HGV drivers: Why the shortage?
The Road Haulage Association has reported that there are currently 70,000 vacancies for HGV drivers, a shortage of “catastrophic proportions”. There’s a simple remedy…
News/Views
Fighting for Glasgow's libraries
On Saturday 5 June trade unions and local communities came together in a rally in George Square in central Glasgowin a united display of anger at Glasgow City Council – and its “arms-length” cultural body Glasgow Life.
Workers want cleaner air -- but not Birmingham ULEZ scheme
11 June 2021
Charges of £8 a day for drivers of highly polluting vehicles in Birmingham's Ultra Low Emission Zone are to be enforced from Monday 14 June. The zone includes some of Birmingham’s most deprived neighbourhoods.
Free speech has to be defended
28 May 2021
The report into events at Batley Grammar School in March has lifted supensions on the teachers involved. But it does not deal with the threat to free speech and educations posed by the fundamentalist demonstrations.
Swiss break off EU negotiations
26 May 2021
To the delight of the country’s leading trade union federation, the Swiss government has abandoned talks with the EU over replacing its 120-odd treaties with Brussels with one overarching “framework” agreement.
Free trade threat to farming
22 May 2021
Free trade negotiations with Australia being rushed through by the government could have devastating implications for farmers across the UK.
Rail: underneath the changes, fundamentally the same
21 May 2021
The Williams–Shapps Plan for Rail – a government White Paper – has finally been published. And like too many of Britain’s trains, it arrived very late and was truly underwhelming.
Belfast court hears challenge to Northern Ireland protocol
20 May 2021
A judicial review on the Northern Ireland protocol began in the High Court in Belfast on 14 May. The protocol is part of the Brexit deal that has created a trade border between Britain and Northern Ireland.
Senedd to increase in size?
20 May 2021
Labour in Wales did not mention it in its manifesto, but now it wants to spend millions on creating yet more seats in the Senedd assembly – at public cost but without public benefit.
Universal Basic Income - no solution
20 May 2021
A universal basic income sounds nice and fair, but behind the superficial attractiveness is the flawed concept that the future for our society will not involve productive work for all.
Nurses: stop the poaching!
20 May 2021
In the midst of a global pandemic, what is a country like Britain doing importing nurses from India, itself in desperate need of medical staff?
Bus drivers win victory over ‘fire and rehire’ [updated]
18 May 2021
Manchester bus drivers, members of the union Unite, working for Go North West have defeated a plan by the company to fire and rehire them on worse pay and conditions, ending a strike that began at the end of February.