The NHS at 73 - March and Rally for Kingdom Security Staff

On 3 July 2021, trade unionists, political activists and unaffiliated sympathisers came together in Reading to celebrate the National Health Service's 73rd birthday. Organised by Unite South East Region, the event also bore the spirit of condemnation as the Reading labour movement - strongly supported by comrades from Oxford and elsewhere - rallied support for the longstanding dispute between the Royal Berkshire Hospital's security guards and their outsourced employer, Kingdom Services Group.

While the event saw representation from such trade unions as the Communication Workers Union, the National Education Union, the National Union of Journalists, the Royal College of Nursing, the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association, Unison and Unite, the Reading Trades Union Council was joined by the Oxford & District Trades Union Council.

Similarly, the Reading & District Labour Party and the local Socialist Party and the Communist Party of Britain were joined by a strong contingent from the Oxford & District Labour Party.

Jim Parker and John Partington parade the RTUC banner

Indeed, the ODTUC and ODLP forewent local NHS festivities in order to show solidarity with the Kingdom security guards and the industrial dispute organised by Unite the Union.

Support from the Socialist Health Association and Reading Socialist Club also helped to swell the numbers. Together these groups represented the collective voice of the Reading and Oxford labour movements.

Neil Adams and Ray Parkes of RTUC

RTUC was represented by Neil Adams (Unite), John Gillman (Unite), Keith Jerrome (Unite), James Parker (Unite), Ray Parkes (Unite) and John Partington (TSSA), the latter addressing the closing rally on behalf of RTUC.

Gathering at the Royal Berkshire Hospital at 11:30, the assemblage then marched for the NHS and for the Kingdom security staff. From 12:00 the marchers proceeded down London Road, Eldon Road, Kings Road, Forbury Road and into the Forbury Gardens, gathering by the bandstand to hear the range of speakers.

Matt Rodda MP (Labour, Reading East)

The Unite marquee gathered signatures of solidarity with the Kingdom security staff dispute, with an online version also publicised, while the Socialist Party ran petitions for a 15% pay rise for NHS staff and in opposition to the illiberal Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which is currently struggling through the parliamentary process in the face of significant opposition.

Jessika Parmar (Unite Regional Organiser)

The Kingdom security staff dispute emerged in December 2020 with a call for improved pay and conditions by Unite to the tune of £12 an hour for security guards and £13 an hour for supervisors. This was greeted by the employer with an offer of £9.30 per hour and £10.30 per hour, respectively - a derisory reward above which the employer has refused to budge, despite their website boasting that they turnover more than £100 million per annum.

Sarah Carpenter, Unite Regional Secretary

Unite are calling for an end to the outsourced security contract and the insourcing of the staff into the publicly owned NHS family once the Kingdom contract ends on 31 December this year. The latest round of strike action is due to run from 07.00 on Monday, 12 July, until 24.00 on Saturday, 31 July, following 84% support from the 20 balloted security staff.

Adam from Youth Fight for Jobs

The Unite Regional Officer, Jessika Parmar, has stated: "Now is the time for the trust to jettison the flawed privatisation model of Kingdom Services Group and bring back the security guards ‘in house’ – and from the great support we have received from the Reading community, this is what the public wants as well."

Cllr Jabu Nala-Hartley (Labour: Barton & Sandhills, Oxford)

In addition to their measly pay offer, the industrial dispute responds to Kingdom's failure to take health and safety concerns seriously, their refusal to discuss sick pay relating to health and safety and to address the disparity in sick pay between colleagues.

Cllr Nadine Bely-Summers (Labour: Littlemore Oxford)

The dispute has garnered publicity in the national press, with the Morning Star reporting the industrial action and the solidarity march in Reading to support it.

John Partington (TSSA) delivered the solidarity address on behalf of Reading trades Union Council, calling for a 15% pay rise for NHS staff, a decent settlement for Kingdom security workers and Labour Party support for the undoing of Tory anti-trade union laws: "how can we fight for Kingdom workers with one hand tied behind our backs?"

RTUC and RSC join the People's Assembly's National Demonstration

On 26 June 2021 at 12:00, Reading Trades Union Council and Reading Socialist Club representatives joined comrades from around the country for the People's Assembly's National Demonstration, 'After COVID: Demand a New Normal'. The themes predominating among the marchers were: No cuts. No privatisation. No racist scapegoating. No evictions.

John Partington (TSSA, 2nd left), John Gillman (Unite, 3rd left)
and Kathy McCubbing (RSC. right)

While trade unions, trades councils and political parties (Socialist, Communist, Labour, Social Workers' and Green parties) were present, the overwhelming visual impact during the march was of campaign groups (Palestine Solidarity, Black Lives Matter, DPAC, Drive to Survive, National Union of Students, Extinction Rebellion, pro-NHS groups) with their placards and banners, presenting an intersectional front of all generations.

Speakers represented a similar diversity, though with a greater proportion of trade unionists (Steve Turner and Howard Beckett of Unite, Alex Kenny of NEU) and Labour politicians (Zarah Sultana, Barry Gardner, Richard Burgon) - plus Jeremy Corbyn MP representing the Peace and Justice Project.

John Gillman (Unite) and John Partington (TSSA) attended on behalf of RTUC, with Phil Ashford and Kathy McCubbing represented RSC. After a year of lockdown, the People's Assembly showed once again that it can mobile the labour movement and community groups to stand up to the Government's illiberal bent, shouting down the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, calling for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel, demanding a 15% payrise for nurses and proposing support, not punishment, for the victims of the COVID19 pandemic in the labour market.

Phil Ashford (RSC), John Partington (TSSA)
and Kathy McCubbing (RSC)

It promises to be a summer of protest this year and, post-lockdown, we must unleash pent-up energy to challenge Government austerity measures and attacks on civil rights at every opportunity.

Howard Beckett (Unite)

Alex Kenny (National Education Union)

Larissa Kennedy (National Union of Students)

Steve Turner (Unite)

RTUC joins Reading's 'Free Palestine' march and rally

In Reading at 15:00 on 16 May 2021, there was an extraordinarily massive turnout for the pro-Palestine solidarity march and rally - one of dozens of such events throughout the country over the weekend. Organised by the Reading Muslim Council, Reading Trades Union Council members James Denny (RMT), John Gillman (Unite), Keith Jerrome (Unite), John Oversby (UCU), Ray Parkes (Unite), John Partington (TSSA), Chris Reilly (RMT) and Tanya Wills (Unite) joined around a thousand people in the pouring rain to marched from Town Hall Square, down Friar Street. West Street and Broad Street before rallying to listened to speeches from Cllr Nada al-Sanjari (Labour Party), a speaker from Kairos Reading and RTUC's Vice Chair, Tanya Wills.

RTUC Vice President, Tanya Wills, speaks

In attacks by Israeli military forces, at least 174 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with more than 1,200 injured. Eight Israelis have been killed as the Palestinians fight back to defend themselves from drones, missiles and other sophisticated weapons strikes.

Local media covered the impressive Reading protest, including Berkshire Live and the Reading Chronicle.

On the event Facebook page, entitled 'March for Solidarity with Palestine', the organisers wrote:

Please join us on Sunday, 16th May, at 3pm at Reading Town Hall to mark our solidarity with the Palestinians.

Our message is clear:

*We are deeply shocked, appalled and hurt by the violent desecration of Al Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli police and army.

*We deplore the attacks against worshippers during Ramadhan at Al Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah.

*We demand an end of the forcible removal of Palestinians from their homes and their lands.

*We condemn Israel’s violation of UN Resolution 194 on the Right Of Return for refugees.

*We condemn the continued brutality towards the Palestinians.

*We call on our government to intervene to protect the rights of Palestinians in line with international law.

The message was signed by:

Reading Muslim Council

Reading Muslim Network

Pakistan Community Centre

Association of Sri Lankan Muslims

Aisha Masjid & Islamic Centre

Jamme Masjid Reading

Reading Islamic Centre

Amity Road Masjid

Reading East African Community

Islamic Community Milli Görüş (Reading)

Reading Turkish Community

Reading Trades Union Council was proud to stand in solidarity with the organisers in their protest against Israeli human rights breaches and breaches of international law. The following photos demonstrate the variety of peaceful anger on display by the citizens of Reading.

RTUC's John Gillman marches for Palestine and the Socialist Party

Anthony Bardos of Slough GMB joins the procession

Cllr Nada al-Sanjari (Labour Party) addresses the assembled crowd

Kairos Reading address the rally

Reading Trades Union Council's International Workers' Day Celebration

Undeterred by the lockdown imposed by the horrific COVID19 pandemic, Reading Trades Union Council organised a May Day spectacular to raise the spirits of comradeship across the local labour movement and beyond. Adhering to the strictures of public health advice - social distancing and limitations to face-to-face events - the event was staged online with a feed direct to YouTube. Given that 2021 is the 130th anniversary of RTUC, there was a real enthusiasm to make this year's International Workers' Day one to remember!

In the spirit of both May Day and Reading's multicultural heritage, the event was beautifully diverse, with speakers and performers from Reading, elsewhere in Britain and from abroad. Through the support of the production team at Banner Theatre, the presentations wove smoothly one into another and were interspersed with topical tunes.

The roster of featured attendees is one to be proud of, from heads of national trade unions and spearheads of justice campaigns to frontline activists and radical performers:

• Eileen Turnbull & Terry Renshaw from the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign - justice achieved this year, though 49 years in the making;
• Chris Hockney from the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign - justice sought but yet to be achieved;
• Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public & Commercial Services Union;
• Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union;
• Jesika Parmar of Unite the Union - organiser of the Kingdom security staff strike at the Royal Berkshire Hospital;
• RTUC's Helen Caney, GMB officer - spokesperson for the Marley Tile Factory strikers and the campaign against fire-and-rehire at British Gas and elsewhere;
• Matthieu Bolie-Reddat, General Secretary of the CGT Versailles Union - bringing international solidarity from French labour;
• Rob Williams of the National Shop Stewards Network;
• Terry Pearce of the National Pensioners Convention;
• Janine Booth of the RMT - reciting radical poetry;
• Laura Zanetti of Earth Strike
• Larissa Kennedy, President of the National Union of Students;
• Banner Theatre, punctuating the event with hard-hitting radical song: 'Rise Up', 'Battle of Orgreave', 'Market Forces', 'WAR', 'Bring Him Down', 'Downhill Schools' and 'The INTERNATIONALE';
• And of course Chris Reilly, President of RTUC and the event's esteemed compere.

The creative and logistical energy which developed the brainstorming sessions into the finished two-hour tour de force emanated from the RTUC May Day Organising Committee: Neil Adams (Unite), James Denny (RMT), Chris Reilly (RMT) and Tanya Wills (Unite). For the production of the broadcast event, thanks go to Banner Theatre. Details of the recorded version will be published here in due course.

Reading Trades Union Council would like to thank our affiliate trade unions for the support, both financial and by way of providing contributors to the event.  While significant donations from the RMT and Unite gave the making of our May Day event real impetus, many other donations and support in other forms demonstrated broad solidarity. The support received shows the broad comradeship of organised labour - and the recorded version of the event will form part of its legacy.

RTUC say - "Kill the Bill!"

On 1 May 2021, Reading Trades Union Council assembled in numbers to join other local activist groups, including Reading Socialist Club, to say - Kill the Bill! The protest, which commenced at the Forbury Gardens at 13:00, presented a coalition of opposition to the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill which is being debated in parliament, where the Labour Party lead the opposition.

If passed into law, the Tories' draconian bill will:

• Expand police stop-and-search powers, a practice which disproportionately targets black and other minority groups;
• Criminalise trespass, threaten right-to-roam and increase discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities;
• Restrict the right to assemble and protest, criminalising demonstrations and limiting trade unions' right to picket.

Following a march of around 100 people, which went from the Forbury, down Friar Street and up Broad Street before returning to the Gardens, a number of speakers raised ire at the implications of the bill, including RTUC's own John Partington (TSSA), who reminded those assembled of historic trade union struggles for the right to picket, from the Shrewsbury 24 and the Orgreave miners to Berkshire's own current Marley Tiles dispute.

John Partington (TSSA) addresses the rally

RTUC's Helen Caney (GMB) also spoke, introducing Robb Johnson's 'Kill the Bill' protest song.

Other RTUC delegates present were Steve Geary (USDAW), John Gillman (Unite), John Oversby (UCU), James Parker (Unite), Chris Reilly (RMT) and Tanya Wills (Unite).

The march commenced at 13:30, occupying the public highway for half its length, the RTUC banner displayed in its magnificent splendour, carried by John Partington and its designer, Nick Hatton (UCU).

The event concluded by 15:00, the case for freedom of assembly strongly presented. As proceedings in parliament advance, the Tories can expect continued opposition to the bill, until its illiberal clauses are relegated to the dustbin of history.