No-one voted to leave the EU to weaken their rights at work. Few want to tear apart the families of those who have made their lives here. And everyone would, I hope, want to see a thriving British…Read more…
Commission says no to stronger protection on health and safety
The European Commission have finally released details of what they are proposing to do on health and safety regulation in the coming years. Yesterday they released a communication which contained…Read more…
Impact of Brexit on health and care in Scotland
At this morning’s Holyrood Brexit and Health seminar, I was asked what my immediate response to the Brexit vote was. Well of course I was elated at the thought of the promised £350m extra spending on…Read more…
Scotland and Brexit
If there is one post-Brexit growth area, it is conferences on how to deal with it! The Centre on Constitutional Change at least does it better than most, and they gathered together a good range of…Read more…
EU citizens’ right to remain & all workers’ right to respect
The TUC has submitted evidence to the British Future inquiry into the status of EU nationals in the UK. We are calling for the government to make a clear commitment to give citizens from all 27 EU countries living and working in the UK the right to remain. This is one of the five tests…Read more…
We must fight to defend our rights at work outside of Europe – starting today
Before the EU referendum in June, our union and countless others warned of the consequences of leaving the EU. For UNISON members, the EU secures rights at work and at home that protect individual…Read more…
Immediate Brexit priorities should be the economy and public services
Oh to be a fly on the wall at yesterday’s UK cabinet away day on post- Brexit planning. Given that most of the ministers around the table were in favour of Brexit – they will no doubt be outlining…Read more…
Back the European campaign for Fair Transport!
I work in the transport sector. I am supporting the Fair Transport Europe Campaign. And I want you to join in. Let me explain what the campaign is about. Fair Transport Europe is a joint initiative…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…
Bottom of the pile
British wages fell by 10.4 percent between 2007 and 2015 new TUC analysis has found, lower than anywhere else in Europe except Greece. UK workers suffered the biggest drop in real wages…Read more…
European attitudes to diversity & migration: room for improvement
A new analysis of European views on migration demonstrates that diversity is not as unpopular as the referendum result and right-wing populism in France, Germany and Italy might suggest. But it also reveals that British views are in some ways more like…Read more…
The nation didn’t vote for a Brexit without a plan. Before triggering article 50, we need much broader negotiations
Two-thirds (66%) of voters want to see a broader team negotiating Brexit, including cross-party politicians, trade unions and employers. That’s the finding of a new GQRR poll we’re publishing today. That went for both remainers (69%) and leavers (65%). Only 10% of respondents thought the government…Read more…
Defending Corbyn and Freedom of Movement
Unite’s National Industrial Sector Committee (NISC) for my sector (GPM&IT) met this week and agreed to submit the following as emergency motions to the Unite Policy Conference this month.
It is likely that the “leadership” will try to avoid either…Read more…
‘Cool Your Wellies’ – What next after Brexit vote?
My old Gran used say, when I was overreacting to some childhood event, ‘cool your wellies’. This sounds like good advice post-Brexit, when some calm thinking is required in what is an interesting,…Read more…
Unison NDC 16 – On the Vote to Leave
UNISON Press release “Commenting on the news that the UK has voted to leave the EU, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:
“The people have spoken, and they have made a clear call for change – and a different relationship with Europe.
“We will be working in the coming weeks and…Read more…
Responding to the EU Referendum – Len gets it wrong
After a campaign marked by racism, fear-mongering and lies from both the main campaigns, the result is now out – a vote to leave the EU. This isn’t the result Unite campaigned for, our union was clearly on the “Remain” side, though (thank goodness) it …Read more…
‘We can fight together for a more social Europe’
EPSU general secretary tells local government conference that Brexit would not ‘cure what is wrong in the EU, in the UK or elsewhere’
The article ‘We can fight together for a more social…Read more…
European unions take a stand on the platform against undeclared work
Undeclared work, if not properly confronted, threatens to undermine employment, wages and conditions for workers across Europe. The launch of the European Commission’s ‘Undeclared Work Platform’ was a long overdue initiative to tackle the exploitation of workers and unfair competition for…Read more…
I voted Remain – here’s why
Next Thursday voters will be asked to make an historic decision on the UK’s membership of the European Union. I have always had an ambivalent view of the EU and in 1975, with my first ever ballot…Read more…
Brexiteers Michael Gove and Boris Johnson guilty of ‘nauseating cynicism’ over the NHS, says UNISON
Brexiteers Michael Gove and Boris Johnson are guilty of ‘nauseating cynicism’ in pretending to care about the NHS when they belong to a government that is to blame for ‘eye-watering’ public service…Read more…