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: