This is a BMUC members only event. Normally we welcome guests at our meetings but pandemic restrictions mean we need to temporarily limit our meetings to members only. You can apply to become a member via this online application. We need to limit "in person" attendance to 10 people because of pandemic restrictions. To manage this, a limited number of free tickets will be available via TidyHQ and only ticket holders will be able to attend the meeting in person. Online access to the meeting will be made available to members who are unable or do not wish to attend in person. 2 of the 10 tickets have been reserved for the Chair (Kerry Cooke) and Minute Taker (Debra Smith). The meeting has been postponed for a week, until 14th June, because the Dining Room at the Family Hotel will be open to diners all day, and therefore not available for our meeting, on the day we would normally hold the meeting (the first Sunday in the month) as it's not only the first weekend the pub will be open for some time, it's also a long weekend. Contact Debra Smith on 0408 238 586 if you would need the link and password to the online meeting.

Our May General Meeting will be online. If you are an existing BMUC member you should have already received an email with a link to the meeting. If you would like to attend as a guest, please click on the free ticket link and we'll be in touch with you. If you'd like to become a member of BMUC, click on this link to complete an application. If you have any problems, send an email to bmucinc@gmail.com.

You are invited to a pre-Christmas Book Launch of "The Hockneys Never Worry What the Neighbours Think" by John Hockney. Introduced by Mary Moody, which will be followed by a personal book signing by author John Hockney. RSVP Marilla North 0414 695 980 or book a free ticket The book seller is Gleebooks.

As income inequality increases our government's policies offer, not a helping hand up, but shaming, punishment and a push into even deeper poverty. Calls to #RaiseTheRate of Newstart Allowance from $124/week below the poverty line by at least $75 per week are broadly supported by groups ranging from charities which are increasingly being called on to fill the welfare gaps for basics like adequate food to business groups seeking the economic stimulus of spending in local economies. The LNP are ideologically opposed to raising the rate of Centrelink payments, particularly Newstart. PM Scott Morrison's use of the slogan "If you have a go, you'll get a go" is not only untrue. It's also a failure - or refusal - to acknowledge the low rate of Newstart is in itself an obstacle to "having a go". Organisations like the Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre, the community and health sector bodies represented by ACOSS and the Centrelink workers represented by the CPSU are increasingly picking up the pieces, lives decimated by policies of "mutual" obligation, robodebt, the cashless welfare card, and reduced services caused by inadequate Centrelink staffing and privatisation. This is all down to the Liberal Government absolving themselves of responsibility for public services by cutting and capping the number of staff DHS can employ. Since 2017 the Liberal Government has been privatising vital Centrelink services by outsourcing call centre work to Serco and labour hire companies, where workers have been fired for taking more than 2 days leave due to family deaths, terminal illness diagnosis and unplanned emergencies. Those who depend on Centrelink services are pushed even further into debt and poverty when forced to wait for services, such as the granting of claims for payment, or even someone to answer the phone when they need to reschedule an interview, declare a change in circumstances, or respond to a request from Centrelink. Punitive responses to alleged mutual obligation requirements, robodebt, paternalistic shaming in the form of the cashless welfare, and other demonising policies compound a raft of financial, social and health problems. There are solutions which don't necessitate waging a war on the poor. At Politics in the Pub we discuss to problems - and the solutions.   Speakers:  Pas Forgione. Pas is the Raise The Rate Campaign Coordinator at ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Service), the peak body for the community and health sector, and one of the country's leading voices on tackling poverty and inequality. He has been with the organisation since February, working closely with people on Newstart and Youth Allowance, and individuals and organisations that support the campaign to raise Allowances by at least $75 a week.Before this, he spent over 5 years coordinating Anti-Poverty Network SA, a grassroots organisation, led by people directly affected by poverty and unemployment, that advocated on a wide range of topics related to social security policy, included the inadequacy of Allowances and Pensions, cashless welfare, robodebt, Job Active, Centrelink call waiting times, and other issues.   Arlia Fleming. Arlia is the Managing Principal Solicitor at the Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre. EECLC provides free legal services and education to disadvantaged people of the Blue Mountains, Lithgow, Oberon and Bathurst regions. Arlia has worked in the community legal sector for 14 years, mostly working with women in prison and Aboriginal women who have experienced family violence and/or sexual assault. Arlia is passionate about social justice, human rights, and community legal education.   Katie Higgins and Kate Cooke (replacing Sophie Callard). Katie Higgins and Kate Cooke work for the Community and Public Sector Union in NSW. Katie is a Field Organiser and represents workers in the Department of Human Services, while Kate is an Industrial Organiser in the Member Service Centre and specialises in representing members with individual issues in the workplace. The CPSU has been campaigning against the privatisation of Centrelink since 2017, when the LNP Government first began demolishing vital Centrelink services and outsourcing call centre work to Serco and labour hire companies. In the course of their work, Kate and Katie hear from the community members who have suffered under the unethical Robodebt system, the labour hire workers who struggle with insecure work and limited training and the permanent employees whose ability to provide vital community services has been diminished by a lack of resources. These issues are a direct result of choices made by the Liberal Government to cut funding and limit the number of employees working for Government agencies. The workers represented by the CPSU bear the brunt of public frustration with government policies but are threatened with sanctions or terminations should they speak out publicly in support of their jobs and the Australian people they serve. Politics in the Pub finishes with a Q&A where speakers respond to questions from the audience.

We're pleased to announce the successful applicants for the Sing It! Say It! #ActivistFestTalentQuest! Saturday 12th October Come, be inspired, connect with activists from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the Health Services Union, Give a Dam, Extinction Rebellion (XR), Katoomba Airfield and Blue Mountains Unions & Community and vote for your favourite performer. On Saturday 12th October at the Family Hotel from 7pm, the following contestants will be performing original poetry, spoken or musical work and calling for others to join them in #CollectiveAction about the things they care about: Blumesday Helena Zadro-Jones InLärm Madam Fatale Paddy Connor Patrick O'Reilly Rebecca Mann Safire Palms Sophia Fletcher Tigermoth The competition runs from 7pm to 10:30pm, when the prizes decided by an audience vote will be awarded.  First prize: $500 donated by the Health Services Union Second prize: $300 Third prize: $200 plus there are other prizes too, such as pub cash! After prizes are awarded there'll be a #CollectiveJam featuring 2018 winner Wolf van der Made, local musicians and Good Enough.    #whathavewegot? #whathavewelost? #whatdowedo? #CollectiveAction!  Presented by Blue Mountains Unions & Community and Retro Rehash.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------- We'd like to acknowledge our sponsors: The Health Services Union The Family Hotel, Katoomba The Australian Services Union Blue Mountains City Council and the support of The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance and the Reslience Festival ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The image is of two of last year's winners, Elixir and Wolf van der Made.  "Lips" image in the QR code ©2018 Ruby Rain   Authorised by D Smith, Secretary, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria. bmucinc@gmail.com  

Ian Frape - Life Membership of Blue Mountains Teachers Association Presentation  BMUC members are invited to be there when local Blue Mountains teacher and former BMUC member, Ian Frape will be awarded life membership of the Blue Mountains Teachers Association by Henry Rajendra Senior Vice President of NSW Teachers Federation. Please come and have dinner with the Blue Mountains Teachers Association on this important night for Blue Mountains Unionism. The event will take place in the Bistro of the Family Hotel. Please note: The start time has changed from 6:30pm to 6pm.

Secrecy is the enemy of fairness. Australia's environmental, labour, and health and safety laws are threatened by a free trade agreement, the RCEP, currently being negotiated between Australia, New Zealand, China, India, South Korea and the ten member countries of ASEAN - about half of the world's population. How can we ensure trade is globally fair, safe and environmentally friendly?   Speakers: Dr Pat Ranald Convenor Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) & Research Fellow, University of Sydney. Dr Ranald will speak about the RCEP, a massive traded deal currently being negotiated in secret. Her focus will be Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions which allow companies to sue governments when changes to environmental, labour, health, safety and other laws reduce profit. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is potentially at risk.   Anna Spoore  Vice Chair Fair Trade Association Australia and New Zealand. Director of Uplift Fair Trade in Katoomba St, Katoomba. What is fair? How does "fair trade" differ from other trade models? Anna Spoore will define Fair Trade and its principles according to the Fair Trade Charter which was established last year. EDIT: Anna Spoore is unable to attend as her expected baby is trying to come earlier than expected and Anna has been advised to rest.    Alison Rahill Executive Officer, Anti-Slavery Taskforce, Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney. How do we know if the products we buy have been ethically produced? Alison Rahill will speak about Fair Trade supply lines and the work of the Anti Slavery taskforce which has developed the "Shop for Good", ethical purchasing guide. SPEAKERS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A Q&A FROM THE AUDIENCE Tickets to this event are free but, if you wish, you can support the work of Blue Mountains Unions & Community by making an online donation.  

Commemorative Sign  Vernon Moffitt (1924-2001) & Joyce Moffitt (1930-1999) Strong Unionists; Strong Environmentalists Dobbs Drift Lookout and State Mine Heritage Park, State Mine Gully Road, Lithgow Hosted by Combined Retired Union Members Association (CRUMA) Enquiries to  John Koch 0450 476 036 For those wishing to come a day earlier by country train from Sydney Saturday 29 June, 2019, see accommodation details below and schedule. For those wishing to come on the day Sunday 30 June, 2019 see schedule. For those wishing to stay another night, leaving Monday 1st July, 2019 see schedule. Unionists please wear union t-shirts & bring banners for Sunday commemorative sign Wear good & warm walking shoes; rug up, wear thermal underwear, jumpers, scarfs, gloves and coat. Bring umbrella & raincoat in case. IT WILL BE VERY COLD! Please note an ABC TV crew may be joining us. Accommodation - PLEASE BOOK EARLY Court House Hotel, 1 Main Street, Lithgow 6351 3234 hari3saran@yahoo.com $55 single; $70 double: $80 Queen; $120 room (3 beds) per night. Hot Breakfasts 8-9am Walking distance from Lithgow Railway Station & Lithgow Workies Club (opposite Tin Shed Café) Lithgow Workies Club Motel, 3-5 Tank Street, Lithgow 6350 7777 clubmotel@workies.com.au

Thank you, everyone, who came and bought tickets! It was a great success despite the rotten weather.  Good company, great music and delicious food! Isn't that one of the best parts of life? If you missed out but would still like to contribute, you can make a direct donation online. --------------------------------------------------------------- Mingling and music! We'd really love you to join us at our BBQ fundraiser for "Sing It! Say It!" and our other activities to enjoy an afternoon/evening of delicious food and local, live entertainment and to help us out.  If you can't make it to the BBQ you can still help out by making a direct donation online.  But hurry! Tickets are limited! Open fires, great conversation and good food, enhanced by local musicians Wolf van der Made (2018 winner of Sing It! Say It!), Sy Dyson and Isaac Beggs. We start in the afternoon with fine finger food provided by Japonica Catering. This will be followed later in the afternoon/early evening by the BBQ. High quality meat will be sourced locally from Portland accompanied by various side dishes. There'll be plenty of vegan soup that anyone can enjoy. There'll be home-baked bread, also courtesy of Susan of Japonica Catering.  Bring your own alcohol or other drinks. The event will go ahead, even if the weather isn't suitable for an outdoor event. We have alternative arrangements in place. Blue Mountains Unions & Community are doing more to spread the word that collective action works and is the most effective way to achieve change. As well as our much loved and classic Politics in the Pub, we're also broadcasting on Radio Blue Mountains and organising another Sing It! Say It! activist fest talent quest. Your ticket money and donations are primarily for Sing It! Say It! but may help us fund our other activities too. (Children accompanied by an adult can attend for free - no ticket is necessary for children.) Entries for Sing It! Say It! are now open! Apply via this link. Thanks for helping us promote this event: Retro Rehash Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM Katoomba Music Blue Mountains Gig Guide Out of the Blue Mountains Music Live Vibes Feast of Fools What's On Blue Mountains. Thanks to our sponsors: The Australian Services Union The Family Hotel Resilience Festival  

Looking for somewhere to wait with anticipation with other lefties on election night? You're invited to come and nail bite with BMUC President Kerry Cooke after the polls close.

Tonight on Rights, Rorts and Rants we talk about raising the rate of Newstart Allowance, the demonisation of people who receive Centrelink payments, Universal Basic Income and the Jobs Guarantee. Rights, Rorts and Rants, where you can find out about your rights, how they're rorted and we rant about what you can do to stand up for your rights. We also report on issues of local importance. Tune in on 89.1FM or stream on  https://www.rbm.org.au/. Blue Mountains Unions & Community stand for social justice, workers, full employment, equality and the environment. To find out more about Blue Mountains Unions & Community scan our QR code with a QR reader, or simply click on its image, to connect with our websites, blog and social media. Hosted by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc)

Rights, Rorts and Rants, where you can find out about your rights, how they're rorted and we rant about what you can do to stand up for your rights. We also report on issues of local importance. Tune in on 89.1FM or stream on  https://www.rbm.org.au/. Blue Mountains Unions & Community stand for social justice, workers, full employment, equality and the environment. To find out more about Blue Mountains Unions & Community scan our QR code with a QR reader, or simply click on its image, to connect with our websites, blog and social media. Hosted by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc)