FOSSETTS FOR THE PEOPLE Public Meeting – Saturday 23rd February at 3:30pm – @UNISON.Southend @SouthendLabour #Southend

'Fossetts For The People' announcement graphic reading: “PUPLIC MEETING Saturday 23rd February at 3:30pm – St Luke’s Church, St Luke’s Road, Southend-on-Sea SS2 4AB”. This announcement text overlays a photograph of Fossetts For The People campaigners Colin Nickless, Kate Sheehan and Mike Fieldhouse holding placards.
Fossetts For The People campaigners Colin Nickless, Kate Sheehan and Mike Fieldhouse.

Southend UNISON and Southend Labour support the Fossetts For The People campaign for social housing in Southend – please attend their first public meeting.

 WHERE: St Luke’s Church, St Luke’s Road, Southend-on-Sea SS2 4AB
 WHEN: Saturday 23rd February at 3:30pm
 EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/397368017708243/

Fossetts For The People believe that Southend Borough Council should step in and develop the 14 acres of land at Fossetts Farm, recently sold off by the NHS to Homes England, and build good quality social housing for rent to families and people most in need. About 40% of councils throughout England have already built similar developments through publicly owned Local Housing Companies (LHCs) – let’s do it in Southend too!

If you can’t make the meeting, please sign the petition to Southend Borough Council and visit the Fossetts For The People Facebook page for more information and to get involved.

Visit the LGBT+ History Month stall – Friday 22nd February – 12:00-2:00pm @LGBTHM #LGBTHM19 @SouthendBC

Announcement graphic reading: “LGBT+ HISTORY MONTH STALL – Friday 22nd February, 12:00-2:00pm – Southend Borough Council, Foyer, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6ER”. This announcement text overlays a photograph of Michael Sargood (OUTreach member) and Sam Adams (UNISON LGBT+ Support Officer) on the UNISON Bi Visibility Day stall at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council in 2018.

February is LGBT+ History Month – a chance to celebrate LGBT+ lives and culture in order to challenge prejudice and build equality.

On Friday 22nd February Southend UNISON LGBT+ Group and OUTreach (Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s forum for LGBT+ staff and allies) will be holding a stall to celebrate the lives and achievements of the diverse LGBT+ community.

 WHERE: Southend Borough Council, Foyer, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6ER
 WHEN: Friday 22nd February, 12:00 – 2:00pm

Everyone welcome, we look forward to seeing you there!


In the meantime, explore UNISON’s and the labour movement’s LGBT+ history through the interactive timeline and downloadable wallchart below.

Interactive Timeline of UNISON’s LGBT+ History

UNISON’s own LGBT+ history shows how far we have come, remind us of what we have achieved and highlights our commitment to the campaigns ahead.

The film Pride brought a slice of lesbian and gay political history to a new audience but what UNISON members may not know is the extent to which our former partner unions were involved in the struggle for gay rights, along with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

The interactive timeline below shows a few of our historical moments. It is not a comprehensive history and of course many more people than are mentioned here have contributed to LGBT+ rights, and continue to do so.

Fullscreen

Voices and Visibility: Uncovering Hidden Histories Wallchart

The wallchart, click here to download, has been produced by the Forum for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality in Further and Higher Education and a group of trade unions in association with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT+) History Month.

The aim has been to produce a resource to support those raising awareness of sexual orientation and gender identity, equality and diversity.

Centred on the United Kingdom, it highlights important legal milestones and identifies visible and significant contributions made by individuals, groups and particularly the labour movement.

The group is currently developing a digital version of the chart. This will provide more detailed information about the campaigns, organisations and personalities identified in the wallchart. Guidance for educators using the resources is also planned. For more information visit: https://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/wallchart/

Image of 'Voices and Visibility: Uncovering Hidden Histories Wallchart' – please click to download hi-res .pdf version.

Southend UNISON ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2019 with guest speaker Roger McKenzie – Thursday 7th March – 5:30-6:30pm

AGM 2019 announcement graphic reading: UNISON Annual General Meeting 2019 + buffet on Thursday 7th March between 5:30-6:30pm at Committee Room 4a, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 6ER – with guest speaker Roger McKenzie, UNISON Assistant General Secretary. Alongside this text is a photo of Roger McKenzie addressing trade unionists at the Stand Up To Racism - Trade Union Conference 2018.

Southend UNISON welcomes all branch members to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) with guest speaker Roger McKenzie (UNISON Assistant General Secretary) on Thursday 7th March between 5:30-6:30pm.

Please click here to download the AGM notice, agenda and Steward/Branch Officer nomination forms.

It is important members attend the AGM in order to vote in Stewards and Branch Officers, and agree the branch budget going forward. It also shows your support for the branch and helps us all get to know each other.

Don’t forget if you are in a workplace without a steward you can nominate yourself and get a colleague to second your nomination, or you can nominate a colleague (if they agree to stand) using the forms downloadable here.

At the end of the meeting, a delicious buffet will be served to give everyone a chance to catch-up and chat with friends and colleagues.

Finally, you should have received your AGM invites and posters in the post – if not, we might have the wrong address for you so please get in touch so we can update our records.

All the best and we look forward to seeing you on Thursday 7th March.

Claire Wormald
Branch Secretary

SPEAK UP FOR SCHOOLS – VOTE TODAY! #SpeakUpForSchools

Feature image reading: "SPEAK UP FOR MY SCHOOL – VOTE TODAY! Alongside text is a photograph of Jo Gull (Southend UNISON Steward) and Caron Mullins (UNISON Schools Organiser, Eastern Region) at an awareness raising event at Greenways Primary School.
Jo Gull (Southend UNISON Steward) and Caron Mullins (UNISON Schools Organiser, Eastern Region).

Caron and I organised a SPEAK UP FOR SCHOOLS event at Greenways Primary School on 28th January.

The event supported by Principal Mr Ashley Eastwood raised awareness of the UNISON Consultative Ballot about support staff pay, terms and conditions and workload.

UNISON represents around 250,000 school support staff across the UK and those members do fantastic work to help children learn, keep them safe and healthy and schools running smoothly.

If you haven’t done so already VOTE TODAY and have your say on what’s happening at the school where you work.

The consultation ballot is now open and will run until 5th March.

For more information about the SPEAK UP FOR SCHOOLS campaign and to join UNISON click here.

All the best,

Jo Gull
Southend UNISON Steward, Greenways Primary School

Big thanks to everyone who supported the amazing WINTER PRIDE events on Saturday 2nd February!

Assortment of photographs sourced from UNISON members and social media channels, taken during the WINTER PRIDE events on Saturday 2nd February. Alongside these images is the Southend UNISON branch logo and a caption reading: "Big thanks to everyone who supported the amazing WINTER PRIDE events on Saturday 2nd February!"
Photographs sourced from UNISON members and Southend Pride’s Facebook page and Twitter account.

Big thanks to everyone who supported the amazing WINTER PRIDE events on Saturday 2nd February!

We look forward to seeing you all again at SOUTHEND PRIDE 2019!

SAVE THE DATES: 13th July 2019 – 20th July 2019

WE’RE BACK, BIGGER, BETTER AND QUEERER THAN EVER!

For more information and to stay up-to-date with announcements please visit the SOUTHEND PRIDE website.

No Place For Hate: WINTER PRIDE this Saturday 2nd February

Southend Winter Pride event announcement graphic reading: “Saturday 2nd February – No Place For Hate: Winter Pride – Pride Market, Local Community Stalls, Live Entertainment and AFTERPARTY"

Come along to the FREE WINTER PRIDE events on Saturday 2nd February including UNISON and community stalls, entertainment, music and after-party!

EVERYONE WELCOME, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

For more info. check out the Southend Pride Facebook event pages below.

 No Place for Hate: Winter Pride 
 WHERE: St Marks Church Hall, Princes Street, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1QA
 WHEN: Saturday 2nd February, 12:00 – 17:00
 EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/303301353631406

 Winter Pride: AfterParty 
 WHERE: Cliff Pub, 48 Hamlet Road, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1HH
 WHEN: Saturday 2nd February, 17:00 – 03:00
 EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/557401798115471/

Join the SAVE OUR LIBRARIES ESSEX March and Rally on Saturday 9th February in Chelmsford! #savelibraries @Essex_CC @EssexLibraries @essexlive @ChelmsfordSole @UNISONEastern

Join the SAVE OUR LIBRARIES ESSEX March and Rally

 WHERE: Saracens Head Hotel, 3 High Street, Chelmsford CM1 1BE
 WHEN: Saturday 9th February, 12:00 – 2:00
 EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/352674068844486


This public march in Chelmsford on Saturday 9th February is organised by campaign group Save Our Libraries Essex (SOLE). SOLE are asking for people to meet at 12 noon, Chelmsford High Street, outside of the Saracens Head Hotel.

For up-to-date information on the SOLE campaign, including this march, please visit, like and share their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SaveOurLibrariesEssex

Essex County Council is currently consulting residents on plans to close libraries across Essex while having other libraries run by volunteers. If this goes ahead one-third of libraries in Essex will close and many more will be under threat. Find out if your local branch library is under threat at: https://bit.ly/2FPYGOk

By downgrading or closing these 44 libraries, Essex County Council hopes to save an estimated £3 million pounds* which could easily be sourced from the £340.2 million† they have in reserves.

Libraries are an essential part of the community and need to be defended. With nearly half of library users being either under the age of 9 or over the age of 60 these closures will impact on the most vulnerable members of our society. It will mean the loss of local services that support parents and children. It will mean the loss of Internet services to the community. It will mean an increase in loneliness to those living in isolation.

If you have not already done so then please:

  1. Sign the petition: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-our-essex-libraries
  2. Complete the Essex County Council survey: https://libraries.essex.gov.uk/libraries-consultation

YOUR VIEWS MATTER SO MAKE SURE THEY ARE HEARD


Click here to download the SOLE March & Rally flyer.

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” Albert Einstein

“When in doubt, go to the library.” J.K. Rowling

“Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.” Ray Bradbury

“Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities” R. David Lankes


* Essex Future Library Services Strategy 2019-2024, p.20
Essex County Council Statement of Accounts 2017/18, p.20

Would you like to attend the STAND UP TO RACISM Trade Union Conference 2019?

Feature image reading: "Contact the branch to attend the STAND UP TO RACISM Trade Union Conference on Saturday 23 February 2019 at 10:30am–5:00pm at Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD."

If you’re a Southend UNISON member and would like to attend the STAND UP TO RACISM Trade Union Conference on Saturday 23 February please contact the branch ASAP for financial support. We will be covering conference registration, travel expenses and subsistence for 10 delegates on a first-come, first-served basis. In exchange, we would want your feedback and support on how we can best organise around issues raised at the conference and how we can be proactive in stopping the far right and challenging racism in our workplaces and community during 2019.


The STAND UP TO RACISM Trade Union Conference is an opportunity for trade unionists to discuss, debate and organise and will focus on challenging institutional racism and mobilising for the UN Anti-Racism Day Demonstration* on Saturday 16th March. A full conference programme of speakers, plenaries and workshops will be announced soon.

For up-to-date information about the conference please visit the conference Facebook page and if you wish to register contact us and we’ll include you in our branch group booking.


* More information about the UN Anti-Racism Day Demonstration coming soon.

Save Hullbridge Library – BOOK RAID – Saturday 26th January, 9:30 – 12:30

Announcement graphic reading: “Save Hullbridge Library – BOOK RAID! Saturday 26th January, 9:30 – 12:30” This announcement text overlays a photograph of Hullbridge Library.

Join us to show support for the under threat Hullbridge Library by taking part in the Save Hullbridge Library – BOOK RAID.

 WHERE: Hullbridge Library, Ferry Road, Hullbridge SS5 6ET
 WHEN: Saturday 26th January, 9:30 – 12:30
 EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/2186722064915806

To prove just how much the library means to you come along anytime between 09:30 – 12:30 on Saturday 26th January and take out the maximum number of items per person (14).

With enough attendees, hopefully we can emulate the huge success of the recent Hockley Library Book Raid, empty the library, raise awareness of the Essex County Council libraries consultation and get this in the media!

This event has been organised with the co-operation of the Library Staff and Friends of Hullbridge Library.

Please sign-up EVERYONE you know locally – babies can even have 14 items from the children’s section.

We look forward to seeing you there!

All the best,

Samantha Reed
Southend UNISON Steward

Image of the 'Save Hullbridge Library – BOOK RIAD' flyer containing text similar to "Save Hullbridge Library – BOOK RAID – Saturday 26th January, 9:30 – 12:30" post above.

 SOLE (Save Our Libraries Essex)