On the 20-22 April the STUC Congress will be meeting in Ayr. The theme of this year’s Congress is Decent Work and Dignified Lives. In the run up to Congress this blog will host a series of articles…Read more…
Zero inflation and still reducing core inflation. To repeat: deflationary pressures are not just about fuel
For once CPI inflation was in line with market expectations, remaining at zero per cent for the second month in a row. But this unchanged reading simply followed because fuel prices were not as low in March as they were in February, falling by -13.7 per cent on the year rather than -16.6 per…Read more…
#IAmAnImmigrant – poster campaign launch
This is the speech Mohammed Taj gave to the launch in Congress House of the I Am An Immigrant poster campaign. Last year I became the first South Asian born President of the TUC and this year I am…Read more…
Keep it Co-op
The Co-op is not just another grey PLC with the usual disinterested shareholders. And those of us who love it don’t want it becoming just that. The Co-operative Group is owned by its members,…Read more…
Labour: tackling climate change ‘an economic necessity’
Labour’s manifesto says tackling climate change is “an economic necessity … the most important thing we must do for our children, our grandchildren and future generations.” It plans for the green economy create a million additional green jobs through world leading investment in low carbon…Read more…
Rethink policies now plea
New research from the Nevin economic research institute (NERI) has confirmed the need for urgent action from the NI Executive parties. The research shows that Northern Ireland’s…Read more…
Ukip: Frauds NOT Friends
See below Unite’s latest film: Ukip: Frauds NOT Friends. TV and Radio presenter Terry Christian, a ‘middle aged white guy’ takes on Ukip. Terry says, “Instead of offering us a decent…Read more…
Tata pensions strike
Steel workers at Tata will be balloted for strike action in an attempt to save their pension scheme from being closed down by Tata Steel Europe. Steel unions today (Monday April 13) announced…Read more…
Launch of Scotland Against TTIP
Full version of article written by STUC Deputy General Secretary Dave Moxham for the Herald in advance of the launch of Scotland Against TTIP, 11th April.
The case made by the supporters of TTIP…Read more…
Attlee and Cameron may both have enjoyed no interest rate rise but there is one key difference: Attlee’s policies were successful
Yesterday the Bank of England left interest rates unchanged, generating a flurry of commentary on how rates have been unchanged for the whole parliament, and looking back to the Attlee government when rates were last unchanged over a parliament. For Ca…Read more…
Rocking the boat
The 19-month dispute at packaging company, Crown Packaging in Canada is set to rock the boat at the annual meeting of Carnival Cruise Lines in London on Tuesday (April 14). The United…Read more…
‘Resilient and steadfast’
A four day strike at corrugated packaging company Smurfit Kappa in Northampton will start next Friday (April 17) over the sacking of two senior stewards, both members of Unite. The four-day…Read more…
Decisive Labour lead
As the nasty party showed its true colours again yesterday, following a blatant ad hominem attack of Labour leader Ed Miliband, polls show that the public will always choose substance over theatrics….Read more…
Conservative rail fares pledge masks high costs of privatisation
The Conservative Party have pledged to freeze regulated rail fares for the next five years. What this announcement obscures is that even if capped at the level of inflation (what is meant by the term ‘freeze’), fares will still rise at wage-busting prices. At the same time our heavily…Read more…
Use your voice
Get your voice heard on May 7. Go and vote! Sue Johnston, Ricky Tomlinson and others share their stories to inspire all of us to use our voice and vote in the video below. And…Read more…
Construction and production output suggest a slower start to 2015
Today’s production and construction figures continue to suggest a loss of momentum into 2015. While manufacturing was up 0.4 per cent on the month, this did not fully compensate for a fall of -0.6 per cent in January; the more stable three month on three month change shows growth of only 0.1 per…Read more…
David Cameron’s 3 day boost for trade union organising
David Cameron is launching a new election policy today, giving everyone working in a firm over 250 employees and all public sector workers, the right to three days’ extra paid leave every year to do voluntary work. He has described the pledge, which covers half the UK workforce as the “clearest…Read more…
Coalition court threat to the poorest
While the poorest are put through the mincing machine of council tax arrears, the Tories want to keep tax loopholes for the wealthy. Three million of the poorest people in England have been…Read more…
Saving Our Safety Net Fact of the Week: local government cuts are hitting the poorest areas hardest
Back in 2010, the Spending Review announced that funding for local authorities, fire and police services would be cut by more than a quarter by April 2015. The same day, Eric Pickles wrote to local authority leaders, promising them Local finance reform…Read more…
Sham consultation
A public consultation on train service cuts in Northern Ireland has been called a sham by Unite, with Translink providing only 12 days for the public to respond, well below the typical 12 week…Read more…