Message of support for PCS call centre walkout - 20th & 21st January

On behalf of the Southend Trades Union Council, I wish to express our solidarity with your strike action against the sweat shop conditions in Jobcente Plus call centres.

We believe that a Government Department, such as Job Centre Plus, should act as a model employer and not subject their staff to bullying by micro-managing their work.

The Southend TUC hopes that industrial action is a success and that you are victorious over this unjust managment regime.

Yours in solidarity

Ian Pope

Secretary

Southend Trades Union Council

Cuts by Southend Council hit the young hardest

Southend Borough Council announces 178 job losses

See falseeconomy.org.uk

Campaigning Activities Update

Saturday 15th January

In support of SERTUC's day of action, we shall be running a street stall in the High Street, under the railway bridge, between 12 noon and 2.00pm . If anyone is able to help with giving out leaflets this would be greatly appreciated.

Saturday 12th March

Southend Against The Cuts and Southend TUC will be calling a march and rally in Southend on to build support for the TUC’s national demonstration.

Saturday 26th March

The PCS will be running 2 coaches to London for the TUC's March For The Alternative.

If there is a greater number of people wishing to attend following our campaigning events, then further coaches will be organised by UNISON and/or the Southend TUC.

Say NO to unnecessary spending cuts!

The following events have been organised by the TUC and SETUC to fight against the government's attacks on working people:

Saturday 15 January	SERTUC day of action to bust the government’s economic lies
Monday 14 February	Oppose the St Valentine’s Day massacre of our services
Tuesday 8 March	Expose the impact of the cuts on women on International Women’s Day
Saturday 26 March	TUC National Demonstration in London
Sunday 1 May	Celebrate International Workers Day
Thursday 5 May	Kick out the ConDems in the South East and East of England local elections
Wednesday 1 June	Expose the injustice to our children on International Children’s Day

The Southend TUC will be supporting all of these events, and details will be posted here when the arrangements have been confirmed.

Annual Report - 2010

Southend Trades Union Council

Secretary’s Report for year ended 31^st December 2010

As I was elected as the Secretary of the Southend TUC in September 2010, regrettably I am only able to report on our activities since then. However I can report one great success form earlier in the year:

Leigh Folk Festival

In conjunction with RMT, PCS and SERTUC, we sponsored the 2010 Festival and ran a Trade Union stall on the Saturday (26^th June).

As the major sponsors, the back cover of the Festival’s programme featured the Trade Unions. In previous years, the Southend Borough Council was the leading sponsor but their funding of the Festival was reduced. I would express our gratitude to Brian Denny for his hard work in liaising between the Unions and the Festival’s organisers.

I think the linking of our work in the local community and the folk traditions of the Festival helped to form a lasting partnership.

Public Spending Cuts

After the formation of the Coalition Government following the General Election, there could be no doubt that there would be an all-out attack on the living standards of working people. The Tories and Lib Dems, in the name of reducing the national deficit, are intent on making the working class pay the cost of the economic crisis created by the reckless speculative activities of the bankers and their allies in the City.

In the front line of the Government’s attacks are the members of public sector trades unions. However, there is a growing movement of students, benefit claimants, NHS users and other groups disadvantaged by the savage spending cuts.

Southend Against The Cuts

In September, the Southend TUC organised the public meeting which set up this campaigning group, which aims to unite all groups opposing the Government’s spending cuts.

On 12^th December, a very successful march and rally was held in Southend High Street. Over 200 people joined the march to express their opposition to the cuts. Not were there only trade unionists, but students, pensioners and other campaigning groups. The Southend Labour Party and other political groups were also represented.

The Government’s plans will without doubt dominate the agenda for the Southend TUC throughout the coming year. We will need to build the maximum possible support for the TUC’s national demonstration called for 26^th March 2011.

Finally, I would like to thank all Officers and delegates to the Southend TUC for their input in the past year. This work will stand us in good stead for the struggles to come in 2011.

Ian Pope – Secretary