Pat in the chain gang

Some great news from the CWU today – Pat Carmody has today been told he is to be reinstated by Pell & Bales, after he appealed against his sacking for writing a four-line article for Socialist Worker.

Congratulations to Pat, and good work everyone who gave support to his campaign.

One week

A couple of reminders for this coming week:

Defend Pat Carmody, defend the union

CWU activist Pat Carmody was sacked recently by call centre company Pell & Bales as a result of his trade union activity.

Pat’s appeal against his sacking is being heard on Tuesday 15 July at 211 Old Street, London EC1V 9NR and supporters will be lobbying outside from 10:30 am. If you can make it along, for however short a time, please do. Old Street tube (Northern line) is the nearest, come out of exit 7.

If you can’t make it – or even if you can – you can send a message of protest to Pell & Bales CEO Karl Holweger.
Write to kholweger@pellandbales.co.uk.

You can also send messages of solidarity to Pat.

Local Government Strike

On Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17, UNISON members in local government will be out on strike. In London, supporters of fair pay for local government workers will be gathering as follows on Wednesday:

1.00pm – assemble at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, off Remnant Street. Nearest tube stations are Chancery Lane (Central line) and Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines).
1.30pm – march from Lincoln’s Inn Fields
2.00pm – rally at Friends’ Meeting House, Euston Road. Nearest tube stations are Euston (Victoria and Northern lines) and Euston Square (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines).

Speakers will include;

Keith Sonett, Deputy General Secretary, UNISON
Jack Dromey. Deputy General Secretary, UNITE
Kevin Courtney, Branch Secretary & NEC NUT

A question of time

Well, more a time of question, really – Thursday 10 July saw the first Great Left Pub Quiz, held at the Shipwrights Arms in Tooley Street. Eight teams of varying sizes competed for the prizes on offer, with The Socialist Patients Collective the clear winners (I assume their lack of an apostrophe was an homage to the pub). There were also prizes for the two second-placed teams, Top Comma and Sarah, Michael, John, Balvinda, Laura (imaginative, huh?) as well as a special prize for the winner of “worst imaginable home-made placard”, won by Bottom Marx with “Ban a bomb – the compromise solution”.

No-one will be surprised to learn that the two liquid prizes didn’t actually make it out of the pub. The DVDs and cinema tickets did, though. Every team had fun and said they would come again, so watch this space – and this space – for details of the next one.

Love and P-P-P…

Today was Pride London (we can’t call it London Pride, because that’s a beer, see?) and the first outing for the Left Alternative – the new name for the majority of what was once Respect, The Unity Coalition.

“Fairytales, myths and legends” was the parade theme, so we went with “Robin Hood – Socialists in Tights”.

However, as you can see, the lovely chaps on the float were not up for giving us – and the whole parade – the benefit of seeing them dressed properly for the ocassion. Still, they were game for standing up there dancing and waving for a good hour and a half as we wound our way slowly down from Baker Street to Trafalgar Square, so I suppose we shouldn’t be too harsh on them. They got a great reception from the gathered throngs, that’s for sure.

As always, the exhuberent Carole Vincent was with us, and was mobbed time and again, with Big Brother fans demanding to be photographed alongside her.

The Left Alternative float found itself just in front of a group of gay football clubs, led by Leftfooters FC. We also found out that this chap (no, not the one in the glasses, the man behind him) has never kissed a Tory (and never will).

And that the Raelian movement support sexual freedom. Which is nice.

All in all, a fine day out, and I was proud to be there, supporting Pride and flying the flag for the Left Alternative. Someone did try to sell me a copy of The Socialist, but I didn’t see any other left parties taking part in the parade as such, which is a shame. Still, there’s always next year.