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…
‘Hope finally on offer’
Liam McCafferty, postgraduate education officer for the University of East Anglia’s students union, is one of Unite’s newest members – he just signed up this week. McCafferty, 23, has been…Read more…
Dying for your iPhone: Another suicide at Foxconn factory in China
A 28-year old male worker at the Foxconn factory at Zhengzhou has committed suicide by jumping from a building.Read more…
Carney-age at the Bank
As the Bank of England dumped a data reservoir of cold water over Osborne’s claims of a ‘motoring’ economy and economic miracle, the Governor is spinning in no man’s land between the two views….Read more…
Chancellor’s dead hand on community energy schemes
George Osborne clearly intends to put a brake on community-led solar power schemes just at the point when they are cutting carbon, reducing green energy costs, creating jobs and winning public support. Unfortunately, his Treasury-led, austerity-led pla…Read more…
Victory for community action
Unite community member Paul Rooney, a Bromley resident and full-time carer of his severely disabled daughter, has been granted a stay of eviction today (August 7) after being mistakenly served with a…Read more…