DOCSLIB.ORG

Annual Report 2019 Forward with Your Union

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Annual Report 2019 Forward with Your Union Annual Report 2019 Forward with your union Kev Terry, in the Chair as well as the saddle on his sponsored ride around Cuba Message from Kev in the chair 2018 was a very tumultuous year for unions to celebrate the struggles of many with no clear vision of what Brexit our forebears and reminds us means. While the politicians argue, the that the fight still goes on. So workers suffer attacks on their terms let’s look forward to 2019 with and conditions. Wages have been renewed vigour and with hope squeezed and all unions are fighting for and positive actions, we will their members. In all this, we have had prevail. some wins. My own union Unite, went Thanks to Joanne Kaye, the to Brussels to help sister unions beat vice-chair, all the Executive, off attacks on drivers working time and Regional Council members rest periods - and we won. No doubt and the team in the they will be back so no resting on our South West TUC. laurels. Tolpuddle was a resounding success, Joanne Kaye, Vice-Chair the weather was fair and Jeremy Corbyn both stole the show and caused havoc with his walk-about and meeting as many people as he could. The festival is a coming-together of South West TUC Regional Council Forward with your union rexit has dominated MEP provided the Regional aimed at helping apprentices. so much of the news Council with an update from The South West TUC believes agenda for the last year. Brussels and Matt Griffiths the government should BIt has squeezed out critical from Business West gave the simplify the rules and end the issues that deserve attention. Executive a stark assessment discrimination against young The South West, like the of potential damage to workers. But action could whole country, remains investment and long-term be taken immediately by divided on the issue but there prospects. mandating training providers is much trade unions can unite The officers of the South check minimum wage around. We fight to protect West TUC have met the compliance at the same time the limited rights workers region’s Labour MPs through they check training records. have and the highly skilled the year and jobs that depend upon EU although Brexit trade. Some of the region’s has dominated ‘crown jewel’ employers, discussions other especially in aerospace and issues have been advanced engineering have raised such as sounded warning alarms over the need to Britain crashing or slipping reform apprentice into protectionist border minimum wages, controls and tariffs. living wage Health and Social Care campaign and already has acute staff workers’ rights. shortages, a problem that will South West TUC only get worse after Brexit. Apprentice Pay Officers meet The important South West The complexity Labour MPs food and drink sector could of the National from the region be boosted by higher prices Minimum Wage and rates Living Wage but the consumer will pay for young people are one of The campaign for Better Jobs the price. Finding labour the key reasons why so many in Bristol has led to Marvin for seasonal agriculture will apprentices are underpaid. Rees, the Mayor, signing as probably lead the gang The rates are far too low an accredited Living Wage masters to recruit more in any event but the TUC employer - the first council vulnerable migrants from believes more must be done in the region to do so. It is further afield than the EU. to stop ‘non-compliance’. hoped that other authorities After researchers from such as Cornwall, Plymouth Brexit has been on the University of the West of and Stroud will follow suit. agenda for many meetings England exposed the level through the South West of under-payment the TUC year. Clare Moody South West TUC launched a campaign to raise awareness of the issue and challenge training providers to do more to tackle it. A simple to use pay calculator is now online at www.tuc.org.uk/ Jess Hurd taking photos of apprenticepay and a range of apprentices at Bristol Port materials has been circulated Apprentice pay campaign materials This ensures that staff in the supply chain as well as direct workers are paid the real Living Wage, currently £9 an hour. Care workers are amongst the beneficiaries of the Living Wage Campaign but the pressures facing them to accept worse terms remain. UNISON care workers took several days of strike action at Sirona Care, a so-called social enterprise based mainly in Bath. The action took considerable courage by carers who remain determined to stick together to be treated Nigel Costley with Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees fairly and with respect. Mayor Marvin the same courses, are on pay Rees signs the New Deal for Workers Living Wage levels well below those in pledge The TUC called a big march secondary schools. to demand a New Deal for USDAW recently launched its Workers in Time for Better Pay calling May. The rally for a £10 an hour, minimum attracted a 16-hour contracts and a right lot of media to ‘normal hours’ contracts. attention. The New Deal for Workers demo It backed up its case with South West a comprehensive survey of team again pay cap for many public some 10,500 workers that marshalled sector workers especially in exposed the problems of the front of the civil service. A recent poor pay and insecure jobs. the London survey found 69% of civil servants dissatisfied with their Dave Prentis, procession. Impact of cuts UNISON pay and conditions. General Most workers have still not The cuts to public spending Secretary joins seen pay recover to their College lecturers, fed up with continue despite the Tudor Evans, levels in 2008. The pay being left further and further government’s promise of Plymouth leader squeeze is the longest in 200 behind have taken strike an end to austerity. West and union reps action in four colleges across in signing the years. Country Councils have been the South West. Further hit hard and are yet to make Ethical Care Delegates supported a education has suffered from further savings. Somerset Charter motion from PCS last year cut backs and staff teaching County Council’s Conservative protesting at the on-going leadership expressed its frustration with government Sirona care workers lobby the council in Bath and local Tory MPs after it announced its financial crisis. Respect and racism USDAW also highlighted the increasing abuse on shop workers including the lack of police response to shoplifters. The South West TUC met with Sue Mountstevens, the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner to discuss these and other 5 WORKERS COUNTRY COUNTRY WEST THE ISSUE 6 2018 6 ISSUE GREAT NEWS FROM THE THE FROM NEWS SOUTH WEST TUC WEST SOUTH YOU’RE JOBS HIRED!AGENDA reportdigital.co.uk Apprenticeships across © Jess Hurd/ the West of England Making a West Country difference Looking at Women “A real union champions in Leadership opportunity” We continue our look at the Pages 8 & 9 people who shaped our Aliza on being an political history apprentice at Bristol Pages 6 & 7 City Council Pages 4 & 5 Nick Ireland and Kay Timbrell promote USDAW’s pay campaign successes of trade unions as issues. She explained the well as to promote current squeeze on police resources campaigns. This year a central and the lack of capacity they theme was the case against now have, to respond as they would like. The meeting also discussed rising levels of abuse and racist attacks especially in the wake of the EU referendum. Roger McKenzie, UNISON Sue Mountstevens has been Assistant General Secretary with a strong advocate for more Michael Auguste at the Plymouth Painting called: Sorry! Tribute to event to mark the anniversary attention on such crimes the murdered Kamil Ahmad alongside domestic abuse of the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics and modern slavery. zero-hours contracts. Unions Trade unionists joined others used the week to recruit new substantially pruned following to pay tribute to Kamil Ahmad members and promote their strict adherence to GDPR. and Bijan Ebrahimi asylum campaigns. Lots of people The South West TUC annual seekers who were killed in took to social media to shout conference proved an racists attacks in Bristol. out for their unions. opportunity to share advice Bristol Cable writer Rebecca about GDPR as well as debate Yeo, who has championed the West Country Workers the tensions between the cause of disabled refugees, A special edition of the gave an impassioned speech popular West Country to the Regional Council. The Workers was produced to need to challenge prejudice be used in and around Heart and racism in workplaces Unions week. This remains a priority for the well written, good TUC and all unions. looking magazine Asher Craig, Bristol’s provides more in Deputy Mayor joined depth look at some of the key topics in Joanne Kaye at the Tom De Wit, Stand Up To Racism event the region. Tolpuddle to mark the Holocaust Martyrs Museum The South need to gather and spread Memorial Day. West TUC Manager and news, information and Amanda Brown, mailing Heart Unions Week solidarity messages with the UNISON Dorset lists present a Heart Unions needs of data protection have rules. cheque, raised Week is a great been through t-shirt opportunity to TUC Education sales, to Bus celebrate the Shelter Dorest Matching the needs of reps value and to buy sanitary with convenient training products for courses will always be a homeless challenge in a big region like women the South West. The network Asher Craig, Bristol’s Deputy Mayor of college providers of TUC education shrunk in the face expose and help resolve the of falling demand, the rise causes of mental ill health.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • European Parliament Elections 2014
    European Parliament Elections 2014 Updated 12 March 2014 Overview of Candidates in the United Kingdom Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 2 2.0 CANDIDATE SELECTION PROCESS ............................................................................................. 2 3.0 EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: VOTING METHOD IN THE UK ................................................................ 3 4.0 PRELIMINARY OVERVIEW OF CANDIDATES BY UK CONSTITUENCY ............................................ 3 5.0 ANNEX: LIST OF SITTING UK MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ................................ 16 6.0 ABOUT US ............................................................................................................................. 17 All images used in this briefing are © Barryob / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / GFDL © DeHavilland EU Ltd 2014. All rights reserved. 1 | 18 European Parliament Elections 2014 1.0 Introduction This briefing is part of DeHavilland EU’s Foresight Report series on the 2014 European elections and provides a preliminary overview of the candidates standing in the UK for election to the European Parliament in 2014. In the United Kingdom, the election for the country’s 73 Members of the European Parliament will be held on Thursday 22 May 2014. The elections come at a crucial junction for UK-EU relations, and are likely to have far-reaching consequences for the UK’s relationship with the rest of Europe: a surge in support for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) could lead to a Britain that is increasingly dis-engaged from the EU policy-making process. In parallel, the current UK Government is also conducting a review of the EU’s powers and Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly pushed for a ‘repatriation’ of powers from the European to the national level. These long-term political developments aside, the elections will also have more direct and tangible consequences.
    [Show full text]
  • Unfinished Business the Quest for a Living Wage
    Unfinished Business The Quest for a Living Wage FAIR PLAY – FAIR PAY “We have to accept that inequality is a way of achieving greater opportunity and prosperity” Lord Griffiths – Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs “Let’s finally make the minimum wage a living wage. Let’s tie it to the cost of living so we don't have to wait another 10 years to see it rise.” President Barack Obama “Fair pay means motivated staff who stay working at Barclays longer. Improving people’s standard of living makes business sense.” Karen Pleva – Barclays Chief of Staff (Global Operations) Suite 11 Tulip House, 70 Borough High Street, London SE1 1XF FAIR PLAY – FAIR PAY www.fairpaynetwork.org Produced and written by Deborah Littman, Mark Donne and Barney Wakefield, with the kind support of Unfinished Business: The Quest for a Living Wage. page 3 Fair Pay Network Director Mark Donne Patrons Sian Berry Lord Best Jon Cruddas MP Baroness Helena Kennedy Guy Stallard, Director of International Services, KPMG Europe Polly Toynbee National Steering Committee Chair – Karen Buck MP Treasurer – Alison Garnham (Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group) Ben Whittaker (Vice-President Welfare, NUS) Moussa Haddad (Policy and Communications Manager, UK Poverty Programme, Oxfam) Kate Bell (Director of Policy, Gingerbread) Matthew Bolton (London Citizens) Stephen Burke (Chief Executive, Counsel and Care) Don Flynn (Director, Migrants Rights Network) Julie Gibson (UK Coalition against Poverty) Catherine Howarth (Director, Fair Pensions) Dr. Peter Kenway (Director, New Policy Institute) Clare Moody (Political Officer, Unite the Union) Deborah Littman (National Officer, UNISON) Jen McClelland (Appletree Trust) Dr. Catherine Rake (Director, Fawcett Society) Paul Sellers (Policy Officer, TUC) Lisa Johnson (UCU) Beth Lamont (Head of National & Equal Pay Unit, PCS) Steve Bell (Head of Policy, CWU) Alistair Gittins (National Policy Officer, RMT) page 4 Unfinished Business: The Quest for a Living Wage.
    [Show full text]
  • Essay Series Can the European Union Deliver for Working People?
    Essay Series Can the European Union deliver for working people? John Cryer MP Billy Hayes Carolyn Jones Jonathan Michie Clare Moody Claude Moraes MEP April 2014 Authors John Cryer MP John is the Labour Member of Parliament for Leyton and Wanstead. Billy Hayes Billy is the General Secretary of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU). Carolyn Jones Carolyn is Director of the Institute of Employment Rights (IER). Professor Jonathan Michie Jonathan is Professor of Innovation & Knowledge Exchange at the University of Oxford, where he is Director of the Department for Continuing Education and President of Kellogg College. Clare Moody Clare is a Unite official and is the lead candidate for Labour in the European elections in the South West. She also had a lead role in the campaign to establish the Agency Workers’ Directive. Claude Moraes MEP Claude is a Labour Member of the European Parliament for London and Deputy Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP). Photo credit for John Cryer: Peter Arkel The views expressed in this paper do not represent the collective views of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (Class), but only the views of the authors. The responsibility of Class is limited to approving this publication as worthy of consideration by the labour movement. 2 Can the European Union deliver for working people? Can the European Union deliver for working people? As the European Elections approach, the media spotlight is increasingly focussing in on Europe and, more specifically, the European Union. On the left of the British political spectrum, the EU takes its place as the ultimate “Marmite” issue and can often be heard being discussed with equal amounts of respect and disdain.
    [Show full text]
  • MEP Contact Details
    Annex 2: MEP contact details Below is a list of all the UK MEPs, along with their room numbers and email addresses. There are multiple MEPs for each constituency. The list of English MEPs includes the counties that make up each constituency. You can also find their details online at www.europarl.org.uk/en/your-meps.html. Please write (letter or email) to one or more of the MEPs for your region. If you are sending a physical letter, international standard postage to Belgium costs £1.00 and takes 3-5 days to arrive. All MEPs can be reached in writing at: [Insert MEP name here] European Parliament Bât. Altiero Spinelli [Insert the MEP’s room number here] 60 rue Wiertz B-1047 Brussels, Belgium Constituency MEP Name Room Email No. Northern Ireland Ms Martina Anderson (Sinn Fein) T0514 [email protected] 5 Ms Diane Dodds (Democratic 11G20 [email protected] Unionist Party) 6 Mr Jim Nicholson (Ulster 04M04 [email protected] Unionist Party) 7 Scotland Mr David Martin (Labour) 13G15 [email protected] 7 Mr Ian Hudghton (SNP) 04F35 [email protected] 3 Mr David Coburn (UKIP) 03F15 [email protected] 1 Mrs Catherine Stihler (Labour) 13G35 [email protected] 5 Dr Ian Duncan (Conservative) 06M08 [email protected] 7 Mr Alyn Smith (SNP) 04F34 [email protected] 3 Wales Ms Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru) 04F37 [email protected] 4 Constituency MEP Name Room Email No. Mr Nathan Gill (UKIP) 03F15 [email protected] 5 Ms Kay Swinburne 04M08 kayswinburnemep@welshconservativ es.com (Conservative)
    [Show full text]
  • Visiting Speakers to the Bws Sixth Form 2016-17
    VISITING SPEAKERS TO THE BWS SIXTH FORM 2016-17 Nick Ross delivered the annual Mullins Lecture in March 2017 Philip Evans, Met Office – delivered the October Headmaster’s Lecture Professor Michael Wheeler spoke in November on Dangerous Romantics: Ruskin and the Pre- Raphaelites Jonathan Smith of Woodford Investment Management delivered a Head Master’s Lecture on Corporate Social Responsibility and philanthrophy Mr David Chapple , Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgeon, Salisbury Hospital spoke to Year 12 in January Dr Tim Brooks of Public Health England delivered a Head Master’s Lecture in March John Glen, MP for Salisbury delivered the Keynote address at the Year 12 Citizenship Conference in October Desmond Swayne, MP for the New Forest and former PPS to David Cameron, spoke to the Politics Society Neil Carmichael, MP for Stroud and Chair of Education Select Committee visited the Politics Society Dr Andrew Murrison, MP for West Wiltshire spoke to the Politics Society Graham Appleby OW, of the Herstmonceux Science Observatory spoke at the STEM Conference in March Dr Julia Reid, UKIP MEP for South-West England spoke to the Politics Society about the work of the EU Parliament and Brexit Clare Moody, Labour MEP for the South West spoke to the Politics Society about the EU and Brexit issues Molly Scott-Cato, Green MEP for the South West visited the Politics Society Barney Norris, OW and author of “Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain”, and “Echo’s End”, which was recently performed at the Salisbury Playhouse, spoke to the English Society Dr Peter Ammon,
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit: Your Health, Your Food, Your Job
    Brexit: your health, your food, your job Time to stop political games with people’s lives Dr TOM DOLPHIN FRIDAY Anaesthetist & BMA 1 MARCH Council Member CLARE MOODY 7.30pm South West MEP: CORN Industry & Employment EXCHANGE JULIE GIRLING South West MEP: Agriculture DEVIZES & Rural Development All welcome. Free entry with collection Booking required! EventBrite via www.devizesforeu.uk EU FlYER-1.indd 1 16/02/2019 22:09 Three experienced speakers will inform an open forum about the likely impact of any kind of Brexit: on health, on food, on jobs and on business. IS BREXIT BAD FOR THE NHS & HEALTH ? Dr Tom Dolphin is a consultant anaesthetist, qualified from Barts and The London School of Medicine in 2003. He has worked in a wide range of London hospitals more recently specialising in ear, nose and throat, head and neck surgery. As a member of the Council at the BMA, he has spoken on their behalf to express its grave concern about the risks of Brexit for health, when the FREE whole NHS system is already under impossible pressures. EVENT BUT BOOKING IS BREXIT, BUSINESS & JOBS IN THE REQUIRED SOUTH WEST - WHAT’S HAPPENING? Clare Moody has her finger on the pulse of business in the South West having organised a series of business summits around the region. Clare was elected as the Member of the European Parliament for the South West and Gibraltar in May 2014. She is a member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and is Vice Chair of the Security and Defence Committee.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report
    Can France and Germany steer Europe to success? Annual Report 2019 THE CER IN JULY 2019 About the CER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: John Springford, The Centre for European Reform is an award-winning, independent Ian Bond, think-tank that seeks to achieve an open, outward-looking, Agata Gostyńska- Jakubowska, influential and prosperous European Union, with close ties to its Sam Lowe, neighbours and allies. The CER’s work in pursuit of those aims is Nick Winning, guided by the same principles that have served us well since our Peadar Ó hÚbáin, Kate Mullineux, foundation in 1998: sober, rigorous and realistic analysis, combined Bea Dunscombe, with constructive proposals for reform. Beth Oppenheim, Sophie Horsford, The CER’s reputation as a trusted source of intelligence and timely analysis Jordan Orsler, of European affairs is based on its two strongest assets: experienced and Charles Grant, respected experts, plus an unparalleled level of contacts with senior figures Camino Mortera- in governments across Europe and in the EU’s institutions. Since the UK’s Martinez and Luigi referendum on EU membership we have reinforced our networks in Scazzieri Europe by opening offices in Brussels in January 2017 and Berlin in October Absent from the 2018. The diverse perspectives and specialisations of our researchers, half photo: Sophia Besch, of whom are from EU-27 countries, enhance the quality and breadth of our Rosie Giorgi, Christian analysis of European politics, economics and foreign policy. Odendahl, Khrystyna Parandii and Emma Roberts The CER is pro-European but not uncritical. We regard European integration as largely beneficial but recognise that in many respects the Union under- performs, at home and beyond its borders.
    [Show full text]
  • Democratic Audit: European Elections 2019: What Will Happen in England's South West?
    Democratic Audit: European elections 2019: what will happen in England’s South West? Page 1 of 6 European elections 2019: what will happen in England’s South West? In recent years the South West of England has become a Conservative stronghold, as the opposition from the Liberal Democrats in rural areas dwindled, restoring an older pattern of Labour challenging from the few big cities like Bristol, Plymouth and Exeter. However, in European Parliament elections, UKIP came first in 2014, winning two of the region’s six seats, and helping shape a strong Leave vote in the 2016 Brexit referendum – an inheritance that now falls to the Brexit Party. With regional Conservative support now at unprecedentedly low levels, the three strong pro-Remain parties are vying to get two seats between them. With voters able to cast only a single vote for a party list, the Democratic Audit team reviews likely outcomes and the main potentially electable candidates. St Ives, Cornwall. Photo by Malcolm Lightbody on Unsplash Note: This article was first published on 18 May and updated on 20 May to take into account the latest regional polling data. The South West region spans across Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, plus the overseas territory of Gibraltar. With several high-profile celebrity candidacies competing, the region has attracted greater than usual media attention. The Conservatives’ past lock on electoral success here was squeezed in previous European Parliament elections, culminating in 2014, when UKIP won 32% to the Tories’ 29%, though both parties picked up two seats. The new Brexit Party has inherited almost all the past UKIP voters and seems to have cannibalised much of the Conservative vote share too.
    [Show full text]
  • 2019 NPF Report
    REPORT 2019 @LabPolicyForum policyforum.labour.org.uk #LabourPolicy Contents Foreword ........................................................................................................................................5 About this document ...................................................................................................................6 Policy Commission Annual Reports Early Years, Education and Skills ............................................................................................7 Economy, Business and Trade ............................................................................................. 35 Environment, Energy and Culture ....................................................................................... 55 Health and Social Care ........................................................................................................... 81 Housing, Local Government and Transport ..................................................................... 99 International ...........................................................................................................................113 Justice and Home Affairs .....................................................................................................129 Work, Pensions and Equality ..............................................................................................155 5 Appendices ..............................................................................................................................175 3
    [Show full text]
  • Single Market, Equal Right's?
    Single Market, Equal Rights? UK perspectives on EU employment and social law gives a wide-ranging assessment of the contentious British debate over Europe’s role in determining the level of employment and social rights. It explores: The UK-specific dimensions of the debate, both in terms of the party politics and the impact it has on the wider relationship between Britain and the EU The extent of EU involvement in employment and social protection compared Single Market, to national action The relationship between the single market and EU employment and social law equal rightS? The balance between the role of the European Commission and the European Court of Justice UK perspectives on eU The Posted Workers, Working Time and Agency Workers directives and other contentious issues employment and social law The publication is edited by Foreign Policy Centre Policy Director Adam Hug and the edited by adam hug and Owen tudor the TUC’s Head of European Union and International Relations Owen Tudor. It features contributions from a range of leading experts including: Prof Catherine Barnard (Trinity College, Cambridge ), karen Clements (British Chambers of Commerce), Prof anne Davies (Brasenose College, Oxford), Prof Claire kilpatrick (European University Institute), lord Monks (formerly TUC and ETUC), Clare Moody (Unite), Mats Persson (Open Europe) and ariane Poulain (Business for New Europe). the Foreign Policy Centre Suite 11, Second floor 23-28 Penn Street london n1 5Dl united kingdom www.fpc.org.uk [email protected] © Foreign Policy Centre
    [Show full text]
  • Front Cover with Photo – Balloon Or Elections Logo
    1 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INFORMATION OFFICE IN THE UK MEDIA GUIDE 2014 - 2019 This guide provides journalists with information on: The European Parliament and its activities The 2009 and 2014 European elections A Who’s Who in the European Parliament Press contacts What the UK Office does Björn Kjellström Olga Dziewulska Head of UK Office Press Attachée Tel: 020 7227 4325 Tel: 020 7227 4335 Disclaimer: All information in this guide was true and correct at the time of publication. Updated information can be found on our website. www.europarl.org.uk @EPinUK 2 3 Introduction by Björn Kjellström, Head of the European Parliament Information Office in the UK Every 5 years over 500 million people in the EU have the power to choose who will represent them in the European Parliament, the world's most open and only directly elected international parliament. Our mission is to raise awareness of its role and powers, of how political differences within it are played out and of how decisions taken by its Members affect the UK. These decisions have a huge impact on everyday life and it makes a big difference who decides on our behalf. Since journalists and the media in the UK play a key role in informing citizens about how the work of the European Parliament affects them, we hope that you will find this guide useful. 4 The European Parliament Information Office in the UK Our Role: We do our best to reach as broad a spectrum of society as we can – both face to face, online and in print.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP Secretary of State for Foreign And
    The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH United Kingdom Strasbourg, 13th September 2018 Dear Foreign Secretary, We are MEPs from different political parties and we are united in asking the UK government to take action at the UN Security Council to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC). We welcome Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon’s comments at the Security Council briefing on 28 August, especially his emphasis that the Council should take concerted action to push for justice. However, the UK must go further than this. That is why we, as MEPs from different political families, are asking you to take a bold stance on justice and accountability, and to unequivocally call for the referral of Myanmar to the ICC, as recommended by the UN Fact Finding Mission and multiple human rights NGOs. At the upcoming 39th session of the Human Rights Council, we urge you to work together with other members of the Human Rights Council to create an independent, impartial mechanism to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyse evidence of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses and to prepare files to facilitate and expedite fair and independent criminal proceedings in national, regional or international courts or tribunals. The recent UN Fact-Finding Mission’s report detailed systematic abuses and violence against the Rohingya dating back to 2011 accused Myanmar’s military leaders of acting with ‘genocidal intent’ in their actions last year. It recommended that they are referred to an investigation by the International Criminal Court, the strongest such condemnation from the UN to date.
    [Show full text]