Come and get involved with Bristol Solidarity Network, organising against bad bosses and landlords, for decent housing and workers getting paid! We are currently fighting alongside an Easton based family facing retaliatory eviction for asking their slum landlord, Mr. Ernie Biela, for repairs. We are planning imminent actions to expose the situation and those involved as well as fight for decent housing for this family. Watch this space, or better still come and lend a hand!

Next meetings:

Tuesday 11th August

Tuesday 25th August

All meetings start at 7.30pm at Kebele social centre, 14 Robertson Road, Easton. Bristol BS5 6JY.

We’ve received details, which we’ve confirmed are legit, that the deposit is now placed in a deposit protection scheme. We therefore do not need to do the comms blockade on Monday. As always, thanks for supporting this fight, and we’ll keep you apprised of any further develpments.

Monday 12th January. Communications blockade all day long.

Join the communications blockade of Central Estate Agency and slum landlord Mr Ernie Biela.
The question is “What have you done with the tenants’ deposit?”.
Demand that they let their tenants know what the situation is with their deposit.

After Bristol Solidarity Network picketed their offices on Gloucester Road in Bristol demanding necessary repairs, CEA say they have pulled out of any involvement in “managing” the house. Jabbar Mohammed has claimed that he has passed the £800 deposit to the landlord. Mr. Biela says that he does not have it and that “the deposit is somewhere, isn’t it” and “I don’t know why you’re worried about the deposit”. They need to confirm in writing that the deposit is being put into a deposit protection scheme. Let them know that if they are not prepared to do this, the pressure will carry on and increase.

Jabbar Mohammed, Central Estate Agency
Tel: 0117 9892150
Fax: 0117 9421882
Email: jabbar@ceahomes.co.uk

Ernie Biela, slum landlord
Tel: 07917570624
Email: ernie.biela1@btinternet.com

Please take a bit of time to show solidarity with a long suffering family and let the landlord and CEA know that their business will not go smoothly if they continue to avoid questions about the family’s deposit. Ring Ring! Do the right thing!

More background information on this fight for decent housing and against this greedy, lying landlord and his agents can be found in the post below…

Have you had a bad experience as a disabled person on Bristol taxis or buses? We’ve started a tumblr to record these experiences and start a campaign, holding the council and companies to account – both council and companies currently place all the blame solely on drivers, and dole out punishment, rather than making changes to  improve the accessibility of public transport. Do get in touch with your stories, or if you want to get involved with the campaign:

http://bristolaccessibletravel.tumblr.com/

We’re back to meeting fortnightly. Next meetings are 4th and 18th November, 7.30pm at Kebele.

We seem to be having a bit of a quiet period at the moment, so are going to ease up on the frequency of meetings for the time being. As such, there is no meeting on Tuesday 26th August. Next meeting is Tuesday 2nd Sept, 7.30pm at Kebele. 

So, how about this for a good example of winning with mimimum effort?! Now we know not all wins will be this easy but… winning without fighting is an important principle and aspiration of any good martial art. So when we heard this from a supporter of Bristol Solidarity Network we felt sure we are on the right path!

Management at Churchill Contract Services were refusing to pay £320 holiday pay owed to one of their workers. The worker’s texts and calls were met with a wall of silence until… he let management know that he would be seeking help from and unleashing the forces of Bristol Solidarity Network. This seemed to do the trick and they were straight on the phone offering payment, presumably after having done a bit of homework and deciding that an impending embarrassing and costly campaign against them was not worth the trouble – or £320. Job done. We send our congratulations and solidarity to the worker and a big thumbs up for not allowing himself to be walked over by greedy bosses. We also look forward to our name becoming a household name, bogeyman style, for bosses and landlords everywhere in Bristol.

Our meetings are once every fortnight, 7.30pm and Kebele Community Centre in Easton.

Next meetings are on the following dates:

• 1st July;
• 15th July;
• 29th July;
• 12th August;
• 26th August.

We would like to share a message from our friends at Dignity for Asylum Seekers, Bristol:

One of our dear friends was detained this morning. We are very shocked and worried for his safety and wellbeing. We are having a meeting this evening (thursday 5th) at 7pm – Easton Community Centre to organise:

legal support
campaigning
emotional and practical support for him

If you want to help with one of these three things to help get him out of detention please come.

You can read more about the Dignity for Asylum Seekers group on their website, http://asylumseekersinbristol.blogspot.co.uk/.

Just a heads up for a campaign being run at the moment by another community organising group, ACORN Bristol. Their Easton group is fighting against agency fees and insecure tenancies for rented properties in the area. Their stated aims are:

1. Eliminate tenancy fees.
2. Stop monthly rolling contracts for renters.
3. Have letting agents and landlords give tenants the option for 3/5 year tenancies.

Take a look at the campaign page – http://www.acornbristol.org.uk/easton_says_no_to_fees_and_insecure_renting – for further details and to contact them if you want to get involved.