Control Freaks by Alan Morrison

This urge to control;
from whence does it come?
A question banal, you may say.
But as I go about my business
in a thousand different ways
I see:

German unions call for national minimum wage to combat social dumping

The FT reports that Germany could see a net inflow of almost 800,000 migrant workers from central and eastern Europe over the next two years, following the opening of its borders to free labour movement in the European Union on May 1:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9b3f374c-7022-11e0-bea7-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1KtQ2eqCg

Pensions & Strike Action - Beware Bedsit Generals

The emerging consensus of British public service unions is that industrial action will be an essential part of the response to the Con Dem attack on public sector pensions.

Workers memorial day

UNISON’s president, Angela Lynes, and NEC member Bob Oram, with staff from UNISON’s Scottish office commemorated International Workers Memorial Day with a minute’s silence at 12pm today. Other events around the country saw UNISON activists join with other unions and campaigning groups to say "Remember the Dead and Fight for the Living".
http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/healthandsafety/wmd.html
http://www.aberdeenshireunison.com/healthandsafety/wmd11.html
Send us your links http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/p/contact-unisonactive.html

Arguments for voting yes - without illusions! And encouraging kindred spirits to do the same!

Arguments for voting yes - without illusions! And encouraging kindred spirits to do the same!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/28/av-first-past-the-post

The case for PFI needs to be challenged more - National Audit Office

The FT reports that Parliament’s public spending watchdog has called on the Treasury to look for alternatives to PFI for delivering big infrastructure projects:

Social Care - Time to Organise the Unorganised

Community care magazine reports on growing 'alarm over lack of union membership among care workers':

Workers Memorial Day 2011 - Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living

This year marks the first anniversary of the UK’s official recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day, which is held on 28 April each year. UNISON's message - 'cuts cost lives' is clear and timely. http://www.unison.org.uk/safety/pages_view.asp?did=4783

Photos: UNISON Billboard blitz ahead of May elections

The second phase of UNISON’s political advertising campaign - ahead of the May election -, was launched yesterday. Giant billboards have been posted across the country with a common theme, listing jobs that are being cut under three eye-catching headlines, “Welcome To The Big Society” “Stop Having Children” and “Don’t Get Sick”: http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2271

Health & Social Care Bill pronounced Dead on Arrival!

UNISON has called for the Health and Social Care Bill to be pronounced DOA - dead on arrival - after a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report said it posed a real threat to patient care. The PAC report can be read in full here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news/health-landscape-report/

Tory Stalking Horse Anti Strike Bill Defeated - but watch this space

Tory MP Dominic Raab’s attempt to introduce a bill in the House of Commons that would require more than 50 per cent of trade union members to vote for industrial action to make it legal was defeated by 171 to 151 votes last night http://www.powerinaunion.co.uk/tory-taliban-anti-union-bill-defeated/

UNISON Billboard blitz ahead of May elections

The second phase of UNISON’s political advertising campaign - ahead of the May election -, was launched yesterday. Giant billboards have been posted across the country with a common theme, listing jobs that are being cut under three eye-catching headlines, “Welcome To The Big Society” “Stop Having Children” and “Don’t Get Sick”: http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2271

Tory anti strike attack dog is a rank hypocrite

Keith Ewing, writing on the Guardian website, exposes the hypocrisy and intellectual inconsistency of right wing Tory MP Dominic Raab, who is the moving force behind a 10 minute rule Bill to impose further restrictions on the right to strike: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2011/apr/26/dominic-raab-strike-bill  

Referendum question

“Can you vote ‘Yes’ for AV and put ‘No’ as your second preference?” http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/comment/ken-smiths-diary/on-to-a-winner-1.1097914

Tories make move to tighten up strike legislation

The Times reports today on moves by Tory MP’s to tighten strike laws by introducing a Bill calling for strikes in the transport or emergency services to be made illegal unless they have the support of the majority of union members eligible to vote in strike ballots - rather than a simple majority of those voting:http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/16367/

Con Dem deregulation mania will undermine our quality of life

De-regulate and burn! Snip that red tape to smithereens! ‘Efficiencies’ and privatisation will be all the easier without the annoyance of the law and statutory instruments’, writes Heather Wakefield UNISON National Secretary for Local Government, on the Public Finance website:
http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/2011/04/from-red-tape-to-mouldy-sausages-by-heather-wakefield/

The dogs bark but the caravan moves on

Inevitably, in a union the size of UNISON there will be issues which require the union to take disciplinary action against individuals who blatantly breach the union Rules.

The Sun dances to the Tax Dodgers' Tune

You can tell that it’s the silly season in the media when recycled news hits the headlines. This weekend, The Sun ‘reported’ on the trade union facilities agreements of larger local authority employers:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3543327/Cuts-councils-pay-10m-union-wages.html#comment-rig

Eurozone austerity strategy in disarray

Reuters reports that rising public anger in northern Europe at a series of taxpayer funded bailouts is sending tremors through the political landscape, boosting anti-euro parties such as the True Finns in Finland and sparking open policy rows in Germany. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/businesspro-us-eurozone-strategy-idUSTRE73K5IK20110421

If Christ Rose Today by Hugh MacDiarmid

If Christ rose today
Said a Fleet Street man
So complete is our sway
We could dish his plan
Not a word would get out
He might as well have lain still
Our conspiracy of silence would kill
His resurrection at birth - and love no doubt.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/hugh-macdiarmid