Last FTSE 100 company stops final salary pension scheme
Just 10 years ago, 88 of the top 100 companies in the UK offered final
salary pensions. Today Shell is the last company in the FTSE 100 to
offer such a pension to its new employees.
Ireland: emigration masks the unemployment crisis
There are many ways to judge the health of a society. The speculators
in the European Bond Markets judge the health of nations by the state
of their public finances; socialists and trade unionists point to the
way that old people and children are treated and especially the position
of women in society. Economists look at the volume of imports and
exports and at the rate of economic growth. One measure looks at the
scale of inequality within society.
Tories blame poor for poverty
From time to time governments like to pretend that they are indeed aware
of the problems of society and truly wish to resolve them. This normally
takes the form of some announced "action" or "task force" aimed at
getting to grips with whatever problem they have identified.
As 2012 dawns: Once more on optimism and pessimism
The world is changing rapidly before our eyes.
Over the last 12 months events have been unfolding with breathtaking
speed.
NOV 30: Reports and pictures
Here are some links to pictures and reports of the Nov 30th Day of Action.
Where Now for Scottish Labour?
The recent Scottish Labour Leadership contest saw the
election of former deputy leader Johann Lamont to the role. With the
endorsement of most MPs, MSPs and trade unions, she was the clear choice
of the party leadership, and won with 51% of first preference votes.
Bosses rip us off!
“We’re all in it together” is the constant message from the government.
Yet the reality is very different. Workers are facing pay freezes or
even cuts, those in need are seeing benefits cut back and services shut
down, prices are rising month on month. Unemployment continues to go up
with women and youth being hit particularly hard. Every survey indicates
that job prospects for the coming year are grim, not least due to the
continued job losses in the public sector.
The Iron Lady: Film Review
Margaret Thatcher is a hate figure for millions in Britain who suffered
under 13 years of her rule. We, who opposed Thatcherism to the bitter
end, will never forget the mass unemployment, the cuts, wholesale
privatisation and the attacks on the trade unions as well as our
democratic rights.
Stand firm against Tory blackmail
Working people are facing the biggest attack on their living standards
for generations. They are being presented with a bill for a crisis not
of their making. In the meantime, millionaire bankers and financiers
have gotten away with murder.
Scotland: Classroom figures reveal bankruptcy of SNP policies
The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) landslide victory in the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election was exceptional under an electoral system designed to prevent majority governments. It was one of the most important events in Scottish politics in recent years. This win was on the back of the Nationalist’s rule as a minority government since 2007. In the most recent elections the SNP gained seats in Glasgow, Fife and Renfrewshire, all long-considered Labour strongholds. The question of why this happened is important in understanding the impact on classroom sizes discussed in this article.
The Year Of Arab Revolution
Today, Saturday, 17th December, marks
the first anniversary of the Arab Revolution. On this day, one year
ago, Mohammad Bouazizi, a young Tunisian fruit vendor, driven by
desperation, poverty, and anger, set himself on fire in the city of Sidi
Bouzid. The revolutionary wildfire that began after his death — first
in southern Tunisia, then the entire country, then erupting across the
entire Arab-speaking world—marked a turning point in human history
Summit of despair: eurozone crisis rolls on
The latest “decisive” EU
summit-to-end-all-EU-summits-and-fix-the-Eurozone-crisis-once-and-for-all
has signally failed to do so – just like all the previous “decisive”
and “final” summits. As in previous meetings, within days the results
were declared completely unsatisfactory by the markets. These gatherings
of EU heads of state are now a thoroughly debased currency. Nothing has
changed except that the national contradictions are sharper and more
insoluble than previously thought.