Help the poor pay fuel bills – or lose election

06/09/08.Britain's most senior trade unionist, Brendan Barber, has warned Gordon Brown he will face a disaster at the polls unless he helps the low paid and pensioners cope with soaring fuel prices. The Prime Minister has so far resisted calls from Labour MPs to offer cash to people struggling in the economic slowdown, and to impose a windfall tax on energy suppliers. Tony Woodley, joint leader of the Unite union, told the BBC that ruling out help for families in fuel poverty was "a downright disgrace", and urged the Government to levy a windfall tax on the energy Companies' obscene profits.

John McDonnell MP condemns Unison witch-hunt as a political attack

06/09/08.I recently attended a meeting and heard from Unison activists who are being attacked by the leadership of their own union. As with other individuals who attended the meeting I am horrified, shocked and quite frankly outraged, especially when I heard of the detail of the allegations against the individuals concerned. I am a Unison member myself and I therefore want to go on record as pledging my support to those activists now being witch-hunted by a section of the Union. I want to pledge my support in particular to Yunus Bakhsh, Glenn Kelly, Onay Kasab, Tony Staunton, Suzanne Muna and Brian Debus.

TUC: Back to basics

04/09/08.The annual congress of the TUC rolls round this month and it is time to take stock again of the health of the labour movement. The TUC agenda will deal with all the supposed pressing and politically correct agendas of the activists (not the members) who will be present. Be it the green agenda, migrant workers, vulnerable workers, race, equalities, agency workers, individual rights, new rights etc., it will be given plenty of attention. Division over race, gender, and discrimination will continue to be highlighted and promoted – another import from the USA. Worthiness and do-gooding will spring from every photo call, press release and stunt, let alone the nightmare appearance of Brown or some other Labour Party leadership aspirant. Trade union mergers will dominate not as a strategy of growth but as one of managed decline.

Long-hours culture still a major issue for UK workers

04/09/08.UK employees are still working some of the longest hours in Europe, according to a major study of working time across the European Union (EU). The annual study by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions found the average number of hours worked per week by full-time UK employees in 2007 was 41.4. Only workers in Bulgaria and Romania worked longer hours.

Unions, this is no time to be meek as real terms pay cuts grow ever larger as inflation rises

04/09/08.As the Observer reported recently Trade Unions are threatening co-ordinated strike action over de facto pay cuts in the public sector. This annual round of sabre rattling is nothing new, this is precisely what newspapers have been reporting on for the last three years – and not because they have wildly or willfully misinterpreted what the unions have said. At last year's congress, a Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) motion was unanimously passed, compelling public sector affiliates to coordinate their industrial action campaigns. No doubt the motion submitted to this year's congress calling for the same course of action will be passed again unanimously. But none of this can detract from the fact that when it comes to it, the unions haven't acted on their own policy. The PCS union has delivered on what it has said it would do – with or without the cooperation of other unions. It has strained just about every muscle it has to get joint action. Unison , Unite and GMB have not.  What explains the unwillingness and inability of unions to take united action?, the recurring theme is the loyalty of the leadership of the Labour affiliated unions to this government. Unions like Unison and Unite seem unwillingly to turn words into deeds because they fear irreparably damaging the Labour government. They believe what the Labour leadership tells them, they believe what the papers tell them and they believe what they tell themselves, namely, that hurting Labour in the public's mind through strikes will only hasten the return of the Tories.

Marks & Spencer 'whistleblower' summarily sacked

03/09/08.A worker at Marks and Spencer who revealed the company's plans to cut redundancy pay to the media has been sacked for gross misconduct. The man faced a three-hour disciplinary hearing on Monday, at which he was represented by the GMB union, and was told to return today to hear the outcome. Maria Ludkin, the GMB's legal officer who represented the man at the disciplinary hearing, said: "This is a gross act of corporate bullying. "The disappointing part of today's decision is that M&S head of global HR, John Wareham, stated that the 25-year long service of this employee is totally irrelevant to the decision to sack him. "M&S have shown that they are more concerned about maintaining a repressive regime for their staff than about promoting open discussion about the direction of the company and the way that the staff are treated

Unions plan co-ordinated strike action over pay

01/09/08.Gordon Brown and his Chancellor, Alistair Darling, will come under fire at next week's TUC conference over a pay restraint policy that has limited public sector workers to a 2 per cent pay rise while inflation is running at more than 4 per cent. 'Public sector workers feel they're languishing around the 2 per cent mark when inflation is at 4 to 5 per cent, and by any standards that is a pay cut,' said a senior TUC source. 'There is a political price to be paid for those people who feel the government is punishing them.' Four key unions have tabled motions to the conference demanding the TUC's ruling council co-ordinate strike plans, including Unison; the PCS, which represents civil servants; the National Union of Teachers; and the University and College Union, representing lecturers.

Three and a half million bullied in current job

01/09/08.Three and a half million people (14 per cent or one in seven of the workforce) say they have been bullied in their current job according to a YouGov poll for the TUC published today. 21 per cent (one in five) say that bullying is an issue where they work. Bullying is more likely in the public sector where 19 per cent say they have been bullied compared to 12 per cent in the private sector and eight per cent in the voluntary sector. Surprisingly people in professional and associate professional jobs are the most likely to be bullied (16 per cent). This may reflect the large number of professional and associate professional jobs in the public sector such teaching, and across the NHS.

Fair deal ordered for classroom assistants

29/08/08.The first official crackdown on malpractice in the employment of teaching assistants is set to begin next term. Schools will be told for the first time to pay support staff a fair wage and stop using them to teach lessons they are unqualified to take. The guidance, which is expected to be enforced by advisers from the Teacher Development Agency for Schools, is backed by the Government, unions and employers. The new guidance tells schools: “Ensure that support staff receive fair and consistent pay and conditions appropriate to the overall role and responsibilities they undertake.” The strongly worded document amounts to the first official recognition of widespread malpractice among schools from the headteachers and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Support staff unions had to battle hard for its publication. It cites research from the biggest support staff union, Unison, which last year found up to half of schools were using split contracts that only pay teaching assistants higher level rates for the hours when they are doing “higher level” work.

Marks and Spencer redundancy pay whistleblower to face discliplinary action

28/08/08.A worker at Marks and Spencer is the face discliplinary action for disclosing the the company's plans to cut redundancy pay for 70,000 of its staff according to the GMB trade union. The employee contacted the media last week over proposals to reduce redundancy payouts by up to 25 per cent. The GMB says the man, who works at the corporate head office in central London, has been suspended and will face a disciplinary hearing next Monday. The union, which will represent the man at the hearing, fears the retailer is preparing to announce large scale redundancies. Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB said: “We are fearful that job cuts are on the way at M&S. Why else would they cut their existing policy if they did not intend to use it?”

Unions under renewed attack for failing low-paid women members

27/08/08.The courts have lambasted trade unions for misleading their low-paid women members and settling their equal pay claims for too little in recent landmark judgments. As many as 150,000 women, according to estimates from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), are entitled to compensation from local authorities and the NHS for being paid less than male colleagues, in litigation that now threatens to bring tribunals to 'a grinding halt'. The tribunal system 'has complained bitterly' about bearing the brunt of some 44,000 equal pay claims, he says, and points to a 155 per cent increase last year alone. The EHRC has argued that equal pay cases should be kept out of the courts and dealt with through negotiated settlements.

Massive expansion planned for "national staff dismissal register"

14/08/08.The operator of a new private database that allows big shops to share information on staff suspected of theft or other misdemeanors is holding talks with major corporations to expand into other industries. Unions are concerned that innocent people could end up on the register as they may be subjected to vexatious and malicious allegations perpetrated by management or colleagues. People do not have to be convicted of a crime to end up on the register. Insurance, banking, pharmaceutical and hospitality companies have all come forward to express interest in joining the "National Staff Dismissal Register" since it was launched in May, according to Action Against Business Crime (AABC), the  consortium behind the project.  Meanwhile a leading defamation lawyer has warned that employers could face costly libel lawsuits for effectively publishing unproven allegations.

Football's richest clubs pay poverty wages to backroom staff

14/08/08.England's richest football clubs shell out fortunes to their overpaid prima-donna players in pursuit of glory. Today, though, all 20 clubs are accused of penny-pinching because they pay more humble members of staff – such as cleaners, catering staff and shop assistants – the lowest legal wages. Some employees receive only match tickets as recompense, or the promise of commission.  Five of London's biggest clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United – are paying staff at least £2 below the London Living Wage of £7.45, which the Mayor Boris Johnson says is the minimum to avoid living in poverty in the city. Two days before the 2008/09 Premier League starts this weekend, the Fair Pay Network (FPN), a coalition of charities and trade unions, warns that poverty pay is endemic in the league with all top 20 clubs offering positions paying only the national minimum wage. 

Staff transferred under TUPE take equal pay claims with them

12/08/08. Employers who take on staff through TUPE could be liable for up to six years of unequal pay claims, according to legal experts. An Employment Appeals Tribunal has ruled that where there is a case of unequal pay while an employee is employed by the transferor organisation, the right of equal pay will transfer under TUPE to the organisation taking on the member of staff. The ruling comes after the case of Sodexho vs Gutridge, where female hospital cleaners who had been transferred to Sodexho from an NHS Trust wanted equivalent pay to that of male maintenance workers who did not transfer.

Glasgow care workers strike called off after improved offer

12/08/08.A strike by residential care workers in Glasgow due to take place on Wednesday of this week was called off after workers in the Unison union voted to accept an improved offer from the council. There was an attempt to tie a new pay grade to so-called “modernisation” plans being proposed by the council. There are some concerns over the council’s future intentions over "modernisation". There are fears that job cuts, loss of premium payments and outsourcing (privatisation) are still on the agenda.The proposed indefinite strike would have shut down old people’s homes and children’s homes across Glasgow. Last week the council resorted to bullying and intimidation in attempt to weaken the strikers' resolve by threatening to privatise residential services in the city if the strike went ahead.

Workers are the victims of inflation not its cause

12/08/08.Unite joint general secretary, Tony Woodley says, "Workers are the victims of inflation not its cause. The Government must act to help those unable to cope. Our case for a windfall tax on the greedy oil companies and the utilities companies is unarguable. Its time to stop dithering and start acting. EDF is a perfect example where this French company is limited under law from raising fuel prices in France but EDF can hit British families with massive increases. The Government needs to do more for the UK housing market by reducing or removing stamp duty and they should kickstart house building by announcing a massive increase in new council houses. These are the bold moves which would show the electorate the Government is listening and is prepared to act. These measures would go along way towards reconnecting Labour with its core voters.

GMB issues warning against profiteering as inflation jumps to 10 year high

12/08/08.Commenting on the highest jump in inflation in a decade Paul Kenny GMB General Secretary said: “Inflation is impacting on the economy differently in different sectors. Food manufacturing, for example, is being squeezed leading to severe job losses. Other sectors like oil and energy are printing inflation by hiking prices. Even when their costs are falling they are slow to pass these lower prices to consumers. Motorists can see that there is 7 to 8 pence difference per litre in the price of diesel between fuel stations across the country. This is just a rip off.

Local gov pay talks reopen tomorrow

11/08/08.Local government pay talks in England, Northern Ireland and Wales reopen tomorrow, with UNISON hoping they will usher in a 'new era' for council workers. The union is seeking improved pay and conditions that begin to match up to that of other public service staff. Speaking ahead of the talks, UNISON senior national officer Lucille Thirlby said: "Local government staff play a vital role in keeping communities across the UK running smoothly. "They work as social workers, provide home care, work in libraries, and keep our streets clean. During the school holidays many will also be looking after children in summer play schemes or teaching them to swim at local leisure centres. "We hope that this week's talks with the local government employers will herald a 'new era of employment' for local authority staff.

Equal pay claims will cost Oldham Council almost £9 million

11/08/08.Oldham Council began offering its staff payments to offset equal pay employment tribunal claims in 2007. It subsequently put £7 million on offer to about 1,700 employees, mainly women in cleaning and catering roles. The compensation is part of the 1997 single status agreement, intended to harmonise pay rates between white collar and manual council workers. The agreement makes provision for job evaluations to check that gradings and pay comply with equal pay legislation. All too often unscrupulous employers are manipulating the fallible and unscientific job evaluation scheme to maximise the extent to which losers subsidise the winners' pay rises. Thousands of workers in local authorities the length and breadth of the land are being penalised for the authorities' failure to comply with equal pay legislation and as a result are suffering losses of £1,000's due to job evaluation pay cuts.

Private Firm gets £5million windfall from Public Service Contracts Grant

10/08/08. A company that profits from the privatisation of public services has been awarded a £5 million government grant to set up a base in Scotland. A spokesman for Unison said he had "concerns" about private firms being allowed to make windfalls from frontline services. Serco Ltd, which has a turnover of more than £2.5 billion, has been lined up for the cash weeks after landing a multi-million pound contract to run IT services in Glasgow.  The grant has raised eyebrows as Serco is a key beneficiary of government policy to privatise key parts of the public sector. The firm already provides out-of-hours GP services in Cornwall, runs education services in Walsall and is also in charge of an immigration removal facility south of the Border. In Scotland, Serco is responsible for running the much-maligned private prison in Kilmarnock, as well as handling the electronic monitoring of offenders across the country. It also made a bid to run a GP practice in Harthill, Lanarkshire, but lost out after criticism was voiced about the prospect of a private company taking over the service.

Single Status: Workers in Bury face £7,000 pay cuts

08/08/08.More than 1,000 council workers are facing pay cuts of up to 25% as a result of Single Status job evaluations. Four thousand workers at Bury Council will be affected by the wage review. Bury is the first council in Greater Manchester to undertake regradings as part of  the national Single Status agreement. Union Unison said the pay cuts for some were "very serious". For some staff at Bury Council, the changes mean a drop in salary of nearly £7,000 a year. Some long-serving workers are facing a pay packet even less than the one they started out on years ago. Stephen Morton from the union said: "We are looking at the appeal process, but we are not entirely comfortable with that at the moment so we are negotiating. "Ultimately, our members will decide if they want to take industrial action, to try to correct some of the wrongs. "It's very serious."

UNISON takes IBM outsourcing case to Tribunal

08/08/08.A £400m outsourcing deal between local authorities and IBM was unfair because the full details of the transfer of staff to a private company were not revealed Unison has said. It has lodged a claim with an employment tribunal over the deal, which it says led to the local authorities and IBM breaking a Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) agreement. The deal, announced in October 2007 as a £400m shared services agreement spanning 10 years, created a new private company to which 1,500 council workers will transfer. It was set up by IBM, Somerset County Council, Taunton Deane Borough Council and the Avon and Somerset Police Authority. The new company was called Southwest One. "Unison is taking the employer to the employment tribunal because it is saying that it has been kept in the dark over the transfer," said a Unison spokeswoman. "The initial terms on which staff were transferred were not made available for consultation by the unions. The case will be about whether staff were transferred without being fully informed of the terms."

Binmens' anger at new family-unfriendly shift patterns

07/08/08.Cardiff binmen have threatened strike action over changes to their shifts that will see them collecting rubbish as late as 10pm. Refuse collectors in Cardiff have been told their shift patterns are set to switch as the council prepares to collect food waste on a weekly basis. Shifts will run from either 6am to 2pm or 2pm to 10pm as the council attempts to introduce the new collections with the same number of operatives and vehicles. Mike Paine, of the GMB union, said: “Management have brought forward their views on introducing a shift system which we’ve obviously said our members are not prepared to sanction as we currently stand. “That is likely to impact on everyone’s day-to-day family lives.” Mr Paine said the union was prepared to negotiate a new financial package for members to make up for the new hours. He added: “But if not, we will resist any changes to their employment which will have an impact on them.

Family-unfriendly: Compass fires Chef for fulfilling family commitments

06/08/08.The GMB has called for the immediate re-instatement of GMB member Virgilio Teixira who was unfairly dismissed from his £20,000 a year job as Head Chef at the Arora International Hotel Heathrow on 31^st July. He has been employed at the hotel by catering contractor Compass since 2003. GMB members are planning protests to secure his reinstatement. Compass Food and Beverages boss Gavin Evans alleged that Mr Teixira was should not have left the four star Arora International Hotel’s kitchen at London Heathrow at the end of his shift. Compass says it was his responsibility, not that of the company, to cover the kitchen when the chef covering the late shift did not turn up due to oversleeping. Mr Teixira, by prior arrangement, had to get home to look after his three children so that his wife could to go to work for her employer. Perry Phillips, GMB Branch Secretary of the Hounslow Branch said, “This is how much notice Compass takes of all the new family friendly legislation that the government has put in place to help working parents balance their responsibilities between work and home."

Ex-Tory admits harassment charges

05/08/08.A former Tory candidate has pleaded guilty to a campaign of harassment against his Liberal Democrat rivals. Ian Oakley, who stood down as the Tory candidate in Watford last month, admitted five charges of criminal damage and two of harassment. His case was adjourned until 16 September for psychiatric reports. He was warned custody would be an option. The Lib Dems have called on Tory leader David Cameron to hold an "urgent inquiry" into the procedures and activities of the Watford Conservative Party. St Albans Magistrates' Court was told Oakley had damaged property belonging to the Lib Dems and had harassed rivals Sal Brinton and Russell Willson.  He slashed tyres and wrecked shutters at the Liberal Democrat headquarters in the town. He made silent phone calls to Ms Brinton between August 2006 and March this year, and sent her gay and lesbian magazines, the court was told.

Fair Employment Initiative - much government spin; some substance

05/08/08.The government has announced a drive to crack down on rogue employers abusing vulnerable workers. The 'Fair Employment Enforcement Board' will be set up to co-ordinate the work of the government enforcement agencies covering minimum wage, health and safety, employment agencies and gangmasters and headed by the Employment Relations Minister. It will include representatives from business, trade unions and the enforcement agencies. There will be a single telephone helpline for vulnerable workers to report abuses to the Government's workplace enforcement agencies allowing them to share information to catch rogue employers. Brendan Barber of the TUC regretted that the government will not widen the scope of the act to new sectors. UCATT (construction union) is similarly baffled by the decision not to extend its remit in light of endemic abuse of vulnerable workers in the building industry. There has also been criticism for not expanding the Gangmasters' Licensing Authority. Unions wanted its remit to be extended to care workers, and the construction and hospitality sectors. The Government has trumpeted its having recently given agency workers a 'right' to withdraw from pay deductions for transport or accommodation (in practise such 'rights' are all but useless to workers. E.g. the Working Time Directive 'right' to opt out or the 'right of workers to be consulted' by their employer before retirement)

Firms warned not to use credit crunch as excuse for job cuts

04/08/08.A stern warning has been issued to employers tempted to make mass redundancies during the credit crunch despite facing no financial pressure to do so. Senior business figures have warned that companies may look to axe hundreds of staff this year with less scrutiny from unions because of issues caused by the economic slowdown. Roger Jeary, Unite's director of research, said: "When employers seek to use an economic slowdown as an excuse for job cuts, they should be assured that we will defend members to the hilt, and that we have the resources to do it."

Glasgow City Council resorts to bullying and intimidation over threatened Care Homes strike

04/08/08.Scotland's largest local authority is using emotional blackmail by threatening to withdraw from providing care homes for the elderly if strike action by hundreds of residential workers goes ahead. Glasgow City Council has claimed "there can be no guarantee" that residents moved out of the authority's care as part of the industrial action contingency plans would return, effectively signalling the beginning of the end of its role in the sector. In a letter to all 840 members of the Unison branch which has voted for the action, service director of social work David Crawford warned the council's plans to replace the existing 16 care homes with five new purpose-built facilities was also in jeopardy. The move has been branded by union leaders as an attempt to intimidate staff by threatening them with their jobs, while doubts have been raised as to whether the private and voluntary care home sector in Greater Glasgow has the capacity for around 700 places at short notice.

Leeds City Council may face legal action over pay cuts

03/08/08.A plan to dismiss 1,100 council workers and re-employ them only if they accept new contracts, including wage cuts, has been called "horrific" by their union the GMB. Leeds City Council is determined to impose a new single status pay scheme on the workforce despite 1,100 staff losing £3,000 per year as a result of the job evaluation exercise. Bill Chard, a local official with the GMB union said the plan to dismiss the workers was "horrific". He said the union had campaigned for the workers to receive equal pay, but wanted the council to increase women's wages. "What they have done is drag the men down," he said. "There was a right way to do this and a wrong way and this was the wrong way." He said the GMB was taking legal advice on the issue, as it believed the staff would be unfairly dismissed.

1,100 Leeds council workers told, "accept Single Status pay cuts of £3,000 or face the sack"

02/08/08.Leeds City Council is to sack 1,100 workers and tell them they can have their jobs back only if they accept pay cuts. Wages will be protected from the cuts for three years – but the workers have been told they must accept them or stay sacked. Letters were delivered on Wednesday warning of dismissal from October 31 and "re-engagement" on November 1 under new contracts. The main union involved with Leeds workers condemned the action as "extreme" but the Conservative and Liberal Democrat ruled council insists it took the action "with regret." Full-time GMB official Bill Chard said: "It is an extreme act to dismiss people, especially this many. Our members feel they cannot trust the council any more because of this extreme action. "For an organisation to come along and dismiss people who may have worked loyally for the council for 20 or 30 years to enforce an unfair pay system is wrong."

Price hikes are a Gas for Centrica

02/08/08.British Gas held a boozy junket for 1,000 staff with a free bar and entertainment by top comic Jimmy Carr - on the day they announced 35 per cent price hikes for customers, it has emerged. Call centre agents from across the UK were invited to what the company described as a `training session', estimated cost £250,000, in Birmingham, to `explain why the global price of energy has increased'. But the company boss has issued an apology after it emerged there were rowdy scenes involving some staff who drank too much. The event has provoked scathing criticism from Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite. He said it would `add insult to injury to millions of customers' who were `gripped with anxiety' over how to pay bills. Mr Woodley added: "The company should save the money spent on such jamborees and put it towards cutting the cost of gas. This is further evidence to show that privatisation of utilities has failed."

John McDonnell condemns Unison's witch hunt against activists as a political attack

02/08/08. I recently attended a meeting and heard from Unison activists who are being attacked by the leadership of their own union. As with other individuals who attended the meeting I am horrified, shocked and quite frankly outraged, especially when I heard of the detail of the allegations against the individuals concerned. I am a Unison member myself and I therefore want to go on record as pledging my support to those activists now being witch hunted by a section of the Union. I want to pledge my support in particular to Yunus Bakhsh, Glenn Kelly, Onay Kasab, Tony Staunton, Suzanne Muna and Brian Debus. Unison members at present are fighting against pay cuts and having to cope with the consequences of inflation, they are fighting attacks on their jobs and terms and conditions as well as countering the threat from the BNP. While witch hunts should never take place, how can the union justify this political attack on long standing trade unionists, anti racists and black activists, while at the same time there is so much work to do for our members? I say a political attack, because that is what I believe this to be.

Brown's popularity sinks to a historic low

01/08/08.A YouGov survey for the Daily Telelgraph indicates that barely one voter in seven now believes Gordon Brown is fit for the job of prime minister. The opinion poll also shows that none of the Cabinet Ministers who might seriously challenge him would improve Labour's standing with the electorate. Just 15 per cent of voters questioned by YouGov this week said they believe that Mr Brown is "is up to the job". Only Sir John Major has ever recorded such a low approval rating, in 1995, two years before his Conservative Government suffered the worst election defeat in modern history. Sixty five per cent of voters say Mr Brown is now a "liability" for Labour, up from only 25 per cent in June last year when he took office. Forty-four per cent of people say Labour's electoral prospects would improve if Mr Brown was replaced.

Two tier workforce: Street cleaners and groundsmen to strike over wages and conditions differentials

01/08/08.Strike action is to take place in west Wiltshire as street cleaners and groundsmen stage a one-day walkout over pay. GMB union officials say four more strike dates are in the pipeline, with the industrial action due to take place throughout the summer. English Landscapes was awarded a five-year contract to maintain West Wiltshire District Council's parks, gardens and street cleansing programme in December, but has been working with the council since 2002.  GMB said  part of its claim aims to ensure parity in pay and terms for workers, regardless of whether their contracts were transferred from the council or are with English Landscapes. GMB regional organiser Andy Prenderghast said staff on English Landscapes' contracts were paid on variable rates, the lowest being £1.50 an hour less than former council staff who do the same job. They are also denied additional holiday, sick pay and pensions.

POCA: Threat to 3,000 more post offices if card account is lost, says union

01/08/08.Up to 3,000 more post offices could be closed if the government hands a key contract to one of the network's rivals, a union warned yesterday. Already suffering from the latest round of branch closures, the viability of the network could be threatened if the Post Office fails to win the tender to provide the successor to the current Post Office card account (POCA) through which millions of people are paid benefits, according to the Communication Workers Union. The union said yesterday it had written to James Purnell, the secretary of state for work and pensions, warning him of the consequences if his department does not renew the Post Office's contract.

Unions prepare to block Miliband bid

01/08/08.Labour’s left wing is mobilising to stop momentum building behind David Miliband as a potential successor to Gordon Brown. With the foreign secretary refusing to rule himself out as a contender, union leaders are worried that a leadership battle could serve only to destabilise Labour. Nor do they want to encourage a contest which could leave the Blairite Mr Miliband in charge. “Miliband would be a disaster as far as we can see,” said one union source. Two union sources told the FT that Unite and the GMB would – in the event of a leadership contest – support John Cruddas, MP for Dagenham East, who was the unions’ favourite during last summer’s deputy leadership contest. But concerns remain within these unions that Mr Cruddas is too unfamiliar to the voting public. He also antagonised some officials while he was deputy political secretary for Tony Blair during New Labour’s first term. Unite refused to comment on the speculation. The GMB said that general secretary Paul Kenny – who at the weekend was quoted as saying “you either back him [Brown] or sack him” – was not seeking a leadership battle. The socialist section of the party will be strongly urging John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington to stand. He was denied an opportunity to contest the election for party leader with Mr Brown last summer but has yet to make his intentions clear this time around.

Unison triggers reopener clause in NHS three year pay deal

01/08/08.UNISON’s senior health activists have voted to trigger the reopener clause on the three-year pay deal for NHS workers. The call for a better pay deal comes in the wake of increases in the costs of fuel, energy and food which are driving inflation beyond the 2% increase predicted when the deal was negotiated in spring. UNISON head of health Karen Jennings said: "Nurses and other health workers are already struggling to cope with almost daily increases in the cost of basic necessities such a food and energy. "The reopener clause was central to this year's multi-year pay talks because it provided a much-needed safety net against just this situation."

Equal pay deal costs Bury £2.7m

01/08/08.Bury Metropolitan Borough Council said it will spend an extra £2.7m because of a national equal pay deal. The agreement means pay rises for women who were traditionally underpaid compared to their male counterparts. Around 4,000 workers are affected, of whom 42 per cent of workers will get an increase, 28 per cent will be paid the same and 30 per cent will see their pay fall. Staff whose salary will decrease are to get their pay protected for between one and three years depending on the amount they will lose. Bury claims to be the first council In Greater Manchester to announce the changes to salaries but others are expected to do so soon.

Private sector Union membership in decline

01/08/08.The proportion of workers who are trade union members has continued to slide and is almost a quarter lower than it was 16 years ago, according to official figures published yesterday. The biggest decline has been in the private sector, where union density has fallen to a low of 16.1 per cent in the UK. This compares with 59 of public sector employees who remain union members. Union membership has almost halved to just under 7m since 1979 but has stabilised in recent years. The average earnings of union members is still 15.6 per cent higher than that of non-union members. But even this gap has narrowed. Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said: "It's good to see union membership holding steady despite this year's major economic difficulties, and my advice to workers worried about further shocks to the economy would be to join a union as soon as they can."

Unite local government members in Scotland vote yes to strike action

01/08/08.Unite members working in local government in Scotland have voted in favour of strike action over a below inflation pay offer. Jimmy Farrelly, Unite Senior Regional Industrial Organiser said: "Our members have rejected a below inflation pay offer and we could now see industrial action within a matter of weeks unless the Scottish employers address the issue of low pay. "Our members work very hard providing essential public services and to be rewarded for this with a pay cut in real terms is an insult to them and will result in a huge reduction in living standards for them all. The Scottish government have the responsibility for funding local government and accordingly should intervene to address this dispute."