but is it value for money for the council tax payers to
keep schools with less than a full compliment of pupils open ?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Union leaders meet with Chancellor
to discuss public sector pay
TUC leaders this morning (Wednesday) met the Chancellor, the Chief Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) to press the Government for a new approach on public sector pay to safeguard the living standards of all public servants.
TUC public service unions have all committed to work together to coordinate their approach in the upcoming negotiations across public services.
The TUC team led by TUC President, Dave Prentis, and General Secretary, Brendan Barber, told the Chancellor that public service pay is not driving inflationary pressures in the economy, and that it is utterly unfair for public servants to be expected to accept pay settlements that fall short of matching inflation. The TUC team emphasised that the inflation index referred to by pay negotiators reflecting the real increases in living costs facing ordinary workers is the RPI which currently stands at 4%, well ahead of the Government's inflation target index, the CPI. Unions are prepared to consider long-term deals where appropriate, but a rigid centrally imposed policy that ignores recommendations from independent review bodies will not be acceptable.
The TUC team pressed the Chancellor that public service negotiators need greater flexibility in their negotiations with unions, including scope to address long term problems in pay structures and low pay.
The TUC team will be reporting back to all public service unions on the meeting and will be seeking a further meeting with the Chief Secretary to continue the talks.
The TUC delegation included TUC President, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the NUT, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS, Paul Noon, General Secretary of Prospect, Lesley Mercer of the CSP, Brian Strutton of the GMB and Patrick Roach of the NASUWT.
to discuss public sector pay
TUC leaders this morning (Wednesday) met the Chancellor, the Chief Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) to press the Government for a new approach on public sector pay to safeguard the living standards of all public servants.
TUC public service unions have all committed to work together to coordinate their approach in the upcoming negotiations across public services.
The TUC team led by TUC President, Dave Prentis, and General Secretary, Brendan Barber, told the Chancellor that public service pay is not driving inflationary pressures in the economy, and that it is utterly unfair for public servants to be expected to accept pay settlements that fall short of matching inflation. The TUC team emphasised that the inflation index referred to by pay negotiators reflecting the real increases in living costs facing ordinary workers is the RPI which currently stands at 4%, well ahead of the Government's inflation target index, the CPI. Unions are prepared to consider long-term deals where appropriate, but a rigid centrally imposed policy that ignores recommendations from independent review bodies will not be acceptable.
The TUC team pressed the Chancellor that public service negotiators need greater flexibility in their negotiations with unions, including scope to address long term problems in pay structures and low pay.
The TUC team will be reporting back to all public service unions on the meeting and will be seeking a further meeting with the Chief Secretary to continue the talks.
The TUC delegation included TUC President, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the NUT, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS, Paul Noon, General Secretary of Prospect, Lesley Mercer of the CSP, Brian Strutton of the GMB and Patrick Roach of the NASUWT.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Energy profit probe demanded
(22/01/08) UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign have come together to demand an official inquiry into almost £2.5bn extra profits energy companies are awarding themselves as households up and down the country deal with huge price rises announced this winter.The call for an Ofgem probe comes the week after British Gas became the latest energy provider to increase its prices: announcing an immediate 15% rise.It followed EDF's decision to increase gas prices by 12.% and electricity by 7.9 %, while npower had previously announced rises of 17.2% for gas and 12.7% for electricity.Research, sponsored jointly by UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign and published today, says the average household is paying £100 extra a year because prices charged to customers have increased by £2.3bn more than the costs of producing and selling electricity and gas.Backing the call for an Ofgem inquiry, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis noted: "Hard-working families are desperately worried about increasing fuel bills, rising housing costs, food costs and millions of public sector workers are being told they must accept pay cuts."Pensioners are finding it a huge struggle, despite the winter fuel payments that have been wiped out by these greedy companies."The government should order Ofgem to do its job properly."Gas and electricity costs to householders, produced by Cornwall Energy Associates, shows that British households’ annual spending on electricity and gas increased by £8.2bn between 2003 and 2006, while the energy companies costs' grew buy £5.9bn – meaning an extra £2.3bn profits for them.Over the same period the average household's debt to energy suppliers grew from £159 to £194 for electricity customers and from £141 to £180. Charities have found that their funding of individual debts has grown to £16m a year. Click here to download a copy of the full report (.pdf) Click here for a National Right to Fuel campaign paper on tackling fuel poverty (.pdf)
More on UNISON and fuel poverty National Right to Fuel Campaign
(22/01/08) UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign have come together to demand an official inquiry into almost £2.5bn extra profits energy companies are awarding themselves as households up and down the country deal with huge price rises announced this winter.The call for an Ofgem probe comes the week after British Gas became the latest energy provider to increase its prices: announcing an immediate 15% rise.It followed EDF's decision to increase gas prices by 12.% and electricity by 7.9 %, while npower had previously announced rises of 17.2% for gas and 12.7% for electricity.Research, sponsored jointly by UNISON and the National Right to Fuel Campaign and published today, says the average household is paying £100 extra a year because prices charged to customers have increased by £2.3bn more than the costs of producing and selling electricity and gas.Backing the call for an Ofgem inquiry, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis noted: "Hard-working families are desperately worried about increasing fuel bills, rising housing costs, food costs and millions of public sector workers are being told they must accept pay cuts."Pensioners are finding it a huge struggle, despite the winter fuel payments that have been wiped out by these greedy companies."The government should order Ofgem to do its job properly."Gas and electricity costs to householders, produced by Cornwall Energy Associates, shows that British households’ annual spending on electricity and gas increased by £8.2bn between 2003 and 2006, while the energy companies costs' grew buy £5.9bn – meaning an extra £2.3bn profits for them.Over the same period the average household's debt to energy suppliers grew from £159 to £194 for electricity customers and from £141 to £180. Charities have found that their funding of individual debts has grown to £16m a year. Click here to download a copy of the full report (.pdf) Click here for a National Right to Fuel campaign paper on tackling fuel poverty (.pdf)
More on UNISON and fuel poverty National Right to Fuel Campaign
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Prentis warns government over pay
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has a message for the government: “Don’t pick a fight with UNISON members.”Rejecting the 2% pay limit imposed in the comprehensive spending review, Mr Prentis warned of the dangers of holding down public-sector pay.“The 2% limit is just not on – it is a real pay cut for millions of hard working public-service workers. If you want first class public services, if you want the sick and elderly cared for, your children well-educated and protected and your streets clean and safe, cutting the pay of public-sector workers is the wrong way to go about it.“We are determined to secure decent pay rises for our members,” he said.UNISON's current pay claims for local government workers throughout the UK are for one-year deals, designed to make up lost ground, protect against future inflation and boost the minimum wage.With living costs rising fast, and below-inflation pay settlements in recent years, many public service workers are finding it incredibly hard to make ends meet. Morale is at rock bottom, Mr Prentis said.“It is wrong to put inflation at their door,” he stressed. “Instead, look no further than the multinationals bleeding our public services dry, the fuel price hikes and the massive profits made by big business."The gap between public sector pay packets and burgeoning living expenses must be bridged.”UNISON has submitted pay claims for local government workers in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK calling for rises of 5% and 6% respectively. Both have as a key element increases that would take low-paid members closer to a living wage.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has a message for the government: “Don’t pick a fight with UNISON members.”Rejecting the 2% pay limit imposed in the comprehensive spending review, Mr Prentis warned of the dangers of holding down public-sector pay.“The 2% limit is just not on – it is a real pay cut for millions of hard working public-service workers. If you want first class public services, if you want the sick and elderly cared for, your children well-educated and protected and your streets clean and safe, cutting the pay of public-sector workers is the wrong way to go about it.“We are determined to secure decent pay rises for our members,” he said.UNISON's current pay claims for local government workers throughout the UK are for one-year deals, designed to make up lost ground, protect against future inflation and boost the minimum wage.With living costs rising fast, and below-inflation pay settlements in recent years, many public service workers are finding it incredibly hard to make ends meet. Morale is at rock bottom, Mr Prentis said.“It is wrong to put inflation at their door,” he stressed. “Instead, look no further than the multinationals bleeding our public services dry, the fuel price hikes and the massive profits made by big business."The gap between public sector pay packets and burgeoning living expenses must be bridged.”UNISON has submitted pay claims for local government workers in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK calling for rises of 5% and 6% respectively. Both have as a key element increases that would take low-paid members closer to a living wage.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Council workers ask for 6%
to ‘catch up and match up’
(14/01/08) Town hall unions including UNISON, GMB and TGWU-Unite have agreed a pay claim for this year that would give more than one million local government workers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales a payrise of 6% or 50p an hour – whichever is the greater.The claim would take the wages of the lowest paid workers up to £6.50 an hour – a step towards the £6.75 that poverty experts say is the minimum needed to live on.Unions said it was intended to be a ‘catch up and match up’ claim, to recoup losses from below-inflation pay awards since 2004 and to keep up with inflation over the coming year.Heather Wakefield, UNISON’s national secretary for local government, said: “Despite the headline figure, this is a modest claim.“No-one could argue that an increase of 50p an hour fuels inflation. Over the past three years local government workers’ pay has increased by less than the rate of inflation, so we are starting from a low base. We need to make sure that they catch up with the rest of the public sector and that they are cushioned against inflation over the coming year.She added: “The government’s 2% limit is just not on. It is half the rate of inflation and represents a real pay cut for loyal, hard-working public-sector workers, two-thirds of whom are women."They are struggling to make ends meet with the ever-increasing spiral of housing and fuel price rises.”UNISON is working with other public-sector unions, through the TUC, to campaign for a fair deal for all public sector workers.The 2004-7 pay agreements gave an increase of 11.4% over three years, during which inflation rose by 12.5% and average earnings by 13.4%. The 2007-2008 award was for 2.475% and 3% for the lowest paid – inflation was more than 4% over that periodThe claim covers all grades of workers in local government, including refuse collection, school meals, social workers, administrators, cleaners, teaching assistants, parks and leisure workers and librarians. UNISON in Local government
to ‘catch up and match up’
(14/01/08) Town hall unions including UNISON, GMB and TGWU-Unite have agreed a pay claim for this year that would give more than one million local government workers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales a payrise of 6% or 50p an hour – whichever is the greater.The claim would take the wages of the lowest paid workers up to £6.50 an hour – a step towards the £6.75 that poverty experts say is the minimum needed to live on.Unions said it was intended to be a ‘catch up and match up’ claim, to recoup losses from below-inflation pay awards since 2004 and to keep up with inflation over the coming year.Heather Wakefield, UNISON’s national secretary for local government, said: “Despite the headline figure, this is a modest claim.“No-one could argue that an increase of 50p an hour fuels inflation. Over the past three years local government workers’ pay has increased by less than the rate of inflation, so we are starting from a low base. We need to make sure that they catch up with the rest of the public sector and that they are cushioned against inflation over the coming year.She added: “The government’s 2% limit is just not on. It is half the rate of inflation and represents a real pay cut for loyal, hard-working public-sector workers, two-thirds of whom are women."They are struggling to make ends meet with the ever-increasing spiral of housing and fuel price rises.”UNISON is working with other public-sector unions, through the TUC, to campaign for a fair deal for all public sector workers.The 2004-7 pay agreements gave an increase of 11.4% over three years, during which inflation rose by 12.5% and average earnings by 13.4%. The 2007-2008 award was for 2.475% and 3% for the lowest paid – inflation was more than 4% over that periodThe claim covers all grades of workers in local government, including refuse collection, school meals, social workers, administrators, cleaners, teaching assistants, parks and leisure workers and librarians. UNISON in Local government
Friday, January 11, 2008
UNISON kicks off 2008
equal pay campaign
(10/1/08) UNISON has launched its campaign to close the gender pay gap by lodging a record 33,000 equal pay claims against public sector employers. The union, two thirds of whose members are women, has been battling for equal pay for years, and has won significant pay increases for thousands of low-paid women workers.Its litigation and bargaining strategy will be further fine-tuned by officials and leading activists from across the UK, meeting at a special seminar in London today. And it is warning employers to start facing up to their responsibilities."Equal pay is not just the wish of the trade unions," said UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis. "It is the law of the land. Yet, 30 years on, the Equal Pay Act is still seen by many employers as a take-it-or-leave-it bit of legislation. "This cannot be allowed to continue. It must be implemented robustly across the UK."Mr Prentis said that funding, particularly in local government, remained critical to achieving equal and fair pay. "As a direct result of UNISON’s campaigning through the Labour Party, last September the government released £500 million to 46 local authorities to fund equal pay," he said. "But more is needed. In addition, the government must change the law, to cut the time it takes for legal action. At the moment, it takes years, is costly and, in the meantime, women remain underpaid.”The pay gap between men and women is around 17%, according to official figures. This means that women are losing out on a staggering £4,000 a year, based on an average salary of £23,600.
equal pay campaign
(10/1/08) UNISON has launched its campaign to close the gender pay gap by lodging a record 33,000 equal pay claims against public sector employers. The union, two thirds of whose members are women, has been battling for equal pay for years, and has won significant pay increases for thousands of low-paid women workers.Its litigation and bargaining strategy will be further fine-tuned by officials and leading activists from across the UK, meeting at a special seminar in London today. And it is warning employers to start facing up to their responsibilities."Equal pay is not just the wish of the trade unions," said UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis. "It is the law of the land. Yet, 30 years on, the Equal Pay Act is still seen by many employers as a take-it-or-leave-it bit of legislation. "This cannot be allowed to continue. It must be implemented robustly across the UK."Mr Prentis said that funding, particularly in local government, remained critical to achieving equal and fair pay. "As a direct result of UNISON’s campaigning through the Labour Party, last September the government released £500 million to 46 local authorities to fund equal pay," he said. "But more is needed. In addition, the government must change the law, to cut the time it takes for legal action. At the moment, it takes years, is costly and, in the meantime, women remain underpaid.”The pay gap between men and women is around 17%, according to official figures. This means that women are losing out on a staggering £4,000 a year, based on an average salary of £23,600.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tory 'Workfare' proposals will not
help people back into work
Responding to the Conservative Party's welfare reform proposals announced today (Tuesday), Midlands TUC Policy Officer Alan Weaver said:
'The Tories' Workfare proposals manage to combine injustice, expense and inefficiency in a single package. Experiences of Workfare schemes around the world have shown that they fail to help people into work. In Australia, Workfare has left unemployed people less likely to get a job. In New York, existing workers have lost their jobs to Workfare temps.
'Employers aren't impressed either - who will want to recruit someone who has been forced into their last job? The Tories will have to pay for the work people are forced to do, on top of support services like childcare. So there is no chance that the Tories will find the £3 billion savings they are looking for.
'Under the Tory proposals, people will not be paid the rate for the job they are doing and there will be no guarantee of a job at the end. The only beneficiaries will be dodgy employers, who will exploit unpaid Workfare temps to the detriment of existing staff.'
help people back into work
Responding to the Conservative Party's welfare reform proposals announced today (Tuesday), Midlands TUC Policy Officer Alan Weaver said:
'The Tories' Workfare proposals manage to combine injustice, expense and inefficiency in a single package. Experiences of Workfare schemes around the world have shown that they fail to help people into work. In Australia, Workfare has left unemployed people less likely to get a job. In New York, existing workers have lost their jobs to Workfare temps.
'Employers aren't impressed either - who will want to recruit someone who has been forced into their last job? The Tories will have to pay for the work people are forced to do, on top of support services like childcare. So there is no chance that the Tories will find the £3 billion savings they are looking for.
'Under the Tory proposals, people will not be paid the rate for the job they are doing and there will be no guarantee of a job at the end. The only beneficiaries will be dodgy employers, who will exploit unpaid Workfare temps to the detriment of existing staff.'
Saturday, January 05, 2008
The importance of taking a break
(04/01/08) Holidays are important for people's wellbeing -- but for many families on low incomes, a holiday is simply beyond reach, according to new research.The research -- sponsored by UNISON Welfare, the Family Holiday Association, the Family Fund and the Youth Hostel Association (England and Wales) -- found that families cited the 'opportunity for fun and happy memories for children' and 'the chance to spend time together as a family' as the top benefits of their holiday.The researchers from the University of Nottingham identified a range of circumstances affecting low-income families -- money, health, disability, stress and neighbourhood problems -- which can be helped by a break from challenging circumstances and a fresh perspective.They concluded that holidays can open up new ways to live which can have a lasting impact and cited the positive effect on issues such social exclusion and child poverty.Every year, hundreds of UNISON members receive help with a holiday or get well break from UNISON's charity. The service, called wellbeing breaks, includes support for day trips and leisure outings."We know only too well about the impact on family life and general health of long hours, difficult shift patterns and inflexible working conditions," says general secretary Dave Prentis."So we recognise the value of holidays and the need for low-income households in particular to have more access to adequate leisure time and a break from the stresses of daily life." UNISON welfare UNISON's work-life balance campaign
(04/01/08) Holidays are important for people's wellbeing -- but for many families on low incomes, a holiday is simply beyond reach, according to new research.The research -- sponsored by UNISON Welfare, the Family Holiday Association, the Family Fund and the Youth Hostel Association (England and Wales) -- found that families cited the 'opportunity for fun and happy memories for children' and 'the chance to spend time together as a family' as the top benefits of their holiday.The researchers from the University of Nottingham identified a range of circumstances affecting low-income families -- money, health, disability, stress and neighbourhood problems -- which can be helped by a break from challenging circumstances and a fresh perspective.They concluded that holidays can open up new ways to live which can have a lasting impact and cited the positive effect on issues such social exclusion and child poverty.Every year, hundreds of UNISON members receive help with a holiday or get well break from UNISON's charity. The service, called wellbeing breaks, includes support for day trips and leisure outings."We know only too well about the impact on family life and general health of long hours, difficult shift patterns and inflexible working conditions," says general secretary Dave Prentis."So we recognise the value of holidays and the need for low-income households in particular to have more access to adequate leisure time and a break from the stresses of daily life." UNISON welfare UNISON's work-life balance campaign
TUC supports campaign to stop
violence against Iraqi women
The TUC is supporting the campaign launched on 3 January by the Iraqi Women's League (IWL) Co-ordinating Committee Abroad against violence against women in Iraq. We reproduce here their press release, and urge trade unionists to sign up to the online petition at
http://www.ahewar.org/camp/i.asp?id=111
violence against Iraqi women
The TUC is supporting the campaign launched on 3 January by the Iraqi Women's League (IWL) Co-ordinating Committee Abroad against violence against women in Iraq. We reproduce here their press release, and urge trade unionists to sign up to the online petition at
http://www.ahewar.org/camp/i.asp?id=111
Thursday, January 03, 2008
TUC offers ten 'green' resolutions for 2008
With UK workplaces generating more carbon dioxide emissions than homes, the TUC has today (Wednesday) published new advice for staff to tackle climate change at work.
The TUC Green Workplaces project has found that a typical workplace produces ten times more carbon dioxide emissions than those produced by the homes and personal lives of its workforce. And while energy consumption at home has been reduced by five per cent in the last year, it continues to rise in UK workplaces.
Despite this trend, the Green Workplaces project has uncovered several examples of successful green initiatives across the UK, including recycling projects and schemes to reduce electricity usage. The TUC wants workplaces to be a major front against climate change in 2008 and has used examples of good practice to draft a guide for employees and union reps on how to green the workplace.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'When it comes to tackling climate change, people tend to look towards international agreements or what they can do at home. But more than half of the UK's carbon emissions are produced at work or through work-related transport. There's a lot more we can all do to reduce our workplace's carbon footprint.
'The TUC's advice should help everyone to act together and have a greener workplace. It's not about making people feel guilty, but about removing barriers to being green at work. Union environmental reps will be working with staff and managers to make UK workplaces greener in 2008.'
Ten resolutions to make your workplace greener in 2008:
1. Remember the three 'Rs'. Try to recycle as much as possible, but remember that reducing paper usage and re-using paper is even better.
2. Make sure that your workplace is the right temperature, ideally between 19 and 24 degrees centigrade. This will make for a greener, healthier working environment.
3. Flexible working options, such as home or remote working, can reduce your carbon footprint by avoiding the commute into work.
4. Consider video-conferencing as an alternative to travelling to meetings.
5. Ensure that all bulbs are low-energy.
6. Make sure furniture or equipment is not blocking any heating or windows.
7. Find out if your workplace is properly insulated and draught-proofed.
8. If you're the last to leave the office, make sure you turn everything off, such as lights, computer equipment, appliances, motors and machinery.
9. Talk to colleagues about working together to green your workplace. Collective action is more effective than individual efforts.
10. If you're unsure about how to reduce your carbon footprint at work, consult your union environmental rep. If there isn't one in your workplace, why not become one yourself! Contact Shropshire Unison Office on 01743 252952 Amelia Jones is the Branch Environmental officer.
With UK workplaces generating more carbon dioxide emissions than homes, the TUC has today (Wednesday) published new advice for staff to tackle climate change at work.
The TUC Green Workplaces project has found that a typical workplace produces ten times more carbon dioxide emissions than those produced by the homes and personal lives of its workforce. And while energy consumption at home has been reduced by five per cent in the last year, it continues to rise in UK workplaces.
Despite this trend, the Green Workplaces project has uncovered several examples of successful green initiatives across the UK, including recycling projects and schemes to reduce electricity usage. The TUC wants workplaces to be a major front against climate change in 2008 and has used examples of good practice to draft a guide for employees and union reps on how to green the workplace.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'When it comes to tackling climate change, people tend to look towards international agreements or what they can do at home. But more than half of the UK's carbon emissions are produced at work or through work-related transport. There's a lot more we can all do to reduce our workplace's carbon footprint.
'The TUC's advice should help everyone to act together and have a greener workplace. It's not about making people feel guilty, but about removing barriers to being green at work. Union environmental reps will be working with staff and managers to make UK workplaces greener in 2008.'
Ten resolutions to make your workplace greener in 2008:
1. Remember the three 'Rs'. Try to recycle as much as possible, but remember that reducing paper usage and re-using paper is even better.
2. Make sure that your workplace is the right temperature, ideally between 19 and 24 degrees centigrade. This will make for a greener, healthier working environment.
3. Flexible working options, such as home or remote working, can reduce your carbon footprint by avoiding the commute into work.
4. Consider video-conferencing as an alternative to travelling to meetings.
5. Ensure that all bulbs are low-energy.
6. Make sure furniture or equipment is not blocking any heating or windows.
7. Find out if your workplace is properly insulated and draught-proofed.
8. If you're the last to leave the office, make sure you turn everything off, such as lights, computer equipment, appliances, motors and machinery.
9. Talk to colleagues about working together to green your workplace. Collective action is more effective than individual efforts.
10. If you're unsure about how to reduce your carbon footprint at work, consult your union environmental rep. If there isn't one in your workplace, why not become one yourself! Contact Shropshire Unison Office on 01743 252952 Amelia Jones is the Branch Environmental officer.
Friday, December 28, 2007
TUC new year message
In his new year message to trade union members, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
'2008 may be a rocky year.
'After a decade of steady economic growth and stability, prospects for the economy are distinctly uncertain. The full effects of the credit crunch triggered by irresponsible lending in the USA sub-prime mortgage market have yet to work their way through the economic system. Northern Rock has already been taken in its wake.
'But it is important that we do not talk ourselves into thinking the economic situation is worse than it is. The truth is that instability has not come from events in the real economy where people trade goods and services, but from the world of finance. Employment remains at record levels, and businesses say they are optimistic for the year ahead. Lower interest rates can only help. The greatest threat would be to confuse the difficulties now being suffered by banks with the economic fundamentals.
'But there are lessons to be learnt. For many years we have been told that over-regulation and red tape are the biggest barrier to economic growth. Yet the biggest threat to the world economy has come from a failure to regulate the US mortgage market, and its biggest victim here flows from a regulatory failure in UK banking system oversight. No-one should support outdated or over-bureaucratic regulation, but perhaps it's time to celebrate the role that appropriate regulation plays every day in maintaining economic stability, protecting consumers, workers and the environment and ensuring that we live in a civilised society with rules. Let's make 2008 the year we stop having lazy debates about red tape, and start talking about getting the balance right - more regulation where we need it, and less where we don't.
'My other big worry for the year ahead is the simmering resentment across the public sector at government pay policy. Public servants have already suffered a cut in their living standards this year. But the Government is planning a further three years of reduced living standards. The arguments for doing this do not stack up, and the risks are big. It does not just threaten the recruitment, retention and morale of public servants but will damage an industrial relations system that has minimised conflict in the public sector. Ministers say that real wage cuts in the public sector are needed to fight inflation, yet all the evidence shows that public sector pay follows inflation not causes it, and that bearing down on public sector pay has had no impact in the private sector. In any case experts agree that pay is not currently driving inflation. It is not too late for ministers to think again.
'But what about some hopes for the year ahead.
'If I had one wish it would be that 2008 was a year that we had a proper political debate about making Britain a fairer society. It is a big agenda.
'It means more help for those at the bottom. We need to see faster progress on the Government's pledge to end child poverty, and recognise that this carries a price tag. It means making workplaces fairer. This requires proper enforcement of the rights that vulnerable workers are meant to enjoy, but too often do not. It also means closing what is now the biggest source of abuse and exploitation - agency working. There is nothing wrong with supplying people with short-term availability to employers with short-term needs, but almost every media exposure of exploitation at work has featured agency working.
'At the other end of society it is time for a proper debate about inequality. We now have a growing group of the soar-away super-rich, who live lives cut off from the rest of us. Many take advantage of private equity and non-dom tax loopholes. This is not just bad for social cohesion, but distorts the economy.
'This is why I hope that in the year ahead we can have a proper debate about tax. We need a campaign for fair tax. If the super-rich and big companies are not paying their fair share it means that the rest of us - including small and medium sized businesses are paying too much, that public services are not getting the growth they need and that we do not have the resources to end child poverty. Simply closing the non-dom loophole would raise enough to halve child poverty. No-one particularly enjoys paying tax but it is the price tag for a civilised society, and it's about time that we had a proper debate about whether those who can afford it are paying their fair share.'
In his new year message to trade union members, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
'2008 may be a rocky year.
'After a decade of steady economic growth and stability, prospects for the economy are distinctly uncertain. The full effects of the credit crunch triggered by irresponsible lending in the USA sub-prime mortgage market have yet to work their way through the economic system. Northern Rock has already been taken in its wake.
'But it is important that we do not talk ourselves into thinking the economic situation is worse than it is. The truth is that instability has not come from events in the real economy where people trade goods and services, but from the world of finance. Employment remains at record levels, and businesses say they are optimistic for the year ahead. Lower interest rates can only help. The greatest threat would be to confuse the difficulties now being suffered by banks with the economic fundamentals.
'But there are lessons to be learnt. For many years we have been told that over-regulation and red tape are the biggest barrier to economic growth. Yet the biggest threat to the world economy has come from a failure to regulate the US mortgage market, and its biggest victim here flows from a regulatory failure in UK banking system oversight. No-one should support outdated or over-bureaucratic regulation, but perhaps it's time to celebrate the role that appropriate regulation plays every day in maintaining economic stability, protecting consumers, workers and the environment and ensuring that we live in a civilised society with rules. Let's make 2008 the year we stop having lazy debates about red tape, and start talking about getting the balance right - more regulation where we need it, and less where we don't.
'My other big worry for the year ahead is the simmering resentment across the public sector at government pay policy. Public servants have already suffered a cut in their living standards this year. But the Government is planning a further three years of reduced living standards. The arguments for doing this do not stack up, and the risks are big. It does not just threaten the recruitment, retention and morale of public servants but will damage an industrial relations system that has minimised conflict in the public sector. Ministers say that real wage cuts in the public sector are needed to fight inflation, yet all the evidence shows that public sector pay follows inflation not causes it, and that bearing down on public sector pay has had no impact in the private sector. In any case experts agree that pay is not currently driving inflation. It is not too late for ministers to think again.
'But what about some hopes for the year ahead.
'If I had one wish it would be that 2008 was a year that we had a proper political debate about making Britain a fairer society. It is a big agenda.
'It means more help for those at the bottom. We need to see faster progress on the Government's pledge to end child poverty, and recognise that this carries a price tag. It means making workplaces fairer. This requires proper enforcement of the rights that vulnerable workers are meant to enjoy, but too often do not. It also means closing what is now the biggest source of abuse and exploitation - agency working. There is nothing wrong with supplying people with short-term availability to employers with short-term needs, but almost every media exposure of exploitation at work has featured agency working.
'At the other end of society it is time for a proper debate about inequality. We now have a growing group of the soar-away super-rich, who live lives cut off from the rest of us. Many take advantage of private equity and non-dom tax loopholes. This is not just bad for social cohesion, but distorts the economy.
'This is why I hope that in the year ahead we can have a proper debate about tax. We need a campaign for fair tax. If the super-rich and big companies are not paying their fair share it means that the rest of us - including small and medium sized businesses are paying too much, that public services are not getting the growth they need and that we do not have the resources to end child poverty. Simply closing the non-dom loophole would raise enough to halve child poverty. No-one particularly enjoys paying tax but it is the price tag for a civilised society, and it's about time that we had a proper debate about whether those who can afford it are paying their fair share.'
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Union leaders speak up for public services
(18/12/07) UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis joined other trade union leaders and public-service workers today to start the fight-back against the government's 2% public-sector pay limit.
Dave Prentis joins TUC general secretary Brendan Barber and public service workers to launch the Speak Up for Public Services pay campaign"A 2% pay limit, for each of the next three years, will mean a pay cut for the UK's six million public-sector workers," Mr Prentis said."It represents a real cut in living standards and could cause long-term damage to industrial relations, recruitment, retention and morale."Launching the Speak Up for Public Services campaign at Westminster, the TUC and its 26 member unions called on ministers to accept in full the next round of recommendations from the various pay review bodies, if they wanted to avoid a repetition of the anger that provoked a wave of strike ballots across the public sector in 2007."The government must remember what a demoralised, under-resourced public sector it inherited from the Tories," Mr Prentis warned. "We cannot go back to those days."UNISON and other public-sector unions will be working together over the coming months to campaign for pay rises that reflect the true cost of living in the UK, he said.The TUC has published a new report, Six million pay cuts, to coincide with today's campaign launch.Debunking the myth that public-sector pay fuels inflation, the report points out that the government's arguments for the freeze do not add up. Holding back public pay will also widen the pay gap between men and women, it says.For more information about the Speak Up for Public Services campaign, read the full text of the statement signed by all 26 member unions of the TUC: Public servants deserve fair pay. Download the TUC report here: Six million pay cuts [PDF] More on UNISON's Positively Public campaign
(18/12/07) UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis joined other trade union leaders and public-service workers today to start the fight-back against the government's 2% public-sector pay limit.
Dave Prentis joins TUC general secretary Brendan Barber and public service workers to launch the Speak Up for Public Services pay campaign"A 2% pay limit, for each of the next three years, will mean a pay cut for the UK's six million public-sector workers," Mr Prentis said."It represents a real cut in living standards and could cause long-term damage to industrial relations, recruitment, retention and morale."Launching the Speak Up for Public Services campaign at Westminster, the TUC and its 26 member unions called on ministers to accept in full the next round of recommendations from the various pay review bodies, if they wanted to avoid a repetition of the anger that provoked a wave of strike ballots across the public sector in 2007."The government must remember what a demoralised, under-resourced public sector it inherited from the Tories," Mr Prentis warned. "We cannot go back to those days."UNISON and other public-sector unions will be working together over the coming months to campaign for pay rises that reflect the true cost of living in the UK, he said.The TUC has published a new report, Six million pay cuts, to coincide with today's campaign launch.Debunking the myth that public-sector pay fuels inflation, the report points out that the government's arguments for the freeze do not add up. Holding back public pay will also widen the pay gap between men and women, it says.For more information about the Speak Up for Public Services campaign, read the full text of the statement signed by all 26 member unions of the TUC: Public servants deserve fair pay. Download the TUC report here: Six million pay cuts [PDF] More on UNISON's Positively Public campaign
Monday, December 17, 2007
Fight for free speech continues
(17/12/07) 150 mental health workers in Manchester who have been on strike in support of their branch chair returned to work today.However, UNISON has pledged to fight on in defence of Karen Reissmann, the award-winning psychiatric nurse sacked for speaking out against health cuts.The union will take up Ms Reissmann's case with an employment tribunal, after she lost an internal appeal against her dismissal.Manchester Mental Health Trust has refused to reinstate Ms Reissmann, despite a prolonged campaign backed by UNISON, which won widespread public support.Ms Reissmann chairs her local health branch and has been a vocal opponent of government health policies and local cuts.The trust claims she brought it into disrepute by talking to the media.UNISON believes she is being victimised in an attempt to silence her and other union activists.General secretary Dave Prentis said: “UNISON will not be silenced and we shall continue to campaign through all available channels to obtain Karen’s reinstatement.”
(17/12/07) 150 mental health workers in Manchester who have been on strike in support of their branch chair returned to work today.However, UNISON has pledged to fight on in defence of Karen Reissmann, the award-winning psychiatric nurse sacked for speaking out against health cuts.The union will take up Ms Reissmann's case with an employment tribunal, after she lost an internal appeal against her dismissal.Manchester Mental Health Trust has refused to reinstate Ms Reissmann, despite a prolonged campaign backed by UNISON, which won widespread public support.Ms Reissmann chairs her local health branch and has been a vocal opponent of government health policies and local cuts.The trust claims she brought it into disrepute by talking to the media.UNISON believes she is being victimised in an attempt to silence her and other union activists.General secretary Dave Prentis said: “UNISON will not be silenced and we shall continue to campaign through all available channels to obtain Karen’s reinstatement.”
Sunday, December 16, 2007
de deux with the far right
The ballerina Simone Clarke, has taken a leading
role in a nationalist organisation with links to the
British National party. Clarke was revealed to be a
member of the British National Party (BNP) during
a Guardian investigation into the far-right organisation
last year. She drew widespread criticism, with
anti-racist protesters staging a demonstration when
she took to the stage in English National Ballet’s
production of Giselle.
Now the ballerina, who is expected to retire soon,
has been elected to the executive board of Solidarity,
a so-called trade union which says it aims to
protect the rights of British workers. In a posting
on Solidarity’s website Clarke said: “Last year a
newspaper “exposed” my BNP membership. Some
politically motivated malcontents tried to have me
sacked, hence my interest in a British workers’
union.”
She was elected to Solidarity’s board last month
and, according to BNP leader Nick Griffin, has
given a speech at a BNP event in the Midlands in
recent weeks.
Solidarity’s general secretary is Pat Harrington,
a long-time far-right activist and former National
Front organiser. Critics say the organisation, which
is not affiliated to the TUC, is a front organisation
for the BNP. Solidarity denies the charge, claiming
it is an independent trade union.
When her membership of the BNP was exposed
Clarke claimed the organisation was the only party
willing to “take a stand” against immigration. “I’ve
never been clearer in my head that I’m moving in
the right direction and at the right time,” she told
the Mail on Sunday, adding that her conversion to
the far right was prompted by watching the news
and reading the BNP manifesto.
“I am not too proud to say that a lot of it went over my
head but some of the things they mentioned were
the things I think about all the time, mainly mass
immigration, crime and increased taxes. I paid my
£25 there and then.” On its website Solidarity says
it was formed “as a reaction against the betrayal
of the Unions affiliated to the TUC”. It adds it is a
“National Movement that actively recruits UK and
Irish Workers into it’s [sic] ranks”.
In its 2006 annual return to the union watchdog the
Certification Officer, its declared membership totalled
just 42 — all but two of them men. Its income
was £1,105.
Harrington became general secretary and treasurer
at the end of 2006 replacing Lee Barnes — the
BNP’s legal adviser — and the BNP’s treasurer John
Walker respectively.
Vice president Kevin Scott — a BNP regional organiser
— was replaced by Tim Hawke — said to be an
Ipswich BNP member — on the same date.
The ballerina Simone Clarke, has taken a leading
role in a nationalist organisation with links to the
British National party. Clarke was revealed to be a
member of the British National Party (BNP) during
a Guardian investigation into the far-right organisation
last year. She drew widespread criticism, with
anti-racist protesters staging a demonstration when
she took to the stage in English National Ballet’s
production of Giselle.
Now the ballerina, who is expected to retire soon,
has been elected to the executive board of Solidarity,
a so-called trade union which says it aims to
protect the rights of British workers. In a posting
on Solidarity’s website Clarke said: “Last year a
newspaper “exposed” my BNP membership. Some
politically motivated malcontents tried to have me
sacked, hence my interest in a British workers’
union.”
She was elected to Solidarity’s board last month
and, according to BNP leader Nick Griffin, has
given a speech at a BNP event in the Midlands in
recent weeks.
Solidarity’s general secretary is Pat Harrington,
a long-time far-right activist and former National
Front organiser. Critics say the organisation, which
is not affiliated to the TUC, is a front organisation
for the BNP. Solidarity denies the charge, claiming
it is an independent trade union.
When her membership of the BNP was exposed
Clarke claimed the organisation was the only party
willing to “take a stand” against immigration. “I’ve
never been clearer in my head that I’m moving in
the right direction and at the right time,” she told
the Mail on Sunday, adding that her conversion to
the far right was prompted by watching the news
and reading the BNP manifesto.
“I am not too proud to say that a lot of it went over my
head but some of the things they mentioned were
the things I think about all the time, mainly mass
immigration, crime and increased taxes. I paid my
£25 there and then.” On its website Solidarity says
it was formed “as a reaction against the betrayal
of the Unions affiliated to the TUC”. It adds it is a
“National Movement that actively recruits UK and
Irish Workers into it’s [sic] ranks”.
In its 2006 annual return to the union watchdog the
Certification Officer, its declared membership totalled
just 42 — all but two of them men. Its income
was £1,105.
Harrington became general secretary and treasurer
at the end of 2006 replacing Lee Barnes — the
BNP’s legal adviser — and the BNP’s treasurer John
Walker respectively.
Vice president Kevin Scott — a BNP regional organiser
— was replaced by Tim Hawke — said to be an
Ipswich BNP member — on the same date.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Unions vow to fight on
(07/12/07) UNISON and other trade unions are angry at the government's part in blocking EU legislation to protect vulnerable agency workers.Employment ministers from across Europe failed to thrash out a deal to implement the Agency Workers Directive when they met this week.The deal, which has been stalled for the past five years, would give agency workers the same employment rights as permanent staff.The issue is a key one for UNISON, which has been pressing the government through the TUC to break the European deadlock and agree a new deal, or to honour its Warwick commitments to introduce UK legislation.Addressing a packed fringe meeting at TUC Congress earlier this year, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: "It is a disgrace that in the fourth richest economy in the world, 10 years into a Labour government, vulnerable workers can be exploited and abused they way they are."Mr Prentis is also president of the TUC, which said the lack of progress on the Agency Working Directive was disappointing."There is real anger among unions today that the UK government played the pivotal role in blocking progress on this modest measure to improve workplace justice," said the TUC's Brendan Barber.The directive would have helped slow the growth of a two-tier workforce, and made it more difficult for employers to undercut wages and conditions, he said.However, he pledged, "unions will not give up the campaign to deliver justice for agency workers."
(07/12/07) UNISON and other trade unions are angry at the government's part in blocking EU legislation to protect vulnerable agency workers.Employment ministers from across Europe failed to thrash out a deal to implement the Agency Workers Directive when they met this week.The deal, which has been stalled for the past five years, would give agency workers the same employment rights as permanent staff.The issue is a key one for UNISON, which has been pressing the government through the TUC to break the European deadlock and agree a new deal, or to honour its Warwick commitments to introduce UK legislation.Addressing a packed fringe meeting at TUC Congress earlier this year, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: "It is a disgrace that in the fourth richest economy in the world, 10 years into a Labour government, vulnerable workers can be exploited and abused they way they are."Mr Prentis is also president of the TUC, which said the lack of progress on the Agency Working Directive was disappointing."There is real anger among unions today that the UK government played the pivotal role in blocking progress on this modest measure to improve workplace justice," said the TUC's Brendan Barber.The directive would have helped slow the growth of a two-tier workforce, and made it more difficult for employers to undercut wages and conditions, he said.However, he pledged, "unions will not give up the campaign to deliver justice for agency workers."
Friday, December 07, 2007
Strike deductions success
Employers must include annual leave and bank
holidays when calculating how much pay to deduct
for strike action, the High Court has ruled. UNISON,
the UK’s largest public sector union, brought the
test case, Cooper v Isle of Wight College, following
strike action to protect members’ pension rights in
March last year.
The decision means that the Isle of Wight College
should have deducted only 1/260th of the annual
salary of a striker for the one-day strike not 1/228th.
The ruling has implications for all employers making
deductions from employees’ wages for taking
strike action.
The union has consistently argued that the correct
method of deducting salaries during strike action
is to deduct the weekend and other non-working
days — but not annual leave or bank holidays — resulting
in a formula of 1/260th of the annual salary
for a day’s strike.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The
amount of money may seem small but the principle
of the case is much bigger. The strike action last
year was to defend pension rights and it involved
30,000 members in the further education sector.
Employers must include annual leave and bank
holidays when calculating how much pay to deduct
for strike action, the High Court has ruled. UNISON,
the UK’s largest public sector union, brought the
test case, Cooper v Isle of Wight College, following
strike action to protect members’ pension rights in
March last year.
The decision means that the Isle of Wight College
should have deducted only 1/260th of the annual
salary of a striker for the one-day strike not 1/228th.
The ruling has implications for all employers making
deductions from employees’ wages for taking
strike action.
The union has consistently argued that the correct
method of deducting salaries during strike action
is to deduct the weekend and other non-working
days — but not annual leave or bank holidays — resulting
in a formula of 1/260th of the annual salary
for a day’s strike.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The
amount of money may seem small but the principle
of the case is much bigger. The strike action last
year was to defend pension rights and it involved
30,000 members in the further education sector.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007
Introduction
1. The Concessionary Bus Travel Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 27 November 2006. The Department's press release of 27 November 2006, announcing introduction of the Bill, can be found at the following link:http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?ReleaseID=245891&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromSearch=True
2. The Bill received Royal Assent thus becoming an Act on 19 July 2007.
3. The full text of the Act and Explanatory Notes can be found on the Office of Public Sector Information website: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/
4. The final Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 is at:http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/aboutria/ria/riaconcessbustravelact07
5. The full text of the Commencement Order for the Act, including a short Explanatory Note, can be found on the Office of Public Sector Information website: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/. The title of the Order is 'The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 (Commencement and Transitional Provisions) Order 2007' (Statutory Instrument 2007 No. 2799 (C. 109)).
What the Act does
6. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act provides that everyone aged 60 and over in England, and disabled people in England, will get free off peak travel on all local buses anywhere in England from April 2008. The existing statutory entitlement allows these groups to travel for free, but only on buses within their local authority area.
7. The Act will achieve social inclusion benefits for older and disabled people in allowing them greater freedom to travel, for free, by local bus. This is a key part of the Government's wider recognition of the importance of public transport for older and disabled people, and the role access to transport has to play in improving social inclusion and maintaining well being.
8. The provisions in the Act:
Guarantee free bus travel for those eligible from 9.30am until 11pm on weekdays and all day weekends and bank holidays, across England.
Provide a power to allow, via regulations in the future, for mutual recognition of national concessionary bus passes across the United Kingdom.
Allow flexibility for Ministers to change the mechanism for reimbursement of bus operators in the future and enable streamlining of the administration of concessionary travel.
Retain Ministers' ability to adjust the scope of the concession in the future via regulations.
Enable local authorities to continue to be able to offer benefits above the statutory entitlement to their residents, such as travel before 9:30am and concessions on other modes like trams, as well as alternative forms of travel scheme, like tokens for use on taxis or community transport.
Introduction
1. The Concessionary Bus Travel Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 27 November 2006. The Department's press release of 27 November 2006, announcing introduction of the Bill, can be found at the following link:http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?ReleaseID=245891&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromSearch=True
2. The Bill received Royal Assent thus becoming an Act on 19 July 2007.
3. The full text of the Act and Explanatory Notes can be found on the Office of Public Sector Information website: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/
4. The final Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 is at:http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/aboutria/ria/riaconcessbustravelact07
5. The full text of the Commencement Order for the Act, including a short Explanatory Note, can be found on the Office of Public Sector Information website: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/. The title of the Order is 'The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 (Commencement and Transitional Provisions) Order 2007' (Statutory Instrument 2007 No. 2799 (C. 109)).
What the Act does
6. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act provides that everyone aged 60 and over in England, and disabled people in England, will get free off peak travel on all local buses anywhere in England from April 2008. The existing statutory entitlement allows these groups to travel for free, but only on buses within their local authority area.
7. The Act will achieve social inclusion benefits for older and disabled people in allowing them greater freedom to travel, for free, by local bus. This is a key part of the Government's wider recognition of the importance of public transport for older and disabled people, and the role access to transport has to play in improving social inclusion and maintaining well being.
8. The provisions in the Act:
Guarantee free bus travel for those eligible from 9.30am until 11pm on weekdays and all day weekends and bank holidays, across England.
Provide a power to allow, via regulations in the future, for mutual recognition of national concessionary bus passes across the United Kingdom.
Allow flexibility for Ministers to change the mechanism for reimbursement of bus operators in the future and enable streamlining of the administration of concessionary travel.
Retain Ministers' ability to adjust the scope of the concession in the future via regulations.
Enable local authorities to continue to be able to offer benefits above the statutory entitlement to their residents, such as travel before 9:30am and concessions on other modes like trams, as well as alternative forms of travel scheme, like tokens for use on taxis or community transport.
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