Retirement issues by Nick Venedi

Government figures released today suggest that 1 in 6 people alive today, around 10 million, will live to the age of 100. Good news for those who make it of course but not so good for those who will be condemned to live in poverty.The stats of course do not tell us how comfortable or easy people in retirement will be and with proposals to change the pensions system it will mean that those who retire will need to at least be in part time employment to survive.The major difficulty with the theory that links retirement with continuing to work is the fact that there is huge prejudice by employers towards anyone who is either under 23 or over 50 with stats showing that it is 3 times harder for someone over 50 to get an interview never mind a job. So I have no idea how the government intends to encourage people to remain in employment if it is so hard for that group to get a job? How many of us know of reorganisations where the employer is so clear that anyone over a certain age has to be removed?The unions have to do more on this subject as well and initiatives to deal with ageism and ageist attitudes need to be developed in line with other EOP policies. The reality is that if you are over 50 and you are out of a job because of redundancy then it will be very hard for you to find another job

Nick Venedi, Keep postal services public

http://www.cwu.org/campaign-blog.html

Nick Venedi, Vince Cable

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/12/are-coalition-cables-at-breaking-point.html

Nick Venedi, xmas party

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/12/great-xmas-party.html

Oil prices

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23801313-falling-oil-prices-hit-bt-profits.do

Nick Venedi, Stop cruelty to animals

Traditions are a beautiful and warm way to celebrate holidays. But not when they include animal cruelty, like slicing off the fins of live sharks to make shark fin soup.Shark fin soup is a dish served on Lunar New Year and at other celebratory events like weddings. But the origins of this meal are unsavory and cruel: It's produced by hunting and catching sharks, slicing off their fins, and throwing them back into the sea to die by suffocation, blood loss or predation by other species.Tens of millions of sharks are killed every year to meet the demand for shark fin soup, a terrible blow to the many species of which are already threatened

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi, standards of service

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/standards-of-service.html

nick venedi comments

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/12/regulation-and-blogs.html

Action for jobs and services

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/12/tuc-march-26-march-2011.html

Nick Venedi

Internet petition on jobs

The TUC and the International Trade Union Confederation are supporting an Avaaz internet petition to send to French President Nicholas Sarkozy to get jobs and growth onto the global agenda of the G20 in 2011. Please support the petition and encourage others to sign up.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18932-f0.cfm

Keep the postal services public

Support the rally organised b the CSU on the 15 December in central London and stop them from privatising the postal services!

http://www.cwu.org/december-15-rally.html

Nick Venedis blog

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/nick-venedis-world

Nick Venedi comments

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/12/14000-years-for-sri-lankan-sportswear.html

Nick Venedi, money advice

I recently helped a friend recover money back from a bank that sold him a loan with compulsory insurance. The process was not complicated and it took less than a month to get a full refund. It is important that people who find themselves in that position take steps to get what they were forced to back and this applies to loans you may have had as long as 6 years ago so don't just say you are too busy to take action, you need a have clear plan and you have to do it, and if you don't have time and you can do with some help email me (don't send a comment on here) and I will see what I can do to help. And of course you don't need to go to expensive solicitors to start the ball rolling

Cost of living

Last month's inflation figures, showing RPI at 4.5 per cent in October, represented 'bad news for struggling families', the TUC said in response. With fourth-fifths of pay deals below 3 per cent, VAT about to be hiked, and a pay freeze about to begin in the public sector for workers on £21,000 or above, millions of workers faced a harsh cut in their living standards.More on this @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-18817-f0.cfm

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi on Lord Young

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/lord-young-and-lego-land.html

ax payers alliance

http://www.strongerunions.org/2010/09/05/taxpayer-alliance-report-betrays-deep-ideological-antipathy-towards-unions/

Nick Venedi

On Cyprus

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/jack-straw-on-cyprus.html

Nick Venedi

Remembrance day

Remembrance day today. We remember those who died in conflict in battlefields around the world unknown soldiers and heroes. Those who gave up their lives so that the rest of us can enjoy the benefits of freedom and democracy.

Nick Venedi

The case for David Miliband

http://www.wikio.co.uk/uk_politics/parties/labour_party/david_miliband

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/nick-venedis-world

Nick Venedi

Cyprus, by Nick Venedi

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/09/shadow-minister-for-europe-predicts.html

Nick Venedi

The case for David Miliband, Nick Venedi

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/08/case-for-david-miliband.html

Nick Venedi

Love music event

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/10/love-music-hate-racism-event-6-november.html

Nick Venedi

Nick Clegg, by Nick Venedi

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23791069-nick-clegg-lib-dems-will-not-be-bought.do

Nick Venedi

Tribunals, by Nick Venedi

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-tribunals-than-ever-before.html

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi on D Miliband

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/08/case-for-david-miliband.html

Nick Venedi

Branch committee 2009

http://lambethunison.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html

Nick Venedi

Honduran Trade Union leader assassinated

The TUC General Secretary has written to the Honduran ambassador in London to protest about escalating violence against trade unionists there and the murder on September 17 of Juana Bustillo, head of the social security workers union.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18545-f0.cfm

The Lib party

I am sorry to say that the Lib Democrats are heading towards Oblivion Avenue. A small collection of their power hungry leaders are telling the 'faithful' to stop complaining and concentrate on enjoying the fact that they are in power for the first time in 60 years. Yes but, will they have a link to the idea of power (as opposed to actually having power) for the first and last time this century? That is indeed the question I would be asking if I were (and I am not) a member of the Lib party. Many people I know who have in the past flirted with the idea of 'looking at Lib policy' will now never consider voting for them. They are, after all, the party of opportunists and the party working with a regressive government. A government determined to use them and impose drastic policies that will make the poor pay for the bankers (there is a w missing in that..) mistakes.

The Popes visit

The A lot has been said about the visit and many have been critical of the Catholic church and some of what has been practiced by its priests. Child abuse is totally unacceptable and those responsible must be punished. The Pope should have apologised publicly and said sorry. He also retains a collection of other views that places him very much out of date with modern democratic societies and for that he should be re educated. This is of course not a specific problem with just Catholics and other religions and religious leaders suffer from the same problem. But there are also those who say that the Pope represents 1 billion followers on the planet and that they, in their own way, derive comfort from belonging to the Catholic faith.I am not here to condemn or criticise but the problem with all religious beliefs is that it clearly comes from an irrational source. We do as humans have a lot of attachments with illogical concepts like the following of a Monarch etc ( is this treason?) On the other hand religion keeps people like my mother and her friends who are all very religious and 'good Christians' out of trouble and it gives them something to do. I love it when I try to call my mother who is in her 70s but can never find her home because she is always out with her religious mates attending some charity or church thing. It keeps them off the streets and happy so it is for that reason that religion does, for the time being, have a role. But all religions and churches need to bring themselves up to date. I am sure there are a few unemployed HR officers around that can help out with some sort of a reorganisation.

TUC Conference

http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/index.cfm?mins=363&minors=62&majorsubjectID=19

nick venedi comment

http://www.strongerunions.org/2010/09/05/taxpayer-alliance-report-betrays-deep-ideological-antipathy-towards-unions/

nick venedi

http://www.strongerunions.org/2010/09/05/taxpayer-alliance-report-betrays-deep-ideological-antipathy-towards-unions/

Nick Venedis profile

http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101637440537217369

Nick Venedi comments

The so called Tax Payers Alliance (Tory boy and co) have come back with more criticism about the amount of time given to Trade Union reps for time off. The TPA should read section 188 of the Trade Union Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act of 1992 which was, as it happens, brought in by their darling Mrs Thatcher, which clearly places obligations and confers rights on TU reps to do with representation and consultation in times of redundancies. They should also read the ACAS code of practice on issues to do with time off for duties (that is if any of them can read..)I would argue that more time is needed and better facilities should be made available to train reps. The majority of those who take up this role end up destroying their own careers and inflict great stress on themselves and those around them because there is little support, many of them suffer in silence but they continue mainly because they are people who go out of their way to help others and are motivated very simply by the desire to help and support fellow workers. The TPA should learn a few facts before they start being so critical. More time off is needed, more support and better training! I am talking as someone with 22 years experience on this!

Haiti appeal

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the world stepped up to offer pledges of aid and reconstruction assistance. This was a heartening show of support. Unfortunately, only four countries have delivered on these promises so far. Urge world leaders to pay up so Haiti can build up. >>Haiti is in a more desperate situation than ever. Six months after the earthquake, people are still living in tents and jobs are nearly nonexistent. So why are other countries delaying their aid? Bill Clinton is the special UN envoy to Haiti. He is charged with overseeing the aid and has vowed to accelerate the process. Let's help him hold world leaders accountable and get Haiti the resources it needs to rebuild now! >>

Nick Venedi

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/nick-venedis-world/c922d02ab0d5406fadfba6bff42d6b3b

HR News

Thousands of London firefighters are to start voting on whether or not to take industrial action in a row over new contracts. The dispute centres on plans to scrap current working hours and force fire crews to sign new contracts, reports the BBC. The London Fire Brigade Union said it will ballot about 6,000 members in the capital on action short of a strike.
Stressed police officers are being sent on "emotional survival" courses where they are taught deep breathing techniques and told to visualise themselves relaxing on a beach, the Telegraph reports. One force has already made the five-hour course compulsory for its front-line police officers, control room staff and dog handlers.
The Pensions Regulator has been asked to decide on the funding of the main EMI pension scheme because the trustees and the company cannot agree. It will be the first time the regulator has decided how much extra cash should be pumped into a company scheme to clear its deficit, according to the BBC. The shortfall in the EMI fund is estimated at between £115 million and £217 million.

exctracts

http://www.electdaveprentis.com/why_we_back_dave/support_unison_members/

nick venedi

A last chance to keep our promises

A Joint statement by UK civil society organisations ahead of the 2010 UN Millennium Development Goal Review Summithttp://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18387-f0.cfm


Nick Venedi

TUC Appeal

The TUC is supporting the DEC appeal and would like to invite union members and the general public to contribute generously to it.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18382-f0.cfm


Nick Venedi

Free Ebrina Manneh

Nobody knows exactly why journalist Ebrima B. Manneh was arrested by Gambian authorities. What's almost certain, however, is that Manneh was detained for exercising his right to freedom of expression.Free journalist Ebrima B. Manneh. »Gambian authorities claim that they didn't arrest Manneh and don't know where he is, even though there are reports that he was escorted into a hospital by police.The Economic Community of West African States, along with others, isn't buying the government's story. They issued a statement saying that Manneh's right to liberty and fair trial were violated, and asked authorities to release him and restore his human rights. But the government has been silent. Don't let the Gambian government cover up Ebrima B. Manneh's whereabouts after his murky arrest. Tell the Gambian President Dr. A.J.J. Yahya Jammeh to release Manneh immediately. »


Nick Venedi

Defend the link with Labour

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/page/s/openletter?source=email20100810&utm_source=TULO&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email20100810

Airbus UK ltd vs Webb (2008) IRLR

The Court of Appeal held that there is no rule of law that spent warnings must be ignored for all purposes. On the facts, where a spent warning was not part of the reason for the dismissal, but the basis for the employer's refusal to exercise leniency in respect of later gross misconduct, the dismissal was not necessarily unfair.

Holiday pics, Nick Venedi

Quien Dijo Miedo

SERTUC Film Club presents a screening of Quien Dijo Miedo (Who is Afraid?), which follows René Guillermo Amador Padilla during the Honduran people's resistance against the military coup of June 28, 2009. There will also be a live panel discussion with René Guillermo Amador Padilla.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18355-f0.cfm

Bullfighting

Last month, Parliament passed a ban on bullfighting, making Catalonia the first major region of Spain to outlaw the old Spanish tradition. The ban will take effect January 01, 2012. More than 35,000 people signed the petition on Care2, sponsored by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). Read more.

Nick Venedi

Support Sustainable Fishing Policies

Global fish stocks like bluefin tuna are in decline; in Europe over 80 percent are overfished and a third are outside safe limits. For too long, short-term interest has hi-jacked European fisheries management. But now the reform of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy provides the opportunity for a new policy that will stop overfishing, end destructive fishing and deliver fair and equitable use of abundant fish stock.

TUC

Trade unionists in Swaziland, a Commonwealth country in Southern Africa with the world's highest rate of HIV/AIDS and the longest state of emergency in Africa. Poverty and feudalism (the country is run by the King) are sustained by a dictatorship where unions are heavily restricted and activists are harassed, arrested and worse. Now, the Government wants to stop trade unionism from existing in the public services. In response, the TUC and ACTSA are organising activities on Tuesday 7 September as part of Swaziland Democracy Day, which unions around the world will be marking. The aim is to mobilise support for democracy, good governance and respect for human rights in Swaziland, and oppose the Public Services Bill.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18348-f0.cfm

Nick Venedi

Seminar

The Yorkshire and the Humber TUC ,Amnesty International Leeds and the Leeds Trade Union Council are working together to hold a half day seminar on Saturday 9th October 2010 on Violence Against Women. This event will include speakers,workshops,actions and a conference pack for campaigners/trade union representatives looking at regional/national and International issues. The seminar is free of charge.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18341-f0.cfm

Nick venedis holiday pics

TUC backs Bangladeshi textile workers' wage demands

The TUC has joined trade unionists and campaigners around the world to demand better terms and conditions for 3.5 million Bangladeshi textile workers, who are striking and demonstrating for, among other things, a higher minimum wage of 5,000 taka a month – just £45. The current minimum wage in Bangladesh is 1,662 taka a month – about £15. This leaves textile workers, who are making clothes for sale in the UK, US and around the world, in dire poverty. The USA is the largest single market for Bangladeshi textiles, and the EU as a whole takes a massive 57% of them.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18317-f0.cfm

Nick venedi

Single Equality Act

Last month's announcement by the Government Equalities Office that the first wave of implementation of the Equality Act is to go ahead as planned on 1 October was welcomed by the TUC.

The TUC said it had campaigned for many years for a single Equality Act to simplify discrimination law and make it easier for workers and employers to understand.

Details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-18168-f0.cfm

nick venedi

Pension news

An 80 year-old pensioner with an average public sector pension would be more than £650 a year worse off if the budget change to the indexing of pensions had been in force since their retirement, according to TUC calculations released in July.

A little noticed budget announcement changed the figure used to uprate public sector pensions from the RPI inflation measure to CPI. As CPI is normally lower than RPI, public sector pensioners will usually get a smaller increase when their pensions are annually uprated.

Further details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/publicsector/tuc-18170-f0.cfm

http://www.tuc.org.uk/pensions/tuc-18192-f0.cfm

In defence of public pensions
Meanwhile, TUC evidence to Lord Hutton's pensions review has made it clear that public service pensions are both affordable and sustainable.

Even before the switch to CPI indexing, the National Audit Office and the Office for Budget Responsibility had endorsed Treasury estimates that public sector pension commitments will remain stable as a proportion of GDP for the next 40 years.

Summary information @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/newsroom/tuc-18289-f0.cfm

Read the full submission @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/responsetohutton.pdf

Real pensions scandal
Last month also saw the TUC responding to criticism of public sector pensions by the Institute of Directors, arguing instead that the real national scandal was employers' wholesale retreat from providing staff pensions.

The TUC said that the IoD had 'nothing to say' about top directors' pensions, which have continued to go up during the recession and whose most common retirement age is 60.

In other pensions news last month, the TUC said the consultation on annuities announced by the Government was 'irrelevant for the vast majority of pensioners and pension savers'.

TUC on IoD report @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/pensions/tuc-18175-f0.cfm

TUC on annuities consultation @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/pensions/tuc-18208-f0.cfm

Default move welcomed
Government plans to phase-out the UK's default retirement age by October next year have been welcomed by the TUC, with many people preferring a phased retirement to the 'cliff edge' where they work full-time one day and stop work the next.

But the TUC also struck a note of caution, pointing out that not everyone wants to work longer and may not be fit enough to continue. The new system should be about genuine choice, not an expectation that people work longer in place of decent pensions.

Full TUC reaction @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/law/tuc-18266-f0.cfm

Minister praises unionlearn
The first Conservative minister to address a TUC event since the mid-1990s delivered a resounding endorsement of trade unions' work on learning and skills, describing it as an 'immense success' in his address to the unionlearn annual conference.

John Hayes, the minister of state for further education, skills and lifelong learning, said that unionlearn was a 'powerful tool' in improving the skills vital for economic growth and recovery.

Read more @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/skills/tuc-18195-f0.cfm

Tax simplification, tax cuts for rich?
Plans announced last month by the Chancellor to overhaul the UK tax system through the creation of an Office for Tax Simplification received a cautious response from the TUC.

'If the Office for Tax Simplification closes loopholes and bears down on tax avoidance it will be welcome. But the worry must be that this is simply a softening up exercise for tax cuts for the rich, while ordinary people see services slashed and VAT increased,' said Brendan Barber.

More on this @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-18219-f0.cfm

Minimum wage loophole closed
A loophole that allows payments made into travel and subsistence tax relief schemes counting towards the minimum wage will be closed from 1 January 2011.

The TUC said that an earlier consultation had uncovered abuse of these schemes by unscrupulous employers who have used these arrangements to avoid liability to pay National Insurance contributions.

Further information @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/newsroom/tuc-18260-f0.cfm

Mergers: look at the wider picture
The Government's response to the BIS select committee report into the Kraft-Cadbury takeover was 'disappointing', the TUC said last month.

The TUC said ministers has 'dashed hopes' of a new approach to regulating mergers, and had overlooked the 'wider economics' of mergers and acquisitions.

Details available @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/newsroom/tuc-18253-f0.cfm

Unions must rebuild in private sector
Last month's Stronger Unions conference heard how unions had to focus on the recruitment challenge in the private sector while also fighting against cuts in the public sector.

Attended by hundreds of union activists and reps, the TUC-organised event focused on the key issues facing unions today, including jobs, pay, pensions, vulnerable working and training. Delegates also discussed organising, bargaining and negotiating strategies.

More on the event @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/organisation/tuc-18167-f0.cfm

Climate policy rethink needed
The combined impact of the Government's climate change policies is imposing significant costs on the UK's energy intensive industries, and could result in some firms leaving the UK, a report published by the Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG) and the TUC has discovered.

Steel making, ceramics, paper, cement and lime manufacture, aluminium, basic inorganic chemicals and other industries currently employ around 225,000 workers producing essential products for the UK's low-carbon economy.

Summary details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-18252-f0.cfm

Read full report @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/wwastudy.pdf

D Prentis by Nick Venedi

http://lawatwork.blogspot.com/2010/05/dave-prentis_31.html
nick venedi

Employment justice

Employment Justice: Is there a different way to make employment rights a reality?
Employment rights are still only theoretical for too many workers, leading to exploitation, job insecurity and contributing to poverty.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/em_research/tuc-18311-f0.cfm

An EU trade policy for Decent Work

Europe's trade policy needs serious changes to deliver on decent work and development, and to restore the faith of working people badly shaken by an economic crisis they did nothing to cause. The TUC's submission to the European Commission's consultation outlines priority areas for change.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18298-f0.cfm

nick venedi

Minimum wage levels

The age at which workers become eligible for the full national minimum wage (NMW) rate will drop to 21 this year - a move that will cost employers nearly £50 million.

The Government has published the latest NMW Regulations which state that the age from which the principal rate becomes payable falls from 22 to 21 on 1 October 2010. Employees of that age and above will be entitled to a minimum wage of £5.93 per hour - up 2.2% from £5.80.

Rights at work - in Spanish

SPANISH leaflet for people coming to work in the UK from the eight new member countries of the European Union. It gives information about your legal rights while you work here.http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18272-f0.cfm

Working in the UK: Your rights at work (Spanish version

SPANISH leaflet for people coming to work in the UK from the eight new member countries of the European Union. It gives information about your legal rights while you work here.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18272-f0.cfm

Catalonia bans 'outdated and cruel' sport of bullfighting

Catalonia bans 'outdated and cruel' sport of bullfighting this is a major victory for those who campaigned for the baning of the cruel sport.

Age discrimination

Age discrimination claims rise
According to stats recently released the number of tribunal claims has soared by 56% as the recession and an era of multiple claimant cases rises. Figures released by the Tribunals Service on Wednesday revealed a sharp rise in the number of claims brought against employers in England, Scotland and Wales. A total of 236,100 cases were lodged in the 12 months to the end of March 2010, up from 151,000 claims in the preceding 12 months. The figures also show a steep rise in the number of age discrimination claims, climbing from 3,800 cases to 5,200 claims over the same period.

End bull fighting

Every year, hundreds of thousands of bulls die in the name of entertainment. But this may change because the Catalonian government is on the verge of voting for a ban on bullfighting.

Urge the Catalonian Parliament to end the blood sport of bullfighting »

After a huge anti-cruelty campaign by the Catalonian public, the regional parliament will vote on July 28th whether to ban bullfight for good. We want every Catalonian MP to know there are thousands of people around the world who want to end this cruel 'sport'. Speak up »

This is an historic moment to ban bullfighting in one of Spain's largest regions.

Sign this petition to ban the 'sport' of bullfighting in Catalonia -- we only have until July 28th »

Age discrimination cases rise

Stats released from the Employment Tribunals show a sharp rise in claims falling within the scope of Age discrimination law.

TUC

Brendan Barber speech to TUC/BCC employment regulation debate
Brendan Barber's opening contribution to 'Is Deregulation Dead', a Trades Union Congress / British Chambers of Commerce debate on deregulation. Held at Congress House, 15 July 2010.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/law/tuc-18214-f0.cfm

Finding tomorrow's trade union organisers

The TUC's Organising Academy are running development sessions in centres around the UK to find tomorrow's trade union organisers. These centres provide accredited learning and are the first stage of selection for a 12-month sponsorship with a TUC affiliate as a trainee organiser on real trade union campaigns.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/organisation/tuc-18207-f0.cfm

Making the Playfair links

Making the Playfair links

Unemployment

Unemployment concerns remain high. In Spain for example there are areas where the rate of unemployment, like in some parts of Andalusia, is 40%.
In the U.K June's labour market figures, show that overall unemployment increased by 23,000 between January and April, suggesting that the jobs outlook was still bleak. Ahead of the latest official figures being released, dole claimants outnumbered job vacancies by five to one, with London, the North East and Scotland the worst hit.

Cyprus conference 30 June 2010

http://www.archive.org/details/CyprusCentreatLondonMetConferenceCyprus50YearsofIndependence-PoliticalandEconomicAsp

TUC News

Earlier in June, the TUC published a report outlining how further cuts would damage Britain's chances of economic recovery and leave an even deeper deficit. All Pain, No Gain: The Case Against Cuts analyses economies that made severe spending cuts in the past, including Canada in the 1990s and Ireland more recently.
Summary details @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-18088-f0.cfm
Read full report @
www.tuc.org.uk/all_pain_no_gain

Columbia and Tus

Prison workers' union leader shot dead in Colombia
The TUC has protested yet again at another killing of a trade unionist in Colombia. Hernan Abdiel Ordonez Dorado, treasurer of the executive board of the prison workers' union ASEINPEC in Cali was shot dead by assailants travelling by motorbike. He had been involved in denouncing alleged acts of corruption by top prison officers at the Women's Prison.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18076-f0.cfm

TUC statement

'The Coalition seems to wants to go far beyond efficiency savings and cuts in intrusive state activities such as id cards. We welcome the chance to engage but will press hard against cuts that threaten higher unemployment', the TUC said. ‘The worry must be that we will see cuts in support and help not just for the poor and vulnerable, but the services on which middle income Britain depends. And far from helping the private sector, whole sectors such as construction that depend on public procurement for much of their work look like the could be badly hit.’

TUC Press Release

Pensions

Information coming in shows that more than 30% of companies have closed future accrual of defined benefits to existing employees, up from around 14% last year, with a further 30% intending to do so in future. 87% of employers think their employees will not have enough saved for retirement. The majority of companies do not yet understand the cost and administrative impact of auto-enrolment. There is also a clear move from companies intending to offer former employees deals to transfer pension liabilities elsewhere whilst in the background the government have just announced their intention to abolish the compulsory retirement age. There is a lot to watch out for on the pensions area most of us would expect to work at least until we are 70 if not 84!

TUC Project

A ‘just transition' from climate change for Bangladesh
“Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world and will become even more so as a result of climate change. Agriculture, fisheries, construction and many jobs in the informal sector will be severely affected, posing a risk to the means of survival for many families.”

This is the context of a new TUC-supported project that will shortly start work with the Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE), supported by Sustainlabour, and OSHE's general secretary Repon Chowdhury explains why the project is so needed.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18119-f0.cfm

Nick venedi comments

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber addressed the Canadian Labour Congress rally on Saturday 19 June at the 2010 people's summit in Toronto, setting out the British and global union opposition to cuts in public services and the need to address the linked problems of climate change and global unemployment and poverty.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18105-f0.cfm

nick venedi's comment

Happy birthday to me and Boris Johnson as we share the same birthday but it all ends there we don't have anything else in common apart of course from both of us being blond bimbos!!

nick venedi comments

The 16 Eurozone member exclusive club has faced its first crisis with Greece going down the toilet because of the accumulating debt. There are huge demonstrations organised by the Greek unions and all the television stations there are preoccupied with the reaction which of course coincides with the May day events.
Austerity measures to be introduced include moving the retirement age from 53 to 67 with immediate effect (no transitional stage) and vat increases going up to 23%, a reduction of pensions and the abolition of the 13th pay as its called there for civil service employees (civil servants have been paid 13 times a year instead of 12)
The population there of course is not at all happy although some of the mainstream newspapers are trying to explain that these measures are needed to avoid bankruptcy.
The tragic situation in Greece has also been explained by the fact that the country has never been allowed by super powers to rest and allowed to develop. The German occupation between 1941 to 1945 meant a total destruction of the infrastructure. This was then followed by an even nastier civil war which lasted from 1947 to 1951 between the communists and the democrats in fact this was the first ever Vietnam where Stalin's communist partisans fought a nasty civil war instigated by outsiders. These constant wars did not allow the country to have a clear path of development and of course there was no Marshal plan deal to help the country. Then there was the military dictatorship which lasted from 1967 to 1974 so I am afraid the history of modern Greece is one of constant conflict sponsored by outsiders. Greece was the rushed in to the EEC in 1981 by the impatient French who wanted their ally in and then the country was pushed into the Eurozone by the Germans and the French in 2002. The Germans own the postal service and the telecommunications industry in the country so they have a major interest in what happens there. The questions Merkel is raising right now is for domestic consumption because of the election she is facing. The entire situation is a mess!
Posted by London Critic at 00:54

TUC Alerts

FREE 'Advertising Workshop' for union video makers – Book Now
For those people thinking about entering the TUC 60 Second Ad Contest, we are running a FREE 'Advertising Workshop' on Friday 9th July 2010, which promises to be very extensive and interesting.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/organisation/tuc-18091-f0.cfm

Columbia killing

Prison workers' union leader shot dead in Colombia
The TUC has protested yet again at another killing of a trade unionist in Colombia. Hernan Abdiel Ordonez Dorado, treasurer of the executive board of the prison workers' union ASEINPEC in Cali was shot dead by assailants travelling by motorbike. He had been involved in denouncing alleged acts of corruption by top prison officers at the Women's Prison.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18076-f0.cfm

VAT

Send a message to MPs – no to VAT, yes to Robin Hood
The Robin Hood Tax campaign is pushing MPs to use the Budget this month to introduce a Robin Hood Tax to help poor people at home and abroad, and tackle climate change. And the TUC and Robin Hood Tax campaign are both warning that putting up VAT instead would be a big mistake. You can join the campaign and make a difference.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18064-f0.cfm

Dave Prentis

http://www.electdaveprentis.com/why_we_back_dave/support_unison_members/

Nick Venedi

nick venedi

have just found out that Ed Miliband has got the 33 nominations he needs to stand for selection whereas David Miliband has only got 19. This is not looking good for the Labour party and if David isn't the one we select then we are looking at a William Hague type of a situation where the Tory party selected a Leader they liked but not the rest of the country which of course meant that the Labour boyz easily won another term.
The Labour party and the MPs need to be thinking about who will appeal to the general public and not ignore the floating voters who will be more than likely, like my neighbour Marion, to vote for David rather than Ed. Ed does of course command the respect of many within the party but he is not brilliant PR material whereas David is and will get many votes. I know this sounds crude but that is the nature of the game we are in the Western world these days. PR men and women run campaigns and David Miliband will do well in person and on telly. In addition David is more robust and his ideas have substance. He must be supported! I shall definitely be writing to my own MP Malcolm who was returned with a bigger majority than before asking him to vote for David. David is the future of Labour Ed represents the middle of the road slightly angry brigade and as for John Mac Donald. well did he not have a farm?

Eurovision

Eurovision night tonight and the Greek entry looks good.

Nick Venedi

nick venedi comments

Well it looks like the coalition has lasted for a whole 3 weeks without any major disruptions. This could be more because David Cameron is a crypto Liberal or that Nick Clegg has Tory tendencies. But it is remarkable how the Queen's speech contains proposals for legislation to be introduced that would not go down well with rank and file Liberal members or hard line Tory boyz and gals. I am waiting for the first outburst from Brigadier Trolley who will not put up with the vile liberalisation of Tory dogma. How long before we see that? Not long I think... The two party Leaders will obviously do all they can to hang on to power as they got a taste for this but that won't be enough I don't think.

Controling the arts world

It has been brought to my attention that I have been getting rather serious lately and that most of my outstanding contribution to modern English literature has been about the world of politics a world that most of my close friends (bimbos mainly..) are not that keen on so with that in mind I am diverting my attention to a newish star that has given this country a reason to rethink the meaning of life? Or was it euthanasia?
We are all familiar I am sure with huge stars and real divas like Rhiana and Beyonce not to mention Madona, Kylie and of course Belinda Carlile ( just realised they are all women?? Do I have an issue there... )
Anyway I digress somewhat. Chery Cole has been what I call A PR invention or success in other words someone somewhere woke up one morning and said what shall we do to make more money? I know lets find someone somewhere who will appeal to Sharon or Tracey someone who they would identify with and build her up elevate her to star status to show Sharon that she too can be that person and of course in the meantime the PR men and women and their publicists will make money. So we have the Cheryl Cole phenomenon. It means that if you project someones image constantly the majority of people will start thinking well maybe she has something. I noticed for example that when CC released her first single even though the lyrics were as vile as a 20 year old skoda the mainstream radio stations like Capital FM, Choice and to a lesser degree Kiss FM were playing it about 5 times every hour not allowing other better quality singles to have any air time. This of course made Sharon, Tracey and Dick embed the single in their brains and made them go out and buy it. So whether the system is fair or not is a very big question. Is it fair that new talented younger artists are not given any chance what so ever to get anywhere as they are not given the exposure? The answer is no it is not fair! The argument against what I am saying is that these are private sector projects but the monopolisation these private sector institutions have on the market is not healthy and a degree of fairness needs to be injected into the system! A brilliant example of a healthy reaction to this tyranny of PR men running the artistic world was displayed when the rebellion against the position for the no spot over the xmas period was fought and won by an alternative to the Simon Cowe x factor bollocks. Now there is another one that slipped through the net! Lets all rebel against those who control and regulate the world of arts!! They are talentless and should not have that power.

nick venedi

nick venedi comments

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/827519-travel-chaos-expected-as-british-airways-strike-starts

Nick venedi, a few links

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23791069-nick-clegg-lib-dems-will-not-be-bought.do

Nick Venedi comments

The London Critic Comedy Festival A make it happen eventIf you have it show it...If you want it come and get it...

nick venedi

Another glorious nice sunny day!

nick venedi comments

Another glorious day, the sun is shining and its around 28c good bbq weather!

Nick Venedi comments

The 16 Eurozone member exclusive club has faced its first crisis with Greece going down the toilet because of the accumulating debt. There are huge demonstrations organised by the Greek unions and all the television stations there are preoccupied with the reaction which of course coincides with the May day events.
Austerity measures to be introduced include moving the retirement age from 53 to 67 with immediate effect (no transitional stage) and vat increases going up to 23%, a reduction of pensions and the abolition of the 13th pay as its called there for civil service employees (civil servants have been paid 13 times a year instead of 12)
The population there of course is not at all happy although some of the mainstream newspapers are trying to explain that these measures are needed to avoid bankruptcy.
The tragic situation in Greece has also been explained by the fact that the country has never been allowed by super powers to rest and allowed to develop. The German occupation between 1941 to 1945 meant a total destruction of the infrastructure. This was then followed by an even nastier civil war which lasted from 1947 to 1951 between the communists and the democrats in fact this was the first ever Vietnam where Stalin's communist partisans fought a nasty civil war instigated by outsiders. These constant wars did not allow the country to have a clear path of development and of course there was no Marshal plan deal to help the country. Then there was the military dictatorship which lasted from 1967 to 1974 so I am afraid the history of modern Greece is one of constant conflict sponsored by outsiders. Greece was the rushed in to the EEC in 1981 by the impatient French who wanted their ally in and then the country was pushed into the Eurozone by the Germans and the French in 2002. The Germans own the postal service and the telecommunications industry in the country so they have a major interest in what happens there. The questions Merkel is raising right now is for domestic consumption because of the election she is facing. The entire situation is a mess!

nick venedi comments

Weekend weather expected to be good for a change!

nick venedi comments

Bob Crow is attracting media attention again, well he is in the Standard, his most favorite newspaper. The editor there seems to like reproducing an old picture of Bob taken years ago which is not very faltering and suggests that Bob is an miserable old so and so. I am not too sure about the tactics of the Bob Crow fun club but the story in the Standard is not balanced at all and there is only one version of the events described in there. This can't be fair or right?

nick venedi comments

I know I have upset some old friends from my 'near past' by supporting Dave Prentis for the election for the position of General Secretary for Unison. I did of course support Jon Rogers last time out of personal loyalty and I am glad I did so even though I got some hassle from the 'other side' as I was, at the time, Finance Convenor for London.
But we live in a democracy and as I am no longer bound by decisions made by the Lambeth Branch committee (not the actual branch I may add) my assessment of who has done what and who is capable of doing more have led me to conclude that given the choice of candidates Dave Prentis is the best person for the job. The left has also done it again by having two candidates which shows me that their most prominent feature is disunity rather than unity (same old story) Dave Prentis down to earth approach and the fact that he is well liked by ordinary members who do not attend branch committee meetings means that he is better able to communicate and represent their aspirations which are not about extra terrestrial ambitions about revolution in the upper atmosphere or the promotion of the 232 left wing groupings that are floating in the left pool of confusion. So I am afraid, and despite the fact that Paul Holmes is a nice guy, I will be supporting Dave Prentis. And I have no idea what happened to Roger Bannister. Is he still running?

Nick Venedi comments

It is estimated that there are around 300,000 people born here in London who are of Greek origin.
The migration started from mainland Greece before the revolution in 1821 but until the 50's the number of people of Greek descent was relatively speaking small. The connection between Britain and Cyprus (Cyprus was a British colony until 1960) meant that a number of Cypriots (mainly Greek Cypriots) arrived here between 1955 to 1962 they were what is today described as the 'first generation' immigrants. They were invited by the British government in an attempt to rebuilt the country after the war as were other immigrant groups. Then we have the second generation who were born in Britain between 1960 to 1980 and now of course we have the 3rd generation the children of those born here who are more or less completely assimilated into British society. Most of them speak some Greek but are not very fluent in the language. I am constantly amazed and delighted, however, to see how proud and interested these young people are in retaining and knowing more about the culture of their parents.
The community has managed to retain its identity without rejecting the positive elements acquired from the diversity of other cultures that exists within London.
Most British citizens of Greek origin live in north London. Southgate is, for example,often referred to as small Greece. Haringey, Barnet, Enfield, Cambden and Islington also have a good proportion of Brits of Greek origin.
There are now moves to examine closely the plethora of small organisations that exist to represent the community and the project to unite all of these strands and interest groups is underway. There are prominent individuals of Greek origin born in this country but they have not come together as a group. There are around 22 Councillors in the London area, one Euro MEP and also an ex minister (Lord Adonis) not to mention George Michael and Peter Andre of course (thought I mention though...)
So there is a new energy to identify and unify the efforts and there is a lot of excitement and support for this initiative. I always ask people I meet of course to ensure that they join a union wherever they happen to be working!

Nick Venedi comments

Greece’S high defence spending has contributed to its economic problems. Indeed, the country has Europe’s highest military expenditures relative to GDP and last year this stood at 3.2% higher that that of Britain. Improvement in relations with Turkey could enable Prime Minister George Papandreou to cut defence spending and make it easier to rescue an economy on the brink of bankruptcy. But the true complications with the economy arise from a chaotic system of taxation. The mainstream television channels were full of stories yesterday about tax evasion and an incompetent system that has not yet introduced a PAYE method to collect taxes. Reforms are needed now before its too late. Those of us who travel to Greece frequently would know that the country is not poor so the question must be what has gone wrong? The answer is financial reforms and the better distribution of wealth.

nick venedi comments

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Nick venedis pictures

nick venedi

Nick Venedi party 30 April pics

Nick Venedi, Michelle and Alison...

Nick Venedi, the party

The party pics..

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi says...

The London Critic
If you have it show it...
If you want it come and get it...

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi says...
The London Critic Comedy Festival
A make it happen event
If you have it show it...
If you want it come and get it...

Nick Venedi

Nick Venedi says..

The London Critic Comedy Festival
A make it happen event
If you have it show it...
If you want it come and get it...

Nick Venedi says

Nick Venedi says..

The London Critic Comedy Festival
A make it happen event
If you have it show it...
If you want it come and get it...

Nick Venedi's choice

Nick venedi