"Vote Labour to end Austerity" - from the Barnet UNISON archives No. 2

I have spent over a decade having to deal with the brutality Austerity has brought to our members and public services. 

On Thursday 8 June 2017 we have a very clear choice.

We can vote for more misery, more poverty, more job losses, more privatisation of our NHS and Schools, more cuts to public services, more social cleansing of our communities.

Or, we can vote for Hope, Vote for Life, Vote for end to misery.

Everyone will have their own experiences of what has actually happened.

Here in Barnet UNISON we have our own records of what has happened, just in case people have forgotten the destruction, pain and misery from Cuts, Outsourcing, redundancies and closures.

Over the next 6 weeks I am going to start releasing clips from protests, strikes, demonstrations we have organised with our friends and comrades in our communities.

This video clip is from one of the first One Barnet strikes. It was early days and the Council were carrying out what one Barnet Tory Councillor called the Stalinist "One Barnet Programme".

The workers at risk of outsourcing were environmental health workers, Planners, Highways inspectors, Parking staff, Revs & Bens workers, IT workers, HR & Health & Safety, Custodians, Cemetery workers, Finance workers, Building control, Regeneration workers, customers services officers. 

This clip demonstrates the passion and commitment of the in house staff to serving the residents of Barnet, something that was always ignore when the Councils expensive consultants carried out the Options Appraisal for each service.

Our members said that apart from running the picket lines they would like to do something for Barnet residents. What you see is Barnet UNISON strikers leaving the picket line and going down to a small learning difficulties day centre (not council) in Barnet and clearing it out before cleaning and painting the whole centre. As one of our strikers so eloquently stated:

 “We may have withdrawn our labour from the Council but we have not withdrawn our commitment to delivering public services to our residents.”

 I hope you enjoy and this serves as a reminder of why we need to make sure Austerity is dumped once and for all on Thursday 8 June 2017.

Solidarity 
John

"Bathing her eyes" v Dementia

For the last seven years I have been travelling up north to visit my Mum who has dementia. 

In that time I have seen both rapid and slow deterioration of her condition and the consequences for her well being. 

I am no expert, I've worked as a care worker with people with dementia, but I've noticed some reactions which for me have given me ideas as to how to interact with my mum. 

The term "bathing" came to me whilst we were out on one of our many excursions in the car. My mum would often make comments about the trees, how big they are. It made me wonder what was going on in her mind as this was something new. My guess was sensory stimulation, if she is not seeing much because she is no longer out and about, the scenery must be stimulating and perhaps triggering memories, that have been hidden by the cruelty of dementia? 

Perhaps it's nonsense but I decided to go for it. 

We go on lots of excursions, we sing and I point out the scenery which always leads to her making a comment. I may be daft, but for me it means there is still part of my mum who can still engage and respond to the world around her. 

Shopping, is another activity which she was more than familiar. We now spend our time together wandering through supermarkets or shopping centres looking at lots of different items. I swear I can see the cogs in her brain working, and again it prompts a conversation about what see is seeing. 

It is this that a refer to "bathing her eyes", and for as long as I am able, I will continue to provide as much sensory stimulation as I can on my visits. 

I've always had a good laugh with my mum and enjoyed making her laugh as does my brother. 

If each time I visit her, I am still able to make her smile and laugh, then the hundreds and thousands of miles I have been travelled will be truly worth it. 

Next time I want to talk about music and dance. 

Thanks for reading my thoughts and solidarity to all those caring for someone in your life.