Diary of Events November 2018

Tuesday 6th November  Monthly Sheffield Needs a Pay Rise Meeting

6pm – 7pm Upstairs meeting room, United Reform Church, Norfolk Street.

Please do join us to help make this vital campaign a success. Can your union branch send a representative(s)? We shall be discussing the groundbreaking campaign to fund an Area Union Organiser. We have already raised over £8000 so the target is in sight. We will also be discussing campaigns and activities to highlight low pay and exploitation in our city. We will also have a discussion about next year’s May Day (Sheffield TUC will be organising a collaborative May Day organising committee and will invite interested organisations)

 

Wednesday 7th November Sheffield Stop the War Steering Committee

6.30pm Central United Reform Church, S1 2JB

“Pressure is mounting for an end to British arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Germany has suspended theirs. Save the Children have spelt out the terrible cost in Yemini lives of continuing to supply weapons. Aid experts are predicting the worst humanitarian disaster anywhere in the world since the Second World War if the Saudi-led war continues.But the British establishment is digging in and refusing to even consider a suspension of arms sales. The cynicism and double standards on display here are breathtaking. With this in light we want to organise a public meeting in November with the support of all our coalition groups and so will be discussing this at the meeting, as well as our usual agenda items”. Lucinda Wakefield Chair SSTW

 

Thursday 8th November “Support Northern Train Guards” RMT Public Meeting

6pm Showroom Cinema, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX. Speakers: Steve Hedley RMT AGS, Louise Haigh MP. RMT guards have been standing solid, determined and united on Northern Rail in the continuing fight for safety, security and access on our trains. Most other rail companies have agreed to keep the guard on the train, so why not Northern? Please do show your support by helping to make this meeting a success.

 

Saturday 10th November IWCE Political School “The First One Hundred Days of a Corbyn Government” 1030hrs – 1330hrs The Zest, Shipton Street, Upperthorpe S6 3NA. A day school of enquiry, discussion and planning: £5 to cover costs and lunch. All welcome. Sheffield TUC says “We really welcome another IWCE political day school in Sheffield as the first one was a huge success. We strongly recommend it.  To book your place please email iwceducation@yahoo.co.uk See flyer attached Corbyn 100 days Sheffield a5x2 (1)

Tuesday 13th November, Protest rally to stop closure of Disability Centres in Rotherham

1000hrs outside Addison centre in Maltby. Addison is one of the 5 centres earmarked for decommissioning in the next 2 years. Rotherham, Council’s decision impact not only on the users of the service but the wider community. Supported by Rotherham TUC

Saturday 17th November National Demonstration against Racism and Fascism in London

Coach leaves The Hubs, Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2QQ at 8am and will depart London at approx. 4pm.  Cost per person £20 (£10 concession) return. Tickets are available from Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sheffield-coaches-to-national-unity-demo-against-fascism-racism-tickets-49524613452?fbclid=IwAR3h4Wcl1PGL2KmtSNDReCmg_kGbUPu-GW_LBCjJeAhaAtJZgjTRrVJGOKk. Organised by Sheffield Stand Up to Racism. Coach prices financially supported by Sheffield TUC. This demonstration is backed by the TUC and Labour Party.

 

Wednesday 21st November (to be confirmed)

Meeting to celebrate the amazing mural produced by Chilean artists here in Sheffield, currently housed at DINA, Cambridge Street

1930hrs upstairs at DINA, 32 Cambridge Street S1 4HP. For many years this mural was housed at SCCAU on West Street and was rescued when the building was demolished. The mural depicts in incredible detail the story of working class struggle across the globe for a fair and just world. We are in consultation with the artists and with the Chilean community who were welcomed here as political refugees after the fascist coup led by General Pinochet in 1973 – 45 years ago!

 

 

Mon 26th and Tues 27th  November 

Jobs, skills and training for a Just Transition to a low carbon economy

Venue: PCS, Town Centre House, Merrion Centre LS2 8LY Two-day course provided by Yorks and Humber TUC as part of its work on a Regional Low Carbon Strategy. Yorkshire and Humber is home to heavy carbon emission-producing industries employing thousands of trade union members on good pay. We need to protect those jobs, but not by sticking our head in the sand and ignoring climate change! The course is FREE, drinks provided, bring own lunch.

Jobs, skills and training for a Just Transition to a low carbon economy

Mon 26 and Tues 27 November 2018, 9.30 – 4 pm each day
Venue: PCS, Town Centre House, Merrion Centre LS2 8LY

The course is FREE, drinks provided, bring own lunch.
Key industrial unions are speaking up about working for a Just Transition:

“Trade unions are first and foremost about jobs – let’s not have a replay of the times when we were not asked, or refused, to get involved.” Bill Adams, Regional Secretary, TUC Yorkshire and Humber.

“Climate change is the greatest challenge of our times – we need to take action for future generations, to protect food and water. Trade unions should ensure this catastrophe is not left to unfold – get involved in specific areas of discussion, so that no working people lose out.” Gail Cartmail, AGS, Unite.

This new training course for workplace reps from the manufacturing, power and other sectors will be running in Leeds in November, supported by the region’s Low Carbon Task Force. It is designed to support workplace reps to plan and negotiate for a low-carbon future for our region, especially focusing on defending 28,000 jobs in our energy intensive industries.

Why here? Why now?
If there was ever a testbed for modern industrial strategy fit for the future, it’s in the Yorkshire and Humber region. This is a region in transition but without a plan.

Our region has probably the highest concentration of the UK’s foundation industries and coal and gas power stations in the UK. This includes major power plants like Drax, as well as steel, cement and chemical works, glass manufacturers, and heavy energy users in brewing and food manufacture. The regional TUC reckons that up to 28,000 people work in these major plants, and three or four times as many in their supply chains.  No UK region has a bigger carbon footprint than this, because of the energy these industries either supply or use.

Course Aims
The course is designed to stimulate responses to the question: How to protect and develop our foundation industries and deliver the jobs, skills and training for a just transition to a low carbon economy? It will help to equip trades unions and workers with information and ideas about how to respond to the implementation of the Government’s Industrial and Clean Growth policies. One thing is for sure – ‘business as usual’ is not a viable strategy.

We will cover the following:

  • Identify industrial and energy policy in the region and in each sector represented on the course
  • Review what national and international climate change policy means for your workplace and the region
  • Review trade union policies – regional, national and international
  • Map the region’s energy use
  • Understand why a Just Transition is central to your workplace and to the region’s future job security and economic strategy
  • Evaluate renewable energy and energy reduction options where you work
  • Assess the implications for skills and training where you work
  • Develop a negotiating strategy with your employer

The course is open to all interested trade union participants, and those acting as workplace reps in industrial workplaces in Yorkshire and Humber will particularly benefit.
Register for this course
➤