"What has a Labour Government ever done for us?...Employment rights reforms"

Labour Unions answers the Question: "What has a Labour Government ever done for us?"

 

Our rights weren’t handed down - they were fought for. And they’re only secured when we organise

Statutory Sick Pay from day one. Repeal of the Trade Union Act. Paternity & parental leave from day one. Removing picketing restrictions. Bereavement leave for fathers & partners. New protections for whistle-blowers. Stronger action on fire and rehire. A new Fair Work Agency to enforce your rights. Simpler union recognition rights. Making it easier for workers to get unionised.

Longer strike ballot mandates. Simpler industrial action rules. Protection from dismissal for striking workers. Restoring opt-in union political funds. Simplifying industrial action and industrial action ballot notices. Ending the 10-year ballot rule for union political funds.

This is why the Labour-union link is so important. The #NewDeal for Working people is a partnership between trade unions and the Labour Party. Passing the Employment Rights Act was only the beginning. We need to ensure that new rights are delivered in practice and properly enforced. We’ll keep pushing the government until the #NewDeal for Working People has been delivered in full

https://x.com/labourunionsuk

This is the difference a Labour Government Makes - Abolishes 2 Child Benefit Cap

 

Today marks the 1000th day of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

 

Today marks the 1000th day of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
This Labour Government stands with Ukraine.
Slava Ukraini

1st Labour Government budget 2024

 

This is the power of a Labour government.

What a heritage and still lots and lots to do if we get power...

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100 years of Labour achievement: 1924-2024

"January 2024 is the 100th anniversary of the first ever Labour government.

In the election the previous month, Labour secured its best result up until that point, pushing the Liberals into third. The Conservatives failed to get an overall majority and Labour, tacitly supported by the Liberals, formed a minority government.

The men and women who formed Labour’s government included many of the greats who had led Labour in its first quarter-century. Ramsay MacDonald was Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, Arthur Henderson the Home Secretary and Philip Snowden Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The election had also seen the election of the first three female Labour MPs: Margaret Bondfield, Dorothy Jewson and Susan Lawrence. Bondfield would later become the first female cabinet minister and the first woman to be a privy counsellor in the UK.

Although the first Labour government only lasted nine months, it achieved much, including the Wheatley Housing Act that saw half a million council homes built over the next decade. Labour also planned new and improved schools, improved pensions and benefits, and laid the foundations for the extension of voting rights to millions more.

Perhaps its greatest achievement was lasting as long as it did, brought down in the end by dirty tricks and lies in the press. Labour had proved it could be a party of government, competent in office and achieving results for working people. The political landscape in Britain had changed forever.

Since 1924, Labour governments have been beacons of progress and social justice. Through times of struggle, of conflict, of economic depression, it has been Labour that has fought for working people here and around the world. A Century of Progress". https://labour.org.uk/about-us/labours-legacy/a-century-of-progress-1924-2024/

For a Strong & Effective UNISON Labour Link please support...

Electronic ballot papers arrived to me via email on Monday and paper ballot papers today. Please support these candidates in your regions if you are a member of UNISON and its Labour Link (use to be called APF) Political fund. Obviously you can only vote once. 

If you support the Labour Party and don't know if you are in the UNISON Labour Link check https://www.unison.org.uk/my-unison/ and join. 

You now need a pension pot lump sum worth £646,000 to have a comfortable retirement

Check out this shocking report that rising prices mean that in last year a couple on a "minimum" retirement income (including state pension) will need almost 20% income (extra £3200 pa) per year.  But who anyway wants to retire on the "minimum"?

To get a "comfortable" retirement (e.g go on holiday Europe for 3 weeks per year) a couple will need a "pension pot" lump worth a staggering £646,000 to provide this income. 

I wonder how many of my UNISON members will have a pension pot anywhere near that figure. 

Employers must take the lead in providing suitable pensions for its staff. They must pay the lion share. It is in their interests since otherwise you will find a workforce unable to retire regardless of their age or health since they would be living in poverty. 

The rush to the gutter in pension provision of so many employers in a national disgrace. I hope and expect a future Labour Government to act. 

"An Economy for One Nation: How Progressive can a Future Labour Government be"?

Picture of East Ham MP Stephen Timms and UNISON Head of Local Government Heather Wakefield (Chair Christopher Owens on right) at the Newham Compass & Fabians debate on how radical the next Labour Government should be.  This was held last month at West Ham FC supporter’s club.

Stephen spoke first on the central policy of the next Labour Government must be to cut unemployment. The Tory cuts had failed and resulted in no growth. Many people now beginning to realise that the cuts are not working.

The deficit had not been caused by overspending but by the collapse in the economy due to the financial crisis. He enjoyed seeing even Tories criticising government policies. If Labour are elected then there are limits to what we can do. Employment is key to fighting poverty. Labour will offer a guaranteed job for 6 months.

Heather introduced herself as a Chelsea FC season ticket holder who was pleased to be at West Ham! She was going to be more idealistic and talk about values. Privatisation of public services had led to reduced wages and badly run, inefficient services and greater income inequality.

We need gender equality as well as satisfying and socially useful work. Real workplace democracy. We need a partnership at work, a new deal with unions.

There needs to be a new attitude to taxes, ask what the economy is for and who benefits from it? A Green investment bank to make Government offices and homes energy efficient. Deal with tax havens. Raise a Robin Hood (or rather Maid Marian) Tobin Tax. Reform Council tax. Make sure that there is a minimum income for all.

We have the most expensive child care in Europe apart from Switzerland. Women suffer the most in terms of jobs and pay from Austerity. There has to be a Keynesian economic programme, we could invest in new homes. Ask should we have low pay or a living wage. Why do we subsidise Tesco with tax credits?

Worse privatisation was in social care. Dominated by big companies making massive profits out of poor quality care and also schools meals.

In the Q&A I asked the question that in line with Heather’s remarks about rethinking our attitude to taxes, we ought to be pointing out that getting the unemployed into work will cost money and that we have to accept that all of us will have to pay more tax in return for quality public services. 

Heather was very positive in her reply while Stephen was a little more circumspect.

Myths about Public Spending under Labour

I like this post and chart in Red Brick by Steve Hilditch about actual public spending as percentage of GDP under Labour and Conservative Governments (as opposed to the myths).

With the exception of The Labour Government 1974-79, Tory Governments (including this one) have since 1965 spent more while in power than Labour ones. Even under Thatcher and Major.

The real question is did Labour spend too little in the last government?

What has the Labour Government ever done for us?

"...papers cover in detail analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on the distributional impact of thirteen years of Labour rule. The picture is stunning and represents a clear progressive redistribution from rich to poor with those earning over £100,000 paying the most".

Great graphic and very important research.    Labour supporters ought to spread the  word.

Hat tip thingy Left foot Forward and inspiration for post title from my new best friend ever Andy Newman at Socialist Unity.