Manchester TUC Pensioners: Election Rally

The Tory Manifesto is 'a triple whammy for pensioners' pledging to:

• End the triple lock.
• End the winter fuel payment as a universal benefit.
• Raise threshold for paying for social care from £23,250 to £100,000, removing any cap.

All while promising further tax cuts for the rich. Join the rally:

Date: Thursday 1 June 2017
Time: 1.00 pm
Place: Outside Manchester Town Hall

More info from: 
Chair: Tommy Walsh, 47 Dermot Murphy Close, Withington Manchester M20 IFQ

Secretary: John Johnston, 23 Saxon Street, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 1AE,
01282 703053, 07597904701 johnjohnstonclaret@hotmail.com

Forgotten has-been attacks Corbyn

BBC 'flagship' programme Newsnight revealed its anti-Corbyn desperation by giving free marketeer and Iraq-war defender ex-Blairite Home Secretary Charles Clarke a platform to attack Jeremy Corbyn over his so-called 'politicising' of the Manchester catastrophe. How they tracked Clarke down remains a mystery as he is the invisible man of British politics, but the use of the tax-payers resources is unlimited when it comes to attacking JC.

This is precisely the time when serious analysis is required to identify the why and the how such a dehumanised monster has been resourced and trained to inflict such horror on the innocent. Naturally, Blairite Labour MPs, Farron and the Tories have joined in the condemnation of JC. They fear their role in reckless Middle East interventions and their protection of the brutal regime of Saudi Arabia which nurtures terrorism will be exposed. They will become more desperate as the polls show the gap narrowing between Jeremy and May.

Tony Mulhearn
Organiser, ARMS Merseyside

Manchester bomb - Muslim Council of Britain responds

PCS conference pays respects to victims of Manchester terror attack

There was a minute's silence at the start of PCS conference yesterday to remember those killed in the attack at the Manchester Arena on Monday night. At least 22 people, many of them children, were killed and dozens more injured as they left a concert at the venue. Our president Janice Godrich shared our union's thoughts on the attack in a statement she read to delegates:

"Our thoughts are with the victims of this horrific attack and their families, those who have lost friends and loved ones, and with all those affected by such sickening violence. We utterly condemn this abhorrent attack against innocent people, many of whom were young children. Today, we grieve for those who have lost their lives so tragically.

"We pay tribute to the dedicated emergency services and public sector workers who responded so selflessly and professionally last night, and who continue to work tirelessly to keep us safe at all times. Our union stands in solidarity with the people of Manchester against such appalling violence, and for peace and unity. We reject absolutely the hate and division that drive terrorist attacks like this, and reject all forms of prejudice and intolerance peddled by a violent minority in the aftermath of such incidents.

"We are strongest when we come together and we urge our members to take part in memorial events and to express their sympathy with the victims and their families."

From the PCS national website.

MPA endorses pro-NHS candidate

MPA also deplores political divisions arising from thwarted Westminster ambitions

The MPA (Merseyside Pensioners Association) has agreed to adopt Margaret Greenwood as meriting maximum support in her campaign to be re-elected as the MP for Wirral West. We recognise her staunch stance to keep the NHS wholly publicly owned and her unequivocal support for Jeremy Corbyn.

We also deplore the intemperate language of Mayor Anderson in attacking Dan Cardin as PPC for Walton. Mr Cardin was selected in accordance with Labour Party procedure which, prior to the result, was not questioned by the Mayor.

To declare that Unite General Secretary is a bully and declaring he will not work with the candidate for whom he claims to have 'nothing but contempt' is not appropriate language from someone who occupies the lofty position of Liverpool's Mayor. His declaration that he wanted to be an MP to carry the fight to the Tories in Westminster is hardly consistent with granting the freedom of the city to Tory grandee Michael Heseltine who enthusiastically supports continuing austerity and anti-trade union laws. This is in addition to carrying out the most draconian cuts in Liverpool’s history without organising any serious opposition.

The MPA hopes that Mr Anderson’s stance will reinvigorate the anti-austerity movement which is campaigning for a Corbyn victory while the mayor agonises over a thwarted Parliamentary ambition.

Reminder - next NW ARMS meeting

Details of the next meeting of PCS North West ARMS:

• Wed 31 May.
• Midday.
• Robert Tressell room, PCS, 3rd floor, Jack Jones House, Islington, Liverpool, L3 8EG.

Our guest speaker will be Paula Woods (PCS NW Regional Secretary)

ALL MEMBERS ARE WELCOME.

Unite Against Fascism on Merseyside

Provocatively - given the long and proud history of anti-fascism on Merseyside, especially recently - the EDL have announced that they are coming to Liverpool on 3 June.

This counter-demonstration is being supported by Liverpool city councillors, and the following unions: CWU, FBU, GMT, NUT, PCS, Unison and Unite. Other individuals, groups and organisations have also expressed support, including Michelle Hayward, Chair, Merseyside Jewish Representative Council, Steve Rotheram new Mayor of Liverpool City Region; Theresa Griffin MEP; George Howarth MP; and Howard Gayle. This list is very incomplete, and will become more so as more people sign up.

PCS has a long proud record of anti-racism

Nearly half of new jobs created in the NW since 2011 insecure, finds TUC

Nearly half of (47%) jobs created in the North West since 2011 have been in insecure work, according to new analysis recently published by the TUC. The analysis shows that between 2011 and 2016 employment in the region grew by 197,503. And that 93,517 of these were in insecure jobs - work without guaranteed hours or baseline employment rights.

The TUC estimates that there are now 339,608 people now work in insecure jobs in the region - up from 246,091 in 2011. That represents 1 in 10 workers in the North West. The TUC says this is being driven mainly by traditional industries - such as education, restaurant work and residential social care - rather than newer sectors.

The study, commissioned by the TUC from the Learning and Work Institute, defines insecure work as seasonal, casual, temporary or agency work, those on zero-hours contracts and low-paid self-employed workers.

The TUC says these contract types leave working people in the position where:

• Their wages can fluctuate without warning
• They find it hard to get their basic employment rights respected
• They miss out on key protections like sick pay; and
• They are at the mercy of bosses who can withdraw their hours or even take them off the job with no notice.

The TUC is today launching a new initiative for workers in the North West to share their experiences of insecure work anonymously. The findings of the survey will be presented in May. The TUC estimates that the rise in insecure work since 2006 is costing the UK exchequer £4bn year, with the government collecting billions less in tax revenues.

TUC Regional Secretary for the North West Lynn Collins said: "Insecure working in the North West has shot up in recent years. People need jobs they can live on. But if you don't know how much work you will have from one day to the next, making ends meet can be nightmare.

"Too many bosses in our region are getting away with shady employment practices. That's why we are asking people who feel vulnerable at work to share their stories confidentially with us. We need to keep the pressure up on government to improve protections for working people. Every day unions expose bad working conditions and win important victories for workers across the country."

Corbyn's Fighting Stance

This is the spirit that will defeat the Tories, the political wing of the hedge fund managers:

"Don’t wake on up on 9 June to see celebrations from the tax cheats, the press barons, the greedy bankers, Philip Green, the Southern Rail directors and crooked financiers that take our wealth, who have got away with it because the party they own, the Conservative party, has won." Jeremy Corbyn - when launching his manifesto. 

Right-wing Labour MPs who continue to snipe at Corbyn should be given notice: support JC’s fighting stance or get out now.

Tony Mulhearn

ARMS

Salford benefits take-up campaign