The party now managing the homes, some of which are housing asylum seekers & families fleeing domestic abuse has close to zero online presence, refused to say anything about their activities/services and is registered to a London address that 20k other companies also call ‘home’.

Nothing illegal here btw – just an illustration of the power landlords have in a city where the rental market has been out of control for years.

Temporary accommodation now providing an even more lucrative option for some.

Have a read and please get in touch in confidence if you would like to discuss these or linked issues: alex.turner@tutamail.com

thebristolcable.org/2025/05/how-...

Soon after that, the inquiry was set up which has now concluded there has been widespread inadequate practice around how members are represented.

This story only scratches the surface of that – & am hearing that other unions are similarly failing to represent members in discrimination cases.

They also attended a meeting in 2022 at which a senior Black union activist confronted solicitors saying their practices were offering a 'get out of jail card' to employers in race cases by steering members towards accepting settlements.

'Evidence is swept under the carpet & never comes out.'

A complaint not looked into for months.

A promise to file paperwork to a deadline that was not kept.

A solicitor who pushed back on claims based on an interview that didn't happen & said an opposing white witness was 'well-versed in racism' cos a person of colour had married into their family.

The men in Bristol represented themselves in court after their relationship with the union & its solicitors completely broke down.

While it's clear some reps put time, energy & skill into their claims, at other times they were let down having already been comprehensively failed by their employer.

The inquiry heard from members who had been told their cases lacked merit – yet went on to 'win and/or settle their claim for a significant amount, having had to go through the tribunal process without legal or union support'.

'In some cases it appeared solicitors assessing the merit of cases did not have sufficient or appropriate expertise and/or an understanding of race discrimination claims & the issues facing Black members in the workplace,' the report said.

A national Unison inquiry, being discussed this weekend, has found ‘compelling evidence’ Black members facing race discrimination have been ‘inadequately’ represented by the union and its solicitors.

'In some cases, this had a serious, long-lasting impact on members’ mental health and wellbeing.'

Dried mango or berries usually

You can find out more about the Thriving Avon Charter that Becca & friends at Conham Bathing have put together here www.conhambathing.co.uk/thriving-avo...

👆🏼if you're in either of those two camps, do give us a shout here
membership.thebristolcable.org/callouts/how...

And speaking of that controversy over the first scheme, my colleague Matty Edwards has been speaking to residents seriously pissed off by traffic jams the new restrictions have caused – and others who say they're already having a positive impact

thebristolcable.org/2024/11/traf...