Housing, health & education – action that needs your support!

 

Southwark Save Our Services campaign       17th May 2016

 

The Housing Bill passed through parliament on Thursday 12th May but the campaign against it continues (see meeting this Wednesday). The government has been forced to back away from wholesale academisation of schools but it still intends to do much the same by stealth – hence the continuation of the NUT teachers’ union strike ballot. Student nurses and university lecturers also campaigning – go along to the events shown below – they will welcome your support!

EVENTS LIST

Wednesday 18 May

6.30pm. Southwark Kill the Housing Bill Public Meeting. With Baroness Jenny Jones, Southwark Council Leader Peter John; Betty Joseph, Southwark NUT; Alison Gelder, Housing Justice; Cris Claridge SGTO

At Congreve and Barlow TRA, Doubtfire Hall, Tatum Street, SE17 1QR

If you want some leaflets or posters to distribute, contact southwarkdch@gmail.com

 

Thursday 19 May

7 - 9pm Keep Our NHS Public organising meeting at Stockwell Centre, 1 Studley Rd (behind Stockwell Tube) SW4 6RA. This is a meeting of the Lambeth group – If you want to help set up a Southwark KONP group, reply to this email or contact the organisers at lambethkonp@gmail.com. Or see https://www.facebook.com/LambethKONP.

 

Thursday 19 May

5.30pm – 7pm. Special meeting of Southwark NUT for members to find out about the White Paper and the NUT’s campaign. Venue: The Methodist Church Walworth, 54 Camberwell Rd., SE5 0EN. For more info phone 0207 740 6848 or email southwarknut@gmail.com

Friday 20 May

12pm to 2pm. Stand Up for your Rights – free training for claimants organised by London Unemployed Strategies campaign at Stockwell Park Community Centre, 21 Aytoun Place, SW9 0TE. Further info from 020 7467 1283 or email Nick at nickplus007@gmail.com

 

Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 May

From 8 am. Support the university lecturers (UCU) on strike over pay. There will be picket lines at London South Bank University (Elephant & Castle) and individual sites of the University of the Arts – LCC site at Elephant & Castle and Camberwell Art College, Peckham Road SE15. At 1.30 on Wednesday there will be a rally at the employers HQ in Tavistock Square.

Wednesday 25 May

10am -5pm. Lobby of MPs to oppose the cuts to NHS bursaries.

Meeting at Central Hall Westminster Official, Storey's Gate, SW1H 9NH. See Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1220777687973663/ .

 

Wednesday 25 May

7.30 pm, for 8pm start. Film showing & discussion: ‘Sell-Off' a short film by a group of British doctors which exposes the covert privatisation of the NHS which has occurred over the past 2 decades without a public mandate and against the public interest. Venue: Methodist Church Hall, 155 Half Moon Lane, SE24 9JG (towards North Dulwich station). Attendance is free and all are welcome. Hosted by Dulwich and West Norwood 38 Degrees group.

 

Tuesday 31 May

7pm. Defend Council Housing  - organising 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 4 June

1pm. March to save the NHS bursary: Assemble at St Thomas’ Hospital. See background to the strike at their Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1020899857963987/

 

Looking ahead

 

Monday 13 June

Public meeting: ‘What sort of ‘Momentum’ do we need for a fight back?’ Joint meeting of Southwark Trades Council and Southwark Momentum. Speakers: Matt Wrack - Gen Sec FBU and Trades Union Momentum, Nadine Houghton (personal capacity) - GMB Organiser and Southwark Momentum, Aramark Striker (cleaners and caterers), Paul Fleming - Southwark Labour Councillor, Chaired by April Ashley - Chair, Southwark TUC. At Salvation Army Hall, Princess Street SE1 6HH. Contact: Southwark TUC at stucsec@gmail.com

 

Saturday 18 June

12 noon. National march against the Housing Bill. Assembly point tba, march to Westminster. Details to follow.

 

FOLLOW US!

Twitter @southwarkSOS

Facebook: Southwark SOS

 

Are you part of a community group or campaign? We’d like to hear from you. Tell us what you’re doing and we can advertise your anti-cuts campaign activities. Email us at southwarksos@gmail.com.

 

Support junior doctors’ strike, leading the defence of the NHS

Action alert                                                      18th April 2016

The junior doctors’ campaign is in defence of the NHS and it coincides with the government’s plans to academise i.e. privatise every school in the country, and its plan to deny access to, if not destroy, social housing through the new Housing Bill. So it is vital that we all support the BMA’s strike action on 26/27 April in practical ways: come to Thursday’s Community meeting, and encourage everyone you can to come to the picket line, especially for 1.30pm, on 26^th.  The various organising meetings below are places you can get involved in this action.

 

EVENTS LIST

Thursday 21 April

7 – 9pm. Meet the King’s Doctors – a community meeting to hear about why junior doctors are taking further strike action, and how we can support them, defending the NHS. Speakers include striking doctors, NUT teachers union & Anti Academies Alliance. Venue: Crawford Estate Tenants Hall, Denmark Road, SE5 9EW. Called by the King’s College Hospital BMA Committee.

 

Thursday 21 April

 7 - 9pm Keep Our NHS Public organising meeting at Stockwell Centre, 1 Studley Rd (behind Stockwell Tube) SW4 6RA. This is a meeting of the Lambeth group – If you want to help set up a Southwark KONP group, reply to this email or contact the organisers at lambethkonp@gmail.com. Facebook here.

 

Saturday 23 April

1-4pm. Parents Defending Education Rally against the Government’s plans to privatise and de-regulate state education. Speakers: author Michael Rosen, Kevin Courtney (NUT deputy gen sec), Mary Bousted (gen sec ATL teachers union). Venue: UCL Institute of Education (IoE), 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL (nearest tube: Euston). To reserve a free place, click on the ‘Register’ button here. Called by the Anti-Academies Alliance, supported by the NUT and ATL unions. Southwark Save Our Services is supporting a joint campaign in Southwark of parents and teachers against the attacks on education and local democracy. If you want to help, please email back or phone 07939090667.

 

Saturday 23 April and Monday 25 April

12.30pm. Leafleting to advertise a hustings on the subject of housing for the candidates standing in the Newington ward by-election. Meet up at McDonalds, Walworth Road. Contact Tanya on 07792 786 192 if you can help.

 

Tuesday 26 & Wednesday 27 April

• 8am-5pm. Support junior doctors’ picket lines. Industrial action escalated to a full withdrawal of labour between 8am & 5pm. Other doctors and staff will continue to provide care during this time. Information at BMA Website here. Download a selfie poster here for yourself and workmates/ students/neighbours. Tweet or share it on Facebook with the hashtags: #JuniorDoctors #JuniorContract #NotSafeNotFair. To arrange for a doctor to speak to TU members at your place of work or union branch meeting, or to send messages of support contact christopher.james@doctors.org.uk

• 1pm for 1.30pm on Tuesday. Solidarity protest at Junction of Bessemer Road/Denmark Hill SE5. Junior doctors are calling for trade unionists, residents and campaigners to attend this solidarity event and to maximise media coverage. Bring banners and everyone you know!

• 5pm on Tuesday. London solidarity demonstration with junior doctors, marching from St Thomas’s Hospital to the Dept of Health. Called by London BMA, supported by London Region National Union of Teachers. FB event here. All welcome.

Tuesday 26 April

7pm. Defend Council Housing  - organising 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

 

Thursday 28 April

6:30pm, Housing Hustings for the candidates standing in the Newington ward by-election in May. Venue: Draper Hall, 66 Hampton Street, junction of Newington Butts, London SE1. Leaflet and map here.

 

FOLLOW US!

Twitter @southwarkSOS

Facebook: Southwark SOS

 

Are you part of a community group or campaign? We’d like to hear from you. Tell us what you’re doing and we can advertise your anti-cuts campaign activities. Email us at southwarksos@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Doctors on strike, teachers ballot for a strike – support action on health, education, homes & jobs this month

Action alert  - Southwark Save Our Services campaign   3rd April 2016

 

Since the Government’s humiliating retreat over disability cuts and the launch of full-scale privatisation of education, a number of campaigns have taken off - doctors have escalating their strike action; teachers have agreed to ballot for a national strike and anti-cuts campaigns in south London have taken important initiatives that you can support: Faced with closure by Lambeth Council, campaigners have occupied Carnegie Library in Herne Hill, and on the Alton Estate in Wandsworth, parents occupied the children’s Activity centre. Many Southwark people will be also attending the national demonstration, the March for Health, Homes, Jobs and Education on Sat 16 April. All details are below. If you want to meet-up with fellow-campaigners to attend any of these, email back or phone 07939090667 and we will tell you of meet-up arrangements.

 

EVENTS LIST

 

Monday 4 April

All day. Support the occupation of Carnegie Library in Herne Hill. Faced with closure by Lambeth Council, campaigners have occupied the library since Thursday. Get updates at http://defendthe10-lambeth.org.uk/

 

Wednesday 6 & Thursday 7 April

All day, 8am onwards. Protest in support of junior doctors. Junction of Bessemer Road/Denmark Hill SE5 (or go to your nearest hospital). Information at BMA Website at http://www.bma.org.uk/working-for-change/junior-and-consultant-contract-home/junior-doctor-contract-negotiations-home The BMA is escalating their strike action. Download a selfie poster at http://uniteresist.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Junior-Doctors-Solidarity-Selfie.jpg for yourself and workmates/ students/neighbours. Tweet or share it on Facebook with the hashtags: #JuniorDoctors #JuniorContract #NotSafeNotFair. To arrange for a doctor to speak to TU members at your place of work or union branch meeting, or to send messages of support contact christopher.james@doctors.org.uk 

 

Wednesday 6 April

7pm-11pm. Kick the Junior Doctors’ Contract social organised by @MaudsleyDocs. Open to all.. The event will include an art exhibition, live music, speakers, banner making, drinks and dancing. VENUE: DIY Space For London - 96-108 Ormside Street, SE15 1TF.

Saturday 9 April

11.30am. 'Don't steal our libraries - support the Carnegie occupation' demonstration. Assemble outside the library in Herne Hill Road. March via Minet Library to central Brixton. More details and a poster at http://defendthe10-lambeth.org.uk/

Tuesday 12 April

7pm.  'Junior Doctors: Let's Turn Sympathy into Solidarity. Solidarity meeting at Bloomsbury Baptist Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8EP. Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road. Speakers include BMA junior doctors at Whipps Cross Hospital, East London, BMA JDC, Student nurses, Matt Wrack FBU firefighters’ union general secretary, Natalie Bennett Green Party leader, Kevin Courtney NUT teachers’ union deputy general secretary. Organised by Unite the Resistance. . Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/939253256182239/

 

Friday 15 April

9pm onwards. Southwark Sleepout to highlight that the Housing Bill, if passed, will lead to homelessness. Assemble Outside Southwark Town Hall, 160 Tooley Street, SE1 2QH. Organised by The Kill the Housing Bill Campaign. Similar events being held nationwide. More details here at https://www.facebook.com/events/212636295758550/?active_tab=highlights.  Please share and invite others.

Saturday 16 April

1pm onwards. National People’s Assembly March for Homes, Health, Jobs, Education. End Austerity Now. Assemble: 1pm, Gower Street / Euston Road, London NW1.  See Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/1657115584538377/. If you want to meet-up with fellow-campaigners to attend any of these, email back or phone 07939090667 and we will tell you of meet-up arrangements.

 

Monday 18 April

7pm. Organising meeting of Southwark Trades Council. Agenda items include current campaigns against cuts in Southwark. Open to delegates and observers. Venue: 160 Tooley Street SE1. For more information, write to stucsec@gmail.com.

 

Saturday 23 April

1-4pm. Parents Defending Education Rally against the Government’s plans to privatise and de-regulate state education. Speakers: author Michael Rosen, Kevin Courtney (NUT deputy gen sec), Mary Bousted (gen sec ATL teachers union). Venue: UCL Institute of Education (IoE), 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL (nearest tube: Euston). To reserve a free place, click on the ‘Register’ button at https://www.facebook.com/events/1657115584538377/ . Called by the Anti-Academies Alliance, supported by the NUT and ATL unions. Southwark Save Our Services is supporting a joint campaign in Southwark of parents and teachers against the attacks on education and local democracy. If you want to help, please email back or phone 07939090667.

 

Tuesday 26 April

7pm. Defend Council Housing  - organising 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

 

 

 

FOLLOW US!

Twitter @southwarkSOS

Facebook: Southwark SOS 

 

Are you part of a community group or campaign? We’d like to hear from you. Tell us what you’re doing and we can advertise your anti-cuts campaign activities. Email us at southwarksos@gmail.com 

 

Support doctors standing up to Tories’ health cuts 1st March 2016

Doctors need your support: next Wednesday and Thursday, visit doctors and their supporters on a picket line near you. (Background  here ) or come to Thursday’s public meeting called by King’s doctors.  Full details below.  The government’s housing bill spells the death of council housing. Leafleting sessions and details of a demonstration are also given below.

EVENTS LIST

Thursday 3 March
7-9pm. Public meeting called by local junior doctors to mobilise the local community in support of their strike action against Tory plans to impose an unfair contract on junior doctors and, more broadly, to destroy the NHS as public service. At Albrighton Community Centre, 37 Albrighton Road, East Dulwich Estate, SE22 8AH. Contact christopher.james@doctors.org.uk about the local campaign.

Saturday 5th March
10.30am onwards. Don’t Steal Our Libraries! Demonstration in Lambeth.
Protest to defend Lambeth libraries under threat of closure. Assemble Windrush Square, Brixton, SW12 1JQ. Leaflets, links to online petition and other info here.

Saturday 5th March
12.30 -1.30pm. Stall to leaflet and petition about the Housing Bill. Meet outside Co-op, Lordship Lane, East Dulwich SE22 8HJ. If you can help, contact the local Defend Council Housing campaign at southwarkdch@gmail.com. Details about the campaign are here.

Wednesday 9 & Thursday 10 March
8am-12noon. Protest in support of junior doctors (also on 6 & 7th April and 26 & 28th April). Assemble corner Bessemer Road/Denmark Hill SE5 (or go to your nearest hospital). Information at BMA Website here. Sign a petition here. To arrange for a doctor to speak to TU members at your place of work or union branch meeting, or to send messages of support contact christopher.james@doctors.org.uk

Saturday 12 March
1-4pm.  Health workers’ open meeting: ‘Junior Doctors Can Win: How Can We Take The Fight Forward In The NHS’ At SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG. Speakers include Yannis Gourtsoyannis – University College Hospital London BMA junior doctors’ committee (pc). See the Facebook page for the event here.

Sunday 13 March
12noon. National Demonstration: ‘Kill the Housing Bill - Secure Homes for All - Control Rents - Homes for People not Profit. Assemble at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A3TL. Map. Facebook event here. If you can help with publicity, contact the local Defend Council Housing campaign at southwarkdch@gmail.com. Details about the south campaign are here and the national campaign here.

Monday 21 March
7pm. Organising meeting of Southwark Trades Council. Agenda items include current campaigns against cuts in Southwark. Open to delegates and observers. Venue: 160 Tooley Street SE1. For more information, write to stucsec@gmail.com.

FURTHER AHEAD

Saturday 16 April
National People’s Assembly March for Homes, Health, Jobs, Education. End Austerity Now. Assemble: 1pm, Gower Street / Euston Road, London NW1. See Facebook event here.

Campaigns

Save Southwark Youth Service. The original proposals for cuts to Youth and Play would have seen a reduction of £2.5m, or 73% of the entire budget. Following the energetic campaign of local youth, service staff and their supporters, the council has reduced this to a cut of 44%. The closure of youth centres is still likely. Over 100 full and part time jobs will be reduced to around 40. More info here and here. Send messages of support to 020 7525 3600 or e-mail: contact@southwarkunison.co.uk.

Oppose Youth Service 73% cut – support junior doctors

Southwark Action Alerts     24th November 2015

Southwark Council plans to cut 73% of the youth service budget and effectively end council run youth services as we know them. The council has reneged on its promise to protect frontline services. Please join the lobby on Wednesday (details below and attached).

After the historic vote by BMA members, 98% for strike action over cuts to their salaries and increased hours, junior doctors are asking you to support their action next Tuesday.  Come along to your nearest hospital between 8am and 12noon. King’s College Hospital doctors ask you to come between 8am and midday and bring others with you. (See 1 December below for more info.)

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

EVENTS LIST

Tuesday 24 November
6pm. Protest: Hands off Tax Credits, Welfare not Warfare and End Austerity Now! Assemble Trafalgar Square, march to Downing Street for rally. The People's Assembly is calling a National Day of Action on the eve of the Autumn Statement. South London supporters will meet under the 4th plinth (the one that changes) at 5.45pm. Invite your Friends on Facebook.

Tuesday 24 November
7pm. Defend Council Housing organising 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

Wednesday 25 November
6.15pm. Lobby Southwark Council Assembly cover Council plans to cut 73% of the youth service budget and effectively end council run youth services as we know them. Meet outside Council offices at 160 Tooley Street SE1. For info and send messages of support contacts 020 7525 3600 or e-mail: contact@southwarkunison.co.uk

Thursday 26 November
6pm. Stand Up to Racism rally - Refugees Welcome here at South Bank Uni, Lecture Theatre A, Keyworth Centre, Keyworth St. SE1. (Ticket at Eventbrite here) Contacts the south London campaign at amy_sutr@hotmail.com

Thursday 26 November
8pm ‘The Trouble with TTIP’ film and speaker: Linda Kaucher at Methodist Church Hall, 155 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, SE24 9HU. Organised by 38degrees.

Friday 27 November
6.30pm. Defend Lewisham Southwark College campaign organising meeting at Goldsmiths College (Room tbc). All welcome. Facebook page here.  For more information, contact savelscollege@gmail.com

Friday 27 November
7pm to 9pm. One man comedy show about the NHS. Carl Walker’s show debunks the myths/bad press about a public NHS. Venue: The Bread and Roses pub, 68 Clapham Manor Street, SW4 6DZ. Free entry but suggested donation of £5/£3 unwaged. Eventbrite registration here. Supported by Lambeth KONP.

​Monday 30 November
10.30am​ Protest to hand in petition against TTIP (Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) at Downing Street. It is so big that it will stretch from Downing Street to the Houses of Commons. Organised by Unite the Union.

Tuesday 1 December
8am. Protest in support of junior doctors on Day 1 of the strike (also on Tues 8th and Wed 16th). Assemble corner Bessemer Road/Denmark Hill SE5 (or go to your nearest hospital). Information at BMA Website here or Doctors in UNITE Facebook page here. Download a petition sheet for your workplace and a solidarity selfie here. Contact southwarksos@gmail.com to arrange for a doctor to speak to TU members at your place of work or union branch meeting. Send messages of support to kings.juniordoctors2015@gmail.com

Saturday 5 December
10am – 5pm. People's Assembly Annual Conference. Speakers for the conference include, John McDonnell MP, Francesca Martinez, Dr Rory Hicks (Junior Doctors Campaign), Christine Blower, Dave Ward, Natalie Bennett and more to be confirmed. Venue: Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London. Organised by The People's Assembly Against Austerity. Tickets and more information here.

73% Cuts to Youth and PLAYservice!

Stop the destruction of youth services in Southwark!

Lobby Southwark Council!

Tuesday 17th November

Meet at 3.30p.m

160 Tooley Street  SE1

Southwark Council plans to cut 73% of the youth service budget and effectively end council run youth services as we know them.

The council proposes to cut £2.5 million from the youth service budget leaving less than £1million to work with some of the most disadvantaged young people in London. 122 full and part time posts will be reduced to just 42 part time posts.

The council also plans to shut a number of its 8 youth centres. The cuts are to be made by April 2016 and the rest of the ‘service’ transferred to the Environment and Leisure department. This will de-professionalise and de-skill professional youth workers.

The council has reneged on its promise to protect frontline services. Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party leader, has said ‘austerity is a political choice’. Southwark must not abandon young people whilst sitting on millions of pounds of reserves which can be used to support the local community along with the fight to get more money from central government.

If the proposals go through then vulnerable young people will be left with no effective support and inadequate safeguarding - prey to dangerous elements on the streets.

Come along to the lobby! And we urge you to lobby other community related forums with young people and families to stop this destruction of the service!

Supported by GMB, Unison and Unite unions