This is what cuts really mean

Cotmanhay used to have a thriving 60 place nursery. Cuts meant it closed. So no kids coats will be seen on these pegs again. Cuts, who needs them? Not pre school children for sure.

Monday - its Ilkeston for the Austerity bus

This week has started with a visit to the Arena Church in Ilkeston where we are filming personal stories again. Next is the Cotmanhay Sure Start Centre.

NASUWT Teachers and Lecturers strike to protect jobs at Chesterfield College

Members of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ trade union, will be taking strike action on  Thursday June 20^th at Chesterfield College. NASUWT completely rejects the claims made by the Chesterfield College management that the reduction in staffing is inevitable and has to be done.

Keith Muncey, National Executive Member for Derbyshire of the NASUWT said:

“The college refers to these redundancies as an:  “…unfortunate result of a process to match staffing needs to teaching demands.”

This is far more than “unfortunate” for the staff concerned who have been treated appallingly. There has been no concern for their welfare or for the fact that they have families to care for and mortgages to pay.

The college’s idea of Human Resource Management seems to be sack them if you don’t need them and, if you do need them, appoint new ones on zero hours contracts and then you’ll only have to pay for the time that they work.”

It is true that there has been a reduction in the numbers of students attending the college and that the demands for college courses has changed in the light of a greater emphasis on the training required for apprenticeships.

NASUWT asserts that this should not inevitably lead to the crude tactics being deployed by the college management who have again used the expedient of using a redundancy tactic for the third year in a row.

The college has known about the changing demographic of the population of the Chesterfield College catchment area for many years and has persistently failed to adapt its staffing strategy to meet this change.

Keith Muncey said:

“NASUWT is dismayed by the fact that the college has failed to invest in its established staff to train and prepare them for the changing needs of the college and has continued to recruit externally where there is staffing expertise available on the existing college staff.

It appears to have completely rejected the need to train and invest in its staff to be able to meet the changing needs of Further Education in Chesterfield.”

NASUWT members will continue their fight to protect their jobs from this vicious attack by Chesterfield College management.                                                         

Photos from Austerity Uncovered tour in Cannock

The second day of the Austerity Uncovered tour of the UK took place in Cannock. The tour included visits to the warehouse and a distribution point of Cannock Food Bank, a visit to plastic manufacturers and suppliers firm BI Composites, which has been working hard to stay afloat and preserve the jobs of dozens of men and women in the town. We also spent several hours in the Market Place talking to people both young and old who had experiences of the affects of government policy on them and their families.

Now at Cannock Food Bank

Following the visit with David at the food bank warehouse this morning, we are now visiting a distribution centre where those who have been referred can receive up to three days food. People are referred by one of  60 designated individuals, and supported by 80 volunteers. 2013 in Cameron's Britain.

Women's committee on tour in Cannock

The TUC Women's committee have continued their austerity tour here in Cannock, with their placards depicting wage demands in 1913, 1963, and 2013. They are touring the shopping centre talking to people about the Living Wage as part of our Austeriy Uncovered campaign.

Austerity uncovered reaches the centre of Cannock

We have now reached the market place in Cannock, listening to the church bells and enjoying talking to people in the sunshine!

Austerity bus in Cannock

The Austerity Uncovered bus has reached the heights at Cannock, tower blocks of Birmingham in the background.

Austerity Uncovered bus tour - the Dudley photo record from today

The TUC Austerity Uncovered bus tour hit Dudley for the first day of our nationwide search for personal testimonies of how the government's policies are affecting ordinary people. Below are a few photographs of the event which received support from a host of quarters. Unions present today included the GMB, Unite, UNISON, the Musicians Union and MiP. 

The TUC Women's Committee and  Retired Members Forum were present to help talk to people  - and organise a low pay stunt showing relative pay demands from 1913, 1963, and the present day. Thanks to all those who turned out on a cold and rainy day in such numbers to support the campaign.

Austerity thoughts #4

Says it all!

Austerity thoughts #3

Another thought...

Thoughts for today.... #1

People in Dudley have been identifying those issues causing them conern and writing them down for us...

And the music played!

Thanks to Elliott Morris from the Musicians Union, entertaining shoppers in Dudley Market Place as part of the TUC Austerity Uncovered bus tour.

And we are looking for.....

The Midlands TUC Women's committee perform their low pay stunt with pay demands from 1813, 1963, and 2012 in Dudley market place.

Austerity Uncovered bus arrives

The TUC Austerity Uncovered tour has started in Dudley this morning with the liveried bus in the market place. We have already done a number of interviews and are being supported by members of our Retired members network and Dudley councillors. Waiting for the musian ti arrive!

TUC Austerity Uncovered bus to hit the road for two weeks in June

For two weeks this month the TUC’s Austerity Uncovered bus will be visiting communities in towns and cities across England to reveal more about the true impact government economic policy is having upon ordinary people and their families.

Starting out in Dudley in the West Midlands on Monday 17 June, the special liveried white and red double-decker Austerity Uncovered bus will then head to 20 English towns and cities finishing up on Saturday 29 June in Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset.

At each stop, people will be invited to talk about their personal experiences of austerity for possible inclusion in a documentary film the TUC has commissioned about the tour.

They will also be asked if they’d like to send messages to the government about how the combination of spending cuts, changes to benefits and falling wages is affecting them as well as their families and friends.

As the TUC’s Austerity Uncovered bus crosses the country, it will visit food banks, unemployed centres, charities and voluntary organisations that have had their funding cut, companies where jobs are at risk, colleges where students have lost the educational maintenance allowance, hospitals, and a host of other organisations affected by the cuts.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady will join the bus on the Liverpool leg of the tour, along with UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis and the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson. Together with young people affected by the cuts, the three will take part in a photo opportunity while the bus is parked up near the Liverpool Echo Arena at 8.45am on Wednesday 19 June (further details to follow).

The Wales TUC and Scottish TUC are also hiring buses for their own Austerity Uncovered tours, which will run in parallel with the TUC one.

As part of the TUC campaign against austerity, Unite and a number of unions have also chartered two People United buses this month which between them plan to visit over 30 towns and cities in England.

Both People United buses will start out from the People’s Assembly event in London on Saturday 22 June – at which Frances O’Grady is speaking – and then will head off in different directions, meeting up again at Trafford Hospital on Friday 5 July.

The full itinerary of the TUC’s Austerity Uncovered bus is:

Monday 17 June               Dudley

Tuesday 18 June               Cannock

Wednesday 19 June       Liverpool

Thursday 20 June             Salford, Manchester and Carlisle

Friday 21 June                   Newcastle, Sunderland and Stockton on Tees

Saturday 22 June              Sheffield

Sunday 23 June Halifax and Calderdale

Monday 24 June               Nottingham

Tuesday 25 June               Northampton, Corby and Kettering

Wednesday 26 June       Luton

Thursday 27 June             Reading

Friday 28 June                   Swindon

Saturday 29 June              Weston-super-Mare

Women Chainmakers' Festival - the photo record

The ninth Women Chainmakers festival took place on Bearmore park, Cradley Heath on Saturday 8th June. The festival is growing year on year, with the help of glorious sunshine both on the day of the festival and during the setup on the Thursday and Friday.
This year we were honoured by the presence of the TUC President, Lesley Mercer who headlined the speakers, together with Gloria Mills, Head of Equalities at UNISON.

Local artist performed in the Leftfield marquee, and we had new attractions with Birmingham University Archery Club, the Jockey Mens Morris Club and Cradley (or is it Dudley?) Heathens Speedway Team.

Our "Mile for Mary" paper chain challenge produced - well, maybe not quite  mile - but a seriously long chain which decorated the Family Tent in a way not seen before.

An expanded Community tent saw many more local organisations and traders on the site which was great to see.

We also organised our first commemoration at the Chainmakers Monument in Mary MAcarthur Memorial Gardens and our second banner procession along Cradley Heath High Street to the festival.

Thanks to all those who played a part in making the festival such a special occasion.

Friday night at the Chainmakers

Our first "Friday night at the Chainmakers"  on the festival site at Bearmore Park in Cradley Heath was an opportunity to showcase some of the best musical talent in the Black Country - including the Sandwell Rock school based at Holly Lodge. The Rock school are made up of local school children, -who in my humble view are superb musicians and singers - plus those that have left school but come back to support current members of the group.

We were delighted that the TUC President, Lesley Mercer from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, was able to present a cheque for £250 to the Rock School to show our appreciation of the work done in giving young people such a fantastic opportunity.

Joining us for this special evening was Stacey Blythe who composed and performed the Chainmakers' song .

Lesley Mercer at Chainmakers monument

TUC President Lesley Mercer is touring Cradley Heath and is pictured with the monument to the Chainmakers. Next, we are off to the library near Bearmore park.

Community tent goes up next

Next on the agenda is the Community tent which will host stalls from local traders and artisans. Behind is the local Mosque which so kindly let's us use their facilities on the show day.

The stage goes in The Leftfield

It's all happening at Bearmore park as the stage goes into the Leftfield marquee. Also in place is the bar for Friday night at the Chainmakers, its coming together!

The tents have arrived

Great to see Josie and Les and their team have arrived to put up the marquees for the Chainmakers festival.

Parking at the Women Chainmakers festival

We strongly urge that you do not attempt to park in the streets around Bearmore Park as festival parking has been arranged a ten minute walk from the site. This is at Hickman's Avenue, Cradley Heath, B64 5ND and we are running a shuttle service between Hickmans Avenue and Plant Street from 11.00 a.m. until 5.00 p.m.

There are 20 spaces for disabled people with blue badges for their cars at the festival site, access from Clyde Street, B64 6DQ.

For those of you who wish to attend the commemoration at the Chainmakers monument we suggest you use the car park near Cradley Heath railway station, bottom left of map below, £2 per day for parking. 
 

Bring your banners and flags to Chainmakers

If you are coming to Saturday's Women Chainmakers festival don't forget to bring your union banners and flags.
If you have the feather or teardrop flags like the TUC flag in the photo bring them and plant them on the festival site, the more the merrier!

Jobs Fair at Birmingham University

Our first students at the TUC stall at the jobs fair with our new promotional carrier bags. Will be talking to our student stewards later who will be helping at the Chainmakers festival in Saturday.

Final Line up at the Women Chainmakers festival...........

We are delighted to announce the final line up for this weekends commemoration of the Women Chainmakers' strike in 1910...

Women Chainmakers’ festival to return to Bearmore Park in Cradley Heath

The Festival celebrating an historic strike by Women Chainmakers will return to Cradley Heath this weekend.

The ninth Women Chainmakers festival will be held in Bearmore Park in Cradley Heath on 8^th June, preceded by a new addition to the festival –“Friday night at the Chainmakers”.

The venue for both events, Bearmore Mound, is in the heart of the Cradley Heath community where the Chainmakers worked and lived - and fought their successful ten week dispute to secure a minimum wage for their sector.

The festival has been jointly organised by the Midlands Region of the TUC and Sandwell council and will feature the TUC President, Lesley Mercer, speaking at the events.

Midlands TUC festival organiser Alan Weaver said, “We are delighted to bring the Chainmakers back to Cradley Heath for the third year running.”

“This places our joint celebration of Mary Macarthur, who led the strike in 1910, back in the heart of the community where the women fought for their rights to a minimum wage.”

“It was a great achievement and we are indebted to Sandwell Council for their support in helping us continue to celebrate this important event. We are looking to make this festival an integral part of Cradley Heath for the foreseeable future and look forward to a long and successful partnership with the council to make this happen.”

The festival will also include a commemoration at Mary Macarthur Gardens here the monument dedicated to the Chainmakers is situated. This will start at 11.00 a.m. to be followed by a banner parade along Cradley Heath high Street to Bearmore Park, along part of the very route used by Macarthur and the women Chainmakers.

Notes to Editors:

The festival celebrates the achievements of 800 or so women Chainmakers who fought to establish a minimum wage for their labour. The local employers sought to deny them their rights but were met with forceful opposition, led by Mary Macarthur, who founded the National Federation of Women Workers and later stood for Parliament as a Labour candidate.

Friday night at the Chainmakers takes place on Bearmore Mound from 7.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. on Friday 7^th June.

Performers on Friday Night include Sandwell Rock School and Stacey Blythe singing the Chainmakers Song.

The ninth Women Chainmakers festival takes place at Bearmore Mound on Saturday 9^th June from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and will feature TUC President, Lesley Mercer, Gloria Mills, UNISON Head of Equalities, and local black country performers including The Laners, Phil Parton, Easy Street, Tom Martin Band, Steve Morris, Bill O’Brien, East West Fusion, Brett Huckerfield and Marie Timmins, Folk Law, Carol Widenbar, Tony Scott and Billy and Lozz.