The last two weekends have seen the successful E17 Art Trail, where local artists were able to display their work to the local population in shops and other premises in and around Walthamstow Village and the town centre. I was particularly pleased that Walthamstow Labour Party was able to host the exhibition of work at our premises in Orford Road by local party member Dave Sullivan, who is a Masters degree student at the Royal College of Art. Dave is a very talented painter who uses his politics to inform his art.
I worked with Dave to place an article in the Waltham Forest Guardian publicising his work and the local Labour party’s support and involvement.
I was also delighted to be able, as constituency secretary and at the request of Cabinet Member Cllr Geraldine Reardon, to represent the party at the official opening of the exhibition on Friday 31st August, which attracted artists from Walthamstow and further afield as well as members of the Labour Party.
Another local activity organised by a local party member is next week. There is a meeting of Waltham Forest Amnesty International, organised by Paul Douglas, who is secretary of the local group. It takes place on Wednesday, 12th September, in the Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe Street, Walthamstowfrom 7pm. Waltham Forest Amnesty, which held awareness raising stalls at Walthamsow festival and the Waltham Forest Green fair can be contacted on walthamforestamnesty@yahoo.co.uk. As a long-standing Amnesty member, who used to work in human rights, I’m delighted that this local group is active and involved.
I have just got back from the TUC where I raised local and national political issues: Whipps Cross, job security, transport and responsive public services
Whipps Cross
I discussed the forthcoming public consultation (planned for October) on the future of Whipps Cross and King Georges’ Hospital in Ilford with a member of London Health Emergency, a group that has been campaigning since the 1980s to defend hospitals. All proposed options in the Fit For the Future Review, proposed by the Strategic Health Authority mean 637 hospital beds lost with only £20 million being put into in community services. The impact of this on our part of London would be extremely detrimental, which is why it is important that Labour Parties in Waltham Forest work with colleagues in Redbridge to protect all local services.
There is a public meeting on Tuesday 18 September, 7.30 pm Sir James Hawkey Hall, Broomhill Road, Woodford Green IG8 0BG jointly organised by Save Whipps Cross and the local committee of Keep our NHS Public.
Employment Rights
I attended the TUC in Brighton earlier this week and met with Unite T&G staff and members to discuss the ongoing campaign for greater legal protection for casual, temporary and agency workers. I also had a brief chat with Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley,
I am active as a T&G member to support a temporary and agency workers bill which would end the scandal of discriminatory pay and lack of protection against unfair dismissal for workers. British labour law fails to protect agency workers and gives an easy ride to unscrupulousemployers; it also allows these unscrupulous employers to undercut responsible firms.
Legislation was promised in the Warwick agreement but, as part members will be aware, an attempt to achieve this through a private members bill earlier in the year was blocked and denied a vote despite having the support of more than 100 MP. This is a major issue for our part of London and Walthamstow Labour Party recently backed the campaign for legislation by a very significant margin. Gordon Brown mentioned in passing legislation on agencies in his speech to Congress, although union delegates don’t think this means the Bill will be allowed to go through so the campaign goes on.
This is a major issue for London, and particularly our part of London. Although it is particularly important for Unite and other unions representing low paid workers, the lack of protection for casual and staff affects other sectors. I also spoke to NUJ delegates about situation for freelance journalists who face increasing casualisation, which has a major impact on pay and work security.
Public Transport
Another major issue for Walthamstow is the ongoing upgrade and maintenance of the Victoria Line, complicated by the failure of Metronet and concerns about the future of the maintenance and upgrade contract. I discussed this with Labour London Assembly Members who will be supporting the idea of an ‘in-house’ bid. I support proposals for maintenance to be taken back ‘in house’ as it was before the introduction of the PPP. As a daily commuter to central London I am sick and tired of delayed journeys which have become a regular occurrence on the Victoria Line in the last few years, far worse in my experience than anything suffered before.
Public Participation and service user involvement
I took part in a meeting about Shared Solutions, a project sponsored by Unison and the National Consumers Council, to identify how public sector staff working at the front-line to deliver services in health, social care, housing, benefits etc can work with patients, tenants and service users to identify local needs, how services can be improved and improve understanding so they can work together. This is a particular issue in mental health services, where service users involvement is very close to my heart. Back in March I spoke at a conference ‘Creating a Stronger Voice for Mental Health’ addressing service users and carers on the new Mental Health Act, and the key policy issues on mental health.
