Monday 26 October 2015

Junior doctors’ campaign is a fight to defend the NHS

Southwark Action Alert                                                                25 October 2015

Junior doctors will shortly be balloting for strike action in their fight against wage cuts. Southwark’s hospitals - King’s and Guy’s - would be affected and if you get friends and workmates to sign the attached petition this will boost doctors’ morale in their fight against these cuts.

In neighbouring Lambeth, the council is going ahead with its plan to close five libraries, three will be turned into gyms and five others converted into unstaffed ‘lounges’. Details of a protest march are shown below.

Workers in Southwark who decide to take strike action to oppose cuts to services and jobs will be prevented from doing so by the Government’s Trade Union bill which is one of the biggest attacks on the right to strike and organise for decades. Rallies and protests are shown below.

Please tweet this listing, link to our website or post on your own Facebook page. Thank you.

EVENTS LIST

Monday 26 October
6.30pm. Public Meeting on the Trade Union Bill. Called By Lambeth Trades Council. Guest Speaker from Institute for Employment Rights. Vida Walsh Centre, Saltoun Road, Brixton, London SW2 1EP.

Tuesday 27 October
7pm. Defend Council Housing meeting at the Alvey Estate Tenants Hall, ground floor of Thomson House, Beckway Street, off East Street, SE17 1TS. Beckway Street is close to the end of East Street at its junction with the Old Kent Road. Map here. More information from southwarkdch@gmail.com

Saturday 31 October
12.30pm -1.30pm. Stall organised by Southwark Defend Council Housing Campaign in Rye Lane (outside Boots), Peckham SE15

Monday 2 November
1pm. Lobby of parliament against the Trade Union Bill. Called by the TUC.
6pm. Protest against Trade Union Bill at Parliament Square. Organised by Trade Union Coordinating Group (TUCG). Download leaflet here.
Use the “selfie” poster here to use at work for solidarity pictures and protests.

Wednesday 4 November
12noon. National Student demonstration: Free Education & Living Grants for All: No Barriers // No Borders // No Business! See Facebook here. Assemble Malet St. Called by NCFAC, supported by 40 UK campuses to date

1-3pm. Pensioners’ Lobby of Parliament for Better Care & Pensions. Rally in Committee Room 14, House of Commons. Called by the National Pensioners Convention. Get leaflet here.

6.30pm.  ‘Refugees Welcome Here’ public meeting. Speakers include: Diane Abbott MP Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Owen Jones, Francesca Martinez, Shahrar Ali Green Party Deputy Leader, Anna Musgrove Refugee Council. Called by Stand Up to Racism. At Camden Centre WC1H 9JE. More details here.

Saturday 7 November
10.30am. Assemble for March to Save Lambeth Libraries in Windrush Square, Opp. Town Hall, march to Tate Library, South Lambeth Road. More details here.

Saturday 14 November
11am – 5pm. Fight Austerity, Defend our Unions conference. Speakers include Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, Matt Wrack (FBU), Natalie Bennett (Green Party Leader), Kevin Courtney (NUT), Steve Gillan (POA) and John Hendy QC.

A key theme is also combatting racism and scapegoating. Organised by Unite the Resistance. Book your ticket here.

Thursday 19 November
6.30pm. South London People’s Assembly Organising meeting. Bread & Roses pub, 68 Clapham Manor St, London SW4 6DZ. More information from secretary@southlondonpa.org. Click here for the facebook event.

Thursday 19 November
7pm - 9pm. Lambeth Keep Our NHS Public organising meeting in Pratts and Payne, 103 Streatham High Road, SW16 1HJ.  (Note the change of day and venue this month.) There is no Southwark KONP group so Southwark activists please make contact with this Lambeth group to find out about local activity. The group have a new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LambethKONP .

OTHER LOCAL CAMPAIGNS not listed above:

Campaign to Save the Aylesbury. Campaigners are supporting local tenants to oppose the demolition of council housing in Southwark. Replacing social housing with private dwellings is denying thousands of people decent, affordable housing.  A petition demanding that the Council respects the result of their ballot in 2001, or gives them another vote to decide what happens to their homes is being circulated. If you can help going door to door to seek signatures, contact southwarkdch@gmail.com or phone 07792 786 192. Website: www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk/dch.

Defend Lewisham Southwark College campaign. Contact savelscollege@gmail.com for more info or to join the mailing list. Campaign Facebook page here. You can download the latest proposal from Southwark Council here.

London Play and Youth Work Campaign is supported by Unite the Union. If you're a playworker, a child, a mum, a dad, a cousin, a youth worker, or you’re just concerned about cuts to youth services, please join. Find out more here or contact londonplaycampaign@gmail.com

London Unemployed Strategies (LUS) - a campaign to give a voice to unemployed people. For more information and to get involved, contact Nick on: 020 7467 1283 or 07530 001653, or email nickplus007@gmail.com. Facebook page here.

Save Lewisham Hospital

There is an indication that Lewisham Hospital may be under threat again. a petition online has been launched. For more information, click here. For the petition, click here.

SolidariTEA, a weekly drop-in between 2pm and 4pm for those affected by work capability, benefits & housing problems etc. Mutual support & planning direct action, at 97 Dawes House, Orb St, Walworth, London, SE17 1RD. For information, email to solidariteasouthwark@gmail.com or phone 07966180429 on Mondays pm. See the Facebook page here.

South London Unite the Resistance. For news updates and action alerts on trade union and anti-austerity events in south London, join the email list by writing to southlondonunitetheresistance@gmail.com or phone 07956579466.

Southwark Trades Council meets on the second Wednesday each month at 160 Tooley Street. The Trades Council or local TUC group is a forum for local unions to meet and organise together. ALL Southwark trade union members are welcome. Contact 07983475050 or southwarktuc@gmail.com for more information.

Southwark Disabled People Against Cuts can be contacted at Southwark Independent Living Centre, 10 Bradenham Close, SE17 2QB or by emailing southwarkdpac@mail.com

Saturday 17 October 2015

Libraries and homes – key campaigns this month

Southwark Action Alert                        9 October 2015

Southwark’s adjacent borough, Lambeth, is planning to close five libraries: Despite 1.3 million visits to the borough’s libraries last year, three libraries will be turned into gyms and five others converted into unstaffed ‘lounges’. Details of the protest lobby this Monday are shown below. You will also find details of several events relating to the demand for protection of council homes from private property developers.

EVENTS LIST

Saturday 10 October
12-1pm. Stall organised by Southwark Defend Council Housing Campaign Outside Morrisons, Walworth Road, Opposite East Street. (Please note that the Peoples Housing Conference, planned for this date has been cancelled.)

Saturday 10 October
2pm-4pm. Petitioning to urge Lambeth Council to pass a motion against TTIP. Meet in Windrush Square (opposite the Town Hall). Organised by Keep Our NHS Public and Global Justice. Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/LambethKONP

Monday 12 October
6.30pm. Save Lambeth Libraries - Lobby Lambeth Council at Dunraven School 94/98 Leigham Court Road SW16 2QB. Five libraries to be closed. Download flyer with full details at http://t.co/fzPZRfNNlJ .

Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October
10am – 5pm. The Aylesbury estate Compulsory Purchase Order reconvenes in Arry's Bar at Millwall Football Ground, Zampa Road, London SE16 3LN. If you live on the Aylesbury and want to attend Aylesbury Tenants and Leaseholders First are arranging transport.

Tuesday 13 October
5pm. Trade Union Co-ordinating Group ‘Kill the Bill’ protest & rally –outside Parliament for protest then 6pm Committee Room 10 House of Commons for rally - Chair: Steve Gillan POA. Speakers: Matt Wrack FBU, Michelle Stanistreet NUJ, Mark Serwotka PCS, Mick Cash RMT, John Hendy QC, Professor Keith Ewing, John McDonnell MP Shadow Chancellor, Caroline Lucas MP, Ian Lavery MP, Hannah Bardell MP, Rob Williams NSSN, Michael Bradley, Unite the Resistance. More info from TUCG website

Thursday 15 October
6.30pm. Public meeting: Homes for public need – not private greed with speakers from the European housing crisis coalition, anti-MIPIM campaigners and other campaigns for land and public infrastructure. At GMB office, 22 Stephenson Way, NW1 2HD. Facebook event here.

Saturday 17 October
12noon – 2pm. Join the Junior Doctors' London Protest, marching from Waterloo Place (off Pall Mall) to Parliament Square. Support them in their struggle against a new contract which would mean cuts in pay of around 30% and a huge increase in working hours.

Tuesday 20 October
7pm. Lambeth Keep Our NHS Public organising meeting in the White Lion pub, 232-4 Streatham High Road, SW16 1BB. (Note the change of day and venue this month.)

Wednesday 21 October
9am. Demonstration outside the property fair, MIPIM, at Olympia, Hammersmith Road, W14 8UX.  Organised by Radical Housing Network, supported by Housing Action in Southwark & Lambeth, Defend Council Housing and others. More details here.

Tuesday 27 October
7pm. Defend Council Housing meeting at the Alvey Estate Tenants Hall, ground floor of Thomson House, Beckway Street, off East Street, SE17 1TS. Beckway Street is close to the end of East Street at its junction with the Old Kent Road. More information from southwarkdch@gmail.com


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