GMB commented on the speech by Ed Balls, Labour Party Shadow Chancellor, showing that Conservative spending plans will mean £70 billion of cuts to public spending if the Tories win the election.

Following a long campaign lead by parents, the GMB and NUT trade unions, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council have announced a u-turn on their plans to close Abbey Special School. Despite the victory for campaigners, the council still intends to reduce the number of available places from 105 to 60. This will ensure however,  that it gives the best opportunity for the school to improve and will drastically reduce the excessive stress levels that all staff have been placed under.

The GMB, NUT and especially parents with children at the school have been pounding the streets of Rotherham collecting signatures for a petition which was submitted to the Council which over 5000 people signed.

GMB, the union for school support staff including teaching assistants, commented on new guidance for schools from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) on “Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants”. As part of the guidance the EEF recommends that “schools should provide sufficient time for teaching assistant training and for teachers and for teaching assistant to meet out of class to enable the necessary lesson preparation and feedback”.

GMB commented on the latest ONS figures on contracts with no guaranteed hours - zero hour contracts, 2014.

Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said “There are nearly 700,000 workers each week that have no guaranteed hours of work while working on average 25 hours per week. What employers are offering workers has seriously decreased while workers often have little alternative but to accept what is on offer. Even skilled workers in the UK face being undercut while wages are stagnant or falling in real terms.
There are fundamental problems about Europe that we have to face up to. Whatever the European vision was on integration, harmony, economic advancement and political stability, what we currently have isn’t it.

Martin Smith, GMB National Organiser, said “Naming and shaming these employers is to be welcomed as far too few wage dodging employers not paying the national minimum wage have been brought to justice. Government needs to make a real commitment to making work pay by more aggressively seeking out offenders to prosecute them. The enforcement rules should also be changed so that trade unions can make complaints to HMRC on behalf of members.

GMB, the union for staff in care homes, commented on the publication on 12th February by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of information to help people make appropriate decisions on the use of hidden cameras to monitor someone’s care.

There is a degree of inevitably about cameras in care settings so five tests set out by union should be applied says GMB

Instead of tackling tax evasion, the Tory Party has colluded in covering it up as the boss of the bank, HSBC, was promoted to be a minister in the Government says GMB.

GMB Yorkshire & North Derbyshire regional secretary Tim Roache said, “This is another example of tax evasion on a massive scale that is endemic, systemic and deep rooted in the City and the wealthy classes across the country.  This is criminal activity on an industrial scale. Instead of tackling it the Tory Party has colluded in covering it up. The boss of the bank was promoted to be a minister in the Government. The credibility of this class in dealing with the deficit fairly has taken a very bad knock”

Phil Whitehurst, GMB National Officer said, “Only when the employers wake up and own up to their failed years of non investment, and invest a real apprenticeship program will we get back on track in the UK. For years the construction industry employers have buried their heads in the sand, way before the deepest recession we have experienced in living memory, they have failed to invest in “real apprenticeships” and opting for past Government low wage alternatives, with nothing at the end of the tunnel for those employed in such schemes.

GMB branches from across the region came together for the sixth annual Branch Activity Weekend in Wakefield, 7-8 February.  The event began with a keynote address from Tim Roache, GMB regional secretary.  Workshop forums were held during the day which focused on GMB Challenges and Opportunities,  General Election 2015, Regional Democracy and Autonomy and Immigration and Integration.  Feedback from the workshop presentations will go on to help formulate a Branch Charter and way forward for the year ahead.

Sheffield City Council has reacted angrily at the reports that Green Co, the company currently operating Sheffield’s Household Waste Recycling Centres, are engaged in the abuse of zero hours contracts.