Category: Anti – Racism
GOOD NEWS: Update on proposed sacking of “Barnet Two”
Defend the “Barnet Two” update
Today I can confirm that the proposal to sack our only two welfare rights advisors has been suspended.
I will be going in to talks with our members next week.
I want to thank all the council workers who have sent messages of support including solidarity messages from the community and of course BAFTA winner Ken Loach and Ian Hodson President National President Bakers and Allied Food Workers Union BFAWU.
The lesson must be if you don’t challenge decisions then you will never know if you could have made a difference.
I am proud of the “Barnet Two” who despite the incredible stress and pressure they are under have managed to stay positive and focussed. I can see why both of them are excellent Welfare Advisors and why they are a credit to the Council.
Updates will follow.
John Burgess
UNISON rep.
Background links here.
“I am bloody angry”– The Cruellest Cut to Welfare Rights advisors
URGENT UPDATE “SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE” Update Welfare Rights
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2017/05/04/simply-unbelievable-update-welfare-rights/
Love UNIONS; Join Barnet UNISON “there’s a lot going on!”
As part of 8‑14 Feb 2017 Heartunions week of action
Barnet UNISON is publishing our calendar of action we have organised for our members and the community we serve.
A big thanks to all of our UNISON reps, officers and our admin for all the work they have done and continue to do for our members.
20 February “1 Day Without Us”
“We want to demonstrate our solidarity for our migrant colleagues”
“By wearing a purple or green ribbon. You can also just wear something green or purple.”
“By taking solidarity selfies of you and your workmates on 20th February”
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017.02.02-One-day-without-us-flyer.pdf #20Feb #1DayWithoutUs #BarnetUNISON
25 February “Sing Your Heart out 4 NHS”
“Join Barnet UNISON members and our fantastic Barnet residents in a musical message of solidarity for the NHS.”
We can now see what six years of austerity policies has had on the NHS which only recently was described by the Red Cross as a “humanitarian crisis”.
“Listen to Yannis Gourtsoyannis one of the Junior Doctors strikers talk first-hand about the NHS crisis”
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2017.01.09-Rock-Against-Austerity-flyer-1.pdf #NHS #BarnetUNISON
28 February “I Daniel Blake” – Phoenix Cinema – East Finchley
“We are absolutely delighted that our long-time supporter Ken Loach has agreed to join a Q & A with DPAC’s Paula Peters, who will be interviewed by Aditya Chakraborrty senior economics commentator for the Guardian.”
#IDanielBlake #BarnetUNISON
4 March – National “Save Our NHS” demo – Barnet UNISON
https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2017/01/25/barnet-unison-supports-nhs-workers-join-us-4marchnhs/ #NHS #BarnetUNISON
7 March Barnet UNISON AGM – Fighting Apartheid to Fighting Austerity
“I am deeply honoured to have as our grassroots speaker Paul Joseph. Paul born in South Africa, became a political activist in the anti-apartheid movement working closely with Nelson Mandela with whom he was good friends. We are all facing deeply troubling times both in the workplace and our homes and our communities. I strongly recommend our members to make time to attend our AGM and listen to Paul tell his story. Hopefully he will be able to give us some advice as to what we all can do and remain positive in these troubling times.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.
#PaulJoseph #Mandela #BarnetUNISON
18 March – United Nations “Stand Up to Racism” demo Barnet UNISON
Join the Barnet UNISON banner on what is becoming a seminal demonstration in wake of recent events across the globe.
http://www.standuptoracism.org.uk/national-demo-refugees-migrants-welcome-stand-racism-islamophobia-anti-semitism/ #StandUptoRacism #BarnetUNISON
Saturday 25 March “Join the Durham Teaching Assistants in Durham”
#ValueUs #FightingBack #BarnetUNISON
18 March – United Nations “Stand Up to Racism” demo Barnet UNISON
7 March Barnet UNISON AGM – “Fighting Apartheid to Fighting Austerity”
“I am deeply honoured to have as our grassroots speaker Paul Joseph. Paul born in South Africa, became a political activist in the anti-apartheid movement working closely with Nelson Mandela with whom he was good friends. We are all facing deeply troubling times both in the workplace and our homes and our communities. I strongly recommend our members to make time to attend our AGM and listen to Paul tell his story. Hopefully he will be able to give us some advice as to what we all can do and remain positive in these troubling times.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.
For more details about Paul please download our flyer here 2017.02.02 AGM leaflet
1 Day Without Us – Barnet UNISON
DOWNLOAD OUR FLYER HERE 2017.02.02 One day without us flyer
One Day Without Us – 20th February #1DayWithoutUs
2017.02.02 One day without us flyer
Barnet UNISON is asking all of our members (and non-members) to wear the colours (purple and green) to show solidarity with our migrant colleagues and the fantastic work they do with us.
On 20th February we would like also teams and schools to spend some time together to collectively acknowledge our colleagues and show we value our colleagues who have come from other counties to build their lives with us.
Hashtag on Twitter is #1DayWithoutUs
You can watch this short video explaining about One Day Without Us
No To Austerity – No to Racism – Saturday the 16th of July
After the referendum unite to demand…
No More Austerity – No To Racism – Tories Must Go
Barnet Meet Up : Saturday the 16th of July
11.30am Argyll Street
[Beside Oxford Circus Tube]
& look out for Our Banner.
The Tories have been plunged into crisis by the result of the EU referendum. David Cameron will soon be gone. The Tories will use Brexit to whip up anti-immigrant racism and accelerate their austerity policies and attacks on living standards. George Osborne has already threatened an emergency budget which will hit ordinary people hard.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Tories are weaker and more divided than they have ever been. It looks likely that an early General Election will have to be called when Cameron steps down. However people voted in the referendum, we now need to unite and take to the streets to demand an end to austerity policies, to stand up to anti-immigrant racism and show our solidarity with refugees and migrants.
This demonstration, called by the People’s Assembly and Stand Up to Racism, is the positive and united response to the political earthquake on 23 June.
We are not spectators while the Tories fall out. We must make ourselves participants in shaping the future.
We will not let racism grow; we demand an end to austerity.