Green Party TU Group Statement on NHS Industrial Action

Nine NHS trade unions are holding a four hour strike (7-11am) on Monday 24 November, and working to rule from 25-30 November by not doing unpaid overtime and taking their breaks. 

The unions involved in the action are:

- Unison
- Royal College of Midwives
- Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians
- Society of Radiographers
- British Association of Occupational Therapists
- GMB
- Unite
- Managers in Partnership
- Prison Officers Association

Green Party Trade Union Group Statement 

Unite the Union have announced that “NHS workers have had their wages cut by up to 15 per cent since 2010 thanks to the government's draconian pay policy of pay freezes and minuscule below inflation pay rise”. 

The Green Party Trade Union Group believes that this is characteristic of a nation where neo-liberal economics has run riot, penalising the poor, the sick, the vulnerable and also those who provide their health care.

Unlike Cameron’s cronies, nobody who works in the NHS expects to become a billionaire, but NHS workers will be striking again for decent pay on November 24th. The Green Party Trade Union Group sends it support, we all need the work that these workers do and they need a decent wage!

Support the People's March For The NHS

Support The People's March for the NHS

The march leaves Jarrow on 16th August and Arrives in London on 6th September - more information here -
http://999callfornhs.org.uk/home/4583720355

Eastleigh By-election

The Green Party in Eastleigh have decided not to stand a candidate in the forthcoming by-election brought about by the downfall of the disgraceful Chris Huhne.  The main reason is that the local Party need to concentrate on the forthcoming Council elections and do not have the funds to run in the crowded by-election field as well.

As this was a "safe" Lib Dem seat with a majority Lib Dem Council, where the main challengers are the Tories, it is safe to say we do not have a horse "likely to win" in this race.  The likely victors seem to be the Treacherous Quislings or their Dark Overlords!  However, the lack of a Green candidate and the lack of any pressure for "tactical" voting gives an opportunity to look at the other alternatives on offer.

The preferred alternative candidates of many former Green voters look likely to be either Dr Iain Maclennan of the National Health Action Party, (a former Green Party member and local election candidate)  Jim Duggan of the Peace Party (whose policies are very similar to the Greens), or Daz Procter of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) (who comes from the TU side of that coalition)

These candidates all offer a good opportunity for a meaningful protest vote highlighting the Coalition Government's continuing attacks on the NHS, their overseas warmongering and their horrendous attacks on working people, benefits and the welfare state in general.

As far as Labour is concerned, it is interesting that they are standing a comedian/humorist - one might say that they are joking if they think that people have forgotten the wars, the privatisations, and the craven crawling to corporations and banks that led us to having to suffer the current ghastly Coalition.  Truly, as far as this election is concerned, a plague on the houses of all three main parties.

Of course, the gutter media favourite contenders are UKIP.  The vote of this Party of climate change denying conspiracists, xenophobes and ill-informed bar room ranters continues to rise.  This is no coincidence.  The right-wing media barons and their attack dog commentators and journalists who are promoting them see UKIP as a useful tool to drag the Tories even further to the right.  Once this is achieved, I predict that UKIP will be very quickly cut down to size, with the right wing vote directed back home to Toryland.  The yellow press have ample dirt on Farage and co (not least the behaviour of their hypocritical MEPS) to bring them down to size when required. Consequently, expect the Thatcherite droolers to poll well, for now, in Eastleigh.  Politics - it's a dirty game.....

Keep Our NHS Public Benefit Night

The following is information on the Keep Our NHS Public benefit evening planned for this weekend - sounds like a good night out for a good cause if you are in the London area.


YOUR GOOD HEALTH!
Raising a toast to KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC
A special benefit performance

Sunday 18 October 4 pm

The New Players' Theatre

The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NG

Your entertainment and enlightenment will be hosted by:

Martin Soan, master of prop comedy
and his glamorous assistant
Pierrettes Cobaz (from Peckham)

For your entertainment

The Anna
Mudeka Band
The exhilerating,
body-swaying, vibrant sounds of Africa

Stewart
Harvey-Wilson
From Radio 4's
"The Spoken Word"

Ian Saville
Celebrated Socialist Magician: "Captitalism is in big trouble. He'll make it disappear".

Cevanne
Armenian sounds, renaissance songs, celtic strings

Elizabeth Mansfield
sings Piaf
Acompanied by Stephen Rose
"Mansfield delivers the famous songs superbly . . . " Guardian


WITH A BAR, BOOKSTALLS AND RAFFLE

Box office 020 7478 0135

Book in advance for an "early bird seat" £12 (£10 concessions)
Tickets on the door £15 (£12 concessions)

Pre and post show meals can be booked on 020 7930 5868

Help Keep Our NHS Public by joining/affiliating/donating

Please help by filling in our standing order form, and campaigning locally for trade unions, pensioners' groups, community groups and others to join or affiliate to us.

Keep Our NHS Public |
19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 |
www.keepournhspublic.com

US Anti-Incineration Academic To Speak In Shrewsbury

Incineration: an unacceptable practice in the 21st Century
A public talk by Paul Connett

Paul Connett is a Professor of Environmental Chemistry at St Lawrence
University, New York State, USA

The talk will take place:
Friday 27 March, 7.30 pm
Alington Hall, Shrewsbury School,
SHREWSBURY SY3 7BA

Planning applications have been received for burner-incinerators at Battlefield, Shrewsbury and Granville, Telford.

Find out from a renowned international expert why incineration as a form of waste management is the worst possible option for our communities.
Discover the sustainable, cheaper and safer alternatives.

For more information contact:
safe_waste_shropshire@yahoo.com or

Telford PAIN info@telfordpain.co.uk

Visit www.safewasteshropshire.co.uk and www.telfordpain.co.uk

Weekly Links 08/03/2009

British Politics
Mandelson "slimed"!
Interesting background information to the reasons this action was taken against Britain's least popular unelected Minister from Airportwatch site here.
Guardian report and more video here.

Meanwhile the Bank of England and the government went for "Quantative Easing" in response to the crisis, Larry Elliott's take on it here.

It was announced this week that prescription charges are to rise, prompting a welcome intervention from the BMA -

Our submission seeks to highlight the many problems within the current system, which consequently are inherent in the proposal to extend the exemption list to include those with LTCs. The BMA's position and the conclusion of this evidence is that the Department of Health should abolish prescription charges in England altogether, as has already happened in Wales and will happen shortly in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas this week had an article on the Gaza situation on the Guardian website.

A snapshot of the anger now prevalent in British politics can be gained from the comments underneath a Guardian article by normally cynical/apolitical cultural commentator Charlie Brooker where he expresses his frustration at the uselessness of the British political system.

Blogging
Joseph Healy reported this week on the lobby held against the Government's Welfare Reform Bill.

Derek commented on the "Quantative Easing" strategy.

Dave Osler reflected on the anniversary of the start of the Miners' Strike of 1984-5.

Jim has been to see the film of the "classic graphic novel", Watchmen, and reviewed it on his blog.


Unions and Work
The Iraqi government has this week tried to sieze control of the Iraqi teachers' union. TUC statement here.

Former Miners' leader Arthur Scargill gave an article to the Guardian summarising his current views on the momentous strike of 25 years ago.

Television
This week saw the first airing of the first part of the dramatisation of man of the moment David Peace's Red Riding novels on Channel 4. Not only is the dramatisation on TV, but Peace's book on the short spell of management of Leeds United FC by Derby and Nottingham local hero Brian Clough in the 1970s is coming out as a film, (The Damned United) and his book on the Miners' Strike GB84 is surely topical with the current anniversary in the news.
Red Riding, centred on Police corruption in West Yorkshire, was brutal and stylish, and the TV adaptation did well to capture Peace's disconcerting style.

Valentine's Day Blood Service Protest

IWW Valentine's Day Blood Service protest - Sat 14th Feb
On Saturday 14th February the IWW is taking a mobile protest to hospitals around the city, to inform the public and healthworkers about the looming closure of the Birmingham blood processing lab in March.

Solidarity forever

This vital link in the blood supply chain is to be transferred down to Bristol under a centralisation regime, with the loss of around 70 jobs, leaving local hospitals’ blood supply at the mercy of the clogged motorways of the South-West of England.

The IWW, along with other unions and organisations, has campaigned against this dangerous move during the last few years. Unsurprisingly when management proposed these cuts there was the bare minimum of consultation with hospitals and none with the public. Now that the cuts are happening, the least we can do is take the message to the streets and make sure that Birmingham is well informed of exactly what is happening to our public services.

Show some love for the blood service on Valentine’s Day!

* We need cyclists! Lots and lots of cyclists! - To form the body of the convoy behind a large van with banners.

* We also need car drivers who can carry extra protestors.

The protest will meet at Birmingham Uni North gate turning circle, pass the Blood Centre and the QEH/Women’s hospital in Edgbaston, then call at Selly Oak, City, and end up at the Children’s hospital in the city centre.

Meeting points

@ B’ham Uni North Gate (Prichatts Rd) - assemble from 11am

@ Selly Oak Hospital (Oak Tree Lane) - approx 12 noon – 12.30pm

@ City Hospital (Dudley Road) - approx 1.30pm – 2pm

@ Children’s Hospital (Steelhouse Lane) - approx 2.45pm

Finishing in the city centre on foot at 4.30pm

Please put this date into your diaries, and help us build numbers by letting your friends and family, workmates, neighbours and union contacts know about the event. Leaflets and posters are available now. It really helps us if you get in touch to let us know you are planning to join the protest. For more info, to confirm attendance, to book a seat as a car passenger, or to get copies of the pre-event leaflet please contact iww.nbs@gmail.com

In addition NBS blood processing labs are proposed to close in Leeds and in Tooting, London. Cuts at these centres are on a longer timescale though and haven't happened yet! There are still several months more left in which the proposals could be beaten and the labs saved with enough pressure from all sides. It ain't over 'til it's over!

Find out more about planned cuts in the blood service here:

http://nbs-sos.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html

IWW Health Workers Union
- e-mail: iww.nbs@gmail
- Homepage: http://nbs-sos.blogspot.com

NHS Support Federation News Release

NHS constitution is no defence against commercialisation
NHS Support Federation
News release

NHS constitution is no defence against commercialisation

Responding to the signing of the new NHS constitution, the NHS Support Federation is warning that it is too weak to protect the core ideas behind the NHS against the impact of commercialisation.

“Government lawyers will have been working long and hard to ensure that the NHS constitution cannot be used to stop its commercialisation programme, but it is this precisely which is the greatest threat to the values and principles of the health service.

“The first test for the NHS constitution will come quickly as the plan to extend competition and patient choice will in fact bring greater unfairness, poorer care for some patients and waste public resources.”

The Federation believes that the terms of the constitution are at odds with the impact of government policy. The NHS constitution states that "The NHS is an integrated system of organisations and services bound together by the principles and values now reflected in the Constitution". In reality the NHS is becoming more fragmented as more commercial providers are contracted to run NHS services.

However the public cannot use the constitution to defend the core values of the NHS unless it counts in law. The Federation is calling on MPs to look at this aspect as the new Health Bill passes through Parliament.

“The current economic crisis shows that we cannot rely on commercial companies to act in ways which protect the public interest. Yet the government is placing commercial values at the heart of the NHS. It is doubtful that the NHS constitution will be any match for the large corporate interests currently looking to run NHS services.”

- Paul Evans, director of the NHS Support Federation

The NHS Support Federation is an independent organisation that works to protect and promote a comprehensive NHS, with equitable access and active public involvement. Our supporters and affiliated organisations are drawn equally from the health profession and the general public.

www.nhscampaign.org

Anniversary of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster in India‏

Clean up and pay up!

Join the Global Day of Action for Corporate Accountability

Wednesday 3 December

– also International Day of Disabled People

See www.bhopal.net

Actions by the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, led by Bhopali women gas survivors from Muslim and Hindu communities together, with worldwide solidarity, helped bring about two victories:

* The Indian government agreed to set up a Commission on Bhopal, as campaigners had demanded in their march to Delhi this summer. At that time, many protesters, including small children and women, were beaten, arrested and imprisoned by Delhi police for demonstrating in front of the Prime Minister's residence. They were eventually released after international condemnation of the authorities.

* On 3 November 2008, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reinstated claims against Union Carbide Corporation for continuing large-scale water pollution from the abandoned pesticide factory in Bhopal, where poisons have not been cleaned up. The case was previously dismissed by a lower court. Now the Second Circuit has reversed that decision, finding the dismissal to be improper. Every time it rains, toxins from the factory contaminate the drinking water of nearby residents. Many babies and children with disabilities there are recent victims of Dow, which took over the Union Carbide Corporation and its responsibilities. Dow has never agreed to clean up the site.

You can phone or write to Dow's UK office to urge them to clean up the site and pay proper compensation:

Dow Chemical Company Ltd
Diamond House
Lotus Park, Kingsbury Crescent
Staines
Middlesex TW18 3AG

Tel. 0203 139 4000
Fax: 0203 139 4004

Background

On the night of 2-3 December 1984, a gas cloud from the pesticides plant in Bhopal immediately killed approximately 8,000 children, women and men. Since then a further 15,000 people have died and at least half a million more were poisoned or disabled. Bhopal is recognised as the world's worst industrial disaster.

Compensation has been very, very hard to get. Only those who have documents to prove their claim have been paid – around $1000 each – less than 10p a day – enough to buy a cup of tea in Bhopal.

The deadly pesticide gas was similar to nerve gas, causing death, disability and devastation on a comparable scale to that suffered by people, animals and the environment caused by military weapons of mass destruction – depleted uranium in Iraq, Agent Orange in Vietnam and nuclear testing in the Pacific …

Indra Sinha's novel Animal's People, short-listed last year for the prestigious Man Booker Prize, is "a bold, punchy parable" based on Bhopal today, whose lead character, "Animal" is a disabled gas survivor. To hear an interview with the author, click on

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/audio/Booker_Indra_Sinha.ram

Weekly Links 01/12/2008

World AIDS Day
Today is World AIDS Day. The Guardian has a moving series of photos and information.

The famous Magnum Photos agency dispatched its photographers around the globe to capture images of people living with HIV/Aids to mark World Aids Day today. Magnum's Access to Life photographs went on show in Washington DC earlier this year before being displayed in locations around the world

Peter Tatchell comments on one aspect of continuing prejudice on CIF today.

Anti-incinerator campaign
The campaign against the incinerator planned for Rainworth within Sherwood Forest in Central England steps up this week with campaigning around the planning committee stages. People Against Incineration (PAIN) are calling for good turns outs to their coming protests and meetings. This is from the campaign organisers:

PLEASE PASS THIS ROUND!

Further evidence [available upon request] has recently come to light proving that if not for our previous efforts, a waste incinerator would have been built in Forest Town. Now we need your help to win again!

Help us prevent a waste incinerator being built in Sherwood Forest (Rainworth, on the outskirts of Mansfield).

Join with fellow demonstrators next Tuesday (9th December) for the Sherwood Forest Protests Against Incineration

People Against Incineration (PAIN), the group formed to take over from Mansfield Against incineration (MAIN), are organising two anti-incineration protest demonstrations to take place on Tuesday 9th December 2008 to correspond with Newark & Sherwood District Council's Planning Committee meeting where the Council's incinerator consultation response will be decided.

PAIN is putting out the call to all anti-incineration campaigners to join the peaceful fun in Sherwood Forest, with a morning protest during the Planning Committee's site visit to the Old Rufford Colliery Car Park, Rainworth (11.15-12.30), followed by an afternoon demonstration at the Newark & Sherwood District Council offices at Kelham Hall (protest from 3 – 4 pm, incinerator application to be considered 4 – 6 pm), and hopefully evening celebrations!

A meeting will be held by PAIN on Thursday 4th December, from 7:30 pm in the Phoenix Suite at Rainworth Village Hall, Kirklington Road to discuss plans for the protest demonstrations.

Campaign organiser Linda Tift says:

"We know it's a difficult time of the year with much to do and many commitments to meet, but this is the moment we have all been worked towards for the last 3 years. Time spent making our voices heard now will be an investment in the future for both us and our families. Bring your kids. This is a lesson in democracy and the power of the people they will never learn so well in school! Bring your granny, your neighbours, the window cleaner and the plumber..."

Media
Various interesting articles in the Comment is Free/Soundings "Who Owns The Progressive Future" series this week, including pieces by radical artist John Jordan, Middlesex Uni Academic Jo Littler and Green Party of England and Wales Leader, Caroline Lucas.
Activist Jordan is particularly sceptical about versions of a "Green New Deal", but could be surprised to find that considerable numbers of left wing Greens might sympathize with most of his criticisms of some versions of a "Green New Deal", but might question the lack of any clearly defined agents of change in his proposed alternative that seems to look to those outside society or at the margins rather than organised workers or accountable community delegates. The typical rabid rightist trolls infest the comments sections under the articles as usual I am afraid, but there is the odd bit of constructive debate.

Lefty Green Bloggings
Former Green Principal Speaker Derek Wall had an article on indigenous struggles published in the Morning Star newspaper last week.
The Green Party Trade Union Blog has a response to the proposed British Government Welfare "reforms" from Alan Wheatley and Anne Gray.
Jim comments on the troubles of Lib Dem leader Clegg at Daily (Maybe) as does Peter Cranie.
Meanwhile Matt S has started a much needed debate on the left and anti-social behaviour at his Anglo-Buddhist Combine blog.

Defending GP Surgeries in London

I have received the following details on a meeting about defence of doctors' surgeries in Lambeth, London -

DEFEND OUR LOCAL GP SURGERIES

Public Services Not Private Profit

KEEP PRIVATE COMPANIES OUT!


OPEN MEETING
Wednesday Oct 15th
7pm Woolley House,
Loughborough Estate
(Corner of Loughborough Rd and Barrington Rd)

SPEAKERS:

Dr Ron Singer GP,
Gill George from Unite (a health workers trade union),
plus invited speaker from Lambeth Pensioners Action Group



Lambeth Primary Care Trust (PCT) is planning to build a new privatised health centre in Akerman Road. The new clinic will mean the closure of existing practices at Myatts Fields and Iveagh House - forcing thousands of local people to travel further for our health care.

The private company who will own 80% of the centre will make huge profits from renting it back to the PCT – draining millions of pounds from our publicly funded NHS, which could be used to improve community health services and pay decent wages to local health workers.

Lambeth Council recently rejected the planning application to build the new clinic because it was so badly designed and the area would not be able to cope with the massive increase in traffic. But now Lambeth PCT is coming back to try again so local residents and health workers are getting organised to stop it – come along to the meeting to find out more or to get involved.



Organised by Lambeth Public Services Not Private Profits
www.publicnotprivate.org.uk

Supported by Southwark and Lambeth Keep our NHS Public

(www.keepournhspublic.com)

The LHC - Progress, Responsibility and Risk

"The End Of The World - Coming Next Week! (Possibly)" Has been the sort of sensationalist line of the UK media this week when commenting on next week's scheduled switch on of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's largest particle accelerator complex, buried deep beneath the French-Swiss border.

Beyond the hysteria, the operational stage of the LHC experiment raises serious questions about progress, responsibility and risk. The questions can also be related to the effect of the media frenzy over MMR and the current rise in Measles cases in the UK, and to the treatment of the science of climate change in the UK tabloid and reactionary press.

In the case of the LHC we have a massively expensive and technically difficult engineering project to facilitate an experiment that might seem esoteric and lacking in practical application to the general public. The experiments and observations scheduled at the LHC are designed to look at the building blocks of the universe by recreating on a tiny scale some of the conditions that may have existed at the theorised origins of the universe. Questions around particle physics and such subjects as Higgs boson and dark matter may be illuminated or resolved.

The fears that have been raised by some unconnected with the project and exploited by the media are to do with the creation of micro black holes or alternatively, "strangelets".

The worries expressed in the media and in the law suits raised in the USA and Europe have been that a stable black hole would be produced which would migrate to the centre of the planet and then devour the earth and the solar system, or that strangelets would be produced that would convert all surrounding matter and also result in global destruction. These worries have been dismissed both by the project and those involved in safety enquiries into the projected experiments. The counter arguments are that any tiny black holes produced would be inherently unstable and short lived and that there is no chance of the Strangelet scenario.

It does seem unlikely that anyone involved in the project would continue if they thought that there was any chance at all of their work leading to the destruction of themselves, their families or their planet, let alone larger scale destruction. The doom mongers counter that the vast amounts of money involved, the vested interests, the professional careers and reputations at stake, and "intellectual arrogance" militate against serious questioning of the safety risks involved. This is not too convincing and sounds rather similar to the arguments put forward by climate change deniers as to why the world's scientific and political establishments would "lie" and collude on such a large scale as required by the broad IPCC consensus. It is also reminiscent of the arguments about the safety of the triple MMR vaccination programme, following the now discredited single piece of research that was used by the media and "natural health" campaigners to sow doubts about safety in the minds of parents. In that case the inevitable result is now seen in the steady increase in cases of measles in the UK, with potentially tragic results for some of the parents and children that avoided vaccination. The consequences of the political power of climate change denial could be even more serious given the predicted timescales and what we are told by the majority of experts about the necessary reductions in CO2 emissions.

I believe that there is a middle path to be taken between uncritical techno-utopianism and ill-informed technophobia.

A techno-progressive approach, with a democratic, ecosocialist and humanist grounding would suggest that all technical advances should be held up to scrutiny and debated as openly as possible - with their social and environmental consequences assessed as well as their economic and scientific ones. Whilst a certain suspicion of the distorting potential of the current economic and social systems is reasonable (we only have to look at the massive PR and spin currently around nuclear power and GM foods), reflex anti-scientism and cynicism are not helpful, particularly when they are coupled with a religiously based conservatism or rose-tinted glasses view of history and tradition, as is often the case. (As I have said before on here, these latter objections are my main criticisms of the work of writers such as Schumacher, regardless of their uncriticised popularity amongst some sections of the Green movement.)

All this said, the LHC experiment does raise ethical issues. Whilst defending the right and necessity of scientists exploring blue sky areas of research with no currently appreciable practical application one does feel a little uneasy about the colossal cost and concentration of research effort that has gone into this single project. Let us hope that the "technological/commercial spin offs" which some of those involved in the LHC have suggested give some extra credibility to the project are valuable enough in human terms to justify some of the expense and effort if, as sometimes postulated, the experiments do not yield significant results to add to, or alter, our understanding of the universe.

One of the most convincing criticisms of the whole thing comes from the former UK Government Chief Science Adviser Sir David King, who suggests that in the light of the pressing problems with energy and climate change then expenditure and research effort in the area of renewable energy would be a better use of £500 Million the UK have contributed and the money contributed by other governments. A Guardian article today contrasts the £83 million spent (on average per annum) since 2002 by the UK government on renewable energy sources with the £78 Million (on average per annum since 1995) contribution to CERN, the body responsible for the LHC. This criticism is not so much of the nature or supposed dangers of the project, so much as its' timing.

Whilst I would very much like to believe all the assurances of the LHC scientists and accept that they have to a large extent answered the worries raised in the lawsuits, let us hope that there really are no unforeseen consequences to their experiment. However, when it comes down to it, the odds for survival of intelligent lifeforms on this planet in the long term are very slim (as detailed in Martin Rees's work I have previously referenced) - and without intelligent lifeforms it would seem that the long term survival of any earth-based lifeforms is also limited by the cosmic constraints of the lifetime of our star, and more pressingly the incidence of meteor, asteroid and cometary collisions.

Correspondingly, the ability to leave the confines of this beautiful and delicate, (but ultimately imprisoning and limiting) planet and solar system will depend on continued expansion of knowledge and technical ability for humans and whatever lifeforms may evolve from, or after us. Thus experiments like that at the LHC may on the one hand raise the (allegedly so slim as to be not worth measuring) possibility of our destruction, but may also be one of the only ways in which we can gain the knowledge necessary to ensure survival/continued evolution of humanity and earth-evolved life forms in the long term. In short, we, and the life that has evolved here may perish either way. Life's choices are seldom easy and seldom without risk - those who would seek to minimise some risks may unwittingly (as in the case of MMR vaccination) expose us to other risks of variable magnitude.

Those of us who are able must strive for the utmost transparency and accountability so that risks that we must take are properly assessed and understood. In the end this can only be fully achieved in a society with far more economic and social democracy than we currently experience even in the allegedly most "advanced" parts of the world.

NHS Protests This Friday And Saturday

KONP (Keep Our NHS Public) have arranged a protest outside the HQ of the Department of Health on Friday 4th July at 4pm to mark the 60 th birthday of the NHS:

http://greenhealthservice.blogspot.com/2008/06/nhs-protest.html

There is also a rally at 11am on Saturday at the Royal Liverpool Hospital on Merseyside.

In the East Midlands the rally is at the Clocktower in Leicester at 12 Noon on Saturday 5th July.

Weekly Links 30/06/2008

Green Politics

Following the Green success in the Henley By-election (beating the Labour Party and the BNP to come third) the Green campaign for Howden and Haltemprice is well under way. Support Shan Oakes campaign here.

Indymedia has some pictures from the 23rd Green Fair in Sheffield, which seems to have been a success and avoided the rain.


Industrial
The latest from the National Blood Service Campaign is a big rave fundraiser being organised in London. More details here.

Meanwhile preparations continue for the wave of public sector strikes planned for Britain on the 16th and 17th of July.

The transport union, the RMT, have spoken out in favour of high speed rail links as an alternative to airport expansion, such as that planned for Heathrow. Workers in the RMT are also involved in a dispute involving cleaners on the London Underground, supported by the Campaign Against Tube Privatisation, who have a blog here.

Finally, a delegation from the IWW International Solidarity Commission is in Japan at the moment and are blogging their visit at http://iwwinjapan.blogspot.com/

Blogs
Interesting pieces on blogs this week include Aled reporting that the Unions have severed all links with the New Tory Mayor of London's de-gutted "Rise" festival, Septic Isle of Obsolete commenting on one year of Gordon Brown as PM, Janine of Stroppyblog on the RMT AGM, and Jim of Daily (Maybe) reporting on the Liberal Conspiracy blogging caucus.

Support Bhopal Campaigners!

I have reported before on the campaign by survivors of the disaster at Bhopal in India, including their recent march. The campaign has now entered a new stage with a hunger strike.

This week campaigners were subject to vicious treatment by security forces, as detailed in this action alert -

BHOPALIS BEATEN UP IN POLICE STATION
AXN ALERT
9 JUNE 2008. 11 a.m.
Plainclothes policemen and women and some uniformed police today beat up Bhopal survivors and their children inside the parliament street police station.
16 year old Imran was belted by policemen, including Yad Ram, a uniformed policeman from the Parliament Street police station. The belting has hurt his eye, and he has been taken to the hospital. Other policepersons whose names are known include Suraj Bhan, Mallik (a tall, big-set cop), Mahendra (in plainclothes), and the gun-toting Yad Ram.
27-year old Vikas was set upon by 13 policemen. Irshad, 20, was also beaten up badly. The police did not spare the kids. The youngest padayatri, 11-year old Yasmin, 6-year old Nagma, and 24-year old Meera More were also beaten by the police when they tried to prevent the police from dragging Rachna Dhingra, a padayatri, into the lock-up. Seeing the girls come in aid of Rachna, Plainclothesman Mahendra Singh screamed: "In Kaaliyon ke kapde fado." (*Tear the clothes off these blackies).*
All the while, the older women were forced into police lock-up.
Since the time that they were picked up from the Prime Minister's Office for demonstrating in a high-security area, senior police officials have talked tough. Callers who spoke to Mr. Nand Mohan, Deputy Commissioner of Police said the top cop said the Bhopalis will have to face the consequences this time. The Prime Minister's silence on the matter of demands has prompted the Bhopalis to protest in front of his house two times.
Mr. Muthukumaran, Director of Public Relations, Prime Minister's Office did not know that Bhopalis were being beaten up at the parliament street police station for a mistake of his boss, the Prime Minister. However, when intimated about it, he said: "I have heard about it. It is shameful. I have informed the authorities, and we'll see what can be done."
This is not a matter about a few angry policemen. The policemen had nothing to be angry about the Bhopalis. The rot spreads far higher.
With nine Bhopalis, including two women (Rachna and Meera) who are to go on a hunger strike tomorrow, please begin a neend udao.
Call the below people, and demand that a full-blown enquiry affixingresponsibility for today's deplorable incident is conducted:

Deputy Commissioner of Police Nand Mohan: +91 9818099041
Assistant Commissioner of Police Gurdeep Singh: +91 981033880
SHO Avinash Diwedi +91 9810046832
Muthukumaran. Director, Public Relations, PMO: +91 9871990019

for more information, visit www.bhopal.net
Nityanand Jayaraman
International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal

In Britain protests are being directed to the High Commission of India in London -

We are asking people to protest about the beating, arrest and detention of vulnerable children, women and men protesters which started on 9 June, to the High Commission of India in London:

High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Mukherjee

High Commission of India

India House

Aldwych

London

WC2B 4NA

Tel: 020 7836 8484

Weekly Links - 13/04/2008

Peace Movement
One of the biggest UK news stories this week has been the stunning victory at the High Court of The Corner House and the Campaign Against The Arms Trade against the Government over the dropping of the BAE-Saudi arms deal inquiry. This has excited much comment across the blogosphere and elsewhere, and is now putting pressure on Gordon Brown to answer serious questions.
CAAT have announced a demonstration outside the BAE AGM on 7th May. They also have an online petition to the Prime Minister. Here is how the High Court victory was reported on the CAAT blog.

Meanwhile, in Wales a demonstration is scheduled for Saturday 26th April about the privatised St Athan Military Academy. Assemble at 1.30pm on the lawns opposite Cardiff City Hall for a March at 2pm.

Workers' Struggles
The teacher's strike planned for 24th April is gaining momentum, and Stroppyblog lists some of the marches and rallies planned around the country on the day. The Green Party Trade Union Group blog has a report from the recent NUT conference by Phillipe Harari, which concludes "this was a great Conference, showing the NUT at its best – united in fighting for a fairer education system within a fairer society."

The Blood Service Workers' demo at the NBS HQ in Watford took place on Friday.



Here are photos from other actions during the ongoing campaign.

In Health, there is much disquiet over the behaviour of Unison representatives in the lastest negotiations, particularly New Labour candidate-to-be, Karen Jennings - more from Martin Wicks' blog here, and Gill George (Unite union NEC member) here.

Green Politics
Green Party Mayoral candidate Sian Berry has blogged her reasons for standing on her New Statesman blog. Her percentage in the opinion polls has significantly improved since the start of the campaign.



Rupert Read has recently blogged a summary of the Norwich Green Party manifesto for the local elections there, where the Greens are challenging to become the main opposition Party. The London Greens also launched their manifesto this week.

International
London Green MEP Jean Lambert this week called for action on human rights in Bangladesh to ensure free and fair elections there. Green Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has been speaking out on the situation in Zimbabwe, China and Tibet. Renegade Eye has stimulating posts on Zimbabwe and Lebanon.
Indymedia has a report that armed Canadian coastguards have stormed the Sea Shepherd ship, (in the area to obstruct the seal cull), and arrested the crew. Indymedia also has more news on the repression directed towards Mexico's indiginous community in the Oaxaca area.

April Industrial Worker Highlights Green Unionism

The April issue of the IWW (Industrial Workers of The World) newspaper, the Industrial Worker is now out and highlights green syndicalism/unionism in a centre spread.

Headlines:

* Puerto Rican teachers defy government
* Scottish college sacks Unison steward, cuts jobs
* Maquila workers denounce NAFTA

Featured Articles:

* Metro Lighting a scab business
* Green unionism
* Review: End of America offers no alternatives, ignores unions

Part of the green spread is a Dan Jakopovich article - Dan has had articles published in British IWW publications and the online US Green discussion journal Synthesis/Regeneration.

As part of their campaign against cuts and closures in the Blood Service in Britain, the IWW are supporting a demonstration outside the National Blood Service HQ in Watford on 11th April :

All-out for big demonstration at Blood Service HQ in Watford! IU 610s, other wobblies and supporters will be visiting the offices to cause a fuss and demand that the head honchos revoke their damaging proposals, democratise the service, and are called to account for their shoddy and dangerous policies.

Bring noise-making implements, banners, placards and loads of friends!

There is also an IWW supported public meeting in Leicester this week (9th April) about the campaign to oppose closures and cuts in Adult Education in Leicester which I blogged on a while ago.

It is good to see the rapidly growing British Isles organisation (BIROC) of the IWW getting stuck in with high profile campaigning. BIROC is happy to be hosting the first IWW General Assembly to take place in Europe, in London this summer.

Bhopal Marchers Have Reached Delhi

I blogged back in February about the struggle of the survivors, relatives and supporters of victims of the Bhopal Disaster (December 1984) and their renewed march on Delhi after the Indian government failed to live up to previous pledges. The marchers have now reached Delhi. Here is the press release issued at the end of the arduous protest march:

Bhopal Survivors Arrive on Foot to Remind PM of Unkept Promises

28 MARCH, 2008. NEW DELHI – Marking two years since their last padayatra from Bhopal to Delhi, 50 people, including survivors of the 1984 gas tragedy, their children, people exposed to contaminated drinking water and their suupporters, today concluded their second 800 km march by walking from Nizamuddin park to Jantar Mantar. "We were forced to undertake this grueling walk because the PM failed to keep his word. This time, we are not going back until we get a public declaration from him that he will deliver on his promise," said Hazra Bee, a survivor and one of the padayatris.

The PMO has rejected a request for an appointment with the PM, and two further requests have not elicited a reply. However,international support for the survivors is pouring in. More than 1300 faxes from 18 countries have already reached the PMO, prompting officials there to threaten survivors with legal action. Yesterday, members of the Scottish parliament marched to the Indian embassy in Edinburgh, even as other Bhopal supporters in London went to the Indian embassy there to submit a memorandum urging the Prime Minister to meet the Bhopalis' demands.

On April 16, 2006, the Prime Minister ended a 21 day strike, including a 6-day hunger strike by the Bhopalis, by promising to meet the demands of the survivors. The survivors had demanded an empowered Commission to implement social, medical and economic rehabilitation schemes for survivors and their children, in addition to cleaning up Union Carbide's toxic wastes, providing clean water to water-affected communities, and taking legal action against Dow Chemical and Union Carbide. However, the PM suggested a Coordinating Committee to oversee implementation of rehabilitation schemes and environmental remediation.

Over the last two years, the Coordination Committee has had three meetings and accomplished nothing. More than 25,000 people continue to consume poison-tainted groundwater in the absence of reliable and good quality water supply. More than 5000 tons of toxic wastes remain buried and spread in and around the factory site, and no efforts have been taken to contain them or export them to the US for final disposal. No rehabilitation schemes have been implemented.

Government inaction on rehabilitation and environmental remediation has placed Bhopalis at the receiving end of two disasters – the 1984 gas leak and the ongoing water contamination -- both with pronounced effects on children and future generations. Despite a 1991 Supreme Court order directing the Government to extend insurance benefits to 100,000 gas-affected children, not one child has been covered, leading to a spurt in destitution among families with sick children. In contamination-affected communities, congenital deformities among newborns is a rising trend.

The future generations are in danger. That, say Bhopal survivors, is why any Commission that is set up has to execute its schemes over at least 30 years. The Bhopalis estimate that the Government needs to invest in a corpus of Rs. 2000 crore to provide an annual budget of Rs. 100 crores for the Commission throughout its term.

In contrast to the inaction on Bhopal, the Government has, in the last two years, openly advanced the cause of Dow Chemical and Union Carbide. Information unearthed from the PMO through RTI indicates that ambassador Ronen Sen, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Ratan Tata, P. Chidambaram and Kamalnath have all written letters supporting Dow Chemical. In response, the Cabinet Secretary has suggested exonerating Dow Chemical keeping in mind the scope of investments by Dow and other US companies in India.

In less than a decade, Dow Chemical has chalked up an impressive list of violations of law and due process. In February 2007, Dow caught for paying more than Rs. 80 lakhs in bribes to Indian agriculture ministry officials to register three toxic pesticides. In 2005, Indian Oil revoked a technology deal with Dow after it found out that Dow was trying to sell Union Carbide's technology by lying that it was its own. Recently, Dow has managed to convince Government of India to approve the sale of Union Carbide's technology to Reliance Industries despite the fact that a 1992 court order directs the Government to confiscate all Union Carbide's assets in India.

"This is a repeat of the betrayal of 1989 where the Government colluded with Union Carbide to shortchange the people of Bhopal on the compensation settlement," said Satinath Sarangi, another padayatri and a long-time Bhopal activist from Bhopal Group for Information and Action. "23,000 people have died, and the collusion still continues. We're determined to break this corporate-Government nexus that plays havoc with people's lives."

A daily account of the 2008 march can be found here.

Weekly Links - 24/03/2008

Today is the anti-nuclear demonstration at Aldermaston marking 50 years of CND (The Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament.) I will hopefully be able to post some links to reports later in the week. First here are some photographs from the 15th March anti-war demo in London posted on the Green Party Trade Union Group blog. The blog also advertises the South East London Health Rally planned for Saturday 29th March.

Around the blogs this week A Very Public Sociologist comments on the turmoil within the Labour Party in Scotland, and Jim at The Quiet Road started a discussion on CO2 emissions per barrel of various oil products here, and continued it with corrections to some dubious oil company data here.

Chicken Yoghurt and Enemies of Reason blogs have posts about the human-animal embryo debate.

Smiffy has a post on Cedar Lounge Revolution blog dissecting the latest war apologetics of Christopher Hitchens which found their way to the Irish Times after being published in Slate (Warning for those of a nervous disposition - it starts with a truly stomach churning pic of Hitchens in the shower!) Dave Osler this week looked at the Iraq War anniversary.

Louise posted on the "counter terrorism" bill at the Socialist Unity blog this week, while Charlie Marks at Rebellion Sucks commented on the failure of the Police to prosecute the Tory MP at the centre of a nepotistic corruption scandal.

Liam MacUaid reports on the experience of attending a local Catholic Mass over Easter, while Jack Ray comments on the current debate around religion, race and politics in the US started by the words of Barack Obama's associate Reverend Wright. Green Left Infoasis has comment on similar topics from Cynthia McKinney.

Lastly, Derek Wall at Another Green World over the weekend blogged on food miles and the despicable behaviour of Foreign Office Minister and Columbian regime apologist Kim Howells.

Health Campaigners' News

The latest Health Campaigners' News from Keep Our NHS Public and the NHS Support Federation contains a range of interesting stuff.

Amongst items that caught my eye were the following -

NHS London patient survey
NHS London is conducting a strategic review, to improve three aspects of NHS care in London: patient safety, clinical quality, and the patient experience. The survey deadline is Tuesday 18 March, so if you live in London, or access London NHS services, complete the survey to call for adequate resources to improve all levels of NHS services.
Complete the survey here.

Confuse & conceal - the NHS and independent sector treatment centres by Stewart Player and Colin Leys

A devastating analysis of the independent sector treatment centre programme and the reaction of the Health Select Committee's investigation into the programme. Available to KONP members from Keep Our NHS Public, 19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 8HN at a discounted price of £10 per copy including postage and packing (full price £11.95 in book shops). Send your order with a cheque made payable to KONP.


Virgin Healthcare - what's been happening?

As reported in the last Health Campaigners' News, Virgin Healthcare have launched a roadshow around the country targeted at GPs and clinical staff with the aim of encouraging GPs to join the private company's new health centres. While these Virgin branded health centres are being promoted as a means of meeting staff and rental costs, the other side of the deal will be the siting of for-profit healthcare services alongside NHS general practice. Unison has expressed serious concern that Virgin Healthcare's products will be marketed to vulnerable patients.

Now that the roadshow to 26 locations has begun, activists who have attended events have been finding out what Virgin are saying. Details have been fairly hard to find, with just a reiteration that the company will provide buildings and rent space to GP practices. At one roadshow session a campaigner learned that space would be rented at the same cost per square foot that GPs are currently paying.

Virgin would employ all non-clinical staff, and most significantly staff would have to leave the NHS pension scheme with the replacement Virgin pension plan not being a final salary scheme. The non-clinical staff (e.g. managers, receptionists, cleaners) currently employed by a GP practice which then joins a Virgin health centre would be subject to Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE). Staff transferred in this way would lose NHS pay, terms and conditions as well as pension rights.

GPs in a Virgin health centre would share 10% of the centre's profit for contributing to the Virgin brand. This, of course, would not involve referral of patients to the Virgin practitioners (dentists et al) at the health centre! The planned services at the new health centres are thought to include dentists (private only), pharmacists, podiatrists, counsellors and laser eye surgery. It seems that Virgin also wants to offer local diagnostics, pathology and maybe imaging, which could take funds and staff from the local NHS hospital. It is interesting to see that there is little difference between Virgin's plans and the "polyclinic" proposals of Lord Darzi.

The roadshow event at Manchester was greeted with a lively protest from local campaigners, three of whom attended the presentation. The impression gained was that Virgin's main interest in courting GP practices was to act as a draw to patients who could then be turned into paying customers for the various products and services on offer. This mirrors Unison's concern about marketing to the vulnerable.

At Peterborough, TUC pickets seemed to cause the Virgin organisers some annoyance, and questions from the floor were only accepted from GPs or practice managers.

At Colgate, West Sussex, Unison and KONP activists picketed the event. After the event manager tried to expel the campaigners (even calling the police) and denied them entry to the presentation (despite bookings having been made) the clinical director eventually agreed to answer questions from one of the campaigners, Zena Dodgson. While very little new information was forthcoming from this private audience, the clinical director did say that GPs might be financially compensated for taking on extra work as requested by Virgin Healthcare.

Other roadshow events have been happening around the country, with pickets at a number of them and members of the public asking for leaflets explaining Virgin's intentions. If you have any reports from this travelling circus email david@nhscampaign.org and we'll post them on the NHS Support Federation website.


Our healthcare, who cares?

NHS Support Federation has put together a brief summary of the Government's private sector reforms of the NHS covering commissioning, PFI, Independent Sector Treatment Centres, polyclinics and out-of-hours GP services.


In the spotlight - Camden surgeries handed to United Health

Contracts for three of Camden's GP surgeries have been given to United Health, the American healthcare giant. The three surgeries, Brunswick Medical Centre in Bloomsbury, the King's Cross Road Practice and the Camden Road Surgery in Camden Town, have a total of 4,500 patients. The handing of the contracts to United Health attracted immediate and widespread opposition, with former Health Secretary Frank Dobson joining local councillors, Camden and Islington Local Medical Committee, KONP and many others in their condemnation of the move. Failed bids for the contracts came from GPs who had been running the surgeries, and a non-profit cooperative of 300 local GPs. The government had said that private companies would only be considered where there was no alternative.

Fears that private companies are being awarded contracts for GP surgeries simply on the basis of cost seems to be borne out by news that United Health won the Camden contracts on "value for money" tests but not on service. Indeed, the group of GPs also bidding were judged to offer a superior service, but were seemingly undercut by the private provider.

A local resident, Barbara Saunders, is challenging the PCT, arguing that patients were not properly consulted. The original consultation had not mentioned that a private company was under consideration for the contracts. Ms Saunders' legal challenge is being led by Richard Stein of Leigh Day solicitors who successfully appealed against the award of a similar contract to United Health in Derbyshire in 2006.

In early March a health scrutiny committee meeting attended by over 60 resulted in the PCT reluctantly agreeing to hold a public meeting after urging from councillors. At the public meeting in the PCT's headquarters hurriedly arranged for 10 March, it emerged that the contracts have not yet been signed, and that there are now two legal challenges to the PCT's decision, with the doctors from the Brunswick Street surgery joining the fray to stop the plans. Camden PCT maintains that all consultation procedures have been correctly followed and is adamant that United Health remains the preferred bidder. So the battle to save the surgeries from the privateers continues.


Dates for your diary

Lobby of Virgin Healthcare, Bristol

Wednesday 19 March 7pm. Hilton Hotel, Aztec West, Bristol

The lobby has been called by the Avon Mental Health branch of UNISON, supported by the Central Bristol Health branch of UNISON, and also by UNITE Bristol Health. Join supporters of Bristol Keep Our NHS Public at the lobby.