Friday 19 April 2013

Southwark Action Alert - 19 April 2013

Local demonstrations against health and fire service cuts, protests against cuts to benefits and the bedroom tax, strikes against redundancies and privatisation: these are all taking place in or near Southwark during the next month. The details and contact information are shown below, so come along and get involved!

EVENTS LIST

Saturday 20 April

12 noon to 1.30pm.  Petitioning against Bedroom Tax and leafleting for the Southwark Benefit Justice public meeting (see 27 April, below) at Rye Lane, near Aylsham Centre in Peckham. Please come along, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Contact southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com or ring 07896 341 964.

Monday 22 April

7pm. Community Council meetings – an opportunity to tell the Councillors not to cooperate with welfare benefit changes or to evict tenants in arrears because of them. Leafleting & petitioning outside - Contact southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com or ring 07896 341 964 if you can help.

Two Venues: 

Dulwich Community Council at Kingswood House, Seeley Drive, SE21 8QR; Walworth, Borough and Bankside Community Council at Walworth Academy, Shorncliffe Rd, London SE1 5UJ.

Thursday 25 April

7am onwards. Strike against compulsory redundancies by NUT members at ARK Globe Academy Elephant and Castle. Pickets assembling at Harper Road entrance (off New Kent Road) SE1 6AF. Please send messages of support to: secretary@southwarknut.org.uk; emilybarney@btinternet.com; liammobile10@aol.com; garyedwardday@gmail.com Other strike dates are planned for May 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th.

Thursday 25 April

6pm. Southwark Save Our Services Campaign organising meeting. Venue: Walworth Methodist Church, Walworth Road SE17 (Please note the new time, date and venue for this month’s meeting.) For agenda contact southwarksos@gmail.com

Thursday 25 April

7pm. Public meeting: Stop the Bedroom Tax, No evictions due to Benefit Cuts

Venue: Walworth Methodist Church, Walworth Road SE17. All welcome. Directions here. Called by Southwark Benefit Justice campaign, supported by Defend Council Housing, Southwark Group of Tenants Organisations and others. Get leaflets to advertise this meeting at the SBJ Facebook page. Help distribute leaflets on your estate – contact southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com.

Thursday 25 April

7 pm.  Save Lewisham Hospital, Save our NHS Public meeting at Goldsmith College Great Hall, New Cross SE14 6NW. Speakers: Professor Colin Leys, John Lister, Rachael Maskell (National Officer Unite Union), Pat Smith (Labour Party), and Louise Irvine. More information from www.savelewishamhospital.com

Saturday 11 May

11am. Second Benefit Justice Summit: To create one national voice to end the war on the poor; to oppose the bedroom tax, cuts in council-tax benefit, ending disability living allowance and other cuts. Venue: Central Hall, Westminster. Video of first BJ Summit are here . More details at http://benefitjustice.wordpress.com  or email to benefitjustice@gmail.com.

Thursday 16 May

6.30pm. Demonstration - Save Clapham Fire Station.  Assemble at Brixton Fire Station on Gresham Road.  March to Lambeth Town Hall.  Called by London Region Fire Brigades Union. Details at www.facebook.com/SaveClaphamFireStation

Saturday 18 May

12 noon. London-wide demonstration to Save the NHS. Assemble Jubilee Gardens, Waterloo SE1. Supported by a wide range of hospital campaigns, health unions, medical staff, MPs, London Labour Party, Green Party. Get your trade union or community organisation to back the call. Mass distribution of leaflets is needed. Contact londonkeepournhspublic@gmail.com for copies or contact Southwark SOS to help with local leafleting.

Advance notice

Saturday 15 June

Hunt the Hunt - activity focused on our Health Secretary! Details at www.savelewishamhospital.com/the-hunt-for-hunt/

Saturday 22 June

9.30am – 5pm. People's Assembly Against Austerity. Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate, London, SW1H 9NH. Supporting organisations include Unite the Union, PCS, NUT, NUJ, TSSA, Unison, War on Want, Disabled People Against the Cuts, Coalition of Resistance, People’s Charter, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts, the Green Party. Register here.

Wednesday 3 July

Southwark Council Assembly  includes a themed debate on "Welfare Reform". It will be preceded by an hour-long informal session from 6pm and the main business meeting from 7pm. Venue to be announced.

Saturday 6 July

National demo and other festivities to celebrate the NHS' 65th birthday. Details to be announced.

ON-GOING CAMPAIGNS:

Fire stations closures campaign information at http://www.saveourstations.org.uk/

Southwark Disabled People Against Cuts meeting meet at Southwark Independent Living Centre, 10 Bradenham Close, SE17 2QB. Details from southwarkdpac@mail.com

Benefit Justice Campaign
To create one national voice to end the war on the poor; to oppose the bedroom tax, cuts in council-tax benefit, ending disability living allowance and other cuts. National campaign website http://benefitjustice.wordpress.com Facebook   www.facebook.com/benefitjustice . Email to benefitjustice@gmail.com. Useful Press coverage:  Guardian: welfare facts and myths . Southwark campaign: contact southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com (see events in April, above) and see their Facebook page.