European Union (EU): People vs Banks

Our EU Governments are giving even more free taxpayer money to the banks!

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Unbelievable, but its true they're doing it again, giving away our money for free. Absolutely, we need to bail out Greece to save Greece, save Europe, and save the Euro. But the current bailout makes us the tax payers pay back banks for 90% of their foolish investments. The Greek people will not get a cent of this investment, and we give a ton of money to rich bankers. And even worse - 30% of our money will go to speculators, who will actually make a massive profit from having gambled on a bailout.

How on earth did our Governments write a bailout plan that floods banks and speculators with our money and leaves Greece with nothing? The answer - They actually asked the banks to write the agreement. Our Finance ministers are meeting in three days time to decide on this plan -- lets send them and our Parliaments a massive call to go back to the drawing board and bail out Greece and not the banks.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_people_vs_banks/?v1

At a time when money is tight everywhere and our most vital social programs are being cut. Governments are caving in to powerful banking lobbies. But they say that they are also worried that some banks can't absorb the loss of their Greek investments and will fail if they do not get a bailout. But if we get into trouble and ask a bank for help, they don't give us free money, they give us a loan, or an investment. Now the banks are in trouble and coming to us, why should we treat them any differently? Instead of giving away money, let's loan to or invest in the banks, and ask them to pay us the taxpayers back at a healthy rate of interest! 

This is what Gordon Brown did in the UK and Obama did in the US - when banks were in danger of failing, they did not bail them out with free money, they bought in with loans and investments. And as soon as a year later, the taxpayers made a profit from the deal!! This deal is corruption, pure and simple. There is no public Interest argument for giving banks and speculators a massive windfall like this, and there is every reason to try and protect public finances. Instead of giving that money away, we can invest it, in Greece, and in our own societies abilities to recover and rebuild form the financial crisis. Its time for our politicians to stop hiding behind complex agreements written by bankers - the game is up - lets tell them no to this outrageous bailout, and ask them to come back again with something sensible.

Far too often, our societies economic future, and our childrens possibilities, are decided in back rooms by corrupt interests that are looking after profit, and not people. This is one of those times. The bankers and the politicans they own think that all this is too complex for the public to understand or even to be interested in. Lets show them how wrong that are.

The above is taken from Alan Wilkes - Avaaz.org

Workers celebrating 65th birthday tomorrow have an extra reason to cheer

Anyone who turns 65 after today (Friday) will no longer lose their job simply because of their age, the TUC says ahead of the end of the UK's default retirement age (DRA) tomorrow.

Under the DRA, which the government began phasing out from April this year, employers have been able to retire people on their 65th birthday for no other reason than their age. But for anyone who turns 65 after today, or who is under 65 but hasn't been given six months notice, employers now have to justify why they want to retire a member of staff.

The TUC has long considered the DRA to be an unfair anachronism in modern workplaces as staff, and most good employers, would like a more flexible approach to retirement.

While many people do not want to work beyond 65 or are unable to because of the nature of their work, abolishing the default retirement age will help people retire at a time that suits both them and their employer, says the TUC.

The growing number of people working past 65 shows that many people are keen to stay in work and have a lot to offer employers, says the TUC. However, many are forced to continue working due to poor pay and lack of a decent pension, illustrating the urgent need for better pension provision in the private sector.

The TUC and the Charted Institute for Personal and Development (CIPD) have recently published guidance for staff and employers on managing age in the workplace, which is available at www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-19586-f0.cfm. The guide offers best practice guidance on working without a retirement age.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "After years of campaigning, it's great to see the end of the default retirement age.

"As of tomorrow, anyone celebrating their 65th birthday can do so knowing they cannot get dismissed from their job simply because of their age. This should give more workers the opportunity to retire at their own pace, rather than having it imposed on them by a short-sighted employer.

"Not everyone wants to work beyond 65, and many have no choice but to work on, but many older people still have a lot to contribute - and employers can really benefit from the wealth of their experience."

CIPD Diversity Adviser Dianah Worman said: "The removal of the default retirement age has been long heralded. Its removal opens up new opportunities to employers and employees and is to be welcomed, not feared.

"Good talent management helps businesses to achieve good performance and is vital in today's highly competitive and turbulent times. Many organisations already operate successfully without a compulsory retirement age.

"Those that have not yet tackled the way they manage retirement need to catch up with leading good practice to make sure that they too have a competitive employment edge or they could risk falling seriously behind more innovative employers in the 'war for talent'. CIPD research continues to show this phenomenon prevails despite the difficult economic climate."

From The Observer Sunday 18th September 2011

Bad News For Pensioners And People who Are Recipients Of State Benefits.

The UK's main  statistics body, the Office for National Statistics, has agreed to investigate using alternate measures of inflation to apply to the calculation of benefits and pensions, after critics labelled the Government's preferred index as flawed.

Pressure from the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), the professional body representing statisticians, has forced a climbdown after months of resistance. Ministers plan to save billions following a shift from the retail prices index (RPI), which includes rent and mortgage payments, to the consumer prices index (CPI), which has averaged 0.7% lower over the last decade. Accountant KPMG has estimated that private-sector and public-sector pension savers will lose up to £250bn over the next 40 years in lost inflation-linked rises.

Benefits claimants are also expected to lose out as their payments track inflation pegged to the lower CPI.

Unions Calculate that workers in final salary pension schemes could lose 15% of their retirement income following the move to CPI. Brendan Barber, the TUC General Secretary, said: "The RSS is an establishment body that rarely likes to rock the boat, but it rightly feels strongly about this issue. It is absolutely right to say that the CPI is not a measure of any one's cost of living". 

Hewlett Packard Withdraw Offshoring Proposal Following PCS Campaign

Government Contractor Forced to Abandon Plan to Send Live Records to India.

A campaign by PCS members has forced Government Contractor Hewlett Packard to abandon Plans to offshore work to India saving 200 jobs. Hewlett Packard had proposed to offshore the work, which involves the maintenance of the records of millions of people for the Department for Work and Pensions, before the end of this year. It is believed to have been the first time that a Government Contractor had proposed sending the live records of so many people overseas.

PCS launched a vigorous campaign in defence of members jobs, and against the principle of off-shoring. Members inside Hewlett Packard supported the call for industrial action; members in Capgemini and Fujitsu in Telford and in Worthing contacted about a dozen local MP's; National Officials gave press interviews highlighting our cause and PCS commissioned research into the true cost of off-shoring.

This decision is a victory for union members and shows what can be achieved, if we stick together. Thank you for everyone who contacted their MP's, your help made a big difference.

Retired Members Support The Unions Day Of Strike Action On November 30th

Retired Members Should Actively Support The Day Of Action By The Unions In Defence Of Pensions On November 30th

The Midlands TUC Retired Pensioners Network Executive Meeting held today, noted that so far 20 unions, with members in the public sector under the auspices of the TUC have taken the decision to ballet their members for strike action, which is due to take place on November 30th. This action is being taken in support of their members occupation pension schemes, which are under attack by this Coalition Government, which claims that public servants and people who work in Local Government have gold plated pensions which are paid for by the British Tax payer, This is a crude attempt to cause a rift between those who work in the private and public sector. Many people who work in the private sector have had their Final salary Schemes either closed to new starters or have been changed into money purchase schemes, which give a much reduced return at the time of retirement. The Government is determined to make those who work in the public sector pay more (extra 3%) and receive a considerably reduced pension at retirement age, This seems to us to be grossly unfair as many of those people are low paid and with the current pay freeze and rapidly rising cost of living, many will have no option but to drop out of the their pension schemes, which will eventually render the schemes unable to function effectively, as they will have liabilities, but fewer members paying in.

The TUC on Wednesday last did pass a resolution which effectively commits the unions to support all pensions and thus recognises that that the state pension must also be defended as it is an important increment in the financial income of many pensioners, and must be protected from becoming less valuable. The Government decision to charge future increase in the state pension from PRI to CBI will cost many pensioners, thousands of pounds over their lifetime. We take the view that whether members vote to take industrial action on November 30th is a decision for them only, but when they take the decision to strike we as retired members should give support, and be seen to support them in public. This can take many forms depending on how the day is organised in different areas of the country, there may be scope for visiting picket lines. It is more than likely that in the larger cities that Rallies will be organised, and we pensioners should be conspicuous by our presence. Pensioner groups and trade union RMA groups should get involved with their local action committees and where possible get on the platform and speak in support of the strike action in support of Pensions. We must not hesitate to demonstrate that we are opposed to the policies of this Government, and will support those who are fighting to preserve a reasonable standard of living for when they retire. On November 30th do not forget that their fight is our fight, please get involved. neither should we forget that the extra money that the local Government employee's will pay towards their pensions; will not go to improve their pensions, but staight into the Treasury coffers. It simply becomes just another form of stealt tax.

We Are Ready For Battle Over Pensions - And Public Will Support Us, Says TUC Leader

Brendan Barber was Disappointed With Ed Miliband's Reaction to Strikes.

The moderate leader of the trade union movement has said that he will not hesitate to put himself at the centre of walkouts by-public sector workers this autumn. Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, will chair a council of war of union leaders next week to co-ordinate strikes scheduled for November. Mr Barber has long been regarded as the reasonable voice of British trade unionism. In an interview with the Times, he indicated that he will take a lead role in orchestrating strike action after talks on reform of public sector pensions stalled on Thursday.

He said that Government negotiators, led by Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office Minister, and Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, had "shown no willingness to reconsider" plans that were being implemented without "any consultation of any sort". Prospect and the First Division Association (FDA), moderate public sector unions representing senior civil servants, this week said that the Government stance had given them a mandate to start balloting for industrial action. They could join the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), and the three major teaching unions, who all participated in the June strike. As many as ten unions, including the firefighters of the FBU, could be involved in the mass walkout which may target the Chancellor' Pre-Budget Report on November 29th.

Mr Barber stated that "sometimes there has to be a battle to win for justice and a fairer outlook. If there has to be more of a battle so be it, I want to play my part in that." On Wednesday after the 143rd annual Trade Union Congress closes he will chair a meeting of union leaders ranging from the outspoken Mark Serwotka of the PCS to Paul Noon of Prospect and Jonathan Baume of the FDA, who both counselled against the June 30th one day strike. The TUC leader said that he believed that the Government's "crude divide-an rule" tactics, seeking to pitch private sector workers against public sector workers, had backfired.

He said that the Government risked creating a welfare state time-bomb by forcing millions of low earners to pay major increases in contributions to pensions because many would simply have to stop paying into their pension schemes. Leading to a failure to meet deficit reduction targets. "The wider community, through the benefits system will have to pick up an even larger bill". He admitted that he had been "very disappointed" in Ed Milliband' s reaction to the walk-out in June, when the Labour Leader said that it was wrong for teachers to go on strike at a time when negotiations with the Government were still taking place. "What I would like to have seen was a stronger acknowledgement of the seriousness of the issue." Mr Barber said " i've made it clear that I was disappointed. I think he could have taken a much more balanced position there."

The above are extracts from an interview given by Brendan Barber and printed in the Times on Saturday September 10th - for the complete text go to  Page 32.   

Are We Sliding Back Into Recession Under This Coalition Goverment.

Construction Orders AT Lowest Level Since 1980.

The following extracts have been taken from the blog of Chris Williamson MP for Derby North - chriswilliamson.org.

Construction is hugely important to any economic recovery and it is therefore particularly worrying that orders for new construction work are now at a level not seen since 1980. Orders fell by over 16% compared with an already low figure in quarter one and are over 23% down on the same quarter in 2010. I share the concern of the Construction Products Association Chief Executive Michael Ankers. He says that these figures are alarming at a time when the economy is already slowing and the construction industry is supposed to be playing a major part in rebalancing the economy.

The fall in public sector orders of 30% is no surprise given the cutback in public sector spending, but this is compounded by a fall in new orders for private sector construction. This is also down 8% on the first quarter of the year and 10% down on the same quarter last year. Furthermore, assertions by the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, that this Government would build more houses than Labour is proving to be illusory. The reality is according to the Construction Products Association, new orders for private housing have fallen again and are down by 8% on the first three months of the year. Meanwhile, orders for commercial work are now back to where they were in the middle of 2009.

Talk is cheap. The one thing Government Ministers have been good at is talking. But the outcome of their policies are proving to be 180% different from the stated rhetoric. Its no surprise that their growth forecasts are constantly being downgraded, because the measures that they are taking are so clearly wrong. The reckless ministerial team in charge at the Department for Communities and Local Government is making matters far worse for the construction industry and is creating an additional drag on economy recovery. Examples of their irresponsible approach includes abolishing housing targets, slashing the social housing budget and scrapping regional development agencies.

My worry is that the Government's ham-fisted approach to economic recovery will only make matters worse. Construction is a good economic barometer and these figures are further evidence of even more stormy weather ahead.