{"id":28749,"date":"2021-04-30T15:21:14","date_gmt":"2021-04-30T14:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=28749"},"modified":"2021-04-30T18:27:43","modified_gmt":"2021-04-30T17:27:43","slug":"what-labour-can-do-for-the-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=28749","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0098What Labour can do for the community\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Back up to West Yorkshire and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the turn of IT worker John Garvani <\/strong>who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s standing for Labour in the Leeds City Council ward of Horsforth. John speaks exclusively to UNITElive<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhere I live we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had three Tory councillors for the past three years. Before that it was Lib Dem. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never had a Labour city councillor in this area so I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m hoping to be among the first. Over the years many here have a view that Labour in Leeds has done little. But that is not the case – they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done some positive stuff on the ground. And there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so much that can be done \u00e2\u20ac\u201c we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been talking to residents about setting up little orchards in the side of playing fields, for example,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 explains John.<\/p>\n

John has worked in the IT industry since 1983 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and has long been active in Unite and the union movement.  Whether it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the fight for union recognition, negotiating agreements, representing members John\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s main focus has always been getting the best deal for members.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bOver the years I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done lots of individual representation of members. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been on strike twice in the past 10-12 years. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve won some \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and lost some of things we were after. But we always tried our best and we raised the profile of the union,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 John adds.<\/p>\n

With over 20 years as a Unite rep, John says modestly that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0098fairly involved.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAt the moment I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m the chair of the national Fujitsu combine committee which is reps across the company.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI also sit on our regional committee and have done for about nine years. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m on the regional political committee \u00e2\u20ac\u201c currently I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m chairing that.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

On to Labour in Leeds. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAs a Labour Party member and activist, and also as a trade unionist, I see the problems in various parts of the community,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he says.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhere I live in Leeds it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s considered quite a leafy suburb \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but even here there are definite pockets of poverty and poor quality housing. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s part of the reason I want to be a Labour councillor \u00e2\u20ac\u201c to bring the standard of living for everybody up. You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t win by just looking at one section of the community. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about what we can do for the community as a whole.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Vulnerable children <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

John has been very impressed by Marcus Rashford\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s campaign against holiday hunger. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a school governor and the school I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m at takes in from some of the more deprived areas of Horsforth. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve persuaded the town council to set up a fund to work with the schools. Schools know who the vulnerable children are.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe schools can apply for funding to provide food over the school holidays, for families who fall through the cracks \u00e2\u20ac\u201c those who are not on free school meals but \u00e2\u20ac\u201c especially at the moment when a lot of families have been furloughed \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been struggling financially. They aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eligible for Universal Credit \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve still got that shortfall.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve already had applications to that fund. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re often from areas where you wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t necessarily think would have children who are vulnerable. There are problems across the town.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

John tells us of his vision should he be elected. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe broader picture for me in becoming a councillor is to try to improve the city as a whole.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bLeeds is one of the few cities that hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t closed its children centres. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got six across Leeds. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s quite a few. We haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t closed any of them. Horsforth has three.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI believe that supporting local businesses is key. Leeds has spent quite a lot money in the past year setting up funds and grants for businesses to keep them going. And then there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the environmental emergency,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he says. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bLeeds has declared a climate emergency. I co-wrote the climate emergency motion that went through Horsforth Town Council.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

We asked John what he believes are the key ingredients to being a successful Labour councillor.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Knowing how residents feel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s knowing how your residents feel. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been a candidate, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been a town councillor, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been on the doorstep. People are concerned about their jobs. The age group hit most by job losses are the under 35s which is quite scary. The younger people are in precarious employment anyway. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work there to be done in getting them organised and into unions. Many under 35s have young families. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to put investment in to replace jobs that have been lost and help these families.<\/p>\n

He believes the council should lead by example. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bLeeds Council is a Living Wage employer and the biggest employer in the area, with around 30,000 staff \u00e2\u20ac\u201c many of whom are Unite members. We have to maintain these high standards.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut we know from amendments that Tories are planning to put in to the budget cuts that will seriously affect those people currently on the Living Wage. They do not support Living Wage within Leeds.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWith a Labour council you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have a council that will look after the vulnerable in society \u00e2\u20ac\u201c this is what Labour councils do up and down the country.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSixty per cent of Leeds\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 income is now spent on adult and childrens\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 services. They are the most vulnerable people in society and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be looking at how to make their lives better.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look after the vulnerable in society then how can we call ourselves civilised? So that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s where I come from.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe Labour Party has to look after that and also has to make sure that businesses can make a profit. This will enable a business to reinvest in their staff, to grow the economy and to grow jobs. Some say business should be afraid of Labour \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but really there is absolutely no need. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always said \u00e2\u20ac\u201c only poor employers are scared of trade unions. We want an organised workforce, successful businesses I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve said to managers before we want successful businesses \u00e2\u20ac\u201c where the workforce gets a fair share of any profits.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

GET INVOLVED<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you live in the Yorkshire and Humber area and want to help John and other local Unite candidates contact the Unite North East, Yorkshire and Humberside regional office<\/a> and ask to speak to the regional political officer.<\/p>\n

Wherever you live if would like to help Unite candidates in your area or to find out more see here<\/a><\/p>\n

By Hajera Blagg and Amanda Campbell  <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Stayed tuned to UNITElive for the latest on our Unite candidates<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhere I live we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had three Tory councillors for the past three years. Before that it was Lib Dem. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never had a Labour city councillor in this area so I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m hoping to be among the first.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28793,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1621],"tags":[1608,210,533,520,104,384],"wps_subtitle":"Union rep and concerned resident John Garvani, is standing for the City Council in Leeds. He wants fairness for workers, more job opportunities and to ensure that the vulnerable are cared for","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28749"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28749"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28779,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28749\/revisions\/28779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}