Housebuilding in the UK will be severely hampered by skills shortages in the construction industry, according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Construction professionals…Read more…
Bulldozing homes, bulldozing lives
The Tory war on council and social housing has taken a sinister twist this week with Prime Minister David Cameron backing proposals to bulldoze entire council estates. Those evicted will not be…Read more…
‘Driving force’ going off the road?
UK manufacturing is heading in the wrong direction, our balance of payments still on the critical list, exports are down, deflation is on the horizon and City pessimists warn of a another financial…Read more…
War on the poor
Benefits sanctions, in which people out of work are punished by having their benefits stopped for often absurd reasons, were significantly ramped up in 2012 under work and pensions secretary Iain…Read more…
The most painful cuts
Council services, including elderly care, children’s centres, parks and libraries, among other vital services, have suffered desperately under the weight of the previous government’s spending cuts,…Read more…
Paying for privilege to care
Protesters will take to London’s streets this Saturday to demonstrate against Tory plans to cut student nursing bursaries in England and replace them with loans. The plans, which were…Read more…
Fat cat Tuesday injustice
By the end of today (January 5) the UK’s top bosses will have earned more money than the average worker will do in a year, claims campaign group the High Pay Centre. The group has named today…Read more…
Unfair fares are up
This week (January 4) rail fares increased to the anger of commuters, who have been left to pick up the cost of rail privatisation. The increase of one per cent increase to season tickets and…Read more…
Invisible children
The Tory government has taken an innovative approach in reducing child poverty. Instead of maintaining a target set by the last Labour government to eliminate child poverty by 2020, it’s…Read more…
Holding back the tears
Britain’s last deep pit coal miners held back their tears, as they emerged from their historic final shift underground to face the glare of the media at Yorkshire’s Kellingley Colliery on Friday….Read more…
Beyond a crisis
GP surgeries are bursting at the seams, ambulance staff are leaving in their droves, NHS waiting times continue to rise drastically, junior doctors were set to walk out in a series of strikes and…Read more…
Orgreave: justice fight goes on
Unite has backed the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign (OTJC) since its inception over three years ago. One of the campaign stalwarts is Unite industrial organiser Joe Rollin from Barnsley…Read more…
Breaking down barriers
For our last part in UNITElive’s series for Disability History Month this, we speak to Marsha de Cordova who explains how people with disabilities are being shortchanged by employers and the…Read more…
Investigate now call
A co-ordinated inquiry should be launched to investigate serious allegations about pay and working practices at Sports Direct, MPs who are Unite members have said. Undercover reporters from…Read more…
Keep tips fair this Christmas
Unite’s campaign against restaurants skimming waiters’ credit card tips was a resounding success this summer. Pizza Express, along with other high street chains such as Zizzi, Ask and Giraffe gave in…Read more…
Stand up
In part 4 of our Disability History Month series, UNITElive speaks to Unite equalities rep Marina Gunn about changing perceptions that others have about people with disabilities. Dry humour…Read more…
Tip of the iceberg
Following a damning investigation by the Guardian into Sports Direct’s employment practices, which found that the retail giant may be paying its workers less than the minimum wage, £400m was wiped…Read more…
Better understanding
In the third part of our week-long series for Disability History Month, UNITElive speaks to Unite Welsh disabilites committee chair Ceri Wright, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome,…Read more…
Lend a hand
In part 2 of our week-long series for Disability History Month, UNITElive speaks to Unite vice-chair of the South East region Ian Lidbetter. Having a disability that isn’t immediately apparent,…Read more…
Fight for rights
As part of Disability History Month this month, UNITElive will publish one story each day featuring the many Unite members with disabilities who are fighting for a better world for all. Today,…Read more…