We, the undersigned members of Unite, were disappointed by Unite's decision, announced on 2 July 2014, to urge the Labour Party to commit to holding a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union.[1] We believe this decision by Unite's Executive Council was a mistake. It does not reflect our wishes, it was taken without consulting Unite's members, and it demonstrates race-to-the-bottom politics. We believe the UK should remain a member of the EU because membership enhances UK workers' rights, including via the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.[2] We believe the best way to ensure the UK remains a member of the EU is for political parties to reject referendum calls and instead make the case for continued membership. With no referendum, there would be no risk of the UK exiting the EU. We note that the Conservative Party rejected the Charter when previously in power, and that it is only thanks to the Labour Party that it covers UK workers.[3] We note that because the Conservatives have committed to a parliamentary vote in favour of an in/out referendum on the EU, the only realistic prospect of avoiding such a referendum and saving the Charter is for the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats to commit themselves against such a vote.[4] The Liberal Democrats have already done this.[5] We emphasise that neither this petition, nor the act it requests, brings any injury to or discredit upon Unite or any member of Unite. On the contrary, the act requested would strengthen Unite by demonstrating Unite's commitment to the EU's protection of worker's rights, and would help to forge a Labour Party that will provide a real alternative to the Conservative Party in opposition and at the next General Election. REFERENCES: [1] http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/unite-urges-labour-party-to-hold-eu-referendum/ [2] http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/charter/index_en.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charter_of_Fundamental_Rights_of_the_European_Union&oldid=614017036#Legal_status [3] http://socialrights.net/community-charter-of-fundamental-social-rights-of-workers/ [4] http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/02/david-cameron-eu-referendum-pledge-disaster [5] http://www.libdems.org.uk/european_election_manifesto_2014 Image source and license: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/skuds/3736995016/

GCHQ are taking away our freedoms and rights to privacy. Collecting masses of data that will undoubtably be leaked in the future. All of UK citizens privacy is now at risk!

Sepp Blatter has expressed concern about the safety of the players playing in 50 degree heat. There has also been concern about the shady way Qatar - one of the World's richest countries - has obtained the right to host the world cup. But no-one seems to have expressed concern that there are already over 1200 dead migrant workers building the British designed stadiums that we are all supposed to be enjoying in 8 years time. This is not on. There are reports that workers, who have travelled from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, are living in slave like conditions and earning as little as 45p an hour. The ITUC has based the estimate on current mortality figures for Nepalese and Indian workers who form the bulk of Qatar's 1.2 million-strong migrant workforce, the large majority of whom are builders. While it admits that the cause of death is not clear for many of the deceased – with autopsies often not being conducted and routine attribution to heart failure – it believes harsh and dangerous conditions at work and cramped and squalid living quarters are to blame. Workers described forced labour in 50C heat, employers who retain salaries for several months and passports making it impossible for them to leave and being denied free drinking water. The investigation found sickness is endemic among workers living in overcrowded and insanitary conditions and hunger has been reported. Thirty Nepalese construction workers took refuge in the their country's embassy and subsequently left the country, after they claimed they received no pay. It it simply an affront to humanity that Qatar is to host the world cup and an utter disgrace that no-one in the world of football seems to care. We need to show the FA and FIFA and their sponsers that we the people care about these issues and this is not OK. It is not Ok that there are already 1200 dead workers building the stadiums. We need to show that we care about these workers and their families and that what once was a beautiful tournament is fast becoming a giant corporate money machine that has no regard for even the very people that make it happen. That number again, 1200 dead workers. And there's 8 years to go.

Israel's continual blockade of Gaza, expanding illegal settlements in Palestinian territory and massacre of Palestinian women and children needs to STOP. This is state terrorism. Our government together with the US and other European countries sell Israel the arms to do this. All the Palestinians can do is fire rockets which are intercepted easily by Israeli mighty fire power. We all feel helpless as the world cannot stop Israel from killing more civilians. A boycott of Israeli goods is something we can all do in our small way, maybe it will affect them and make them consider longer term peace options. In the meantime let's sign a petition to our government to stop selling arms to Israel.

The Internet is the world's greatest platform for free speech. I accept the need to censor a few things, but not the need to do so in secret. Far from it. Why should the applicant have an automatic right to censor another's work without being held accountable for doing so?

Self evident to anyone with a conscience

Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories cause harm and poverty to Palestinians, and are an obstacle to peace in the region. Israeli settlements are illegal under international humanitarian law. This is important because the Palestinians are currently under violent attack and need resources to rebuild their lives, home and future. They cannot do this if their produce are stolen from them and sold to the Americas and Europe. According to a study conducted by Dr. Majid Sbeih from Al-Quds University for the Democracy and Workers’ Rights Center in Palestine, 82% of Palestinian workers have the desire and willingness to leave their jobs in the settlements, provided that a suitable alternative is available. However, suitable alternatives will not be found as long as the Palestinian economy is under occupation. We are calling on companies to withdraw investment in and end trade operations with Israeli settlement businesses.

EPSRC is a branch of Research Council UK, the largest public funding agency in your country. It supplies hundreds of millions of pounds in funding every year. See www.epsrc.ac.uk. The pretense is that this money is given to Research Organizations with adequate procedures to tackle scientific fraud. This is not so. In fact, fraud in publicly funded research has promoted the careers of incompetent people at British Universities. I know most of you won't know much chemistry, but there is Wikipaedia to check up simple scientific facts: what would you think, after checking that aluminum sulphate is Al2(SO4)3 and phenol an acid, I told you that two academics at two of the top five Universities in the UK wrote a research paper where they gave phenol as an alkali and aluminum sulphate as AlSO4? (Pst! Now that you are at the Wikipaedia site you could make a donation... ;-) ) And remember, corruption only spreads...It is therefore in your interest that public funding is not abused. Also, by claiming that organisations funded by EPSRC have procedures to deal efficiently with fraud lends legitimacy to such institutions when dealing with people they have damaged. For example, I want to confront EPSRC with a range of allegations which includes those made in this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2umhkGxHbasY241U3huLUZQTzA/edit?usp=sharing in an example case which still affects me.

More time is needed to ensure proper laws are discussed and agreed. We do not live in a policed state... Maybe there is law firm out there that would take on a mass case of legal challenges by the public to force telecoms companies to destroy the data now and thereby force the government into proper dialogue with people they are representing!

As UK and EU citizens, and human beings, we can not accept this. We call on David Cameron to immediately reverse the UK's stance. If we do not do this then how can the UK or the EU pretend to be democratic communities? If you are an EU citizen and you care about Human Rights, please sign this petition. Links: http://seedfreedom.in/un-to-outlaw-corporations-human-rights-abuses/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/06/eu-aims-to-scuttle-treaty-on-human-rights-abuses/

It is important to Breaking Bad fans as the series finished in 2013 and everyone misses it, a game however would be dateless and be a treasure to play for eternity.

A recent petition against the closure of Sure Start children's centres containing 6,000 signatures was insufficient to trigger a debate in full Council. This stifled debate and thus undermined democracy. 1500 signatures should be sufficient evidence of widespread public feeling on any given issue and therefore should be enough to trigger a debate in full Council.