Inflation figures show how unfair Britain has become

Cheryl Pidgeon

Responding to inflation figures published today (Tuesday), which show that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) increased to 4 per cent and the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to 5.1 per cent in January, Midlands Region TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said: “The inflation figures show just how unfair Britain today has become. At the top bankers’ pay and bonuses continue to grow, while ordinary people see their living standards fall, their jobs under threat and vital services cut.
“The City sits pretty and calls for interest rate rises, while the rest of the country struggles to pay its bills.
“The last thing that should now happen is a rise in interest rates. Price pressures have nothing to do with wages and much to do with the government’s decision to increase VAT, the unfairest tax of all. Interest rate rises would be nothing more than economic self-harm.”

Big Society policies of slash, burn and sack will not improve our lives, says TUC

Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary

Commenting ahead of the Prime Minister’s speech today (Monday) on his plans for the Big Society, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“The most worrying thing about the Big Society is that the Prime Minister truly believes that polices of slash, burn and sack will make all our lives better, and not just for those for whom he is planning tax cuts."
“The logic of this is that his ideal society is Somalia where the state barely exists, and his hell the Scandinavian societies that the rest of us admire for combining quality services, equality and dynamic economies.”

BBC Factual departments in Birmingham and Bristol face large-scale job cuts

Media and entertainment union, BECTU, has today charged BBC Vision with failing to manage its programme-making operation wisely as plans are announced to cut staff in Birmingham and Bristol. Birmingham Factual faces a dramatic cut in staff as 26 out of a total staff of 50 are put at risk. The plans affect producer/directors, assistant producers and researchers.

Meanwhile in Bristol, staff in the Factual department and in the Natural History Unit are learning today of plans to cut their numbers by 21 out of a total of 68 across the two teams. The grades affected include series producers and producers.
All of the affected staff are part of the BBC’s production arm, BBC Vision.
Commenting on today’s announcements, Anna Murray, national official said:
“BECTU is devastated to learn that such large numbers of talented staff are at risk of redundancy in Bristol and Birmingham.
“Today’s announcements contradict Mark Thompson’s statements only last month on Delivering Quality First. The union will challenge the fact that these announcements come before the promised BBC-wide consultations with staff. These staff in factual are the very people who can help the BBC to meet its objectives.
“These production teams reflect huge versatility and make everything from high-end specialist wildlife programmes to daytime output. Their work reaches right across the BBC audience and more so than other BBC content.
“We believe that those at the top of the BBC have failed to manage the programme-making operation wisely and that staff in Birmingham and Bristol have been denied the opportunity to make a fair share of output. Those who control the channels and commission programmes have been allowed to by-pass in-house expertise; the result is that the development of sites like Birmingham and Bristol has been stifled.”
BECTU representatives will test BBC management on their proposals as the consultations get underway and will do everything possible to retain employment for the maximum number of staff.
For more information contact Sharon Elliott, communications officer (selliott@bectu.org.uk) or Anna Murray, national official on 020 7346 0900.

Sign the Valentine card to save Public Services!

Deep down, we all know that our public services are an essential part of our civilised society. Our schools, libraries, postal and fire services are an important element of our lives. We would be - indeed are very likely to be - far poorer as a society when the axe falls this year and these services start to disappear or are spread thinner. There are many campaign groups and trade unions campaigning on a local level to save jobs and services and one of our trades councils has come up with an imaginative way of getting the message across. Nottinghamshire Trades Council will be inviting the public to sign a public services Valentine card this Saturday in Nottingham's Market Square. So, if you want to add your name to the campaign for jobs and services you can visit the Square and sign the card between 1.00 p.m. and 3.p.m. These are to be delivered to venues affected by cuts on Monday 14th February - to show services under threat that they are indeed, close to our hearts.

Pathetically small bankers’ levy barely covers their corporation tax cut, says TUC

Commenting on plans announced today (Tuesday) by the Chancellor to increase the bankers’ levy to £2.5 billion this year, Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said: “This levy is pathetically small compared to the amount UK taxpayers are owed for the financial crash and barely covers the cost of the corporation tax cut the Chancellor is giving the banks.
“Begging bankers to shell out small change from their bonus pool falls well short of the action needed to reform our finance sector so that it can start to serve the wider economy again, rather than the other way round.
“Rather than set alarm bells ringing in the City, this levy will be met with the sound of clinking champagne glasses.”

Northants Voluntary Sector at the sharp end

Debbie Goodfellow, Cheryl Pidgeon and Natalie Newby
 at Big About Music in Corby.

Midlands TUC Regional Secretary, Cheryl Pidgeon, heard today of the problems facing the voluntary sector in Northamptonshire. Ms Pidgeon was visiting Big About Music in Corby, an organisation that specialises in taking music to young people, where she met Natalie Newby from BAM and Debbie Goodfellow from Northamptonshire Clubs for Young People.
"It is clear that funding problems will hit organisations like Big About Music and Clubs for Young People as government cuts start to bite," said Ms Pidgeon. "Services to young people depend on well funded local authority and voluntary sector provision and the cuts facing these organisations will mean many will miss out altogether. Once gone these services, and the provider organisations, will be almost impossible to replace. Irreparable damage is being done to young people's services in the name of reducing the deficit - while bankers receive bonuses the size of which dwarf funds to the Voluntary Sector in the east midlands."

Student Outreach at Birmingham Jobs Fair



Chayoung and Michelle at the Birmingham Jobs Fair



Students attending the Jobs Fair

 This is my first blog in my newly appointed post with the TUC.  Today I am at the Jobs Fair at Birmingham University with Alan Weaver and Chayoung Jeong of the Midlands TUC, speaking to students about workers' rights and the role of trade unions.  So far, in the first 45 minutes, we have spoken to approximately 20 students and given them advice and information on their rights at work.