Tues 24 Oct 2017 KUWG Public Meeting against local jobcentre closures

Agenda for KUWG Public Meeting Against Jobcentre Closures,
Tuesday 24/10/17 6.30pm-8.30pm Kingsgate  Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH

How to get there

6:15pm: Room set up and grabbing a seat!

6:30pm-to-8:15pm: Meeting

8:15pm-8:30pm: Room clearance

Chairperson: A KUWG member who uses Neasden Jobcentre

Speakers

• Giselle as KUWG and Chair of Unite Community Brent, with the aid of a big map, highlighting how people especially with walking problems will be seriously affected, and thus more easily sanctioned
• John Kilvington from Somali Cultural Centre, on the absurd cases he has had and how it obviously will make people with language and cultural issues prone to misunderstand and get sanctioned. 
• Winvisible [Women with Visible and Invisible Disabitlities] to confirm our experiences and offer their campaigning skills.
• Pete Firmin as Chair of Brent Trades Council will speak about how workers could be affected, and mention how other closures of public buildings impact the community.
• Tulip Siddiq MP has sent message of support. 
• MP Dawn Butler has been asked to come or send message of support. 
• Siân Berry Green Party Member of the London Assembly has sent her apologies. 
• Brent Green Party member Peter Murry will speak from a Green Party Trade Union Group perspective
• Green Party Member Alan Wheatley has sent KWUG placards as room decorations, while he cannot attend in person
• Councillor Shama Tatler (Brent Council) who wrote to DWP about proposed closures has been requested to attend.
• PCS [jobcentre workers union] speakers invited, but no response.

PS: WinVisible add:

Tues 24 Oct - WinVisible speaking at KUWG meeting vs Jobcentre closures

Tues 24 October 2017, 6.30-8.30pm

Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group (KUWG) have invited us to speak at their:

 

Public meeting on the proposed Jobcentre closures of Kilburn & Neasden JCPs

the impact on claimants and what we can do

at Big Hall, KINGSGATE COMMUNITY CENTRE,

107 KINGSGATE ROAD, NW6 2JH

(wheelchair accessible)

Speakers include: Giselle Winston (“Benefit Tales” blogger, KUWG member); John Kilvington, welfare rights worker at Camden Somali Cultural Centre.

We’ll be speaking about how the closures will affect people, and what we’ve been doing, including pressing the exemptions from ESA/PIP exams, and about the latest benefit concessions won by public pressure.

(See our blog for self-help info, search “exemption”.) 

In March, we attended the PCS (DWP staff union) meeting in Parliament against Jobcentre closures.

Come along if you can!

Tuesday 24 October update: Cllr Sham Tatler writes:

Thank you for your email.

Unfortunately I cannot attend due to a prior engagement.

I too share your concerns over the closures and the impact they will have on vulnerable residents, particularly as they are in areas in most need.

I had written to the previous minister, and am currently engaging with the DWP over the closures. I have asked to see their equality impact assessment as I am not certain they have taken into account the difficulties our residents will face. I have told them, that we do not understand the rationale for the decisions and am seeking assurances on making sure our residents are protected and not under-served.

I will be continuing to raise the issue and happy to engage with you.

Kind regards

Cllr Shama Tatler

Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Growth, Employment and Skills

Labour Councillor fo Fryent Ward

London Borough of Brent

Demonstrate 19/03/2015 vs benefit sanctions

From Unite the Union Community Section

National day of action - 19 March 2015

More and more people are facing benefit sanctions. Over 2 million people have had their money stopped in the past 2 years.

That’s 2 million people, many of whom have been plunged into poverty, unable to heat their homes or even eat. How is this meant to help prepare people for work?

Benefit sanctions must be fought against 

These sanctions are cruel and handed out for ridiculous reasons such as:

• Arriving minutes late to a meeting 
• Not applying for jobs when waiting to start a new job!
• Missing an appointment on the day of the funeral of a close family member.

This has to stop
Up and down the country on Thursday 19 March we will be protesting against the cruel use of sanctions.

FOUR ways to get involved

1. Join an event near you on Thursday 19 March to stop benefit sanctions in your community.
2. Sign our petition calling on the government to stop using sanctions.
3. Share your story – we are looking for people who have been sanctioned to tell their story.
4. We want to show the reality and impact on people’s lives - show your support - share on Twitter and Facebook #No2Sanctions  Like us on Facebook.

 Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group will be at Willesden Jobcentre, Chancel House, Neasden Lane, Neasden, NW10 2XH, 12 Noon till 2pm. See postcode map.

Say NO to Universal Credit jobcentres in London & Eastern Region

JCP NAME	ADDRESS	POSTCODE MAP
City Tower	West Tenter Street, Whitechapel London,	E1 8DT
Dagenham	Chequers Lane Dagenham, Essex	RM9 6RA
Ealing	86-96 Uxbridge Road West Ealing Ealing London	W13 8RA
Enfield	34 Windmill Hill, Enfield Chase Enfield,	EN2 7AL
Hounslow	10 Montague Road, Hounslow	TW3 1LL
Poplar	307 Burdett Road Poplar London United Kingdom	E14 7DR
Shepherd's Bush	176-180 Uxbridge Road Shepherd's Bush London,	W12 7JP
Walthamstow	7-13 Westbury Road London	E17 6RH
Wandsworth	Jessica House Red lion Square 191 Wandsworth High Street Southfields London,	SW18 4LS
Willesden (in Neasden Lane)	Chancel House, Neasden Lane Neasden London	NW10 2XH

  No More Deaths by Sanction 3pm —DWP HQ

Tothill Street, Westminster, SW1H 9NA. Postcode map

Lay flowers to remember those no longer with us

Neasden anti-eviction demo, Monday 11 Aug, 5pm

URGENT ACTION: Demo for Barham Park Residents, Monday 11th August 5pm Neasden

Guest blog piece by Brent Housing Action:

42 households on the Barham Park Estate have been served with premature Notice to Quit orders, six months prior to expectations. The NTQs were issued by Brent Community Housing without reference to the Local Authority that owns the properties. No reason has been given for the NTQs and no-one has been offered alternative accommodation.

Despite pressure from the Local Authority, BCH have dragged their heels through two weeks of negotiations and have placed their tenants into an extremely precarious situation where they cannot be rehoused by either BCH or the Local Authority.

Join us to protest this unnecessary and unpleasant situation:

The demo will take place outside The Grange, Neasden Lane, NW10 1QB between 5pm and 6:15pm on Monday 11th August 2014. The Grange is located on the central roundabout at the top of Dudden Hill Lane and Neasden Lane (google maps shows the wrong building!). Nearest tube is Neasden on the Jubilee Line, a three minute walk away, and all bus routes through Neasden Junction stop nearby (182, 297).

Please do try to attend, but if you can’t you may wish to contact BCH with your thoughts by calling 020 7624 or emailing info@bchcoopha.org.

For more info see: http://brenthousingaction.wordpress.com/2014/08/10/we-will-not-be-moved-barham-park-demo-monday-11th-august-2014-5pm/

Many thanks.