'The idea of pursuing a career in public service is also fast becoming little more than a dream, as services are contracted-out to the private sector on ideological rather than quality (or even cost) grounds; as training and development budgets are reined in; and staff restructuring reduces promotion opportunities. As trade unionists, the pressure on service delivery means it is becoming increasingly difficult to organise workplaces. From being refused time-off, to the challenges of uniting fragmented workforces, to threats of de-recognition – all present tough challenges for young workers starting out in their careers and also wanting to become active in their trade union' writes Dan Goodwin, young members representative on UNISON's NEC, in an article on the TUC blog to mark Young Workers' Month:
http://strongerunions.org/2014/03/05/weve-never-had-it-so-bad-difficult-times-for-young-public-service-workers/
In recent decades the tide of opinion has been that strikes are bad for unions. That strikes bring them bad publicity, that it shows unions in a masculine aggressive light and that the majority of union members, never mind workers, are very much against strikes. It has also been the position of many a veteran trade union activist or official that we must avoid strikes, that militancy loses us power and members in the long run. In times of recession and austerity our members don`t want to strike because of the fear of losing jobs and then in good times members don`t want to strike because generally things are ok.
The UK has experienced the fastest rise in youth unemployment of any country in the G8 since the start of the recession and now has the third worst levels in the 34 country OECD. A new Work Foundation report 'International Lessons: Youth unemployment in the global context' looks at youth unemployment internationally, placing a spotlight on Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia - all of which have maintained consistently low levels of youth unemployment despite the economic crisis:
http://www.theworkfoundation.com/DownloadPublication/Report/329_International%20Lessons.pdf
#tuc12 Unions must ensure that young people hear about the heritage of what organised labour has delivered, and why it’s so important to defend it, UNISON’s Graham Smith told the TUC yesterday.
..Congress backed a Young Members' call for a programme of political education for young workers that explicitly addresses how trade union activity has delivered essential workers rights and has benefited society and demonstrates the positive and practical workplace benefits of union membership for young people. It also called for a positive media campaign about the value of trade union membership and participation.
A new TUC analysis shows the grim economic realities facing young people in the UK today.
More than one in five (22%) of 16-24 year olds are currently unemployed, of which almost 500,000 have been jobless for more than six months:
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-21323-f0.cfm
Over 1,000 STUC demonstrators against youth unemployment kettled Tory delegates attending Scottish Conference in Troon as they tried to leave for lunch today. Speaking at the demo, Mike Kirby, UNISON Scotland Secretary and STUC President, condemned this week's budget as "tax cuts for the rich few while a whole generation is consigned to mass unemployment because of crazy austerity economics".
As unemployment among women and young people rises inexorably, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis accuses the Government of ignoring the human cost of its cuts in public services - ‘it is shameful to see that women, who make up the majority of low paid public sector workers, have had an unemployment hike of 45,000, to 1.1 million, the highest figure since 1988. Youth unemployment has also risen by 54,000, creating a lost generation of young people struggling to afford education, or find work, which the government will struggle to curb. Women and young people first in the government's jobless queues!’
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dave-prentis/unemployment-figures-and-cuts_b_1148501.html
Yesterday's announcement that youth unemployment has risen to 991,000 - the highest since records began in 1992 and 21.3% of under 25's eligible to work - is not unexpected, says David Blanchlower, writing in the New Statesman, 'the rise in youth unemployment is hardly a surprise given the government abolished the Future of Jobs Fund and the Educational Maintenance Allowance and reduced the number of university places. This coalition appears to be dead set on creating a lost generation'
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-blanchflower/2011/10/youth-unemployment-jobs-work
Yesterday Liverpool held its third Pride march and festival. Local UNISON members were present campaigning on public services in particular raising awareness of spending cuts in youth and HIV support sevices. Liverpool branch activists were joined by NW LGBT activists Carl Phillips (Knowsley branch), Darrell Burns (Wirral & West Cheshire health branch) and Eileen Best (Stockport branch & chairperson of regional LGBT group) - pictured at the busy UNISON stall.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-14427989
Special Forces of the Israeli Army attacked the Freedom Theatre in Jenin Refugee Camp early yesterday morning, according to British production manager Jacob Gough and the theatre’s Swedish co-founder Jonatan Stanczak.
Yesterday, thousands of young trade unionists, students and school pupils marched from the University of Manchester Union to Platts Fields Park for the TUC's 'A Future that Works' march and rally. However, if you'd heard about it through the mainstream media, it'd have been a
very different and
demonstrably false story to the one that transpired.
"If I have one message that you take away from this fantastic demonstration of our determination to defeat these regressive ConDem cuts, it is this: Organise, Organise, Organise." said Graham Smith young members' representative on UNISON NEC in a powerful speech at yesterday's TUC rally in Manchester A Future that Works:
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