There are still a few spaces on the Young Reps organising weekend school taking place in the York Station Hotel, the event will begin at 7:30pm on Friday evening and will end at lunch time on Sunday. If you are interested in learning more about spreading the word about the trade union movement in schools, colleges and universities and finding out more about our drive to organise young people in to trade unions then you can register for the seminar by emailing bridget.clemson@unitetheunion.com by 18th February. Your travel, accommodation and meals will be provided.

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The Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group (NSCAG) in the UK and the Frente Nacional de Trabajadores (FNT) in Nicaragua are joining forces on a new project aimed at linking young trade union members in the two countries.

The ‘Linking Young Trade Unionists' project has already started in Nicaragua, where the FNT has begun running youth training workshops, set up a Youth Council and begun organising a National Youth Conference, the first of its kind for young Nicaraguan trade unionists.

Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the Americas and 70% of Nicaraguans are under 30. It is obvious then that like in the UK there is an urgent need for the Nicaraguan trade union movement to build an effective and empowered young members network.

A delegation of young UK trade unionists including Unite member Altaf Altarf is currently visiting Nicaragua to meet with young Nicaraguan activists and participate in an international youth seminar on developing solidarity and links between young trade unionists.

For more information and ideas on how to get involved visit the Linking Young Trade Unionists project on the NSCAG website: www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/nscag

http://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/NSCAG/youth_unionists.htm

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Unite sponsor major anti-racism carnival

Unite the UK 's biggest trade union is proud to announce it will be the main sponsor for the biggest anti-racism event in London for over 30 years.

Unite has joined up with Love Music Hate Racism to mark the 30 year anniversary of the iconic 1978 RAR (Rock Against Racism) carnival and march.

The event will take place in East London 's Victoria Park on Sunday 27 April with Babyshambles to headline. The last seminal event took place on 30 April 1978 with Tom Robinson Band headlining.

Derek Simpson, Unite Joint General Secretary says: “Events like these that bring people together are vital to helping suppress the threat we face from racist organisations. These organisations are attempting to gain votes by playing off people's disenchantment with politics and their insecurities.”

“Unite is proud to support an event which will send out a strong message of unity to 80,000 Londoners days before the Greater London Authority election for London Mayor on May 1.”

Each week from now until the Carnival, LMHR will announce more acts on an exciting and eclectic bill featuring major contemporary artists as well as appearances from some of the musical heroes of the RAR era. 

1978 headliner Tom Robinson is confirmed to appear.  Other acts already confirmed to play include The Paddingtons, Roll Deep, Fionn Regan, Natty and Ace & Invisible. Grammy Award-winning filmmaker and Clash collaborator Don Letts and his production company Brassneck TV will be directing a documentary and live film of the event.

If you would like to attend the carnival as part of the Unite team working to raise the issues of young people and anti racism then please contact Siobhan Endean on Siobhan.endean@unitetheunion.com

Hope not Hate – campaigning against the BNP

Unite has joined forces with the Young Fabians and Searchlight to produce a Fabian pamphlet on stopping the far right. This pamphlet provides a detailed analysis of the successful campaign to defeat the BNP in elections being led by Searchlight. Our union's participation in this campaign has been significant in delivering resources where necessary, supporting our members who participate and in many cases leading the campaigns to defeat the BNP. This pamphlet explains why our union's support for the campaign against the far right is so important. It is also hoped that this pamphlet will inform the new generation of young activists that are developing through our union's young reps project.

You can download a copy of the pamphlet here….. http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=4264

TUC Young Members' Forum – Housing Inquiry

There is an urgent need to build more houses and this must include a sharp increase in the provision of social housing. There are nearly 2 million people who need to be properly housed.

John Walsh, Chair of Unite Amicus Section's National Young Members' Committee chaired a housing inquiry at the TUC Young Members' Forum in November. He said “there are too many young people who cannot afford to buy a house and are left with the option of staying at home with their family, or renting privately which is expensive. Although, the Government has recently made a commitment to increase social housing, we must ensure that Unite keeps up the pressure to ensure that this happens”.

Equal Pay Campaign

Unite reacts strongly to survey showing pay discrepancy between men and women soon after finishing University.

According to a survey published recently women graduates are paid less than their male University classmates within three years of graduating.

Siobhan Endean, Unite National Officer for Equalities says,
"It is shocking that the pay gap is so apparent so soon after university. Unequal pay is rooted in sex discrimination.

Unite welcomes the announcement for a new equalities bill, the Government should use this opportunity to legislate to force employers to carry out mandatory pay audits.

The only way the pay gap can be closed is if we have fair and transparent pay for all. This proves that the voluntary approach to equal pay audits is failing women working in the UK . "

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Modern facebook of trade unionism

Trade unionists are set to become more visible on the web, thanks to a new Facebook application from the TUC, launched this month.

My Union allows union members to place a badge for their union onto their Facebook profile, and to see which unions other friends belong to. The application will also highlight official union Facebook groups, so should be helpful to unions that are seeking to network activists or promote campaigns on Facebook.

Follow links below
http://www.tuc.org.uk/organisation/tuc-13930-f0.cfm

Visit the new site @
http://www.my-union.org/

If you haven't signed up to the Unite Facebook group you can join via www.amicustheunion.org .

Young Advisor Scheme Expanded

Baroness Andrews has awarded funding to expand the Young Advisor scheme in sixteen New Deal for Communities (NDC) areas. Funding of over £150,000 is being pledged to train almost a hundred Young Advisors to work in NDC areas, giving young people a voice to directly effect local and national policies.

These new schemes build on the success of twenty projects established since January 2006. The funding will be used to replicate the groundbreaking work of young advisors in areas such as East Manchester , where young people commissioned school holiday activity clubs, ran a young people's counselling surgery and conducted research for the National Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

Young Advisors are young people aged between 15 and 21, who show community leaders and decision makers how to engage young people in community life, regeneration and renewal.

Young Advisors are trained and employed consultants, who guide local authorities, housing associations and other local partners about what it is like for a young person to live, work, learn and play in their neighbourhood.

* They will help organisations 'youth proof' their practices, policies, strategies and commissioning.
* They will help you understand how to attract and maintain the interests of young people.
* They will speak out for young people, making sure their thoughts and feelings are considered in decisions that affect them.
* They will work both locally and nationally to share good practice and learn from others.
* They will engage directly with other young people to get them involved in neighbourhood improvements.

Temporary and agency workers rights campaign

Unite is stepping up its campaign for legislation to ensure the equal treatment of Temporary and Agency Workers.  

Along with other trade unions, Unite is supporting the second reading of a Private Members Bill on 22 February 2008 tabled by Unite Labour MP Andrew Miller, which aims to end the widespread exploitation of Temporary and Agency Workers.

Unite believes that only UK legislation can end the scourge of widespread abuses and guarantee equal rights for equal treatment for over 1.4 million agency workers in the UK. 

Unite believe that the tide is turning with growing support for legislation among Labour MPs, across Europe and among the public generally.

For the bill to proceed though it needs the support of more than 100 MPs which is why we are asking our MPs to be in the Commons on the 22 February and Back the Bill.  

Please do your bit to stop agency workers being employed on poorer terms and conditions and the undercutting of directly employed staff.

Write to your MP and ask him or her to be in the Commons on 22 February to support the bill - a MS Word  example of the letter to send can be downloaded here .

If you're not sure who your MP is please log on to http://www.theyworkforyou.com  or http://www.writeforthem.com

Postcards are also available to send to your MP . You can email your MP from this link directly or you can send a hard copy. Postcard copies are currently being circulated to workplaces from your regional offices. If you haven't received copies or want more please contact your regional office.

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February 16th Young Members seminar Unite Regional Office 1 Cathedral Rd Cardiff contact andrea.jones@unitetheunion.com for more information.

February 16th  - young Members' Event - Space Centre Leicester contact rose.mooney@unitetheunion.com for more information.

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If you would like receive the Young Members' e-equality Newsletter on a regular basis and are not doing so already please contact Bridget Clemson, Equalities, with your e-mail address to be added to our contact list. Her e-mail address is bridget.clemson@unitetheunion.com

Find out about our Young Reps Project at http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=4264

Join our e-equality networks at http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=4217

Please feel free to circulate this bulletin to other Unite Amicus representatives, shop stewards and members.