Don’t Let the EDL Divide Our Communities

Don’t Let the EDL Divide Our Communities

We, the undersigned, send our condolences to the family and friends of the soldier murdered on 22 May in Woolwich. There can be no justification for such a terrible attack on an individual. 

But we must recognise that fascist organisations such as the English Defence League and British National Party are trying to use the murder to whip up racism and direct hatred against all Muslims. 

EDL thugs attempted to start a race riot in Woolwich on the night of the murder. Mosques have been attacked by racist thugs. These fascists and racists should be condemned and opposed. We must not give a quarter to those who would judge an entire religion, race or nationality by the actions of a few. 

We do not hold Norwegian Christians responsible for the actions of the fascist Anders Breivik, whose 2011 rampage left 77 dead. We do not hold white people collectively responsible for Timothy McVeigh, the US neo-Nazi whose 1995 Oklahoma City bomb killed 168 people, or for David Copeland, the former BNP member who planted bombs across London in 1999. Nor should anyone suggest that Britain’s Muslims are collectively responsible for the 22 May attack. 

The fascist organisations that are trying to stir up trouble and racist violence in the wake of the Woolwich killing do not care about the dead soldier, his family or the interests of any community. They want only to see Muslims attacked and a race war on our streets. We condemn them and opposes their attempts to call “demonstrations” to exploit these issues. 

We also call on the media and politicians to stop using inflammatory language that feeds the fascists and racists. We must challenge Islamophobia wherever it raises its head. We must reject those who want to divide our communities and set them against each other, and stand fast to the ideals of anti-racism, multiculturalism and respect for all. 

The Southend TUC has agreed to endorse this statement.

PCS Strike Rally - Friday 7th June 2013

PCS Essex

SUPPORT THE STRIKE ACTION AND RALLY ON FRIDAY 7^th JUNE

The Government plans to close every HMRC public enquiry office starting on 3 June in the North East. HMRC enquiry centre staffprovide an excellent service to the public. Management plan to redirect their customers to our already overworked DWP offices. If these plans are not stopped another 1,300 jobs will be threatened

PCS members in the DWP are angry because:

• 20,000 jobs have been cut in the DWP since May 2010
• Years of pay restraint has seen our livingstandards drop by 20% 
• We are all be affected by planned cuts in our terms and conditions
• Targets, attendance management andpeople performance mean more stress
• Our pensions have been attacked

RALLY 11AM HIGH STREET, OUTSIDE ODEON

SPEAKERS: 
NEC & Vice President of DWP - ADAM KHALIF

GEC for HMRC - IAN POPE President, Southend TUC - RACHEL HEEMSKERK

Southend Against The Cuts

and
Stand Up For Our Libraries -  PETER PASSINGHAM

Leigh Folk Festival 2013

The annual Leigh Folk Festival is widely recognised as the largest free folk festival in the country. The Festival has grown enormously in scope and scale, and now encompasses concerts, dance displays, céilidhs, a centrepiece procession, workshops, open mic, kids' activities, film, street theatre, storytelling and plenty more besides. The festival is a registered charity and rather than drifting towards becoming another commercially driven, ticketed event, the team of volunteer organisers has doggedly held fast to the original grass roots, access-for-all ethos, and so the festival has retained its unique, eclectic and idiosyncratic atmosphere.

Given the historical links between the labour movement and folk music, as seen at events like the Tolpuddle Festival and the Burston Strike School event, the Southend TUC takes great pride in supporting and sponsoring the Leigh Folk Festival. Our involvement helps to raise the profile of the Trade Union movement in our local community.