Category: Hastings
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A message to Helena Dollimore from a former Labour voter
Dear Helena Dollimore, Judging by your canvassing and emails to the members and supporters of Hastings and Rye Labour Party, you are concerned about the fate of our NHS. I haven’t seen you at any of the local trade union rallies, nor have I seen a coherent response from you to our concerns about your…
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The RMT cleaners’ dispute has gone national!
This is really good news for ALL of us. Read on to find out why… It’s not easy to find the determination to turn up and stand on a picket line in the rain, especially right after Christmas but the RMT train cleaners managed it up and down the country today, as their part in…
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This is an emergency
“You know something is broken when you see emergency response workers on a picket line,” says the FBU rep. In fact, this was a picket line like no other I’ve seen. Despite suffering both service funding cuts and pay degradation, despite being maligned by politicians from both the major political parties, Hastings’ emergency response crews…
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What are governments for?
We had a solidarity gathering at Hastings Station – for – well, do you remember them? “They” are our essential workers. “They” are, essentially, us. But, since more and more trade unions have announced industrial action due to the neglect and underpayment of essential workers, the newspapers and our government have been trying to tell…
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We know what we want
In fact, we know what we NEED. There was a well-attended march and rally today, 19th November, from Hastings Pier to the town centre. The march was led by a group of nurses, bearing the Hastings Demands a Pay Rise banner. Talking to the protesters gathering at the pier, I was told that nurses and…
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Even their Christmas parties are evil
***Long read, but URGENT and IMPORTANT*** This is an article about our NHS, and the point I hope to make is that ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES must be recognised as the destroyers of our NHS. If we are to save this precious service, we need to think carefully: If you are not poor, or vulnerable,…
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How many crises can you deal with at once?
You’re battling the cost of living crisis, you’re contributing to support efforts for refugees, for foodbanks, for local facilities under threat, you’re dashing off to support climate-crisis demos and stand on picket lines, and then someone in the family gets sick, and you try and get help… That happened to me this year, and suddenly,…
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A letter to a GP, two stories of bureaucratic nightmare, and a petition to come
Dear Doctor, Will you please stop sending me texts with links to take up appointments for random routine tests. Yes of course I’m *that* age, yes of course I worry that I might get this or that problem but a) I have told you I don’t have a Smartphone so can’t click your links and…
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Words are important (an impolite commentary)
The man formerly known as Prince Charles has just become our liege-lord, apparently. I resorted to my dictionary. “liege” describes the relationships between a “feudal superior” and a “vassal”. A “vassal” (that’s you) is a holder of land “on condition of homage or allegiance” or a “person in a subordinate position”. So, peasant – have…
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Early morning picket line
Having a busy day on, I decided to visit today’s RMT picket in Hastings before I got started — of course, 7.30 in the morning isn’t particularly early to most of our key workers. On the way to the station, I noticed some newly decorated lamp posts… … don’t forget, the strikes and demos you…
Kay Green 