Friday 31 January 2014

Pay rises have got weaker in every decade since the 80s


Commenting on a new analysis of real wages published today (Friday) by the Office for National Statistics, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“Over the last four years British workers have suffered an unprecedented real wage squeeze.
“Even more worryingly, average pay rises have got weaker in every decade since the 1980s, despite increases in productivity, growth and profits. Unless things change, the 2010s could be the first ever decade of falling wages.
“A return to business as usual may only bring modest pay growth. We need radical economic reform to give hard-working people the pay rises they deserve.”
According to the ONS, real wages grew by 2.9 per cent in the 1970s and 1980s, 1.5 per cent in the 1990s, 1.2 per cent in the 2000s and by -2.2 per cent since the first quarter of 2010.

Saturday 25 January 2014

It may be 30 years since the GCHQ ban, but attacks on unions persist, says TUC


Thirty years ago today (Saturday) people working in the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham were banned from belonging to a union by the Thatcher government.
Commenting on the anniversary of the ban – which, following extensive union campaigning, was overturned in 1997 – TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“Back in 1984 Margaret Thatcher decided it wasn’t possible for someone to be in a union and be loyal to their country. GCHQ employees were denied their basic rights and could no longer have the protection of a union at work. Fourteen workers who refused to give up their union membership cards were unceremoniously sacked.
“Years of union campaigning followed, with an annual march taking place in the town every January. Thankfully the ban was consigned to history almost as soon as Labour took office in 1997. But while the world has moved on since the 1980s, attacks on unions and their ability to fight for justice and fairness at work, are sadly still with us.
“Facility time – the time that union reps use to try to solve problems at work and win improved conditions for their workmates – has been severely curtailed across government departments following a decision imposed by the Cabinet Office.
“Meanwhile the Lobbying Bill will force unions to reveal the names of union members following any complaint from an employer and unions will also have to appoint external auditors to look over their membership lists. All of which is likely to compromise membership confidentiality, which is protected in law.
“People who belong to unions had previously thought that their membership details were a matter of private record between them and their union. Now they are concerned that their details could soon be visible to a range of third parties.”

Friday 24 January 2014

Take-home home pay figures should be taken “with several tons of salt”, says TUC


Commenting on the take-home pay figures released today (Friday) by the Treasury, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady (pictured, above) said:


“Today’s claims on take-home pay show just how much union campaigning is shaping the political agenda.
“But they need taking with several tons of salt. They do not include the effects of tax credits and benefits. Freezing child benefit has hit families hard.
“The figures use the lowest possible measure of inflation (CPI), which excludes housing costs, and is not the one that the government uses to index rail fares (RPI) and other important contributors to living costs.
“The analysis also uses the most generous possible measure for wages, and not the one that the government uses (average weekly earnings) when measuring incomes.
“The Institute for Fiscal Studies is confident that living standards will still be lower at the time of the next election than they were before the crash and at the last election. That is the inevitable result of austerity economics that has delayed the return of growth and produced an unbalanced recovery based on household borrowing and rising house prices.
According to a TUC poll conducted just before Christmas only one in fifty voters (two per cent) say they are benefiting from the recovery. More than half (58 per cent) ‘expect the gains of an economic recovery to go mainly to the types of people and parts of the country who are already doing well’ www.tuc.org.uk/economic-issues/voters-say-recovery-will-pass-them-2014

We Will be Free! - The Story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs


Derby Peoples History, backed by Unite the Union, are putting
on the new (excellent) Tolpuddle Martyrs Play from Townsend Productions

We Will Be Free!
The Story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs
Derby Guildhall Theatre, Market Place, Derby.

Wednesday 23 April: 7.30
Tickets: £6
Running Time: 2 hours - approximate, including an interval.

Bookings to be made through the Derby Live Box Office.

The true story of the Tolpuddle Martrys who were transported from Dorset to Australia for forming a trade union. See their courageous story told with entertaining theatrical style, music, political cartoon and puppetry.

A fantastic opportunity to see the true story of George and Betsy Loveless and the
Dorset farm labourers that were convicted and transported by an oppressive Government for swearing a secret oath and forming a Trade Union in 1834 to fight against a succession of wage cuts inflicted by the local landowner.

This inspirational story of their determination, solidarity and courage is told using our entertaining theatrical style, political cartoon, puppetry, and the musical arrangements of revered folk singer and squeezebox player John Kirkpatrick. The performers are Neil Gore and Elizabeth Eves, best actress nominee Edinburgh Fringe/The Stage Awards 2013.