Tuesday 22 March 2011

Inflation up to 5.5%

The latest inflation figures confirm what most of us know - our living standards are being severely squeezed. RPI inflation is up to 5.5% and even CPI inflation (which isn't a fair reflection of the cost of living) is up to 4.4%.

inflation graph

Holding wages down while prices rise effectively reduces the share workers receive from the wealth they produce.

Whether in the public sector, private sector or the not for profit sector, workers need to unite to oppose the attempt by employers and government to make us pay for a crisis we didn't create. Join the demonstration on Saturday - it is clearly going to be huge.



Monday 21 March 2011

General Secretary's report from January 2011 UNITE EC meeting

The official report from the January 2011 Executive Council meeting is now out. I will send it on to UNITE members on request.



Monday 14 March 2011

UNITE Executive Council elections

Members will be voting between 25th March and 15th April for the new UNITE Executive Council.

I've been officially informed that I was the only candidate for the IT & Communications seat to receive the required nominations, and so will be declared elected unopposed. Thanks to everyone in the branches and workplaces that nominated me.

Most members in the sector will still get a vote for other seats though:

  • Women members will get a vote for the national Women's seat
  • Black, Asian & Ethnic Minority (BAEM) members will get a vote for the national BAEM seat
  • Most members will get votes for the seats in their region
I'm encouraging people to support the candidates backed by the United Left.

Please do all you can within the rules to encourage members to vote - the more members who participate in the election and take an interest in the future direction of their union the better.

For more information, see my page on the elections, or the official information on the union web site.