Scottish CND have organised a 'peace chain' at Faslane base this Saturday, in a peaceful protest at the Government's planned nuclear weapons programme. All who oppose the weapons of mass destruction should assemble at the site at noon when a 2,000 metre chain will surround the perimeter.
Solidarity Co-Convenor Tommy Sheridan is a veteran of faslane campaigns and urged party members and trade unionists to get along if they can:
"Solidarity supports this latest in a series of actions by CND. Last year the Westminster govt. voted for a new generation of weapons, the Scottish parliament rejected the plans. We must unite to show our opposition. Solidarity members, and our supporters in the trades unions, will be join hands with others who opoose the bombs, from whatever party or organisation."
The Rich get Richer - We Pay the Price
Gordon Brown, New Labour and big business are carrying out daylight robbery. Gas and Electricity bills are due for huge rises, food prices are increasing by 16% a year, fuel costs are out of control and all Brown and New Labour can offer millions of low and average paid workers is pay cuts and tax increases.
The abolition of the 10p tax rate means an effective wage cut for millions. At the other end of the scale a tiny minority are continuing to rake it in at our expense.
Ordinary people are fighting back however.
Thousands of civil service workers have stepped up their strike action in defence of pay and conditions.
Local communities are campaigning to save post offices and other vital services under threat.
In Glasgow East, the voters gave Gordon Brown's New Labour the kicking they deserved.
Five thousand Unite craft members in Scotland will take 24 hour strike action from today (Monday 2nd June) and have warned that they will hold 24 hour stoppages every second Monday after that date.
Unite craft workers in many local authorities including Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife, and North & South Lanarkshire are to strike over being forced to work longer hours than their colleagues working along side them in Scotland and in the rest of the UK and a below inflation pay offer. Scottish local authority craft workers currently work a 39 hour week while craft workers in the rest of the UK, and other local authority workers in Scotland work 37 hours.
Rosemary Byrne, Co-Convenor of Solidarity, said:
"Public Sector workers are being treated disgracefully. Solidarity fully support the Unite members strike action against pay cuts."
UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector trade union, today (30 May) started sending out ballot papers to its 850,000 local government members for strike action over a 2.45% pay offer.
UNISON Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield, said:
“Our members working in local government are disappointed and angry. Four years of real pay cuts have left them choosing between putting food on the table or heating their homes this winter.
“Costs of all the basics are running high. Bread is up a massive 44%, petrol 21% and mortgage costs 8%, but for sixty percent of our members this offer means a pitiful £7.50 per week.
“By voting for a strike, 850,000 UNISON members can send a clear message to the employers that pay is an issue that will not go away. The employers must realise that world-class public services cannot be run on empty stomachs!”
A variety of council workers covered by the pay claim include care home and home care assistants, housing and environmental health officers, refuse collectors, librarians, nursery nurses, lollipop ladies and school cooks. More than sixty per cent of those covered earn just £15,825 or less annually. Seventy five per cent are women.
Solidarity with the "UNISON Four"
Four Unison members under attack from their own union leadership had their disciplinary hearings this week.
In June last year the Unison bureaucracy launched a disciplinary investigation into five union officers. This was for daring to print and publish a leaflet attacking the union leadership's blocking of the union conference's right to debate issues such as the funding of the Labour Party, the election of fulltime officials and control over strike action.
Solidarity Co-Convenor, Rosemary Byrne, criticised the tactics of the union leadership:
"UNISON are running scared of the debate on their links to Labour. Their over-reaction to this leaflet shows that they will go to some lenghths to shut down debate on the issue."
Rosemary was joined in her criticism by Rory Bremner and Mark Thomas.
Events Calendar
Gordon Brown, New Labour and big business are carrying out daylight robbery. Gas and Electricity bills are due for huge rises, food prices are increasing by 16% a year, fuel costs are out of control and all Brown and New Labour can offer millions of low and average paid workers is pay cuts and tax increases.
Four Unison members under attack from their own union leadership had their disciplinary hearings this week. 
