Yes, unemployment went up in the latest figures. Yes, I fear unemployment is going to rise significantly over the next 18 months. But today’s jobs figures don’t give us grounds for claiming it’s already started. The headline unemployment figure in June – August was 1,656,000 up from 1,646,000 in…Read more…
Fujitsu Manchester ballot result
Members have voted for strike action and action short of strike over pay, pensions and job security Unite has declared…Read more…
Placards at the premiere
Last night saw the West End premiere of Ken Loach’s new film about sanctions, I Daniel Blake. Unite Community members joined Ken on the red carpet – and Unite Community’s…Read more…
Send red card message to racists
Football is among the most powerful cultural forces in the UK, and so has the potential to change society in ways we might not even begin to imagine. Show Racism the Red Card, an educational…Read more…
Challenge Poverty Week – Early Years
Important though actions to ameliorate poverty are in the short-term, it is through preventative spending and early interventions that we will begin to eradicate poverty in Scotland. One of the most…Read more…
Unison Executive Committee Branch Officer Vacancies
The branch has a number of vacancies on its Executive Committee. These include: Youth Officer (must be aged under 27) International Relations Officer Membership & Recruitment Secretary Welfare Secretary LGBT Officer – job share female Communications Officer Labour Link Officer ……Read more…
Time for rhetoric is over
The government’s new ‘industrial strategy’ needs to kick-in immediately, as 221 jobs at the Yeovil GKN plant, which makes airframes for helicopters, are set to be made redundant. Unite today…Read more…
Durham teaching assistants back strike action, announces UNISON
Durham teaching assistants have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in the long-running dispute over cuts to their pay, their union UNISON has announced today (Wednesday). UNISON held a ballot…Read more…
Why would headteachers wish to take on the responsibility (and workload) of teacher accreditation?
Bolstered by the heavyweight tones of the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee, the voices of the sector have finally been heard by government, who have finally acknowledged that…Read more…
Yvonne Maxwell for Hoxton West
Dear Colleague,
There is a local government by-election in Hackney on 3 November, with a strong Newham connection – Labour’s Candidate is Yvonne Maxwell is the daughter of former Newham Councillor Doris Maxwell.
The seat used to be held by th…Read more…
Pointless and cruel
Former paramedic Fred Williamson spent 31 years coming to the aid of others in their time of crisis. When the 62-year-old was diagnosed with terminal leukaemia he expected some help in return from a…Read more…
Wasted potential
Closing the gender pay gap would add £150bn to the British economy by 2025, according to the head of women’s rights charity the Fawcett Society. During a speech at a London conference on the…Read more…
Huge government reforms are stopping the effective delivery of justice
Our system of justice has become unaffordable to most. This sentence isn’t an exaggeration, placed at the beginning of this post just to get your attention. It is in fact a direct quote from Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, aka the head of our judiciary and president of our courts. A new…Read more…
Brexit must keep our aerospace sector soaring
The aerospace industry is the flag carrier of UK manufacturing. From Yeovil to Broughton, Unite members are vital to the success of an international network which results in world class aircraft….Read more…
Christmas chaos coming to airports?
Christmas travel disruption could be on the cards at four UK airports, unless baggage carrier Aviator manages to transfer about 1,700 staff to other handlers. Unite understands that Scandinavian…Read more…
Bound for nowhere: Fascist band calls off gig
An American neo-nazi band who were planning to hold one of the “largest white power concerts ever held in Scotland” have cancelled their trip, after a public outcry. On Sunday (October 16),…Read more…
Award winning work on mental health in Redditch and Bromsgrove
General secretary Dave Prentis visits branch to see first hand the practical help and support provided to members
The article Award winning work on mental health in Redditch and Bromsgrove first…Read more…
For Generation Y, trade unions will need to be a springboard not a safety net
Unions exist to represent everyone at work. But the people who are currently engaging with the union movement are aging and not being replaced by a younger cohort. Just 9.3% of low and middle earning…Read more…
It’s time to talk for a change
Days like today make me so proud to be UNISON, and of everything our activists and members do to make each other’s lives better, alongside helping our communities every single day
The article…Read more…
UNISON starts preparing for political fund change
Union sets up lay working group to develop proposals on changing funds to opting in system, required by Trade Union Act
The article UNISON starts preparing for political fund change first appeared…Read more…