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Failure of ‘austerity’
Interesting to see that David Renard has signed a joint letter to the Observer with other Council leaders from all three main parties. It’s a shot across the bows of George Osborne in the run up to the autumn statement. It says that “further reductions (in local government funding) without…Read more…
The invisible role of trade unions in the fight against slavery
On Saturday the Home Office released a new strategy for combating modern slavery or forced labour in Britain and abroad. We’re still digesting it, because, surprisingly, we weren’t…
Modern Slavery: Traditional Remedies
Colleagues,
We are approaching the last wretched gasps of the Coalition government, so it is no wonder then that much of the most urgent legislative reform is tabled at the end of a Parliamentary period, only after the ConDems have placed own prioriti…Read more…
The Labour movement and the future of local government
http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2014/nov/30/letters-council-leaders-across-spectrum-plead-no-more-cuts
After a very relaxing week away I return to prophecies of doom from the political leaders of English local government.
Having made savings of 40% in this Parliament, our leaders say that…
Recovery bypassing workers in low-paid Britain
The LRD’s annual earnings survey finds that average earnings growth is on the floor with little improvement in pay settlements over the past 12 months: ‘Since the 2008-09 recession, the UK has…
Plight of a migrant worker by Khalid Hameed
wake up in the morning
head out to look
for work
stand in the corner of
the street
waiting for cars passing by
to pick you up
and take you to veg
gardens
as a day labor,
I am that forgiven…
Osborne’s “pointless machismo”
With the Chancellor’s autumn statement due next week, advance notice has been given of yet another political trick designed to put Labour on the spot. Osborne is proposing to introduce a law which will make it an obligation of the next government to end the ‘structural deficit’ by…Read more…
Swaziland’s Marikana in the making?
Striking Swazi miners have retreated to a nearby hill in protest at the way they are being treated by their employer and the Swazi police, in a worrying echo of what happened ahead of the infamous…
Join the Pension Scheme Revolt against Executive Greed at BG Group
I have just contacted my own pension schemes and asked them to ensure that our fund managers
are instructed to vote against BG Group paying its CEO up to £25 million.
If you agree then Click on the ShareAction links below to contact your own funds. It takes two minutes and all you need is the…
These Czechs “worked” in the UK for less than four years. No benefits for them?
Great tweet by Tomas Prouza the Czech State Secretary for European Affairs in response to our Tory Prime Minster latest pandering to racists
The vast majority of EU citizens who come to this country come to work and are not interested in claiming bene…
A Living wage for all Newham Council workers?
At the last meeting earlier this month of the Regeneration and Employment Scrutiny Commission, Councillors considered a “Living Wage” for all Newham Council workers.
We had a presentation by Emmanuel Gotora and Paul Regan from Newham citizens on behal…
Striking workers in Qatar find labour laws finally working – against them
If you ever needed proof of Qatar’s one-sided refereeing, this is it The reason “Play by the Rules” is one of our ‘Playfair Qatar’ campaign demands is that Qatar could make life better for its 1.5m…
Striking workers in Qatar find labour laws finally working – against them
If you ever needed proof of Qatar’s one-sided refereeing, this is it The reason “Play by the Rules” is one of our ‘Playfair Qatar’ campaign demands is that Qatar could make life better for its 1.5m…
Our Future Free from Racism
It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be able to share some of my thoughts with you so early in my tenure as First Minister.
Scotland has just lived through the most extraordinary flowering of democracy…Read more…
Our Future Free from Racism
The STUC’s St Andrew’s Day March is an opportunity for the labour movement to look back at what we have achieved in the fight for racial equality here in Scotland.
Through big struggles we’ve…Read more…
Combatting human trafficking – without the unions?
A version of this article appears today on Equal Times, a global news, opinion and campaign website about work, politics, the economy, development and the environment which is supported by the 175…Read more…
ESG – where are the workers?
There’s an interesting PRI report just published on investor engagement on public policy. It is worth a read. But I thought I’d carry out a little experiment to see the relative emphasis put on different issues as measured by mentions.
Here’s the scor…
Football Supporters’ Federation joins campaign
Our friends at the FSF have now publicly joined the campaign, and hosted this blog on their site. Qatar 2022 has sparked a building frenzy in the world’s richest country with an estimated 1,100…Read more…
SOUTH WEST TRAINS SECTION OF THE RAILWAYS PENSION SCHEME – 2013 ACTUARIAL VALUATION
My Ref: MRP 1/8/24 28th November 2014 Circular Num: NP/254/14To: The Secretary All Branches & Regional Councils Dear Colleagues, SOUTH WEST TRAINS SECTION…