There is growing evidence that the Isle of Wight is being singled out by Government. The factual base would be testimony enough to provide the means for a counter to the isolation and attack on its…Read more…
An attack we’ve seen off before
Trying to stop nurses, care workers, teaching assistants, hospital cleaners and town hall staff from paying their union subs directly from their wages is an attack we’ve defeated before and one which…Read more…
Isle of Wight Dairy Farmers Join Protest:
Isle of Wight dairy farmers clear supermarket shelves of milk. Isle of Wight dairy farmers have joined the national protests calling on supermarkets to pay a fair price for milk. They urge…Read more…
TUC to organise national demonstration during Conservative Party Conference
The TUC will organise a national demonstration in Manchester this autumn against the government’s austerity agenda and attacks on trade unions. It will take place on Sunday 4 October and will begin…Read more…
LGA legal advice on Pensions for Councillors
The Local Government Association has publised guidence obtained from Eversheds solicitors on “Powers of Councils to Pay Pensions to Elected Members”.
The summary of this advice (copied below) is in its latest newsletter which can be found here. &…Read more…
Dr Arieh Yaari, 1918-2005
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of Dr Arieh Yaari — socialist, Zionist and fighter for peace. I first met Arieh in January 1981 when I arrived at Kibbutz Ein Dor as a new…Read more…
London Loop Walk Section 5: Hamsey Green to Benstead Downs
Off message but another marvellous 10 mile loop walk from last Saturday. Hamsey Green is not easy to get to from East London. Train it to East Croydon then 10 minute walk to 403 bus to Hamsey Green. Used “The London Loop” guide book.
Weather was…Read more…
The Real World Meets the Gig Economy
Colleagues,
Apologies for such a long delay between this post and my last – reporting on another great CWU BME Leadership Weekend – but I have been away teaching a tremendous amount, with little time to reflect and write. (Al…Read more…
Jeremy Corbyn’s Bid for the Labour Party Leadership
The fact that Jeremy Corbyn is standing in the election for the post of leader of the Labour Party has captured the imagination. This is because he clearly stands for an anti-austerity programme,…Read more…
Reduction in the Working Week – Guards/Commercial Guards – South West Trains
To All Branches, Regional Offices & Regional Councils Circular No IR.191/15 Our Ref: BR2/000410th August 2015 Dear Colleagues Reduction in the Working Week – Guards/Commercial Guards – South West…Read more…
Could Spin Turn Flip to Flop?
WITH newspapers and right-wing Labourites desperately digging for something to derail the Jeremy Corbyn campaign, a figure has stepped from the shadows of the not-too-distant past to remind us they…Read more…
The Fair Work Agenda: Labour Leadership Contenders on Fair Work and Trade Unions
Check out this very useful report by Unions21 on where all the Labour Leadership candidates stand on Fair work and trade unions.
“The exam question Labour’s leadership candidates were posed for our new publication was set by the Unions21 steering committee: “Outline your views on fair…Read more…
Reduction in the Working Week – Guards/Commercial Guards – South West Trains
To All Branches, Regional Offices & Regional Councils Circular No IR.191/15 Our Ref: BR2/000410th August…Read more…
Ending right to buy “full stop”
“Tackling the Housing Crisis”, produced for Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign for the Labour leadership stands in stark contrast to New Labour’s housing policy. The document recognises the need for a large scale council house building programme to tackle the crisis. It’s a welcome…Read more…
4 October National March & Rally – programme confirmed
#4Oct British trade unions are facing a full frontal attack. Government spending on public services and the welfare state is being rolled back decades. It has never been more important for trade…Read more…
Memorial to 5 Beckenham Fire Fighters killed by Enemy Action in West Ham Ward
Last Saturday I posted on a London Loop walk here http://grayee.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/london-loop-walk-section-4-west-wickham.html in rural Croydon, South London.
I was astonished to later find out that a memorial in a Church grave yard in West Wickh…Read more…
The secret sanctions figures
The government is stopping payments to nearly three times as many jobseekers as their official figures suggest, according to new research by the Guardian newspaper. And the numbers being…Read more…
It just isn’t working
One of the present Tory government’s favourite mantras, that its “long-term economic plan” is “working”, is a classic example of effective propaganda – repeat it often enough and, in the minds of the…Read more…
How the exit payment cap will hit career public servants a long way from senior management…
Yesterday, I congratulateda colleaguefor highlighting the Government’s consultationon the “exit payment cap”. This has been presented as being about limiting excessive severance payments to public sector “fat cats” – with a ceiling on payments of £95,000.
However, because the “cap” will include the…Read more…
Stranger danger
It’s a busy Friday night in Leeds city centre and thousands of people are enjoying the myriad clubs, pubs and restaurants on offer. Most are here to enjoy a social evening with their…Read more…