Open up Labour to union levy payers – Ed Miliband

Speaking at Labour’s National Policy Forum today Ed Miliband called on local Labour Party organisations to reach out to the almost 3 million union political levy payers who are not Labour Party members: http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/06/party-members-labour-policy

TU Facility Time & EDM 1978 - Ask your MP to back it!

Hard right elements in the Con Dem ranks along with the Tory newspapers have declared open season on trade union facility time over the past 12 months.

Con Dem ‘contingency planning’ a pretext for strikebreaking

Ahead of next week’s industrial action in defence of pensions by civil service and teaching unions, the Guardian reports on union concerns that Government ‘contingency planning’ amounts to systematic strikebreaking to minimise the impact of the strikes: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jun/24/coalition-encouraging-strikebreaking-tactics-claim

One Vote for Catastrophe by Kathryn Jacobs

Just dead around the edges: fingers numb,
a head with last year’s thoughts re-echoing
in this year’s brain-cells – nothing too far gone.
Regurgitated pleasures: not the same,
But new ones cost so much.

Conference rejects ‘critical engagement‘ with Histadrut

#uNDC11 Wednesday’s debate on Palestine hinged on a recommendationfrom a recent UNISON delegation to Palestine that the union adopts astance of critical engagement with the Israeli trade union centre Histadrut: http://www.unison.org.uk/file/reportDelegation02010.pdf

Is a New Banking Collapse Imminent?

The head of the world's largest public debt traders, Pimco, has warned that Greece is still likely to default on its debts, despite prime minister George Papandreou winning a crucial vote of confidence late on Tuesday night:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jun/22/greece-default-likely-says-top-bond-investor

Review of SCAM a play by James Douglas

#uNDC11 To celebrate Conference coming to Manchester, UNISON NorthWest Region commissioned a performance of a new play by James Douglas. James and UNISON have collaborated in other ventures over the years and his new play was eagerly awaited.

Big turnout at Organising Fringe

Over 200 delegates packed out a fringe meeting straight after conference yesterday #uNDC11 to listen to speakers on the issue after Organising inside UNISON. Jo Spears - a striking Compass worker from Southampton hospitals and Katie Gash - a young Local Organiser working in the SE Region - described jointly their experience of working together with the 3 Companies Project in Southampton Hospital Trust.

Mutual Benefit

#uNDC11 An attempt to substitute a slogan for a comprehensive union approach to public service reform was overwhelmingly rejected by Conference following NEC opposition to amendment 39.1.

Stop the Great Pensions Robbery - Lilian Macer

#uNDC11 This morning Lilian Macer of Scotland moved Composite B on 'Defending our Pensions' in the major debate of this year's Conference:

Cuts are not the Cure‏

#uNDC11 "We need to nail the lies and the myths peddled by the Tories and their backers in the right wing press if we are to make the case for the defence of public services" said NEC member Jane Carolan moving Composite E on economic policy immediately following the General Secretary's speech:

President's reception at must see People's History Museum

#uNDC11 Colleagues, family and friends of UNISON President Angela Lynes packed out Manchester's People's History Museum last night for a reception to mark her Presidential year. All present had an opportunity to visit the galleries celebrating working class history

Go back to your branches and prepare for action

Dave with City of Liverpool LG delegation after his speech

#uNDC11 Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary has vowed that UNISON will wear this Government down, sap their strength, and bring them closer to breaking point, in the defence of Public Services, Public Sector workers and their pensions. He called on UNISON activists at National Delegate Conference in Manchester to go back to their branches and prepare for battle.

Now is the time to fight: President's speech in full

#uNDC11 Conference, guests, family and friends – good morning to you and welcome to Manchester. I would like to start by telling you a bit about me, I have worked in Local Government in Glasgow for 24 years, I am married to John and have two children Jack who is 15 and Rachel who is 14. I became involved in Nalgo when I spoke up at a union meeting during a dispute and the next thing I knew I was a steward, the Convenor, who I believe is in the hall said “I wouldn’t take a burst pay packet home to her”.

What are the unions supposed to do?

"When Dave Prentis says he intends to bring "huge swaths of the public sector to a halt", he isn't making idle threats. #uNDC11 He can, and he will’ writes Dan Hodges on the New Statesman website. Hodges responds to recent media attacks on public sector unions: http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/dan-hodges/2011/06/needs-union-members-rights

Conference: Our Chance to Show that Our Opposition is Serious

#uNDC11 Well you have packed the mac and the wellies, reset the Sat Nav for the North rather than the South, (or less far south for some of us) and packed the supplies of paracetamol and gaviscon. It can only mean one thing. UNISON is meeting in Manchester.

Libya - killing civilians to protect them?

'NATO is not a benign force for peace in the world but a coalition whose leaders take military action for their own political and strategic ends. We must challenge such imperialism, not legitimise it’ writes John Hilary in Red Pepper about hypocritical justifications for the escalating violence in Libya: http://www.redpepper.org.uk/here-we-go-again/

Balls is talking bollocks

#uNDC11 It is safe to assume that Ed Balls MP has never taken a day’s strike action in his working life. And like most of his colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party his union membership is largely a symbolic line on his political CV.

Pensions - Local Government up for the fight

#uNDC11 With a complete display of unity of purpose UNISON’s Local Government conference opened today in Manchester by debating “the fight of our lives” to defend members pensions.

Our pensions are not safe in Con Dem hands

The Observer reports that the Treasury is "backtracking" on the pensions announcements made on Friday by the lightweight Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander MP: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jun/18/pensions-reform-unions-public-sector-treasury

Woman by Varavara Rao

Woman! Your blood
Turns into a child
Your dreams and man’s passions