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12th
July 2005
Dear Colleague
RE:
- Aftermath of the London Bombing
We wanted to write to you following the terrorist
bombings last Thursday.
All
staff based at Congress House and Mabeldon Place, as
well as all activists attending both buildings that day,
are safe and well. To date, none of the confirmed
fatalities have been identified as UNISON members, but
the regional office will continue to do membership
checks as names are released and will contact the
families direct where necessary.
The
Mayor, Ken Livingstone, issued a statement yesterday
announcing a series of events planned for this
Thursday 14th July, at which Londoners
can remember all those who died, show our defiance of
the terrorist threat and demonstrate our determination
not to be shaken from building an open, tolerant,
multi-racial and multi-cultural society. UNISON is
urging all it’s members to participate and asks branches
to raise this with employers with a view to seeking
agreement that their members be actively encouraged to
get involved. The events are as follows:-
¨
12 noon. Two minutes silence. Londoners are asked to
come out of their workplaces and homes, onto the streets
of London, to remember those who died and show their
defiance of the terrorists
¨
1pm onwards. Books of condolences will be in Trafalgar
Square for the public to sign
¨
6pm. A vigil in Trafalgar Square organised by the TUC in
conjunction with representatives of London’s different
faiths and communities, intended to remember the dead,
demonstrate support for all London’s ethnic communities
and to thank members of the transport and emergency
services
UNISON wishes to pay tribute to the thousands of
transport, health and emergency service workers, many of
whom are UNISON members, who responded so magnificently
in going to the aid of the dead and injured. We have no
doubt that their courage, skill and rapid response meant
many lives were saved on Thursday and much pain and
suffering alleviated. We will do our best to ensure that
UNISON provides those members who were involved with the
support they need and deserve, as we all come to terms
with the horrendous events of the last few days.
The
following services have been put in place by UNISON to
support victims, their families, members in the health
and emergency services and members generally caught up
in or affected by the bombings: -
¨
victims and their families can obtain welfare and
hardship advice from UNISON welfare, by ringing 020 7551
1620
¨
any
members suffering injury themselves or for family
members can obtain free legal advice by ringing
UNISONdirect on 0845 355 0845 (opening hours Monday to
Friday 6am – midnight and Saturday 9am – 4pm) Textphone
0800 0 967 968
¨
any
members experiencing trauma or distress should be able
to obtain counselling services from their employer or
GP, but in addition the Samaritans have agreed to
provide support for UNISON members on their counselling
/ advice line 08457 90 90 90, you can e-mail
jo@samaritans.org or alternatively to find
your nearest branch of Samaritans go to their website
www.samaritans.org
UNISON Greater London region has received many messages
of solidarity and support from our brothers and sisters
in trade unions across the world including UNISON
Northern Ireland, CGT in France, Ver.di in Germany, FNT
in Nicaragua and the Cuban Embassy on behalf of Fidel
Castro.
Finally branches are encouraged to make donations to the
Mayors “London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund” set up
at the weekend to provide assistance to those who have
suffered loss and injury in the bomb attacks. Donations
can be made at
www.redcross.org.uk/londonrelief
, telephone 08707 125 125 or by post to LBFF, C/O Mayor
of London, FREEPOST LON18968, Sheffield S98 1ZA
With best wishes
Yours sincerely
LINDA
PERKS GEOFF
MARTIN
REGIONAL SECRETARY REGIONAL
CONVENOR
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