Southwark Action Alert 13 January 2014

We hope you will be able to support the demonstration against the bedroom tax in Peckham on Saturday 25 January. Organised by local campaigns but watched by the Government in Westminster! The campaign against this tax is gathering momentum across the country. Help us at the leafleting events listed below, and come along with your friends and neighbours on 25th!

Please tweet this listing (link to our website ), post on your Facebook page, or help us with leafleting for these events. Thank you.


EVENTS LIST

Tuesday 14 January

7pm. London Keep Our NHS Public Coordinating meeting at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1. Agenda includes: Campaign round up and plans for 2014, call for London Demonstration, London campaign workshop day proposals. Campaign and meetings details at http://www.keepournhspublic.com/index.php

Wednesday 15 January

10am. RMT demonstration "Cut fares not staff" opposite Parliament in Old Palace Yard. Part of the Hands off London Transport campaign. More informations at http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/events/every-job-matters-demonstration-opposite-parliament/

6.30pm. Southwark Benefit Justice Campaign organising meeting: planning for 25th January local demo. Walworth Methodist Church (Blue Room), 54 Camberwell Road SE5 0EN. Agenda from southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com

7pm. Southwark Trades Council meeting discussing local anti-austerity campaigns at Room 13c, Learning & Business Centre, Cator Street, SE15 6AA. Delegates and observers always welcome. Further details from southwarktuc@gmail.com

Thursday 16 January

6.30pm. Protest against evictions from Lambeth housing cooperatives, outside Lambeth Council Leader's Question Time, Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre, 309 Streatham High Road, SW16 6HX.

Friday 17 January

5.30pm. Leafleting for the bedroom tax demonstration in Peckham on 25 Jan. Meet at Peckham Rye station. Please phone or text 07896341964 if you can come.

Saturday 18 January

12-1pm. Southwark Benefit Justice Stall. Rye Lane Peckham (outside Boots)

Sunday 19 January

12 noon. Leafleting Wyndham & Comber Estate to publicise bedroom tax demonstration. Meet outside Jessie Duffett Hall, Wyndham Road SE5. Please phone or text 07896341964 if you can come.

Monday 20 January

Start of Activism Week Plus: Twenty events around issues such as childcare services, housing, fair pay, racism and rights. Open to all University of the Arts students. Full details at http://suartspresident.tumblr.com/

Wednesday 22 January

1pm. Student march on Senate House University of London against privatisation, for decent pay for HE workers, plus other demands: see Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/1497678537124111/?source=1 or contact: londonoccupation@gmail.com Assemble outside ULU in Malet Street.

7pm. Planning meeting for the Fast Food Rights campaign Day of Action on 15 February. Venue to be announced. Details from fastfoodrights@mail.com

Saturday 25 January

12 noon. Demonstration against the bedroom tax and benefit cuts. Assembly in Peckham Square, near the library. Get flyers to distribute on your estate, or get more details by phoning 07896341964  or emailing southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com or see their Facebook  page. Called by the Benefit Justice campaign, supported by Southwark Group of Tenants Organisations and many other local campaigns.

Tuesday 28 January

6.30pm. Southwark Benefit Justice Campaign organising meeting: taking the campaign forward after the local demo. Walworth Methodist Church (Blue Room), 54 Camberwell Road SE5 0EN. Agenda from southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com


ADVANCE NOTICE

Saturday 1 February

National Dignity Day supported by the National pensioners Convention and backed by the TUC. Demand that services for the elderly be protected and improved. More from www.npcuk.org, info@npcuk.org or 020 7383 0388.

Tuesday 4 February

12noon. Support the walk-out by Tube RMT Union members at the start of a 48-hour strike over jobs, services and safety. Background information at http://www.rmt.org.uk/campaigns/rail/test-campaign-7/

7pm. South London People’s Assembly meeting for borough reps (elected at December’s conference) at the Bread and Roses Pub, 68 Clapham Manor Street SW4 6DZ. Contact your Southwark reps or get more information by emailing secretary@southlondonpeoplesassembly.org

Saturday 15 February

Fast Food Rights campaign Day of Action. Targeting fast food stores on Oxford Street. Get in touch with the campaign at fastfoodrights@mail.com website fastfoosdrights.wordpress.com

Thursday 27 February

7pm. Education Question Time. Politicians, academics and activists answer questions from the audience. At the Karibu Education Centre 7 Gresham Road SW9 7PH. Info from slondonedqt@gmail.com. Tickets are free from wwwticketsource.co.uk/date/89264.

Saturday 15 March

Re-call People's Assembly conference at the Emanuel Centre, central London. Further details to be announced.

Wednesday 19 March

Budget day – ‘Britain needs a pay rise’ day of action. Called by People’s Assembly. Further details to be announced.

Saturday 22 March

No to Racism and Fascism demonstration. Central London. Details at http://uaf.org.uk/

OTHER LOCAL CAMPAIGNS:

Southwark Defend Council Housing campaign usually meet at St John's Parish Offices in Larcom Street SE17, just off Walworth Road. National campaign website here. For info about meetings contact initially southwarksos@gmail.com

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

Southwark Pensioners Action Group

Meets bi-monthly. Campaign information at http://www.spag.btck.co.uk/

South London People's Assembly. Contact secretary@southlondonpeoplesassembly.org for details of local and national events.

South London Unite the Resistance. Meet monthly. For more information phone 07956579466. For information about the national UtR organisation go to http://uniteresist.org/

Support three trade unions on strike across Southwark on Tuesday

UCU, UNISON and UNITE members in four large FE/HE workplaces will be on strike  on Tuesday over cuts to their pay which has fallen in real terms by 13% over the past four years while college & university leaders’ salaries have risen to an average of £245,000 a year! Read the full details here and here.

SEND MESSAGES OF SUPPORT

Southbank University to buddam@lsbu.ac.uk;London College of Communication tog.horne@lcc.arts.ac.uk;  Camberwell College of Artsto r.k.osborne@camberwell.arts.ac.uk ; Lewisham & Southwark College  to robin.parrish@lesoco.ac.uk .Please cc your message to southwarktuc@gmail.com

VISIT PICKET LINES

Most picket-lines will be from 8.30 until 11am. Here is a list of the Southwark sites:

Southbank University ( picket-lines at various sitesaround the campus at the Elephant & Castle, centred around Keyworth street,)

London College of Communication (LCC), Elephant & Castle SE1 6SB. The picket-line will be outside themain entrance, two minutes’ walk from the exit of the Northern Line Tube.

Camberwell College of Arts (There are two sites – Peckham Road and Wilson Road.)

Lewisham & Southwark College - LeSoCo (Camberwell Campus on Southampton Way SE5 7EW, and Waterloo Campus, The Cut, SE1 8LE.)

JOIN THE DEMONSTRATION

from 12 noon at Tavistock Square, just off the Euston Road. (Full details here.)

If you or members of your network/organisation can visit a picket-line, please contact Chris Kelly on07939090667 to coordinate visits. Thank You.

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Also happening this week

Monday

12.30-1.30pm, Noise demo outside the ERSA workfare industry conference, Senate House, Malet Street, London (nearest tubes: Russell Square, Warren Street, Euston), facebook event here. Called By Boycott Workfare campaign.

http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=3096

6.30pm London Keep Our NHS Public Coordinating Meeting, Unite Head Office, Theobald’s Rd, WC1X 8TN

Saturday

10am – 5pm. South London Peoples AssemblyVenue: Richard Hoggart Building (Main Building), Goldsmiths University, New Cross London SE14 6NW

Speakers include Owen Jones, Francesca Martinez, Kevin Courtney, Mark Campbell, Louise Irvine, Billy Hayes. Workshops include Austerity and Racist Scapegoating, Welfare not Warfare, Alternatives to Austerity, Disability, Austerity and Resistance, How can we save our NHS?, Explaining and Fighting the Benefit Cuts, Austerity, Language and the Media, Protest Films – Making our own news, Banner Making - a practical workshop, The Battle for Education. Others advertised on SLPA website Get tickets online (£5 advance, Concessions (JSA/ESA/Income Support) are free - please send an email to event@southlondonpa.org See full details athttp://www.southlondonpa.org/

Three events this week for you to support:

Tomorrow, Tuesday – Save Southwark Fire Station! protest

Save London Fire Stations 10 (SLFS10) will be holding another Red Balloon Event at the London High Court tomorrow to coincide with the judicial review of the decision to close these stations. Assemble 9.30am. Southwark fire station is  a Grade II listed building and a busy station. 26 fire deaths in the last five years, making it the deadliest borough. Also being eyed as a free school location. The Southwark SOS banner will be there. Will you?!

Over 9,200 people have signed the petition, "Save our fire stations".  Please can you continue by forwarding the link below to your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues? http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-our-firestations

 

 

Lewisham strikes, please send messages of support today

As part of the national dispute with the Secretary of State, the NUT has issued notice for sustained strike action in Lewisham schools to oppose pay and appraisal policies that fail to protect staff from the serious threats to pay progression allowed under Michael Gove's imposed performance-pay legislation. Notice has been given for action to take place on Thursday this week and five further days.

Send to:

Prendergast Hilly Fields Secondary Reps Cath Georgulas georgulasc@hillyfieldscollege.lewisham.sch.uk and Hannah Plant hannah.plant@teachfirst.org.uk

Prendergast Ladywell Fields Secondary Rep: Fran Crowhurst frandy.25@btinternet.com

Prendergast the Vale All-Through Rep: Helen Best ahelenan@yahoo.co.uk

Athelney Primary Rep: Eleanor Davies: eleanorclaredavies@gmail.com

Elfrida Primary Rep: Dean Gordon d.gordon@elfrida.lewisham.sch.uk

 

And on Friday, a demonstration/die-in

Stop Killing Cyclists, demonstration/die-in, 5pm-6.30pm, London TFL HQ, Palestra Building, 197 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NJ

 

 

Chris Kelly

Sec, Southwark SOS

Southwark Action Alert 4 November 2013

Protests against energy costs, the bedroom tax and austerity are all featured below. Come to one of the organising meetings of local campaigns and help us get organised! Also, buy your ticket on-line here for the South London People’s Assembly on 7th December.

Don’t forget to tweet this listing, post on your Facebook page, or help us with leafleting for these events. Thank you.

EVENTS LIST

Tuesday 5 November

10am – 6 pm. Various activities in as part of the Lewisham Bonfire of Cuts protest. See here for events and venues.

6pm. Blockade of Westminster Bridge, assembling in Jubilee Gardens. Also bring your energy bills for burning, to highlight the massive rise in energy prices which have left people choosing between heating and eating. This part of a Day of civil disobedience called by the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, backed by the TUC.  See http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/ and Facebook event .

Wednesday 6 November

10am-12.30pm. Fuel Poverty Action's first free 'Keep Warm Cafe': an opportunity to hear about what causes fuel poverty and what we can do about it, and advice on your bills and keeping warm. Free refreshments. Venue: 307 Camberwell Road (Southwark Pensioner's Centre), London, SE5 0HQ. For more information email to fuelpovertyaction@gmail.com or ring 07586482157.

Sunday 10 November

3-6pm.  Community activists’ groups collaboration against austerity & cuts. Reviewing and planning local campaigns. Camberwell Leisure Centre cafe (Artichoke Place, off Camberwell Church Street, a minute walk from the green). For an agenda and more information CONTACT Lili at info@peoplesrepublicofsouthwark.co.uk.

Tuesday 12 November

10am. Protest and lobby to support an Opposition motion against the Bedroom Tax in Parliament: an opportunity to pile the pressure on the government. Bring banners and placards. Meet 10am-12.30 in the Boothroyd Room (wheelchair accessible), Portcullis House. More details from Shaun at Southwark Benefit Justice Campaign on 07896 341 964.

6.30pm. London coordinating meeting of London KONP. Discussion to include: NHS London report Call to Action! and other NHS campaigns. Venue: Unite Offices, Theobald’s Rd, WC1X 8TN (Holborn Tube, or buses to end of Southampton Row) Details at http://camdenkeepournhspublic.org.uk/events.html

Wednesday 13 November

6.30pm. Public debate on welfare reform at Bells Gardens Community Centre Buller Close SE15 6UJ. Speakers: Leaders of the three parties represented in Southwark Council, ie Cllr Richard Livingstone, Cllr Anood Al-Samerai and Cllr Michael Mitcher, as well as Sally Causer of Citizens Advice Bureau and Eileen Short of Defend Council Housing, followed by questions and discussion. Organised by Southwark Group of Tenants Organisations (SGTO). More information from michael@sgto.co.uk

Tuesday 19 November

12noon – 2pm. Protest rally at parliament when Jeremy Hunt gives his response to the Francis, Berwick and Keogh reports to the House of Commons. Further details from the 4:1 Campaign (for mandatory minimum staffing levels) at fourtoonecampign@gmail.com

Wednesday 20 November

5.30pm – 7pm. Protest Lobby of Lambeth Council meeting: Save Brixton from Property Developers. Save Lambeth College in Brixton, No Bedroom Tax Evictions. At Lambeth Town Hall SW2. More details at http://lambethsaveourservices.org/

6.00pm. Southwark Save our Services organising meeting at the Walworth Methodist Centre, 54 Camberwell Rd  Camberwell, London SE5 0EN. All welcome – email to southwarksos@gmail.com for an agenda.

7.00pm. Southwark Benefit Justice campaign organising meeting (in same venue as the SOS organising meeting) Contact southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com or see their Facebook  page.

Thursday 21 November

7pm. Lambeth Keep Our NHS Public campaign organising meeting at Duke of Cambridge pub, 74 Lansdowne Way, SW8 2DR (5 mins from Stockwell Tube). As there is now Southwark KONP group, supporters are invited to attend your nearest group meeting. More details from lambethkonp@gmail.com

ADVANCE NOTICE

Please note that the Lambeth People’s Assembly, originally planned for Saturday 2 November, has been postponed. More details at http://lambethsaveourservices.org/

Saturday 7 December

10am – 5pm. South London Peoples Assembly Venue: Richard Hoggart Building (Main Building), Goldsmiths University, New Cross London SE14 6NW

Speakers include Owen Jones, Francesca Martinez, Kevin Courtney, Mark Campbell, Louise Irvine, Billy Hayes. Workshops include Austerity and Racist Scapegoating, Welfare not Warfare, Alternatives to Austerity, Disability, Austerity and Resistance, How can we save our NHS?, Explaining and Fighting the Benefit Cuts, Austerity, Language and the Media, Protest Films – Making our own news, Banner Making - a practical workshop, The Battle for Education. More tba. Get tickets online (£5 advance, Concessions (JSA/ESA/Income Support) are free - please send an email to event@southlondonpa.org See full details at http://www.southlondonpa.org/

Saturday 25 January

12 noon. SBJC Demonstration against the bedroom tax and benefit cuts. Assembly in Peckham Square. Get flyers and more details from southwarkbenefitjustice@gmail.com or see their Facebook  page.

OTHER LOCAL CAMPAIGNS:

Fire stations closures

 Southwark campaign information and their action plans are to be found at http://www.saveourstations.org.uk/southwark and London action at http://www.london.fbu.org.uk/?page_id=527. See a hard hitting film on fire brigade cuts: http://ow.ly/oBEO5

Royal Mail campaign against privatisation

 Background information and petition sheet from the Communication Workers Union at http://www.cwu.org/save-our-royal-mail.html.

Southwark Defend Council Housing campaign usually meet at St John's Parish Offices in Larcom Street SE17, just off Walworth Road. National campaign website here. For info about meetings contact initially southwarksos@gmail.com

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

Southwark Pensioners Action Group

 Meets bi-monthly. Campaign information at http://www.spag.btck.co.uk/

South London People's Assembly. Usually meet in The Bread & Roses, Clapham. Contact lilimarauk@hotmail.co.uk for details of meetings. See more on Facebook or go to http://www.southlondonpa.org/

South London Unite the Resistance. Meet monthly. Usual venue: Rear Bar, Effra Hall Tavern, Kellett Road, Brixton, SW2. For more information phone 07956579466. For information about the national UtR organisation go to http://uniteresist.org/

TWO EVENTS TOMORROW – and the demonstration on Sunday!

Fire-fighters on strike

Can you visit a fire station on strike over pensions? FBU members will walk out together at noon. These are the addresses of all fire-stations in Southwark:

Dockhead 8 Wolseley Street, SE1 2BP

Old Kent Road 405 Old Kent Road, SE1 5JH

Peckham 78-80 Peckham Road SE5 8PR (also threatened with losing one of their two pumps/fire engines)

Southwark 94 Southwark Bridge Road, SE1 0EG (also due for closure)

South London People's Assembly

At 7pm, there will be a meeting of the South London People's Assembly (SLPA), for anyone who wants to help organise an Assembly in South London. Discussing the admin structure of the South London People's Assembly and people taking responsibility for roles. The SLPA email says: “Please come with a readiness to take on responsibility.” Venue: The Antelope a pub close to Tooting Library: 76 Mitcham Road, Tooting, SW17 9NG (Location - http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pubsandbars/the-antelope-maps-61327.html) Apologies for late notice – this   was only posted a few hours ago.

BUY YOUR COACH TICKET!

I hope you are coming to the demonstration on Sunday. We pick-up at  7am in Peckham High St and 7.30 outside LSBU- see attached flyer. The coach tickets are now available at £10/£5 due to the trades council’s agreement to underwrite the cost of the coach. Can you notify your network contacts? Cheques payable to ‘Southwark TUC’. There are also some free places (via UNISON) that we can offer.

Please ring me to reserve your seat.

Chris Kelly

Sec, Southwark SOS

07939 090 667