Thursday 5 December 2013

Latest Actions from Brent Fightback


ACTIONS ARISING FROM BRENT FIGHTBACK MEETING OF DECEMBER 4TH

Stop TfL Cuts After hearing from Leon of the RMT about fare rises, safety dangers arising from staff cuts and ticket office closures, it was agreed to support the campaign. Actions:
1. Carol will write to local papers about the issue.
2. Sarah will inform Mencap and Ann MIND about impact on people with disabilities
3. Martin and Sarah will contact NUT re impact on teachers taking classes ontube.
4. Sarah will try and contact the Harrow-on-the-Hill lift campaigners.
5.. Pete will contact Cllr Jim Moher (lead member for transport) and Navin Shah, Michael will contact Sadiq Khan, Martin Green AMs.
6. Consider sending questions for Mayor to Navin Shah and participate in Mayor Question Times.
7. Distribute own or RMT leaflets on Met Line and hold impromptu public meeting on the train as appropriate.
8. Think about more imaginative ideas to get the message over to build a broad-based campaign to stop the cuts.

Copland campaign against forced academy status Teachers had been on strike again on Tuesday against forced takeover by Ark Academy. Action:
  1. Support picket lines at Copland on December 17th if planned strike goes ahead.

NHS Campaign continues on several fronts with moves to set up a Brent and Harrow Keep Our NHS and pressure on SERTIC to organise a London-wide demonstration late-Spring/early-Summer 2014.  Actions:
  1. Meeting on Future of Central Middlesex Hospital organised by CCG. Thursday December 12th 6 - 8 pm at the Sattavis Patidar Centre in Forty Avenue Wembley. We need as many people as possible to attend to find out what is proposed and perhaps help shape what is being planned for our hospital.
  2. London Save Our NHS are organising a workshop based event in early February, date to be confirmed, including sessions on workplace organising an campaigns, what kind of NHS do we want etc.

Council Consultations Following the confusion about what exactly council reports were proposing on council rents and council tax support, Sujata will look at how such reports could be made more readily accessible and understandable.



Monday 2 December 2013

Copland teachers on strike again on Tuesday


Staff at Copland Community School in Wembley will hold their third day of strike action  tomorrow Tuesday December 3rd against an attempt by Michael Gove and an imposed Interim Executive Board (IEB) to force the school to become an academy. Despite Cllr Michael Pavey, Lead member for Education in Brent, saying 'it is not a done deal' so far there had been no other option but ARK. Whatever happened to Gove's 'increasing choice' agenda?


Staff will hold a rally outside The Torch pub in Bridge Rd, Wembley against ARK forcibly taking over their school at 10am.

Hank Roberts, ATL Secretary and Immediate Past President said, “Stanley Fink, a leading ARK trustee, is the National Treasurer of the Conservative party and a friend of Michael Gove. He supports Gove's and the Conservatives policy, as revealed in the Independent, of handing over state schools to be run for profit. They're not in it for charitable giving. If they want to give Copland money we'd welcome it. Long term they're for taking money out of the system to add to the many millions they already have”.

Tom Stone, NASUWT Acting Secretary said, If Brent would only go and get the money the ex headteacher spirited away, the whole scenario of becoming an academy would disappear and Copland school would be a flourishing and effective school.”

Lesley Gouldbourne, Joint NUT Secretary said, A recent leadership review of Copland carried out in October 2013 showed many improvements in teaching and learning and more robust financial management. Give the school time to continue this good work.