Owen TudorTunisian trade unionists are protesting about the levels of unemployment (officially 14%), despite attempts by the police to prevent them demonstrating. The Financial Times reports that the demonstrators are being penned in around the head of office of the UGTT (the Tunisian TUC), to stifle dissent – after several days of unrest in the capital, Tunis. The TUC has strong links with the UGTT, including a twinning arrangement between the UGTT Ben Arous region and TUC Yorkshire and the Humber (see this report of a 2008 conference).
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Just received information about the new blog for Birmingham Unemployed Workers’ Centre at Sparkbrook – http://birminghamuwc.wordpress.com/ - which got me thinking that we don’t do enough to sing the praises of the centres which are doing a great job in difficult circumstances. And it’s going to get worse for them with greater demands on their services because of the cuts to benefits and services for the low paid, vulnerable workers and the unemployed and less resources to work with. Why? Because of the cuts to local authority funding. Find out what the Derbyshire Centres are doing by going to their web and reading the latest newsletter http://www.duwc.org.uk/ This is typical of what’s happening at centres these days.
Not only are centres places to get advice on a wide range of welfare and employment issues but they are campaigning bodies with their roots in the trades union movement. Isn’t it time your union or union branch got involved with the TUC Unemployed Workers’ Centres? TUCUWCs are at the centre of their communities and know the real effects of this government’s attack on working people and the unemployed. TUCUWCs put unions in touch with the community. You can find out more about the centres and where your local centre is by going to the TUC web pages on TUCUWCs
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no, not about chocolates, but about this year’s TUC Organising Academy graduation which once again coincided with our Leading Change graduation (see here for details of the new Lay Leadership Development programme) bringing together existing and future union leaders in celebration of all things union and organising…. On a personal note, was also a chance to say some thanks and farewells to all those I have worked with during my time at the Academy. I have met and worked with some extremely talented Academy Organisers both in our national Academy and also in Union internal academies; we have trained, assessed and briefed over 2000 trade unionists and worked with 22 different affiliate unions in the uk on a range of projects. My time here has been an honour and a privilege. So whilst excited to be moving into my new role with ITF and IUF leading a new project, I am also going to miss spending time with colleagues here in the uk; thanks everyone for an amazing time!
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Normally a staple in the Nowak household, this year’s series of the X-Factor is without doubt the last time Cowell and chums will inveigle their way into my living room.
Accusations of result fixing and Saturday’s guest performances by Rhianna and Christine Aguilera which have attracted pretty wide-spread condemnation (some from the usual suspects, some from much more considered angles – here and here), have been compounded by what looks like a pretty grubby attempt at ‘union busting’.
As John Smith of the Musician’s Union reported to the TUC’s General Council today, prior to Saturday’s live final (part 1) an e-mail was sent out to music colleges seeking ’camera friendly’ female violinists to appear on the show at below union-agreed rates. What’s more the email went on to specify that potential applicants should not be members of the Musicians Union.As the MU point out this is not only ethically outrageous, its also likely to be in breach of the law.
So – sorry Matt Cardle, you seem like a nice bloke, but I’m afraid I’m jumping on the Captain Ska Christmas Number 1 bandwagon, and I suggest anyone else who thinks that little things like the basic legal and human right to join a union are important to do the same!
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Reza Shahabi is the Treasurer of the Tehran-based bus workers union in Iran. He has been on hunger strike since 4 December, in protest against his imprisonment, and that of his fellow trade unionists. He was arrested on 12 June 2010, three days after the arrest of Saeed Torabian, the union’s spokesperson. Saeed Torabian has since been released but there are six other members of Sherkat-e Vahed (the Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company), including Reza, in prison.
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The TUC is today (Thursday 9 December) launching its new four year strategy for international development. Global solidarity, global justice sets out the TUC’s vision and goals for 2011-2015, together with four priority areas of activity, and building stronger unions is a key element of the strategy. Trade unions empower workers to combat poverty both for their members and also for their families and communities, as well as fighting for the democratic rights that allow countries as a whole to escape from poverty. One of the TUC’s main priorities will be developing the capability of unions to recruit more members, and another will be ensuring that multinationals operating in the UK allow freedom of association throughout their supply chains. Stronger unions mean poverty is reduced, and stronger unions anywhere make for stronger unions everywhere.
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Voting has opened on LabourStart’s annual Labour Photo of the Year contest. The judging panel have chosen five entries from the pool submitted on Flickr, and have a range of photos from the UK, Korea, Turkey, USA and Canada.
You can cast your own vote at www.labourstart.org/lpoty
The UK photo up for vote is by Robert Day, the PCS activist who won the title two years back – good to see he’s still snapping his trade union activities, and doing it so well.
Staying on union photography, we’ve also noticed two union blogs that might be of interest to photography fans.
Mac Urata is a union officer and activist with a keen eye for a photo (he was actually one of the judges for this year’s LabourStart contest), and he’s started a heavily union-focused photo blog to show off his work.
And in the States, SEIU Photo Librarian David Sachs is curating some stunning photos of union work on the Labor’s Lens blog – Well worth checking out from time to time.
Professional or amateur alike, being able to tell our movement’s stories well with a camera is vital to help us connect with others. Are there any other good photo sites for trades unionists out there that we should all be aware of? Let us know!
Tom Mellish
Liz
Paul Nowak
John Wood
