Climate change, the COVID-19 Inquiry and a change of government were amongst the debates in Liverpool this week
The article UNISON leads the debate at TUC gathering first appeared on the UNISON National site.
All the union news that's fit to blog...
Climate change, the COVID-19 Inquiry and a change of government were amongst the debates in Liverpool this week
The article UNISON leads the debate at TUC gathering first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Climate change, the COVID-19 Inquiry and a change of government were amongst the debates in Liverpool this week
The article UNISON leads the debate at TUC gathering first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Green UNISON Week means seven days to champion and promote the engagement and activity that UNISON does all year round on tackling climate change
The article Blog: Climate change is real, destructive and is an absolute emergency first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Green UNISON Week means seven days to champion and promote the engagement and activity that UNISON does all year round on tackling climate change
The article Blog: Climate change is real, destructive and is an absolute emergency first appeared on the UNISON National site.
The high pay growth heralded by the chancellor comes with some hefty caveats. The reality is that the latest data should concern us. There are clear warning signs of a labour market in trouble.
Read more…
BMW announced today that the company would invest £600 million to start production of two electric vehicles – the Mini Cooper and the Mini Aceman – at its Cowley and Swindon plants. Production is slated to start in 2026. The Cowley will be all-electri…Read more…
Why I’m relearning Welsh in my sixties
Read more…
Tuesday was a busy day for me. In the morning we had a great speech by guest speaker, the shadow Deputy Prime Minister (I love repeating this), Angela Rayner on Labour’s “New Deal for Working People”. During lunch I took part in a fringe pan…Read more…
Unite delegates joined hundreds of others from across the trade union movement on the final day of TUC Congress 2023 in Liverpool. Below are some highlights from the last day in photos.
As we try to figure out a direction here (Walton and I are thinking this through) it is important to elevate events and this is certainly one every able person should attend! If you are in or able to go to NYC this conference is an important one! As a long time attendee and organizer […]Read more…
Unite executive head of operations Gail Cartmail gave her final speech on Wednesday (September 13) to TUC Congress after retiring from the TUC general council. Addressing Congress on the last day of the conference, Gail called it a “privilege” to have served on the general council, and she thanked her “terrific union Unite”, including “all […]
The post ‘Privilege to serve’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Union’s president describes how a decade of austerity damaged the UK’s ability to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
The article UNISON takes COVID-19 inquiry call to TUC Congress first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Union’s president describes how a decade of austerity damaged the UK’s ability to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
The article UNISON takes COVID-19 inquiry call to TUC Congress first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Speaking on behalf of Unite members in the finance and legal sector, Unite delegate Vanessa Williams gave an impassioned speech in support of a composite on financial services on the last day of Congress on Wednesday (September 13). She told Congress that the composite “outlines the impact of an industry which prioritises profiteering over communities […]
The post ‘Retail banks are community services’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Congress started again on Monday at 9.30. The ACC Liverpool conference centre is in the Kings docks area and it was a pleasant 10 minute walk from the hotel. Outside the conference centre there was a few people canvassing delegates, selling news …Read more…
Speaking on a composite on the war in Ukraine, Unite executive head of operations Gail Cartmail gave an impassioned speech in which she said Unite “unreservedly condemns Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and stands in full solidarity with the millions who are victims of that attack”. Gail highlighted the UN General Secretary’s report on children and […]
The post War ‘never in interests of working people’ appeared first on Unite Live.
‘No hiding places’
Unite Covid inquiry call
Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner spoke supporting a motion calling for a a public inquiry into Covid-19.
Welcoming the composite he said, “Unite was one of the unions that first called for a full and independent public inquiry and we continue to provide evidence to assist the TUC in coordinating our collective input.
“Like all of us we lost members to Covid … disproportionately from our Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities communities. In transport through retail to health and social care.
“Congress it’s no surprise after 13 years of austerity, cuts to public services, privatisation and deregulation … it was working class communities, those already struggling with poor health, too often relying on food banks and, living in housing that in many cases should have been condemned long ago that bore the brunt of the pandemic.”
He continued, “We’ve also highlighted that many sectors with the highest number of deaths have a history of both long and unsocial hours and asked that the inquiry investigate whether this made workers more susceptible to the disease.
“So we welcome the call to highlight the equalities impact of the pandemic. Congress, the motion calls for decision makers to be held to account.”
Steve went on to say, “While we can be rightly proud of our collective role in protecting millions with furlough, and our members who returned to work to manufacture the PPE and medical ventilators desperately needed on the front line.
“Government ministers who failed to prepare, went on to fail us at every level. Passing VIP lane contracts to mates who went on to bill us for millions from the bar of the pub they ran.
“While they were pissing it up in Downing Street, across the river loved ones were gasping their last breath.
“So we say let there be no hiding places, no escape routes or collective failure excuses. We demand that those responsible for gross negligence, corruption or a wider dereliction of public duty are identified, prosecuted and locked up. Denied their freedom just as they denied some 229,000 victims a full and healthy life.”
He concluded by adding a final call to Congress. “We pay tribute to the work and determination of Covid Bereaved Families to seek justice and we stand here in absolute solidarity with them.”
By Amanda Campbell
Pic by Mark Thomas
The post ‘No hiding places’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite delegate Tommy Murphy gave a thought-provoking intervention in a discussion on artificial intelligence in the workplace at TUC Congress on Tuesday (September 12). Tommy said, “Workers in the print industry have long memories – and we remember the charging horses of the Wapping dispute where millionaires imposed automation by force.” He warned that new […]
The post AI in the workplace appeared first on Unite Live.
‘Wirral NHS clinical support workers just want to be paid the proper rate for the work they do and the responsibilities they take’
The article Blog: Let’s stick together to win the proper pay for the job first appeared on the UNISON National site.
‘Wirral NHS clinical support workers just want to be paid the proper rate for the work they do and the responsibilities they take’
The article Blog: Let’s stick together to win the proper pay for the job first appeared on the UNISON National site.