Eastbourne Labour Party Eastbourne Labour Party
1) Unison. The left has won control of Unison’s presidency following their NEC elections on 21st June. Paul Holmes was elected president, and the vice-president positions went to the left slate, Kath Owen and Andrea Egan.
“This is a major step forward in the struggle to transform Unison and the whole of the Labour Movement”
https://www.socialist.net/unison-left-key-positions.htm
NB Socialist Appeal is “the Marxist voice of labour and youth”
2) Unite. Howard Beckett has pulled out of the Unite General Secretary election after negotiating with front-runner in the branch nominations Steve Turner for a joint manifesto. This became necessary after right-wing candidate Gerard Coyne made it on to the ballot – 3 left candidates meant a split left vote. The 3rd left candidate, Socialist Worker Party backed Sharon Graham, would not enter negotiations and remains on the ballot.
3) The Battle of Orgreave 18th June 1984. Please see article on our website:-
The Fight for Justice for the Battle of Orgreave – Eastbourne Labour Party
4) Trade Union Club. Spearheaded by Dan Thomas, several Labour Party members have started making links with the Trade Union Club on Seaside Road. The President Frank is keen for links to be re-established with Eastbourne Labour Party and Trade Unionists. 3 Labour Party members are now members of the club. Plans (once Covid restrictions are lifted) are for a Friday evening ska DJ event at the club.
There is a room at the club that could be used for future Executive Committee meetings.
5) The International Workers Mural Campaign (part of the Engels in Eastbourne Project)
I have now obtained the full set of photographs of the International Workers Mural that used to be sited in the dining area of The View Hotel. (Formerly the Transport and General Workers Union Recuperation Hotel and Education Centre and which is now a Unite the Union hotel). The 84-foot-long mural was removed when Unite decided the hotel would be run solely for tourism. It is currently in boxes and will soon be relocated in the new Unite Birmingham Centre. The Engels in Eastbourne Project are campaigning for the Mural not to be forgotten in Eastbourne. They have been working with The View Hotel to this end and a pull-out brochure of the mural is being prepared. As well as the brochure, the campaign would like a copy of the mural to find a home in a public Eastbourne building. I have written to the Towner Gallery about this proposal and am awaiting a response. For more details on the mural please see the Engels in Eastbourne website:-
Carol Mills
TULO