Food bank use has, for another year running, dramatically increased as more and more people – even those in work – bear the weight of government austerity that’s brought a crisis usually only…Read more…
Last chance to register
Less than a year after the general election, another set of elections are on the horizon – and the stakes this time are just as high. On May 5, the UK goes back to the polls in Scotland, Wales…Read more…
A perfect storm ahead
There is a global power elite that owe no loyalty to nation states. They owe no loyalty to our health service, our education system or even our industrial heartlands. They don’t use them and…Read more…
Defending what millions have died for
Receiving letters in the post can elicit a range of emotions – frustration at another overdue bill, delight that an old friend is getting married. But for Sharon, a simple letter precipitated…Read more…
Shareholders rebel
BP shareholders revolted yesterday (April 14) over the obscene £14m pay packet of chief executive officer (CEO) Bob Dudley. The revolt was the first of many expected by shareholders at major…Read more…
Leave to remain?
Many UK workers could lose some or all of their paid holidays if Britain leaves the EU warned the TUC, after it published new research that showed that a quarter of British employees got extra…Read more…
BAME workers with all levels of qualifications still face high unemployment
When you are young there is an expectation that if you gain higher educational qualifications it will lead to a decent job and higher wages but this is not always the case, especially when you are a Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) young worker….Read more…
Black, qualified and unemployed: how the figures were found
Today the TUC released analysis showing that for each level of education, BAME adults are significantly more likely to be unemployed than their white counterparts. In this post, I hope to provide a technical discussion about how these figures were calculated. For an important discussion of the…Read more…
TTIP very real threat to NHS
On March 9 Rachel Reeves MP sponsored an Early Day Motion calling on the Government to ensure “that the retention of sovereignty for decisions concerning the NHS will be a red line for future TTIP…Read more…
On our side
Responding to the speech today (April 14) by the leader of the Labour party, Unite said that voters could put their trust in Jeremy Corbyn’s view of Europe. “Ordinary people heard…Read more…
Beginning of the end
The announcement that 61 Crown post offices will be transferred to high street newsagents WH Smith was branded as ‘the beginning of the death rattle’ for a national high-quality post office network….Read more…
European pensions regulator steps back from radical funding proposals
The European pensions regulator has stepped back from an attempt to standardise pension funding rules across the European Union. The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has concluded, rather unsurprisingly, that the diversity of European pension schemes means that…Read more…
‘Cynical’ attack
Volkswagen bosses are opportunistically using changes to UK pension funds to hand down a total of £1.4m of costs to Bentley workers, said Unite the trade union for UK automotive workers. The German…Read more…
Repay our loyalty
Unite today (April 13) urged the Dublin-based drinks giant C&C to find a buyer for its Shepton Cider Mill in Somerset, which is set to close this summer with the loss of 120 jobs. The…Read more…
Did Nick Gibb tell teachers to teach to the test?
By Anne Heavey, Education Policy Adviser at ATL. Last Monday ATL welcomed School’s Minister Nick Gibb to our annual conference. He agreed to take part in a question and answer session with Gerard…Read more…
Asserting “Paid holidays will be safe after Brexit” fails “project reality” test
Yesterday we published figures showing that UK workers had gained 1.5 billion days more paid leave through our adoption of the EU minimum standard. Today I’ve been looking at some of the rather flimsy assertions made around our paid holiday rights by those who are keen to leave the European…Read more…
PFI: National scandal
The closure of 17 Edinburgh schools built by the same company under a private finance initiative (PFI) due to safety fears could be the “tip of the iceberg” of shoddy PFI work across Scotland, Unite…Read more…
The fight goes on
The alleged architect of the construction ‘blacklisting’ scandal, Cullum McAlpine, has declined to give evidence in the High Court case, due to start next month, to establish the extent of…Read more…
Cambodian bosses & politicians hope to get away with new labour law
After prolonged international pressure from both unions and multinational corporations, the Cambodian Parliament split on party lines to adopt a new labour law that falls far short of International…Read more…
Govt steel support shift?
The government hinted that part-nationalisation of Tata’s UK operations now up for sale could be a possibility as a buyer is being sought. Business secretary Sajid Javid said yesterday (April…Read more…