As the dust settles on coalition and other arrangements across Scotland’s 32 hung (or balanced if you prefer) councils, now is good time to look at how councils will operate in this…Read more…
Qualifications about qualifications?
My only contribution this morning at my penultimate meeting of UNISON’s National Executive Council (NEC) was to ask an innocent little question about whether or not the idea of an NEC policy of “support with qualifications” on Conference motions may have had its day.
This led to a lengthy debate…Read more…
Bin strike over jobs slash
Refuse workers at Birmingham city council are set to strike as the council swings the axe on 122 waste collection jobs amid claims of ‘a bullying culture’ and financial incompetence. The…Read more…
Building a national housing consensus and homes for all
We need to restore direct investment and subsidy for public housing
The article Building a national housing consensus and homes for all first appeared on the UNISON National site.Read more…
UNISON vows to campaign on child marriage
National conference calls on ILO to count girls in forced childhood marriage as child labour
The article UNISON vows to campaign on child marriage first appeared on the UNISON National site.Read more…
A ‘bad deal’ Brexit?
Despite being forced to exclude most of her manifesto policies from the Queen’s Speech, beleaguered Theresa May made sure her plans for a hard Brexit that will take the UK out of the EU’s single…Read more…
Report on pay outlook published as wages squeeze continues to bite
Britain’s getting a pay cut There is a real and present danger that inflation will continue to increase faster than earnings this year. The latest figures show average weekly earnings growing at a modest 2.1%, whilst CPI inflation has increased to 2.9% and RPI to 3.7%. In short, Britain is getting…Read more…
Constantly on call: Life in insecure work
To their advocates, zero hours contracts offer flexibility for both the employer and employee. But such a simple summary strips away the human aspects and power dynamics that make insecure work so stressful for the employee. Hundreds of people employed…Read more…
Grenfell Tower Fire – London Hazards Centre
Hat tip Phil Lewis Chair of London Hazards & in today’s UNISON NDC regional newsletter “London Calling”.
“Here is some information I was able to get hold of
2009 – Lakanal House tower block catches fire killing 6 people. The local authority is prosecuted for lapses in fire safety. A review is…Read more…
Grenfell exposes the true face of deregulation
I think it is important that we do not rush to conclusions over the catastrophic fire at Grenfell Tower that has killed so many people in West London. The priority must be supporting residents who…Read more…
Grenfell exposes the true face of deregulation
I think it is important that we do not rush to conclusions over the catastrophic fire at Grenfell Tower that has killed so many people in West London. The priority must be supporting residents who…Read more…
Staff at London school to strike
NUT staff at London school to strike outside DfE Jess Staufenberg 1 Teachers and parents are set to strike on a picket line outside the Department for Education’s (DfE) London offices this morning in…Read more…
Saving Coventry City
Unite Community Coventry and Warwickshire branch members have thrown their weight behind a campaign to rescue the beleaguered Coventry City Football Club (FC). The branch has organised the…Read more…
‘Sooner the better’
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey on the Queen’s speech: “The Tories had a chance today to show that they understand the issues of this country – growing poverty, insecurity,…Read more…
‘Proper’ pay rise call
Unite members employed by the private contractor Serco, working at Barts Health NHS Trust, have overwhelmingly voted to strike for a proper pay rise. A massive 99 nine per cent of workers that…Read more…
Stripped down plans
Shambolic Theresa May was forced to ditch huge chucks of her manifesto from the Queen’s Speech today. The blundering Prime Minister had to present a stripped-down plan for the next two…Read more…
Where’s the hope, Theresa?
It was an opportunity for Theresa May and her discredited government to heed the voice of millions who voted for a change of direction by ditching failing austerity for a brighter future. …Read more…
Champions campaign helping to turn the tide against austerity
UNISON will continue to ‘harness members voices from the frontline’ in its campaigning
The article Champions campaign helping to turn the tide against austerity first appeared on the UNISON National…Read more…
Failed again
Since the General Election, June 8, 2017, it has become increasingly evident that the Prime Minister, Theresa May, not only lost her majority she lost her authority to govern. She believed her…Read more…
The Queen’s Speech has ignored the nation’s concerns, says UNISON
Commenting on today’s Queen’s Speech, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Ministers are living in a parallel universe. Years of harsh spending cuts have caused huge damage to public services…Read more…