Somerset’s first ever ‘Solidarity Day’ will be held on Sunday November 13th at the Cheese and Grain in Frome from 12.00 to 5.30pm. Free entry! Organisers, the Mendip Trades Union Council, have been campaigning to raise awareness of the benefits that membership of a trade union can bring workers. It is a fact that workers who are union members enjoy better pay, hours, health and safety and pensions than those workers who are own their own without union backing. Mendip Trades Unionists have also been campaigning on most crucial local issues, including cuts to public transport, mental health services, community care, housing, education and the environment. The Somerset Solidarity Day is for all those local workers who are interested in finding out how joining a trade union can help them. We will bring together, under one roof, stalls, talks and discussions by individual trade unions, progressive campaign groups of all kinds, community charities and local history talks.
Sunday 13th November, 12 noon till 5.30pm
For further information please contact Dave Chapple, Secretary, Mendip Trades Union Council, on 07707869144, or <davidchapple2020@gmail.com>
Here are the stall holders:
Unite the Union South West Region , Unite the Union Gloucester, Bristol & Bath Community Branch , Unite the Union Somerset & North Devon Branch, Public, Commercial & Services Union/PCS South West Region, University & College Union/UCU South West Region, National Education Union/NEU, UNISON South West Ambulance & Allied Workers’ Branch, Mendip Trades Union Council , White Horse (Wiltshire) Trades Union Council , Bridgwater & District Trades Union Council/Somerset Socialist Library , Frome Amnesty International , Sustainable Frome , Frome FM Radio , Frome Friends of Palestine , Zaytoun Palestinian Fair-Trade Productions , Frome Extinction Rebellion , Hung, Drawn and Quoted , Mendip Credit Union , Citizens’ Advice Bureau , Save St Andrew’s Ward Campaign , Climate Film Collective (Showing short films on the hour in Room 1) , Just Stop Oil! , Somerset Green Jobs’ Campaign , Green Party , Wells Labour Party , Somerton and Frome Labour Party , Bath Hunt Sabs , Land, Freedom, Peace!
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Discussion Group Subjects and speakers
Room 2
12.20pm: “Fighting big-business-induced climate change in East Africa” with Eva Bryczkowski, Glastonbury, Unite Community and Mendip TUC
1.20pm: “Somerset Green Jobs’ Campaign” with Richard Morgan, Bridgwater, Unite the Union
2.20pm: “Crisis in the ambulance service” with Dave Phillips, Frome, UNISON and Mendip TUC
3.20pm: “Culture matters! What is the role of the arts unions?”: Leo Aylen, Dorset, The Writers Guild (TUC-affiliated)
4.20pm: “Crisis in education” with Robin Head, Cheddar, NEU National Executive and Mendip TUC
Room 3
12.20pm: “Defending Civil Service jobs” with Chris Dando, Radstock, PCS National Executive and Mendip TUC
1.20pm: “Extinction Rebellion Trades Unionists” with Theo Simon, East Pennard, Unite the Union and Mendip TUC
2.20pm: “Workplaces within communities: what Mendip Trades Union Council is and does” with Dave Chapple, Mendip TUC Secretary
3.20pm: “Organising precarious workers” with Sadie Fulton, Bristol, South West TUC Campaigns Officer
4.20pm: “The Cheese and Grain: a social enterprise creating jobs” with Steve Macarthur, Frome, Cheese and Grain Director
***Each discussion session will hear a lead speaker for ten minutes, followed by a 30-minute discussion. Participants are strongly encouraged to keep their discussion points to one minute each, and to avoid speeches: our aim is to maximise the number contributing with a question or comment.***