This is my written report as a Newham Councillor to West Ham ward Labour Party branch which meets every month. The ward thought to save time they would prefer written reports from Cllrs of which they could then ask questions.
Councillor Report to W…Read more…
Syriza: The left should stop sniping at the victorious Greek left party and start emulating its success:
Syriza is Greek for hope The left should stop sniping at the victorious Greek left party and start emulating its success, writes Nick Matthews I was excited by the radical independence movement in…Read more…
Where main election parties stand on key issues – Info:
Manifesto watch: Where parties stand on key issues BBC Political parties are putting together their manifestos for May’s general election. Here’s a guide to where they currently stand on…Read more…
USW, Allies In Europe United In Fight For Safety At Oil Refineries
A delegation of striking oil refinery workers from the United Steelworkers (USW) will bring their campaign for a safer oil industry to Europe this week, meeting with allies from labor unions in the…Read more…
Speech: York and District branch
Thank you for the opportunity to address your meeting. Your branch plays an important and progressive role in our union. Long may it do so. Despite the spin from George Osborne and David Cameron,…Read more…
A qualified workforce – what was said
Alan Thomson is editor of InTuition magazine. The first seminar in ATL’s Developing collaborative expertise in the FE sector programme took place on 30 January 2015 at ATL’s offices in…Read more…
Someone else has to pay
Colleagues,
Just a quick post as I’m under the cosh at the moment, yet in one of those incredulous “just when you thought you’d heard it all phases” following the roll-out of Labour’s proposals on paternity leave/pay, and on hearing the sord…Read more…
Yes, leaders, it is worth appealing to a core green vote
More than a quarter (28%) of electors surveyed this January said, “I could not vote for this party if they did not have a strong policy on tackling climate change”, according to a new ComRes poll. Across the spectrum, the party climate “switchers” were 18% of Conservatives, 33% of Labour and 35% of…Read more…
Keir Hardie Centenary Year
Keir Hardie’s centenary year is an opportunity to remember the contribution he made to our movement and keep alive the ideas he championed.
“I am an agitator. My work has consisted of trying to stir…Read more…
Union Rights are Human Rights
This is me speaking last week at our UNISON London Regional Council AGM.
The motion was on “Union busting by UK public service providers” (see link for wording).
There a number of completely rogue and fascistic large UK Charities and Housing …Read more…
STUDY EXPLODES EU MYTH
A study by two academics has shown that the idea that most of our legislation comes from the EU is a complete myth and, far from producing too much legislation, the EU is only producing a small…Read more…
The UK has some of the most draconian strike laws in the world
The UK already has tough laws on strikes – there is no need to make them stricter stillRead more…
Irish MP and campaigners held in pre-dawn raids
PAUL MURPHY TD
IRISH Socialist member of parliament Paul Murphy was among four people arrested yesterday morning in connection with a demonstration against water charges, during which deputy prime…Read more…
Why not start from the people’s standpoint – that Healthcare is a Right?
How can it be said that a particular commentator, scrutinising the local NHS management is showing a complete lack of knowledge with relation to roles and responsibilities and a duty of care within…Read more…
A day with G Company 7 Rifles on Salisbury Plain
On Saturday I spent the day with 7 other Newham Councillors as the guests of G Company 7th Rifles Regiment, while they were training on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.
G Company is our local British Army reservist unit in Newham, based at Cedar barracks i…Read more…
UNISON Scotland & the General Election
Mike Kirby, Scottish Secretary: ‘During the election campaign we will strive to keep UNISON policies and objectives fore and centre of the political debate. UNISON priorities of an end to Tory austerity, fair employment and trade union rights, pay and public services… by challenging all political parties on what they will do for our people.’
Four months of potential political campaigning awayRead more…
TUC Economic Quarterly Report 6
This quarterly TUC report provides an analysis of UK economic and labour market developments over recent months, and includes a spotlight feature on the composition of current economic growth. Summary There is growing evidence that the recent revival in growth is flagging. Overall, the recovery…Read more…
Competition watchdog raises concerns over East Coast sell off
Government plans to sell off the successful and publicly owned East Coast main line to the private sector have run into problems after concerns were raised by the Competition and Markets Authority…Read more…
Staffing targets are the wrong approach for public service
Staffing targets are the wrong approach to public service reform. In the run up to the UK general election, political parties are tripping over themselves with commitments on the number of nurses,…Read more…
#Show the love… Ask First Minister to act on climate change
Love is in the air this week…love for everything that climate change threatens.
And Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) is asking us all to tell First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that we believe a new global climate deal must be agreed at United Nations talks in Paris in December this year.
In the new Show the Love campaign, members and supporters of SCCS members across Scotland, includingRead more…