Labour

Lambeth Labour supports our pay campaign

Leave a comment

Lambeth Labour Councillors support the campaign by local government workers for better pay.

They have published this statement from Cllr Andy Wilson who is the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance and a councillor in Larkhall ward.

The last 18 months have been both tumultuous and terrifying, where the effects of the pandemic and the lockdown touched upon each of our lives.

Despite the upheaval that we all faced in our lives during those dark days, I am proud to report that 100% of essential services were delivered by Lambeth Council during this challenging time.

This is testament to the effort, dedication and professionalism of our local government workers, exhibiting a spirit of public service and hard work in maintaining provision for some of our most vulnerable residents during the most trying of times.

Since 2010 local government workers have suffered a 23% pay cut in their pay due to a decade and counting of austerity, public sector pay freezes and year on year inflation. Inflation is at 6% RPI and we are all facing a take home pay cut next year due to the increase in National Insurance Contributions.

The 1.75% pay offer is in reality a pay cut for hundreds of thousands of staff across the country. Lambeth Labour believes in a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s pay, and we support the joint calls from UNISON, The GMB, and Unite The Union for a pay award that reflects this.

Our residents and local government workers deserve better with a pay award that recognises the worth of the people that kept the show on the road during the height of the pandemic and beyond.

Petition to defend Corbyn

Leave a comment

As you may have seen in the newspapers recently, after Labour lost the Copeland seat our General Secretary Dave Prentis was quoted in the media blaming Corbyn for the defeat.

Some UNISON activists have put together a petition to defend Corbyn. Whilst it is clear that there is a lot of work to do to turn around Labour’s electoral fortunes, it isn’t helped by sniping in the press or unfairly putting all the blame on Jeremy for something that is a much wider problem.

Here is a link to the petition

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/we-the-grassroots-support-jeremy-corbyn

 

Streatham Labour passes motion against institutional racism in Lambeth

Leave a comment

This motion was passed by Streatham Constituency Labour Party on 2 November 2016.

This CLP notes that the Runnymede Trust has shown that profiles for each of the capital’s boroughs show Lambeth is the most unequal place to live for people from a BME background.
Furthermore it notes that Lambeth Council has a workforce that is 59% BME but all of the 26 most senior managers are white.
Research by UNISON shows that such disparity occurs across directorates.

We recognise that the Council has established an Equality Commission.  We call upon the Commission to take evidence from UNISON and to address the issues raised on staffing in this motion in their report and recommendations.

Stand up to Lambeth: demonstration on 8 October

Leave a comment

Lambeth UNISON agreed to back the Stand up to Lambeth demonstration on 8 October (assemble 12.00 noon Windrush Square Brixton and march to Clapham Common).

Stand up to Lambeth is a body comprised of a number of Community and Housing Campaigns in the borough calling for:
STOP estate demolitions
STOP the closure of our Libraries
STOP the closure of Brixton Arches
STOP destroying our communities
STOP racial and social inequality
STOP academisation STOP financial waste
Stop Stealing the people of Lambeth’s Future

This is a very important protest so we urge our member to join in. Lambeth UNISON will be there with its banner.

The Facebook event is here https://www.facebook.com/events/1725669004362529

Support Councillor Rachel Heywood!

Leave a comment

Councillor Rachel Heywood’s brave public call for support with local residents and workers fighting to keep libraries open is a real inspiration. Clearly the Labour Council leaders were furious with her—they voted to suspend her as a Labour Councillor for 6 months.  Now other councillors are speaking out—a sign that the growing movement against the demolition of our homes and the closure of our libraries is having an effect. The Progress dominated council are losing the argument, and if they carry on like this then it will have a damaging impact on Labour’s local performance in the next council elections.

Please sign the petition for her reinstatement https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/support-rachel-heywood-and-lift-the-suspension-now

Council wasting money on keeping library closed

Leave a comment

carnegieoccupation Lambeth Council is wasting thousands of pounds on security guards in the closed Minet and Carnegie Library buildings. The cost of these security guards is more than it would have cost to keep them open in the first place.

A freedom of information request from the Guardian reveals the figures;between the closure of the libraries on 31 March and the 15 April when the request was made the council has wasted £35,392.68 on security, costing over £2,200 a day. Last year the libraries cost just £874 a day to run.
The decision by Lambeth Council to close several libraries in the borough was so unpopular it inevitably led to large demonstrations and an occupation of Carnegie Library. They could have avoided this entire mess if they had worked with the residents and staff to come up with an alternative that kept the libraries open.
As it is the reputation of the council has been ruined – the Progress dominated cabinet stand before the people of Lambeth as unaccountable and uncaring austerity pushing careerists who are happy to ride roughshod over the aspirations and wishes of local people.
And instead of saving money, this entire exercise is costing local people even more. Welcome to the Co-operative Council.