Chesterfield Unite Community vs employment agencies used by Sports Direct

Colin Hampton of Chesterfield (Derbyshire Unite Community writes:

"Here it is. The official Chesterfield Unite Community film of our Dick Turpin Stand and Deliver exposure of the exploitation of Agency Workers by Best Connection and Transline used by Sports Direct. It's daylight robbery! Please share and upload to social media to keep the pressure on."

Link

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxXYzkPa0R0

Unite Community-sponsored 'Inequality Bus Tour' 2014 video

KUWG members were there. Sadly, it seems, authors of the Housing & Planning Bill 2016 could not really care about inequality.

Get on board the video record of the event.(1)

Link
https://vimeo.com/93208717

Unite Community-sponsored 'Inequality Bus Tour' (2014) and tenancy rights-related post

This blog post in its original form has attracted over 1,000 viewings since April 2014 — making it this blog's 'All Time Greatest Hits' (since May 2012) #2. As most viewings of this blog have been sourced via Google searches, maybe it deserves an encore with a bit of present looking back rewording? This blog administrator may not have been well enough to attend the 'Kill the Housing Bill' himself yesterday, but he can still make his presence known as an opponent of the Housing & Planning Bill 2016. Or is that an Act of Parliament yet?

Whichever, if it is an Act it certainly needs repealing!

KUWGAs leafleted Kilburn Jobcentre to publicise Unite Community-sponsored 'Inequality Bus Tour'

Inequality Bus Tour went through Kilburn on Saturday 26 April 2014. Get on board!

KUWG placard: Zero Compassion Contracts? No Thanks

Some baldies are more discreet than others

Out and proud! Sunbathing, Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group Activist style

What are you laughing at?

What were we advertising? See below

The leaflet from Unite the Union Community Section reads:

A HOME IS YOUR RIGHT

The Housing Inequality Bus Tour is coming to you! Saturday 26th April 2014

OUR CITY IS FOR LIVING IN

We are bringing

• Music
• Refreshments
• Useful information that can help with your housing problems

Hop on the bus to find out more about what is causing London's housing crisis and what we are doing about it.

OUR ROUTE:

• 32 Cambridge Avenue NW6, 1pm Approx.
•  Bishops Avenue N2, 1:30pm Approx.
• West Hendon Estate NW9: 2pm Apprx.
• Jubilee Sports Centre, W10: 2:45pm Approx.
• South Kilburn Estate — Peel Precinct, NW6. 3:30pm Approx.

Our tour visits places in London that show the harsh human consequences of our housing crisis.

Soaring private sector rents, sale of social homes, evictions due to welfare reform and gentrification, and the use of London's houses as investment properties for excessively walthy people, all meaning that ordinary people are finding it increasingly difficult to live in the city. These are things we don't have to accept. A home is your right, our city is for living in!

Organised by Unite the union Community section and local housing groups

community@unitetheunion.org
Facebook: Unitetheunion1
Twitter: @unitetheunion

No Benefit Sanctions Day 2016 Report

David Clapson remembered at No Sanctions Day 2016

Demonstrators tell DWP, "Cuts kill."
Location: DWP Caxton House HQ on
No Sanctions Day 2016

There was a day of actions against benefit sanctions on 9^th March 2016. Benefit sanctions are when our benefits are stopped for a period of anything from 4 weeks to 3 years if we fail to comply with DWP requests. However, being late for an appointment that you never got told about, can land you with a sanction. Hundreds of thousands of people are sanctioned each year. The Government saves millions of pounds off the welfare bill with this policy.

Being sanctioned has led directly to despair and suicides. There are 95 cases that the DWP is aware of. In April 2012, former KUWG member Nygell Firminger committed suicide as a direct consequence of homelessness that was brought on by rent arrears resulting from a benefits sanction. The 95 people were remembered at the protest. today (9 March 2016).

Tapestry of names of vulnerable people who died in sanctions-related-deaths

David Clapson was someone who was also sanctioned. Without money, he could not chill the medication that he needed to treat the type 1 diabetes that he lived with. He died within a week of being sanctioned.

His sister, Gill Thompson, has led a campaign to have an inquest or inquiry into his death. The Government has refused that request. She handed in a petition to the DWP asking them to have an inquest or inquiry into her brother’s death – as per photo below. Footage of his sister speaking to the crowd has been uploaded to youtube. She is also campaigning for the government to implement the recommendations of a review of sanctions. She is now crowd funding a campaign to challenge that refusal. To support her campaign go to: www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/david-clapson

A DWP official hears from demonstrators.
Location: DWP HQ, Caxton House on No Sanctions Day

KUWG Diary from Thursday 17 September 2015

Mostly based on info supplied by Ivy the Diary

Thurs 17th Sept, 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

Fri 18^th Sep, 2-3pm Pinnacle People = Workfare Pimps by Brighton Benefits Campaign (BBC) & us. Gather at Lynford Community Centre Hall, 74 Fernhead Road, W9 3EW near junction with Shirland Rd (tube: Queen’s Park).

Fri 18^th Sep, 12noon Camden & Islington Unite meeting at Unite, 33-37 Moreland St, EC1V 8BB, tube: Angel.

Sat 19^th Sep, 12noon Haringey March for Homes by Haringey Defend Council Housing, People’s Assembly & many more. No cuts or social cleansing! Meet at: Kenneth Robbins House, Northumberland Park N17. 

Sat 19^th Sep, 12noon March Against Evictions by Focus E15. At Stratford Park, West Ham Lane E15 4PT https://www.facebook.com/events/463931240434645/

Thurs 24th Sept, 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

Saturday 26th Sept., SW1: March in Stop Changes to Access to Work campaign. This is supported by both Unite the Union and Disabled People Against Cuts. Click here for Details

Fri 25^th Sep, 2-4pm Occupy: A People Yet To Come book launch at ICA, The Mall, tubes: Charing Cross or Green Park http://occupylondon.org.uk/events/book-launch-occupy-a-people-yet-to-come/

Sat 26^th Sep, 12noon Access To Work March by Deaf ATW, DPAC & Unite. To help the deaf & disabled back into work, the DWP scraps their Access To Work. Wait, what…? Start from Old Palace Yard, Westminster, SW1P 3JY & march to 10 Downing Street. http://stopchanges2atw.com/march-with-us/  

Sat 26^th Sep, TBC East End Against Austerity by health professionals & campaigners in Tower Hamlets. A day of workshops, food & socialising. Claimant groups welcome.

Sat 26^th Sep, 7pm 3rd Fuck Parade by Class War. Shoreditch High Street, Braithwaite Street, E1 6AE https://www.facebook.com/events/1688801828009848/

Wed 30^th Sep, 6.30pm No Borders, No Nations? Solving Refugee Crisis by ? A panel discussion. https://www.facebook.com/events/698040300332195/

Thurs 1st October, 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

Sat 3^rd October - Wed 7^th Oct Festival of Resistance - a counter protest against Tory Party Conference in Manchester. Help stop the infestation. By People’s Assembly:   

Sun 4^th Oct National Demonstration by the TUC. Pesky Tories are itching to criminalise trade unions’ right to strike. Let’s show them what they’re missing.

Thurs 8th Oct., 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

Thurs 15th Oct., 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

Thurs 22nd Oct., 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

 
Thurs 29th Oct., 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

Thurs 5th Oct., 3pm for 3:20pm start-5:30pm: KUWG weekly business meeting in Small Hall at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH. Casework help available between about 3:20pm and 4pm and/or 5pm-5:20pm; if you want help with your case, please come prepared with relevant documents such as letters from DWP — that helps more than vague memory of letter contents!

Thu 5^th Nov 6pm The Million Mask March by Anonymous at Trafalgar Square. Work your finest Guy Fawkes attire & roar: Fuck Austerity! Anonymously.

See you Tues 17 Feb, 10am-11am outside Kentish Town Jcp, 174-178 Kentish Town Road, NW5 2AG

Kwug will be joining demo called by Camden & Islington Branch of Unite the Union Community Section this Tuesday 17 February as agreed at KUWG business meeting on Thursday 12 February.

Unite the Union Community Section London & Eastern Region Organiser Pilgrim Tucker writes:

Hi all

Just to remind you we will be at Kentish Town jobcentre,
174-178 Kentish Town Road, NW5 2AG
from 10am- 11am tomorrow (tuesday), talking to jobseekers about how they are treated, sanctions, jobcentre training etc.

Please join us if you can!

best wishes

Pilgrim

Unite Community activists bulletin, 10 October 2014

By Robin Sivapalan, Unite Community London & Eastern Region Co-ordinator

We can be proud that Unite Community activists are playing such an important role in reshaping politics in London.

Last week, as part of the Boycott Workfare Week of Action, members protested outside 5 Job Centres in North London calling for an end to Sanctions. Members of the Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group protested outside the TUC and met with officials inside over the issue of Youth Traineeships which they fear entails TUC support for mandatory unpaid work for young people, which the TUC dispute. Unite Young members are also addressing the issue.

For a little light relief take a look at members of our Barnet Housing Action Group outside the Hendon Job Centre which they re-named the Sanctions Centre:

http://bambuser.com/v/4982755

No to MPIPM

Next week the world’s largest Property Fair, MPIPM, will be coming to London Olympia. Unite has produced a press briefing on this that will be covered in the Guardian. We need as many people as possible to take part in the BLOCK BORIS action at the opening of the event

• Opening protest – #BlockBoris: Wednesday 15 October from 9am, meet outside (Kensington Olympia) overground.

On the same day, PCS members will be on strike over pay, so please visit Job Centre picket lines if possible. It might be worth checking there’ll be a picket with the regional organiser Charlie beforehand if you’re going out of your way: charliemacdonaldpcs@gmail.com / 07803 717 709

Over Thursday 16^th and Friday 16^th a counter-conference is being held in central London, “Cities for People, Not for Profit:

• http://radicalhousingnetwork.org/mipim-uk/counter-conference/

TUC demo “Britain Needs a Pay Rise”: Join the Housing Bloc or the Unite Bloc on October 18^th. 11am Blackfriars, Embankment/

Unite Community members from around the country will be joining the TUC March; there will be new Unite Community membership forms that explain the kinds of things we are campaigning on. It is a good opportunity to build awareness of what we do as well as to join a mass show of opposition to the politics of Austerity. The unemployed, pensioners and students Need a Pay Rise too!

 

Modern Slavery Bill

Unite and Unite Community members, part of the Justice for Domestic Workers Campaign are appealing for our members’ help in writing to their MPs to secure support for an amendment that has been tabled to the Modern Slavery Bill that is being debated next Tuesday 14^th October. The template letter is attached; you can write to you MP here:  writetothem.com/

“Enabling migrant domestic workers to change employer and apply to renew their visa annually if in full time employment would be a significant step towards preventing abuses against migrant domestic workers, including forced labour, by their employers and enabling them to seek redress without fearing deportation from the UK. Human Rights Watch, Kalayaan and Unite Community strongly support this amendment and hope you will give it your vote.”

 

Please me send through your news and photos towards producing a newsletter, and please get in touch if you want to get more involved locally of in one of our working groups on Housing, Job Centres or Mental Health.

 

 

Hope to see you all soon

Robin Sivapalan

London and Eastern Community Co-ordinator

Robin.Sivapalan AT unitetheunion.org 

07860 955 361

Unite Community canvass vs TTIP — Ealing Broadway, Sunday 28 September

From Ben of the KUWG

Unite the Union Community Section, Ealing branch are having a TTIP awareness stall in Ealing 11to 1.30 Sat and 12 to 2 on Sunday Ealing Broadway outside the centre opposite the Black Horse Public House.

You are welcome to come and do some canvassing.