BENEFIT CONCERT Friday 5th October @ Islington Mill

Trojan Horse fans should get down early as they are playing first!

Salford Against the Cuts Organising Meeting

Tuesday 4th September 2012 at 7pm 

in the White Swan pub on Worsley Road, Swinton

 

ALL WELCOME

 

Agenda items.

 

1. Horizon centre

2. Salix Homes

3. Fund raising gig

4. Mental Health

5. Academies

D-DAY FOR IRLAM & CADISHEAD COLLEGE: LOBBY THE GOVERNORS MEETING 5 pm THURSDAY 9th AUGUST( LOBBY FROM 4.30 PM AT SCHOOL)

Salford Anti Academy Alliance

Campaign Meeting 19^th June

People agreed that the “Future of Schools” public meeting had been very successful with over 80 people in attendance. For report go to http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=1443 .

The meeting agreed to Launch Salford Anti-Academy Alliance (SAAA) involving parents, unions, councillors and community.

The following demands were agreed: 

The Council oppose all forced academies and immediately notify unions and Salford AAA. 

The Council should also oppose any converter academies such as Irlam & Cadishead College.

The Council should stop approaching schools to be part of Salford Academy Trust. Any further academisation is put on hold.

The Council should have a veto over any decisions taken by the Salford Academy Trust and Trade Unions be granted a full union recognition agreement , in line with the TUC Model Agreement.

 The Council to support a full community ballot over any school in Salford which wishes to become an Academy.

Agreed to organise a demonstration against Academies and lobby the Labour Group and full Council meeting in September.

Irlam & Cadishead College

Campaign on-going.  The Head continues to lie to parents about the impact of transfer to Academy status. Unions, parents and councillors have all sent in letters opposing transfer. We await the date for the governors meeting to decide whether or not to seek transfer.

Agreed to lobby Governors Meeting.

Buile Hill High School

The unions met with the Head and chair of Governors and there are now no immediate plans to become an Academy. The Head stated he was looking towards September 2013.

Agreed to organise public meeting at Buile Hill Banqueting Suite on Thursday 13^th September.

Agreed to invite speakers from Anti Academies Alliance.

Lobby the Labour Group

As agreed at the meeting. Lobby to take place at 5.30 pm Monday 17^th September.

Suggested Next Meeting 5pm Thursday 6^th September

Ameen Hadi

Treasurer

Salford City Unison

443/445 Chorley Road,

Swinton,

M27 9UQ

Email ameen.hadi@salfordcityunison.org.uk

Tel No: 0161  794 7425

Mob: 07557 281 471

Public Meeting

What Future for Salford’s Schools?

7pm, Thursday 12^th July

Swinton British Legion

Cheetham Road, Swinton, M27 4UQ

Education unions, UNISON, NUT and NASUWT are concerned about what is being proposed for schools in Salford. We are concerned that the Council’s “Local Academy” model is no good for Salford schools and we fear that it will mean the loss of democratic control over education in the city.

No to Privatisation

Tory Minister Michael Gove is bullying schools into becoming Academies. His advisers are keen on ‘for profit’ companies running our schools. It’s just like they are trying to do with our Health Service.

No to Tory control.

Academies are run by Trusts, appointed by Gove’s office. Elected Governing bodies are out. There would be no democratic accountability in an Academy.

No to Selection

Schools, currently, takes all pupils who live in the area, regardless of ability, need or background. An Academy will be pressured to increase selection ‘as if it were a grammar school’.

Yes to Community

Your schools are at the heart of the local community. We want to keep it that way! Going Academy would take money away for the LEA and local primary schools. Academies are run on commercial lines, not for community needs.

Yes to Inclusion & Yes to a Local

Our schools should remain inclusive to all pupils. Academies are set up to ‘compete for pupils in the wider education market.’ Every pupil deserves a local school.

UNISON, NUT and NASUWT which are affiliated to the Anti Academies alliance opposes this latest wave of Academies. For more info go to http://antiacademies.org.uk/.

We have sent an Invitation to the Mayor and all Councillors to attend.

Stop Remploy Factory Closures Campaign

Manchester City Centre Friday 18th May

 Rally at Manchester Town Hall Albert Square at the junction Of Princess Street and Lloyd Street

Rally from 11am We need to demonstrate to this Government that what they have proposed to close Remploy and to put the Disabled Worker on to the scrap heap is not acceptable.

March from 12.15pm March from Manchester Town Hall to Britannia Sachas Hotel Tib Street Piccadilly. Sandwich Lunch on Arrival at the hotel

Speakers

 Paul McCarthy GMB Regional Secretary (Chair and Open Meeting)

Phil Davies GMB National Officer

Sally Kosky Unite Officer

Brian Derbyshire GMB Regional Organiser

John McDonnell GMB

Tony Lloyd Labour MP Central Manchester

 Les Woodward National Convener

This is a peaceful Demonstration come along in fancy dress show this Government what life would be like as a disabled person when unemployed come as Beggars, Prisoners, Civil Servants and display your job at Remploy Fabricators, Joiners, receptionist, machinist, Electricians Engineers etc.

Posted on behalf of the Remploy Workers

MAY DAY MARCH AND RALLY

                   Celebrate International Workers Day
                       From Manchester to Salford
Manchester, Salford, Bury and Oldham Trades Union Councils

Guest Speakers:
Matt Wrack - FBU General Secretary 
Ian Stewart - Salford Labour candidate for Mayor of Salford
and former TGWU regional official.

Supported by Greater Manchester TUC, Salford Against Cuts,
Salford Unison, Manchester Campaigns Collective, Salford and
Manchester Pensioners, Blackley and Broughton Constituency
Labour Party and many more.

Assemble Bexley Square, Salford, near Salford Magistrates Court.
M3 6BZ
Walking distance for Manchester City Centre

Email salfordtuc@hotmail.co.uk to add your organisation to the
list of sponsors

11am - Assemble Bexley Square, Salford
near Salford Crescent Train Station, lots of buses from Manchester
Breakfast buttes and speakers

12 noon - March departs

12.15pm - March joins up with people with disabilities assemble outside the moon under the water pub, deansgate

1pm - Rally at Cathedral Gardens

2.30pm - Social Event at Friends Meeting House
Entertainment, food and activities for children

The organisers would like to welcome as many trades unionists and community campaigners as possible to these events.



email salfordtuc@hotmail.co.uk

phone 07817434240

Join us on Facebook.

Demonstrate Against Cuts in Salford

Tuesday 21st February, 8:30am, 

Salford Civic Centre

 Salford Council will be setting its budget for 2012-13 on Tuesday 21st February. We have called this Demo because we are opposed to the cuts and we want the Council to know that they will continue to face opposition if they pass them and then seek to enforce them.

 We understand that the Government and the bankers they support are ultimately to blame, but we are still of the view that Salford Council is not doing enough to stand up to the Government and demand the investment Salford needs if we are to avoid another round of attacks on jobs and services.

If the many Local Authorities that claim to oppose these cuts (Salford being one of them) are not prepared to stand up to the Government then it is up to the unions, service users and the public to do so. If in doing that we have to challenge those authorities then so be it.

Two weeks ago we heard that plans to close at least two day centres for elderly people and those with learning disabilities were shelved for at least 12 months because of the anger ordinary people showed in opposing that attack on services for the most vulnerable. This shows what can be achieved.

However, the day centres are not safe forever and other services stand to be hit hard by this budget. Some examples:

·        £500k from Transport that is currently provided to help Children with Special Educational Needs get to school in the morning


·        Another £1m from Youth Services (something Councillor Merry told us he would seek to defend following last year’s riots)


·        Approximately £400k from Welfare Rights and Debt Advice Services at a time when more and more people are being forced out of work


·        Nearly £500k from the privatisation of homecare services


·        …and a massive £2m more from Adult Social Care under the auspices of “personalisation”.

At the same time more and more money goes to support the BBC and Peel Holdings…………..

We need to stand together and let the Council know that we will not simply stand by and allow these cuts to happen. At the same time our actions should send a message to the Government that we will fight their program of prosperity for the 1% and austerity for the 99% as long as we have to.

Please pass this message on and please reply to say if you can attend as we want to make sure we have enough placards, tabards etc.

I hope to see you there.


Thanks, Steve

Steven North
Secretary, Salford Against the Cuts

30 day centre campaigners celebrated victory at Swinton British Legion on Saturday 11th February.  It was a great result but campaigners are all too aware that the centres are only reprieved for a year and there is concern that new and expensive arangements for transport may reduce visits to the centres.
 
The campaign ha started to save SEN school transport, and everyone took a SAC newsletter and copies of a letter to Cllr. Merry.  A resolution of support was passed for Homecare workers who are campaigning against privatisation of their service.  There was also a suggestion that successful day centre campaigners link up with local youth centres as the Youth Service faces massive but unspecified cuts.
 
There was a call for everyone to attend the lobby of the Labour group on Monday 13th February at the Civic Centre, 5.00 pm, and the demo at the full council on Wednesday 15th February, from 8.00 am.

Newsletter February 2012 (No. 6)

Here is the sixth issue of our newsletter.  If you would like copies to distribute to friends, at work, church or in the pub call or text 07817434240, e-mail salfordagainstcuts@gmail.com, via facebook or print copies yourself (click on each page and select Print...). If you would like to contribute something for the next issue send before Monday 26th March, by e-mail or to Salford Against the Cuts, c/o Salford UNISON Offices, 445 Chorley Road, Swinton, M27 9UQ.

Protest wins reprieve for Day Centres

In the face of vigorous protests Salford council has announced that it will not close threatened Day Centres this year. We should all be pleased with this result, but aware that this is only a 12-month stay-of-execution. We need to clarify the council's review process and keep up the pressure to make sure that there is no cut to services for the most vulnerable people in Salford next year. The council issued the statement below at the end of last week.

The planned protest at Humphrey Booth in Ordsall has been cancelled, but the protest at Craig Hall in Irlam will go ahead as a celebration and demonstration that we will continue to push for better services in Salford, not cuts. We will also be holding a "Victory Party" at Swinton Royal British Legion, on Saturday 11th February from 1pm--3pm with live band; and protests on Monday 13th Feb., at the Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton for the Labour Group meeting and Wednesday 15th Feb. at the Civic Centre for the council annual budget meeting, when we plan to deliver the petition. Please return signed petitions to George Tapp (2 Troy Walk, Salford M53DF) by Saturday.

Statement from the Council

"Following consideration of the proposal and in discussion with the Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health, I have come to the conclusion that some further work must be done before we go any further.

"This work will take some months so we will not be proceeding with the changes in 2012/13. Any future reconfiguration of these services must be done in the light of the following:-

"1. Further work to make sure that the multi- use of all centres can be developed
"2. That we can be assured that the needs of vulnerable people in the city can be met by undertaking individual reviews of the 490 people who use our day services
"3. Demonstrate that we have more locally available alternatives for people to choose from as part of our personalisation changes
"4. Fully consider the views that came back from the 700+ people who participated in the consultation process

"In the light of the work that needs to be undertaken, I will now ask the Lead Member to review the timescale for the proposals, and make sure that all of the above is concluded before any further consideration is given to this matter.

"This will make sure that I stick with my pledge of protecting the most vulnerable in the City."

Defend Day Centres: what you can do

Sign the petition and get as many other people to sign it as you can. (If you need a copy call 07817434240, email salfordagainstcuts@gmail.com or print copies yourself.)

Write to your councillors (http://www.salford.gov.uk/findyourcouncillors.htm), and to Councillor Warmisham and Councillor Merry. You can use the following text if you don't want to write your own.

Dear 
I am writing to you out of concern.
I have recently become aware that the Council is proposing to withdraw funding from two of the Day Centres that provide support for Elderly People and those with Learning Disabilities.
Last February Council Leader John Merry declared that the Council would do all it can to protect the most vulnerable from cuts.
I believe this proposal if implemented would go directly against that statement.
I would ask you to use your influence to try and ensure that these proposals are not implemented.
Please could you respond to this letter by contacting me directly at the address above.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,



Next campaign meeting: Tuesday 7th Feb  7pm Pendleton Bowling Club, 13 Eccles Old Road, Salford, M6 7DE

Come to the protests:

Thurs 9th Feb.  4.30pm – 6.30pm  Craig Hall M44 5XB or 5pm, Humphrey Booth, Taylerson St, Ordsall M53EX

Saturday 11th February

13th Feb., at the Labour Group meeting

15th Feb. at the Civic Centre for the council annual budget meeting

20th Feb. when counc. Warmisham makes the final decision.

Defend Day Centres -- Public Meeting

Saturday 28th January, 12-2 PM

St. Clement’s Church, Grove Avenue (Off Westcraven Drive) Ordsall, M5 3LQ

Defend Day Centres -- Organising Meeting

Thursday January 26th, 7-9pm

Pendleton Bowling Club, 

13 Eccles Old Road, Salford, M6 7DE

Day Centres' Protest

Forty people attended a protest meeting at St Clement's Church, Ordsall on Sat. 14th January, despite short notice.

Steve North, UNISON Secretary, explained the background to the Council's plans to stop funding two day centres, Humphrey Booth in Ordsall and Craig Hall in Irlam.  Ameen Hadi, UNISON Treasurer and shop steward for the workers involved, explained the council's cuts-driven strategy - 'Get a life not a service!'

There were lively and moving contributions from the floor, as people spoke about how valuable the support from the Humphrey Booth Centre had been for them.

Pensioners' representatives George Tapp and Alice Searle appealed to everyone to fight for their services.  George stressed that we must not allow ourselves to be divided - to stormy applause he declared: 'we fight for all the centres'.

There was a very generous offer from Richard Griffiths too - free coach transport from Humphrey Booth to the large protest meeting in Swinton on 21st!

A big thank you to Rev Sandra Kearney for the use of her church and for getting the message out.

St George's Consultation Meeting, 16th January

Salford City Council are going through the motions of consulting the public about the cuts to day centres.  SAC Vice Chair Paul Gerrard attended the meeting at St George's, Cromwell Road, a centre for people with learning difficulties:

'We sat through a whole hour of Powerpoints, full of management speak and slogans.  I found the 'Get a life not a service' soundbite particularly patronising and offensive, suggesting that clients are too dependent and should sort themselves out.  The presenter seemed to think pensioners would jump at the chance of a tea-dance at the Lowry Outlet Centre for £8 - there were a few raised eye-brows at this.

They want five centres with 'multiple client groups' i.e. all centres deal with everyone's needs.  How can they possibly?  Real expertise, such as in work with Alzheimer's clients at Craig Hall, will be lost or diluted.  They freely admitted they need to 'move on' 200 service users i.e. they need them to disappear and start using private facilities.  How can we trust the council to make a proper assessment of people's needs if they already have a target of people they need to get off their books?  Everyone needs company, you don't need a tick box assessment to know that, and that is (part of) what the centres offer.

A further hour was spent in workshops.  An elderly couple on my table who had a 50 year old son with learning difficulties pointed out that there was already much less on offer at the centre than there used to be; another man whose mother died last week came to praise the work that the Humphrey Booth Centre had done for his mother, his wife had insisted he come to pay tribute to a centre the council has written off.

Two of us leafletted afterwards for the Swinton protest on 21st when the consultation meetings will all have been held.  People I spoke to afterwards were divided.  Some had been taken in by the 'new vision', others felt it was all cut and dried, but several were up for fighting and promised to come on the 21st.'

Protect the most vulnerable!

PUBLIC MEETING

Saturday 21st January, 12 – 2PM

Swinton Royal British Legion, Cheetham Road, Swinton, M27 4UQ

These meetings have been called in response to Council proposals to withdraw funding for at least two of the seven day centres in the city that provide support for elderly people and those with learning difficulties. Such cuts will hit the most vulnerable hardest – something the Authority pledged not to do when the budget was set last March. One of the centres due for potential closure Humphrey Booth in Ordsall underwent an expensive refurbishment only 18 months ago.

If we link this to possible further cuts in youth services, intermediate home care and welfare rights services, we can see that the Council is now looking firmly at cuts in frontline services that directly support Salford’s most vulnerable. This is despite continued funding for Media City, Chapel Street regeneration and other prestige projects.

This is also despite Council Leader John Merry declaring when considering the Budget only last February that, “When coming up with these proposals, we have done all we can to protect the most vulnerable living in the city.”

This campaign is already attracting a significant layer of community support and media coverage - including from the Vicar of St. Clement's Church in Ordsall where the first meeting is being held. I would ask you to try and come along.