Comments for Sheffield Green Party http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk Fair is worth fighting for Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:42:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Green Party says Council should act on ‘fair pay’ by Simon Freeman http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2012/01/27/green-party-says-council-should-act-on-fair-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-191 Simon Freeman Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:42:57 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=9332#comment-191 Think the Pay Gap problem is more of a private sector issue than public. I work in public sector and have volunteered to reduce my working hours to help save jobs-but we're still under threat of redundancy. Can accept pay freeze as well if it helps, but it is totally wrong that head of RBS is getting £983,000 bonus. A bonus is a reward for doing good work, and if the company is making stafff redundant and it's share price has fallen then he isn't doing a good job. If RBS is part of the public sector it should be bound by the same rules as councils and NHS. If RBS is 81% state owned then surely the government just blocks it? I support the idea of linking top and bottom salaries in a company. The gap has got too wide, and I understand there are laws in countries like Germany that do this we could look at? Think the Pay Gap problem is more of a private sector issue than public. I work in public sector and have volunteered to reduce my working hours to help save jobs-but we’re still under threat of redundancy. Can accept pay freeze as well if it helps, but it is totally wrong that head of RBS is getting £983,000 bonus. A bonus is a reward for doing good work, and if the company is making stafff redundant and it’s share price has fallen then he isn’t doing a good job. If RBS is part of the public sector it should be bound by the same rules as councils and NHS. If RBS is 81% state owned then surely the government just blocks it? I support the idea of linking top and bottom salaries in a company. The gap has got too wide, and I understand there are laws in countries like Germany that do this we could look at?

]]> Comment on Occupy Sheffield Rally – Let’s Emasculate Capitalism! by Simon Freeman http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2012/01/21/lets-emasculate-capatalism/comment-page-1/#comment-190 Simon Freeman Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:31:01 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=9297#comment-190 There are a lot of male public sector workers worried about their jobs as well. If you're 53/54-just too young to take advantage of early retirement schemes it is particularly worrying! could end up unemployed-unable to take pension when other people hitting 55 next year could take it, people like me wouldn't get it until 60. Agree though there has to be something better, scrap Trident, pull out of Afghanistan, tax Bank Profits etc There are a lot of male public sector workers worried about their jobs as well. If you’re 53/54-just too young to take advantage of early retirement schemes it is particularly worrying! could end up unemployed-unable to take pension when other people hitting 55 next year could take it, people like me wouldn’t get it until 60.

Agree though there has to be something better, scrap Trident, pull out of Afghanistan, tax Bank Profits etc

]]> Comment on Letters regarding ‘Guantanamo Bay’ from Graham Wroe and Pat Wormald from Amnesty by Graham Wroe http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2012/01/09/letters-regarding-guantanamo-bay-from-graham-wroe-and-pat-wormald-from-amnesty/comment-page-1/#comment-189 Graham Wroe Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:04:42 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=9220#comment-189 Hi Steve, good to hear from you. Of course you are right concerning "enemy combatants", that is why the term is written in inverted commas. Without a fair trial it is impossible for me or anyone else to know the truth about the individual cases. But what is very clear is that justice has not been done. Obama should keep his promise and shut the place down. Hi Steve, good to hear from you. Of course you are right concerning “enemy combatants”, that is why the term is written in inverted commas. Without a fair trial it is impossible for me or anyone else to know the truth about the individual cases. But what is very clear is that justice has not been done. Obama should keep his promise and shut the place down.

]]> Comment on Letters regarding ‘Guantanamo Bay’ from Graham Wroe and Pat Wormald from Amnesty by smiley steve http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2012/01/09/letters-regarding-guantanamo-bay-from-graham-wroe-and-pat-wormald-from-amnesty/comment-page-1/#comment-188 smiley steve Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:33:29 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=9220#comment-188 Hello. Regarding the above letter(s). Well done, good, that you are doing something about the issue, ie, campaigning, highlighting etc. No problem with that. The problem that I see with the letter is the "acceptance", albeit it in inverted commas, of the "detainees" as "enemy combatants". I think it is not acceptable to use this term in relation to innocent people being snatched, arrested, disappeared from their streets, homes, countries. The term "enemy combatants" was some spurrious title - made-up, invented by the right-wing neo-con Bush dictatorships and its' arse-licking media/military support. It is a fictional title....not real, a little akin perhaps to "weapons of mass destruction", collateral damage and such. I do not agree with the acceptance of the term, however trivial that may seem. The people detained in Guantanamo Bay are very probably totally innocent civilian people who - for some unfortunate reason have been kidnapped, bound, gagged, detained, against their will ....and against all laws of morality, and humanity, NOT to mention the Geneva Convention....EVEN if it could be applied, which it can't. Anyways. The important thing, I suppose, is to get those Guantanamo people free, back home, to families, friends, jobs, justice...and to legally catch and try, then imprison and throw away the key... the evil and sick perpertrators of these kidnapping and detention crimes, be they soldiers, medical people, politicians,officials and/or United Nations sympathisers. Well done...and thanks. Rant over.! Smiley Steve. Hello. Regarding the above letter(s). Well done, good, that you are doing something about the issue, ie, campaigning, highlighting etc.
No problem with that.

The problem that I see with the letter is the “acceptance”, albeit it in inverted commas, of the “detainees” as “enemy combatants”.

I think it is not acceptable to use this term in relation to innocent people being snatched, arrested, disappeared from their streets, homes, countries.

The term “enemy combatants” was some spurrious title – made-up, invented by the right-wing neo-con Bush dictatorships and its’ arse-licking media/military support.

It is a fictional title….not real, a little akin perhaps to “weapons of mass destruction”, collateral damage and such.
I do not agree with the acceptance of the term, however trivial that may seem.

The people detained in Guantanamo Bay are very probably totally innocent civilian people who – for some unfortunate reason have been kidnapped, bound, gagged, detained, against their will ….and against all laws of morality, and humanity, NOT to mention the Geneva Convention….EVEN if it could be applied, which it can’t.

Anyways. The important thing, I suppose, is to get those Guantanamo people free, back home, to families, friends, jobs, justice…and to legally catch and try, then imprison and throw away the key… the evil and sick perpertrators of these kidnapping and detention crimes, be they soldiers, medical people, politicians,officials and/or United Nations sympathisers.

Well done…and thanks.
Rant over.!
Smiley Steve.

]]> Comment on Greens press Council to back Youth Centre by Green Party News : Greens fight for essential youth services http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2010/11/23/greens-press-council-to-back-youth-centre/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Green Party News : Greens fight for essential youth services Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:43:12 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=7041#comment-187 [...] 2) See: http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2010/11/23/greens-press-council-to-back-youth-centre/ [...] [...] 2) See: http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2010/11/23/greens-press-council-to-back-youth-centre/ [...]

]]> Comment on Peter Garbutt at SACA protest today by zap2010 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2012/01/06/peter-garbutt-at-saca-protest-today/comment-page-1/#comment-186 zap2010 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:17:31 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=9205#comment-186 courtesy of economicsurvivor.net courtesy of economicsurvivor.net

]]> Comment on Supermarket expansion plans – latest news by jillian creasy http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2011/08/16/supermarket-expansion-plans-latest-news/comment-page-1/#comment-185 jillian creasy Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:55:08 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=8536#comment-185 Very belated reply to Isabel's query re supporting independant grocers in the city centre. It's a tricky one - the rents and rates in the city centre are higher than in Ecclesall and Broomhill; there is a different clientele, on the whole I higher proportion of students, younger people passing through in rented accomodation rather than stable, wealthier home owners in the more suburban areas, i.e. more likely to nip into a late-opening supermarket than seek out specialist shops. In Sheffield, there is the additional problem that the council's plan for the city centre is the New Retail Quarter, so that a swather of small premises have been compulsorily purchased to be knocked down and turned into big stores. That plan has stalled which is worse than if nothing had happened. All in all, it's not easy for anyone to start up. One way in is via markets: we have supported the Castle market stalls and the Moor market out-door traders and hope that both will be accomodated in the revamped Moor. There is also a monthly Farmers market on Fargate, which the council could advertise and support more vigorously. This would help businesses to start up and encourage people to shop other than in supermarkets. Another is via council or trade association led schemes to "buy local" or "buy organic" (the "slow food" movement that has taken off in some towns). Would welcome ideas and support to pursue these ideas! Jillian Cllr Creasy, Central ward Very belated reply to Isabel’s query re supporting independant grocers in the city centre.
It’s a tricky one – the rents and rates in the city centre are higher than in Ecclesall and Broomhill; there is a different clientele, on the whole I higher proportion of students, younger people passing through in rented accomodation rather than stable, wealthier home owners in the more suburban areas, i.e. more likely to nip into a late-opening supermarket than seek out specialist shops. In Sheffield, there is the additional problem that the council’s plan for the city centre is the New Retail Quarter, so that a swather of small premises have been compulsorily purchased to be knocked down and turned into big stores. That plan has stalled which is worse than if nothing had happened. All in all, it’s not easy for anyone to start up.
One way in is via markets: we have supported the Castle market stalls and the Moor market out-door traders and hope that both will be accomodated in the revamped Moor. There is also a monthly Farmers market on Fargate, which the council could advertise and support more vigorously. This would help businesses to start up and encourage people to shop other than in supermarkets.
Another is via council or trade association led schemes to “buy local” or “buy organic” (the “slow food” movement that has taken off in some towns).
Would welcome ideas and support to pursue these ideas!
Jillian
Cllr Creasy, Central ward

]]> Comment on Supermarket expansion plans – latest news by zap2010 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2011/08/16/supermarket-expansion-plans-latest-news/comment-page-1/#comment-184 zap2010 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:23:02 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=8536#comment-184 This reply to the post only arrived for moderation today - 3rd Jan 2012.- not sure why it got lost in the system? Website Team Member This reply to the post only arrived for moderation today – 3rd Jan 2012.- not sure why it got lost in the system?

Website Team Member

]]> Comment on Supermarket expansion plans – latest news by Isabel http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2011/08/16/supermarket-expansion-plans-latest-news/comment-page-1/#comment-183 Isabel Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:29:51 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=8536#comment-183 I'm interested in the Green Party's ideas about what can be done to encourage local grocers to set up as an alternative to these city centre supermarkets. I admit that I'm actually looking forward to the opening of the new Sainsburys, as it will provide an alternative to Tesco (I live and work in a the middle of a triangle of 3 Tescos). But I would much rather buy from an independent grocer. Areas like Broomhill and Ecclesall seem able to support these but they are largely absent from the city centre. I’m interested in the Green Party’s ideas about what can be done to encourage local grocers to set up as an alternative to these city centre supermarkets. I admit that I’m actually looking forward to the opening of the new Sainsburys, as it will provide an alternative to Tesco (I live and work in a the middle of a triangle of 3 Tescos). But I would much rather buy from an independent grocer. Areas like Broomhill and Ecclesall seem able to support these but they are largely absent from the city centre.

]]> Comment on A report on the ‘Occupy Sheffield’ motion at Council on 7th December. by Occupy, Punch and Judy « pasdelabas http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2011/12/12/a-report-on-the-occupy-sheffield-motion-at-council-on-7th-december/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Occupy, Punch and Judy « pasdelabas Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:13:38 +0000 http://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/?p=9126#comment-182 [...] the motion put forward by Jillian Creasy, the Green Party councillor, earlier in December. However toned down was the eventual motion passed by the Council, it forced a debate on issues of principal which is, I suspect, comparatively [...] [...] the motion put forward by Jillian Creasy, the Green Party councillor, earlier in December. However toned down was the eventual motion passed by the Council, it forced a debate on issues of principal which is, I suspect, comparatively [...]

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