May day rally

Join the rally organised by sister union Unite at Trafalgar square tomorrow 1st May.

I have reproduced their call below.

We are in the middle of a massive battle. Workers are resisting attacks on

pensions, jobs and conditions in the public and private sectors.

The Government are even hitting the disabled whilst the bankers get massive

pay outs. There have been important fightback victories using a range of tactics

notably the sparks/plumbers etc in construction.

Our strength was shown on November 30 last year – a strength from unity.

Workers across Europe and the world are fighting the same battles.

The resistance in Greece inspiring all.

May Day is the day to bring together all the different struggles – resisting divide

and rule tactics. 1 4 all and all 4 1. May Day is the day for united action.

Unity is our strength.

JOIN US ON MAY DAY - CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY

London Mayor election

Only a few days left before the decisive election on the 3rd of May. Londoners will have the chance to decide who will manage the affairs of our great city for the next 4 years. It is therefore essential that we get the Labour vote out to ensure that Ken gets back to City Hall.

Ken is the only clear choice as he has a prov en record of supporting and promoting Equality related policies, he knows better than the others on how to improve the transport system of the capital and has done much more to help ordinary Londoners.

There is only one choice. Vote for Ken Livingstone on Thursday! Those who advocate that we should abstain might as well vote for Boris! Its a divisive and stupid argument and will not help the forces of progress! Vote for Ken!

Vote for Ken!

There is no question about it voting for Ken Livigstone is the only viable option for the election on May the 3rd!

Workers Memorial Day

Remember those who died and those struggling to make ends meet...

Soup kitchens in Greece, food banks in London..

It is appalling that we have a situation in Europe, or any where else for that matter, where young children, old people and others have to stand in line for charity handouts.

This is where we have been reduced to now, soup kitchens on the streets of Athens and food banks in London. At the same time we hear that the Barclay's bank AGM has voted to accept massive pay rises for the bankers who have created this mess! It really is unacceptable!

Equality at branch level

I am proud that Unison nationally is one  the unions that has actively promoted Equality and Fair representation. So they have, in my books, walked the walk on this one.

The rules on proportionality which were disliked by some at the start, mean that all have access to positions of responsibility and the real membership is represented at all levels.

But it is obvious that the national rules have not been adopted by many branches and you often see situations where the principle is not observed. So I think it is about time that National Conference looks at this anomaly and that action is taken to help branches implement the rules which were introduced, after all, to achieve real Equality? The SOG's are the right place to start this movement I think!

2012 election in Greece

There wasn't enough space on the title box to insert the current name for the country which is The German Democratic Republic of Greece. Anyway Berlin has given the go ahead and an election will be held on May 6. Elections there are compulsory which means that most people, if not all, will be voting.

So far its looking like the far right and far left will be gaining ground at the expense of the traditional centre parties. So my own party (PASOK) which is the very equivalent of New Labour (they have pictures of Tony Blair on their office walls..) will be needing to find a coalition partner if its to return back to power.

What annoys me about the campaign so far is that both leaders of the Socialist and Conservative parties are making promises to the electorate they quite clearly cannot deliver. E Venizelos, of PASOK is promising the easing of the austerity measures (did he get Merkels permission?) and Tory boy Samaras is going on about cutting taxes. I have no idea which planet Samaras has been on for the last two years, but hey this is the state of the union down town Greece!! In the meantime Communist party leader Aleka Paparigas is saying we should stuff the EU and go it all alone? Presumably with the blessing of Moscow? No idea! And there are those who say that we should be closer to Russia rather than the West as they are more natural allies (same religion and alphabet etc)

Can we achieve real Equality?

I am glad that I am very much a part of a union that strives to promote concepts and ideas which will enable us all to live in a society where there is true and real Equality as opposed to living in a society where we can imagine that we are all Equal? And am happy that my union Unison has implemented rules on proportionality and fair representation to improve how we achieve our objectives.

But all the evidence around me elsewhere shows that many of the Equality related changes in legislation are there just  for show. I am picking on this subject today following yesterdays ruling by the courts that the employer that forced a lawyer  to retire because he was over 65 was not wrong? This is, as far as I understand it, in contradiction to what we were led to believe was a change  to stop employers forcing people over a certain age to give up work. This is just one example of how the system makes the right noises but at the end it does not reinforce what it says by action. I am hoping that this idiotic ruling can be challenged.

Upper Norwood Library campaign

Lambeth Council's Cooperative Libraries Consultation process has a new deadline which is now Friday 27th April

(extended by one week despite late delivery of consultation documents to UNJL).

Lambeth Council are belatedly holding a further consultation meeting:

Thursday 26 April 7- 9pm at Central Hill Day Centre 1 Lunham Road SE19

(behind Christ Church Gipsy Hill - a continuation of Highland Rd)

Everyone welcome, no need to book. Simply turn up to the meeting.

For more info from Lambeth email: CooperativeLibraries@lambeth.gov.uk or 'phone 0800 013 1497 or 020 7926 6397

Please do attend if you can to express your support for the continuation of our much-loved independent library.

We strongly advise you to respond to Lambeth's libraries consultation, see:

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CouncilDemocracy/Consultations/ACSConsultations/LibrariesConsultation.htm or paper copies in the Library.

 

If you do not have time to complete the full questionnaire, you can send a short email making such points to:

CooperativeLibraries@lambeth.gov.uk, or write to:

Freepost RSKJ-YSKA-AUSA, ACS Consultation, Lambeth Adults' and Community Services, Phoenix House, 10 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2LL.

The House of Lords

I am revisiting this subject as there has been some more debate around the question of whether the country will collapse or not if we did not have Lords to save us.

The truth is that the 'ruling elite' in Range Rovers, have been clever about things as they have managed to steer to discussion away from the real point, which is the complete abolition of Lords and titles. So we are now discussing whether some of them should be elected and what colour underpants they should be wearing when dressing up to go and sleep in the chamber?

The correct question should be whether a modern democracy which has embraced Equalities legislation and does not believe that some people are more equal than others continues with the system of titles that dates back to William the Conquistador who landed at Gatwick ( maybe Hastings..) in 1066 and divided all the land between the thugs that supported his invasion. It is ridiculous that anyone should want to carry on with that system just so that some jolly foreigner visiting can take pictures of the House of Lords.

So the real question must be to replace the Lords with an elected  Senate like all proper democracies have. There is no need to have a monarch with a plethora of Lords. I can see that the country is overwhelmingly in support of having the Royals so we have to respect that but the Lords should be replaced as soon as..

Rise of the far right wing in Greece

A number of polls indicate that in the Greek national elections scheduled for May 6, Golden Dawn (that's what they call themselves..) may surpass the 3 percent threshold needed to enter Parliament. The group has been campaigning on the streets, something that mainstream politicians have avoided for fear of angry reactions by voters who (rightly) blame them for Greece’s economic collapse.

But even if Golden Dawn fails to enter Parliament, it has already had an impact on the broader political debate. In response to the fears over immigration and rising crime, Greece’s two leading parties — the Socialist Party and the centre-right New Democracy Party — have also tapped into nationalist sentiment and are tacking hard right in a campaign in which immigration has become as central as the economy.

Experts say the group is thriving where the Greek state seems absent, the most virulent sign of how the economic collapse has empowered fringe groups while eroding the political mainstream, a situation that some Greek news outlets have begun comparing to Weimar Germany. What a total disgrace this is, a country that has suffered 4 years of misery during the Nazi occupation is now growing extremists that want to be like those who enslaved them!!

Discussion and meeting on Greece

Sad that Unison does not appear to have done enough to support the struggle that the people of Greece and other South European states are going through, this could be that they have not been able to develop closer links with the TU movement down south?
In the meantime there is an excellent meeting taking place this week (tomorrow) in central London with distinguished guest speakers Despina Koutsoumba and Fotios Georgiadis from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Civil Servants Union. A film will also be shown covering the main aspects of the struggle as seen by TU members there. This is a meeting worth attending.

London
6:30pm, Tuesday 24 April
Room 612, Institute of Archaeology, UCL
31-34 Gordon Square, WC1H 0PY
Speakers: Despina Koutsoumba, Fotios Georgiadis, Tansy Hoskins (film producer)

Ken Livingstone for London Mayor

The campaign is intensified and the need to ensure that Ken gets re elected has become greater than ever. It is true that some people are asking questions about the Ken vs tax connection but on the whole people feel more positive towards him than they appeared to be a few weeks ago.

I think the battle will be won one or two days before the 3 of May but those of us who support him should do more and increase our efforts to make sure he replaces the Boris! His campaign team needs to get more of the ethnic radio stations of London to say and do more the opportunities are there, take them!!

House of Lords

There is  lot being being said about  the Liberal Democrats and their desire to have a referendum on whether the House of Lords need to be reformed or not and of course the Libs would favour a referendum on the subject they did, after all promise to float the idea in their referendum. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with that.

I would say that the whole debate misses the point and the question that should be asked is whether there is any need for a House full of people with titles who are then hanging around for years without facing any elections dishing out decisions on the laws passed by the Commons. I think that having titles is a total breach of Equalities legislation and incompatible with modern democracies.

There is an argument for having a higher elected house like a senate ( most states have that) where legislation is scrutinised but having a collective of people who  drive around Chelsea in Range Rovers and think that Queen Victoria is around the corner in Harvey Nichols isn't the right way to do it. Get rid of a house with titles and replace it with an elected chamber of real reps!

Chequebook justice

Many of the UK's lowest paid workers will be unable to afford to enforce their workplace rights if the government's proposals for fees for employment tribunals go ahead, the TUC warned earlier in March.

While the government's plans for tribunals include a 'remission scheme' which will make some of the lowest paid exempt from the proposed costs, the TUC believes that a substantial proportion of workers who are on the minimum wage will still be required to pay expensive fees to take a case to an employment tribunal.

Summary details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-20759-f0.cfm

Unison NEC and the Greek TUs

Interesting entry on Jon Rogers blog today regarding the apathy ( I think that's what he was saying?) shown by some Unison NEC members on inviting a guest speaker from the Trade Unions in Greece to speak at conference.

This does not surprise me as I know from sources down there that Unison has not made many serious attempts to develop links with the Greek TUC they are, after all, only interested in organising strike action and are obsessed with bringing down the capitalist system and ideas like that could be dangerous? Have I got this wrong? I was at the 6th general strike in Athens on November 29/30 and every European country had reps on the march but not Britain? Even the Germans were there...

George Galloway

It was interesting to watch George Galloway last night on BBC1 Question time. I don't agree with his politics but I admire the fact that he will not allow bullies to stop him from saying what he thinks. It is obvious that the people of Bradford trust him and that his message got through to 80% of those who voted at the election.

It will be great to see him at National Conference this year and good if we are able to get him to turn up. He took the Americans on so that gives him extra points in my book! Not keen on how quick he was to embrace certain ex dictators but then it was Tony Blair, his greatest critic, who kissed the colonel...

The need to challenge

I have often found myself, in my role as a TU rep, in the position where I either identified a wrong doing ( lets just call it that..) or a serious transgression that was referred to me. I would of course act and try to deal with the problem and represent the member who feels aggrieved.

It is also the case that if you are a vigorous and systematic defender of what you feel is right those on the 'other side' would call you a trouble maker. The 'opposition' would rather have those of us who try and defend the rights of members be silent and turn a blind eye. But this must never be allowed to happen and I am a firm believer that a wrong doing must be challenged and action taken. We must never allow ourselves to fall in the category of those who chose not to tackle a problem and must not be afraid or worried that those against us will try to marginalise or to use another set of words 'gang up against us' Expose and challenge' is the right thing to do.

Trade union strategies and the Labour party

I have been a Labour party member since leaving university and have remained a supporter of the idea behind the Labour party and what is meant to be standing for. The link with the Trade Unions is perhaps the only reason for me staying in, but I have disagreed with many of the decisions and the direction New Labour has been taken us and have not been very comfortable with career politicians like Blair and Starw having so much influence on what we did in the last 20 years.

Looking at the broad picture I would argue that the TU's should stay firmly within the Labour party structures and continue their involvement but shift some of the funding they give to Labour to new projects like financing a Union based radio station or even a television channel, this will be more effective than crawling to to the likes of D Milliband...

Are we what we watch?

Are we what we watch? That is a question I sometimes ask myself so I have taken a bit of time off from saving the universe to try and determine whether what we watch affects us?

I think the correct answer to the question would most probably be that what we watch can influence how we think and that is why there is a serious side to this issue.

Is the digital switch over for example an attempt by the ruling elite to brain wash more people? People who only had access to 5 land channels have now been forced to have around 60 tv outfits on their tv screens because of the switch over. The amount of total rubbish they will be exposed to has therefore increased by more than 500% the propaganda opportunities have also increased tremendously, people can now watch trash like the Jeremy Kyle thing almost every minute of the day. Should we be doing more to stop this deterioration of our culture or is this simply another part of democracy and real choice?

Ancient woodland under threat

In the last decade, Britain's last few stretches of ancient woods have come under increasing threat. According to the Guardian newspaper, 100 areas of ancient woodland have been damaged or destroyed and another 500 threatened by development. And thanks to a loophole in the revised planning policy framework, that threat can continue unabated.

The policy says that applications to develop ancient woodland should be refused, unless "unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss". That's a genuinely scary clause. It means that it only takes a few local government officials to decide that a new supermarket provides more "benefits" than a stretch of forest to doom that woodland for good. Britain's ancient woods cannot be replaced. They need real protection, not vague promises. Ask the government to revise this startlingly weak policy immediately.

Why vote for Ken?

Great that the majority of organised community groups in London have put more effort into ensuring that their members have registered to vote on time. That is a positive achievement, every citizen of this great city of ours must be on the electoral register, we then have to persuade them to vote for the right candidate.

For me and many others I have been talking to recently at several meetings it will have to be Ken. He has a proven record of independence and has introduced a number of changes in the past that show he is the right person for the job. He is also genuine about the Equalities agenda and is not a one subject candidate like BP is for example. Ken will be the right Mayor for London.

London Mayor election and communities vote

Glad to see that many different community groups in London increased their effort this time round and did more to ensure that members of their communities who had not registered to vote before have done so.

I am happy for example, that London Greek Radio had a number of programmes on alerting people of the need to be heard and the importance of registering. Lets just hope that people go out on May the 3rd and vote for a progressive candidate who will deliver what London wants and needs.

http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/operation-greek-vote.html

NEST restrictions could end

A recommendation in a DWP Select Committee report that restrictions on the operation of the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) should be lifted has been welcomed by the TUC.
The report showed strong all-party support for lifting the restrictions on NEST, which were a concession to vested interest lobbying by the financial services sector. The TUC said that NEST had already shown that it will work in the interests of low and medium earners.
But it has not all been good news on NEST. Later in the month, the TUC warned that more than a million low-paid women could lose out from the new auto-enrolment threshold.
More on this @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-20781-f0.cfm

Eric Pickles on East Enders?

Not at all surprised that the producers of that dreadful soap which tries to deal with everything and anything and at the end gets it all wrong and deals with nothing, are moving the 'soap' to a different time slot mainly because its so full of rubbish many people have lost interest and they are instead doing something different with their lives like get a life?

In addition I am told by totally unreliable sources ( they can be found in the George and hand back in Clapham) that Eric Pickles who is obsessed with his image has asked to appear in a few of the episodes as a substitute to Pat Butcher! Well I heard it all now! Anne Widicombe replacing Don Cotton next!! ?

Lambeth libraries

Another daft idea by Lambeth Labour Councillors who seem to think that my 78 year old mother and her mates can do without the current structure of libraries managed by professionals and replaced by 'volunteers' who will have have her and others on twitter or kindle reading online books. Have they gone completely mad? Why are they following the Greek governments example of doing what they are told rather than fighting back? Tell the Tories to take a running jump and stop doing what you are told!

Take a look at the SOS campaign stuff and get involved with the fight back if you believe in good professional library provision. Write to your local Councillor objecting to this madness!

http://lambethsaveourservices.org/2012/04/09/stop-library-privatisation-in-lambeth/

CooperativeLibraries@lambeth.gov.uk

Coming out for Ken Livingstone

He may be a bit on the controversial side but what you see is what you get with our Ken and he has done a lot more to accelerate the rate of progress for us Londoners than anyone else. He was brave enough to bring in the congestion charge which has clearly benefited the capital and it will be a shame if he wasn't at the opening ceremony of the Olympics as London Mayor instead of the Boris the Doris. Ken is also genuine about his commitment to Equalities and he understands the diverse nature of our city. And then again the opposition isn't really offering much are they?

You have Boris who is one of those people who have slipped through the net and has made it only because the media secretly love him and then you have Brian Paddick who is very much a one subject candidate and he is all about promoting Brian Paddick. He may know his stuff on policing (not everyone agrees with that though) but hasn't said much about other major subjects not until he was pushed and his team came up with the one hour fare, what's that all about? One hour fare? Why not the two and a half hour fare? I also find his understanding of Equalities issues to be very low and lacking in substance.

So vote for Ken!!

Is the TUC showing support and solidarity with the people of South Europe?

I am constantly embarrassed as an active member of the British Trade Union movement to have to explain why it is that the powerful, as it is perceived, TUC in Britain isn't doing more to show support and solidarity with sister unions in the South of Europe.

I was, for example, in Athens between the 27 and end of November 2011 where there was a massive demonstration against the austerity cuts and had to explain to comrades who were demonstrating peacefully why there wasn't any UK TUC banners on the march. There were Portuguese, Spanish, French, Turkish, German and others from the Balkans present but no sign from the TUC. So I am wondering why the hell is the TUC keeping a low profile with this one? Perhaps our glorious NEC members can answer this question?

Trade Union organisations in Greece, Portugal Italy, France and Spain are linking up with a view to presenting a common front against the cuts so where is the TUC or indeed Unison? I thought we had an international department? Maybe there are things happening that I don't know about? Or is it a case of let jolly Foreigner get on with it??

More jobs gloom, TUC

Unemployment figures published in March offered more evidence of a slowdown in the labour market, the TUC said in response.
Although the rise in employment was encouraging, the TUC said that the new jobs being created were mainly part-time. Furthermore, these jobs were not paying enough to replace the full-time earnings that people needed.
Meanwhile, record high youth unemployment dominated the agenda at this year's TUC youth conference. With EMA and the Future Jobs Fund axed, the TUC said that young people were being given no option but to join the back of the dole queue.
More on jobs figures @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-20779-f0.cfm

Solidarity with the people of Greece

I am happy to observe that there has been some movement, mainly organised by progressive forces on a local basis, to support the struggles of the people of Greece and the other South European countries that are facing the current attack by greedy bankers.

The most noticable ones so far are the coalition of resistance which is a group fighting against cuts and privatisation in general. There is an online petition that those wishing to suport can sign to show solidarity with the people of Greece http://www.greecesolidarity.org/

It will, however, be better if the TUC and other major unions did more to organise some support and solidarity and be involved with a national campaign that made the message clearer?

Other organisations, such as London Greek Radio (LGR) have concentrated on organising practical help by fund raising and making the money collected available to those affected by the severe problems (mainly Greek childrens charities) created by the drastic government cuts, a repeat of the Oxfam example which was set up in the 50's to help Greece after the civil war.

http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/greece-and-uk-tuc.html

http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/can-greece-survive-euro-crisis.html

http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/greece-do-they-get-bail-out-money.html

http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/german-democratic-republic-of-greece-in.html

http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/greece-economic-mess.html

http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/greece-and-euro.html

http://www.greeksupportunit.blogspot.co.uk/

TUC. Pay data: greater accuracy needed

Official figures on public and private sector pay published at the end of March took a serious look at the reasons behind the gap in pay between the two sectors, the TUC said in response.
But the TUC added that the analysis would be more accurate if all the bonuses paid out to private sector employees - especially sky-high payouts to bankers in the first three months of the year - had been included.
Full response @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/industrial/tuc-20830-f0.cfm

Greek pensioner suicide

The tragic death of a 77 year old pensioner who shot himself dead in Syntagma Square opposite the Houses of Parliament in protest over the severe austerity measures imposed on the Greek people by Berlin shows the extend of the human tragedy felt by the people there. This was a man who experienced the nasty CIA inspired military government from 1967 to 1974 and someone who wrongly believed that the unification of Europe would bring the end of wars and hostility, little did he realise that the new Europe was created to serve the needs of the bankers and their friends.

The death of the pensioner sparked another serious of riots in the centre of Athens.

Spain at the brink of financial collapse...

It appears that Spain is following the Greek example and is on at the brink of financial collapse,
a sure sign that the methods used by the world financial markets are incapable of resolving
real and human problems. The new crisis follows the failure of the sale of Spanish bonds which
have forced Spain to borrow money to cover deficits at huge 5.8% interest rate! So Spain is being firced to borrow at very high prices to pay interest on already huge debts an endless downwards spiral which will increase unemployment to more than the current 23% and infalte the existing debt even more!

The crisis comes just after Spain’s right wing government released details of 26 billion in tax increases and spending cuts intended to reduce the budget deficit from 8.5 percent of gross domestic product to 5.3 percent this year.

This is the time for the people to take control and regulate the markets and not allow the small number of bankers who benefit from global turmoil to push the world into a deep depression.

Lack of co ordination between the TU's

It astonishes me that other people don't see things the way I see them.

We have approximately 9 millions union members in the UK a powerful force which could be capable of resisting any attempt to attack us. Yet these 9 million powerful people belong to a plethora of TUs which, more often than not, spend a lot of their time competing with each other.

It is amazing for example to find 4 different unions competing for members in an organisation employing 4,000 people. Just think how powerful a TU rep would be if she or he knew that they were the reps of the one powerful union. Is it time to consider merging unions who can represent members with one specific employer? The employer side is already trying to bring different concepts into the way they organise the workplace to divide us even more, like introducing academies and co operative Councils, Lets respond by uniting?

Is Europe looking for the return of military dictatorships??

Good entry by Chris on the UnisonActive blog which covers the issues around the current Eurozone crisis and confirms, as we all know, that Europe is in fact managed by failed bankers who created a global crisis via venture capitalist methods then very immorally tried to cover their backs by shifting the blame for the huge disaster they created in 2007/8 on to smaller states that they thought were an easy target like Greece, Portugal and Spain. http://unisonactive.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/so-who-takes-decisions-in-europe.html but they made a massive mistake if they thought that the South of Europe would just take the dishing out of mierda!!

The same bankers did not anticipate the resistance that the Greek unions were ready to come up with. The Portuguese and Spanish unions who were reluctant at first have now entered the fight against the unacceptable austerity measures and there are signs that unions in the 3 Euro zone states are co ordinating their action.

The response by the bankers in northern Europe was to impose a government headed by the ex Deputy President of the European Central bank , Papademos, but he is finding the job impossible. The only promise is that the Greek and Portuguese people will not sit back and let them destroy what the workers have managed to create since the fall of dictatorship in 1974/5 do the bankers want a return of these military governments??

Daniel Zamudio and crimes of hate in Chile

Positive development and positive news as Chile’s Congress passed an anti-discrimination law following the killing of a gay man whose attackers beat him and carved swastikas into his body. This appalling crime of hate was against 24-year-old Daniel Zamudio who was attacked by a group of 4 murderers just because he was gay.

Four suspects have been jailed, some of whom already have criminal records for attacks on gay people. Prosecutors have asked for murder charges in the case.

The leader of Chile’s Gay Liberation and Integration Movement, Rolando Jimenez, has said the suspects should be charged with torture as well as murder. This is a crime that was detected and is being dealt with but members of the LGBT community still face horrendous attacks against their safety throughout the world.

Women's Library at London Metropolitan University

The prestigious Women's Library at London Metropolitan University is in serious danger of being closed for good. Due to budget cuts, the university will only be able to afford to keep the library open one day a week!

This library has the largest collection of women's history in the country. It also has thousands of unique resources from the women's movement. People travel from all over the world to visit this national treasure.
If the library doesn't find a new home, it will be closed for six days a week for at least the next three years.
Take action today.

TUC - Counting the cost of regional pay

Earlier, the TUC submission to the Office of Manpower Economics consultation on local pay said that with the government's motives for the policy clear - driving down wages - public sector workers outside London could see their pay fall behind for many years, and that would be on top of the four years of pay freezes and the one per cent pay cap they are already facing.
Meanwhile, a poll published at the end of March shows that the public are against regional pay by a margin of two to one.
Summary @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/industrial/tuc-20805-f0.cfm

TUC - Our alternative: invest and support young

Ahead of the Budget, the TUC said the Chancellor needed to acknowledge the economic case for reversing his austerity plans and introduce bold measures to support investment and young people to get the economy up and running again.
In its Budget submission, the TUC said that with growth flat-lining, unemployment far higher than expected and the government having to borrow an extra £158 billion as a result, the economic case for a change of direction was overwhelming.
Summary details @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-20751-f0.cfm

The TUC on the budget

George Osborne's latest Budget attracted scathing criticism from the TUC, which said the measures announced by the Chancellor were more about keeping the coalition together than for the good of the country.
'We needed a Budget that looked to the future and made jobs - particularly for young people - the national priority', said TUC general secretary Brendan Barber. 'Instead we have got a Budget by the rich for the rich. One minute the Chancellor said he found tax avoidance morally repugnant, the next he rewarded it by cutting income tax for the richest one per cent'.
As well as laying into the government's decision to slash the top rate of tax, the TUC also said that pensioners were paying a high price for the pro-rich Budget.
Full TUC reaction @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-20811-f0.cfm