Apocalypse now‏

Today’s budget is not about deficit reduction. It is about right wing ideology. A deficit reduction strategy would pay heed to numerous economists, notably Blanchflower, who warn that the measures proposed will see the UK plunge into a double–dip recession.

That was the week that was - now the fightback must begin

It’s the Monday morning after the weekend recovery programme that’s always necessary after NDC. Today’s its grievances , disciplines and day-to-day negotiations , or business as usual. Generally there is a feeling that what happened at Conference stays at Conference. But not this year.

Controversial ex-Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos elected President of Colombia‏

Colombia’s presidential elections on Sunday 21st June saw ex-Minister of Defence Juan Manuel Santos win a landslide victory over his rival candidate Antanas Mockus. Santos was congratulated by President Alvaro Uribe, and vowed to continue with Uribe’s hardline security and neoliberal policies. Santos gained 69% of the votes to Mokcus’ 27.5%, with an abstention rate of 55%, and will take power on 7th August.

2nd ITUC World Congress‏

The 2nd World Congress of ICTU opens today in Vancouver and runs until Friday: the Congress theme is ‘now the people – from the crisis to global justice': http://www.ituc-csi.org/congress-guide.html  UNISON is not represented on the British TUC delegation although former General Secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe is attending as a special guest of the ITUC. Reports on proceedings are being posted over at the TUC’s Stronger Unions website:
http://www.strongerunions.org/2010/06/20/worlds-trade-unions-gather-in-vancouver-for-2010-congress/

Support the 'day of dissent'in Higher Education‏

Unions in Higher Education including UNISON members will today hold workplace protests at over 70 institutions nationwide. Events will be held across the country, including a meeting in parliament at 12pm. A full list of what is happening can be found here.

Emergency budget – will public sector pay cuts be imposed in 2011?‏

Prominent in yesterday’s papers were reports of the Prime Minister’s warning that ‘the public sector will bear the brunt of the cuts’. http://bit.ly/94Pa8n

CBI lobbies to tighten legal straitjacket on unions‏

Synchronised political lobbying should be marked down as a future Olympic sport. Following on from months of ideological attacks on the public sector, the CBI is now placing collective and individual union rights in the political spotlight. http://bit.ly/dmwKoO

Austerity measures on the way‏

Observer cartoonist Chris Riddell hits the nail on the head: 'never in the field of Government budgets will so few feel the effects of the spending cuts they're going to impose on so many'.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/cartoon/2010/jun/20/spending-cuts-emergency-budget

The UNISON alternative budget - a last chance to go where we've not been before?‏

UNISON's decision to come up with an alternative budget is an important one.http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=1890

Casualty by Seumas Heaney‏

He would drink by himself
And raise a weathered thumb
Towards the high shelf,