Commons cleaners strike threat

While MPs squable over expenses, and lets face it it, ALL parties are as bad as the others, cleaners are being refused a 45p rise in their hourly rate. The cleaners organised by Unite have worked very well in organising the cleaners in the city and have built a powerful, campaigning, activist based union.
If they dont get their pay rise it will be MPs who get the 'shitty' end of the deal!!

Post Office Pay Freeze

Posties everywhere will be disgusted by the arrogance of their employer in even suggesting a pay freeze. This is using the recession as an excuse for dampening down terms and conditions of hard working posties. All this act is going to do is further toughen an already demoralised workforce into giving a solid 'yes' vote in an industrial action ballot. It will also assist the CWU in completely severing its financial ties with Labour.

Battle against what Post Office bosses call 'modernisation' is still continuing in Scotland.

Unite thwarts de-recognition

Hard nosed bosses of car delivery firm Autologic have been halted in their attempt to de-recognise Unite. Car delivery companies have to be careful as they are coming up against probably the best organised section of the UK working class,Unite's Car Delivery drivers otherwise known as the 'Car Council'.

While the Car Industry suffers due to the downturn the last thing any Car Delivery Employer wants is to pick a fight with these guys. This is real power in the workplace organised by effective shop stewards accross the whole Industry.

(picture is not an Autologic vehicle!!!)

Copy of threatening letter here.

Jack Jones RIP

Tributes in MS, the Guardian and from Tony Woodley.

Great TU leader and inspiration.

BBC says a few words.

Tesco's. The news you wont see splashed out in the media

Tesco workers in Cork, Ireland are giving the proverbial two finger salute to Leahy and his gang of profiteers. This is the way Leahy makes £3Billion this year by cutting back on terms and conditions of its workers and monopolising the retail sector by forcing every corner shop into liquidation.

Harriet Harman opposes Cutbacks

Is Harriet breaking ranks?

The prospect of Darling doing the Tories dirty work by starting cuts in the public sector needs further clarification. He may argue that front line services wont be affected or the government priority areas in Health and Education will remain untouched but when you start alomng this rocky road you are bound to open yourself up to pressures from the CBI and other business influences who seek the complete carve up of the public sector.

The STUC conference is proving to be a good barometer to the strength of feeling in fighting for well funded Public Services.

Likewise Unison members are being guided to the most effective way to defend services in the NHS.

Panorama versus the HSE

Those 'barmy' prankster's at Panorama could be having a go at the Health and Safety Executive tonight. Unfortunately I have to wait an hour or so before I see it, but in the meantime in case they come all 'Daily Mail' on us here is the truth.

Round up

I really, really haven't had the time to do much blogging lately so I thought I would comment over recent events in what will be my 400th blog!!

Firstly I will get the smelly slime bit out of the way first. I was appalled about the email/McBride/Draper scandal. This has done Labour a lot of damage and given the Tories a lead that they don't deserve. Still I would take heed with who I make friends with if I was a Tory. This blogger Guido Fawkes/Paul Staines is as slimey as they come and the Telegraph do an expose about him today. Morning Star does a piece about the email scandal here.

Lets just hope this clown does not get into power with all the publicity they have been getting. Mind you the Tories never let me down and before the next election one of them is bound to drop a clanger of shit hitting fan proportions.

There is something seriously wrong with the Labour Party if good honest socialists like Alice Mahon decide to leave. I was particularly disgusted by the years she spent being shouted down by the upstarts who have taken over the Labour Party and wouldn't look out of place in their real home with Cameron's Tories!!

Back in the real world, Budget day is looming and this will give Brown and Darling a chance to further ignore the Trade Unions. Unite are in the middle of organising a Unite for Jobs demo in Birmingham on the 16th May. This is being pushed big time so all lefts and Trade Unionists should make it a priority to attend.

The Work Foundation echo the TUC demands for what the chancellor should do here.

Over in Obama land the Unions are stepping up their campaign to get the Employee Free Choice act implemented. This Act will assist Unions organising and now we have an apparently union friendly president it shouldn't be a problem. Shouldn't it?

Cant go any further without mentioning Visteon. Huge battle taking place against this employer. The occupation tactic is going to be crucial to stop employers using the recession to attack workers. News bits here, here, here, here and here. The campaign to give these workers what they want must escalate. The workers have set up a blog here.

Trade Unionist in the old Soviet Union are being treated with the greatest contempt by the pro capitalist thugs that hassle Trade Unionists. Furthermore previously 'loyal' MOD trade unionists are showing their devotion to the capitalist restoration here.

Attacks on the minimum wage back in the UK are being touted here and here. The bosses want everyone to pay for their crisis but themselves.

Nadine Dorries, You are SO boring.

Hat tip to lefty girl. Havent commented about the email saga because it hasnt anything at all to do with the economic depression caused by Capitalism.

This particular Tory MP just wont let it rest.

She just drones on and on and on and on and on and on and on....and on and on..........and on and on and on.....

She reminds me of the Monty Python sketch where Graham Chapman plays a Conservative Candidate who goes on and on until he foams at the mouth and falls down backwards!!!

Shut up!

Militant French Workers kidnap British bosses

Self explanatory really.

Quite understandable as well if your a worker with debts to pay.

Where do the Visteon bosses live?

1944 Liberation of Paris 'Whites Only'

Hat Tip to Lenin here.

The Establishment during the last War wanted an 'Aryan' army liberating Paris from the so called 'Aryan' race!!

If you dont believe me read this.

Expenses

Glad to see the reactionary Mail having a go at the MPs expenses issue. In the Indy last week there was a chart on who was the most expensive Mp and to which party they belong to. I may have been mistaken but it seemed to me that Labour MPs had the most to lose if tighter regs came into play. Interestingly the Tories have least to lose as they are mostly made up of f*cking millionaires anyway. The Mail link interestingly pictures two Tories, one of whom is Eric Pickles who was ripped to pieces on Question time the other week for his slime trail. Link is on the BBC site if you want to see the embarrassed leading Tory squirm.

The Mail has another expose about a leading Tory Unionist having a 'good life with his wife.

Expect low turnouts at the next election.

Meanwhile in Southampton Museum staff are on strike over the Tories plan to cut services ie employees terms and conditions. The Tories reckon it will make an annual saving of £15'000 a year. Well if the 26 Tories on the Council each gave less than a thousand pound a year of their expenses back they wouldn't have to do this!!

Hurrah for Capitalism! Visteon workers shafted.

Have been following this dispute all week. Good commentary on most decent Trade Union and left blogs. Seems the G20 talks have forgotten Visteon workers.

Fords say they are under no legal or moral obligation to assist.

How can you trust the word of an employer?

The French seem to have the right idea!!

Another report here about European workers and the fight back