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  • Megan Dobney Megan Dobney

    Spread the word – Rise is back!

    Well, to be exactly correct, UpRise is here. Or will be on Sunday 3 October in Finsbury Park.

    Remember 2008? One of the first acts of newly-elected London Mayor Johnson was to remove the anti-racist message from the Rise festival.

    Trade unions and community activists reacted with anger and astonishment – but also with action – and the result, in 2010, is UpRise, anti-racism festival, described on the website as “a new festival born out of the ashes of the former Rise festival”.

    Back with UpRise will be SERTUC’s UnionCity - the area for unions – for stalls, meeting and music.

    So – to support UpRise go straight to their website, www.uprise.org.uk and join the £1 Crew – donate £1 instantly. Do it now!

    For more information on UnionCity, contact sertucevents@tuc.org.uk

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    Posted on September 10th, 2010 by Megan Dobney filed under: Unions in the community

  • Megan Dobney Megan Dobney

    Which planet is he on?

    According to the Daily Mail (21.6.10) the Osborne budget will set in concrete a three year disadvantage for London, the South East and the East of England.

    A bizarre tax break will be given to the rest of Britain – freedom from National Insurance contributions for employers for three years.

    The explanation: “The Treasury wants to target parts of the country where people are more reliant on the public sector for work.”

    Well perhaps they should all get out more? They quote “just 16 per cent of workers in the South East are employed in the public sector”. Averages are all very well, but it might be worth them focussing on reality:

    • Oxford – 46.6% of workers are in public administration, education and health (third of 410 local authorities)
    • Cambridge – 43.8% (5th)
    • Hastings – 42.2% (7th)
    • Canterbury – 39.9% 11th)
    • Eastbourne – 37.6% (25th)

    In London we have :

    • Lewisham – 38.8% (19th)
    • Redbridge – 38.3% (21st)
    • Greenwich – 37.5% (26th)

    In the East of England there is:

    • South Norfolk – 34.8%
    • Southend on Sea – 33.5%
    • Ipswich – 32.8%

    and so it goes on – none of them near the 16% quoted.

    London and the South East account for a third of Britain’s GDP. Productivity rates are substantially higher than in the rest of the UK – what on earth is the motive for this approach?

    Answers on a postcard …

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    Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Megan Dobney filed under: Union news