Demonstration against the cuts and Mass sleep out

Demonstration against the cuts
The NUJ is backing a march and rally taking place in Manchester on Sunday 29 September to coincide with the Conservative Party conference. Supported by the TUC and the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, tens of thousands of people are expected to travel from around the country to show their feelings about cuts to jobs, services and benefits and in support of the NHS.

A special train is being laid on from London, while Brighton Trades Council has organised a coach from Brighton - £10 waged £2 unwaged. For a place on the coach, email BrightonTradesCouncil@gmail.com.

 The march will assemble at Liverpool Road, near the Museum of Science and Industry, at 11.00 and at 12.30 the march will set off via Deansgate and John Dalton Street for the rally in Whitworth Park, opposite the Manchester Royal Infirmary, at around 14.00.
http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/march-and-rally-sunday-29-september-2013/

Mass sleep out in Brighton and Worthing
Campaigners in Brighton are joining a nationwide protest against the ‘Bedroom Tax’ and other benefit cuts by sleeping out overnight. The protest in Worthing takes place from 7pm on Friday 23 August, at Liverpool Terrace. The Brighton event is from 2pm on Saturday 24 August in Steine Gardens and is supported by Brighton Benefits Campaign. Information about both events can be found on Facebook.

NUJ Branch Summer Party and Social

A date for your diary! This year's Branch Summer Party will be in the beer garden of the Hobgoblin, 31 York Place, Brighton BN1 4GU (next to Aldi) on Thursday 8 August, starting at 7pm. Get there early for some free beer. You will also able to order some food, mainly burgers, but be aware The Troll's Pantry closes at 8pm. Watch this space for more news!

Brighton People's Assembly Against Austerity meeting

The next Brighton People's Assembly Against Austerity meeting will be at the Brighthelm Centre on 27 July. There are four sub-groups forming, including one for media and comms. The next full public meeting is on 7 August at the King & Queen pub (tbc).

To keep informed check out the Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1391795211038990/

Over 4,000 join People’s Assembly Against Austerity

Photo by Natasha Steel

The NUJ Brighton & Sussex banner made an appearance at a national meeting of over 4,000 people in London - and found its way onto News at Ten. The People’s Assembly Against Austerity, which took place at Westminster Central Hall on 22 June, was the largest gathering of individuals, unions and organisations fighting and resisting the Government’s austerity programme since the financial crash over five years ago.

Delegates, some of whom were taking their first action against the cuts, were buzzing after rousing speeches including plenaries from Frances O’Grady, Owen Jones, Mark Steel, Francesca Martinez and Tony Benn. Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said anti-union laws should not get in the way of strikes against austerity and Mark Serwotka, who leads the civil service PCS union, called for co-ordinated civil disobedience, protests and strikes.

Packed sessions exceeded the organisers’ expectations and a marquee and extra accommodation was found to accommodate everyone. Recognising the energy, potential and hopes of millions of people affected by austerity, the People’s Assembly called for concrete action to be undertaken across the country.

This includes:

• Local People’s Assemblies to be established in every area possible 
• A mass protest at the Tory Party conference in Manchester on 29 September 
• A day of civil disobedience nationally on 5 November 
• A national demonstration in London in the new year 

At a session to create and build on local People’s Assemblies, about 40 people from Brighton and Sussex shared contact details and agreed to further the aims of the movement. A Brighton People’s Assembly Against Austerity Facebook page has been set up and a meeting is taking place at the King & Queen pub on 11 July, 7.30pm.

The national People’s Assembly follows more than 10 regional meetings, including one that was held at the Brighthelm Centre in Brighton on 30 May.

To create an infrastructure that can support the local organisations and take forward the national initiatives that were launched at the assembly, the People’s Assembly has launched an urgent financial appeal to raise funds. This can be done on the website: http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/donate/

Natasha Steel

Saturday 6 July: Sussex Trade Union Network conference, Uniting the Resistance

We now have the programme for the Saturday 6 July Sussex Trade Union Network conference, Uniting the Resistance, which Phil Mellows is sponsoring as NUJ branch sec.

With the Tories this week stepping up their attack on working people and public services, there couldn't be a better time to come together to discuss how Sussex trade unionists and campaigners can step up our resistance to cuts and austerity.

In addition to the speakers listed in the programme (see below for a link to the brochure), Ronnie Margulies, a Turkish trade union activist, is flying into the UK on the morning of the event, and will bring an eyewitness report and solidarity greetings from Turkish workers' struggle against their own right-wing government.

Above all, the majority of time at the event will be for activists and trade union members from across the region to share their experiences, and debate the practical steps we can take to build up the local opposition that can feed into a national movement of resistance.

It's at The University of Brighton, Pavilion Parade, BN2 1RA 

Advanced booking is advised - email n.edmond@brighton.ac.uk

11am - 12.30 The fight against austerity

12.30 There is such a thing as a free lunch!

1pm - 3pm Workshops

3pm Uniting resistance across Sussex

This event is designed as a launch of the Sussex-wide network of trade unionists fighting austerity and privatisation.

What is a network for, and how will it work? These are questions to be addressed on the day. The answers to them will emerge from discussions at the various meetings; they do not exist in advance.

Some of the things that a network could do are clear, however.

• It can provide information across Sussex about disputes that are happening, or are about to happen.
• It can link up those in dispute or are campaigning across the counties,
• It can mobilise solidarity across two counties (from collections to picket support and demonstrations).
• It can provide a Sussex-wide perspective on defending the NHS, municipal services, and public education and postal services, etc.
• It can seek to predict where future disputes are to occur on cuts and privatisation, and prepare for them.
• It could run a Sussex-wide press and publicity operation to explain and raise support both within the trade union movement, and amongst the public.
• It could do much more than this but that is for the inaugural meeting to determine. It is not an alternative to any other organisation resisting the austerity programme. It is the trade union part of the movement against austerity, and focussed on supplementing and supporting the work of Trades councils and union branches, and local campaigning groups, in developing a programme of resistance.

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT OFF A PDF OF THE PROGRAMME:
Colour: http://bit.ly/18iKo0w
Black and white: http://bit.ly/19yl2wO

Contact Sussex Trade Union Network:
EMAIL: sussexunionnetwork@gmail.com
PHONE: Tom Hickey 07816 921105
Facebook: Sussex TU Netwrk
Twitter: @SussexTUResist

Cityclean workers demo, Saturday 15 June

Cityclean workers at Brighton bin depot, members of the GMB, are set to strike for seven days tomorrow against attempts by Brighton & Hove Council to cut their pay.

Some workers will lose up to £4,000 a year as a result of the proposed changes to allowances.

As part of their campaign the bin workers have called a demonstration on Saturday, which will march through the city from the Hollingdean depot to the council offices at Kings House in Hove for a rally with speeches. Trade unionists and service users are invited to join them.

Brighton & Mid-Sussex NUJ branch committee is aiming to be on the march with our banner. It'll be great if you can join us.

Assemble 11.30am, Saturday June 15, at Hollingdean depot in Upper Hollingdean Road.

A meeting and social, May 14

Our next branch meeting will be on Tuesday 14 May at 7.30pm in the conservatory in the Prince Arthur pub, Dean Street, Brighton BN13EG Google map.

Agenda

1. Intro and apologies
2. Election of new members
3. Secretary's report including BBC dispute, Defend Our NHS campaign, Stop March for England
4. Treasurer's report
5. Election of new treasurer
6. Other reports including trades council
7. Future meetings and activities
8. Guest speaker(s): Brighton bin workers on their dispute and wildcat strike
9. Any other business
10. Branch social

We hope you can make it!

Next branch meeting on Tuesday 5 March

Our next branch meeting will be on Tuesday 5 March at 7.30pm in the 'lounge' at the Iron Duke, Waterloo Street, Brighton.

Agenda

1. Welcome & apologies
2. Election of new members
3. The fight for jobs at the BBC - Following last month's one-day strike, Paul Sawtell and Paul Siegert from BBC Sussex NUJ will report on the ongoing dispute
4. Defend the NHS - why we're supporting Thursday's public meeting with Caroline Lucas
5. Future meetings - please bring your ideas!
6. Communications
7. Treasurer's report
8. Other reports (including Argus, trades council)
9. AOB

We hope you can make it. The meetings are alway a nice informal opportunity for members to meet, catch up on NUJ news and bring ideas for branch activity.

Thanks to everyone who come to the Christmas party at the Mesmerist in December. It was great to see so many members out and about, and lots of people said how much they enjoyed the talk and social, particularly people who considered themselves 'lapsed' or 'out of the loop'.

We will be organising another social event soon, so if anyone would like to get involved, get in touch with Phil Mellows, Branch Secretary on nujbrighton@gmail.com

BBC on 24-hour strike

BBC Sussex picket line. Photo by Melita Dennett

On 18 February 2012, there was a 24-hour strike at the BBC. Full story as it unfolds at http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=2815.

Michelle Stanistreet, said:

"NUJ members across the BBC are taking action to defend jobs and quality journalism at the corporation. They are angry and frustrated at the poor decisions being taken at the top of the BBC - decisions that are leading to journalists being forced out of their jobs and quality journalism and programming compromised.

"Instead of making sure that the redeployment process works properly in all areas of the BBC, managers are prepared to waste public money on needless redundancies and sacrifice the livelihoods of experienced and talented journalists, at the same time as advertising other jobs externally. It's particularly disappointing that the BBC has failed to engage meaningfully in attempts to resolve this dispute - an abdication ofresponsibility for a public service broadcaster."

NUJ members across the BBC - in Scotland, in BBC South, the Asian Network, Newsbeat, News, Five Live, the Big Screens, the World Service and English Regions - remain at risk of compulsory redundancy.

BBC jobs have been externally advertised while experienced and skilled staff, who face losing their livelihood, have not even been considered.

The NUJ has put forward constructive proposals to the BBC to resolve this dispute. The BBC has been asked for a moratorium on all job cuts for a six month period, to allow for talks and negotiation with the new Director General. So far the BBC has not responded to this request.

What you can do to help
- Visit your local picket line to show solidarity.
- Send messages of support by emailing: campaigns@nuj.org.uk
- Tweet your messages of support with the hashtag  #BBCStrike
- Email the BBC Trust to tell them you support the strike to stop the cuts: trust.enquiries@bbc.co.uk or if you would like to make a general comments or ask a question about the BBC you can call 03700 100 222; textphone 03700 100 212
- Ask your local MP to sign the BBC redundancies early day motion

Brighton Branch Xmas Party!

Yes, it's that time of the year again. This year the Brighton Branch Xmas party is Upstairs at the Mesmerist on Tuesday 18 December at 7pm.

There will be a short meeting first to deal with branch business, then we have comedian Geoff Westby and a talk by Phil Mellows on The Politics of Drinking!

As the nation argues about minimum pricing, Phil Mellows, pub trade journalist and author of the Politics of Drinking blog, talks about the myth of binge drinking and the role the media plays in distorting the debate.

There's a free bar until the tab runs out (so get there early) and food. All welcome.

The pub is at 1-3 Prince Albert Street, Brighton, BN1 1HE. Contact: 01273 328542. See you there.

Brighton Branch marches with the TUC against austerity

On Saturday 20 October, a Brighton and Mid-Sussex Branch contingent travelled up to London on the Trades Council chartered train to take part in the TUC's 'A future that works' anti-austerity march. Here is a photo of the NUJ group - including our General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet - which was near the back of the march, along with the 'entertainment unions'. It was a great show of solidarity and a big thank you to the Trades Council for organising the trip.

From the Newcastle DM

Brighton Branch secretary Phil Mellows puts motion 122 at the NUJ Delegate Meeting, Newcastle

Brighton Branch sent Phil Mellows and Fred Pipes to the NUJ Delegate Meeting, Newcastle, 5-7 October 2012. Our one motion, 122, in the Ethics section, was passed unanimously, after being moved by Phil. The other big news from the conference was that austerity measures to increase subscriptions by 5% and only hold the DM every two years were passed, but only after a close card vote, and both photographers and 60+ will get their own Councils. Full report to follow.

Fred (Alan) was interviewed by one of the student delegates, Leela Prasad - you can read his verbatim ramblings here: http://nujadm.org.uk/2012/interview-with-alan-pipes/ . You can find other interviews on that website too, along with news and analysis as reported by the journalism students.

View from our table. General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet is speaking. The gap behind president Donnacha DeLong is where a giant NUJ logo was - it fell off on the first day of the conference!

Join the TUC Demo October 20th

No to Austerity! March Together! Organise to Strike Together! 

The NUJ Branch will be reserving a block of seats on the train to the demo as described in the following Trades Council announcement:

The TUC have called a demonstration for ‘A Future That Works’ in central London on 20th October. This has the potential to see many hundreds of thousands on the streets - a huge show of anger against the government. The Brighton Trade Union Council with the support of most of our city’s union branches has booked a train so we can all travel up and back together. 

Book a seat today and join us! 

We have seen 350,000 public sector jobs lost, 4 years of pay freeze, NHS privatisation, 1 million youth unemployed, university fees tripled, benefits slashed, EMA cut... and only 15% of the cuts have been made so far. All this as the deficit and the coffers of the super-rich keep expanding! Our movement shook the government on 30th November when 2 million workers were on strike against the pensions robbery. In Brighton the strike was solid and 10,000 demonstrated.

Brighton Trades Council is against ALL cuts, ALL austerity, and believes that if strike action had continued and been escalated it could have forced the government to retreat. This demonstration needs to be as big as possible, not just to show the government we won’t put up with cuts, but also to be a chance to organise our workplaces, colleges, communities and towns to reject austerity.

Join the joint union train! Hundreds of subsidised seats available! If you are a union member your branch or region is probably already involved so contact them for a seat. If you do not belong to a union you can book seats direct with the Trades Council.

Email Phil at BrightonTradesCouncil@gmail.com

Train from Brighton approx 10am, return from Victoria approx 5pm.
Book a seat for full details.

Next Branch meeting: 1 October

The Iron Duke, 1 October, 7.30pm.

Draft agenda: 

• Matters arising from last meeting 
• Election of new members 
• Chapel and other reports 
• NUJ Delegates Meeting - motions and issues 
• TUC demo October 20 
• Children of unemployed Christmas party appeal 
• Future meetings and events (inc Christmas party)

http://www.irondukebrighton.co.uk

More details about DM and a full agenda can be found on the NUJ site, http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=2474. You'll find a document containing the background to the NUJ recovery plan. We'd also advise reading the alternative proposals put forward by the FT chapter that can be found here: http://ftnujchapel.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/nuj-alternative-recovery-plan/.

TUC events

We're sure you've been following the announcements on the NUJ's main website, but we'd like to remind you about a few events taking place in Brighton next week as part of TUC Congress.

First and foremost is the NUJ social evening on Tuesday 11th September, which we've helped to organise. It'd be great to see as many people there as possible and guests/possible recruits are more than welcome.

NUJ social evening
Come join the NUJ on the last night of TUC Congress for a few drinks and friendly banter.

Donnacha DeLong, NUJ President, and Ewa Jasiewicz, Unite organiser and NUJ freelance member, will kick things off with a short discussion about building the NUJ and then chill out, have a few drinks and network. Journalists, broadcasters, bloggers, Tweeters, PRs, publishers, web designers and comradely trade unionists welcome, you don't have to be an NUJ member (yet) to come along.

Time: 7pm, Tuesday 11 September.
Venue: Upstairs at the Mesmerist - 1-3 Prince Albert Street, Brighton, BN1 1HE.

The night before, on Monday 10th September, there will also be a fringe meeting around the Leveson inquiry:

Speakers: Michelle Stanistreet NUJ, Mark Serwotka PCS, Tony Burke Unite, John Hendy QC, Helen Goodman MP, Des Freedman CCMR, Granville Williams CPBF, Owen Jones, author of Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class.
Title: The press post Leveson: how a unionised workplace can deliver ethical journalism
Time: Monday 10 September, 17.30
Venue: Brighton Centre, the Restaurant.

Refreshments provided.
More details here

The NUJ is also supporting two fringe events held by the Trade Union Co-ordinating Group

Title: Fighting Austerity - Co-ordinated Action
Chair: Michelle Stanistreet
Speakers: Matt Wrack (FBU), Mark Serwotka (PCS), Bob Crow (RMT), Kathy Turner (UCU), John McDonnell MP
Time: Monday 10 September, 12.30 to 2pm
Venue: Meeting Room 3, Second Floor, Brighton Conference Centre

Title: Work Under Attack! - Health, Safety and Violence Against the Workforce
Chair: Bob Monks (URTU)
Speakers: Ronnie Draper (BFAWU), Hilda Palmer (Hazards), Jerry Glazier (NUT), Steve Gillan (POA)
Time: Tuesday 11 September, 5.30pm to 7pm
Venue: Meeting Room 3, Second Floor, Brighton Conference Centre

GFTU and IER Sunday Night Special at the Ship Hotel
The Institute of Employment Rights: Days of Action, Protesting Against Austerity: with the United Campaign for the Repeal of anti-trade union laws
Chair: Carolyn Jones
Speakers: Keith Ewing, IER President, John Hendy QC, IER Chairman, Len McCluskey, UNITE

As ever, we hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Brighton & MidSussex NUJ branch committee