Midlands News 40

From the Regional Secretary

April has seen the introduction of a raft of changes to the welfare system. Across the board the Government is taking an axe to benefits that will serve to push more people into penury and hardship. Yet, at the same time, the Government introduces a tax cut for millionaires.

The government rhetoric is now reality. The poor are blamed for being poor. And the poor are to be blamed for the economic crisis that was actually generated by the rich and powerful.

The Government insist that 'reforms' are designed to make work pay. Yet the Government's spin machine is all smoke and mirrors. Out of work benefits are not too high, the reality is that wages) are too low. And, what's more, if the Government was serious about making work pay, they shouldn't be taking an axe to vital in-work benefits that so many low-income workers rely upon to make ends meet.

Quite simply, the Government's tax and benefit changes are deeply unfair and hurt the most vulnerable. In whipping up unfounded fear and myths surrounding welfare, the Government hopes to obscure the reality of its austerity regime. It is vital that we continue to counter the cynical 'strivers / shirkers' rhetoric and to point out the facts.

FACT - Just over half of all children will be living below minimum income poverty standards by 2015 as a result of the government's welfare and tax reforms.

A majority of children living in poverty in just two years time is a damning indictment of the Government's failed austerity agenda. So let us continue to fight the myths and highlight the facts of austerity.

Action for Rail interview with BBC Radio Derby

At the end of this newsletter we have listed the Workers Memorial Day and May Day events that have been notified to us, if you are organising an event for either day then please send us the details and we will help advertise via the blog and website. Please email Michelle with the details: mkesteton@tuc.org.uk

Rob Johnston

Midlands TUC Regional Secretary

Action for Rail brave snow in Derby

RMT Regional Organiser Ken Usher being interviewed by BBC Radio Derby outside the railway station.

Midlands Rail unions were out campaigning at Derby station on March 27^th against government proposals for higher fares and staff and service cuts - while ensuring bigger profits for shareholders. Midlands organisers Ken Usher (RMT), Andy Botham, (Aslef) and Ant Barrable (TSSA) were joined by Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Rob Johnston and Cheryl Pidgeon, the Ucatt Midlands Regional Secretary.

Campaigners talked to commuters at Derby railway station and handed them a return ticket detailing government plans and asking them to send the attached postcard to their MP.

The leafleting was held before a meeting at a local venue where further plans were laid to continue the campaign. Watch this space for campaign updates.

Campaigners at the post leafleting meeting

PCS members take further action on pay, jobs....

A long weekend of industrial action by PCS members is taking place from 5 to 8 April.

The government has refused to sit down and negotiate over its cuts to pay, pensions and working conditions, which has prompted this action.

These walkouts are the next steps in the PCS three-month programme of industrial action and protests, which began with a national strike on budget day on 20 March.

This weekend's action starts at 1pm on Friday 5 April when tens of thousands of members in the civil service and related bodies walk out of their workplaces across the UK.

This includes all members covered by the national strike ballot except: HM Revenue and Customs and the Valuation Office; Home Office, UK Border Agency and border force.

HMRC and Valuation Office members will hold a half-day strike on Monday 8 April that will end at 1pm when they walk in to their workplaces.

As well as Friday marking the end of the tax year, from this week we will have extra pension contributions imposed while millionaires are handed a tax cut by this cabinet of millionaires.

Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Rob Johnston speaking at the Budget Day Rally held by PCS in Birmingham.

The walkouts also come days after a new civil service performance management system will have been imposed, about which we have been invited to no meaningful negotiations.

PCS Regions and branches are planning events across the UK to take place over that weekend in support of the national campaign and national overtime ban.

Disabled Members Forum highlight campaign aims for the next year

The first meeting of the Disabled Members Forum this year saw the Forum elect officers for the first time. The successful candidates were: Troy Davies was elected Chair of the Forum with Phil Norton elected as Vice Chair. The first secretary to the Forum is Alex De Winter. Congratulations to all of you.

The Forum agreed a plan of action for the year which will include a stall at the Women Chainmakers festival, feeding stories into the proposed Equalities newsletter, stalls at World Mental Health Day events, possibly joint working with the Midlands TUC Pensioners Network, and further fundraising events around World Aids Day. In setting this ambitious programme of activity the Forum is building on a successful body of work from 2012.

Members of the Forum are pictured at the meeting held at Thompsons Solicitors in Nottingham, to whom we are grateful for the use of their premises.

The Disabled Members Forum new Chair, Troy Davies, left, and Secretary Alex De Winter

Building Stronger Unions - regional briefings.

The TUC are developing a series of half day briefings for trade union Officers, Organisers and reps to help develop understanding of the challenges unions face in building membership and activity, and to assist in the development of effective strategies on organising and recruitment.

Sessions will run for between two and three hours and will feature presentations, activities and discussion. If you are interested in attending any of the briefings please contact mkesterton@tuc.org.uk to book your place

1) Defending the right to organise and represent members

This session is designed to help unions protect and promote facility time and use the paid time off that reps have more effectively. The session reflects on recent political and policy developments and considers how unions can make the case for facility time both within and beyond the workplace. The session will also include a demonstration of the TUC's new on-line Facility Time campaign module.

Date: April 23

Venue: UNITE, Transport House, 29 Burleys Way, Leicester LE1 3BE

Time: 10.00 - 13:00

2) The State of the Unions

This half day briefing draws on the latest Labour Force Survey statistics on Trade Union Membership and Bargaining Coverage and the Workplace Employment Relations Survey. The session will highlight some of the key national and regional issues arising from the latest statistics and consider the implications for unions and members.

Date: June 19

Venue: UNISON, 24 Livery Street, Birmingham, B3 2PA

Time: 10.00 - 13:00

3) Reaching Out - Organising new workplaces

This half day briefing covers how unions might reach out beyond workplaces and sectors where unions have existing members and recognition. In particular, it considers how unions might use existing bargaining relationships in public and larger private sector employers to influence workers in supply chains

Date: September 25

Venue: GMB 542 Woodborough Rd, Nottingham NG3 5FJ

Time: 10.00 - 13:00

Dates for your diary

Workers Memorial Day commemorations

Wolverhampton: 12.30 p.m. at the Workers Memorial Day tree, St Peter's Church, St Peter's Square, Wolverhampton WV1 1TS www.wolvestuc.org.uk info@wolvestuc.org.uk

May Day celebrations

Chesterfield May Day: details are now available at: http://chesterfieldmayday.org.uk
9.00am - 3.30pm. Stalls and Entertainment in Winding Wheel
10.30am. March Assembles at Town Hall
11.00am. March Off-Bruce Kent
11.30 a.m. Rally & Speeches in Rykneld Square
12.30pm. - 4.15pm. Live Entertainment in Rykneld Square

Refreshments available all day in the Winding Wheel provided by Derbyshire Unemployed
Workers' Centres.

Wolverhampton May Day: The Pegasus Pub, off Craddock Street, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, WV6 0QQ From 7.00 p.m.

Saturday 8th June - 9th Women Chainmakers' Festival, Cradley Heath

Friday 22nd November - Midlands TUC Awards Presentation evening, Nottingham

And don't forget the Blog......

We are publishing all our media releases on our blog: http://midlandstucmedia.blogspot.com/

This includes links to the False Economy website where cuts information is added on a daily basis:

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/

You can also follow us on Twitter @MidlandsTUC

Contact the Midlands TUC:

E: midlands@tuc.org.uk T: 0121 262 6383

Published by TUC Midlands Region, 24 Livery Street, Birmingham B3 2PA

Copyright in this publication is held by the TUC unless otherwise stated. For more copies of this newsletter contact Michelle Kesterton on tel: 0121 262 6383 or mkesterton@tuc.org.uk.

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