Don’t let the Tory ‘schoolboy bullies’ get you too despondent – was Unite general secretary Len McCluskey’s message to a packed fringe meeting on the trade union Bill. The Institute of Employment…Read more…
Paying the price for industry’s failures
Unite EC member Jane Stewart spoke at the TUC conference today (September 14) in support of a motion highlighting the current issues members in the offshore oil and gas industry now face. …Read more…
‘Crucial component’ of the economy
Unite delegate Dai Bowyer spoke about the UK’s steel industry and what must be done to protect its future at the TUC conference today (Monday September 14). “Unite and Community are proud of our…Read more…
Culture change call
On Sunday (September 13), Unite conference delegate Jane Stewart spoke on positive consultation and employee engagement. She said that Unite supported the motion but had some reservations as…Read more…
TU Bill: down a slippery slope
The right to form and join trade unions has been protected in international law for a very long time. So has the right to protest. The most obvious legal provision is found in Article 11 of the…Read more…
‘Curious financial reasoning’
Tomorrow (September 15) Unite Community members will march to Bristol council to hand in a petition against the closure of beds for disabled children at a local respite centre. The petition…Read more…
‘A new kind of politics’
Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader with a mandate which dwarfs that given to Tony Blair 21 years ago is the most extraordinary event in the 45 years I have been a party member. To say it is a…Read more…
Support local newspapers call
Unite print worker Tom Murphy seconded an NUJ motion at the TUC conference yesterday (September 13), calling for support for local newspapers. In his speech, Murphy highlighted the need for…Read more…
We have collectively chosen to drive the car towards an increasingly unequal society
James Meadway, Chief Economist at the New Economics Foundation gives us his thoughts ahead of Tuesday’s TUC fringe ‘Will the current education system deliver skills for the workforce of…Read more…
Recovery? What recovery?
In the first speech of the conference, Unite AGS Gail Cartmail moved a motion on productivity and investment – calling for “good work in a fairer and stronger economy.” She said that despite…Read more…
Conference first!
Pictured is Unite AGS Gail Cartmail adding the final touches to her speech on productivity. Gail moved the conference’s first motion on behalf of Unite. Pic by Mark…Read more…
Giving hope to working people
Pictured is Unite general secretary Len McCluskey being interviewed by ITV news at this year’s annual TUC conference. The 147th Congress is being held in Brighton from today Sunday September…Read more…
‘Party of hope’
Welcoming the announcement today (September 12) that Jeremy Corbyn has been confirmed as the new Labour leader and Tom Watson as deputy leader, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey congratulated…Read more…
In this special week, the Queen might like to review her challenge to the economics profession
My personal highlight of the Her Majesty’s now unprecedented reign was the celebrated visit to the London School of Economics on 6 November 2008. So let’s commemorate the occasion by reproducing Hello magazine’s (yep!) account of the event. The visit came at the absolute epicentre of the crisis,…Read more…
Refugee crisis demands solidarity and workers’ rights for all
All those who have been hearted by the outpouring of goodwill and solidarity shown by the public towards refugees in recent weeks – which stands in stark contrast to the xenophobic rhetoric that’s become commonplace in media and politics – will be asking themselves ‘can it last?’ I think it…Read more…
Brave in Dagenham
Behind the group of great women in the famous 1968 strike at Ford’s Dagenham plant there was a man. Bernie Passingham – who has died aged 90 – played a crucial role as TGWU convenor in…Read more…
One per cent in wages ‘howl’
When the National Minimum Wage (NMW) was first introduced in 1999, many in the business community claimed the sky was falling – unemployment would skyrocket, profits would fall, and the very people…Read more…
Protect your vote
Unite has expressed grave concerns over Tory plans to speed up crucial legislation to voter registration. The campaign group Hope Not Hate is warning that as many as two million voters will be…Read more…
EU court’s common sense decision on time spent travelling to work
The European Court ruling this week was indeed a good decision for people working long hours, a phenomenon that TUC research shows is on the rise again in Britain. But many of those commuters happily seeing the headlines saying “EU court rules travelling to work ‘is work’” could…Read more…
Say #refugeeswelcome – march on Saturday
The vivid stories of human suffering that have dominated the media coverage of the refugee crisis have provoked reactions of shock and, importantly, solidarity by the public. As organisations founded…Read more…