The government hailed employment figures published yesterday (February 17) that showed the jobless rate hit an all-time low of 5.1 per cent. “At a time when we are seeing the number of…Read more…
TUC warns workers won’t vote for lopsided EU deal
Morning Star WORKERS won’t vote to stay in an EU weighted even further in favour of big business, TUC leader Frances O’Grady warned Brussels bosses last night. Ms O’Grady met with European…Read more…
The Trade Union Bill criticism keeps on coming
When even the person the government charged with reviewing industrial action has so much criticism for the Trade Union Bill – surely they must realise they have gone too far?
The article The Trade…Read more…
The Big Unison Prize Draw
Your chance to win big and make Unison stronger!! For your chance to win, all you need to do is make sure Unison has up to date contact details for you. If you we can easily contact you we can … Continue reading →Read more…
UNISON comments on figures on ‘never events’ in the NHS
Commenting on the latest figures showing the scale of never events in the NHS, UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said: “Never events really should never happen and it is hard to imagine the…Read more…
One in three commuter trains delayed
According to a survey published by Which? today, one in three commuter trains are delayed, and 7% of the 7,000 respondents were delayed by 30 minutes or more. Arriva Trains Wales came out worst with 31% of passengers being delayed. This was despite receiving around £331m in net subsidies from the…Read more…
We can’t allow the Tories to arrogantly flout international law
18 February 2016
By Carolyn Jones, Director, Institute of Employment Rights
It’s official! The Trade Union Bill currently being rushed through Parliament by the Conservative Government is in…Read more…
Extending the “Right to Buy” to Housing Associations and “Pay to Stay”.
“Pay to Stay” seems to be finally making the news. This is the speech I made at the UNISON London regional AGM this month, while moving my branches motion on this and “Right to buy”. The motion was passed unanimously and will go to the UNISON national …Read more…
Turning rage into hope: Reflections on brief time in two radical spaces
Colleagues,
I felt the need to get some thoughts onto paper – or least an electronic variant – as I transited between two different, but overlapping labour/social movement educational fora over the weekend. These were (and are), I argue, radical …Read more…
Smurfit Kappa Accused Of Union Busting In Poland
The giant multinational packaging corporation Smurfit Kappa is being accused of ‘blatant union busting’ by the global union confederation Union Network International (to which Unite in…Read more…
TUC General Secretary to meet European Commission President ahead of EU summit
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady will today (Wednesday) meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to warn that strengthening EU protections for workers and creating more decent jobs…Read more…
Anti-Union move rebuffed by Spanish acquittal in Malaga court
To strike is no crime – we will not be silenced…Read more…
‘This cannot be the future of Northern Ireland’
Northern Ireland’s manufacturing workforce was dealt another blow as aerospace firm Bombardier announced today (February 17) that more than 1,000 jobs would be axed in its Northern Ireland operation,…Read more…
A new approach to mental health
Mental health services have received some welcome media attention recently. If acute hospital services were this limited there would be a major public outcry – so why do we accept second best for…Read more…
The issues facing us have never been bigger
“We need to put in place measures not just to stop this government but to grow and strengthen our union,” Dave Prentis tells executive meeting
The article The issues facing us have never been bigger…Read more…
Kill the Bill and beyond – NUT Mander Hall 11th February 2016
17 February 2016
On 11 February 2016, the IER, Campaign for Trade Union Freedom, People’s Assembly, Class and the Trade Union Coordinating Group held their second joint rally, bringing together…Read more…
Returning to the subject…
UNISON President Wendy Nichols addressed the elephant (not) in the room at the start of today’s meeting of the UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) (of which, more later) when she reported that UNISON is still waiting for the report from the Returning Officer appointed in relation to the…Read more…
Construction future at risk
Serious questions have been raised about the future of training in the construction industry, already plagued with skills’ shortages, as the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is set to axe…Read more…
Now a lost eleven years on pay, never before known in history
Real earnings grew in 2015 by 2.5%, a positive figure for the first time since 2007. I.e. 2015 was the first year when pay growth outstripped inflation in 8 years.* But there is a long way to go: real earnings still stand 5¾% below the 2007 peak. Projecting forwards using the official forecasts for…Read more…
Proof council cuts hit poorest areas hardest
Hat tip Ravi. “In recent days there has been a storm about the recently announced 2016/17 local government grant settlement from central government. The creation of a new £300m relief fund will mainly be used to help Tory-run councils, like David Cameron’s Oxordshire County Council, with…Read more…