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.