TUC and pay - time to grasp the nettle
We need to destroy the pay freeze and put wages centre stage. But in preparations for Congress the real focus has been on the next general election.
Workers September 2014
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Pay: a step in the right direction
This October’s TUC national demo will have a single concrete demand: Britain Needs a Pay Rise. It's a welcome change from vague calls such as the March for the Alternative.
Composing British unity
Organisations with “British” in their name ought to be concerned that they could lose this identity and be diminished if the Yes opinion wins September’s referendum on independence for Scotland, says composer Eddie McGuire.
Once again, no intervention in Iraq
Once again the war drums are beating over Iraq. This time we are told we have to go into battle abroad in order to prevent ISIS waging war on the streets of Britain, or to save the Yazidis.
The real Trojan horse
The “Trojan Horse” inquiry indicated that people with a shared ideology were out to control schools’ governing bodies. That’s also happening in some academy chains.
Who will claim this century?
Wage labour and capitalist practices became the norm in English agriculture centuries earlier than elsewhere. This prevalence of wage labour in the countryside was a vital precursor of the industrial revolution and probably a key trigger for it.
1707: The Treaty of Union
Great Britain was born as a state in 1707. In essence, the Treaty of Union was a formal recognition of the ascendancy of capitalism over feudalism in all of this country. Once united, the combined resources and talents of the two countries were at the service of capital.
Trade in Services
On top of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the USA and the EU also want agreements to liberalise trade and investment in all services.
Marx on pay
The ruling class has used parliament to introduce various methods of wage restraint to demoralise the working class. The minimum wage and the “living wage” are current examples.
Carr Inquiry: Throwing in the towel
The Bruce Carr investigation into trade unions following the 2013 Grangemouth refinery dispute has flopped. Unable to provide an evidence-based argument, Carr has thrown the towel in.
Hands across the Border
Launch of the building of the Hands Across the Border cairn at Gretna, 20 July 2014. People from all over Britain link arms for unity as they sing Auld Lang Syne after laying their stones.
Eurobriefs: The latest from Brussels
Britain’s largest union backs referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union…Euro-election turnout lower than first thought…Government report into free movement of labour
Genocide in Gaza
Yet again Israel’s military terrorises Gaza. Why does political progress remain so far out of reach in this pivotal part of the Middle East?
Meat safety: Abattoir action
Vets and hygiene inspectors working in abattoirs on behalf of the Food Standards Agency have voted for industrial action after a below inflation pay offer coupled with a refusal to negotiate.
Zero hours: Interesting definitions…
In response to a query from Unison, service company ISS has provided an interesting definition of zero hours contracts.
Shipbuilding: Disaster on the Clyde
Scotland’s last non-military shipbuilder, Ferguson’s on the Clyde, is heading for bankruptcy, with the loss of 70 jobs – despite a promise from SNP leader Alex Salmond to maintain it
Bill to open up land grab
An amendment to the Infrastructure Bill going through parliament will allow Boris Johnson or his successor as Mayor of London to acquire land held by all public bodies in London. The prime target for this land grab will be the estates of NHS properties in London estimated as being worth over £50 million.
Museums: Closure threat
The world-famous Oliver Cromwell museum in Huntingdon is under closure threat after Cambridgeshire County Council withdrew funding as a direct result of government cuts.
Sport billionaires welcome
No sooner is the World Cup a mere dot on television screens than Boris Johnson, soon to be forgotten Mayor of London, is jostling for space in the sporting arena by promoting Formula One racing on London’s streets.
Audit abolition on the quiet
In March next year the Audit Commission will be abolished. With it will go an important principle of public life – that the audit of money spent by public bodies should be as genuinely independent as possible.