Although the housing crisis has hit the entire UK to varying degrees, it has become an entrenched and alarming problem in the South East – earlier this year it was revealed that there is not one…Read more…
How Wight Are We?
How beauteous is this diamond isle of ours? Stolid soil of healthy integrity. Natural garden island paradise, Yet fashioned by human dexterity. What happiness in you the populace that so do dwell…Read more…
Sexual harassment: Not banter, not funny
Nearly two in three young women, and predominantly those in zero hours’ contracts or agency work, are sexually harassed at work, a TUC survey has revealed. The TUC’s research, in partnership…Read more…
MPs to discuss workers’ rights post-Brexit
UNISON backs private members’ bill and launches its new network for EU members
The article MPs to discuss workers’ rights post-Brexit first appeared on the UNISON National site.Read more…
Brixton I miss you
Whilst I am on leave, I can still see what is happening a stone’s throw from my office. Therefore please forgive a somewhat parochial blog post;
http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2016/08/the-heart-of-brixton-ripped-out-as-traders-are-evicted-from-the-brixton-…Read more…
What is the issue about Control?
Control Over Our Lives and Work Is a Major Issue Events in the twenty-first century point to a dominant issue: the British working class does not have control over the issues that affect the lives of…Read more…
UNISON leads campaign to save Bolton children’s centres
Union launch protest after council announces merger plan that will see two thirds of centres closed
The article UNISON leads campaign to save Bolton children’s centres first appeared on the…Read more…
Altruism, reciprocity, fairness and the Left
One of the things that troubles me about Labour at the moment is the apparent retreat into “worthy” politics. It’s typified a bit by that slogan “Standing Up, Not Standing By” and most of all by that godawful meme where Jeremy Corbyn says that socialis…Read more…
Self-employment at all-time high, but earnings down 25% on pre-crisis peak
Yesterday’s labour market figures showed another rise in self-employment, of 94,000 on the quarter, with employee jobs up 73,000. As a share of total employment, self-employment is now at an all-time high – at 15.1% in 2016Q2, above the previous peak of 15.0% in 2014Q2. Though really a steadily…Read more…
An angelic sniper brings war home to us. – Edinburgh Festivals 1
Angel, by Henry Naylor, Gilded Balloon Teviot – until 29 August (*****)
Filipa Bragança is the AngelOf all the definitions of ‘angel’, the least common would be ‘sniper’ – but that’s just what…Read more…
Record employment and profits bode well for minimum wage increase
Some employers have been lobbying the government to slow down or stall its minimum wage target for those aged 24 and above. The argument made is that post-referendum economic uncertainty will make the target impossible to meet. This is palpable nonsense. First, the Low Pay Commission (LPC) is…Read more…
Fidel is Fidel: Fidel Castro is 90
Timetable now call
The government’s continued incompetence in devising a long-term defence strategy has been again exposed after last month the ministry of defence (MoD) refused to set out a timetable for building its…Read more…
Unite: May ‘must re-double efforts’
If you happen to be a black or Asian ethnic minority (BAEM) person in the UK today, you’ll inhabit a vastly different world than the rest of the population – you’re much more likely to be jobless, to…Read more…
Joining the campaign for better conditions at Sports Direct
Sports Direct are the face of bad work conditions at present. If they want that to change, they need to be proactive. Allowing a full, independent investigation of what it’s like to work there is a…Read more…
Profession under pressure
Overwhelming evidence proves that a child’s life chances are largely determined by what they experience between the ages of 0 and 5. If you’re a healthy, supported young child, you’ll be a healthy,…Read more…
Fracking bribes won’t work
In a desperate attempt to sell more dirty energy to a sceptical public, the UKGovernment is proposing cash bribes to households impacted by fracking.
INEOS has announced the first delivery of US…Read more…
Scottish college workers vote to strike in pay dispute
College employers urged to use negotiations on 25 August to agee pay fairness or strikes will mark the start of new academic year
The article Scottish college workers vote to strike in pay dispute…Read more…
Pizza Factory jobs threat
The threat to 350 jobs at The Pizza Factory in Nottingham was branded ‘a hammer blow’ for the workers and the local economy by Unite last night (August 17). Unite is due to hold talks with the…Read more…
‘Why are we waiting?’
Unite, which represents bus drivers in Weymouth and Bridport, is waiting to hear if the company will agree to the terms of reference for arbitration talks under the auspices of the conciliation…Read more…