Author Archives: Neil

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) is conducting an evidence-gathering session 3-4pm Friday 9 September to hear about the experiences of current interns. The Trades Union Congress will be hosting the event at Congress House on Great Russell Street in Central London. Please note, the session may extend until about 4:30pm. With the Government currently considering new guidance on unpaid work and the National Minimum Wage, and planning to instruct HMRC … Continue reading →

Wednesday 27th July, 7pm-9pm The Britons Protection, 50 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester M1 5LE See map The Unite Parliamentary Staff Branch is organising a meeting for staff of MPs based in the North West to find out more about what more we can do for constituency staff, and to find out how the new IPSA regime has affected you. Please come along, give us your views, meet other MPs’ staff … Continue reading →

Below is an article by Emma Griffiths Political reporter, BBC News, available here MPs’ plea to restore staff bonuses The MPs’ expenses watchdog has been asked to reconsider bonuses for MPs staff – which have stopped under the new system. Tory MP Richard Bacon said MPs’ staff used to be able to get bonuses of between £1,000 and £3,500 a year. Many people had lost a “chunk of their income” as … Continue reading →

In a very timely fashion, the News International Wapping Dispute exhibition is moving to TUC Congress House from 25 July until 12 August. It’s open 10am-6pm Mon-Fri and marks the 25th anniversary of the dispute with dramatic images and accounts. The exhibition has been organised by Unite the Union, the National Union of Journalists, the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom and the Marx Memorial Library. Click on the flyer … Continue reading →

We have now received updated advice from PCS regarding strike action tomorrow by Parliamentary security. Below is a copy of their statement to MPs: As you will be aware PCS members in the civil service and working in public bodies will be taking strike action on 30 June. We have continued to meet with ministers to reach an agreement that would protect our members pensions, jobs and pay, the government … Continue reading →

Branch members and friends are invited to a discussion on the decline in working class representation in politics 7pm Tuesday 28 June in the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House, Westminster. This follows the recent publication of branch member Owen Jones’ book ‘Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class’. Speakers include: Ian Lavery MP, for Wansbeck Owen Jones, branch member and author of ‘Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class’ Jim Mowatt, … Continue reading →

This year will be the 75th anniversary of the International Brigades and some branch members will be attending the memorial to pay tribute to the trade unionists who fought fascism in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39. We will be assembling at the memorial in Jubilee Gardens 12:30pm on Saturday 2 July. The programme runs 1-2pm and there will be music afterwards at the Camel & Artichoke pub on Lower Marsh … Continue reading →

Thursday 16th June, Committee Room 11, 1 – 2pm Since the establishment of IPSA, there have been a raft of changes affecting the way MPs’ staff are employed and their pay and terms and conditions administered.  Staff representatives and associations have taken up a range of issues with IPSA officials, resulting in some improvements for staffing arrangements but confusion still remains about the relationship between IPSA, MPs and their staff.  … Continue reading →

  Unite members joined striking CWU members on their central London picket line this morning as Romec engineers began a weekend walkout. The dispute – over the facilities maintenance company’s misuse of employee tracking devices – began last month, when repeated breaches of national agreements by management sparked a 92 per cent vote for action by hundreds of workers. After a four-day callout ban and overtime boycott over the bank … Continue reading →

The union branch has welcomed support for their proposal to introduce a catering discount/loyalty scheme for MPs’ staff from the House of Commons Administration Committee. In its report on catering and retail services in the House of Commons, the Committee recommended the Catering and Retail Service introduce “a staff loyalty or discount scheme to benefit the lower paid staff of Members and the House, with the specific intention of encouraging … Continue reading →