Stealth attack on national museum
8 February 2016
Bradford’s National Media Museum is reeling with news that an important archive is to be relocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London this summer.
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Unity as steel centres fight for survival
8 February 2016
Britain’s key specialist steel centres, such as Forgemasters in Sheffield, are fighting for survival with an alliance not only of trade unions and communities but now major employers.
15-minute homecare visits still the norm
8 February 2016
Despite new guidelines, homecare visits are still too short for workers to complete their visit without compromising the quality of their service or the dignity of the person receiving the support.
Strike ballot for sixth-form colleges
8 February 2016
The National Union of Teachers has launched a funding campaign for the sixth-form sector, and is balloting members for a one-day strike to coincide with a national demonstration in March.
Support your libraries!
5 February 2016
Campaigners and library workers are taking action to support Britain’s public library service. On Tuesday 9 February, Speak Up For Libraries will hold a rally in Westminster, followed by a lobby of MPs.
Rail takeover shows extent of privatisation failure
2 February 2016
The decision that Transport for London will take over all overland rail services into London is a recognition that privatisation has been a miserable and costly failure.
Supermarket wars: betting on a falling market
2 February 2016
In a classic case of dog-eat-dog capitalism, supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has made a £1.3 billion takeover bid for Home Retail Group, which owns Homebase and high-street retailers Argos.
Better ways of preparing the next generation of nurses
2 February 2016
The only good thing to have arisen from chancellor George Osborne’s plan to institutionalise debt for student nurses and other health students is a debate about what is wrong with the current system.
Hospital in deficit? Just work for free...
22 January 2016
With the Princess Royal University Hospital in Kent running a huge deficit, its ruling Trust has asked staff to volunteer to work for nothing
Unions mull local government pay offer
21 January 2016
Unison, Unite and GMB are now consulting their members over the Local Government Association’s two-year pay offer of 1 per cent a year. Once again, rhetoric is outpacing reality.
Government cuts trade union education
15 January 2016
By August 2016 government funding for trade union education via the TUC will be slashed by half. By August 2017 all the funding will probably have gone. It is time for unions to grasp the nettle.
Please, Cuba, may we have our missile back?
14 January 2016
The US has a trade embargo on Cuba. But it’s just shipped an advanced laser-guided missile to Havana airport.
Social care: a US fund is looking to profit from distress
13 January 2016
Between 2005 and 2015 the number of people aged over 65 increased by 18.8 per cent. In response, the government has cut the social care budget by an estimated £470 million.
Valentine's stunt put up against Trade Union Bill
13 January 2016
The Trade Union Bill passed its second reading in the Lords on 11 January. In the face of a seemingly inexorable journey towards the Bill becoming an Act, the TUC’s response is a tepid Valentine’s stunt.
Fresh attack on local government pensions
13 January 2016
The Centre for Policy Studies, regarded by the late Margaret Thatcher as her favourite think tank, has produced the blueprint for the next government attack on the Local Government Pension Scheme.
'Studio' schools to close in Free Schools fiasco
12 January 2016
The Midland Academies Trust has announced the closure of two of its “studio” schools, in Nuneaton and Hinckley, because of a failure to attract students.
Doctors on the picket lines
12 January 2016
As junior doctors embarked on their first day of strike action against the government’s proposed new contract, CPBML News visited picket lines in London and Yorkshire.
Health bursaries campaign goes national
10 January 2016
The campaign against the attack on health students’ bursaries moved up a gear on Saturday 9 January with the first national demonstration. Students travelled from all over England to assemble in London.
Last deep mine closes
The decision to close Kellingley Pit, the last of Britain’s deep coal mines, sounds the death knell not only for coal mining but electricity generation from coal.
Trade gap widens
The latest official figures show that exports of goods and services fell in October while imports rose, leaving Britain in the red to the tune of £4.1 billion.
Borders: Brussels bids for power
The EU is proposing a radical extension of its powers, with plans to take over control of their member states’ borders in “emergencies”.
Postal workers walk out
No law can restrain workers when they choose to ignore it. In Bridgwater, Somerset, Post Office workers walked out without a ballot in protest at the dismissal of a colleague – and no law was invoked.
'Incoherent' teacher plans
A recent Ofsted report talks about local authorities failing to raise school standards – but noted the long-standing difficulties in recruiting teachers.
Local government pay talks under way
The 2016 local government pay negotiations are under way. Unite, GMB and Unison gird their loins for a battle, but the claim is weighted towards the “Living Wage”.
Welcome to the board: Labour, Inc
Alistair Darling, the former Labour chancellor, has been appointed to the board of directors at Morgan Stanley, the US-based financial services firm, while Gordon Brown is to join a global investment firm.
Co-op Bank close Cuba solidarity account
The Co-op Bank has closed the accounts of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. The action follows on the heels of the closure of 20 accounts held by British pro-Palestine groups.
Industry: output falls
Manufacturing output fell by 0.4 per cent in October. This continues the consistent decline of the manufacturing sector throughout 2015.
Kellingley closes
13 December 2015
The last of Britain’s deep coal mines closed on 19 December. It sounds the death knell not only for coal mining but electricity generation from coal, hastened by government decsions posing as a commitment to deal with climate change.
The war must be stopped
3 December 2015
David Cameron has got his way, and the RAF is bombing Syria. We will all live to regret the despicable vote in parliament last night which saw the bombing authorised.
Student nurses and midwives in bursary protest
2 December 2015
War abroad, war at home. As parliament was debating the bombing of Syria, less than 100 yards up Whitehall student nurses and midwives were standing outside the Department of Health in a loud and lively protest against plans to scrap their bursaries.