Trade unions, parties, community campaigners and volunteer groups formed an anti-cuts coalition yesterday [Monday August 2] to organise a united campaign against job losses and services cuts.
At the meeting called by Brighton, Hove and District Trades Union Council delegates from across the city came together to create the Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition in response to the devastating public sector spending cuts that are already beginning to hit local people.
Representatives from 16 local union branches, health service, benefit, anti-war, anti-racism, unemployed campaigns, voluntary organisations, pensioner associations and student unions were joined by Labour, Green and local Socialist parties to set up the coalition.
The group will be holding a public launch meeting in September to argue the overwhelming case against the cuts agenda and will be actively supporting any union action in defence of their members’ jobs and conditions.
Throughout September the coalition will also be helping to build for a Brighton Benefits Campaign public meeting, attending a lobby of the TUC conference in Manchester calling for a national demonstration against cuts, and organising locally around the trade union called European Day of Action against cuts on September 29.
Phil Clarke, a trades council convener for the coalition group, said: “Public sector spending did not cause the recession and the workers and users of public services should not be made to pay for an economic crisis they did not create. Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition has made a very promising start as a local campaign to protect those services, and we urge local people to join with us.”
Join the Facebook group here.
Contact: Phil Clarke
07709696561
Secretary@Lewes-Eastbourne-and-Wealden.nut.org.uk
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@brightonhovetuc
Meeting Dates
Meetings take place on the second Wednesday of the month
We alternate between executive committee meetings and full trades council meetings. All delegates are encouraged to attend full meetings and any trade union member may attend as a visitor.
Email BrightonTradesCouncil@gmail.com to be informed of meeting dates and times.
How to get involved
Contact: In the first instance contact the General Secretary Andy Richards at brightontradescouncil@gmail.com
Trades union councils consist of representatives of trade unions or branches of trade unions which meet within the area covered by that council, or which have members working or living in the area. A union branch will normally affiliate to the trades unions council in the area in which it meets.
Trades union councils consist of representatives of trade unions or branches of trade unions which meet within the area covered by that council, or which have members working or living in the area. A union branch will normally affiliate to the trades unions council in the area in which it meets.
Who are we and what do we do?
Trades union councils bring together trade unions to campaign around issues effecting working people in their workplaces and local communities.
Trades Union Councils consist of trade unions or branches of
Trades Union Councils consist of trade unions or branches of
trade unions which meet within the area covered by that council, or which have members working or living in the area.
A union branch will normally affiliate to the trades union council in the area in which it meets. Each branch will then send delegates to the trades union council's meetings. These branches pay an affiliation fee. Their delegates elect officers from amongst themselves to represent the views and priorities of the constituent branches and to take responsibility for working for and supporting the policy of Congress and the Trades Union Council (TUC) General Council. This is because trades union councils are registered with the TUC, rather than being entirely independent bodies. The Annual Conference of Trades Union Councils takes place over a May weekend.
Brighton Hove & District Trades Council was first formed in the function room above The Eagle pub in Gloucester Road, Brighton in 1890.
Aims and objectives
> Raise public awareness of rights at work and the union role in enforcing those rights.
> Promote organising and recruitment drives to build union membership.
> Support union and community campaigns for dignity and respect in the workplace and beyond.
With the threats of racism and fascism, changes in the labour market and debates over the future of public services, the trade union voice in the community is as important as ever.
The capacity of trades union councils to provide a local response and to organise trade unionists into coalitions with other progressive forces is crucial. They do this by providing services which keep local trade unionists up to date with developments within the wider trade union movement, and by taking up relevant local industrial and community issues.