• Don't give forestry grants to landowners clearing out tenants
    The Scottish Government is currently promoting the increase of forestry by awarding huge sums of money through the Forestry Grant Scheme. But this is being abused by some landowners. Currently landlords are in a position to legally evict tenants, who are in non-secure leases through no fault of their own, and then obtain large sums of money from the Scottish public purse to plant trees on viable agricultural land. Every farm unit that closes means a loss of livelihood to the tenants, a loss of tenant farmers for Scotland, a loss of farming diversity in a country with the most concentrated pattern of land ownership in the developed world, and a loss of people, skills and trade for fragile rural economies. I first became aware of this when good friends who had farmed as managers for a previous tenant for 8 years, and a further 10 years in their own right, were abruptly told that their lease would not be renewed and their farming ground would be turned over to trees. I have witnessed at first hand how their lives have been devastated. All attempts to negotiate an extension have been handled appallingly by the landlord's estate and even the intervention of MSPs, the new Land Commission, and the local Tenants Association, have failed to halt the imminent eviction.
    14,192 of 15,000 Signatures
    Created by Aeneas Nicolson
  • Keep PASNAS at the University of Southampton
    PASNAS is not in financial difficulty. The unnecessary proposals will transfer all of the risk of the financial markets entirely onto the shoulders of the scheme members themselves, and damage the futures of the University's dedicated and hard-working support staff, leaving them without adequate financial security in their retirement. This pension is part of our pay package; the proposals actually represent a pay cut. They could impact support staff at other Universities (who have similar pension schemes) and also in the wider public sector, where there has been a constant erosion of Terms and Conditions, and pay cuts resulting in many low-paid workers having to struggle to make ends meet.
    879 of 1,000 Signatures
    Created by Adrian Dolby
  • No Cuts to Glasgow Cleansing
    Our city has been hit by cut after cut- a fact clearly evidenced by the rubbish on our streets and the state of our closes. Residents of Glasgow deserve safe and clean streets with a well funded and reliable refuse service. Glasgow City Council have told GMB Scotland Trade Union that they have no plans to renew the contracts of over 100 temporary cleansing workers who were added to the service when our city was at the point of crisis last year. This means that on April 1st, Glasgow will see a 12% cut across the board to street cleansing services. We hope that, with the public's support, we can save jobs and clean up our city
    704 of 800 Signatures
    Created by GMB Glasgow Picture
  • Save Falmouth's Marks and Spencer's from Closure
    Marks and Spencer's Falmouth has proved itself an integral part of the community, the cafe is always thriving with its iconic views of Falmouth bay with many locals including regular old age pensioners not to mention the tourists. The store is always full and busy, I am sure I am not alone when I say that I rely on the local Marks and Spencer for food. Cornwall itself is suffering with many cuts, this is the last thing it needs this will decrease the morale of the town with all the other closures that are happening. The next local store is based in the next town Truro, which does not seem far stretched out the way but when you consider the cost of public transport this will prove too expensive to do a regular shopping trip, or for the poor workers that will now need to make their way to Truro. It would be a huge shame if the space was to be replaced by another Poundland or charity shop. Please support this petition and sign it.
    3,141 of 4,000 Signatures
    Created by Wood Wool
  • Save our lollipop lady!!
    One of if not the busiest most dangerous junctions in the area, Especially at school times.
    243 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Victoria Woodall
  • Compass Group/ESS - Do Not Cut Low-Paid Workers' Working Weeks!
    The low paid employees at the MoD’s Fort Blockhouse base in Gosport, Hampshire, who work as cleaners, mess hands and housekeepers, are currently embroiled in a row as ESS has cut the workers’ working year from 52 to 50 weeks. This issue affects mainly women workers on very low pay. The cost-cutting scandal for employees working at Ministry of Defence (MoD) establishments in the south of England has been compounded by the awarding of a new contract to ESS. Unite, the country’s largest union which represents 27 ESS workers, said it was taking legal advice as some employees had their weeks further cut to 48 weeks a year and there were questions about their hourly rate being below the national living wage. Unite has members employed by ESS at HMS Sultan (Gosport), HMS Collingwood (Fareham) and Whale Island (Portsmouth), where the company is also cutting the working year in the contracts of its low paid workers. ESS is part of the Compass Group. The pay of the CEO for Compass Group North America, Gary Green, was £5.8 million last year – the equivalent of £15,890 a day. Unite regional officer Bob Middleton said: “The Ministry of Defence is collaborating in this greedy cost-cutting scandal by awarding a new contract to ESS to run for five years from 1 June 2018. “ESS has won the contract by submitting a bid with reduced employee costs which is disgraceful, as our members are loyal employees who are proud to support our armed forces.” Unite general secretary Len McCluskey wrote to the defence secretary Gavin Williamson about the unilateral reduction in the weeks worked and the loss of an estimated £500 a year in wages – but no response from the minister was forthcoming. Bob Middleton added: “The MoD should hang its head in shame by giving a new contract to ESS, a company that does not care whether some of its employees are now suffering financial hardship after having their working weeks axed without consultation. “The announcement of the new contract is rubbing salt into the wounds."
    230 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Chris Percy
  • Supporting the UCU strike at Newcastle University
    As staff and students of the university, we are calling for an end to these measures. We will not allow attacks on workers' rights to divide the university community. Members of the general public are also welcome to sign to show their support. This petition is an open letter to the Vice Chancellor, and is a show of solidarity in support of strike action.
    384 of 400 Signatures
    Created by Support the UCU strike Newcastle University
  • Save our Coffee Shop
    Miss Tina’s is being asked to pay full Business Rent on our facilities. Unfortunately, as a not-for-profit organisation, this will result in the closure of Miss Tina’s in Barmston. Please could you show your support for keeping Miss Tina’s open by signing the petition to reduce our rent.
    2,235 of 3,000 Signatures
    Created by Tina Hogben
  • Make Childcare Work
    The childcare system in England isn’t working for families. Parents need childcare that helps them choose whether to go back to work. But hundreds of thousands aren’t getting the help they should be. It’s a battle for mums, dads, and caregivers to get the support they’re entitled to – and their children deserve. When the sums don’t add up, and parents end up worse-off than if they didn’t work at all, it can feel like the odds are stacked against them. And the financial pressure and stress that creates at home isn’t good for parents or children. This campaign is about making childcare fair and easy to use. Right now, our broken childcare system isn’t giving families the support they need - at the most important time in their children’s lives. Photo credit: Clare Hewitt / Save the Children
    1,748 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Madeline Moore
  • Save A+M Hire
    A+M Hire is one of the "Big 3" prop houses in Europe and the UK. It supplies period props and dressing for major feature films and TV dramas like ‘Victoria’, ‘The Crown’, ‘Game of Thrones’, the ‘Harry Potter’ films, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, ‘Murder of the Orient Express’ and many more. Due to the fact that HS2 require their premises as a construction site and due to circumstances beyond both A+M’s and HS2’s control A+M has to cease trading. As you may be aware there has been an upsurge in the film industry with companies like Netflix, Amazon and Sony making more and more productions in the UK, not only because of the tax breaks but also because of the facilities and skills we provide. Without A+M, who supply a huge amount of the props that are used in these films and dramas, the supply chain will be broken. Their stock is incalculably valuable, both in monetary terms and historically, irreplaceable and very often unique. It will endanger productions as inevitably the art department costs will soar as items, previously easily hired from A+M, will now have to be sourced from elsewhere, and almost certainly purchased, involving more upfront costs and considerably higher transport costs, both financially and ecologically, and of course, precious time. A+M’s collapse will also put all of their staff out of work, cause production costs to rise, and thus discourage companies to film in the UK and damage the film industry as a whole. This will obviously have a knock-on effect for all of the skilled crew that depend on the industry for their livelihood. We urge you to sign this petition, and hopefully prevent this shocking and debilitating loss to the industry.
    2,980 of 3,000 Signatures
    Created by Dominic Devine
  • Help Connors dream come true
    This is so important to Connor it would give a huge boost in confidence and self achievement. it has been his dream since a small boy to be a bin man .He proves himself to be huge help to the local bin men every collection day they have come to know and love him .as do all the local residents to have this role in an official capacity if only voulentary to put on that uniform would make his world complete.
    940 of 1,000 Signatures
    Created by Ann Finneran
  • Campaign to Save Inchgreen Dry Dock
    Peel Ports are vandalising the facilities at Inchgreen Dry Dock purchased in 2002 from Clydeport. They blew up the cranes in July 2017 claiming it was too costly to service and maintain. No investment has been made in the facility since 2002 and rumour was they wanted to infill the dock and sell the land for housing. They have now confirmed to Inverclyde Council that they are not selling the dock or infilling. The Dry Dock is the second largest in the UK and a major asset for Inverclyde and the west coast. Who are Peel Ports? The Peel Group is constructed like a Russian Doll, a company within a company within a company and so on that produces hundreds of companies. The holding companies are registered in Tax havens, the Isle of Man and the Cayman Islands, owned and controlled by John Whittaker tax exile and his sons through Billown Trust. They own 75% of the parent companies Tokenhouse Ltd, Tokenhouse Investments (Guernsey) Ltd and Peel Port Holdings, the other 25% is owned by a Saudi Arabian conglomerate the Olayan Group. The Peel Group own A&P Group (APG) based at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead Merseyside and have 4 Dry Docks, they also have dry docks in Falmouth, Tyneside and Teesside, and now control Inchgreen according to their web page. APG have a joint venture with BAE Systems (BAES) and tendering for the Type 31e Frigates (each £250m +) have the same build time as the Type 26 Frigates being built by BAES in Govan and Scotstoun. The Frigates and a £200m BAES investment promised and supported by the Tory Government during the 2014 Independence Referendum did not materialise. Former Tory Defence Secretary of State, Lord Michael Fallon also reduced the build number of Type 26 from 13 to 8, another broken promise and BAES have only been contracted to build 3. Sir John Parker’s 2016 Report ‘The National Shipbuilding Strategy“ has also been used to break promises to Glasgow hence the joint venture, BAES providing Engineering, Design and Systems and APG doing the build in Birkenhead. However this report also suggested that a Regional Industrial Strategy could be developed to build the Type 31e and Clydeside has the capacity. Which begs the question- Did BAES not consider a joint venture with Ferguson’s Marine using Inchgreen and develop a Regional Strategy to build these Frigates? We think not, the joint venture would not like Ferguson’s Marine gaining expertise in MOD work, and APG would prefer their Merseyside investment to benefit. Peel Group have invested over £250m in Cammell Lairds and have grand plans to invest £50 Billion over 50 years in the Atlantic/Ocean Gate Project which covers both sides of River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, the docks, container facilities, shipyards and riverside developments etc. Their future investment and the millions of public money they receive from the EU, Merseyside & Manchester Local Authorities, Enterprise & Regional Boards and Government is all for the Atlantic/Ocean Gate Project and none for Inchgreen. Merseyside and Manchester newspapers with community groups have asked whether the tax payer is getting value for the vast amounts of public money Peel receive and continue to receive. Their control of the Merseyside waters and coast has been a major concern for some community groups and one ExUrbe produced a critical 2013 report on Peel’s operation - “PEEL AND THE LIVERPOOL CITY REGION”. Peel has no intention of investing in Inchgreen Dry Dock and attracting work or they would not have destroyed the cranes. The Peel Group’s investment strategy is totally focused on Merseyside. However they could be in for another Public Purse payday when the Greenock Ocean Terminal Project under the City Deal gets final business case approval. Estimated costs are £14.793m, £7.193 from the Tax Payer, identified private sector investment £6.1m from Peel and £1.5m from the Dunard Art Fund, to date no contract has been signed or approved. We petition the Scottish Government and Inverclyde Council to bring Inchgreen Dry Dock into Public/Community Ownership for the future prosperity of Inverclyde and its citizens. We now have support from the local political parties Lib Dem’s, SNP, Greens, Labour and most Independent Councillors, local MP & MSPs also Unite and Unison Trade Unions. Our local newspaper the Greenock Telegraph have raised the profile of the Campaign with the Inverclyde public by their many articles on the issue. Copies of the Campaign petition can be obtained by contacting the below or sign online at:- https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/campaign-to-save-inchgreen-dry-dock-1 email: [email protected] Tel 07719 646944 Its important for the future Industrial development of Inverclyde, attract good paid skilled jobs, secure a major asset for the West Coast of Scotland and preserve its shipbuilding heritage.
    1,689 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by ROBERT BUIRDS Picture