#N30 - Treasury briefing on the £500mn Damp Squib

Following a Freedom of Information request to the Treasury, a breakdown of the Government's £500 million estimate of the cost of the 30 November strike in defence of public sector pensions is available on line:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/breakdown_of_500_million_estimat#incoming-238434

LGPS agreement is a victory - Socialist Unity blog

Andy Newham takes issue with those who claim that this week’s LGPS deal constitutes a defeat - ‘given the comment from some on the left, it might seem surprising to claim that this result is a victory, but I think they have both misunderstood the specific arguments about the LGPS, and also misjudged the political and industrial situation. Unfortunately, pension arrangements are an inherently complex and technical topic’
http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=8758

Christmas Legend by Bertolt Brecht

1
On Christmas Eve today
All of us poor people stay
Huddled in this chilly stack
The wind blows in through every crack.
Dear Jesus, come to us, now see
How sorely we have need of thee.

Tory campaign against union reps belies their contempt for democracy

Solomon Hughes, writing in the Morning Star, juxtaposes Tory MP Priti Patel’s support for the tyrannical Bahraini regime with her crusade against the workplace rights of trade union representatives:
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/113467

24 hour public sector strike in Belgium

Yesterday Belgian trade unionists shut down schools, post offices and the national rail network as part of campaign to stop the new ‘socialist’ led Government from putting public sector pensions on a par with the private sector. Trade unions are involved in fighting attacks on workers living standards all over Europe. International links between unions are needed more than ever: http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/
index.php/news/content/view/full/113461

Trade union rights are human rights – John Hendy QC

Union News interviews John Hendy QC on the occasion of Liberty bestowing him with a well deserved lifetime achievement award. Asked how difficult it is to represent unions given the anti union laws prevalent in the UK, Hendy characteristically replies that ‘it’s not particularly difficult. Compared to the risks faced by lawyers and trade unionists in Colombia it’s child’s play really’ http://union-news.co.uk/2011/12/video-john-hendy-barrister-to-the-unions/

4 Community Budget pilots confirmed – time to organise

The Government has announced that in 4 large areas public bodies are to be given the chance to pool budgets across all local public services – thus posing a major organising challenge to UNISON over the next 10 years – building workplace power to secure in house service delivery as the public service structures in England are transformed:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/dec/22/councils-local-public-services-budgets The local authority areas selected for the pilots are:

LGPS impasse over – union consultation begins

Following the withdrawal of Tuesday’s letter by DCLG Minister Eric Pickles - which was seen as undermining the framework agreement for taking forward negotiations on the LGPS, UNISON will be consulting on the proposals - which ward off the 1.5% pension contribution increases due to commence next April: http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2559

Palestinians in Israel: Segregation, Discrimination and Democracy

Book launch with Ben White - author and activist Thursday, 26 January 2012, 6.30pm – 8.00pm at Amnesty International UK, The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA. Discussion followed by Q and A and reception - signed copies will be available to buy The event is free and will start at 6.30pm - please ensure you book to reserve your tickets http://www.amnesty.org.uk/benwhitebooklaunch

NHS Pension Scheme: final proposals published

Details of the Government’s final offer to NHS unions has been published with confirmation that 70% of UNISON members will not pay increased contributions in 2012/13 (thus avoiding the 1.5% increase due to be implemented next April under previously agreed ’cap and share’ arrangements’).
Key points of the offer are set out below: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7505