Public sector productivity - no pride just prejudice‏

The usual suspects at the Torygraph took great delight yesterday in running a piece on a fanciful bit of research by a consultancy house that attempted to portray public sector as wasting two thirds of their working time. It was a stunning piece of PR.

Pathfinder Mutuals - more a Chinese lantern than a pyrotechnic spectacle‏

My youngest daughter had a school holiday nightmare sleepover. You know the ones that start off as a couple of friends over for a movie and a sleep and then you end up with half the neighbours kids, with giggles and fights intermittently until four in the morning. This one was more horrendous than most as she insisted that we let off some Chinese lanterns.

Hear My Soul Speak by Lowkey‏

I was not born under a rhyming planet,
Just a desperate world, obsessed with wealth,
The quest for sales, pressures precious men and girls to reject and disrespect themselves,

Spending Challenge: back with a whimper‏

The Other Taxpayers Alliance reports on the farce of Chancellor Osborne’s Spending Challenge and amidst thousands of banalities spots some progressive demands which have slipped through the Treasury’s net:
• Privatisation costs money
• Support a Robin Hood Tax on banks
• Renationalise the railway network
• Don't cut public sector jobs
• We do not need Trident
• Tax the rich more
http://taxpayersalliance.org/news/spending-challenge-back-with-a-whimper

Public sector pay strike underway in South Africa‏

COSATU affiliated public sector unions commenced an indefinite pay strike on Wednesday after rejecting a government offer of a 7% rise. Over 1 million workers are taking part in the action.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11008442

Con Dem cuts undermine equal pay progress in public sector‏

A Chartered Management Institute report indicates that gender pay discrimination remains deeply embedded in the UK labour market, particularly in private sector businesses. http://www.managers.org.uk/news/equal-pay-women-still-57-years-away

'WorkChoices' never again! - union message in Australian General Election‏

In the 2007 Australian General Election trade unions played a decisive role in defeating the right wing Government of John Howard, derailing the anti union ‘WorkChoices’ legislation.. On Saturday 21 August, Australia holds another General Election and a united trade union campaign is putting union rights centre stage in a campaign of opposition to a resurgent Liberal Party led by neo liberal Tony Abbot:  http://www.rightsatwork.com.au/

Spending Challenge suggestion scheme scrapes barrel of bigotry & consumerism‏

In a suppose era of austerity and war on waste, HM Treasury is pressing on with its bogus public consultation exercise - the Spending Challenge suggestion scheme. http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk/

Amplifying the role of women in unions‏

The American Rights at Work blog reports on two recent studies of the role of women in modern unions.http://americanrightsatwork.org/blog/2010/08/18/girl-power-amplyfing-the-role-of-women-in-unions/

Union fury at even more Edinburgh LibDem/SNP cuts

UNISON's Edinburgh branch has reacted furiously to the City Council’s announcement today to cut a further £16 million with 300 jobs to go. It called for an emergency meeting with the council which taking place as this is posted.