BMJ Verdict on NHS reform: Mad!

An editorial in the current BMJ pulls no puinches on the topic of NHS Reform. "What do you call a government that embarks on the biggest upheaval of the NHS in its 63 year history, at breakneck speed, while simultaneously trying to make unprecedented financial savings? The politically correct answer has got to be: mad." http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d408.long

TUC March for the Alternative - website launched‏

A new website has been launched to help co-ordinate the TUC’s March for the Alternative to be held in London on 26 March 2011: http://marchforthealternative.org.uk/

People turning against ConDems but big business pals still on board

Today's YouGov/Sun voting intentions are CON 37%, LAB 42%, LDEM 11%. Still bang in line with the five point Labour lead YouGov have been showing of late. The 11% for the Liberal Democrats is, incidentally, the highest YouGov have shown them at since early December but a recent poll also shows that a third of LibDem votes would now vote Labour.

Take a tour of Lansley's private healthcare supporters

"Circling the NHS wanting a slice of that £100billion budget". This short film on Spinwatch takes you on a tour of the offices of just some of the healthcare companies, agencies and think tanks surrounding Parliament, all of which are lobbying to fundamentally change the NHS in their own interests. http://www.spinwatch.org.uk/blogs-mainmenu-29/tamasin-cave-mainmenu-107/5417-take-a-tour-of-lansleys-private-healthcare-supporters

UNISON Black Members mobilise against the cuts‏

On Friday evening UNISON President, Angela Lynes welcomed delegates to Glasgow and the 2011 UNISON Black members conference got underway. Angela went onto highlight the issues which we all face through the ideological policies of the Tories and making reference to the TUC Demo and Rally in London on March 26th, something which almost every speaker at the rostrum did during the speeches on motions which followed.

UNISON Active Analysis: UK Banking Review - Time For a New Understanding Of Money!

On Saturday Sir John Vickers, chairman of the ICB, yesterday gave the clearest sign yet that the commission could recommend to the Government a fundamental reform of the UK's high-street banks, including the option of splitting their retail and investment banking divisions.

Shop stewards network splits over anti-cuts tactics

The National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) voted by a big majority at Satutrday's conference in London to set up its own national anti-cuts campaign.

Poll mistrusts Tories on NHS

More people oppose the Government’s plans to restructure the NHS than support them, and faith in the Coalition’s ability to deliver NHS services is fairly low, says a new YouGov Poll http://today.yougov.co.uk/politics/national-health

US trade union membership slumps to lowest for 70 years

The New York Times reports that union membership in the US fell sharply last year to the lowest level since the 1930's. Membership stands at 14.7m - a density across the economy of only 11.9% and this low average betrays wide industrial and regional disparities with private sector density now down to 6.9% and in many southern states union membership has fallen to sub-critical levels for example North Carolina at 3.2% and Georgia at 4% http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/22/business/22union.html?_r=2

Talking to the Machine by Rose Kelleher

They were closer to the machine back then,
the old programmers.