Young people will have one more burden lifted from them under a future Labour government, after the party yesterday (April 12) announced a new policy granting free bus travel to under 25s. The…Read more…
‘Chorus of discontent’
Unite has called ‘curtains’ over poor pay and allegations of bullying of security personnel at London’s prestigious Royal Opera House. Performances at the world-renowned Covent Garden venue,…Read more…
Don’t get too excited about the latest productivity figures, we’re in the worst decade of growth for two centuries
The latest productivity figures – showing a small uptick on some measures, have been getting a lot of attention. But a closer looks suggests they don’t tell us anything about what’s happening to our…Read more…
Airbus’ fears over Melrose plans
Unite members are not the only ones anxious about Melrose’s takeover of engineering firm GKN. Reiterating its worries yesterday (April 11), GKN’s biggest customer Airbus told investors that the firm…Read more…
Immigration is not to blame for unaffordable housing
While some have pointed the finger at immigration as the cause of housing price increases, even a passing look at the issue shows this argument doesn’t hold water. Read more…
‘The courage to fight back’
The first strikes in a UK casual dining chain in decades have moved a step closer today (April 11), after Unite notified TGI Fridays that it will be balloting workers in two branches for strike…Read more…
‘Unacceptable face of capitalism’
Melrose executives – who are on the verge of cashing in after shareholders approved a hostile takeover of GKN last month – earned £170m last year, amounting to more than £40m each. Their…Read more…
‘It cannot be right’
Thousands of people on Universal Credit (UC) – who are already struggling on low incomes – face having their entitlements slashed because of the government’s own errors. The Department of Work…Read more…
‘Pension snatchers’
Bentley Motor workers at the luxury car maker’s Crewe headquarters have massively backed industrial action in a consultative ballot over plans to close the defined benefit pension scheme, Unite…Read more…
Water firm pensions probe
Serious concerns have been expressed over why two highly profitable water companies – Anglian Water and United Utilities – are proposing to close their defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, thereby…Read more…
Violent crime rise from austerity cuts
An alarming rise in violent crime both in London and throughout the UK has sparked calls for an end to austerity-driven police and youth services cuts. Since March there have been 22 fatal…Read more…
Why Brazil’s trade unionists are on the streets when President Lula can’t be
This weekend, thousands of trade unionists gathered outside the metalworkers’ union building in the town of Sao Bernardo do Campo, outside Brazil’s industrial capital of Sao Paolo.Read more…
Stop UK plc fire sale now call
Concerns over Melrose’s recent hostile takeover of GKN were highlighted this week (April 4) when financial analysts Moody’s said it would review GKN’s credit rating for a possible downgrade. …Read more…
Unite goes to school
It is now recess, which means MPs have packed up and returned to their constituencies, and it’s school’s out for the academic term too. That means a welcome break for Unite’s activists, who have…Read more…
‘Postcode lottery’
The first five years after birth are often considered the most important developmental stage in childhood and can strongly influence a person’s social mobility as an adult. It was under this widely…Read more…
‘Big brother’ bin strike off
Strikes by Thurrock council’s waste collection workers due to be begin next week (April 12) have been suspended following lengthy negotiations. The strikes involving 65 members of Unite…Read more…
Training overhaul call
Unite is calling for a radical overhaul in how construction training is undertaken, after unearthing a large increase in so called ‘dead end construction courses. A freedom of information…Read more…
MPs back TUC call for pension income overhaul
A heavyweight committee of MPs is the latest group to call for reforms to make it far easier for pension savers to access an income in retirement.Read more…
Cherry blossom demo
There will be a demonstration outside the Japanese embassy in London tomorrow (April 5) in the long-running Fujitsu dispute which includes allegations of victimisation of workers who blew the whistle…Read more…
‘Not going down without a fight’
Even in the face of last week’s defeat as Melrose’s takeover of GKN was approved by shareholders, Unite GKN members aren’t giving up. Last Thursday (March 29) investors approved the takeover…Read more…