Recently, I’ve been looking at the sizes of union websites as a benchmarking exercise to inform a union website redesign project. I thought I’d share the results of the analysis, as it provides some…Read more…
Unsocial hours payments should stay
The independent Pay Review Body (PRB), which recommends pay for NHS staff, released a report today (July 16) examining the viability of delivering healthcare services seven days a week. Unite,…Read more…
Coasting schools: why the Education Bill proposals will harm the most disadvantaged
The designation ‘coasting’ severely disadvantages maintained schools – and is designed to do so. Schools with deprived pupil intakes will struggle to meet the threshold to avoid being deemed to be…Read more…
An ‘asinine logic’
In an act of political doublespeak, business secretary Sajid Javid described the purpose of Trade Union Bill – which has its first reading in the House of Commons today – thus, “Trade…Read more…
Noticeable by their absence
Unite will play a leading role in tackling race inequality in the health service, which was discussed on Tuesday (July 14) at a conference held by the union, launching its campaign to support black,…Read more…
‘Bitter blow’
Ministers’ failure to support manufacturing over high energy prices has significantly contributed to the loss of 720 jobs at Tata Steel in Rotherham, Unite said today (July 16). Unite, which…Read more…
Support for families at risk
Health visitor numbers have increased significantly over the past five years, but the coalition government narrowly missed its target of 4,200 new health visitors first set out in 2011. …Read more…
Strike figures show there’s no justification for the Trade Union Bill
The official statistics on work days lost to strike action in the UK are out today, and they show an increase in the number of strikes. In all, 788,000 days of industrial action took place in 2014….Read more…
Strikes at historic low level
The ONS has today published a new report on industrial disputes*. This confirms that they are at a historically low level. Ironically this comes one day after the government published plans to legislate to squeeze strikes. In fact, in the current decade less than a tenth as many days are being lost…Read more…
Protecting apprentices in the workplace
In January 2013, a 16 year old engineering apprentice, Cameron Minshull, tragically lost his life after becoming entangled in a lathe. Prosecutors in Cameron’s case alleged that his employer used…Read more…
ISDS-lite could yet scupper the EU-Canada trade deal
The TUC is no fan of the revised Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) process that EU Trade Commissioner Malmstrom has persuaded the European Parliament to back in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal between the EU and US…Read more…
Speech At The CSEU On The Trade Union Bill
Union members from across shipbuilding and engineering today (July 15th) slammed the government’s Trade Union Bill, as unjust and in favour of employers. Moving an emergency motion, Unite assistant…Read more…
Select Committee Investigation into Councils and LOBOs: Monday 20 July
In this session the Communities and Local Government Committee will examine the evidence presented on the Channel 4 Dispatches programme of Monday 6 July 2015 regarding local councils and lender option, borrower option loans.
Inquiry: Lo…Read more…
West Ham Labour Party Nomination for Leader, Deputy & City & East Thursday 23rd July 2015
“You are invited to West Ham CLP’s all member meeting to nominate our candidates for Leader and Deputy Leader and our candidate to stand for City and East London constituency for the London Assembly in 2016.
When and where:
When: 7.30pm on Thursday 23 July
Where: Vicarage Lane Community Centre,…Read more…
Tata Steel pensions dispute ends
The pensions’ dispute at Tata Steel that brought the company to the brink of the biggest industrial dispute in 35 years has ended. Members of all four unions at the company have voted to…Read more…
Cable brings a fresh new voice to Bristol’s media
THE fourth edition of ‘The Bristol Cable’, the city’s new investigative magazine, hit the streets in July 2015.. Produced every two months by a publishing co-operative which already…Read more…
Winners announced for Bristol NUJ student prize
STUDENTS on journalism courses at the University of the West of England have been told the winners in the annual Bristol NUJ student awards. Prizes are given to the best pieces of investigative work…Read more…
Through adversity comes solidarity
New jobless figures released today (July 15) reveal a fragile economic recovery potentially going into reverse – unemployment has risen for the first time in two years. But the latest figures…Read more…
Today’s employment statistics
I have a post at Left Foot Forward looking at today’s labour market figures. I argue that it’s important not to read too much into one month’s figures, but it is worrying if this country can achieve decent jobs growth or adequate earnings but never both.
The post Today’s…Read more…
Mediawise to move out of UWE
THE journalism ethics charity MediaWise is severing its connection with the University of the West of England after eight years. It is moving closer to the city centre at Unit 303, Deben House, 1-5…Read more…