Public services industry‏ sees profits in coalition

The public services industry is beside itself at the prospect of getting outsourced contracts fom the ConDem coalition according to the Times and the Telegraph: "... senior civil servants I have talked to believe there will be real commitment to long-term cost savings and that an ambitious outsourcing programme will play a key part in that", says David Wighton in the Times online. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article7123454.ece

Cuts show this coalition is far from progressive - Prentis‏

'There has been a lot of spin about our new government being the "new politics" and a "progressive coalition", but you don't even have to scratch the surface to work out, it's all a sham. There is nothing new or progressive about the £6bn worth of spending cuts, at the very least, that are heading our way.

UNISON members - Unite to defend our jobs and services - Vote Dave Prentis‏

After a nomination period stretching back to early February, the UNISON General Secretary ballot is underway. Dave Prentis is the overwhelming choice of all parts of the union. His candidacy has united all service groups, regions and hundreds of branches across every part of the UK.http://www.electdaveprentis.com/why_we_back_dave

BA High Court injunction is a grotesque abuse of the employment law‏

For the second time in 6 months the British judiciary has granted BA an injunction to thwart democratically supported industrial action on spurious grounds. The Pavlovian judge Justice McCombe using a bogus balance of (employers) convenience argument to uphold claims that all individual union members had not received full ballot results.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/mobile/business/10119196.stm

Time to build broad coalition against Trident‏

Mike Kirby UNISON Scotland convener addressed a Scottish CND rally at the weekend called to mobilise against Trident replacement.  http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/90408
Calling for opposition to Trident to be based on economic need as well as military and moral arguments, Mike drew attention to councils and other public bodies cutting services as the price being paid for bank bail outs.
http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2010/04/case-against-trident.html

ETUC expresses solidarity with LGBT workers on International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia‏

On International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia 2010, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) whishes to express its solidarity with all workers facing discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in Europe and beyond.

Labour leadership election - a perspective‏

It was hardly surprising to find that a speech made by Ivan Lewis on Saturday at a Labour north west ‘feedback meeting’ arranged by north west NEC member Pete Wheeler contained some very similar messages to David Miliband writing in Sunday’s Observer. Coincidence? I think not.

Antifascistas‏

The Morning Star has published an excellent review of an exhibition ‘Antifascistas’, largely drawn from the International Brigade Memorial Trust archive at the Marx Memorial Library, tells in words and pictures the inspirational story of the 2,500 British and Irish volunteers who joined the fight to defend democracy in Spain against internal and international fascism from 1936 to 1939.

Bankers back to bonus bonanza‏

Bankers are back feasting on bonuses and at levels not seen since their crash in 2007/8
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/may/13/bankers-pay-bonuses-surge The Guardian analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics shows that bankers were paid £8.5bn in bonuses in the four months to April, compared with £7bn during the same period last year.

Immigration RSVP by Lemn Sissay‏

The lemons you suck are from Spain
And the orange you drink's from South Africa.
Shoes you wear are made in Pakistan
And your oil is from Saudi Arabia.