(Warning: long post.) In his Autumn Statement speech the Chancellor claimed to be a modern day Robin Hood: In fact, the net contribution [to austerity] of the richest 20% will be larger than the remaining 80% put together – proving we are all in this together. This is similar to an argument you…Read more…
A cooperative approach to public services
Hat tip Co-operative Councillors newsletter. “This short animation outlines a vision for a new approach to engaging with communities and delivering services to meet their needs and aspirations. It calls attention to the limitations of top-down, Whit…Read more…
Lima blog #5: People at work on the frontline of change
Here at #COP20 in Lima, the UN’s current negotiating text ignores the realities of the world of work. Inexplicably, the UN has omitted previously agreed text on securing a Just Transition to a low carbon world. Today, the ITUC backed by trade unions from around the globe are calling a press…Read more…
UNISON lambasts council ‘bully-boy’ tactics as councillors threaten closure of mental health charity
UNISON has issued an urgent call to councillors to cease plans to cut a charity’s funding by 40 per cent without any prior consultation.
Councillors are expected to make their decision at a council meeting today (Thursday) based on a report that remains unseen by Glasgow Association for Mental Health.
The charity was notified late Tuesday evening that commissioners want to hold an urgentRead more…
A welfare state for corporations not the people
An extensive article and research by Kevin Farnsworth on the Renewal website examines the extent to which UK public policy is skewed in favour of private companies – placing business tax cuts,…Read more…
Why 40,000 lost council jobs may only be the tip of the iceberg
More than 40,000 jobs in Scottish local government are at risk over the next five years if austerity economics continue.
Today’s ‘The National’ newspaper carries a story quoting my estimate of the…Read more…
Cops on the Corporate Campus
STUDENTS occupying a building at Warwick University vowed on Monday that they would not leave quietly without a change of attitude from the authorities. They want apologies from the university and…Read more…
International Human Rights Day
“The UN General Assembly proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day in 1950, to bring to the attention ‘of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.
This year’s slogan, Human Rights 365,…Read more…
Not missing Amazon this Christmas
Like tens of thousands of others, I’m avoiding Amazon for Christmas with Amazon Anonymous. I got an email from them today, asking me to write to Amazon Customer services with my reasons. Here they…Read more…
e NEWS 10 December 2014
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What is TUPE?
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The missing full time employee jobs
Hardly a week goes by when we do not hear Ministers boasting about record employment levels. Yes, employment levels may be rising to record levels; however, this is a result of the rising numbers in the working population. The employment rate at 73% ha…Read more…
New evidence private firms are taking over more and more of our NHS
The British Medical Journal today published new evidence to show how privatisation of NHS services is continuing to intensify under this government. Using Freedom of Information requests to Clinical Commissioning Groups, they found that of 3,494 contra…Read more…
Cllr Seyi Akiwowo speech on diversity & heritage to Newham Council
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THE ROAD TO SERFDOM
15 December 2014
Below is a short blog by John Foster on a presentation given by Keith Ewing. The paper was initially presented in Dublin followed by an updated version in Paris. A copy of that…Read more…
Institute for Fiscal Shock Therapy
The past week’s debate sparked by the 2014 Autumn Statement has confirmed the marginalisation of trade unions from British current affairs. Even in the recent past the trade union response to…Read more…
Glencore: unions protest at mining multinational’s misdemeanours
This week Unite will be joined by representatives of the United Steelworkers from the USA who have been locked out by their company Sherwin Alumina, in Gregory, Texas. Their company is owned by…Read more…
The world needs a pay rise: Oxfam recognises the union role
Oxfam has today issued a guide for businesses on implementing living wages throughout their global supply chains, and it puts collective bargaining and trade unions centre stage. The paper is full of…Read more…
Upshire Walk & Site of Boadicea End Game?
Off message but went for a great country walk on Sunday around Upshire in Essex.
Check out the free Essex Walks website.
I thought that I knew the area quite well but this 5.5 mile walk was different and apart from the distant buzz of the M25 …Read more…
Lima Diary 4: Peru shows #COP20 the front lines of climate change
Here at COP20 in Lima, the union observer camp was mightily relieved to hear an EU delegate acknowledging their agreement with a key part of our own lobbying by saying: “We propose a reference to the social and employment dimension of the transition towards a low carbon society: the need for just…Read more…