I’ve been narrowly re-elected to UNISON’s National Executive Council, with 51.8% of the vote (but on a turnout of just 6.2%).
I’ll comment further on the election results later. For now I offer my congratulations to all other successful candidates.
The derisory turnout in a ballot which the law…Read more…
#EUReferendum: Business for Britain’s longest blackmail letter in history
The eurosceptic Business for Britain campaign – not to be confused with the pro-European Business for New Europe campaign – this week issued what you might call ‘the longest blackmail letter’ in history to Prime Minister David Cameron. But they have done us a great service…Read more…
West Hammers with John Biggs and Sadiq Khan MP campaigning for a Tower Hamlets Labour Mayor in Isle of Dogs
This afternoon we meet up outside Crossharbour station in the Isle of Dogs. It was a large turnout from all over London. Sadiq and John said a few words to rally the troops then we were sent off to various parts of the Island, mostly to deliver leaflet…Read more…
1200 dead so far & 7 years to go? Qatar: The human toll of FIFA’s corruption
Shocking chart and story from Washington Post. Hat tip TUC Risks. People quite rightly go on about the corruption and money but what about this waste of human life? Support the TUC “Play fair” campaign.
“The Washington Post has flipped the focus from the financial corruption gripping football’s…Read more…
Get off the fence Harriet – Labour should reject the theft of ‘social housing’
At the recent Prime Minister’s Question Time David Cameron goaded interim Labour Leader Harriet Harman on Labour’s attitude to the extension of ‘right to buy’ to Housing Associations. Did Labour agree with it? She failed to answer, repeatedly. Why? Her failure to respond…Read more…
Global union network formed to fight back at Huhtamäki
Unions from paper products plants owned by the Finnish multi-national Huhtamäki met in Helsinki recently to establish a global trade union network. They also slammed the behaviour of the company…Read more…
West Hammers out campaigning for John Biggs as Mayor in Devons Road with Diane Abbot MP
Picture collage from this afternoon’s canvass and leaflet in Devons Road, Tower Hamlets. I was given a board to run and went with a team of West Hammers, which was joined by Diane Abbot MP and the shy and retiring Bill Turner, formerly from Tower Hamle…Read more…
Stop a £43m fat cat pay deal – Tell your pension fund to say NO to Martin Sorrell rip off at WPP
“Dear John, the FTSE fat cats are at it again. Advertising and marketing company WPP wants to pay its boss, Sir Martin Sorrell, £43m this year. That’s 2378 times what you’d earn on the London Living Wage.
Last November, you emailed your pension fund about a high pay deal at BG Group – and it…Read more…
Bonn blog #2: UK performance at UN climate talks and the future of just transition
I’ve been at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference in Bonn this week, where 195 countries are negotiating the international climate treaty that will be debated at COP21 climate talks in Paris in December. This blog describes my initial thoughts on the process, as someone…Read more…
Giving social care the priority it deserves
The social care crisis in Scotland is not given the priority it deserves, but there is a growing consensus about what needs to be done.
I was speaking at the Care Scotland, care at home conference…Read more…
Tata steel workers vote for strike action over ‘work till you drop’ pension plans
Members of Britain’s largest union, Unite, working for Tata Steel UK Ltd have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action over the company’s plans to close the British Steel pension scheme (BSPS) and…Read more…
Defend our right to strike
Tory proposals in the Trade Union Bill to impose new industrial action ballot thresholds for turnout (50%) and support (in ‘essential services’ 40% of all balloted) ‘would make almost all strikes…Read more…
Power Trio by Vincent P Richardson
A Statesman
once a revolutionary became a politician matures
retires.
A Politician
once a revolutionary aspires
retires.
A Revolutionary
never retires.Read more…
Last weekend to get a Labour Mayor for Tower Hamlets
“Please come and join London Mayor candidates Diane Abbot MP and Sadiq Khan MP help John Biggs become the Labour Mayor of Tower Hamlets.
Saturday with Diane Abbot, Devons Road DLR at 2pm
We’ll meet at 1.30pm at Stratford stati…Read more…
Tata Steel: Members vote
Unite members working for Tata Steel UK Ltd have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action over the company’s plans to close the British Steel pension scheme (BSPS) and make employees work five more…Read more…
The UK rich quiz: How much do you know?
Despite the UK having one of the biggest economies in the world, wealth inequality between the rich and poor is rapidly growing. If you’re part of the 99% not in the UK’s rich club then…Read more…
Tip of the iceberg
The newly elected Tory government has wasted no time in implementing its latest dose of austerity, with chancellor George Osborne putting forward £3bn in spending cuts yesterday (June 4), which are…Read more…
Fight the power; Reclaim your lunch hour!
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Bonn blog #1: UN hooks Just Transition at #SB42
In Bonn this week, where the UN is labouring through an 86-page draft climate treaty, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has welcomed the return of three clear commitments in the draft text to just transition and decent work. Labour’s three “hooks” re-appeared in the UN draft treaty as…Read more…
Fighting back
Unite hosted a press conference for the People’s Assembly to highlight the anti austerity demonstration being held on June 20. You can watch the full press conference below: Unite…Read more…