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Interview: Safe Conditions - No Evictions: Life as a tenant of Youngs lettings agency

We're calling our second demo against Youngs letting agency this Saturday, for instigating a revenge eviction against Patrick rather than fixing the serious problems with his flat.

In this short video, Patrick talks about what it's been like being a tenant of Youngs - you'll understand why we're calling for safe living conditions.

Brighton Solidarity Federation opens a dispute with Brand Vaughan

Brighton Solidarity Federation has started a dispute with Brand Vaughan, a large estate agency with branches in Hove, Kemptown and Preston Park. A tenant has been organising with SolFed after deposit deductions were made from their joint-tenancy deposit, despite the fact they left the property in a clean condition. The deductions were unreasonable, not costed in enough detail, on top of this, service from the agency was poor throughout her tenancy.


Along with the tenant, Brighton SolFed wrote to Brand Vaughan December 1st, explaining the issues and outlining options for redress. Brand Vaughan claimed the dispute was something they could not address, after they had opened up a TDS case without the tenant’s express permission. The tenant was wholly unsatisfied that months after the end of her tenancy, she had not been returned any of her deposit.

Cambridge Radical Social #04 2018, Sunday 4th March 2018

2.00pm Sunday 4th March 2018 Devonshire Arms, 1 Devonshire Road, Cambridge CB1 2BH

Cambridge Radical Social is an initiative by members of Cambridge Solidarity Federation, in an attempt to bring together those in and around the area involved in or just curious about radical political organising and radical social movements. Regardless of whether you are already involved in a local group, attending the university, or simply live in the area and want to meet up with local activists, this is the event for you.

This is not an activist meeting, in the sense that no one is expected to do or join anything by attending. It is an attempt to create a friendly, relaxed and informal social platform for local radicals as well as a welcoming environment for those new to, curious about or sympathetic towards radical activism and social movements.

Brighton SolFed march shows Youngs cannot ignore demands for safe living

A 40-strong march to Youngs Estate Agents in Kemptown on Saturday 13th January demonstrated that tenants will not put up with their demands for repairs being ignored. Tenants demanding "Safe Conditions: No Evictions" showed they would continue to fight while the agency and landlord refuse to acknowledge the need for repairs and payment for works carried out.

Support the Fujitsu Strikes

Join the pickets at Fujitsu, Central Park, Northampton Road, Manchester, M40 5BP (by Central Park Metrolink station) between 7-10am on strike days. We are particularly keen to maximise turnout on Wednesday 24 January – there will be activities people can do without standing around outside.

Join the joint strike rally with Mears / Manchester Working and First Bus Rusholme at 12:30 on Friday 26 January. It’s at the Mechanics Institute, 103 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6DD (entrance on Major St)
Send a message of support to support@ourunion.org.uk or Unite the Union, Fujitsu MAN34, Central Park, Northampton Road, Manchester, M40 5BP

Fujitsu IT Workers Announce Further Strikes

Union members at Fujitsu have announced a series of strikes—as bosses dismissed victimised reps. The first walkout will begin on Wednesday 24 January. Management sacked two reps over the christmas with one of the reps being dismissed  while he was on compassionate leave to attend a family funeral.

These are just the latest attacks in a long running dispute over compulsory redundancies, victimisation of reps and breaches of a redundancy agreement. IT workers at Fujitsu in Manchester have already taken 27 days action in this long running campaign and plans further  strikes  on Wednesday 24 – Friday 26 January, Tuesday 30 January and Thursday 8 February – Wednesday 14 February. Union members are also taking part in action short of a strike and are working to rule.

Join the Smash IPP March on the 14th Feb

Jion the smash IPP march and protest  on the 14th February meeting outside 12 Minshull St, Manchester M1 3FR ( Probation Office ) This March is to get IPP sentences abolished retrospectively. The government have said its wrong yet 4000 prisoners still remain, including Ian Hartley, a prisoner at HMP Risley. His family need him home !

More than 4000 people are serving IPP (imprisonment for public protection) sentences in British prisons. Six years since the sentence was abolished, thousands still languish in jails with no release date. Parole board delays, prison overcrowding and sheer neglect is leading unprecedented rates of prisoner suicides and mental health problems. 80% are over tariff and desperate to be free

Youngs agency: No revenge evictions!

Short clip from emergency protest against Youngs agency, 13. January 2018,  in support of tenant facing a revenge eviction

The Alarming Rise of Branson's Virgin Care and the Threat to the NHS

Good old Sir Richard Branson has once again managed to get himself to the front of the queue for state handouts. Having spent years channelling public money into massive profits at Virgin Rail, he is now turning his attention to milking the NHS. Figures released in January 2018 show that his company, Virgin Care, won a record £1bn worth of NHS contracts in 2017. Added to already existing contracts, this means that Virgin Care now has over 400 separate NHS contracts. Funny how these arch free market capitalists, such as Branson, seem to be able to swallow their anti-state principles when it comes to claiming state subsidies. Good old Sir Richard even took this to the extent of suing the NHS in 2017 when Virgin Care lost an £82m contract. In the process he won an undisclosed sum that otherwise would have been wasted on treating sick people. 

'I own a portfolio of some seventy houses': the millionaire landlords G4Lets are trying to protect with legal threats

Brighton SolFed is continuing its campaign against local letting agents G4 Lets into the new year, as the agency has not yet made an adequate offer to meet the demands of two groups of tenants. Both groups are asking for the return of their deposits and for compensation. In one instance, tenants were charged for pre-existing damage to the house they were living in, which was damp and infested with vermin throughout their tenancy; in the other, tenants have been charged for wear and tear and for redecoration costs, even though they had the interior of the property repainted professionally before they moved out.

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