TUC Mass Lobby Monday 2nd November 2015

TUC mass lobby. Monday 2^nd November 2015.

An important step in building the fight against the biggest attack on trade unions for centuries, taking away a BASIC human liberty, the freedom of speech, the freedom to strike and the freedom to express concerns in working environments.

My day; BILL CASH 

This is my introduction into finding a voice which FIGHTS against a government which I thought was otherwise, well, hopeless. I wasn’t really sure what I was doing, what I was looking for, but , two emails later I found myself on a coach on the way to London to stand against the big dogs in there natural habitat; the Houses of Parliament, a daunting task at the lightest of times. The structure of the day- intense, perhaps designed to weary fighters of, silence us…

-long queues

-MP’s not turning up

-Airport style security

But despite the obstacles, we carry and fight for the most powerful weapon which cannot be silenced, the freedom of speech… ultimately what we are fighting for.

MY MP; Mr Bill Cash, representing Stone constituency for 18 years; nearly my entire lifetime. Caught up in the expenses scandal he claimed £15,000 to pay for his daughters London flat, time’s move forward but Bill remains backwards,  the epitome of everything wrong in the system some would say.

I have encountered Mr Cash on two previous occasions;

1. Middle school, aged 13, Mr Cash came to cloud our minds, all I recall is thinking what an arse, we care about whats on hot dinners not roadworks and statistics... Clearly setting the example and inspiring young minds to get involved with politics,
2. My previous job working in a kitchen. I struggled with the bin bags across the car park, Mr Cash was on his way up to a conference meeting above the kitchen, as I struggled I smiled at Mr Cash out of respect, only to return a sneering look as he jolly bobbed of to his pleasant meeting. I wasn’t asking him to scrape dog muck of the floor, just common courtesy to the people you work with. And yes, although I am here in my tracksuit bottoms, smelly hair and salsa juice dripping of my trainers, you work with me. I did feel an urge to turn around and tell him how I earn my money honestly, but thought better of it, I knew we’d meet again.

This lit a flame in my mind, a fight, against the exact values exemplified by a Tory government. 

Bill Cash

3. My third (and certainly not final) encounter is found here, in his holy grail, his pitch, his turf, the House of Commons.

As I filled out my green card to meet Mr Cash to raise my concerns in regards to the trade union bill, as if by polar force bringing us together, Bill walked past me in the corridor. 

A summary of the “conversation” to follow is my MP mocking  exactly what I was fighting for, my freedom of speech. I was talked over with a flurry of statistics, misleading my arguments, even referring to how long he has been in the constituency; almost belittling a younger person. I felt intimidated, and even threatened by his attitude…

 His inability to listen to younger, working class people was epitomized by him answering his mobile phone in my face,  then happy to seal our “conversation” with a "jolly good" handshake. No Mr Cash, I will not accept being flicked aside with a handshake.

My concerns for future generations were given, his entire attitude in response exemplifying the very issue of a Tory government.

All I received from this conversation was how long he has been in the constituency and how everyone "likes him…"

The conversation was rounded with Bill telling me my home address... 

I found this rather laughable as he tried to put his self back on top, perhaps threatened by a younger person routing for change. Think again Mr Cash, this has started the fire, the battle will be strong.

The people will be heard.

Overlook of the day;

.Despite my negative encounter, there is a lot of positivity to shed on this day.

One key difference I noticed was the difference between the Labour and Conservative MP’s. The Labour MP’s first and foremost turned up, took their time to listen to the people, I saw them taking photos , shaking hands with honesty and a smile. A young lad I spoke to after told me at the age of 10 he was inspired by the way his Labour MP acted, inspiring young minds as the young boy would now "love to stand for youth parliament."  In comparison, my Conservative MP almost mocked my youth.  Many Conservative MP’s didn’t even put the effort into to talk to the people, let alone listen to them. I beg to question whether I would have even talked to Mr Cash if he hadn’t walked past me in the corridor.

 “ he will be here in five minutes” “ twenty minutes” “ I’m afraid he’s not coming”….

Overhearing the effort and time taken to commute i was angered that efforts were being wasted.  After I made my first steps as a young activist, I felt an urge to investigate how people felt towards being "stood up". 

How do you feel considering your efforts to travel today , do you feel listened to today?

The first emotion is “slightly annoyed”, annoyed after the queues, the security, the hot rooms. But after doing this for 40 years; you “get used to it”. 30 years ago, it was far more simple, one room, everyone present, a simple system where people were heard without commotion…

BUT- he added, if I was here to see a Labour MP, he would have been here
-and there’s the difference.

-As a younger person I gained an insight into just how tough the fight is, but despite the knock backs the fight will never leave you.  But I must question WHY MUST we “get used" to being backhanded by the people that are supposed to be working with us, listening to US, not working against us…


Results= 
The Trade union Bill was passed in the House of Commons, HOWEVER some amendments were made due to controversy caused  

Read more about the Trade Union Bill->https://www.tuc.org.uk/tubill
GET INVOLVED Sign the petition to make David Cameron THINK AGAIN->
https://campaign.goingtowork.org.uk/petitions/david-cameron-don-t-threaten-the-right-to-strike