As the last bank holiday of the summer approaches this weekend (August 28), hundreds of thousands of UK holidaymakers may fly to get to their destination – safe in the knowledge that flying is the…Read more…
Household debt, pay and the magic money tree
Low wages and rising household debt is not a sound basis for any economy. Today’s news that spending on credit and debit cards is rising five times faster than wages, should set off the…Read more…
Pause for peace
Unite today (August 22) called on British Airways to use a ‘pause for peace’ to enter talks and find a resolution to the long running mixed fleet cabin crew dispute over pay and the sanctioning of…Read more…
Pay justice
Planned refuse strikes in Doncaster due to begin tomorrow (August 24) have been called off after a last minute pay offer was agreed. However Unite has warned that further industrial action is…Read more…
West Ham Labour August e-newsletter – Future campaigns, political and social events
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Dear ComradesJust a quick summer update on recent local and future events. Since the General election we have continued campaigning including holding high street stalls in Forest Gate, Canning Town a…Read more…
‘Unthinkably bad planning’
The consequences of scrapping nursing bursaries are already starting to materialise, as shock new figures show a big drop in the number of students placed on a nursing course in England. …Read more…
Rising employment shouldn’t distract from the living standards crisis
Recent headline job numbers tell a welcome story of rising employment but they mask a growing living standards crisis. The latest figures show employment has reached a new record of 75.1% and the unemployment rate is just 4.4%. But workers are feeling …Read more…
‘On notice’
Unite’s workplace representatives are increasingly reporting that employers are trying to force through pay freezes or below inflation pay offers, citing Brexit as the reason for their actions….Read more…
68% of votes wasted in General Election
(NB. Below is why our election system in this country is nuts). Picture BBC
68% of votes had no impact on election result: Electoral Reform Society publish definitive report on June voteEMBARGOED: ‘The 2017 General Election: Volatile Voting – Random Results’ report also shows…Read more…
Celebrating the Life of Paul Hockaday: 1st September 2017
Dear Colleagues,
The funeral service, cremation and wake for Paul Hockaday has been organised for 1st September in Bangor, North Wales.
If anyone who knew Paul would like to attend the service, and pay their respects to him please contact me.
In S…Read more…
Arnold Schwarzenegger has a blunt message for Nazis (& Trump)
Former Forest Gater Arnie tells it as it is about Trump and Nazi’s. Please share.Read more…
A historical perspective on Trump, Lies and Truth
Love it
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Harry’s Girl: Street Art
Finally got around to posting this picture of street art off Holloway Road near Highbury Corner. I have just googled it and found out it is about Prince Harry’s Girlfriend! Read more…
Asylum. Immigration and Women – Edinburgh reviews 1
Yesterday, the Morning Star published my reviews of four shows I’ve seen at this year’s festivals. It is available here and covers Henry Naylor’s new play – Borders (*****), and a new play by a…Read more…
‘Abhorrent’
The Tories have imposed benefit sanctions lasting at least six months on nearly 6,000 sick and disabled people, shocking new figures show. Department for work and pensions (DWP) data revealed…Read more…
Why on earth have social care workers not been getting the National Minimum Wage?
Enforcement of the NMW for sleep-ins temporarily suspended in social care Last month the government announced it was waiving historic financial penalties and temporarily suspending enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for workers required to ‘sleep-in’ on their employer’s premises…Read more…
What is ‘rolled up’ holiday pay?
Q: I’ve just started a new job at a warehouse via an agency. I’ve been told I’ll get ‘rolled up’ holiday pay. What does this mean? A: When employers (or agencies) refer to ‘rolled up’…Read more…
Mike Jeram was a vital part of our union, and we will miss him
Mike Jeram is someone who deserved a long and happy retirement after years of dedicated service to a union which he loved and its members who he cared about, and I am so sad that his life was cut far…Read more…
RBS in IT staff slash frenzy
The 71 per cent taxpayer-owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) told staff this week that it will slash its IT operations in the UK by 40 per cent, even after a raft of IT glitches that cost the bank…Read more…
SAVE SARAH CHAPMAN’S GRAVE, A LEADER OF THE 1888 MATCHWOMEN’S STRIKE & TRADE UNION HEROINE
SARAH Dearman, née CHAPMAN – Matchwomen’s 1888 Strike Committee and TUC DelegateBorn: 31st October 1862 – Died: 27th November 1945 – Buried: 3rd December 1945Sarah Chapman was a leading member of the 1888 Matchwomen’s Strike Committee (pictured above). Sarah (ringed) is standing to the right of…Read more…