Unite has warned today (September 6) that its members employed on the Norwegian airline baggage handling contract, will not accept ‘burgers instead of bucks’ in a pay dispute. The workers are…Read more…
‘Completely unacceptable’
Unite members at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant are holding a ballot for strike action over a ‘completely unacceptable’ 1.5 per cent pay offer that has been imposed by management. …Read more…
Hellawell out call
Almost half of Sports Direct shareholders voted to oust controversial chairman Keith Hellawell over failures to improve working conditions, as Unite carried out nationwide protests yesterday…Read more…
Struggling workers are skipping meals to make ends meet
Imagine you get home from work today and something’s broken. It doesn’t really matter what it is. Something’s up with the car, or the fridge isn’t actually keeping anything cold, or maybe the ceiling’s leaking. Regardless, something needs sorting and it’s going to cost you £500. Do you reckon you’d…Read more…
UNISON welcomes government’s U-turn on selling off NHS Professionals
Commenting on the news that the government has backtracked over the selling off of NHS Professionals, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “The government has at last seen sense. NHS Professionals…Read more…
Sports Direct chairman scrapes through
Today was the Sports Direct AGM and, once again, chairman Keith Hellawell was in the firing line. He had previously said he would stand down if he failed to get the support of a majority of independent shareholders.
Ahead of the AGM Unite has flagged …Read more…
Against predetermination, trivialisation etc
I enjoyed this book recently. I won’t attempt to summarise any of it, but here are a couple of the many bits that I liked. May post up some more.
Bauman:
We are not predetermined. Nothing of what we do is inevitable and inescapable, lacking an alterna…Read more…
Michael’s story: Work, pay and childcare.
Michael is a shift worker on minimum wage trying to care for his wife and kids. “”work to live not survive”. Hat tip TUCRead more…
Government programme and a chinese meal
While the Scottish Government’s programme for 2017-18 has some very welcome elements, it also feels a bit like a chinese meal. Satisfying as it goes down, but leaves you wanting more later.
The most…Read more…
‘There’s a tide turning’
From the House of Commons – where Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn raised the plight of low-paid, insecure workers at PMQs – to the streets of London to the sports retailer’s warehouse in Shirebrook and…Read more…
‘Enough is enough’
Emoji themed Sports Direct protests took place today (September 6) across Sports Direct stores in London, Glasgow, Newcastle and the Sports Direct annual general meeting at Shirebrook to protest…Read more…
Three things UNISON members can do about climate change today/this weekend! #ScotPfG
You may have
spotted some good news about climate action in yesterday’s Programme for
Government, including action on phasing out new fossil fuel cars, investment in
active travel, drink deposit schemes and low carbon infrastructure. (UNISON
briefing here).
We particularly
welcome news of the Just Transition Commission, although we still need to hear
the details of it and some otherRead more…
Ashley’s year of broken vows
Today (September 6) members of Unite Scotland’s Community Branch made their voices heard as part of Unite’s national protest against Sports Direct and the broken promises of its controversial owner,…Read more…
Sports Direct: What’s changed?
Unite Community North Derbyshire branch chair, Val Graham, has attended Sports Direct’s AGM for the last three years. Speaking after the shareholder meeting, she said, “When Unite…Read more…
All public sector employees need a decent pay rise, says UNISON
Midwives, healthcare assistants and hospital porters who belong to UNISON are joining their nursing colleagues demonstrating in Parliament Square today (Wednesday) over the government’s refusal…Read more…
Are we heading for a nurse and midwife crisis?
The media is full of reports that we are in, or heading towards, a nursing crisis. That is to say, a huge shortage of them. But are we really? We dive into the data to find out.
The article Are we…Read more…
Sports Direct: ‘Workers satisfied’ – apparently
UNITElive reports live from inside the AGM: 10.54 Unite will be tweeting from inside the #SportsDirect AGM where board members will face questions over the treatment of staff. 10.59…Read more…
Science after #Brexit needs action, not just aspiration
Fifteen months on from the EU referendum, the government will today set out its aspiration to continue contributing to EU science programmes. As the entire STEM community has repeatedly asked for clarity of direction, we can all be pleased about this. …Read more…
#Justice4Edson – Family Campaign Launch Thursday 7 September
Hat tip Rokhsana – “Friends please share widely & come!#Justice4Edson Family Campaign launch this coming Thursday 7th Sept in Forest Gate. Speakers to be announced in the next couple of days.
Plus an account of what happened from … Ob…Read more…
Why the new world of pension freedom won’t solve the old problem of retirement income
There’s been a lot of talk about the ‘new world’ of pension freedom. But there’s nothing novel about what people need when they retire. Most require an income to replace their wage, just as they always have. So-called pensions freedom is one of ex-Chancellor George Osborne’s great gifts to the…Read more…