Dark Times for the NHS

Although it was called off at the last minute, the junior doctors’ strike showed just how close to the edge Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has pushed the medical profession. Final-year medical student DAN SELLWOOD explains why his colleagues were prepared to put down their stethoscopes in favour of a one-day walkout. Doctors and the British...

Challenging the Welfare Myths

GERRY LAVERY of Unite Community Leeds reports from a conference in Birmingham set up ‘to challenge the myths around welfare and build a coalition to fight for our safety net’. The well-attended conference on Saturday 31 October was called by Unite Community (Unite the Union’s community wing) and the Public Services and Commercial Services Union...

A Vote for Hope

With only a few days to go before the Labour’s leadership election result is announced, TERRY JACQUES shares his reasons for taking the ‘difficult decision’ to vote for Jeremy Corbyn....

Labour’s Leadership Election: A Problem Foretold

As Labour’s controversial voter registration process closes and ballot papers for the leadership elections go out, it’s time to indulge in a spot of ‘we told you so’, says WILL BROWN. Despite it being a giant stride in the right direction, major weaknesses have been exposed in Labour’s new electoral system, as reformed by former...

‘Blatant’ Union Bill Designed to Damage Labour

The Trade Union Bill published by the Conservative government today (Wednesday 14 July) is designed to damage the Labour Party financially and will poison relations between workers and managers, according to the GMB union. The Bill introduces turnout threshold of 50% for strike ballots, and requires unions in the health, education, fire, transport, water, security...

Orgreave and the Struggle for Justice

A series of meetings, talks and workshops on trade union struggles for justice are being held at Durham Miners’ Hall in the week leading up to this year's Durham Miners’ Gala on Saturday 11 July....