"Feeding Cats": Motion to Branch Committee....

(this is a real motion to a South London trade union branch committee May 2013. Straight out of Monty Python)

“Feeding Cats”

Unfortunately a serious Health & Safety/Environmental Health situation has
arisen in the ***** ****** branch office whereby some Branch Officers are creating unnecessary risks to their colleagues and the local communities Environmental Health and Safety.

It came to my attention several weeks ago that Branch Officers had left cat food out for a cat which they spotted in the office back garden. Local cats, feral and domestic, occasionally come into the office back garden and are generally not a problem. However, I objected to the actual feeding of cats
(feral or domestic) in the back garden by users of the office as unnecessary and irresponsible on the following grounds:

• When someone leaves food out to feed a “cat” in the back garden they are not just feeding one or more “cats” they are feeding all manner of feral animals, pests and vermin, i.e. Rats, Mice, Ants, Cockroaches, Flies, Insects, Pigeons, Foxes etc. etc.

• These creatures, if their numbers are not controlled in city areas, can cause nuisance, spread diseases (toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, psittacosis to name but three) and therefore be a potential danger to humans, children and families in the local area as well as users of the branch office and garden (and be a danger to other animals as well).

• If cats and other feral animals are seen in cities and in the vicinity of humans it is generally because there is already an abundance of food available in the area to sustain them; so they don’t actually need an easily available source of food to be provided for them by humans. Otherwise they wouldn’t be there they would be somewhere else where there is food available.

• It is not the responsibility of Branch Officers/council employees to feed feral animals while at work or in the workplace (local domesticated cats should be fed by their owners).

• Leaving food out in the garden simply encourages not only cats but all the other feral animals and pests as mentioned above to move into the area in increasing numbers. It encourages the presence of these animals where they don’t need to be (workplace environments can also be hazardous to animals) and so creates a problem where there doesn’t need to be one, and where one did not previously exist.

• If people wish to take irresponsible risks with their own health that is their right, however they have no right to take irresponsible risks with the health of other people, colleagues, and children and families in the local community.

I have therefore been shocked and appalled by the reaction to my objections to “feeding cats” by other Branch Officers and the Branch Secretaries and have been compelled to submit this motion in defence of a socially responsible position on H&S/Environmental Health issues. Not only were my above objections dismissed without any engagement of rational argument or discussion, other Branch Officers have seen fit to actually inflame the situation and make matters far worse.

One Branch Officer actually decided to go ahead with the idea (without permission or consultation) of continuing to put food out in the back garden indefinitely in order to deliberately lure the cat that was originally spotted (supposedly feral?) back into the garden so it can be “Trapped” then taken to
a Vet and neutered! Then what?

Unfortunately this ludicrous idea has been endorsed by the Branch Secretaries as a “sensible solution”! Again with no consultation. This “sensible solution” to a problem that has not previously existed and still doesn’t need to exist (Branch Officers are creating the problem) addresses none of my concerns about the long term consequences and damage to the local environment and local peoples, including children’s, health and well being caused by encouraging feral animals, pests and vermin.

• I also believe that staff leaving food out for animals in workplaces, which encourages pests and therefore creates a health hazard, is against Council Policy and breaches H&S policy.

• I believe UNISON Branch Officers “Trapping Animals” when not doing so in the capacity of their substantive post of a Council Officer/employee is illegal and breaches Council Policy.

I regret having to submit this motion when there should be more important issues to discuss but I believe it is now a matter of education on socially responsible attitudes towards Environmental Health and Health & Safety within the workers & Trade Union movement.

• I am simply calling for a socially responsible position where we do not encourage animals (feral or domesticated), pests and vermin in the workplace and community by leaving food out in the back garden. It is not necessary; it is a health risk and creates problems where they don’t need to exist.

Please vote to endorse this bullet point.

Barnet Casino - the video

Watch this clever YouTube cartoon video on the consequences of the privatisation of Council services in Barnet, London.

Rudderless trots?

(Guest post by Denver Walker) "As the Government of millionaires attacks on one front after another, the political ultra left is bereft of direction.

The catalogue of brutality unleashed by the side currently winning the class war would have been unimaginable even three years ago.

Yet never forget that the ultra left did their best to let the Tories win. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have gone over the same period as real wages have continued to fall in an unprecedented way. The tide of privatisation rising across the public sector has begun irreversibly to engulf the health service and now laps at the feet of postal workers.

The demonisation of claimants is gradually capturing the popular imagination as benefit cuts force us back to the nineteenth century. Legal aid cuts and employment tribunal fees (coupled with changes to rules on remission), together with other changes to employment law further hobble workers individually and collectively. Even the seemingly solid social gains of a generation of progress towards equality are fragile in this most reactionary century.

The defence of the public sector equality duty will be of totemic importance. So where is the opposition? The (capital "O") Opposition is Labour who can still mobilise meaningful opposition to "Tory cuts" (as in the London Fire Service) but is hamstrung by the ultra left's meaningless sloganising and selfish distructive gesture politics. In large part the absence of our Labour Party where we so badly need it is a function of a generation of ultra left grandstanding and stupidity on the part of extremists in the trade union leadership.

The strategic error of supporting Trotsky entryists and not the centre left in Labour in the 1990s has had cumulative, calamitous political consequences for the trade union movement which are still playing themselves out. Since the General Election the unions have mobilised around real and winnable issues such as pensions and have achieved incrediblely successful results.

The largest strike since the General Strike secured real meaningful concessions on public service pensions. Laughable attempts by extremists who want members to die in poverty to satisfy their perverse views undermine the morale and motivation of our activists. Pragmatic General Secretaries are staring into the horror and know what they can do as opposed to meaningless and futile oppositionalism.

Out on the further reaches of the left there is no direction or purpose. Those who hoped the Green Party was a new road to a new Jerusalem can pick their way through the litter strewn streets of Brighton as they contemplate their error. The largest far left political party has imploded, and those clinging to its wreckage simply haven't noticed yet that it is over (though it may not be dead for years - some people still sell the "Newsline").

The latest electoral project of the far left has broken all records for tragic irrelevance. Socialists might as well practice "entryism" in the Monster Raving Loony Party as continue to place hope in TUSC. Such is the lack of hope in ultra leftism that an excellent film maker has managed to lever his deserved reputation to promote the "Left Unity" project (which falls somewhere between Sir Richard Acland's Common Wealth Party and the political equivalent of vanity publishing).

There is no alternative to the Labour Party - and no matter how many lamps the middle class ultra left rub no such alternative appears. The political problem confronting the working class in this country, as throughout Europe, over the last generation is the political inadequacy of the wreckers and splitters in our trade unions, not the political label of the politicians we can vote for. They provoke and encourage infighting and allow the right wing to make us appear irrelevant. Unable to make a difference in the wider world, comrades retreat into squabbles they believe they can win even if no one else has a clue what on earth they are going on about.

Internecine strife between and within groups on the left will continue to get worse as long as we fail to change the script of this tale and tell them either to get on the bus or go forth and multiple. So what do we do? We don't just say sloganise. Wherever you are, working or unemployed, you can organise collectively to resist the ruling class offensive as best you can. We have suffered many defeats and will suffer more if the ultra left have their wrecking ways.

Lives are being ruined - and ended - and we, who should lead the resistance, are continuing to fail since we put up with those who want to destroy us and our unity for their selfish ludicrous politics So we must rethink, regroup and redouble our efforts. Due to the wreckers, some may be rudderless in a storm but that is no excuse for failing to keep the boat afloat. Our trade union movement, the oldest in the world, remains the largest voluntary organisation in UK civil society by a country mile. We are not weak. We are not powerless. We need not be ineffective.

We have just got to sort out the ridiculous sects and the fantasists who divide us.

Stratford & West Ham Spring Festival: Sunday 19 May

Reminder about tomorrow's (Sunday 19 May) free festival for residents in Stratford and West Ham.

It is taking place at the Stratford Centre, Broadway, E15 12-4pm.

Main Stage
12.00-12.05pm – Welcome from Cllr Freda Bourne
12.10-12.25pm – Ballroom taster
12.30 –12.45pm - Russian Souvenir Ensemble and the Sunshine Choir of ECC Globus
12.50-1.05pm - Portway Primary Senior Choir
1.10-1.20pm – Project G
1.25-1.45pm – Zumba
1.50-2.05pm - Carpenters Allsorts Choir
2.10-2.30pm – Caramel Rock Academy Fashion Show
2.35-2.50pm – Stratford East Poets
2.50-3.50pm – Time to Shine Talent Competition

 Activities:-
• Cake decorating competition; Please submit your entries
on arrival between 12noon-1.30pm
• Get Growing
• Art & crafts workshops
• Children’s play
• Health MOTs
• Dance performances
• Zumba workshop
• Massage therapies
• Dr Bike - FREE bicycle check and minor repairs made
• Libraries
And much, much more"

Newham Council AGM 2013

Last night (Thursday 16 May) was the Annual General Meeting of Newham Council, held in the main hall of the historic Old Town Hall in Stratford, Newham.

This is an important formal civic meeting. The Chair and Deputy Chair of Council is elected, Committee and Executive arrangements are announced while the Overview & Scrutiny and Audit reports are published.

At the beginning pupils from Selwyn Primary school had entertained guests with music (who had learnt to play under the Council "Every Child A Musician" programme"). 

The Newham Mayor, Sir Robins Wales then thanked the retiring Council head of regeneration, Clive Dutton and the 2012 Newham Young Mayor, Abraham Male.

Robin in his speech attacked the savage government cuts  that have affected our residents far more than the wealthy parts of London. The bedroom tax targets the poorest members of our society.

While millionaires nationally get a tax cut, government policies will see £13 million taken out of Newham people’s pockets in this financial year against the backdrop of a cut of a third of the Council’s budget over the last three years.

Robin believes that we must build resilience amongst Newham Residents not only to off set the cuts but to build a local society that is self reliant and more resilient. Check out his speech to the AGM here.

After the meeting there was a reception in the former West Ham Council chamber on the ground floor of the old Town Hall.

Christian Wolmer 4 London Labour Mayor?

Picture is of Christian Wolmer speaking to West Ham Labour Party General Committee last month.  We usually have a guest political speaker at every meeting to which we invite all members to attend.

Christian is well known as a transport expert but he also disclosed that he use to work for the Housing Charity Shelter.

He is one of the first Labour Party members to openly admit to wanting to be the Labour Party candidate for London Mayor in 2016.

He gave what I thought was a very competent speech about his vision for London and handled questions from members present quite well. He says he is "not a politician" which he believes could mean that he will get wider public support. He did however use (effectively) the old political technique of deflecting difficult questions by asking the questioner "what do they think is the solution?".

I am probably biased but I thought his comments about housing were more interesting than that on transport, as important as this issue is to congested London. Yet, I've looked (briefly) at his website tonight to remind me what he said about housing but can't find anything.

Unions Together Political School - apply now for Sept 2013 course

This video is from the organisation representing trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party called "Unions Together". Who have been leading a campaign to make politics more representative and encourage more working people to become Councillors and MP's. You may recognise one or two of the folk mentioned. I posted previously on this excellent course here.

"Our politics needs to change.

Of the MPs in Parliament at the moment:
a quarter went to Oxford or Cambridge
86 MPs used to be lawyers
156 MPs used to work in business
90 MPs used to work in politics
only 25 MPs used to work in manual jobs
fewer than 1 in 4 MPs are women.

That's why unionstogether is working to make our politicians more representative.

We are running a political school to open up politics to more people.

The unionstogether political school ran for the first time in 2012. It was set up to strengthen the link between union members and the Labour Party. If you want to use your skills as a union activist – skills like campaigning, negotiating and representing people – in your community, then this is the course for you.

The political school is an important part of making sure trade unionists are at the heart of the Party, making sure that the voices of working people continue to be heard in the Party that was founded out of the trade union movement.

The course is designed for people who are looking at different ways they could get substantially more involved.

It’s not an entry-level course about how politics and the Labour Party works. But it is for people who want to get politically involved in different ways. We’ll show you different ways you could use your union rep skills to represent your community now or in the future – as a Councillor, or even a Member of Parliament.

The next political school will begin in September 2013, with a residential weekend course, and applications are open until June 10th.

The course is primarily for people who are members of one of the affiliated trade unions that are part of unionstogether. If you are unsure if your union is affiliated to the Labour Party then you can check here. If you are a member of a union, but not a unionstogether union, and you want to apply for this course, then please do contact us".

My First Boris Bike Ride

Off message but today I finally did it - and after months of faffing around I bought a helmet and cycle clips then hired a Barclay (Boris) bike and rode from Holborn to London Liverpool Street station.

This is the London cycle sharing scheme. 

Of course they should be called "Ken's Bikes" since it was actually the idea of London Labour Mayor Ken Livingstone in 2007. Like a lot of Ken's ideas - Boris nicked them.

It took me about 20 minutes to work out how to log in and release a bike. The instructions on docking stations for first time users are pretty rubbish. Luckily for me some helpful staff were about relocating bikes. You have to set up a charge with your credit card and get a receipt then you have to reinsert your credit card to get a slip with an unlocking code. Once you know what you are doing then it is quite simple.You can order a key online to make things quicker.

The bike itself is pretty easy to ride and feels surprisingly light considering it is quite a big bike. The gears need a little getting use to but it is stable and being high off the ground gives you confidence. The front carrier basket is rather small but its better to store stuff here rather than a rucssack on your back. If you are not use to cycling in London it would be best for you to try out in quiet streets and at quiet times to get use to the bike before hitting the high road in peak traffic. 

I was on the whole, well impressed and will definitely give this mode of transport a try in coming months. Tomorrow I will be going to Mordon and may be able to cycle some of the way back to Islington.

UNISON NEC Elections: still 10 days of voting to go!!!

The biannual postal ballot elections for UNISON NEC is still on until May 24th.

If you haven't already voted (and the great majority of UNISON members will have not voted) you still have the chance to vote for the forces of light and progress such as my Community Colleague Isobel McVicar.  Have a look at this site for recommendations. 

So check out the pile of post in the kitchen drawer that you haven't got around to sorting out yet. If you did not receive a ballot paper ring UNISON direct on 0845 355 0845.

"Chavs", "lazy thinking" and Pension investments into Social Housing

A couple of weeks ago Pension Weekly published this useful article on "The risks and rewards of social housing".

I've been a pension trustee (of sorts) for about 16 years and during this time I have asked various property fund managers and professional advisers "why don't we invest in social housing?"

To which I have had a number of different replies, most of which have not been that convincing to be honest.

Why is there this apparent mismatch between  social housing providers who say that there is not enough investment available for them to build while pension funds say there is inadequate opportunities to invest in such long term stable investments linked to inflation?

Usually the first response from a fund manager to my question is a blank look, followed by a little bit of waffle about how their current property portfolio is so good then saying this is a "very good question" and that they will speak to their people and get back to me (they don't).

However, over the years I have been told that there is a "reputational risk" if a pension fund invests in social housing since the fund agents may have to evict residents for non payment of rent etc. Well, Councils for example already evict tenants for non payment of rent up and down the country yet they still run pension schemes?

At a drinks reception after a pension conference (I admit not a reliable source for information) I was told by a property fund manager that  no one invests in social housing because of the risk that "chavs" would turn up at their posh City HQ demanding that they fix their leaking central heating!

Only once or twice have I heard the argument that the return from investing in social housing is not good enough compared to other asset classes.  Now this is a real argument but rather odd since pension funds normally invest in a range of investments with variable returns in order to spread risk. I also understand that the yields from bonds issued from housing associations are far greater than gilts or other bonds?

I am also aware that it may be possible to get a greater possible return from an investment by a pension fund if it was able to share in the capital appreciation of new build social housing stock? Obviously the funds would have to take more risk to get this return but I am informed that it is risk that is currently putting off existing social landlords from making new investments. So why can't Councils and Housing Associations share this development risk with pension funds?

I suspect that the real problem is that property fund managers and advisers are use to what they know. One adviser told me that the excuses put forward by such managers is just "lazy thinking". They are experienced in investing in shiny new retail parks, hotels and warehouses. Investing in Social Housing is outside their comfort blanket. Also Housing Associations are not use to sharing the capital appreciation of their assets either.

We need to sort this out. In other countries I understand that pension funds invest in social housing as a matter of course. They make decent money for their beneficiaries and they build affordable homes for rent. Kick starting the economy with new construction starts is another important consideration you would think. How often do we get a possible win-win-win on such a question?