Solidarity MSP Tommy Sheridan has uncovered what he has called a "black market" in PFI hospitals. Last year, the Royal Bank of Scotland sold it's share in Consort Healthcare to Balfour Beatty.
Consort won the original contract for the PFI at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The original make-up of the PFI consortium was 15% by Morrison Construction with the remainder held equally by RBS and Balfour Beatty. Now the Balfour Beatty has increased it's share to 73.9%, with the balance owned by Infrastructure Investors, a finance company described as Britain's largest equity fund in the secondary PFI market.
The sale was hidden by commericial confidentiality and only parliamentary questions by Solidarity's Co-Convenor led to the information coming out. The Royal Bank refuse to comment on how much profit was made from the sale. Tommy said:
"This shows that our hospitals are being bought and sold like commodities on the black market, with no public veto or rights of access to information. In the long run the public will have to foot the bill.
"I will be laying further questions and motions on this, demanding how much money the Royal Bank has made and insisting that any profits made in these deals are returned to the NHS."
Solidarity on Track for Seven Seats in May
Thursday, 18 January 2007
Solidarity, Scotland’s Socialist Movement could be on course to return an MSP in seven of Scotland’s electoral regions according to research commissioned by the party and carried out by TNS System Three.
The poll asked if people would be likely to vote for Solidarity knowing that it was the party founded by Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne, following indications that recent less favourable poll results were a result of the public still associating Sheridan and Byrne with the SSP.
The results showed that 7% of voters across Scotland would be “quite likely” or “very likely” to vote for Solidarity on May 03rd. This is higher than the percentage that took the SSP, Sheridan’s previous party, to six seats in 2003. In most regions 5% or more of the vote could deliver a seat for the new party. Solidarity Co-Convenor, Tommy Sheridan said:
“This is great news and gives us the boost we need with three months to go until the election. We are on course to return MSPs across Scotland and will be working flat out to ensure a socialist voice in every region and every local authority.”
In Sheridan’s regional constituency of Glasgow, 10% of respondents claim to be “likely” to vote Solidarity, the party’s strongest region is the West of Scotland where support is “quite likely” to be 14% which could give Solidarity two MSPs in that region.
Breakdown of those likely to vote for Solidarity by region: Glasgow 10%; West of Scotland 14%; Central 7% South of Scotland 5%; Highlands and Islands 6% Lothians 8%; North East 3%; Mid Scotland and Fife 6%
Lynn Sheridan Calls for Action Against Labour Council Leader
Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Central Region Solidarity candidate, Lynn Sheridan has called for tough action against North Lanarkshire Council Labour leader Jim McCabe for breaking the law on the smoking ban and his homophobic attitudes. This stems from his interview in the current Holyrood magazine (published today) where he is interviewed by Jacqi Kelly and smoked throughout the interview. Lynn said:
"Jim McCabe exhibits all the worse attitudes of Labour, firstly he blatantly breaks the smoking law in his office, when he as leader of the Council is meant to give an example to his staff and the citizens of North Lanarkshire. Secondly he exhibits homophobic attitudes over his attitude to same sex adoption, a measure brought in by his party in Edinburgh and London. I suggest Jim McCabe begins by apologising to the staff and people of North Lanarkshire and then Jack McConnell should rap his knuckles and send him for some counseling and education for his reactionary attitudes. We may pass new laws, but attitudes like his show we have a long way to go in implementing them."
Central Solidarity selected their regional list for the Scottish Elections in May last week and Lynn heads a strong list of candidates. The former soldier who is now a lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University was chosen top, ahead of former Labour MEP Hugh Kerr, the parliamentary press officer for Solidarity’s MSPs, in second.
Central Scotland Regional List:
1. Lynn Sheridan. 2. Hugh Kerr. 3. Gena Mitchell. 4. Gordon Walker. 5. Anna Lang. 6. Ray Gunnion. 7. Shareen Blackall.
BA Cabin Crew in Overwhelming Vote for Strike Action
Monday, 15 January 2007
An overwhelming vote by British Airways cabin crew to strike over management by imposition and the breakdown of respect and industrial relations was confirmed this morning by the Transport and General Workers Union.
8,132 voted for strike action with only 330 against in a postal ballot which had a turnout of 80%. That means 96.1% voted to strike.
The T&G negotiators will meet with senior BA managers tomorrow (16th January). The union said the cabin crew's concerns, which include issues over the implementation of sickness absence policies as well as pay grading and on board staffing and responsibility levels, had built up over the last two years but had failed to be addressed properly by the company's senior management.
Solidarity MSP Tommy Sheridan called for support for the planned strike action by BA cabin crew. The Solidarity Co-Convenor, whose wife Gail is a BA worker said:
“As BA profits grow, the conditions of hard pressed cabin crew get worse. These are loyal workers who have put up with a lot over the years yet management impose changes that ultimately lead to less money for more work. BA have refused to consult on many of these changes and strike action is the only option left. Gail is now facing the prospect of industrial action when she returns to work next month following maternity leave.”
The T&G negotiators will meet with senior BA managers tomorrow (16th January). The union said the cabin crew's concerns, which include issues over the implementation of sickness absence policies as well as pay grading and on board staffing and responsibility levels, had built up over the last two years but had failed to be addressed properly by the company's senior management.
Jim Malone Pledges 100% Solidarity with NCR Workers
Friday, 12 January 2007
Solidarity today accused global corporate giant NCR of ripping the heart out of Dundee by announcing it is to axe 650 jobs. In an act of scandalous profiteering NCR are axing these jobs and moving production to Hungary where they are paying workers lower wages.
Dundee Solidarity spokesperson Jim McFarlane said: “For decades Dundee workers have produced untold millions in pounds in profit for NCR. There is hardly a family in the city who have not had a family member who has worked in NCR at some time. This announcement is a disgrace, it is an example of corporate vandalism and underlines that the policy of NCR is nothing less than the “race to the bottom.” i.e. moving production away from higher wage economies to lower paid sectors of the world to boost profits.”
Jim Malone a leading trades unionist in Dundee who is heading up Solidarity’s list for the Scottish parliament elections in May said: “Workers in Dundee have been treated disgracefully. Thousands upon thousands of people in the city will be devastated by this announcement. Solidarity pledges 100% support to NCR workers and trade unionists in fighting this scandal and campaigning to keep the jobs in Dundee. We will support workers in taking action including strike action to save their jobs and livelihoods.”
Tommy Sheridan MSP said today: “This is capitalist globalisation at its most brutal. A highly profitable operation, NCR, opens a factory in Hungary to exploit the opportunity to drive down wages and boost their profitability. They claim that no worker in Dundee will be affected then they turn around and announce the axing of 650 jobs. It is a scandal. Solidarity demands that NCR maintains the jobs in Dundee. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the workers of NCR in Dundee in their battle against this corporate madness.”
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