Tomorrow if you work in the Public sector, you may be on strike. Or, if you don’t work in the sector, you will know somebody close to you who has decided to take industrial action.

This was another good evening provided by Lewes Trades Council 2011 Festival.  Some photo’s from the evening at the Elephant and Castle last night, including the LAbour Party Banner banner.  Quite a number of Party  members attended and were made very welcome.  We enjoyed Rob Johnson’s songs again.  Attila played fiddle, banjo, read moving poetry about his mother, and sang some wicked songs, including a very funny one about Maggie Thatcher.

Oh yes remember how the Lib_dems crowed when protesting about saving post-offices and looking after your local Postie, and then all of a sudden we find moves to privatise the Royal Mail, fully supported by the Lib-Dems.

It is the Universal mail service we are likely to lose, so if you live in a far flung spot in the Lewes District, likelihood is either your deliveries wont happne, you will be picking them up from somewhere, or mail to your area will go up sharply in price.  Or the service will possibly disappear altogether.

So I wanted to publish this appeal from Billy Hayes of the Communication workers Union…..

We were disappointed we did not get a majority of votes – and that your MP voted against our amendment to protect the Royal Mail.

But the fight is not over, and your MP can still be persuaded to take action for our campaign. The Bill is going to be debated in the House of Lords and we hope it will need to be approved by MPs once more before it becomes law.

This Bill puts the universal service in jeopardy, before it is passed we need you to put the pressure on. Encourage your MP to sign Early Day Motion 1408, which is similar to a parliamentary petition. This important Motion, which calls for the universal postal service to be protected, has gained support across the political spectrum.

Email your MP right now to ask for their support.

The Royal Mail’s universal postal service obligation means everyone in the UK is guaranteed a postal delivery six days a week all year round. It is a service which millions of people rely on and is often vital to those living in rural areas.

As the Bill currently stands, the universal service will be reviewed within 18 months of the Bill becoming law. Most alarmingly, this review will be done not by your representative – who is responsible for looking out for your best interests – but by an outside regulator.

The universal service so many count on is at risk. Make sure your MP knows how important this issue is to you and that there is still time for them to make a difference.

Ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 1408 calling for the review of the universal service to be delayed for at least five years. Send your email now:

http://www.keepthepostpublic.org.uk/EDMemail

Your support will be critical to our success.

Billy Hayes
General Secretary, CWU
Keep the Post Public

The TUC is organising a national march and rally on 26 March 2011, in response to the government’s programme of fast and deep public spending cuts. (http://marchforthealternative.org.uk/)

In London at 11am on Victoria embankment and all over the Uk on March 26th people will be marching for the alternative. A protest organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC)

This is part of a plan of action that shows only Labour and the Unions can offer real opposition to the ideological and vicious attacks on our jobs and services by the Lib-Dems and Tories.

A large contingent will be going to London from Lewes, look for news here and in our HQ at 3 North street, Lewes (near the new police station)

Ten Good Reasons to join a Trade Union

Everywhere from the Students Union to the new Union Unite

1. You earn more in a Unionised Workplace

2. Average earnings are around 8% higher in unionised workplaces…yes its still true higher wages go to union members

3. You’re less likely to be discriminated against in terms of age, disability, race, sex or sexual orientation -
Black and Asian trade unionists earn 32% more than non-unionised colleagues do. Trade Unions have campaigned for tougher anti-discrimination laws, which came into effect in 2003, making it illegal to discriminate on the grounds of religious belief, marital or family status, and sexual orientation or gender reassignment.

4. You get more annual leave in a Unionised Workplace -
The average trade union members in the UK gets 29 days annual leave a year compared with 23 days for non-unionised workers.

5. You’re less likely to be injured at work -
All employers have a legal duty to provide a safe workplace and safe equipment and working methods, but unionised workplaces have health and safety officers to make sure the employer sticks to their legal obligations.

6. If you do get injured at work, you’ll get better compensation -
Unions won over 321 million in legal compensation for members who were injured or became ill at work in 2000.

7. You get more maternity leave or parental leave -
Unionised workplaces are 12% more likely to have parental policies in place, which are more generous than the statutory minimum.

8. You get more and better training
Workers in unionised workplaces are more likely to receive job-related training.

9. You’re more likely to get equal pay for work of equal value -
Workplaces with union recognition are 20% more likely to have an equal opportunities policy in place. Despite equal pay legislation, women currently earn only 83p for every £1 earned by a man.

10. You’re less likely to be sacked -
Trade Union members are only half as likely to be sacked as non-members are.

You will be part of an international network to share good practice with trade unionists across the world, and provide mutual support where workers are facing exploitation or intimidation for union activity.

You’re better off in a union…look after yourself by looking after each other

Find out here:
http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-8681-f0.cfm