I have finally booked a ticket online (free for members of the LHG) for the Policy day on Saturday 16 September 2023 at Peterborough. The theme will be “Shouting out for rural affordable housing: what should Labour’s policies be?”. As a UNISON …Read more…
The Housing Crisis: A possible positive way forward & a definite negative
On Thursday evening I took part in an informal discussion of a possible way to provide much needed homes for homeless families. The suggestion is largely untested at scale, extremely complex, potentially financially risky but may (repeat may) offer a “…Read more…
UNISON National Labour Link 23: Motion 12. Stop Bogus self-employment companies exploiting workers
My speech to Forum. “Chair, Forum, John Gray from Greater London Region, moving our regional motion on stopping bogus self-employment companies exploiting workers Forum, the recent BBC TV documentaries referenced in the motion have exposed the sc…Read more…
Pen-blwydd hapus Shabs!
Happy 50th birthday to my good comrade, Cllr Shabab Mohammed, Cabinet lead for Housing Management. Enjoy your well deserved break! Read more…
Conference continues debate on the cost of living
Three motions on the issue were debated on Friday morning – including the effect on Black workers and renters
The article Conference continues debate on the cost of living first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Conference continues debate on the cost of living
Three motions on the issue were debated on Friday morning – including the effect on Black workers and renters
The article Conference continues debate on the cost of living first appeared on the UNISON National site.
High housing costs driving up poverty among public service workers, says UNISON
Report shows rapid rise in rent and mortgage payments is taking significant toll
The article High housing costs driving up poverty among public service workers, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Shared ownership can become ‘financially unsustainable’ for buyers over time, report warns
“Shared ownership risks becoming “financially unsustainable” for lower-income buyers over time due to its “upward-only” costs and a system that requires them to buy as much as they can afford at the outset, a new report has warned” (Inside Housin…Read more…
Harlow council strikes intensify
Pay strikes by over 300 staff responsible for Harlow council’s housing stock and the cleaning and maintenance of council grounds and buildings are to intensify, Unite said on Tuesday (March 28). The workers, who are employed by HTS, which is wholly owned by Harlow district council, began strike action in late February. New strike dates […]
The post Harlow council strikes intensify appeared first on Unite Live.
“A corporate world that evinced almost psychopathic disregard for human life”
In his book, Show me the bodies – Why we let Grenfell happen, Peter Apps writes: “Over a period of … MoreRead more…
Social housing bosses need formal qualifications? Yes but….
Today the Government has announced that it will change the law to make it compulsory for Social Housing Managers to hold formal qualifications in a similar way to social workers and teachers. The reasons given were “both Grenfell and the death of Awaab…Read more…
Local authority pension fund investment in affordable housing
This meeting of the APPG for “Local Authority Pension Funds was focused on local authority pension fund investment in social and affordable housing. To address the issue and whether there is a case for doing more, the event heard from four speakers: Cl…Read more…
Homes for all – housing day of action
A day of action on 11 February will call on the Westminster government to fund a rent freeze and end evictions during the cost of living crisis
The article Homes for all – housing day of action first appeared on the UNISON National site.
“Military housing: Families say they’re living in damp, mouldy conditions” Will Gove tell Wallace to Resign?
Check out on this daming BBC report and pictures on the dreadful conditions that so many of our military families live in. While I am broadly supportive of the often justifiable criticisms that Secretary State, Michael Gove has made of socia…Read more…
Bristol council housing officer strike continues
Around 50 Bristol council housing officers and team leaders, responsible for managing the local authority’s 27,000 tenancies, will continue striking over unsustainable workloads on 14, 15 and 16 December. The workers previously took four days of strike action in late October. The workers, members of Unite, are angry that Bristol council is refusing to act […]
The post Bristol council housing officer strike continues appeared first on Unite Live.
Shelter staff in unprecedented two-week strike
Over 600 workers at the housing and homeless charity Shelter begin an unprecedented fortnight of strike action today (December 5) in a bitter dispute over pay. Shelter’s management has imposed a three per cent pay increase, in 2022 which has left many of its own staff being unable to pay their rent leaving them haunted […]
The post Shelter staff in unprecedented two-week strike appeared first on Unite Live.
Take part in UNISON’s survey on the state off housing
The work will find out more about the housing issues members are facing
The article Take part in UNISON’s survey on the state off housing first appeared on the UNISON National site.
“An Avoidable Death”
The death of this tiny toddler is shocking but this account by housing lawyer, Giles Peaker, should make very uncomfortable reading for all housing staff and Councillors. “Every death was avoidable” said Richard Millett KC at the closi…Read more…
Labour Housing Group Policy Day, 22.10.22: Fighting for the housing standards we need and deserve
(Looking forward to being a speaker at the Labour Housing Group Policy day this Saturday in Birmingham). “Join us in Birmingham or online to discuss tackling poor housing standards across all tenures. Winter is coming and millions of pe…Read more…
“Topping out” at Leather Gardens, West Ham
I know Councillors love having their picture taken in hard hats and hi-vis (even if they don’t always fit that well) but I really enjoyed this “topping out” the other week with the Mayor laying the final brick.But the main reason for my plea…Read more…