Here is another quick update about our ongoing public campaign in support of a group of tenants demanding compensation from Fox & Sons for having had their tenancy withdrawn 5 days after their move-in date [link 1; link 2; link 3].
The World Bank announced this week that it is to make about $200bn available to fund action on climate change. In making the announcement, Jim Yong Kim, the president of the World Bank, stated: “This is about putting countries and communities in charge of building a safer, more climate-resilient future.” The announcement has been greeted with universal approval with many arguing that the Bank is taking a strong lead and sending a strong signal to private sector financiers.
But before we all start rejoicing to hard, it is worth noting that the World Bank has a long history of saying one thing and then doing the opposite. For example, in 2015 the very same Mr Kim announced a five-point plan to deliver low carbon growth, including a call to end to fossil fuel subsidies, only for it later to be discovered that the Bank had supported the development of fossil fuels to the tune of $3.4 billion, a 22% increase on the previous year.
We recently opened a public dispute against multi-branch letting agency Fox & Sons, in support of a group of tenants who had their tenancy delayed and then completely withdrawn five days after the start of their agreed move-in date. As a result of this mismanagement by the agency, the tenants had to find a last minute alternative accommodation, which ended up being far above their budget. The tenants are now demanding that the agency pays them compensation to cover at least part of the additional costs that their new tenancy requires for an initial period. This would be a way for Fox & Sons to make up for the difficult financial situation that the tenants were forced into.
We have been slightly under the radar lately with our dispute against Youngs Estate Agents. However, this does not mean we haven't been very busy with it over the past few months, as we have kept working with Patrick in a number of ways. Here is an update on the current situation.
Liverpool Solidarity Federation concluded its dispute with Secure Lettings. The dispute ended positively with the three tenants involved receiving the whole deposit back and a compensation due to the damp and mold issues during the tenancy.
Brighton Solidarity Federation has started a dispute with Fox & Sons, a large estate agency with branches across Brighton. Along with six student tenants, Brighton SolFed wrote to Fox & Sons on November 3rd, demanding that they pay compensation to the tenants, who were told five days after the day they were meant to move in to a property that it had been withdrawn, leaving them with nowhere to live. Fox and Sons’ employees offered no help finding an alternative property, other than suggesting one over the students’ budget. They didn't communicate properly with the tenants, telling them that the property would be ready to move into by early September, which it wasn’t.
A worker organising with Brighton SolFed has recently won a dispute with their North Laine employer, Natulia on Sydney Street.
Natulia, whose contribution to the community is to - thankfully - be Brighton’s only "savoury waffle and bubble tea cafe"(!), opened its doors in Janaury, but is already gaining a reputation as a home for poor working conditions, bullying management, and a staff that turns over faster than its salmon waffles.
The worker organising with Brighton SolFed started their employment with a four hour unpaid trial shift, an exploitation that very much set the stage for what was to come. Once hired, the worker was never presented with a statement of particulars (let alone a contract) in a flagrant breach of employment law.
The Solidarity Federation will be holding a workplace organiser training day in Manchester on November 24th. The training is based on a direct action approach to organising rather than looking to use employment laws to resolve workplace issues. No experience of workplace organising is necessary and the training takes place in a fun and friendly atmosphere. So if you are interested in organising your workplace, or just want to learn about the organising process, this course is a great way to make a start.
THERE ARE STILL A FEW PLACES LEFT SO IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND THE COURSE EMAIL: training@solfed.org.uk
Five years ago, “zero hours” contracts came to the attention of the national media. While there is no one type of “zero hours” contract, in all cases workers receive no guaranteed weekly hours or income. Workers are paid only for the actual hours worked, and the employer is under no obligation to provide any work. Their use by employers in very many sectors of the British economy has mushroomed in recent years. In 2006, possibly 0.5% of the workforce had “zero hours” contracts (130,000). According to the Labour Force Survey, 901,000 people (representing 2.8% of all workers) were on contracts that do not guarantee work in December 2017.
The EDL are now planning to march in the centre of Manchester on Sat 20th October. After growing and widespread opposition across the city the EDL were forced to abandon their planned national march to 'shut down' Didsbury mosque. Instead, they now intend to march in the centre of Manchester.
Join the protest, stop the march meet at 12.30 Piccadilly Gardens on 20th Oct.
A worker organising with Brighton SolFed has recently won a dispute with their North Laine employer, Natulia on Sydney Street.
Five years ago, “zero hours” contracts came to the attention of the national media. While there is no one type of “zero hours” contract, in all cases workers receive no guaranteed weekly hours or income. Workers are paid only for the actual hours worked, and the employer is under no obligation to provide any work. Their use by employers in very many sectors of the British economy has mushroomed in recent years. In 2006, possibly 0.5% of the workforce had “zero hours” contracts (130,000). According to the Labour Force Survey, 901,000 people (representing 2.8% of all workers) were on contracts that do not guarantee work in December 2017.