CORONAVIRUS UPDATE - OCTOBER 2020

The world  has stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the NE/SEC/2 Branch Committee  wish to send our thoughts, best wishes and solidarity to all. In these uncertain times, it is of upmost importance to ensure that we continue the fight against austerity and the ruling class,  and the best way to do that is to get involved in your trade union.  

For information and advice, Unite have a selection of Frequently Asked Questions, including information on Statuary Sick Pay (SSP) and the help available to members, which you can find here: www.unitetheunion.org/coronavirus 


AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR BRANCH



Branch Secretary & Treasurer, Alex Hutchinson

"On behalf of Unite NE/SEC/2 Branch, I would like to extend our welcome and solidarity to our current and new members. In these times of economic uncertainty, it is more vital than ever that people not only join our union, but become activists in our organisation. Get involved in our union branch and the work which we undertake locally, nationally and internationally. For more information, please contact myself at alex.hutchinson@unitetheunion.org or any of our branch officers (whose contact details you can find at the bottom of this page). See you at our next meeting!"

UNITE NE/SEC/2 BRANCH'S NEWSLETTER ISSUE 1



We have produced a newsletter to help keep our members involved with our recent and upcoming activities. You can find the first issue of this newsletter by clicking HERE. 

We would like to invite all Unite the Union members from the Humber region to  our upcoming meeting, taking place on Wednesday 4th November, commencing at 6pm. If you would like to attend or for more information, please email our Secretary, Alex Hutchinson, at: alex.hutchinson@unitetheunion.org


RALLY IN SUPPORT OF TONY SMITH,  16th SEPTEMBER 2020



(From left to right) Branch Secretary & Treasurer, Alex Hutchinson,
Hull and District Trades Council Deputy President, Tony Smith,
and International Officer, Mike Hirst

Unite NE/SEC/2 Branch showing their support and solidarity with Tony Smith and proudly standing up against victimisation of trade unionists. Tony worked for FCC Environment and was a leading figure of the 2018 dispute which brought sick pay for all FCC workers across the UK. In early 2020, Tony was suspended on false allegations against him and  was subsequently sacked. A campaign then grew around Tony's appeal against this unfair dismissal which our Branch fully supported. Our members stand in solidarity with Tony and other trade unionists who have been victimised due to their activism. 


THE RAGGED TROUSERED PHILANTHROPISTS, 7-8th NOVEMBER 2019 


                   

Branch Secretary & Treasurer, Alex Hutchinson (left) with actor Neil Gore



Poster for  Townsend Theatre Productions performance of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists



Crowd of spectators at Balfour Community Centre, Hull

NE/SEC/2 donated £250 to Hull and District Trades Council which made it possible to bring the wonderful talents of Townsend Theatre Productions to Hull and East Yorkshire. The excellent Neil Gore performed a one man show of working-class literary classic, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists,   by Robert Tressell. The event was held over two days, with the first at the Balfour Community Centre in Hull, and the second being  held at the Grammar School in Beverley.  Both events attracted large numbers of spectators, including many young people who enjoyed learning about the class struggle and left-wing politics in an easily digestible format. The play was funny, engaging, and most importantly, thought-provoking. 

WESTEX CARPETS DISPUTE, NOVEMBER 2019 


Kelvin Mawer (far-left), Unite Regional Officer,  and Westex Carpet workers 



Westex Workers receiving  a cheque for £2,000 from the NE/SEC/2 Branch

Unite NE/SEC/2 Branch has donated £2,000 to the Westex Carpets Strike Fund  in support of  the workers on strike.  Westex Carpets are a profitable company which consistantly would offer their workers a  3% pay rise if the company reached a £5 million profit. In 2019, the target was met, however, the workers were offered a measly 2.2% which was rejected by 95% of the organised workforce. Westex Carpets retaliated and removed the 2.2% pay rise and implemented a pay freeze until March 2020. The members fought back and the workers went out on strike on the 19th November 2019 as a result of failing to reach an agreement. The workers were out for 12 weeks and branches such as ours played a pivotal role in ensuring the workforce and their family were not starved back to work..  

ENGAGE FOR CHANGE FESTIVAL, 22nd JUNE 2019



(From left to right) Mick Wright, Trevor Grewar & Keith Nicholson 
discussing the importance of trade unionism with a future worker



Queen's Gardens saw over 6,000 people attend the 2019 trade union festival

Unite NE/SEC/2 Branch has proudly  supported the youth section of Hull and District Trades Council, Engage for Change, since their inception (then named Collective Youth) in 2017. Engage for Change's purpose is  to bring a new layer of young activists into the labour and trade union movement in Hull through the arts and collective action. Our Branch Secretary and Treasurer, Alex Hutchinson, and our Equalities and Social Media Officer, Jessica Everard,  are a part of the group's committee, holding positions of Treasurer and Social Media Officer respectively. With our funding, the group has held an annual festival every June to increasing success each year and a  well-attended Christmas Bash in 2018. 

To find out more information and how to get involved, visit Engage for Change on Facebook at www.facebook.com/engageforchange or email the group at engageforchangehull@gmail.com 


ORGREAVE TRUTH AND JUSTICE CAMPAIGN DONATION, 22nd JUNE 2019



(From left to right)  Trevor Grewar, Keith Nicholson, Alan Bratton, OJTC Secretary Kate Flannery, Unite Regional Officer Mick Simpson,  Equalities & Social Media Officer Jessica Everard, International Officer Mike Hirst and Branch Secretary & Treasurer Alex Hutchinson

The NE/SEC/2 Branch donated £200 to  the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign at the Engage for Change summer festival, held in Queen's Gardens, Hull, on the 22nd June 2019. OTJC is made up of ex-miners, trade unionsts, activists and others who are determined to get justice for miners who were victims of police lies and cover ups at Orgreave in June 1984. 

We would urge all trade unionists to donate to the campaign and you can find more information and how to support them here:  https://otjc.org.uk/ or email the campaign at orgreavejustice@hotmail.com 

FIND CHARITY DONATION, 21st JUNE 2019



(From left to right) Keith Nicholson, FIND Assistant Manager Laura Clark, FIND  Employee Gayle Rea and  Branch Secretary & Treasurer Alex Hutchinson

Unite NE/SEC/2 Branch donated £1,000 to local charity, FIND (Families for Individual Needs and Dignity), who provide activity days for young people with severe larning disabilities and Autism. The money would go towards funding a new, much-needed sensory room. As a branch, our support not only goes to workers in struggle, but to local community programmes and  charitable organisers. 

To find more information about the wonderful work FIND do in Hull and East Yorkshire, you can visit their website here:  http://findcharity.org.uk/ or contact them at  info@findcharity.org.uk

Our Branch Officials can be found below.  To contact an officer directly, you can email them by selecting their name.

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