Cost of Living crisis

Aslef set to reject same 8% pay offer rejected by RMT

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/aslef-set-to-reject-same-8-pay-offer-rejected-by-rmt

TORY ministers and rail industry bosses will be “incredibly disappointed” if they think the sector’s workforce will accept more real-terms pay cuts, train drivers’ union Aslef said today.

The warning came after reports in the Sun newspaper suggested that the union, which is holding another 24-hour strike across 15 train operating companies on Thursday, will soon be offered an 8 per cent deal, spread over two years.

The offer, amounting to 4 per cent in both 2023 and 2024, has already been rejected by fellow transport union RMT, which is launching its second 48-hour walkout this week at Network Rail and several train operators tomorrow.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan told the Morning Star that if Tory Transport Secretary Mark Harper thinks, after “no pay rises since 2019, a further below-inflation deal will be backed by my members, he’ll be incredibly disappointed.

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Continue ReadingAslef set to reject same 8% pay offer rejected by RMT

NHS needs practical and urgent action, not Sunak’s ‘false promises and hollow boasts,’ RCN warns

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/nhs-needs-practical-and-urgent-action-not-sunak-false-promises-and-hollow-boasts-rcn-warns

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RISHI SUNAK’S first speech of the year was more “false promises and hollow boasts” while the NHS needs practical and urgent action, a leading nurse warned today.

The Prime Minister said in his first public address of the new year that one of his five promises was to cut NHS waiting lists and ensure that people “get the care they need more quickly.”

His other promises were to “halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, and stop the [refugee] boats”.

The PM did not specify a timeframe for his pledges and spent most of his speech discussing tackling increasing strike actions, including by nurses and ambulance staff, and immigration levels.

In a letter to Health Secretary Steve Barclay, Royal College of Nursing chief executive Pat Cullen said the PM’s language “appeared detached from the reality of what is happening and why.”

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Continue ReadingNHS needs practical and urgent action, not Sunak’s ‘false promises and hollow boasts,’ RCN warns

Tories’ ‘despicable attack’ on striking ambulance workers fails to dent national action

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/tories-despicable-attack-striking-ambulance-workers-fails-dent-national-action

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HEALTH Secretary Steve Barclay was accused of launching a despicable attack on striking ambulance workers today after he claimed that they have made a “conscious choice to inflict harm” on patients.

Mr Barclay’s inflammatory attack caused fury among union leaders, who accused ministers of causing a year-round mounting death toll of patients through NHS underfunding, understaffing and government failures.

Figures released today shows a 133 per cent increase this year in patients dying while waiting in ambulances to be transferred into hospital, with the reasons for the delays including overflowing A&E departments, lack of beds and staffing shortages.

The number of deaths increased from 40 to 93 and the number of patients who suffered “severe harm” due to delays tripled from 51 patients to 154 in a year.

The figures, obtained by the GMB union using freedom of Information regulations, compared the years 2020-21 with 2021-22 and added to the anger provoked by Mr Barclay’s accusation.

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Continue ReadingTories’ ‘despicable attack’ on striking ambulance workers fails to dent national action

High Court gives unions green light to challenge government’s anti-strike regulations

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/high-court-gives-greenlight-legal-challange-unions-against-governments-anti-strike

UNIONS will be taking legal action against the government’s strike-buster agency worker regulations after the High Court granted permission for the challenge today. [yesterday]

The judicial review of anti-worker rules has been brought by 11 trade unions, co-ordinated by the TUC, to protect the right to strike.

Reports suggest that the government is considering new ways to undermine industrial action amid a surge in strikes across the country.

The 11 unions — Aslef, BFAWU, FDA, GMB, NEU, NUJ, POA, PCS, RMT, Unite and Usdaw — have taken up the case against the government’s new regulations, which allow agency workers to fill in for striking workers.

The unions argue that the regulations are unlawful as ministers failed to consult unions as required by the Employment Agencies Act and as they violate fundamental trade union rights protected by Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

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Continue ReadingHigh Court gives unions green light to challenge government’s anti-strike regulations

30 million in UK ‘priced out of decent standard of living by 2024’

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https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/dec/12/30-million-in-uk-priced-out-of-decent-standard-of-living-by-2024

Thirty million people in the UK will be unable to afford what the public considers to be a decent standard of living by the time the current parliament ends in 2024, according to a study.

The New Economics Foundation, a left-leaning thinktank, said rising prices, below-inflation increases in earnings and projected increases in unemployment would result in 43% of households lacking the resources to put food on the table, buy new clothes or treat themselves and their families – a 12 percentage point rise compared with 2019.

The NEF said its calculation that by 2024 almost 90% of single parents and 50% of workers with children would fall below a minimum income standard showed the need for a radical overhaul of the welfare system.

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Continue Reading30 million in UK ‘priced out of decent standard of living by 2024’