The members of two trades unions representing council workers in Scotland have rejected the pay offer from Cosla.  Cosla had offered a pay rise of below the rate of inflation this year and next year, effectively a pay cut for workers.  Today's figures see inflation falling to 4.5% from 5.2%, still well above the Cosla offer of 3% this year and 2.5% next year.

GMB represent 25,000 council workers and voted 2-1 against accepting the offer.  Unite members also rejected the deal, their Scottish Regional Orgainser Jimmy Farrelly said his union's members voted for rejection in a high turnout.

"There is a genuine resentment and frustration by our members".

Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne called on the party's members to get behind the union members in the next stage, possible strike action:

"Many of Solidarity's members play an active role in these unions in local government, we will stand alongside them in this fight for as long as it takes."

Solidarity's candidate in the East Ayshire Council ward of Ballochmyle is Danny Masterton of Coalfields Solidarity.  Keep up to date with the campaign in the by-election and read the latest election blog 'Making History in Ballochmyle?' by Jim Monaghan

http://www.solidarityscotland.org/content/blogsection/5/34/

Wed Nov 19

Edinburgh Stop The War Coalition Planning Meeting
7:30pm Friends Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh 

Thu Nov 27

Solidarity Public Meeting - Ballochmyle by-election7.30pm IFE Wing, Muirkirk,  Speakers - Danny Masterton, Jim Walls, Tommy Sheridan

Sat Nov 29

Day School: Non-violent Direct Action for Palestine & Against War 10:30am Augustine Church Centre, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh

Organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The purpose of the day school is to explore the effectiveness of non-violent Direct Action drawing on the experiences of successful campaigns in Derry (Derry Anti-War Coalition) and Brighton (Carmel Agrexco Campaign).

Speakers: Colm Bryce, Ratheon 9 and Chris Boycott, Agrexco Carmel Campaign

Solidarity, Scotland's Socialist Movement have called for a full public inquiry into health and safety in Scotland's open cast coal mines following the deaths last year of Colin Ferguson and Brian French at Pennyvenie.
 
At Solidarity's annual conference in Glasgow last weekend, a motion from Coalfields Solidarity calling for the inquiry was passed unanimously.  Jim Walls, convenor of shop stewards in TGWU/unite Scottish Coal branch, who represents workers across Scotland's coalfields said:
 
"We are delighted that Solidarity have backed our call for a full inquiry.  A fatal accident report will not be sufficient to explain why so many deaths occur in this industry, only a full public inquiry will identify any systematic problems in the operation of open cast sites."
 
Coalfields Solidarity is a branch of Solidarity, Scotland's Socialist Movement formed by workers in Scotland's open cast mines.

To read the full motion click below.
 

A report released yesterday (14 Nov) by watchdog Consumer Focus revealed that energy companies are making over half a billion pounds extra profit from charges on pre-payment meters to their poorer customers. 

Anyone watching the coverage of Barak Obama’s US Election victory could not fail to be moved by the genuine outpouring of joy and enthusiasm that accompanied the result. 

Millions of Americans, angry at the state of the economy, angry at the inequality that exists in their nation and angry at American foreign policy have delivered a stinging rebuttal of the politics of George W Bush, John McCain and the Republican Party.

"It is a sad reflection on both society as a whole and the university sector specifically that so much university research now is military related. Every pound invested in researching how to kill and maim other human beings is not only a pound lost to cancer, anti-poverty and renewable energy research, it also represents a waste of publicly-trained scientists, researchers and university laboratory space." Tommy Sheridan

Solidarity Co-Convenor Tommy Sheridan and Respect MP George Galloway have launched an online petition, with a call to the Prime Minister to put an end to punitive bank charges.