Aussie taskforce recommends strategic intervention to boost manufacturing
The manufacturing taskforce report commissioned last year by Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, presented its findings this week.
Tony Burke
Website Tony Burke is President of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions; a former assistant general secretary of Unite; Trade Union co-ordinator for the Morning Star newspaper and chair of the Campaign For Trade Union Freedom. He is a contributing editor of Left Foot Forward blogging on trade, international issues and workers’ and union rights. As well as LFF, he contributes to the Morning Star, Campaign For Trade Union Freedom website, and his own Power In A Union site.
0% growth forecast highlights need for stimulus to promote employment, growth and spending
The Bank of England’s latest warning that the economy has hit the buffers and will come grinding to a screeching halt later this year comes as no surprise.
Unions claim victory over London 2012 medal makers who wanted to reduce employee rights
The long running lock-out of members of the United Steelworkers union in Canada has been settled, with the union claiming victory based on global union solidarity.
“We must all be up to this challenge together”: A new social compact for Europe
As austerity takes its toll right across Europe, the European TUC argues for a new direction, based on solidarity and safeguarding Europe’s social model in law.
In austere times, German trade union achieves above-inflation pay rise for workers
Germany’s giant IG Metall union has secured an inflation-busting pay increase of 4.3% for engineers and metal workers.
Driving Growth: How the automotive industry can kickstart the economy
Tony Burke, Assistant General Secretary of Unite, writes on their new “Driving Growth – A Unite strategy for the motor industry in the UK” document.
Memo to EU leaders: If austerity fails, it’s austerity’s fault – not that of workers’ rights
Europe needs an alternative vision and this has to be done by putting faith in people, rather putting faith in the “elites” and destroying social rights.
Bringing sack-happy Mayr-Melnhof Packaging to heel
Tony Burke, Assistant General Secretary of Unite, writes about Liverpool workers’ fight for justice against sack-happy Mayr-Melnhof Packaging.
London 2012: The Rio Tinto saga continues
After last week’s protests, the United Steelworkers file a formal complaint with London’s Olympic organisers against Rio Tinto’s role in the 2012 games.
London 2012: Rio Tinto and the ethics of corporate sponsorship
As London 2012 approaches, Britain and the world need to pay closer attention to the environmental and human rights records of the Games’ corporate sponsors.