| An urgent message from These Walls Must Fall, South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG) and Migrants Organise
Monday 27th January Protest re forced movement of Simba Mujakachi 1000am Vulcan House (Sheffield Home Office building), at 6 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8NU. Our friend Simba needs your help. He is gravely ill and in no physical state to leave the house, but tomorrow the Home Office have demanded he attends Vulcan House for an interview. Those who do not attend face the risk detention. Simba has asked for as many people as possible to meet outside Vulcan House from 10am tomorrow morning (), before his appointment at 10:30am. See SYMAAG bulletin “No Sanctuary for Migrants” attached SYMAAG No Sanctuary for Migrants
|
Monday 27th January Holocaust Memorial Day candlelit vigil with readings/reflections
1745hrs – 1900hrs Winter Gardens. Preceded by short films (drop in anytime 12 noon till 4pm). Plus collection of posters on display in Winter Gardens
On Holocaust Memorial Day we share the memory of millions who were murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in order to challenge hatred and persecution in the world today.
Sheffield City Council. Flyer attached. Holocaust Memorial Day flyer 2020
Monday 27th January “Never Again is Now” Holocaust Memorial Day action
1745hrs-2045hrs Hartshead Square, Sheffield, S1 2
Hosted by If Not Now Then and Sheffield – Student Action for Refugees – STAR
This day marks 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. Each year on Holocaust Memorial day, as we remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, we say ‘Never Again’. Jews and members of other communities sought sanctuary in the UK from the Holocaust. Britain remembers fondly its offer of sanctuary – the children that arrived on the kindertransport and displayed are proudly on a statue in Liverpool Street Station. But too often we forget the ones that were turned away from the UK and perished, and we don’t remember that after the Nazis invaded Austria, the British government tightened its immigration controls. Genocides and wars are still happening. Fascism and borders are still happening. The UK government is committing atrocities by detaining refugees in immigration centres and sending them back to the countries that they fled. The right of refugees to seek sanctuary in the UK is too often judged by their willingness to assimilate and their ability to contribute to the economy.
Monday 27th January NEXT LEFT/HOPE – political theatre
7:30pm at DINA, Cambridge St, Sheffield.
We are NEXT LEFT, a new political theatre collective based in Sheffield, assembling immediate responses to current events. In reaction to the General Election result and with an aim to counter dark times with positive action, we stage our first event on the theme of HOPE. We’re collaborating with local, professional actors, directors and a small technical team, rehearsing during the day and performing script-in-hand in the evening. The idea is inspired by a project called ‘Take Back’ in Manchester and with their blessing we are pleased to offer Sheffield the opportunity to join the conversation.
The event will be a mixture of short scenes, spoken word, poetry & music with the opportunity for discussion and friendly debate (the bar will be open!) – we have encouraged artists from varied cultures, ages and backgrounds to submit their work to be included. Our aim is to build a community and establish a place where positive action sparks creative responses to the current political climate. It’s going to be a long 5 years!
Tickets are £5 – if you bring a group of 10 people, one goes free – please contact us to get a discount code for this to book online) and tell others about it – you can find shareable information on Facebook on the Next Left page www.facebook.com/nextleftsheffield
and further info on www.nextleft.co.uk – the link to buy tickets is available via either route or directly at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/next-left-hope-tickets-89077769005
Tuesday 28th January Film: “Midnight Traveller”
1800hrs Showroom Cinema
In 2015, after Hassan Fazili’s documentary Peace aired on Afghan national television, the Taliban assassinated the film’s main subject and put a price on Hassan’s head. Hassan looked at his wife and his daughters, and he knew they had to flee their home. Over the course of their multi-year saga in search of safety, the family grasped onto the only means they had to assert control over their situation: their camera-phones.
“Midnight Traveller” is a gripping vérité story made by a family on the run. Their unique access and artistic vision provide an intimate portrait of a loving family and the myriad fellow travellers they meet on their odyssey.
We’re honoured that Director Hassan Fazili will be joining us via Skype for a post-screening Q&A.
Tuesday 28th January Sheffield Trade Union Council Delegate Meeting
1900hrs – 2100hrs Trades and Labour Club, 200 Duke Street, Sheffield S2 5QQ
Come and meet our new Sheffield Union Organiser Rohan Kon. She’ll be discussing her new role with delegates from 2030hrs till 2100hrs.
Delegates please bring your card. Visitors who are trade union members are welcome – please register on the door. Use side entrance on Talbot Street.
Wednesday 29th January Sheffield Stop and Scrap Universal Credit
1230 – 2pm United Reform Church, 60 Norfolk Street.
Campaigning to Stop and Scrap Universal Credit must continue after the General Election. More and more stories are coming out about the desperate situation facing many claimants, and the use of food banks has continued to rise. Join us to plan our next steps in the campaign. This a collaborative campaign led by Sheffield TUC involving Labour, Green and other left parties, trade union branches and community groups.
Wednesday 29th January Sheffield Save Our NHS (SSONHS) Annual General Meeting
6.45pm for 7pm. Central United Reform Church 60 Norfolk St Sheffield S1 2JB.
6.45pm – Tea – Coffee – Cakes- Biscuits
7pm – “LOVE MY GP – HATE THE WAIT”: There are GP shortages leading to many GP surgeries closing. How can we improve GP services? What has caused the doctor shortages and wait times to see your doctor? What needs to be done. Come along and discuss these important issues.
8.30PM – OFFICER ELECTIONS AND REPORTS
9.00PM – CLOSE
We will be electing 4 officer positions – CHAIR, SECRETARY, TREASURER AND PRESS/MEDIA SECRETARY. If you would like to be considered for any of these positions please send your nomination to mickpsuter@gmail.com by 5pm 28.01.2020. If no nominations are received for any position, we will take nominations from the floor of the AGM.
Thursday 30th January “Bringing Antisemitism into Focus”, a talk by Dr. Brian Klug
Holocaust Memorial Day – 6pm -8pm Diamond Lecture Theatre 3, University of Sheffield (main campus off Brook Hill, other side of road from Firth hall)
Please join Sheffield UCU in commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day. The talk is open to the public.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bringing-antisemitism-into-focus-a-talk-by-dr-brian-klug-tickets-89641190213?fbclid=IwAR1F5f7s2yBdBBroJzYpswX0sOg1PtuOME9DFwYUIWPjKO7hBbdpASm85nI
Antisemitism is a highly politicised subject in the UK today. The aim of the talk is to rise above political partisanship with a view to clarifying what antisemitism is and how to identify it. Much recent controversy has centred on the Working Definition of antisemitism produced by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The talk will begin with this topic; but there is more to bringing antisemitism into focus than defining the word. The talk will place antisemitism in the larger context of Europe’s ‘Jewish Question’, whose roots lie in antiquity. Since the 19th century, both left and right in Europe have legitimised this toxic question. The talk will shed light on two issues that cause confusion and friction: the conflation of anti-Zionism and antisemitism and the relationship of the latter to other forms of racism. Conclusions will be drawn for tackling antisemitism and for improving the climate of political debate about subjects that impinge upon Jews and Judaism.
Thursday 30th January ‘A Universal Basic Income for Leeds – Why, How and What Next?”
6.30pm to 8.30pm. Council Chamber, Leeds Civic Hall, Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 1UR.
Hear a world-leading Basic Income expert Prof. Guy Standing (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) delivering his talk ‘Basic Income as Common Dividends: Building a Progressive Revival’.
Tickets are Free, but please register below to guarantee a seat.
Saturday 8th February Stand Up to Racism Trade Union Conference
12 – 4.30pm, SOAS (Brunei Gallery), Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Speakers so far include:
- Margaret Greer, Unison national race equality officer
- Wilf Sullivan, TUC race equality officer
- Daniel Kebede, NEU NEC
- Riccardo La Torre, FBU Eastern regional secretary
Through the Tories’ deliberately engineered ‘hostile environment’, they have pushed racism systematically as an explanation for the attacks they have consistently barraged working class communities with. Yet we must not forget that millions are opposed to racism, and that we have a proud tradition of anti-racism in the history of Britain.
We must now prepare to build a movement against a Prime Minister who has used racist and dehumanising language to describe Muslim, African and Caribbean communities, and the racist policies that will almost certainly accompany the forthcoming attacks on living standards for working people.
Monday 10th February – Saturday 15th February TUC Hearts Union Week
The TUC has set this week for local events around the country to promote trade unions – and encourage workers to join. “We Love Unions” week has two themes this year: fighting sexual harassment in the workplace, and meeting young workers to talk about joining trade unions. Sheffield TUC will be holding an event during the week. Stand by for more details
Tuesday 11th February Sheffield Stand Up to Racism AGM
7pm – 9.30pm Central United Reformed Church 60 Norfolk Street, S1 2
Speakers include Brendan Woodhouse from Sea Watch, Sister J from Survivors Alliance and Cllr Zahira Naz on refugee work. Reports on our campaign work to kick racism of the buses and out of football. Plus, election of officers.
Friday 14th February #YouthStrike4Climate
Next national date for school students strikes to save our planet. We await details of any local events.
Tuesday 18th February South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG)
7pm at The Sanctuary, Chapel Walk, Sheffield. Planning meeting – all welcome
Tuesday 25th February Sheffield Trades Council AGM. Speaker: Jo Grady UCU Gen.Sec.
7pm Trades and Labour Club, 200 Duke Street, Sheffield S2 5QQ. Is your union affiliated? Please do so in time for delegate cards to be issued. Voting takes place for Sheffield TUC Officers and Exec Committee (only accredited delegates may vote). Non delegates who are trade union members are welcome to attend as non-voting visitors, but please register on the door. See website www.shefffieldtuc.co.uk for more details
Doors open at 6.30pm. Please come early so we can start at 7pm
Saturday 21 March UN Anti-Racism Day
Stand Up to Racism is organising major marches in London and Glasgow as part of a global #WorldAgainstRacism coordination where demonstrations will take place all over the world, including across the US and Europe where the far right is on the rise. Sheffield SUtR will be organising coaches
Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 April 2020 Young Workers Organising Weekend
Doubletree Hilton, Hull HU2
Yorks and Humber Regional TUC: If you’re a young trade union activist (35 and under) we’d like to invite you to our Young Workers Organising Weekend, which will run in parallel with our Regional AGM, and want you to be part of it!
The weekend is dedicated to developing the organising potential of our young trade union activists through workshops and training sessions, delivered by some of the best practitioners in trade union and community organising.
✔ Join dozens of young activists who want to be on the front lines in our workplaces and communities, organising new workers and agitating together.
✔ Meet some of the best practitioners in organising from across the country and around the world.
✔ Take part in workshops including creative organising tactics, beating apathy, running a campaign, and training in digital organising.
✔ Organise with others in your union, industry, or campaign.
Face-to-face meetings to share tactics and swap notes are what this weekend is all about.
You are invited to attend the daytime training on Saturday 4 April and also stay for dinner and overnight to participate in a panel debate on young workers in the trade union movement during the Sunday session of the TUC’s Regional Conference.
We want to upskill our young activists and empower them to go out and start building their union! 💪
**Please note there is no charge for the Saturday and Sunday sessions however if you would like to stay for the dinner and overnight there will be a charge for this**
To find out more and to register your interest, click on the link below https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/young-workers-organising-weekend-organising-power
20 & 21 April; 18 & 19 May; and 1 & 2 July 2020 Stepping up – Women in Leadership course
PCS Offices, Leeds city centre
Back by popular demand, Yorks and Humber TUC are offering this very interesting and worthwhile course again to our women trade union reps in the region. The course is designed for those who want to develop their leadership position within the trade union movement or build their CV skills to advance into leadership roles within their organisation or community.
The course will aim to help you understand:
✔ what leadership is
✔ leadership skills
✔ leadership styles
✔ public speaking
✔ organising skills
✔ media skills
If this is something that excites you and you’d like to find out more, click on the link below! https://www.tuceducation.org.uk/findacourse/courses/102
Saturday 25th April Conference to launch YHPC Transport Manifesto
Venue in Leeds tbc.
Yorks and Humber Pensioners Convention has published their Transport Manifesto on better bus services. Privatisation and deregulation of our local bus services has been a failure and led to huge cuts in services, appalling reliability and fares people cannot afford. With the climate emergency we need an affordable high quality public transport system like never before. Bringing buses back into public ownership would ensure the service is planned to benefit the passengers rather than the private companies!
Tuesday 28th April International Workers Memorial Day ceremony
1230 till 1.15 Outside Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield
Wreath laying ceremony with speakers from the Labour and Trade Union Movement. On this day we mourn for the dead and fight for the living. Health and Safety at work is a basic right but too many employers put profit before safety. Bring your banners and if possible a wreath to lay beside the Memorial Tree.