Demonstrators and protesters are continuing action against the austerity measures passed by the government yesterday. Ruling party PASOK (A version of the Labour party) got 155 vote whilst 138 MPs...activists gather for a day of action in SW2 in support of the public sector day of action on 30 June 2011Community campaign groups and union activists gather around windrush square in support of those taking strike action to defend pensions in the public sector..Outside Lambeth town Hall around 10 on the 30 June 2011 in support of the public service strike action by schools
One of the Research Council picket lines in Swindon today. Around 150 people attended a town centre rally (see below), bringing together strikers from the PCS, NUT and ATL and supporters.On the march with the NUT, Unison, Unite and the GMB in Brixton at 10.30 on the 30 June 2011 in support of the public service strike action...
On Thursday afternoon at NDC it is rule change time. This is my speech on supporting Schedule F. I went to a Finance fringe the previous evening and quickly gathered that this proposed rule change was in trouble. There were genuine concerns by delegates but also the usual suspects...
On Wednesday lunchtime there was a fringe sponsored by the UNISON "hidden workforce" project. I have posted about "The Spirit Level: Why Equality is better for Everyone" ere and here. What was different about this meeting was that the irst speaker was someone who had...
But if you happen to be at Wimbledon -- and probably no where else in the sporting world -- you might see a prince and princess do a Mexican Wave. 
Off message but on Sunday, as part of my post Conference recovery plan. I went for a countryside walk in deepest Hertfordshire. The walk was glorious as was the weather. Double click picture.
48 hours previously I was sitting with my delegation in a converted Mancunian Railway station, plotting...
: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Tuesday 28th June 2011 Johann Hair is so busted A storm of controversy is brewing on Twitter and elsewhere about the professional conduct of Johann Hari , the Left-wing Independent columnist and winner of the Orwell Prize for journalism . For some time now , Hari has been under fire for his cut-and-paste interviews , that is , passing off things that his subjects have said elsewhere as things they've said to him during the interviews-in-question . To read more , click here COMMENT COMMENTS SO FAR : 0 FIXED LINK EMAIL TO A FRIEND The Washington Post weighs in on the interviewsbyhari scandal link 2 hours ago Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Wikipedia IMdb Email BEST OF THE WEB Christine Blower's 10 pay rise Daily Mail The Government must crack, : SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Tuesday 28th June 2011 In the battle with the teaching unions , it's time for parents to stand up and be counted I wrote to the headmaster of my children's primary school school over the weekend , offering to pitch in on Thursday to keep the school from closing . Luckily , he doesn't think he'll need any help from parent volunteers since not a single teacher at the school is heeding the call to . strike I'm not such a hardline conservative that I think there are no circumstances in which teachers ought to go on strike . But I don't think the current dispute between the Government and the teaching unions is one of them . To begin with , the negotiations are ongoing and calling a strike at this delicate point is an act of bad faith .
On Wednesday afternoon I spoke in favour of his important and controversial motion. In the past UNISON conference had voted to break links with Histadrut, the Israeli trade union organisation over its support of sraeli state olicy towards Palestine.
Last year Conference voted...On Tuesday lunch time there was a very well attended fringe on "Protecting our Pensions". It was chaired by NEC member Steve Warwick, Roz Norman (Health service Group), Glyn Jenkins (UNISON Head of pensions)and Mo Baines (LGPS Pension rep).
I missed the eginning.
In the Q&A...
On Tuesday lunch time there was a very well attended fringe on "Protecting our Pensions". It was chaired by NEC member Steve Warwick, Roz Norman (Health service Group), Glyn Jenkins (UNISON Head of pensions)and Mo Baines (LGPS Pension rep).
I missed the eginning.
In the Q&A...
This is a picture of Joel Bodmer, who was also a delegate from Housing Association Branch. Joel is he Branch Young member and Media officer. He spoke in favour of Composite E and used his own experience as a mental health support worker to describe the impact of the cuts. ..Sacked London Underground driver and RMT activist, Arwyn Thomas, has been reinstated and the strikes due next week have been cancelled. I had thought that Arwyn (left) had been stitched up by his management based on the evidence from the interim Employment tribunal. I had posted this here. ...
This Guardian audio podcast was posted yesterday here. The first 10 minutes were recorded on Tuesday morning at UNISON conference.
First they interviewed Karen Jennings (Head of UNISON Health), then me (Head of ums and uhs), Anne McCormack (Further Education), Monica Hirst (London Nurse),...I’m on the crowded 5.15pm train back to London after the close of UNISON conference. Yet again I am amazed to discover there is life outside the conference bubble. I was chatting to my fellow passengers - an Easy Jet pilot and a Northern Irish tyre production manager, who unbelievably have no...
These are some of my notes from the UNISON housing fringe on Monday evening. The meeting was chaired by Heather Wakefield, Head of Local Government. Other speakers were Lord Whitty (Housing Voice) and Mo Baines (APSE). I was billed for the first time as “NEC”.
Aim: What are housing associations...Guess who? :): SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Thursday 23rd June 2011 The breathtaking hypocrisy of the NUT's general secretary and her 10 pay rise According to this morning's Daily Mail , Christine Blower , the general secretary of the NUT , has pocketed a 10 pay rise , bringing her total compensation package to 140,000. That's more than double the rate of inflation and four times the 2.3 raise that teachers got last year . This is the same Christine Blower who's leading the one-day strike later this month that promises to bring our children's schools to a standstill . The issue is the Government's proposal to restructure public sector pensions , but that isn't something Blower has to worry about . The NUT's accounts for last year show that union members funded a 16 increase in
I managed to speak during this important debate. “President, Conference, John Gray Housing Association Branch, Greater London Region speaking in favour of Composite B.
Conference, also speaking as a member of the Community Service Group I think it is important to remember that it is not only it...
This is a copy of my speech today on Motion 28: Abolition of Two Tier Code
"President, Conference, John Gray, Housing Association Branch, Greater London Region. Speaking in favour of Motion 28 and this amendment.
Conference, I am speaking as someone who was actually“contracted out” of a local...
My branch has set up a DC blog and twitter for our delegates to post on conference. Check out the blog here. I haven't had the chance to post anything on it yet. Many thanks to Mary Powell for doing the leg work.
I will point out that I will not necessarily agree with all the posts...
This morning the UNISON National Delegate Conference opened in Manchester. This is one of the largest trade union gatherings in the world. There are 1.4 million UNISON members and we have delegates from all over the UK representing public service workers.
I am there as part of the Housing...: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Tuesday 21st June 2011 Can private firms profit from Coalition's education reforms If only Zenna Atkins has put her foot in it again . This time last year , the ex-chairman of Ofsted got into hot water when she said that every school should have at least one useless teacher so children can learn how to play authority . Yesterday , the company she now runs Wey Education told potential investors that the Coalition's education reforms would create increased opportunities for private sector companies to manage and run state-funded schools at all levels This was immediately seized upon by Mary Bousted , the general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers . This is about the private sector coming in and raking off profits and
I suppose that many people will be surprised that the largest public sector trade union in the country is not recognised by the Government. There are around 2000 UNISON members who work for the “Core” Civil
Service and probably another 10,000 who work for related outside bodies. et there is...
It is perhaps unsurprising that employers do such stupid things from time to time when you consider the quality of advice they can receive from their “professional advisors”. A case in point is this load of old nonsense from solicitors Towers & Hamlins published on the “Inside Housing”...
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis warns the government of the biggest strike in 100 years today's Guardian & lso BBC report).
All power to Dave's elbow. Let us be absolutely clear. Public sector pension funds are not in crisis. They are not...
"From the British People. To Victory! We are With You!" Sleeveprint: Second Front
against Nazism 1941-2011 1941 To Victory!
£5 OFF FOR FIRST 48 HOURS! Just £16.99, usual price £21.99 Based on an original wartime design by the English artist Reginald Mount. This poster was attached to aircraft...
Last night I went to the relaunch of Newham Trades Council which took place inside the Town Hall Council Chamber. I was late due to another meeting and missed the opening speeches by NUT General secretary Christine Blower; nbsp;PCS assistant General secretary Chris Baugh and
Steve Hedley...
On Friday evening I made a (very last minute) submission to the House of Commons Joint Committee n the
Draft Defamation Bill. or nearly 4 years Labour bloggers Dave Osler, myself and Alex Hilton ad to fight series of completely daft and ludicrous defamation claims in the...: SEARCH Blog Journalism Books Film Radio Toby's School Wednesday 15th June 2011 Left unleashes furious assault on free schools in attempt to force another U-turn The heat is being turned up on free schools . The Observer unleashed a blistering attack on Sunday , repeating the old saw that free schools will just be for the middle classes , while the Labour MP for Wigan , Lisa Nandy , denounced Andy Burnham at an Anti-Academies Alliance conference last week for not condemning all free schools out of hand . Yesterday , the headteacher of a Bristol comprehensive announced she would take legal action if Michael Gove signs a funding agreement with a neighbouring free school . To read more , click here COMMENT COMMENTS SO FAR : 0 FIXED LINK EMAIL TO A FRIEND His_Grace Oh , goody 5 hours agoYou do feel like holding your head in your hands when you read such accounts f how ong standing Labour Party members, who actually decide to tip up to a local Party meeting, feel they are received.
If n Assistant General Secretary of one of the world's largest trade unions...
ast Thursday evening I went to a talk by Richard Wilkinson, one of the authors of "The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone" in the new UNISON HQ in Euston. It was co-sponsored by The Institute of Employment Rights (IER), UNISON and the Equality Trust.
The meeting was Chaired...
Hat tip TUC ToUChstone "This Wednesday, the annual bankers’ and merchants’ dinner will be held at Mansion House. Before they start quaffing champagne and knocking back the caviar (ok, we’re not certain they’ll be on the menu, but it won’t be pork pies and stout, you can be sure of that!) you can...
Der er en glimrende artikel i Politiken om at opsætte skilte med tyske stednavne i Sønderjylland. Der er efterhånden tosprogede skilte i meget store dele af Europa (bl.a. i det skotske højland og i Wales), så hvorfor ikke også i den tosprogede del af Danmark? Som det udmærket beskrives i artiklen: For det første skal [...]