HOPE not hate weekend of action

The HOPE not hate campaign formally kicks off its 2011 election campaign with a weekend of action on 19/20 March. We'll be taking to streets of England in a bid to ensure that the BNP are not able to win any seats in May's local elections. http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/action/

Highlighting the 'Social' in Health and Social Care Bill - Glen Williams

Much is being played out in the media in relation GPs’ consortiums taking over the £80bn available to commission healthcare they deem appropriate for patients as a part of the Health and Social Care Bill currently making its stormy passage through Parliament.

Chorus of the Masses Against the Elites by David Betteridge

We are the nothings you walk past.
Your lowest and least,
we live in the margins of your power.

Doctors call on ConDems to ditch health bill

The BMA has issued a statement demanding "major changes to controversial NHS reform proposals" following a special meeting of doctors that "reaffirmed the widespread concern" called on the Secretary of State to withdraw the Bill.

They Who Have Gold Plated Pay Have Gold Plated Pensions!

It's true public sector workers have gold plated pay and pensions - well five of them at RBS at least. US-based RBS banker Ellen Alemany is the highest rewarded of the five with a deal worth almost £6m. A further £736,000 was paid to her for pension arrangements. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/mar/17/rbs-top-five-paid-twenty-million

On 26 March the real 'Big Society' will assemble - Chris Tansley

Chris Tansley, UNISON Vice President and child care social worker in Nottinghamshire County Council, writing on the Community Care website, responds to Bank of England Governor Mervyn King's self fulfilling prophesy that reaction to Government cuts is surprisingly muted:
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/social-work-front-line-focus/2011/03/join-us-on-26-march-to-stop-the-cuts.html

US Right determined to kill off public sector unions - it can happen here

The Washington Post publishes another vicious attack on public sector unions as the right wing campaign to de-unionise public sphere intensifies: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/17/writing-on-the-wall-for-public-unions/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS

UNISON welcomes living wage in NHS Scotland

UNISON Scotland has secured a Living Wage of £7.29 for 4,500 people in NHS Scotland following 10 years of achievements on low pay starting with the Low Pay Deal in in 2001. This brought the entry grade from £4.62 (the UK Whitley Council rate) up to £5.02 and reduced the working week to 37.5 hours (ahead of 2004 agenda for Change reduction).

Union rights - savour a moment of victory

Professor Keith Ewing writes in the Morning Star about a ‘major triumph for the British trade union movement in its battle to restore trade union rights’. The recent ASLEF and RMT Court of Appeal cases established, for the first time, the duty of the courts to take into account the unions' right to strike in international law, when applying or interpreting the statutory ballot notice provisions, and the nature and scope of the obligations they impose. http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/102325

Economists speak out to save the EMA

A group of distinguished economists have published a letter in today’s Guardian calling on the Government to use next week’s budget to save the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/mar/
16/budget-to-save-the-ema