Call for action over silica
Preventable industrial diseases are still with us. Trade union Unite is calling for action on exposure to crystalline silica.
News/Views
Action sweeps universities
University employers are undermining employment protections, attacking pensions, and casualising work across the sector, across the country. Workers continue to resist.
European Union: Meddling in Switzerland
On 14 June, the people of Switzerland voted in a referendum on a proposal to cap the country’s population at ten million.
Government debt soars [print version]
According to the latest official figures, government debt currently stands at around £2.9 trillion, equivalent to around 95 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.
Universities: Victory at Sheffield Hallam [print version]
A dispute at Sheffield Hallam University involving lecturers in the University & College Union (UCU) has been resolved – at least for now...
Universities: Nottingham threat [print version]
Nottingham University wants to cut 609 academic jobs, including many posts in its prestigious physics department. It is facing resistance from its workers.
Procurement: Words instead of deeds [print version]
In late May, the Guardian reported that Chancellor Rachel Reeves had told ministers to buy British “wherever possible” when awarding government contracts for steel, shipbuilding, energy and artificial intelligence.
Iran war ends in US defeat
25 June 2026
The criminal war waged on Iran by the USA has come to an end, for now. This is important, not just because needless loss of life has ceased, but because the US has lost.
Aberdeen votes for North Sea jobs
23 June 2026
The result of the Aberdeen South by-election, with a decisive defeat for the SNP candidate, was a result of anger against the net zero policies of both the SNP and Labour. Workers are calling for a change.
Energy costs threaten industry
23 June 2026
Britain’s industrial base is at risk. Manufacturers say that high energy costs are driving production abroad. Trade unions too have raised the issue. Promised government action hasn’t yet materialised.
Isle of Wight fight for lifeboat base
23 June 2026
The RNLI plans to close its inshore lifeboat engineering facility on the Isle of Wight. Workers there are fighting to keep their skilled jobs – and for union recognition.
Government debt soars
23 June 2026
According to the latest official figures, government debt currently stands at around 95 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. And the trend is relentlessly upwards.