Help Ian Allinson & Nilüfer Erdem go to the LaborNotes conference in Chicago
Fundraising campaign by
Ian Allinson
-
£878.00raised of £1,800.00 goal goal
No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities
Campaign Story
We're union activists from Manchester and London who need your help to go to the Labor Notes conference, which takes place in Chicago 1-3 April 2016.
Labor Notes Conference:
- Involves thousands of union members, officers, and labor activists who are on the front lines in workplaces and communities, organizing new workers and agitating together. Meet troublemakers from around the country and around the world.
- Comprises more than 100 meetings and workshops include creative organizing tactics, beating apathy, running for local union office, winning contract campaigns, bargaining over technology, understanding the economy, life after “right to work,” and reviving the strike
Why help us?
We've already found some of Labor Notes publications useful and think there will be a lot of ideas which can help workers in the UK organise. If your help enables us to go, we will post a detailed report online. If your union body sponsors us we'll do our best to come and give a report in person.
So far our delegation has been sponsored by Unite Fujitsu North-West branch, Unite WM6050 C&W Local Tom Mann Branch, Manchester TUC, Unite Restaurant and Bar Workers Branch (London) and Unite Hotel Workers Branch (London)..
Who are we?
- Ian Allinson is an activist in Manchester, where he's the senior UNITE rep at the IT multinational Fujitsu. In 2009 he led the first national strike in the UK IT industry. Ian served on the union's Executive Council for ten years. Ian is currently on the National Industrial Sector Committee the Graphical, Paper, Media and IT sector. He runs iansunitesite, a blog about union matters. In addition to activism and working full time, Ian is currently doing a part time MA in Industrial Relations at Keele University.
- Nilüfer Erdem is an activist in London, involved in the UNITE Hotel Workers branch. She's active in the Fair Tips campaign and in organising young, migrant and precarious workers. Nilüfer is a member of the London & Eastern region's Young Members' Committee.
What will it cost us?
- Conference tickets cost $210
- Flights cost £900
- A shared hotel room will cost us around $600
- Passports, ESTAs, travel insurance etc. add about £300
- On top of that there will be travel to the airport, over-priced food etc.
We estimate the total is approximately £1800, and will add updates as it becomes clearer.
Update 14/3/2016
We've reached our target, with several pledges still to come through. We've agreed to help Cam Stocks, a BMA activist who is a medical student but heavily involved in the junior doctors' strike, to come with us. So please keep giving - either here or via Cam's own crowdfunding page.
Donors
- Manchester Trades Union Council
- Donated on Mar 15, 2016
Solidarity from Manchester Trades Council
- Kat Burdon-Manley
- Donated on Feb 28, 2016
Report now available
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 06:16 pmThe first version of our report from the conference is now available here. More will be added as time permits.
Thanks to Manchester TUC
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 10:13 pmBig thank you to Manchester TUC who have made a contribution to funding the delegation.
Help a BMA activist come too
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 05:08 pmCam Stocks, a medical student and BMA activist involving in the recent campaign against junior doctors' contracts, is hoping to come too and we're trying to help him by sharing a room and contributing what we can spare from our own funding (thanks everyone!).Please give generously either here or directly
Chicago day of action 1 April
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 07:44 pmIt seems like the start of the Labor Notes conference will be a busy day in Chicago, with the Chicago Teachers' Union and others calling a day of action to "Shut It Down" (https://actionnetwork.org/events/april-1-shut-down) in protest against corporate welfare, tax injustice and growing poverty; and for racial justice.
Contribution from Unite hotel workers' branch (London)
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 07:40 pmMany thanks to the latest Unite branch to make a financial contribution towards the delegation.
Contribution from Unite WM6050 C&W Local Tom Mann Branch
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 02:39 pmA big thank you to Unite WM6050 C&W Local Tom Mann Branch which voted to contribute £500 towards the delegation.
Union sponsorship - thank you
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 12:04 pmA big thank you to Unite Fujitsu North-West branch who, after polling members, decided to contribute £225 towards the delegation.This brings our total raised so far to £1,193.00, less the fees charged by GoGetFunding and PayPal for online contributions.
Chicago teachers vote 96% to strike
Update posted by Ian Allinson at 07:25 amThe Chicago teachers, whose strike in 2012 has so much to teach us about how to deal with the Trade Union Bill's restrictions on the right to strike, have voted by 96% to strike on a 92% turnout against thousands of layoffs. Unless the negotiations make progress, the strike could
Donors & Comments
- Raymond Morell
- Donated on Mar 20, 2016
Good luck. Raymond and Sara
- Manchester Trades Union Council
- Donated on Mar 15, 2016
Solidarity from Manchester Trades Council
- Kat Burdon-Manley
- Donated on Feb 28, 2016
- Matt Collins
- Donated on Feb 18, 2016
- Charlie Hore
- Donated on Feb 18, 2016
- Duncan Thomas
- Donated on Feb 14, 2016
- Anindya Bhattacharyya
- Donated on Feb 14, 2016
- Robert Owen
- Donated on Feb 14, 2016
- Anonymous
- Donated on Feb 01, 2016
- Cam Stocks
- Donated on Jan 31, 2016
Good luck. Raymond and Sara