The Union Learning Fund (ULF) is a crucial program which provides access to education for workers. But a recent move from the government to revoke its £12 million budget means the future of union…Read more…
Local lockdowns require local furlough schemes
The government needs to move swiftly to safeguard jobs in areas facing stricter local lockdowns.Read more…
GDP recovery takes a set back
New figures released today showed the pace of the recovery slowing into August, just as more local lockdowns and further restrictions seem likely.
Eat out to Help out in August has exaggerated…Read more…
How to resist the ‘resilience’ narrative – and organise for less stressful work
If we want to combat harmful work-related stress, we need to start by changing work, not ourselves.Read more…
What can we do about Amazon’s treatment of its workers?
If Amazon will not do better for its workers, then unions and governments at all levels must work together to make sure they do.Read more…
The Equality Act – more needs to be done
The Equality Act can protect people’s livelihoods and their health. We must work to ensure it is properly implemented, improved and enforced.Read more…
Black History Month: Let’s choose joy
I think we can all agree that 2020 has been quite a year. The Covid crisis has shown us more clearly than ever that, even if we’re all in the same sea, some of us are in very different boats. And…Read more…
Learning Welsh at work: proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks
All my adult life I’ve made excuses about why I didn’t speak Welsh like “I didn’t learn it in school” or “my family didn’t speak Welsh”. I was embarrassed every time I was asked. But the truth was…Read more…
The new job scheme is important – but ministers will need to do far more
The short-time working scheme announced by Rishi Sunak is an important step. But let’s be clear: it’s just one piece in the jigsaw of support we need.Read more…
To tackle unemployment, we urgently need a ‘right to retrain’.
Adult skills spending has fallen off a cliff during the last decade. We need an expansive retraining programme that will support unemployed people to get the skills they need to return to employment.Read more…
Short-time working scheme – a win for unions.
Workers at firms hard hit by the coronavirus lockdown are to continue to get wage subsidies, after the government bowed to pressure from trade unions and others.Read more…
Employment tribunals need resources, not a sticking plaster
The government has announced a mixed bag of reforms to the creaking tribunal system, but only significant investment will ensure working people receive timely access to justice.Read more…
Social care is not fit for purpose – here’s how to fix it
TUC analysis shows that the social care system is not working. Here’s how we can transform it.Read more…
Why we need an increase in statutory sick pay
Current rates of statutory sick pay leave many workers facing an impossible choice between going to work ill or falling into debt. This needs to change.Read more…
GDP rebound continues but very mixed story by industry
GDP shows the economy continuing to come back as the lockdown was eased, but many industries still with massive ground to make up, and danger ahead as the furlough scheme ends.Read more…
A public sector jobs drive can stop mass unemployment and power an economic recovery
Creating public sector jobs could pave the way to economic recovery and prevent mass unemployment.Read more…
The government must give key workers a pay rise and tackle insecure work
Through the minimum wage and public sector pay awards the government controls the pay of more than six million key workers. They must give them a pay rise.Read more…
An unemployment crisis is coming. The government must act now to prevent it
With a big drop in employment since the start of the pandemic, the government must do more to avert an unemployment crisis later this year.Read more…
Trade unions – bringing people together
I’ve written previously about the impact of coronavirus on the BME community, anti-Semitism, and anti-Chinese racism. This week I’m looking at something a lot more positive – the role of trade unions…Read more…
We need a new plan to build on the Job Retention Scheme
Unions helped pave the way for the Job Retention Scheme. Now a new scheme is needed to help upskill workers and protect jobs.Read more…