Community need to face the consequences

communityThe criterion for success for any trade union campaign is whether or not it leaves organisation weaker or stronger.

A hundred years ago, the German socialist, Rosa Luxemburg, observed that trade union organisation was a “labour of Sisyphus”, comparing it to the mythological figure who was doomed to an eternity of pushing a rock up hill, only for it to roll back to the bottom each time.

It is certainly true that the nature of capitalist competition between companies means that the commercial context that businesses operate in is always changing, and that in the final analysis there is a conflict of interest between employers who wish to get more work for less money, and employees who wish to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be paid a fair wage. In that respect no negotiated deal is ever final, and the process of industrial relations is never ending. Continue reading

Left candidate wins general secretary election in GMB

Tim Roache & Jeremy CorbynThe result of the election to choose the General Secretary of the GMB to replace Sir Paul Kenny whose term of office expires at the end of 2015 has been announced. The winner is Tim Roache, currently GMB Regional Secretary for Yorkshire & North Derbyshire, who beat Paul McCarthy,Regional Secretary for the North West & Ireland by 15,034 votes (57%) to 11,454 (43%). Tim Roache is also chair of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (Class), of Yorkshire and Humber TUC and of his own CLP (Elmet and Rothwell). He is seen as to the left not only of Paul McCarthy but also of Paul Kenny.

Tim Roache said of Jeremy Corbyn’s speech to TUC Congress just after being elected leader “in my 36 years working for a union I’ve never heard leader of the labour movement so utterly supportive of workers” and was also quoted as telling a fringe meeting at the recent Labour Party conference in Brighton: Continue reading

Exposing corporate hypocrites

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A key concept in modern marketing is that of Brand Promise: the commitments made by a company that seek to align it to the expectations and preferences of its target market, to provide competitive advantage.

In particular, some companies seek to position themselves as “ethical”, whether in relation to avoiding controversial business sectors, such as guns, tobacco and alcohol; or by making commitments to avoid exploitative abuse of workers, either their own direct employees or in their supply chain. Continue reading

PFI contractor, Carillion, damned in report by NHS trust

1330554028-swindon-gwh-strikers-protest-at-carillion-head-office-birmingham_1082447A damning NHS Trust report completely vindicates what GMB has said about Carillion since the union was first approached by staff in 2011.

GMB, the union for staff at Carillion at Great Western PFI Hospital in Swindon, commented on the report considered on 25th September by the Board of the NHS Foundation Trust which details significant concerns about the one star food hygiene rating, the cleanliness issues identified by the CQC last year and ongoing employee relations issues.

Kevin Brandstatter, GMB Regional Officer, said:

GMB call on Carillion to heed this chorus of criticism from the NHS Trust and to talk to us to settle the dispute and get on with delivering the service they are paid to provide.

The Trust is well aware of the industrial relations issues on site and must be concerned by the high number of discrimination claims lodged with the Employment Tribunal, which are damaging to the reputation of the Trust. Continue reading

GMB Scotland to campaign for a “No” vote in independence referendum

Scotland and the GMB

This week the GMB has announced that we will be campaigning for a “No” vote in the referendum. Let there be no doubt that there is a real hunger for radical social and economic change among GMB members. Support for “No” should not be seen as support for the status quo, far from it. We are looking for a redoubling of efforts right across the labour movement, inside and outside our parliaments, to secure the GMB’s goals of industrial and economic democracy, an equal society with social and economic welfare from the cradle to the grave.

This vision represents big changes, but they are the changes that we need if we are to build the better society working people demand. The current balance of economic forces we face dictates that we should not breakaway and withdraw but actively engage at the level where power, especially economic power, lies. Continue reading