Offshore trade unions have set a deadline of Friday, June 19 for employers in the Caterers Offshore Trade Association (COTA) agreement to return to negotiations over a pay deal for 2015/16. …Read more…
#EUReferendum: Business for Britain’s longest blackmail letter in history
The eurosceptic Business for Britain campaign – not to be confused with the pro-European Business for New Europe campaign – this week issued what you might call ‘the longest blackmail letter’ in history to Prime Minister David Cameron. But they have done us a great service…Read more…
Bonn blog #2: UK performance at UN climate talks and the future of just transition
I’ve been at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference in Bonn this week, where 195 countries are negotiating the international climate treaty that will be debated at COP21 climate talks in Paris in December. This blog describes my initial thoughts on the process, as someone…Read more…
Tata Steel: Members vote
Unite members working for Tata Steel UK Ltd have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action over the company’s plans to close the British Steel pension scheme (BSPS) and make employees work five more…Read more…
The UK rich quiz: How much do you know?
Despite the UK having one of the biggest economies in the world, wealth inequality between the rich and poor is rapidly growing. If you’re part of the 99% not in the UK’s rich club then…Read more…
Tip of the iceberg
The newly elected Tory government has wasted no time in implementing its latest dose of austerity, with chancellor George Osborne putting forward £3bn in spending cuts yesterday (June 4), which are…Read more…
Bonn blog #1: UN hooks Just Transition at #SB42
In Bonn this week, where the UN is labouring through an 86-page draft climate treaty, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has welcomed the return of three clear commitments in the draft text to just transition and decent work. Labour’s three “hooks” re-appeared in the UN draft treaty as…Read more…
Fighting back
Unite hosted a press conference for the People’s Assembly to highlight the anti austerity demonstration being held on June 20. You can watch the full press conference below: Unite…Read more…
The most unequal rich country in Northern Europe
Last month the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (the rich countries’ club) published In it Together: Why Less Inequality Benefits All. It develops the argument the OECD has been making for some time about the malign economic consequences of inequality, and presents evidence to…Read more…
Revulsion over poverty pay
Unite is set to ballot more than 3,000 members across Northern Ireland working in factories owned by poultry giant Moy Park. Management’s refusal to offer any pay increase has caused revulsion…Read more…
No to Royal Mail ‘fire sale’
Unite today (June 4) has warned against another Royal Mail ‘fire sale’ which would short-change taxpayers and deprive the Treasury of a steady stream of income over the long-term. The warning…Read more…
8 honest challenges for trade unions
Yesterday I put together 8 surprising facts about trade union membership. It’s been a really popular post, and it was based on the latest Office of National Statistics trade union report. I…Read more…
“I support my dad”
“I Support My Dad” explores how the 1984-85 miners’ strike affected the lives of children who were involved in the protest in North Staffordshire. Produced by Stoke-on-Trent based film company…Read more…
Investment better than paying off debt
A group of International Monetary Fund economists say some governments should spend more investing in public infrastructure and spend less time obsessing about running up higher levels of public…Read more…
Common cause
Ahead of what’s set to be the largest grassroots protest in a generation, Unite today (June 4) hosted a press conference for the People’s Assembly anti-austerity march to be held on June 20. …Read more…
New ORR figures reveal stealth fare increases amid soaring costs of privatisation
New figures released by the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) last week revealed that since privatisation took effect, ticket prices have skyrocketed, with much of the rise happening in unregulated fares – so-called ‘stealth increases’. Between 1995 and 2015 fares rose across all…Read more…
The OECD, the ‘B-minus economy’, the case for infrastructure spending and the UK
Yesterday the OECD set out their view of the global economy. They make a constructive and very strong case for borrowing to finance infrastructure spending. B-minus performance OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría awarded the OECD economic performance a B-minus “The global economy is projected to…Read more…
‘Markit’ concede increasing concerns on recovery following services PMI
Just ahead of the election the weakness in the GDP figures was greeted with some scepticism (see here). Earlier this week there were disappointing manufacturing figures from Markit, who compile ‘purchasing managers’ index’ measures of activity. Yesterday Markit issued service…Read more…
Theft on a global scale
Corporate tax dodging was front and centre in the most recent election campaign, with leaders on both sides of the political spectrum pledging to take action against tax dodgers. Many of us…Read more…
8 surprising facts about trade union membership
The Office of National Statistics collects data on trade union membership every year and they’ve just released their report. You can read it yourself here, but for those who don’t have…Read more…