sent a reporter to the event.

Members said that 8-9 week terms were too long for pupils, particularly in primary, the summer holiday was a vital break for children; the decision by county schools and city academies to remain on the 3 term year would lead to chaos for parents; opposition by pupils themselves to the five term year; and lack of robust evidence for the change.
You can read more about our opposition the five term year in the Nottingham Post article here: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Union-claims-school-term-shake-undo-hard-work/story-15959287-detail/story.html

At a briefing before the lobby members of NASUWT were most concerned about the damage to childrens’ education that such a change could have. The City Council are taking a risk with this proposal, and have admitted that if it doesn’t work they will be forced to return to the 3 term year.
NASUWT members are encouraged to lobby their own councillors and to get involved with their Local Association in Nottingham which meets on Wednesday 9 May at 5.30pm in the East Midlands Regional Centre, Colliers Way, Phoenix Park, NG8 6AT.
For more information contact:
Stewart Halforty
Organising Assistant
NASUWT East Midlands
07584 213098

NASUWT campaign to stop five-term year 'experiment' hots up with lobby of Councillor Mellen on Saturday

The NASUWT campaign to stop the five-term year 'experiment' hots up with a lobby of Councillor Mellen on Saturday 28th April.
Pending possible industrial action and as part of its continuing campaign in opposition to the five-term year, Nottingham NASUWT, the largest teachers' union, will be lobbying Councillor David Mellen at Sneinton Library at 12:00noon on Saturday 28 April.
Bernie Pardon, National Executive Member for Nottingham NASUWT said:
"Members of NASUWT from the Dales ward will meet Councillor Mellen, who is also Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services at Nottingham City Council, to tell him why they are opposed to the planned term time and holiday changes.
The five-term year proposed by the City Council would be chaotic and disruptive for teachers, pupils and parents.
Should this go ahead Nottingham City Council would be the only council in the country to adopt the five-term year, and in Wednesday’s Nottingham Post the Council effectively admits that it would be experimental. A spokesman for the Council said, 'As the first local authority in the country to adopt the five-term Year, Nottingham City Council hopes to work with UK academics to research the impact of the school calendar change.'
NASUWT believes that it is wrong to experiment with children’s education. There is no proven educational benefit to a five-term year. Equally, there is no evidence that the existing three-term year is not educationally sound."
Notes to editors:


Photo opportunity outside Sneinton Library at 12:00noon - Saturday 28th April as teachers and parents from Dales ward to meet with Councillor Mellen and express opposition to the five-term year.
Further information from:
Bernie Pardon, National Executive Member on 01332 873869 or 07970 16023
Stewart at East Midlands Regional Centre on 07584 213098

‘After Austerity: Where Next for the UK Economy’

With the country facing a decade of economic stagnation we need real change if we are to secure jobs and living standards for the future.

• Growth is the only long-term solution to getting our public finances back in shape, but where will it come from?

• With another generation scarred by youth unemployment, and job losses in public and private sectors, how can we create more as well as better jobs?

• A growing gap between the rich and the rest helped cause the crash, but what can we do about it?

• As tackling climate change is increasingly presented as a barrier to growth, can a low carbon economy be part of the solution?

These are the big questions that will be debated at a special, high profile economics conference - ‘After Austerity: Where Next for the UK Economy’ which will take place at Congress House on Tuesday June 26th.

US economist Dean Baker is the keynote speaker, and ‘The Guardian’ is the media partner for the event.

Full information can be found on the conference website: http://www.afterausterity.org.uk/ 

Speakers

• Dean Baker, US Economist & co-director of the Center for Economic & Policy Research [keynote speaker]

• Bernadette Segol, General Secretary, European Trades Union Congress (ETUC)
• Dr David Green, Director, CIVITAS
• Jonathan Portes, Director, National Institute for Economic & Social Research (NIESR)
• Karel Williams, Centre Director, Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (CRESC), University of Manchester/Open University
• Lee Hopley, Chief Economist, EEF (The Manufacturers’ Association)
• Lord Robert Skidelsky, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Warwick
• Matthias Machnig, Thuringian Minister of Economy, Labour & Technology, Germany
• Mariana Mazzucato,  Professor of Economics and RM Chair in Science & Technology Policy, University of Sussex
• Nancy Kelley, Deputy Director of Policy & Research, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• Paul Ekins, Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, University College of London
• Pauline Skypala, Editor FTfm (Financial Times on-line)
• Roman Ranciere, Professor, Paris School of Economics
• Vidya Alakeson, Head of Research & Strategy, Resolution Foundation

Registration fee is £10 per person.

TUC on new GDP figures

Commenting on the news that the UK economy is back in recession, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
"This is worse than expected. There has been no growth over the last year, and the economy is 0.5 per cent smaller than six months ago.
"Austerity isn't working. The government should look across the Atlantic and follow President Obama's alternative that has reduced unemployment and brought growth back to the USA."

New location for Chesterfield's May Day Gala

Chesterfield's Crooked Spire

Chesterfield’s 35th May Day Gala, on Bank Holiday Monday May 7th, will this year take place in Rykneld Square, outside the Tourist Information Office and underneath the Crooked Spire. The move prompted by the renovation of the Town’s Market Hall will mean the stalls this year will be located mainly in the Winding Wheel.

As usual, people will assemble at 10.30 AM outside the Town Hall. At 11.00AM the march will proceed, banners aloft, towards the Town Centre. This year, due to roadwork’s, the parade will not cover the distance of previous years - many participants will be grateful for that! The Ireland Colliery Band will lead the march and the Nottingham Samba Band will add to the carnival atmosphere of the occasion. On arriving at Rykneld Square, the May Day crowds will be addressed by Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS, the Public and Commercial Services Union, Toby Perkins MP for Chesterfield and Cheryl Pidgeon representing the construction workers Union UCATT. Bringing news of the situation facing Greek workers will be Kostas Katarahais, General Secretary of the Greek Health Workers Union who is based in a Greek Cancer Hospital in Athens.

Following the speeches, Rykneld Square will burst into music and dancing with Merry Hell supported by Metrum and Orchid Star. Some community stalls will be erected around Rykneld Square and on the green space in front of the Crooked Spire along with a bouncy castle for the kids. The rest of the stalls and exhibitions will be in the Winding Wheel. They will be joined in the auditorium by the Nottingham Clarion Choir, the Brampton Community Band, Ichabod, the Boomerang Generation and Kworyl. There will also be an exhibition of anti-war art by Chris Holden and a slideshow depicting peace activism in Chesterfield since the Second World War. At the Crooked Spire Church itself, there will be an exhibition of peace paintings by the children of Bethlehem Peace School of Palestine throughout the wekend.
In North East Derbyshire District Council Chamber at 1.30pm a meeting will take place entitled ‘Overcoming the North-South divide’. If that’s not your thing then there is break dancing on Vicar Lane throughout the day with flying acrobatics, fancy footwork and death defying dance.
As part of the May Day Festivities Sheffield’s Roy Bailey will be performing in a concert for peace on the Sunday Night prior to the bank holiday hosted by Chesterfield Stop War and on Monday evening there will be an event hosted by the Chesterfield Co-operative Party entitled Love, Life and Liberty. Both activities will be in the Winding Wheel.
‘A carnival parade, a brass band, rabble rousing speeches, international and local bands and performers, art and theatre – there is something for everyone, young and old, at the best May Day Gala in the country.’ said James Eaden President of Chesterfield & District Trades Union Council ‘With Government’s crudely attempting to recoup their system’s losses, workers are under attack all across Europe. We must stick together, campaign together but also dance, sing and celebrate the cultural activities of working people the world over.’ James went on to say.

Car park levy fuels industrial action

Nottingham Council House

Hundreds of workers in Nottingham are to take industrial action in protest at being asked to pay an annual levy to park their cars.



The GMB said its members employed by Imperial Tobacco face an annual bill of GBP288 after the company decided to pass on the cost of the levy, which is being imposed by Nottingham City Council.
Workers will ban overtime from the end of the month and will work to rule for the first week in May.
GMB official Chris Needham said: "The company is adamant it is going to pass on this workplace car parking levy of GBP288 a year to its employees.
If there is to be a workplace car parking levy, the employers should pay it.
"The council say they want to raise GBP14 million a year from this levy, which is a straightforward tax on jobs, whoever pays it."

Income per head set to remain flat throughout 2012

Income per head - economic growth that takes account of population change - fell throughout 2011 and is forecast to remain flat in 2012, the TUC says today (Tuesday) ahead of the preliminary estimate of the first quarter 2012 GDP growth figures published tomorrow. With the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasting growth of 0.8 per cent in 2012 - exactly the same as the UK's current rate of population growth - income per head in the UK will not grow until 2013.
It will take a further four years for the UK to enjoy the same the level of income per head as it did in 2007, confirming fears that the country could be in the midst of a lost decade unless the government changes its economic strategy, says the TUC.
A TUC analysis shows that income per head grew by around 2.8 per cent a year between 1993 and 2007. The UK therefore needs quarterly GDP increases of between 0.7 per cent and 0.8 per cent to get back to pre-recession levels of economic growth. Any growth short of this shows that our economy is still under-performing, says the TUC.
The TUC wants the government to change course and move towards an ambitious programme of investment in jobs to get the economy growing and the deficit down, rather than the self-defeating austerity that has meant 2.6 million people being out of work and millions more under-employed in part-time and temporary jobs.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "After last year's disastrous performance, we're all hoping that the UK economy has finally started growing again.
"But we shouldn't allow the constant lowering of expectations to turn the avoidance of a double-dip recession into something to celebrate.
"The fact is that the UK economy has been under-performing for over a year and will continue to do so as full-blown austerity kicks in. The government's economic strategy risks creating a lost decade of low growth and high joblessness.
"We need only look across the Atlantic to see how the alternative to austerity - an ambitious programme of investment in jobs - is helping to turn the US economy around. The Chancellor needs to learn lessons from the economic success in the US, rather than continue with the self-defeating cuts that are dragging down economies right across Europe."

DUWC 'Snakes and Ladders' debt game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atntCJ3h3S4&feature=youtu.be

On Friday April 20th Shirebrook Market Place was the venue for the first outing for the 'Snakes and Ladders' debt game produced by the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres (DUWCs).

Dennis Skinner MP, Natascha Engel MP rolled the first dice on a life size game of Snakes and Ladders. The game, which everyone knows from childhood, seeks to show how difficult it can be to achieve a secure full-time job that will lift a person and their family out of poverty.

Cllr Anne Western and Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Rob Johnston also joined members of the public in playing the game throughout the morning

A YouTube video of the game can be viewed by following this link:
“I got the idea from a group of people experiencing poverty who are in the organisations Migrant Voice and ATD Fourth World.” said Colin Hampton Co-ordinator of the DUWCs, “They produced a mural depicting a game of Snakes and Ladders expressing the policies and practical guidance that helps people achieve their goals and those which prevent a person from escaping poverty often making things worse.”

“I was very impressed.” Colin went on to say “I asked them if I could develop the idea as an educational tool making a life-size version using people as counters. They gave me the thumbs up and Bolsover Local Strategic Partnership agreed the funding through Community Voluntary Partners CVP.”

DUWCs say that Public Attitudes Surveys show an alarming ignorance of the causes of poverty and the difficulties that people face. A majority put poverty down to bad luck, personal failing or a natural occurrence. DUWCs argue that research shows that poverty is fuelled by a range of factors as well as being closely linked to the start a person has in life.

“We hope that through this game we can show people the ladders– Credit Unions, high quality training, job creation, support and advice that can help people achieve their potential.” Colin went on to say. “We also want to highlight the pitfalls that many people face – the cutting of benefits, the breakdown of relationships, discrimination against those suffering ill health and disability to name but a few.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atntCJ3h3S4&feature=youtu.be

Pasty Tax campaign hits Dudley

BFAWU general secretary Ronnie Draper, left with local organiser Rosa Crawford

 

Today, the West Midlands Action Pasty Tax campaign hit Dudley town centre where mid day shoppers and workers were informed of governmnt plans to impose 20% VAT on their favourite lunch.
We were delighted to welcome Bakers Food and Allied Workers General Secretary Ronnie Draper to Friday's session. Ronnie is pictured with Local organiser Rosa Crawford - during one of the spells it didn't rain.
Mr Draper said, "It is really important that Dudley folk know of the governments plans to tax their lunchtime food and this campaign is doing great work to highlight this tax on working people."

Midlands TUC (@MidlandsTUC) has shared a tweet with you

The fullest public gallery @Derbyshirecc I can remember since covering the council. @bbcemt here too for 6.30 tonight. http://t.co/Gjd1BKf6 -- Chris Doidge (@BBCChrisD)

Vincent Dlamini, President of Swaziland's National Allied and Public Service Workers Union to speak at Wolverhampton May Day

Vincent Dlamini, President of Swaziland's National Allied and Public Service Workers Union  

is announced as a speaker at Wolverhampton's 18th annual international Workers' Day celebration 

on Tuesday 1st May 2012. The celebration starts at 7 pm at the Pegasus, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton WV6 0QQ

Other speakers include:

Jamima Fagta Kanlungan Filipino Alliance

Penny Welch Chairperson West Midlands UCU union

Yvonne Washbourne West Midlands Asbestos Support

Indian Workers Association speaker

Performers:

Moqapi Selassie Rastafari dub poet

Transit Trix B-Boy & B-Girl breakers 

Broken Dialect young Wolverhampton rappers 

free buffet, stalls, bouncy castle and mehndi

This is a free entry event organised by Wolverhampton May Day Committee and funded by local trade union donations

Stubborn inflation means real wages keep on falling

Commenting on the latest inflation figures published today (Tuesday) which show that consumer price index (CPI) annual inflation rose to 3.5 per cent and retail price index (RPI) annual inflation fell to 3.6 per cent in March, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

"Inflation is not falling as fast as many hoped. With pay growth also weak, families are getting poorer every month.

"Wages have been falling since mid 2010 and the government's own forecasters are predicting a three year earnings drop.

"You cannot build a sustainable economic recovery off the back of people getting poorer so ministers must do everything they possibly can to get more money into people's pockets.

"Giving families a few hundred extra pounds in their personal allowance, while taking away thousands more in tax credit cuts is not the way to ease the strain on people's finances."

Tax is not just something for 'the little people', says the TUC

Commenting on government figures published today (Monday) showing the numbers of super-rich individuals in the UK that pay less than the 20 per cent basic rate of income tax, Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Rob Johnston said:

"These are truly shocking figures. For too many of Britain's super-rich, tax is something for the little people.

"Unfortunately the government is making the mistake of trying to deal with tax reform in a piecemeal way - one day rewarding the very wealthy with a cut in their tax rate, the next trying to unpick their allowances that benefit charitable institutions.

"Instead what we need is a proper and comprehensive review of our tax system -  one that sets out to make tax fair for everyone and means the super-rich start to pay effective tax rates much higher than the seemingly voluntary rates they pay at the moment."

Getting the message out!

Campaigners in Nuneaton are out this morning getting the Hope not hate Newspaper out across Camp Hill. "Folding the newspaper before it goes out saves lots of time", says ace campaigner Philipa. Pictured are the folded newspapers - getting the anti BNP message across to as many residents as possible.

MP's play Snakes and Ladders to highlight the plight of those in poverty

On Friday April 20th at 10 a.m Dennis Skinner MP and Natascha Engel MP will roll the first dice on a life size game of Snakes and Ladders. Shirebrook Market Place is the venue and it will be the first outing for the game produced by the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres (DUWCs).

The game, which everyone knows from childhood, seeks to show how difficult it can be to achieve a secure full-time job that will lift a person and their family out of poverty.

“I got the idea from a group of people experiencing poverty who are in the organisations Migrant Voice and ATD Fourth World.” said Colin Hampton Co-ordinator of the DUWCs, “They produced a mural depicting a game of Snakes and Ladders expressing the policies and practical guidance that helps people achieve their goals and those which prevent a person from escaping poverty often making things worse.”

“I was very impressed.” Colin went on to say “I asked them if I could develop the idea as an educational tool making a life-size version using people as counters. They gave me the thumbs up and Bolsover Local Strategic Partnership agreed the funding through Community Voluntary Partners CVP.”

DUWCs say that Public Attitudes Surveys show an alarming ignorance of the causes of poverty and the difficulties that people face. A majority put poverty down to bad luck, personal failing or a natural occurrence. DUWCs argue that research shows that poverty is fuelled by a range of factors as well as being closely linked to the start a person has in life.

“We hope that through this game we can show people the ladders– Credit Unions, high quality training, job creation, support and advice that can help people achieve their potential.” Colin went on to say. “We also want to highlight the pitfalls that many people face – the cutting of benefits, the breakdown of relationships, discrimination against those suffering ill health and disability to name but a few.”

Following the high profile players, including Cllr Eion Watts and Cllr Anne Western, members of the public will be invited to play the game.

“We hope that at the end of the game people will realise that poverty does not only exist in developing countries. Many people in the UK are living hand to mouth with no bank account, few local shops and constantly juggling bills and debts.” Colin concluded.

After the launch the game will be exhibited at Shirebrook Academy on Thursday 26th April, Bolsover School on May 12th and at Galas and events throughout the spring and summer.

Pictures from today's Pasty Tax campaign in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton shoppers were very receptive to our Pasty tax cam[paign - although it came as a shock to some that the government wanted to tax their favourite lunchtime meal.
Pictures highlight some of the campaign activity earlier today.

Pasty tax campaign hits Wolverhampton

TUC campaigners hit the streets of Wolverhampton today to protest against the governments unfair tax on hot take away food. Local organisers Rosa Crawford and Zoe Parish were distributing leaflets to local shoppers informing them of the 20% VAT hike.

TUC says ‘Don’t Tax Black Country’s Pasties’

This week Midlands TUC will launch a campaign against four local MPs’ support for the ‘Pasty Tax’ announced by Chancellor George Osbourne in his recent Budget. This tax will introduce VAT on previously untaxed hot take away food. This will make lunch 20% more expensive for thousands of people in the Black Country. Rosa Crawford and Zoe Parish, TUC Local Organisers comment:

“The TUC thinks it is unfair that ordinary people should have to pay more tax when they are already struggling with the impact of the Government’s austerity programme. It’s particularly sad that that local MPs Margot James, Chris Kelly, James Morris and Paul Uppal support the ‘Pasty Tax’ as it will hit their least well off constituents the hardest. This is because less well off people spend more proportionately than the wealthiest on goods that attract VAT. That’s why we’re asking people to join our campaign to call on their local MP to reject the Pasty Tax and support more progressive economic policies.”



Instead of taxing local people’s lunches, the TUC is calling on the government to:

• Increase tax on top bonuses that are more than ten times the average salary (bonuses above £260,000)

• Introduce a Robin Hood tax on financial transactions by banks

• Crack down on tax avoidance, which could raise billions of pounds a year


Over the next ten days TUC Organisers will be leafleting members of the public in Wolverhampton, Halesowen, Stourbridge and Dudley to remind them of the impact of the Pasty Tax and to encourage them to support the TUC’s campaign.

Supporters will be asked to show their support by texting ‘PASTY SOS’ to 85515 (texts charged at standard network rate). For more information please email: tucwestmidsaction@tuc.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @TUCWestMids.