Deal or no deal?

Government has made no secret of its desire to see at least 20% of public sector contracts transferred to third sector providers. In reality the operation of procurement rules to get to this 'Big Society’ nirvana will open up public sector markets, not just to the third sector providers, but to private sector operators as well.

South African Media Watchdog Says Israel Can Be Called An Apartheid State

A ruling by South Africa’s Advertising Standards Authority gives hope to those facing spurious attacks of anti-Semitism by the Israeli lobby when legitimately criticising Israeli political and military attacks on Palestinians. In a report from Australians for Palestine, Sonja Karkar said “That this decision was reached in South Africa is significant because that country more than any other would know exactly what are the conditions that constitute apartheid.”

Shame on Shropshire Council

Dismissal letters have been sent to Tory controlled Shropshire Council's 6,500 strong workforce stating that all staff will be dismissed on 30 September and immediately rehired, but only if they agree to a 5.4% pay cut. UNISON is taking industrial action to resist similar imposed changes in Birmingham and Southampton councils and will be balloting our members in Shropshire: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-14028188

Building progressive alliances against neo-liberalism

In the Global Labour Column, Asbjřrn Wahl, Director of the Campaign for the Welfare State in Norway, argues that the response of European trade unions to the economic crisis has been too defensive - notably weak resistance to neo-liberal "blame-shifting" that has led to the global financial crisis moving from being a “capitalist crisis” to one that was caused by “ordinary people who have been living beyond their means.” Wahl advocates alliances between trade unions and other social movements to resist increasingly-neoliberal policies in Europe:  http://column.global-labour-university.org/2011/01/building-progressive-alliances.html

NHS 63 today - Don't let the Con Dems destroy it

It is 63 years today since the NHS was founded. #NHS63 It's even more important to mark the birthday of Britain's most popular institution this year, as we face the potential dismantling of the NHS in the form of Andrew Lansley's Health and Social Care Bill. http://falseeconomy.org.uk/nhsThe coalition government’s proposals will put everyone at risk. Including you. Don’t be fooled. Even after “listening”, the government’s legislation would let private companies grab any part of the NHS, putting profits before patients.

Smart escalation planned in long running Southampton strike

UNISON and Unite yesterday issued notice to Southampton City Council that from next Monday, July 11th, 13 Port health officers, who provide health protection within Southampton port and Oil refinery, through inspection and certification of Cruise Liners, Containers and Oil Tankers, will join the strike.
http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2352

Dilnot Commission misses golden opportunity to bring fairness into crisis-ridden social care system

The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has described the long-awaited Dilnot Commission report into the future funding of long-term care as a missed opportunity to bring much-needed fairness and simplicity into a care system that is in crisis.

Q: What do unions stand for? A: Liberty, Equality, Solidarity

In recent days conservative commentators have been quick to condemn the British trade union movement. Christopher Caldwell writing in the FT asserts that trade unionism ‘cannot be the force to restore balance to western economies’ and writes off unions as government concessions that marked the Industrial Age, much as mercantilist companies marked the Age of Exploration’: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4f47ff54-a42a-11e0-8b4f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1R9W9Wn8r

Lessons from the1989-1990 Ambulance Workers' Dispute

As industrial conflict intensifies between public sector unions and a Conservative led Government, important lessons can be learnt from union strategy and tactics in the 1989-1990 Ambulance Workers' Dispute. Solomon Hughes has researched state papers on the landmark dispute using the Freedom of Information Act:  http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk
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More about the role of the UNISON partner unions in the dispute can be read in an 'In Focus' article from June 2010: http://www.unison.org.uk/activists/pages_view.asp?did=11290

These are the hands by Michael Rosen

These are the hands
That touch us first
Feel your head
Find the pulse
And make your bed.