Leafleting at Southport Hospital

The campaign group Save Ormskirk & Southport Hospitals is organising a leafleting session at Southport Hospital on Friday, 17 January from 10:30 to 12:30.

► Event Facebook page here.
► Map.

Democracy demonstration, Liverpool

Facebook page for this event here.

Liverpool WASPI rally - 3 August

Hungry For Justice

PCS members and reps are encouraged to support the Liverpool WASPI group in their activity this weekend to maintain and highlight their important campaign over state pension changes. Details of their Hungry for Justice picnic in the park activity are as follows:

• Saturday 3 August 2019.
• 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
• Chavasse Park, Liverpool.

HMRC cleaners strike 15 July

On Monday 15 July, striking HMRC cleaners employed by ISS were joined by PCS ARMS Mersey members, local councillors, local MPs, Liverpool Labour Party members, Liverpool BAME members and supportive members of the public at picket lines and rallies in Bootle and Liverpool.

And the sun also shone on the righteous!

ARMS Mersey members show solidarity with HMRC cleaners at their meeting on 11 July

The rally in Queens Square in Liverpool

Attentively listening to the speeches

The full line-up of strikers (centre front) and supporters

ARMS Mersey members (L-R): Keith Hebron, Neville Grundy, Steve Ion and Ray Beeton

Three resolute strikers

ARMS' Steve Ion chats with two of the strikers

ARMS Mersey's Jim Stanway (left) and Neville Grundy with the ARMS banner

Strikers, PCS HMRC branch officers, Steve Ion of ARMS (left) - and the ARMS banner!

HMRC cleaners strike - pickets and rallies

We've now received details of the HMRC cleaners dispute picket lines and rallies:

• Bootle Triad - 7am-11am both days, including rally to close Monday picket 10.30-11am before we head to town.
• Liverpool - 10am-12pm at Imperial Court (Exchange Street East) and Regian House (Derby Square and Strand Street) on Monday. Rally at Derby Square 12-12.30pm when joined by Bootle. Pickets 10am-12.30pm Tuesday.

Full background to the dispute here.

Fundraising page for strike fund here. Please consider a donation.

Please support some of the lowest-paid PCS members in this important dispute.

HMRC cleaners strike - support by ARMS

Steve Ion and I have discussed what support we can give to striking PCS members in HMRC on Mon 15 & Tue 16 July. We have decided the following:

• We will ask for a speaker to our own meeting next week (Thu 11.7.19).
• We aim to have the ARMS banner out on both days.

We are therefore asking ARMS members to tell us which days they can make and, if we get enough volunteers, set up a rota for the two days. To that end, please would you tell me which days you are able to attend. If you are available for both, please let me know and I'll select one of the two, although if you want to attend both days anyway, that would be great.

As the strike begins in 11 days' time, please would you reply by e-mail (or in 'comments' below if you prefer) by Wed 10.7.19, the day before our meeting? E-mail: Nevillegrundy@aol.com.

Read more about the dispute here. I'll publish details of times, etc, when I receive them.

Thanks,

Neville Grundy
Chair

UC protests in Liverpool

We have just learned from the MPA that there is a protest against Universal Credit every week in Liverpool.
The details are:

• Every Wednesday.
• 11.00am.
• Jobcentreplus, 416 Eaton Road, Liverpool L12 3HT.

At present, that is all the info we have. If we find out more, we'll publicise it here.

Liverpool TV licence demo - report and pictures

PCS Merseyside ARMs members supported a well-attended march through Liverpool to a rally outside BBC Radio Merseyside on Friday 21 June. The protest was against the BBC's decision to charge for TV licences for the over 75s who currently pay nothing. The march went down Bold Street, Church Street, Whitechapel and Manestys Lane to the Radio Merseyside office - with numerous bits of musical accompaniment thrown in! The BBC closed down their reception while the protest was on.

Many speakers addressed the rally from Unite, Unison and PCS ARMs Merseyside in the person of Steve Ion, plus Labour MP Bill Esterson. All spoke of the need to oppose these attacks now as they will clearly try and go for bus passes and winter fuel allowance next. They also spoke of the divide and rule tactics of playing off the young against the old and of the need for maximum unity across generations. This message was reinforced by a youth speaker who gave full support to the campaign.

The Merseyside Pensioners Association who organised the event closed the rally by stating that this was only the start of the campaign. The National Pensioners Convention had called for these protests and similar events were held across the country.

The ARMS NW banner on the move

The MPA banner

A musical protest - Mike Hinstridge of ARMS Mersey is on the right

Leading the chants, plus a Unite flag

Bill Esterson MP with the banner of the Liverpool Labour Councillors

                Keith Hebron                                Steve Ion (L) and Ray Beeton (R)

(L-R) Jim Stanway, Ray Beeton and Keith Hebron

(L-R) Jim Stanway, Steve Ion and Ray Beeton

Outside BBC Radio Merseyside

Bill Esterson MP addresses the rally

An unambiguous message

Marchers listening to the speeches

Oppose Trump's state visit - Liverpool

Donald Trump has shocked the world since he was elected president of the USA. His racism and sexism are shocking. His views on climate change, immigration, crime and equal rights have alarmed millions. And he is making the world a much more dangerous place.

With Trump there is a massive global tension and a drive to greater conflict and war. Trump is:

• developing 'usable' nuclear weapons; nuclear war is now more likely.
• pulling out of crucial international agreements on climate change and weapons controls;
• trashing the Iran nuclear deal, increasing sanctions and sounding the drums of war.

Trump is putting us all in danger: join us to protest against his state visit to the UK.

Support the alternative: a world of peace, justice and human rights. Come to St George's Hall, Liverpool at 6pm on Monday 3rd June.

This protest is organised by Stand Up to Racism - Liverpool and Liverpool Trans-Pride.

••••••••••••

Pinched (with permission) from a leaflet by Merseyside CND - tel: 07394 810 871.

Standing Up To Racism in Liverpool

Date: Saturday 18 May.

Time: 10.30 to - 15.00.

Place: Jack Jones House, 2 Churchill Way, Liverpool.

Meet at the Unite office at 10.30 to join Stand Up To Racism and Unite Against Fascism for a day of mass leafleting to get the vote out against Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, alias Tommy Robinson.

This will be followed by speeches at 15.00 from Steve Rotheram (Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region), Anna Rothery (Mayoral Lead for Equality & Race Equality and Liverpool City Councillor), and Joe Anderson (Mayor of Liverpool), and others at Jack Jones House.

Workers’ Memorial Day 2019

Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most don't die of mystery ailments, or in tragic "accidents". They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn't that important a priority. Workers’ Memorial Day (WMD) commemorates those workers.

Workers' Memorial Day is held on 28 April every year. All over the world, workers and their representatives conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to mark the day

What is Workers' Memorial Day
Workers' Memorial Day has always been to "remember the dead: fight for the living" and unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering events or memorial to remember all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated. That can best be done by building trade union organisation, and campaigning for stricter enforcement with higher penalties for breaches of health & safety laws. Workers Memorial Day is commemorated throughout the world and is officially recognised by the UK Government.

Commemoration in Liverpool

Unite Memorial, Hunter Street, Liverpool L3 8EN, Sunday 28 April 11:30 – 12:15.
Remember the dead, but FIGHT for the living. Come and join us in Liverpool with speakers Ritchie James, Unite NW regional secretary, and Joe Anderson, Liverpool mayor.

Unite the Union link here. NW TUC link here.

Youth strike about climate change

There will be a national strike of all school students on Friday 15 February over the impact of climate change. The Daily Mail has predictably proclaimed "Fury as headteachers BACK pupil strike", and indeed the National Association of Head Teachers has welcomed the day, stating: 'When you get older pupils making an informed decision, that kind of thing needs to be applauded.'

Right-wing journalist, the inappropriately surnamed Toby Young, said: 'Calling this a strike is ridiculous. What are they going to do? Down pencils? This is just truanting.' Such sarcasm about a demonstration by the very people who will suffer from the effects of climate change for far longer than Mr Young will is particularly misjudged.

In Merseyside, assemble 11.00 a.m. at St Georges Hall. Not sure whether this means the Hall or the Plateau but that will doubtless become clear upon arrival.

Corbyn providing an inspiration

To paraphrase a well-known old class fighter: ‘Let the ruling class and their Labour shadows in parliament tremble at the developing movement which will recreate a new mass party of the working class. We have nothing to lose but a fossilised right wing bureaucracy which has stripped working people of political representation for the last thirty years. All forces on the left are uniting to ensure the success of Jeremy Corbyn.’

St George’s plateau the scene of magnificent demos in 1911, 1926, 1983-87, last night witnessed the re-emergence of the spirit of workers who, given leadership, displayed magnificent energy in their quest for a just socialist society and see Corbyn as the leader that can achieve that objective. The ban on CLPs meeting should be lifted and the re-selection procedures be started immediately.

Tony Mulhearn

ARMS Mersey committee

MPA motion & Jeremy Corbyn rally in Liverpool

Motion on MP reselection to the Merseyside Pensioners Association

Proposed by ARMS committee member Tony Mulhearn and passed by the MPA. 

The Merseyside Pensioners' Association declares its continued support for Jeremy Corbyn and deplores the charges of bullying and intimidation falsely aimed at his supporters.

We applaud the conference decision of Unite the Union which recognises the right of party members to select candidates that reflect their views and supports the need for mandatory re-selection of Labour MPs with a view to selecting candidates who support a programme of opposition to the continuing savage cuts of the Tories.

We believe that in spite of assurances given that the triple lock will be protected we believe that pensioners' entitlements will be threatened by austerity supporters on both sides of the House and we need genuine anti-austerity MPs who will fight to defend the interests of the old and younger generations. 

Jeremy Corbyn Rally In Liverpool

• Date: Monday 1 August 
• Time: 7.00 pm 
• Place: St George's Plateau, Liverpool 1 

Jeremy Corbyn MP will be speaking in Liverpool next Monday at 7.00 pm on St George's Plateau in front of St George's Hall in Liverpool city centre

Speakers include:

• Jeremy Corbyn MP.
• Cllr Alice Bennet.
• Cllr Peter Mitchell.
• Mel Walker.
• Cllr Joann Kushner.

Come and join us to support Jeremy Corbyn in his campaign to be re-elected Labour Party Leader.

All welcome!

Momentum rally in Liverpool for Corbyn - note revised venue

A message from the Merseyside Momentum committee:

A public event has been organised for Saturday 2 July at midday in Church Street, Liverpool, opposite Marks and Spencer. A leaflet is being prepared and hopefully some posters, but feel free to make your own and bring them along. Also any Labour Party and Trade Union banners and flags. We hope to have a stall and a megaphone. Please come along to show your support for Jeremy and the policies he represents. Please use social media to build this event.

Since posting this, I've received this by e-mail: This Saturday July 2 supporters of Jeremy Corbyn are invited to a rally at 12 pm outside BBC Radio Merseyside, Hanover Street, Liverpool City Centre.

I'd suggest if there's nothing happening at one venue, stroll around the corner to the other.

ARMS North West banner

Our brand new ARMS NW banner on its first ever outing 

on the May Day march and rally in Liverpool.

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

May Day in Liverpool

Event Facebook page here.