Campaign info – Page 5 – Notts Save Our Services

NOTTS SOS meetings in January 2012

Regular Notts SOS meetings resume in 2012 on Mondays 9th and 23rd January. These take place fortnighly at the YMCA International Community Centre on Mansfield Road and start at 7.30 finishing around 9.00pm.

Come along and get involved or if you can’t make it, contact us and tell us about your anti-cuts activities.

What cuts? In our News section we have covered the cuts in City and Council budgets:

Nottinghamshire County Council announces extra £12m cuts, BBC News, 1/11/2011.
Nottingham City Council approves £33m of cuts as angry protesters ejected, Nottingham Post 7/3/2011.
County Council’s ‘ruthless’ cuts will total £150m over three years, Nottingham Post, 25/2/2011.

Another round of cuts is due in 2012 and we must be ready to take action again.

Other ways to keep informed of Notts SOS activities are as follows.

Keep up to date by subscribing to this blog (scroll down and add your email address on the right of this page to receive a message whenever there is a new blog post. You can also join the Notts SOS facebook page or follow us on Notts SOS twitter.

Look out for our occasional newsletters: https://nottssos.org.uk/2011/11/16/notts-sos-newsletter-no-7-november-2011/

NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL BUDGET CAMPAIGN MEETING – Monday 19th December 2011 at 7.30pm

As agreed at the last Notts SOS meeting, people who are interested in carrying forward and actively participating in the campaign against Nottingham City Council passing another cuts budget are planning further action. We will meet at 19.30 on Monday, 19th. December at The Peacock pub on Mansfield Road. Please indicate that you are attending by sending an email to our usual address: nottssos [at] gmail.com

Hope to see you there.

Nottingham City Council – budget/cuts meeting 12th December 2011 – volunteers wanted for Notts SOS stall

Nottingham City Council Meeting
At 14.00 on Monday 12th. December there is a full Council meeting at which proposals for the 2012/13 Budget will be discussed. Notts SOS will have a campaigning stall outside the Council House from 13.00 onwards. Volunteers are needed to run the stall and attend the meeting.

Please complete the following form to volunteer for various activities and return it to the email address given on form:
NCC Budget Campaign Activities

Here is a petition you can help fill and return to us:
NCC Council Budget Petition 2012-13

Coverage of the N30 strike day in Nottingham

Coverage of the November 30th coordinated strike day in defence of pensions can be found on Nottingham Indymedia with a feature article linking up various submitted articles and photos: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2241

In Nottingham over 10,000 people marched from the Forest into the city centre, many after taking part in pickets of their workplaces, and it was wonderful to be received by applause as we turned the corner of Mansfield Rd. and Parliament St. The march then passed via Speakers’ Corner and through the Old Market Square alongside Occupy Nottingham and ended up in and outside of Albert Hall for a rally.

Earlier in the day those in Notts SOS and Notts UnCut who were not involved in the industrial action, including many students, supported picket lines at workplaces in the city and county with refreshments and good cheer. For a few hours after the march, a Critical Mass group of 25 cyclists cycled (at extremely slow pace) around the city centre, spreading the word about the strike and the fight against government cuts everywhere they went. There was a huge amount of public support for the message. The ride ended at the Sumac Centre in Forest Fields where the Autonomous Nottingham free space had relocated.

View N30 slideshow on Notts TUC: http://www.nottstuc.org/2011/12/images-from-nottingham-strike-march.html

Industrial action continues (including work to contract at Universities and Colleges by members of UCU) while several unions have been in talks with the government since the 30th. More pressure will be needed to prevent the loss of hard won pensions, pay and conditions over the coming months. The NHS and benefits are also under sustained attack. Notts SOS will continue its work in bringing together people who are fighting austerity in its various guises.

After our last meeting of 2011 took place this evening, Notts SOS will resume its meetings in the New Year, on Monday 9th January 2012. All welcome!
There will be various events before then though, so do keep checking our website (you can also subscribe to get notification of new articles – just enter your email on the right).

November 30th – support the strikes in Nottingham & Notts!

On November 30th, public sector unions will strike together in defence
of their pensions. The government-led attack which they are fighting
is part of the wider cuts agenda. Notts SOS will be supporting what is
likely to be the largest strike in decades and we urge you to do so as
well.

Check out some of the things happening on November 30th that we know
about below.

The former Conservative Social Club on Church Street Lenton has been
occupied as a free space to support the strike. There will be events
there on Wednesday and throughout the week.

More details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2211 – note this venue has been evicted so please check indymedia to check if the events marked Free Space are going ahead.

NOVEMBER 30: TIMETABLE

Early morning onwards – Pickets outside all public buildings, schools,
universities, etc. affected by the strike. Notts Uncut with the help
of Occupy Nottingham are planning to do a roaming soup kitchen feeding
the pickets.

List of pickets in Nottingham: http://www.nottstuc.org/p/nov-30-meetings.html

Contact Notts Uncut: nottsuncutaction@gmail.com

10.30 – Start assembling for the march on the Forest

11.30 – March leaves the Forest for the Market Square

12.30 – Trade Union rally at the Albert Hall (tickets available from
trade unions)

13.00 – Critical Mass solidarity bike ride will leave from Market Square

More details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2183

15.00 – Soup & Discussion of N30 and the future of workers’ struggle
at Notts Free Space

More info: http://network23.org/autonomousnottingham/2011/11/22/notts-free-space/

19.00 – Nottingham journalists campaign to save public broadcasting
meeting at New Mechanics

More info: http://www.nottstuc.org/2011/11/bbc-presenters-step-forward-to-save.html

19.30 – Dinner and film showing of The Take at Notts Free Space

More info: http://network23.org/autonomousnottingham/2011/11/22/notts-free-space/

—
Notts Save Our Services
Web: http://www.nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: @nottssos

Notts SOS stall on 19th November plus pensions leaflet and pamphlet

There will be a Notts SOS campaigning stall from 11.00 to 13.00 in Old Market Square on Saturday, 19th November. The main theme will be pensions with an emphasis on the Public Sector Strike on 30th November in defence of pensions. A leaflet on pensions will be distributed and the David Cameron dummy with the label ‘Pinching Our Pensions’ will be on display.

Volunteers are needed to run the stall so if you can help, please get in touch or come down on the day.

Download: NottsSOS Pensions Leaflet November 2011

Download: Fair Pensions for All – informative joint trade union pamphlet.

Notts SOS statement on forthcoming co-ordinated strike action on 30th November 2011

Notts Save Our Services supports the 30th November Public Sector co-ordinated strike action and we support all public sector workers who take strike action.

The Con-Dem Government proposals are for public sector workers to pay more, work longer and receive less. The Government wants to privatise public services. The Government and the private sector see public sector pensions as a barrier because employees transferred out of the public sector must be offered “broadly comparable” pension schemes under the Fair Deal on Pensions. That is why George Osborne wants to end the Fair Deal on pensions. The strike against attacks on pensions represents a strike to defend public services and is therefore in the interests of all of us (and our families) who use or will use public services.

Public Sector pensions are neither “unfair” nor “gold plated” and have not been the cause of hardship in our communities or in the private sector. The unfairness lies between the rich and the poor, with the richest in society receiving pensions averaging £175,000 a year, 97% of executive directors in FTSE 350 companies having company-sponsored pension arrangements (compared to one third of private sector workers), and with most executives able to retire at 60. This is on top of growing income inequality with top incomes growing by 64.2 % over the past decade while average earners’ income has increased by 7.2 % so that at the present time the total income of the richest 10% of the population is higher than the combined income of the poorest 50% of the population.

Public sector pensions are not “unsustainable” and in March 2011 George Osborne himself told parliament that cutting public service pensions is about “filling the hole in the public finances”, demonstrating that these attacks have nothing to do with demographics and people living longer but are further attempts to make working people pay for a problem that they did not create.

The suggestion that strike action is falling into a Government “trap,” as Labour Party Ed Balls has stated, can only undermine the strike and does not serve the interests of the public. We call on everyone to respect the Unions’ decisions and to wholeheartedly back co-ordinated strike action on November 30th.

Notts SOS values and respects our public services and those who work in the public sector. We acknowledge that they carry out some of the most important work in our society, including nursing, midwifery, care of those of us who are elders, vulnerable, have disabilities or are children; providing emotional as well as practical support and often working more than their paid hours. We defend their right to take strike action.

Support anti-cuts prisoners – appeal from Notts SOS

It is now a year since the inspiring action of a number of students at Millbank during last year’s student fees protest in London. As a result of that and other anti-austerity protests a number of people have been sent to prison. It is important that we as a movement support our imprisoned comrades. Remember: they are inside for us and we should be outside for them.

We list details of some of those imprisoned below. Please consider writing to some or all of them.

Information and advice on writing to prisoners can be found here: http://www.brightonabc.org.uk/writing.html

Joseph Binney is on remand for violent disorder from March 26th
Joseph Binney
A5569CH
HMP Wandsworth
PO Box 757
Heathfield Road
London
SW18 3HS

Charlie Gilmour pleaded guilty to 2 counts of violent disorder on student protests 2010 and is serving a 16 month custodial sentence. (Note: Charlie wishes to thank everyone who has written to him but that he is kind of snowed under and has suggested that people write to some of the other prisoners.)

c/o London ABC
Freedom Bookshop
Angel Alley
84B Whitechapel High Street
London
E1 7QX

James Heslip was sentenced on October 5th to 12 months for alleged violent disorder during the Millbank protests. Please include his name on the letter inside and address all mail to him to:
London ABC
c/o Freedom Bookshop
84b Whitechapel High street
London, E1 7QX

Omar Ibrahim sentenced to 18 months for violent disorder for throwing a smoke bomb at Topshop on March 26th demo. Write to him at

Omar Ibrahim
c/o London ABC
Freedom Bookshop
Angel Alley
84b Whitechapel High Street
London
E1 7QX

Michael Newton is serving a 12 month sentence for June 30 action and multiple other minor charges. Hopefully out on early release on 30th December. Michael welcomes letters, posters and pictures.
Michael Newton
A6611CE
HMP Preston
Wing C4 17
2 Ribbleton Lane
Preston
Lancs.
PR1 5AB

Benjamin Sunderland is serving a 12 month sentence for violent disorder from the student protests. Please write to him:

Benjamin Sunderland
A6968CH
HMP YOI Feltham
Bedfont Road
Feltham
TW13 4ND

Harry Webb is serving a 12 month sentence for alleged violent disorder during the March 26th demonstration despite having been violently attacked by the police. Write to him:

Harry Webb
A4895CG
HMP Wandsworth
Heathfield Road
Wandsworth
SW18 3HS

Edward Woollard was sentenced to 32 months for violent disorder following the Millbank protest last year. Write to him at

Email – writetoedwoollard[AT]gmail.com

or by post (please consider enclosing a stamped addressed envelope)

c/o Chris Rawlinson,
Student Union
Brockenhurst College
Lyndhurst Road
Brockenhurst
Hampshire
SO42 7ZE

More info on Ed’s support campaign: http://support4edwoollard.wordpress.com
—
Notts Save Our Services
Web: http://www.nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: @nottssos

Latest news from Notts SOS, Notts Uncut, Occupy Nottingham, plus forthcoming events

A lot has been happening in Nottingham over the last couple of weeks and especially since the weekend … here are some highlights:

Occupy Nottingham! The occupation of the Old Market Square, starting on the same day of the October 15th ‘Jarrow march 2011’ demonstration against youth unemployment, is still ongoing after 5 nights. This was part of a global day of action against austerity and many occupations are continuing elsewhere. Details on Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2100. Although there was a slight drop-off of people after the initial surge over the weekend, numbers now seem to be growing. On day 5 there are now around 15 tents, a gazebo and a marquee. Join the occupation in the market square at anytime. Check out the link for the wishlist of things needed by the current occupiers.
Photos of day 6: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2105

Notts Uncut took action on the 15th October against the corporate tax avoiders on our high street: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2090

Action against benefit harassment: The two participants arrested after the day of action against ATOS Healthcare which saw people going inside the private examination centre on Stoney Street have been bailed again after appearing at the Bridewell, to allow time for “further investigations”. All bail conditions (restricting them from parts of the town centre) have been dropped. Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2087

Universities and Colleges industrial action – UCU members started their first phase of its industrial action on 10th October with ‘Work to Contract’. “By working to contract, staff will refuse to undertake extra duties or work outside their contracted hours.”

Forthcoming events

The Hardest Hit are holding a rally this Saturday 22nd October at 12.30 in Market Square to defend benefits and services used by disabled people. Notts Uncut are planning an action to support this and are meeting outside Parliament St. Boots at 11am. Come along and support the rally.

The next Notts SOS meeting is on Monday 26th October 2011 at the usual venue, the YMCA International Community Centre on Mansfield Rd, starting 7.30pm and finishing around 9pm. Then fortnightly thereafter – all welcome.

A public Meeting, ‘Our NHS is in Mortal Danger’ organised by Bassetlaw SOS with Unison and Unite trade unions will take place on 4th November, at Worksop Town Hall, starting at 7 pm. Go and find out about the Government’s plans for the NHS. Find out what is proposed, how this will affect you and what you can do to make your voice heard. Full venuw address is The Ceres Suite, Worksop Town Hall, Potter Street, Worksop, S80 2AH. A Save Our NHS meeting was held in Nottingham last month.

Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts are preparing for a huge demonstration in London on 9th November: http://nsafc.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/students-to-march-on-the-city-london-nov-9th/

A national day of industrial action will take place on Wednesday 30th November with millions of public sector and education workers going on strike over attacks on pensions. The government will be facing the “biggest trade union mobilisation for a generation” after the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called the day of action. There will be transport from Nottingham.