NHS - 65th Birthday Party on the beach at Weston super Mare

Here's a photo from today courtesy of Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary, South West TUC

Weston Hospital Anti-Privatisation Campaign - Organising Meeting on 2nd July

In order to develop a strategy to fight the Privatisation of Weston General Hospital, we have arranged an organising meeting for all interested parties. The details are:

Tuesday 2nd July
 7 - 9 pm

Upstairs room at Weston Working Men’s Club
6 - 10 Orchard Street
Weston-Super-Mare
BS23 1RQ

If you have any good ideas and want to contribute, or if you want to help oppose this threat, please come along.

Keep Weston Hospital in the NHS - Public Meeting on 29th June

TUC Austerity Uncovered Bus in Weston super Mare on 29th June

COME ALONG AND TELL YOUR STORY ABOUT HOW THE CUTS ARE AFFECTING YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR COMMUNITY

SATURDAY 29th JUNE

WESTON SUPER MARE

9.30 am - 2.30 pm at Weston Football Club, Winterstoke Road, Weston super Mare, BS24 9AA

3 - 5 pm at the For All Healthy Living Centre, 68 Lonsdale Avenue, Weston super Mare, BS23 3SJ

Britain is hurting. Too many politicians have no idea just how tough life is for the many. Prices are rising while wages are held back. Service cuts are biting hard. And getting tough on cheats is used as an excuse to cut vital benefits and tax credits for millions who have played by the rules.

In June 2013, the TUC and Britain’s trade unions will be travelling across the country letting people tell their own story about life in Britain today. We are making videos, blogging what we find, and bringing journalists to report life on the front line of austerity Britain.

We are gathering the evidence to convict government policies. They are hurting, but they are not working.

Download the flyer here

More information at: http://austerityuncovered.org/

Unite the Resistance Bristol Event - 8th June

Unite the Resistance Bristol Event
Saturday 8 June, 12 - 4pm
Ashley Down Centre, City of Bristol College, Refectory, Ashley Down Road, Bristol BS7 9BU

Speakers include:

Jane Aitchison, PCS and Unite the Resistance Joint National Secretary
Anne Lemon, NUT National Executive
Liz Lawrence, UCU National Vice President
Kevin Beazer, CWU South West Regional Secretary (on behalf of the general secretary)
Andy Wilkes, Leading Unite rank and file electrician from the recent dispute that beat the BESNA pay attack
Kevin Doogan, Author of New Capitalism? The Transformation of Work
Phil Chamberlain, UWE academic and investigative journalist into blacklisting
Rob Murthwaite, Disabled People Against Cuts
Support Stafford Hospital, Leading organiser of 30,000 strong march to save the A&E

Some speakers are appearing in a personal capacity

Download the flyer here

Congratulations to our Secretary on his re-election as Chair of the South West TUC

Richard Capps, the Secretary of Weston & North Somerset Trades Union Council, has been re-elected as Chair of the South West TUC. Congratulations to Richard and also to Rosie McGregor from the White Horse Trades Union Council.

Sign the petition for a Living Wage in North Somerset

The Weston & North Somerset Trades Union Council, which is a joint trade union group representing workers in transport, communications, local government, teaching and the civil service, has today launched a petition to urge North Somerset Council to adopt the Living Wage and use its influence as a community leader to encourage employers across North Somerset to pay their staff the living wage.

Research by the South West TUC released during Living Wage Week (November 4 – 10, 2012) showed that 26% of workers (22,463) in North Somerset earn less than £7.20 an hour – the lowest rate that campaigners believe supports a decent standard of living outside London. From November 2012 the Living Wage was increased to £7.45 an hour.

The Living wage has many benefits. First of all it lifts families out of in work poverty - it is a very depressing fact that of all the children living in poverty in the UK over half of them (55%) live in a family where at least one parent is working. Many of the people who regularly use our local foodbank are also in work. Paying the living wage will have economic benefits for the district and the country as a whole. The extra income in people’s pockets translates into extra spending in the local economy, thereby stimulating demand and ensuring local businesses remain sustainable. In addition paying the living wage results in massive savings to the costs of the benefits bill in terms of reduced spending on working tax credits, child tax credits, housing benefit and council tax benefit. Currently we have a situation where the taxpayer is actually subsidising employers who pay their staff low wages. Employers who have implemented the living wage have also found that it encourages higher quality of work, and makes workers more willing to implement changes in their working practices. Businesses who have implemented the living wage have seen benefits including: improved recruitment and retention of staff, less absenteeism, and increased consumer awareness of their organisation’s commitment to be an ethical employer.

Sign the petition now by following this link: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/a-living-wage-for-north-somerset.html

You can also download paper copies of the petition to print out and take into your workplace here.

If you are an organisation who would like to sign up to our campaign please download our Campaign Statement here.

Signed campaign statements and petitions can be returned to Living Wage North Somerset Campaign, c/o UNISON Office, Town Hall, Weston super Mare, BS23 1UJ