Liverpool Anti-Facists Demo

The following has been supplied by Liverpool Anti-Facists.

Anti-BNP demo, August 5th, Liverpool.

Please support the anti-BNP demonstration outside Dale St Magistrates Court in Liverpool on Wednesday August 5th at 9.30am. Local BNP member Peter Tierney is appearing on assault charges after an attack on an anti-fascist protestor in April.

The local BNP branch have called on their members to support him. We must show that we will not tolerate racist and fascist violence in Liverpool or anywhere else.

Please spread the word and let's have a big show of strength on August 5th!

Protest at BNP's Red, White and Blue Festival August 15th 2009

Called by Amber Valley and Derby Campaigns Against Racism and Fascism, Notts Stop the BNP, Unite Against Fascism and Trades Union Congress. Anti-fascists from across the country will be attending the protest and we need to make it a massive show of the opposition to the BNP.

There is a coach booked from Lancaster so if you want to go, sign up as soon as possible. Call 07722 954 768 for tickets, they are only £8 and £5 concessions.

There are also coaches leaving from various pick up points accross the North West, including Blackpool. To find out more and to book a seat please contact Paul Jenkins on 07817688835.

UAF supporters intend to "kettle" the rally by surrounding it with protesters. This action will demonstrate that the vast majority of people in this country reject the Nazi politics of the BNP.

The BNP pretends that its annual "Red, White and Blue" event is a harmless family-oriented "patriotic" festival. In reality it is aimed at promoting the BNP's fascist agenda to both its hardcore followers and its softer supporters.

Previous years have seen SS marching songs played as "entertainment" at the rally. The rally will also be a magnet for neo-Nazis across Europe. Last year the BNP invited guests including Czech neo-Nazi Petra Edelmannova who has called for a "final solution to the Gypsy issue" and Sweden's Marc Abramsson, a Swedish fascist who campaigns for "racially pure kindergartens" that exclude non-white children.

This year's guests are likely to include representatives of Jobbik, a violently racist Hungarian Nazi party that organises pogroms against Roma people.

Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said "The BNP's 'Red, White and Blue' is a nothing more than a festival of race hatred. The fascists will use their rally to harden up its supporters and build its army of thugs. Wherever the BNP organises, racist violence follows. Allowing this festival to go ahead will mean more race hatred and racist attacks on our streets in the months to come. That is why it is so important for anti-fascists to come to Codnor in huge numbers to surround the BNP's rally.

The presence of two BNP Nazis in the European parliament also poses challenges for anti-fascists. We need to build the broadest possible movement against the BNP with roots in communities across the country."

600 Jobs Threatened at Turbine Plant

Save The Jobs At Vestas!

• Stop the closures
• Save the planet

The Vestas wind turbine plant in Newport is threatened with closure, with the loss of 600 jobs.

Jobs are also threatened in Southampton. It is believed this will lead to further damaging unemployment on the Isle of Wight and southern England, hardship for many families, and will neglect technology which can be used to save the planet.

Vestas are being called on to withdraw its closure plan, and if it refuses, for the government to take over the plants and guarantee all the jobs.

A petition form for printing off and collecting signatures can be found here.

Messages of support can be sent to savevestas@gmail.com

North West Region Equality Newsletter

The North West Regional Equality Officer has issued the latest newsletter to branches. It can be found here.

Swine Flu Pandemic and Sick Leave in DWP

The following has been provided by PCS DWP Group:

DWP Guidance for HR Policy Adaptations
The Departmental Trade Union Side (DTUS) is being informed and consulted about the implementation of DWP contingency planning for the swine flu pandemic on a day to day basis.

Within the Department very small numbers of staff have been confirmed with swine flu. DWP has issued guidance on adaptations of HR Policies, including special leave, sick leave and attendance management, to HR Directors, Shared Services and HR Business Partners. This guidance is for limited, not general distribution but Q&A advice for staff is being issued on the DWP Intranet.

Sick Pay
Confirmed cases of swine flu will not count towards any calculation of contractual sick pay. This means that these absences will not cause employees to tip into the half and nil pay categories.

In cases where the employee is thought to have swine flu but it is subsequently confirmed that they do not, then the time they had off sick with suspected swine flu will count towards any calculation of contractual sick pay.

Attendance Management
An absence due to swine flu, or suspected swine flu, will be disregarded under attendance management and not cause a warning, dismissal or failure of probation. This will apply even if the employee is subsequently confirmed not to have swine flu.

Any local attempt to apply warning, or dismissal, procedures for absence as a direct result of pandemic flu must be reported to Group Office immediately via the local Branch.

PCS Advice for Representatives
Advice for Representatives has been provided to Branches in Branch Briefing DWP/BB/073/09, dated 6 July 2009, issued by Rob Williams as PCS Group Assistant Secretary covering Health and Safety in DWP.

Lytham/Peel Park Shuttle Bus Review

The purpose of this post is to inform members of the discussions with Senior Management to review the usage and running of the shuttle bus from Lytham to Peel Park. This ongoing review with the employer was agreed as part of the negotiations surrounding the DWP Lytham Moorland Road Site closure.

The third review meeting “took place” on Wednesday 15th July 2009. At the opening of the meeting the employer indicated that there had been discussions within the higher echelons of DWP Management and that there was a review ongoing (as of 15th July 2009) at the highest levels of the DWP regarding the running of, and costs of running the bus.

As part of the process of gathering views we discussed and expressed our views that:

a) the bus should continue to run, however

b) additional stops should be looked at (e.g. the Queensway) to increase the usage of the bus by tying it into existing public transport rates

c) that any additional time for the bus to do the run (with the additional stops) should be used to cover the period in the middle of the day when there is no service, rather than reducing the number of runs per day

d) an approach should be made to all interested parties to secure an extension to Peel Park of the bus service(s) that presently terminate at Tesco.

e) there were other discussions on the size of the bus, surrounding terms and conditions issues that could be impacted by ant changes and potential alternative arrangements etc.

We agreed that there would probably be a need for another meeting if the review at a higher level in the DWP put forward any changes. We will keep members informed.

If you have not yet joined PCS then please consider doing so. There is a membership form you can print out here, fill in and send to us.

PDCS Turrets Update

The purpose of this post is to provide a reminder about the principles of Turrets working.

You may have seen the latest round of members’ ballots in May 2009 which showed that there had been a slide away from compliance with the Joint Statements on the Turrets, surrounding the Preference and Availability aspects.

Once again we would just like to reiterate the definitions of preference and availability:

'Availability’ means the period of time you are in the office, and is clarified in the first agreed joint statement as “recognising the different working patterns of staff (some preferring to work early, others late and other patterns.”

‘Preference’ means the time you would prefer to work on turrets. The two terms are separate issues and should not be confused or blurred. Whereas preferences cannot always be met, availability should always be.

This is also clarified in the agreed joint statement as it states that staff should “not feel coerced into working times which do not meet their stated availability.” Therefore, if a slot cannot be filled through availability (or preference), then it should be reported to Helpline as being ‘unfilled’. This has been agreed by Senior Management.

As far as breaks for DCPU Turreteers are concerned these should be the same (in terms of duration) as the Helpline areas.

If there have been any changes imposed to breaks on the Turrets then please contact Dean Rhodes (Branch Assistant Secretary) in room C112R at Warbreck, extension 61323.

If you have read this article and are not a member then please complete and return the form here to join.

PCS National Black Members Seminar

‘Ten Years Later’
PCS National Black Members Seminar
23–25 October 2009

Jurys Inn, Birmingham

Venue/Date
The annual residential Seminar organised for African, Asian, Chinese, Caribbean, etc, PCS black members will be held from Friday 23 October to Sunday 25 October in the Jurys Inn hotel, Birmingham. The seminar will commence approximately at 1.30 pm on the Friday, ending no later than 1 p.m. on Sunday 23 October 2009.

Please note that at national level PCS uses the term ‘black’ in the political context to encompass people who have the potential to experience discrimination based on skin colour and share a history of colonization and/or slavery.

Theme
‘Ten Years Later’ is the theme of this year’s PCS national Black Members’ Seminar. A decade has elapsed since the Macpherson recommendations, following the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

Participants will have the opportunity to explore some aspects of the recommendations, eg, stop and search and the collection of DNA samples to assess how far they have positively improved the way the police service provides a service to black communities and how it treats its black staff in the sphere of employment.

Doreen Lawrence will attend as guest speaker. Contributions will help to inform ongoing work being undertaken by Doctor Richard Stone who was one of the original Macpherson panel members.

Target Audience
The primary target groups include black members who hold any of the following positions:

• Branch Secretaries
• Branch Organisers
• Departmental Trade Union reps
• Regional Network Co-ordinators
• GEC members
• Group Black Members sub/advisory committee/Network Co-coordinators/Chairs
• Branch/workplace reps.
• Equality reps
• Branch Women’s reps

Applicants are also invited from:

• Members who have not attended a previous seminar
• New members who would like to become active.
• Members with experience of community campaigns

Under- represented Groups
Applicants are particularly welcomed from young members [i.e. people aged 27 or under], disabled people, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.

Confidentiality
PCS fully appreciates there are special sensitivities pertaining to disability, sexuality and trans issues and gives an assurance that all applications will be treated confidentially.

Participant Numbers
Although the Seminar is organized on a residential basis, members who can travel daily will be expected to do so. The Seminar will be limited to 150 residential participants.

Selection Criteria
Members matching the criteria set out in paragraphs above are invited to self nominate. There is no need to seek endorsement from any branch official.

This seminar is always over subscribed. It is strongly recommended that all members provide a supporting statement with application/s.

Child/Youth Care Facilities
Childcare facilities will be provided at the seminar for children aged between 6 months and 14 years of age. However, places are limited to 40 places and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. Delegates are encouraged to make alternative care arrangements for children. PCS will provide financial assistance to meet the reasonable costs of additional childcare claims on production of a receipt from a carer.

Travel & Subsistence
The union will meet all reasonable travel, subsistence claims. The hotel accommodation expenses will be paid from central union funds. All participants (including non residential) will be provided with refreshments during the day and lunch on Saturday/Sunday.

Anyone staying on residential basis will be provided with an evening meal on the Friday evening; breakfast, lunch and an evening meal on Saturday and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. All participants will be expected to attend for the duration of the Seminar.

Application Forms
An application form can be found here.

Copies may also be obtained by emailing equality@pcs.org.uk or contacting the Equality Health & Safety Department on 020 7801 2683 if you cannot download the forms. Please also ensure that you complete and return the ethnicity monitoring form found here.

Application Deadline
The deadline for receipt of applications by the Equality Health and Safety Department is Thursday 24th September 2009 (First post). Faxes will be accepted (up to 12 Noon) on 020 7223 8363. Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 5th October 2009.

Special Leave/Time Off
The seminar is a training event organised by the union. Applicants are advised to make early applications for special leave to attend the Seminar as it will be easier to cancel leave arrangements rather than apply for special leave at short notice.

Further Information
Queries or requests for further information about the seminar should be made directly to Lorna Campbell or Eunice Lewis on 020 7801 2683 or equality@pcs.org.uk.

I don't think the EU is in the business of murdering people at sea

The following has been provided by the Hope Not Hate organisation:

"I don't think the EU is in the business of murdering people at sea."That's the remarkable line that a BBC reporter had to utter after Nick Griffin said that he would support civilian boats being targeted, fired upon and sunk. You can watch their exchange here:

Watch the video (Please note that the video may not play on a DWP PC, you may need to watch it at home).

On Tuesday Nick Griffin will be taking his seat in the European Parliament - he'll be there officially representing Britain. Yet this is a man who wants to "sink the boats" indiscriminately slaughtering countless men, women and children.

We need to make sure that we can stop him - and his party - wherever they stand. I know that you helped the HOPE not hate campaign before June's elections and I'm certain that we made a real difference.

We stopped a BNP breakthrough but we cannot let our movement halt or stutter even for a single moment. We need to expose the real truth about Griffin - his comment about "sinking the boats" is just the tip of the iceberg.

We're planning a leaflet which will get the truth about Griffin's dangerous lies into the communities that the BNP are winning votes from. But to do this we need resources. We need to raise £7,000 to print 400,000 leaflets. Will you donate £10 to help us buy these leaflets and help us to expose Nick Griffin and his racist Party?

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/sinktheboats

If we all donate a little there will be a huge accumulative effect.

Thank you.

BBW (HADEN) PAY 2009 – Members Information Meetings

The purpose of this circular is to advise members of a forthcoming round of information meetings to discuss the BBW (HADEN) pay offer.

The details of the meetings are as follows:

Wednesday 15th July 2009
Beacon Road Canteen - 8.45am
Warbreck House Canteen - 10.00am
Faraday Way House - 11:45am
Norcross Canteen (Block 5) - 2.30pm

Forty five minutes facility time plus reasonable travelling has been requested for you to attend, please make every effort to attend one of the meetings.

If there is not a meeting arranged on your site please attend the nearest one. (We are hoping members at Peel Park can make either the WH or NX Meeting) Members are encouraged to attend a meeting prior to voting in the Ballot in order that they can discuss and debate the offer and make an informed decision the ballot is scheduled to close on Friday 24th July 2009.

If you have not yet joined PCS then there is an application form here. We encourage members to recruit non members to enable them to attend the meetings.

BBW (HADEN) Pay Offer 2009

Your Branch Recommnds That You Vote "NO" To The Offer This Year As There Is Still No Pay Progression.

The purpose of this post is to advise members of the importance in voting in the ballot on the 2009 Haden Pay offer.

By now you will have seen details from the Branch regarding the round of members’ meetings to discuss the offer and also potentially the materials from the Shadow Haden’s PCS (Group) Executive Committee regarding the pay offer. If you have seen the details the Shadow Haden’s PCS (Group) Executive Committee you will have noticed that the Shadow Haden GEC or at least the negotiators are recommending acceptance.

They will undoubtedly want to explain further the reasons for their recommendation.

The Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch have considered the offer but do not believe that it is acceptable.

Reasons for the recommendation
At the members’ meetings in 2007 and 2008 to discuss the pay offers the Branch explained that we were recommending support 2007 offer as it sought to commence the process of harmonising the various pay and grading issues from 2008 and that in 2008 we recommended that you vote against the pay offer as this movement towards harmonisation and the installation of pay progression had been reneged upon by BBW (Haden).

2009 has arrived and there is still no major tangible offers on harmonisation of Pay rates and Pay structures nor have the grading issues been satisfactorily resolved in terms of having a Pay and Grading system that is clear and transparent to all concerned. There are very minor moves in the right direction with the steps towards harmonised pay settlement dates.

Pay Progression
The offer in 2009 does not again (as was the case in 2007 and 2008) have any Pay Progression element within it. Pay Progression is the time that it takes for a person to move from the scale minima to the scale maxima. Unless the minima which is increasing more than the maxima is allowed to catch up to the maxima. The minimum is increasing from £11, 650 to £12, 100.

As there is a two percent pay rise element for those staff earning les than £13, 500 pro-rata and a one and a quarter percent pay rise for those staff earning more than £13, 500 pro-rata. This means that it is (under this years system) impossible to get to the scale maxima. Under this years system if you are earning more than £13, 500 and someone is earning more than you are then they will continue to do so forever, and indeed the difference will increase, until you both retire! This means that in essence there is negative pay progression, as people will be moving away from those on maximum, slowly sliding down the non – existent pay structure!

BEC Recommendation
Your Branch Executive recommends that you vote “No” to the offer as there more work is needed to address pay progression, Pay structures and harmonisation of Pay and Grading.

We recommend that all members vote in the ballot and also if possible attend one of the pay meetings and discuss the pay offer.

It is your pay and your union. Vote No and send the negotiators back into talks. If you are reading this post and are not a member then please complete the form here to join.

Stop the Cuts to the Equality Commission Helpline

PCS members at the Equality and Human Rights Commission are fighting a decision to cut 50 posts from its public helpline and to close the Manchester helpline office, where 36 highly trained staff are at risk of losing their jobs.

The move by the Commission comes at a time when staff are struggling to cope with a significant increase in calls to the helpline from individuals and families affected by the recession and follows the rejection of a plan put forward by the staff union, PCS aimed at saving jobs and maintaining services.

Last year the Manchester helpline handled over 50,000 enquiries from members of the public facing discrimination and its closure this autumn will see the loss of valuable skills and expertise.

The helpline closure will also put increased demands on the remaining helpline offices in Cardiff, Birmingham and Glasgow, leading to a potential worsening of the service and to increased pressures on remaining staff as they struggle to cope with the volume of calls.

Helpline workers are the lowest paid at the Commission, but they provide an essential public service, advising ordinary people of their rights if they are suffering from discrimination at work and in other areas of their lives.

Since the recession has deepened, calls to the helpline have increased, particularly from workers facing redundancy because they are on maternity leave, are disabled, from a black or minority ethnic background or because they have caring responsibilities.

This decision comes at the same time as Equality Minister, Harriet Harman has been urging women to seek advice on their employment rights, and the government is researching the impact of the recession on minority groups. We work for the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

We believe in fairness. Our employers don't.

What you can do?

• Raise in your trade union, community group, equality group, and ask them to complain to Trevor Phillips, EHRC Chair, and Harriet Harman, Minister for Women & Equality.
• Sign the No 10 petition: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ehrchelpline
• Write to your MP and ask them to sign the Early Day Motion 1119
• Refer people to our helpline. The contact details are: England: 0845 604 6610; Wales: 0845 604 8810; Scotland: 0845 604 5510

Messages of support & requests for a PCS speaker, please email:

PCShelplinesubcommittee1@equalityhumanrights.com

Not in My Name - Hope Not Hate

In just two weeks the BNP will be taking their seats in the European Parliament. We need to send the strongest possible message that they are not there in our name.

Over 80,000 people have already done just this by signing the Not in my Name petition - HNH need your help to make sure that over 100,000 have signed this petition by the time the BNP go to Strasbourg.

HNH have set up a simple tool (click on the grpahic) to let you do this - please invite your friends to join the campaign:

HNH need your help in showing that Griffin and Brons don't represent us - that they don't speak for Britain.

HNH are currently organising who they are going to hand their petition in to at the European Parliament on July 14th and they want to make sure that as many people as possible have signed the petition before then.