I have today been assured that budget provision is available to resource an election in 2015 for the election of a General Secretary for UNISON, should such an election be necessary.It will be.
I don’t intend, in this post, to comment on the lamentable succession planning of the full-time…Read more…
What next?
After a long day at work, and ahead of a lengthy, (if less long) meeting of the Left Caucus of the UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) I had the opportunity today to pop by the annual seasonal social event for UNISON staff and NEC members.
Whilst I missed the opportunity to purchase raffle…Read more…
Torchlight march and Bhopal Disaster Museum
#Bhopal30 From Sam Macartney and Scott Donohoe in Bhopal: Tuesday began with a national solidarity meeting with families and NGOs who support the campaign.Then a visit to the workplace of the women who have taken the fight to the courts and the Indian government. They have their own trade union now but they still haven’t received justice for the disaster. Next we visited the new Bhopal People’sRead more…
Tens of thousands of single parents face wrongful sanctions
Sanctions have been a key plank in welfare policy for both Labour and the coalition government. They are designed to make sure that claimants looking, or preparing, for work comply with the requirements the job centre places on them in return for their…Read more…
Safety inspections are a requirement, not an option says ILO.
The International Labour Organisation, which sets international regulations on a range of employment and health and safety issues has just considered a case that could have ramifications for the…Read more…
Neo-liberalism
This is a few months old, but well worth a read – an interview with Will Davies (parts 1 and 2). Some choice quotes below that I particularly like/ agree with.
Ultimately what neoliberalism is doing is paradoxical. It is asserting the political l…Read more…
Questions for coalition on flood defence promises
Increased spending on flood defences and exploratory talks for the first lagoon power project with potential to provide 8% of the UK’s energy have been trailed as key to the government’s infrastructure plans. But already the Oppostion is arguing that this is not new money – at the beginning…Read more…
Fasting in solidarity with Bhopal families
UNISON’s Sam Macartney will be joining friends and families of the Bhopal disaster on a 30 hour hunger fast from midnight on Tuesday until 6.00am on Thursday. "It is the least I can do after what we have seen", reported Sam. Clearly moved by what he had seen, Scott Donohoe commented: "The levels of poverty in Bhopal are truly shocking."
UNISON Scotland’s Sam Macartney and Scott Donohoe are partRead more…
“…And you complain that your neighbour is an immigrant?”
Your car is German.
Your vodka is Russian.
Your pizza is Italian.
Your kebab is Turkish.
Your democracy is Greek.
Your coffee is Brazilian.
Your movies are American.
Your tea is Tamil.
Your shirt is Indian.
Your oil is Saudi Arabian.
Your electronics…Read more…
Support the Bhopal Medical Appeal
Update from Sam Macartney in Bhopal: Yes I was on a demo in India, and I and all the trade union delegates to Bhopal were honoured and and very pleased to walk with familyies and friends of the Bhopal campaign. We had joined the demo after being shown around the Bhopal Sambhavna medical aid clinic and the great facilities they have and the excellent work they are doing to support the victims ofRead more…
Child Slavery: Tell the UN to act
Last week, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC),the Global March Against Child Labour along with International Trade…Read more…
Little faith in autumn statement
I have very little faith that the chancellor’s autumn statement will bring any relief for workersRead more…
Interserve Demonstration
Monday 01st December 2014 Circular No. National Policy NP/257/14/MC To the Secretary all Branches,Council of Executive…Read more…
Why Scotland and the UK should oppose TTIP
Politicians can be so fixated by the benefits of free trade that they are missing the real dangers of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
TTIP is a series of trade negotiations…Read more…
Nepali man jailed after employer lets Qatar residency lapse
(above: David Cameron on a recent visit to Qatar University) From Doha news… “In an incident that once again calls the enforcement of Qatar’s labor laws into question, a Nepali…Read more…
What about the workers?
1 December 2014
By Steve Ludlam, Steve Ludlam is Senior Lecturer in Politics at The University of Sheffield
Commentary on Cuba’s economic reforms highlights the growing private sector, implying…Read more…
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – INTERSERVE WATERLOO
To All Interserve Members in London and the South East Our Ref: BR1/14/228th November 2014 Dear Colleagues BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – INTERSERVE…Read more…
Candlelight vigil held for Bhopal’s second generation victims
From Sam Macartney and Scott Donohoe in Bhopal leading up to the 3 December anniversary of the disaster:
Many events have been organised over the next three days to remember the victims of this disaster. Proceedings started on Sunday with the Mela of alternatives, an event looking at the way forward to aid the victims in the campaign. This was followed by a seminar on the medical aid issuesRead more…
London Labour Conference 2014 – Question Time Panel
Yesterday was the London Labour Conference 2014 which took place at Hammersmith Town Hall. I will post in more detail on the conference later this week but the picture is of me addressing the “Question Time with London’s MPs, MEPs, AMs and Cllrs”…Read more…
Giving Scotland a reason to back Labour for social justice
As the dust still swirls after the referendum, the challenge is to bring the focus back to the Scotland we want to see now. Of course the ‘neverendum’ campaign will continue but at some point we will…Read more…