PCS news digest 27 April 2012

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27 April 2012

This weekly news digest is a summary of news, campaign articles, media releases and reports from the past week

27 April

Owen Jones: The coalition has failed. There is an alternative – The Independent

In the Independent social commentator Owen Jones called for a living wage, investment in housing and tax justice.

MoD civilians join pensions strike – AOL Money

Thousands of civilian workers in the Ministry of Defence and staff in other government departments are to join another national strike next month in the long-running row over public sector pensions, reported the AOL Money website.

26 April

Why I had to use a food bank – BBC website

The BBC's Steph McGovern reported from Knowsley on Merseyside on why there has been a big increase in the number of people turning to food banks.

Trouble dip: Worst crisis for 80 years as Britain plunges back into recession – Daily Mirror

Britain is facing its worst economic crisis in 80 years after figures confirmed the country has slumped back into recession, reported the Daily Mirror.

25 April

Unions step up pensions battle – Morning Star

Unions united on Tuesday to step up the campaign for pensions justice - with a pledge to negotiate, campaign and take action, reported the Morning Star.

Alternative needed as economy slides and people turn off politics – PCS

As our economy is officially in a double-dip recession and interest in Westminster politics falls to the lowest for a decade, there is a desperate need for an alternative to cuts, reported the PCS website.

UK’s older staff face work into late 70s – Financial Times

The Financial Times reported that nearly half of people over 50 and still in employment may have to keep working well into their late 70s to claim their target income in retirement, a report concluded.

24 April

Newham Council accused of ‘social cleansing’ of tenants – BBC

A London council has been accused of starting "social cleansing" in the capital by asking a Stoke-on-Trent housing association to take on up to 500 families on housing benefit, reported the BBC.

Dutch government collapses in row over austerity plans – Daily Telegraph

Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, handed his resignation to the country’s Queen after European Union demands for austerity measures to bring Holland into line with euro spending rules caused the collapse of his government, reported the Daily Telegraph.

Maude ‘snubs’ public sector pension protesters – West Sussex County Times

The West Sussex County Times reported that public sector workers said they felt snubbed by Horsham MP Francis Maude when they gathered outside his constituency office to protest against changes to pensions on Saturday, April 21.

23 April

PCS union announces national strike over pensions – Guardian

The Guardian’s public leaders network reported that a quarter of a million civil and public servants will take part in national strikes over pensions in May and June, the Public and Commercial Services union said.

Industrial action threatened against CSC’s MoD contract – Sourcingfocus.com

Outsourcing company CSC’s success in winning the Ministry of Defence contract to provide back office services has been met with threats of industrial action from the Public and Commercial Services Union, reported the website sourcingfocus.com

Wales dealt the toughest budget deal in the UK – Clickonwales

PCS Wales campaigns officer Darren Williams said the notion that the private sector would plug the gap caused by the public sector’s shortfall has proved to be unrealistic, reported the website clickonwales.

22 April

Lansley backs lower pay for NHS in poorer areas – Observer

Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, is threatening another controversial revolution in the NHS by proposing that its staff be paid less if they work in poorer parts of the country, reported the Observer.

Occupy protest camp to break up after 190 days – Independent on Sunday

Anti-capitalist protesters who had been locked in a legal battle over their right to camp in Nottingham's main square will end their protest this evening after more than six months, reported the Independent on Sunday.

21 April

After the health bill: The end of the NHS as we know it – Red Pepper

With the health bill passed, the government is now setting about forcing the market into the NHS. Colin Leys looks at what is likely to happen next for Red Pepper magazine

Protesters lobby Osborne – PCS north west

A small delegation of public sector workers from PCS, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the University and Colleges Union (UCU) visited Knutsford in the constituency of Tatton to lobby local MP - and chancellor of the exchequer - George Osborne.

Public and Commercial Services Union