The result of my poll for th new Labour Leader is:
Ed Milliband 37%
Diane Abbott 22%
Andy Burnham 22%
Brewster the Equality Bear 8%
Ed Balls 5%
David Milliband 2%
The actual result will be announced later this aternoon.
Thanks everyone for taking part.
About Me
- Linda Roy
- Lifetime commitment to the trade union and labour movement. Been local workplace and national CWU representative and held many other positions in the CWU. TUC accredited tutor and disability champion. Former Labour town councillor and town Mayor.
Saturday 25 September 2010
Friday 24 September 2010
Minimum Wage rises from October 1st.
The minimum wage rises from 1 October. The adult rate will rise by 2.2% to £5.93 an hour from £5.80. In
addition, the adult rate becomes payable at aged 21 not 22 years of age. For 18-20 year olds the rate rises by 1.9% to £4.92 an hour and the development rate for 16- and 17-year olds rises by 2.0% to £3.64 an hour.
In a new move, apprentices currently exempt from the national minimum wage regulations become
covered, although the starting rate is pitifully small at a £2.50 an hour rate. This is for apprentices who
are under 19 or older workers in the first year of their apprenticeship. This change should make apprentice pay across the UK easier to administer and subject to better enforcement arrangements.
The wage should cover both those employed on traditional contracts of apprenticeship and employed
apprentices on government-supported Level 2 and 3 schemes.
In England, transitional arrangements are in place so that current apprentices retain a contractual
entitlement to a minimum of £95 a week for the remainder of their apprenticeship or until they would
become eligible for the National Minimum Wage.
Under the national minimum wage legislation, the provision of accommodation by the employer is the only benefit in kind that can count towards a worker’s national minimum wage pay. The accommodation offset is increased from £4.51 to £4.61 a day from October.
addition, the adult rate becomes payable at aged 21 not 22 years of age. For 18-20 year olds the rate rises by 1.9% to £4.92 an hour and the development rate for 16- and 17-year olds rises by 2.0% to £3.64 an hour.
In a new move, apprentices currently exempt from the national minimum wage regulations become
covered, although the starting rate is pitifully small at a £2.50 an hour rate. This is for apprentices who
are under 19 or older workers in the first year of their apprenticeship. This change should make apprentice pay across the UK easier to administer and subject to better enforcement arrangements.
The wage should cover both those employed on traditional contracts of apprenticeship and employed
apprentices on government-supported Level 2 and 3 schemes.
In England, transitional arrangements are in place so that current apprentices retain a contractual
entitlement to a minimum of £95 a week for the remainder of their apprenticeship or until they would
become eligible for the National Minimum Wage.
Under the national minimum wage legislation, the provision of accommodation by the employer is the only benefit in kind that can count towards a worker’s national minimum wage pay. The accommodation offset is increased from £4.51 to £4.61 a day from October.
Tuesday 21 September 2010
ET statistics
The Annual ET statistics have been published here -www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/tribs-et-eat-annual-stats-april09-march10.pdf
Monday 20 September 2010
October 1st - Equality Act comes into force
The Equality Act 2010 comes into force on October 1st. However the government is still consulting on how to proceed with the inroduction of 10 areas of its provisions. You can read more here. http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_bill.aspx
More women are unemployed
Unemployment fell, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS),but women’s
unemployment rose to over one million.Under the Labour Force Survey count, unemployment in the UK fell by just 8,000 to 2.47 million in the three months to July 2010. The unemployment rate was down to 7.8% from 7.9% in the previous three-month period. However, the number of unemployed women rose by 50,000 to 1,015,000 and their unemployment rate rose to 7.0% from 6.7%. It is the first time that women’s unemployment has passed the one million mark since January 1993.
Male unemployment was down by 58,000 to 1.45 million and their unemployment rate was down to 8.5% from 8.9%. The claimant count, which only takes into account those claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, posted a rise after six monthly falls. It was up by 2,300 to stand at 1.47 million in August. The rise was small
enough not to impact on the unemployment rate which stayed at 4.5%.
Male claimant numbers were down by 2,600 in August on the previous month to 1.04 million and their unemployment rate was down to 5.9% from 6.0% the previous month.
Again, women bucked the trend by posting a rise. The number of claimants rose by 4,900 taking their
numbers to 426,300, but their unemployment rate was unchanged at 2.8%.
Source: labour Reearch Department Fact Service/ September 16.
unemployment rose to over one million.Under the Labour Force Survey count, unemployment in the UK fell by just 8,000 to 2.47 million in the three months to July 2010. The unemployment rate was down to 7.8% from 7.9% in the previous three-month period. However, the number of unemployed women rose by 50,000 to 1,015,000 and their unemployment rate rose to 7.0% from 6.7%. It is the first time that women’s unemployment has passed the one million mark since January 1993.
Male unemployment was down by 58,000 to 1.45 million and their unemployment rate was down to 8.5% from 8.9%. The claimant count, which only takes into account those claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, posted a rise after six monthly falls. It was up by 2,300 to stand at 1.47 million in August. The rise was small
enough not to impact on the unemployment rate which stayed at 4.5%.
Male claimant numbers were down by 2,600 in August on the previous month to 1.04 million and their unemployment rate was down to 5.9% from 6.0% the previous month.
Again, women bucked the trend by posting a rise. The number of claimants rose by 4,900 taking their
numbers to 426,300, but their unemployment rate was unchanged at 2.8%.
Source: labour Reearch Department Fact Service/ September 16.
Linda in Liverpool with the CWU
The CWU was well represented at a demo outside the Liberal Condemocrat Conference in Liverpool yesterday. It peed it down but it did not dishearten us. Managed to get videoed and photoed 10 times by police surveillance teams. if they're reading this and have any decent pix can they let us have them. Here's some of mine.if people want copies on disk let me know or just right click on them and save them.
Saturday 18 September 2010
Brilliant day at the Chainmakers Centenary
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Barrow DQ update
Dear Colleague
BT has advised the CWU that opportunities have been identified to work in the BT Customerstreet sales office in Barrow and Lancaster.
These opportunities offer roles as telesales executives within BT Directories in a sales environment dealing with outbound calls with an ability to earn an uncapped potential on bonus arrangements. It is my understanding that full training and ongoing support will be provided and that the hours are Monday to Friday 09:00 am to 05:30 pm with no evenings or weekend and no bank holiday working.
At this point in time BT are just asking whether individuals are interested in visiting the site and having a look around in order that individuals can judge whether this type of work environment will suit you.
As you are aware the CWU is campaigning for suitable alternative work and whilst this is BT work we understand that sales work is very different to the kind of work you are currently undertaking. However, we welcome the voluntary approach taken by the company as they recognise that this may not be a suitable option for everyone, given the type of work on offer.
However individuals may want to visit the site to see for themselves the type of work and environment that being a first line sales executive at Customerstreet involves.
I look forward in seeing you all next week.
Yours sincerely
Sally Bridge
CWU Assistant Secretary
BT has advised the CWU that opportunities have been identified to work in the BT Customerstreet sales office in Barrow and Lancaster.
These opportunities offer roles as telesales executives within BT Directories in a sales environment dealing with outbound calls with an ability to earn an uncapped potential on bonus arrangements. It is my understanding that full training and ongoing support will be provided and that the hours are Monday to Friday 09:00 am to 05:30 pm with no evenings or weekend and no bank holiday working.
At this point in time BT are just asking whether individuals are interested in visiting the site and having a look around in order that individuals can judge whether this type of work environment will suit you.
As you are aware the CWU is campaigning for suitable alternative work and whilst this is BT work we understand that sales work is very different to the kind of work you are currently undertaking. However, we welcome the voluntary approach taken by the company as they recognise that this may not be a suitable option for everyone, given the type of work on offer.
However individuals may want to visit the site to see for themselves the type of work and environment that being a first line sales executive at Customerstreet involves.
I look forward in seeing you all next week.
Yours sincerely
Sally Bridge
CWU Assistant Secretary
Friday 10 September 2010
BBC News - Royal Mail to be privatised or sold, government says
It's offical. let's start the fightback now. BBC News - Royal Mail to be privatised or sold, government says
Royal Mail should be sold to the highest bidder
The dail mail reports today that it has seen the latest Hooper report which recommends that Royal Mail be sold off to the highest bidder. We must stop this! Read more here Royal Mail sale could cost £400 per home as taxpayers fund £13.3bn pension deficit Mail Online
Wednesday 8 September 2010
CWU Humanitarian Aid on Youtube
This years CWU Humanitarian Aid convoy departed for Moldova last Friday. Alex Pearson advises me that CWUHA now has it's own channel on Youtube. Please pay it a visit. Even better make a doantion. Visit YouTube - CWUHA's Channel#p/u
Royal Mail Not For Sale. Briefing
The London region are hosting a national Royal Mail Not For Sale briefing at the Shaw Theatre Novotel, 100-110 Euston Road, London tomorrow September 9th starting at 10.30am. Unfortunately I can't attend as I'm dealing with members problems in Northampton. Fore more information and to send messages of support go to http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149002091795091&index=1
Barrow DQ update
CWU CAMPAIGN -
BT Jobs for Barrow
Dear Colleague,
The CWU has received the following statement from BT regarding their reasons for closing Barrow DQ as follows;
1) As part of the Volt Switch Replacement Programme we will be multiskilling all staff on DQ and OA which allows a much more flexible and efficient resource mix. It also means that in the future we will not need as many centres to provide contingency across the organisation.
2) Additionally volumes of DQ traffic as a whole have reduced by over 20% this year, and we expect that trend to continue, again meaning we will not need as many people to handle the calls forecast in 2011.
3) When we initially scoped out sites in February to move out of DQ and take on alternative roles, we were working on the basis that 21CN connectivity to Barrow was feasible. At that time it was still a potential long term site.
4) However at order stage with 21CN Delivery, we were advised that there were issues, and that Barrow was actually NOT feasible as 21CN infrastructure had not been delivered to that part of the North West. More importantly, we were advised that full diversity of routing is not possible whatever the infrastructure at Barrow as geographically there is only one route in and out of Barrow. Therefore 999 traffic cannot be routed there.
5) The rest of our Infrastructure will all based on 21C and if Barrow remained as a DQ only site, we would be forced into a two-tier network which will only be available for a short time, and at considerable cost.
Sally Bridge
CWU Assistant Secretary
BT Jobs for Barrow
Dear Colleague,
The CWU has received the following statement from BT regarding their reasons for closing Barrow DQ as follows;
1) As part of the Volt Switch Replacement Programme we will be multiskilling all staff on DQ and OA which allows a much more flexible and efficient resource mix. It also means that in the future we will not need as many centres to provide contingency across the organisation.
2) Additionally volumes of DQ traffic as a whole have reduced by over 20% this year, and we expect that trend to continue, again meaning we will not need as many people to handle the calls forecast in 2011.
3) When we initially scoped out sites in February to move out of DQ and take on alternative roles, we were working on the basis that 21CN connectivity to Barrow was feasible. At that time it was still a potential long term site.
4) However at order stage with 21CN Delivery, we were advised that there were issues, and that Barrow was actually NOT feasible as 21CN infrastructure had not been delivered to that part of the North West. More importantly, we were advised that full diversity of routing is not possible whatever the infrastructure at Barrow as geographically there is only one route in and out of Barrow. Therefore 999 traffic cannot be routed there.
5) The rest of our Infrastructure will all based on 21C and if Barrow remained as a DQ only site, we would be forced into a two-tier network which will only be available for a short time, and at considerable cost.
Sally Bridge
CWU Assistant Secretary
Monday 6 September 2010
CWU Disability Conference
CWU Disability Conference - Saturday, 23rd October 2010
The above conference will take place at CWU Headquarters, 150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RX.
Registration will be from 10.00am and Conference starts at 10.30 am.
The above conference will take place at CWU Headquarters, 150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RX.
Registration will be from 10.00am and Conference starts at 10.30 am.
Sunday 5 September 2010
Disability discrimination is rife
According to a report in the Sunday Independent our record on disability discrimination is terrible. Read report here http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/iiosi-investigation-our-patronising-approach-to-10-million-disabled-britons-2070878.html
Wednesday 1 September 2010
Hunting for sex traffickers
Watch the second episode of this fascinating documentary tonight. The first made my blood boil. http://www.channel4.com/
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