All the union news that's fit to blog...
“The NHS is one of the country’s most treasured institutions. But its future is under serious threat.” That is the warning of more than 40 signatories – including Unite’s Len McCluskey and Hollywood actor Michael Sheen – to a letter published in today’s Guardian to mark the launch of the People’s Convention for the NHS. […]
The post Signing up to save NHS appeared first on UNITElive.org.
In the third of a series of articles, UNISON Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby lays out UNISON’s plan to get our members’ issues at the centre of the election debates.
"This is the Public Services Election. The outcome will have a huge impact upon UNISON members, their families, communities and the public services in which we work, to protect the disadvantaged and provide a better quality of lifeRead more…
Nothing was more indicative of the Tories’ base of support than a letter published in the Telegraph yesterday, signed by 103 big business leaders, calling on the public to vote Conservative in May. Among the letter’s signatories were Bob Dudley, the American boss of BP, Tidjane Thiam, the chief executive of Prudential who received […]
The post Who does this country work for? appeared first on UNITElive.org.
Unite has warmly welcomed an election pledge from Labour to scrap controversial employment tribunal fees brought in by the Tory-led government almost two years ago. The upfront fees – which have been heavily criticised by some bosses as well as trade unions – are believed to have denied millions their rightful access to justice. […]
The post Workplace justice access hope appeared first on UNITElive.org.
This general election has been dubbed the most important in a generation and – it is for many reasons – not least the protection of our NHS. But another crucial reason that makes this election important and it’s our membership of the European Union. Back in 1975 Margaret Thatcher campaigned to […]
The post Stop this calamitous course appeared first on UNITElive.org.
Labour announced yesterday (April 1) that it would clamp down on exploitative zero-hours contracts, by guaranteeing people who work regular hours the right to a regular contract. The video below features the decisive moment in last week’s ‘Battle for Number 10’ programme, in which presenter Jeremy Paxman presses David Cameron to answer a very […]
The post Could you live on a zero-hours contract? appeared first on UNITElive.org.
Imagine being a single parent struggling on benefits. You look long and hard for some sort of stable job – anything that will pay the bills and feed your child. You’re finally hired. It’s on a zero hours contract, but no matter. At least it’s something. Kelly, this young woman’s father, recalls how overjoyed […]
The post Stop the suffering appeared first on UNITElive.org.
As the general election campaign heats up, prime minister David Cameron made a startling claim on Monday night (March 30) – under his watch, he says, 1,000 jobs were created every day, an accomplishment he pledges to continue if a Conservative government were to be elected in May. Sounds great, but just how much […]
The post The claim, the maths and the reality appeared first on UNITElive.org.
1 million people have fallen off the electoral roll since the government changed the way we register to vote back in September. Many won’t even know. If you’re a one in the million then you’ll miss out in the most important election in our times. But there’s still time to make sure that […]
The post 20 days to go. Are you one in a million? Don’t be appeared first on UNITElive.org.
The Tories are refusing to set out how they are going to cut £12 billion from the welfare budget. But documents leaked to the BBC show they are looking to hit carers, children and the disabled in the next round of cuts. Labour urged the Tories to ‘come clean’ about where the axe will […]
The post Where will the axe fall? appeared first on UNITElive.org.
Food banks are gearing up to address growing demand during the Easter school holidays. Hard-pressed parents have to step in with lunches normally provided free at a school and may rely on charitable food banks for the kids meals. As well as three-day food parcels, charity the Trussell Trust will provide Easter eggs as […]
The post Charities bring Easter cheer appeared first on UNITElive.org.
As Unite announces a further £1m donation to the Labour Party, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey explains why this is the right thing to do. Unite said that it would not stand by and see a one-side election fight against a Tory party made fat on the gifts from the shady and the […]
The post The fight of our lives appeared first on UNITElive.org.
How many column inches, hours of air time and rage in one hundred and forty five characters have we had this last week over a kitchenette? Too many to mention, and I know I’m adding to it all. I do so because the kitchenette saga is symptomatic of what passes for political discussion. Tune […]
The post Kitchen sink soap opera appeared first on UNITElive.org.
The first live TV action of this general election was a bruising encounter. But Ed Miliband boosted Labour’s hopes and morale with a focused and passionate performance. Hell, yes, he has truly arrived on the political stage. And hell yes, he’s shown he is capable of winning this election. Miliband looked as if he is […]
The post HELL, YES appeared first on UNITElive.org.
Hat tip to excellent local history website “E7 Now & Then” for a fascinating and topical post on the MPs who have served the Forest Gate part of West Ham North.
Amazing that we once had an Austro-Hungarian Baron as our MP, another who was re…Read more…
Asseem Allam, millionaire owner of Hull City AFC, wants to completely sever the link between Labour and the organisations that founded the party—trade unions. As the Sunday Times reported on March 15, Allam said he would offer a future one-off donation to Labour if it weakened its trade union ties, and pledged an […]
The post Union link not for sale appeared first on UNITElive.org.
Veteran anti-austerity campaigner and author Harry Leslie Smith speaks exclusively to UNITElive, following his address to a packed crowd at the University of Manchester NoVoteNoVoice event last week (March 11). It was the summer of 1945 and Harry Leslie Smith, then only 22, cast his first ballot in a general election. The Second World […]
The post Before it’s too late appeared first on UNITElive.org.
As UNITElive has reported before, young people are among the groups least likely to vote. Many young people say they feel that politics simply doesn’t speak to them. But a new Ipsos Mori poll suggests that social media may be the key to engaging young voters, who are becoming increasingly reliant on platforms such […]
The post Does politics speak to the young? appeared first on UNITElive.org.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has stoked up a firestorm after saying he would scrap laws that protect workers from discrimination. Laws which protect workers from a range of discrimination by employers should be scrapped, UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said. His comments have been condemned by Unite as “dangerous and crude”. […]
The post Hire and fire free for all? appeared first on UNITElive.org.
David Cameron won the leadership of his party telling activists to “let sunshine win the day”. Into the 2010 General Election he went, promising to clean up a political system discredited by MPs’ expenses. Here was the man to bring about transparency in the lobbying industry and even end “crony capitalism”, to heal Britain’s sickly politics. […]
The post End this courting of the powerful appeared first on UNITElive.org.