Mr Johnson says he won’t buy new Tube trains with drivers’ cabs - and he wants even more stringent strike laws to prevent any union objections to his plans to introduce driverless trains.

‘Boris is allowing his own deeply ingrained prejudices to affect the safety of millions of Tube passengers,’ Mick says. ‘The travelling public is not interested in the Mayor’s hatred of trade unions or his violent objections to any challenge to his authoritarian views. They want a safe underground system.

‘If he had not refused to meet the unions throughout his first – and hopefully final – term of office, we could have explained the obvious to him: that to introduce driverless trains onto our current network with its constant signal and points failures would be nothing less than murderous. To leave the whole system dependent in future on the hope that we will never have a computer failure on the Underground is utterly ridiculous.

‘And then on top of this, he attempts to make it illegal to disagree with him. May 3 will be a dark day for the capital if Boris is re-elected.’

ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan said ‘The chancellor offers tax cuts to big business and the rich while working people face wage freezes and benefit cuts. I regret that these plans offer nothing to the near 3 million unemployed and will only further entrench the inequalities in our society

The Chancellor also announced funds for Network Rail to upgrade the Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield and improve the Manchester to Preston and Blackpool, and Manchester to Bradford lines.

Mick added ‘any measures which can improve journey times or enhance capacity in the Northern Hub are to be welcomed.’

This petition is the proof of the strength of feel about the Government’s planned destruction of Remploy says GMB

Remploy workers who set off on their bikes from the Burnley Remploy factory last Friday 4th November arrive in London today to present a 100,000 signature petition to No 10 Downing Street at 2 p.m. they will be joined by MPs and trade unionists who support their campaign to keep Remploy factories open and disabled workers in jobs

All 54 Remploy factories across the UK are under threat of closure when current public funding ends in April 2013. If these proposals go ahead 4,000 workers will lose their jobs. The alphabetical list of Remploy factories facing closure is as follows: Aberdare, Aberdeen, Abertillery, Acton, Ashington, Barking, Barrow, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bridgend, Bristol, Burnley, Chesterfield, Cleator Moor, Clydebank, Coventry, Cowdenbeath, Croespenmaen, Derby, Dundee, Edinburgh, Gateshead, Heywood, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leicester, Leven, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil, Motherwell, Neath Port Talbot, Newcastle, North London, North Staffordshire, Norwich, Oldham, Penzance, Pontefract, Poole, Porth, Portsmouth, Preston, Sheffield, Southampton, Spennymoor, Springburn, Stirling, Sunderland, Swansea, Wigan, Worksop and Wrexham.

The presentation of the petition takes place at:

14.00 on MONDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 2011 at 10 DOWNING STREET LONDON SW1A 2AA

The bike ride visited many Remploy factories on route to London and today visit Marlows SC Hemel at 9.15 a.m., Remploy North London 11.45 a.m. and downing Street at 2 p.m.

Phil Davies, GMB National Secretary said: "100,000 signatures and growing. This petition is the proof of the strength of feel about the Government’s planned destruction of Remploy.

GMB members and Remploy workers believe that closing Remploy is the aim of conflicted axe grinders who want the funding for themselves.

The crucial campaign objective for Remploy workers is to get the loading up from 50% now to 100% and to keep these factories open.

The deliberate policy of starving Remploy factories of work has rendered them less economic, being only 50% loaded with work because either public bodies have failed to support them with work as allowed under EU rules or their own managers are turning down work.

It would cost Treasury less to keep the factories operating fully loaded rather than putting the workers out of work on benefits. The majority of Remploy workers who lost their jobs in 2008 are still on welfare 3 years later.

Remploy workers want help to get their factories fully loaded. GMB will shortly publish the list of all public bodies that are not now supporting Remploy with work. Members of the public can help if they are involved with any of these bodies or can lobby MPs, councillors and others to get them to place work with Remploy.

These factories have a successful track record going back to 1946 till the public authorities stopped loading them with work in 1990s due to then EU directive. The EU rules have been changed and the factories can be successful again when they are fully loaded. Making uniforms for the armed forces, emergency services and medical staff, and supplying schools would more than keep them busy."

Neo-natal issues can lead to illnesses such as cerebral palsy she said, and all of this was being made worse by Tory cuts.

She spoke of how disabled workers joining an occupational pension scheme were threatened by the government proposals on pensions.

Disabled members may have to retire early – meaning they will have less years in accrual, they may require reduced working hours and they may have to take disability related breaks.

All this adds to the urgency of the pensions campaign.

And, urging delegates "to keep the pressure on and do all we can to make 30 November a massive success," she told conference: "I cannot tell you how proud I am to be president of the union at this time ... a time when teaching assistants, nurses, paramedics, cleaners and lollipop ladies are prepared to stand up and say enough is enough."

She asked delegates to support her presidential charity, the Afro Caribbean Leukemia Trust, which aims to improve an area where "insufficient healthcare systems offer inadequate care to hundreds of thousands of Afro Caribbean people.

"Afro Caribbean people have a one in 100,000 chance of bone marrow match. ACLT aims to improve those chances."

Speaking at UNISON's disabled members' conference in Brighton, she praised the members "saying to this government, 'we're going to make a stand'," and compared the 80% voting in favour of action to the 36% who had voted for David Cameron's Conservatives and asked: "How dare they say it doesn't count, that it's not supported?"

She asked members to remember the bankers, the cause of the crisis that "is costing our jobs, our public services, our pensions."

Ms Jennings talked of the impact the austerity measures would have on disabled people as disability living allowance, housing benefits, independent living, anti-discrimination rights and Access to Work are threatened, while on top of this, George Osborne has instructed officials to look at scrapping the inflation link for benefits.

She told conference "this government's policies are not working".

Since the election, over 100,000 jobs have been lost in the public sector, which hadn't been replaced by the private sector. And she continued: "The government tell us that there's no alternative, but clearly there is. A plan B is possible.

"It's possible to stop this by investing in low -arbon infrastructures, in housing, in benefits ... paid for by closing tax loopholes, quantitative easing and a Robin Hood Tax."

"And what do we do in the meantime?" she asked. "We fight." She reminded delegates of battles that the union had won: negotiating for disability leave agreements, stopping institutional discrimination in recruitment policies.

And of course, she said "the battle continues to stop disability discrimination in capability procedures."

Zero hours is "a dangerous threat to the livelihood of disabled members," she reported, and linked it to the pensions issue, saying: "if you can't be sure of your hours, your pension ... the one thing you can be sure of is poverty in old age.

"I think we can equate zero hours with poverty," she said, but "it is a battle we can win."

This week, the coalition "paused" a key part of its health and social care bill, on its passage through the House of Lords.

A clause that would hand the health secretary's responsibility for the NHS to a quango has been withdrawn, for the moment, while the government has a further "period of reflection".

The move was made to prevent a Liberal Democrat rebellion. But it is also testament to the success of UNISON's campaign against the bill.

"This shows that the pressure we have been exerting is having an effect," said UNISON national secretary for health Christina McAnea. "The 'adopt a peer' campaign, the petitioning, the NHS Big Weekends - all our campaigning is having an impact.

"But we do need to keep that pressure on," she added. "The government will hope that the campaign will die down over Christmas. We mustn't let this happen."

The NHS reforms have been one of the most controversial aspects of government policy.

Ministers had to put the bill on hold in the spring, amid criticisms from the medical profession, academics, MPs and the trade unions. And now its passage through the Lords is taking much longer than expected.

"This is becoming toxic for David Cameron," said Ms McAnea. "He did not expect the campaign to be able to maintain this kind of momentum. The bill is still in the House of Lords, it's still getting headlines in the papers, all the talk is of rebellion.

"At the same time, waiting lists are up, services are being cut, NHS spending is lower this year than last year. People really don't trust the Tories with the NHS."

UNISON believes that the bill should be scrapped in its entirety, as it presents real dangers for the future of the NHS, including a wholesale move towards competition and private providers.

The union is continuing to work closely with the shadow health team, on amendments that will at the very least mitigate the bill's more damaging aspects, including competition and private patient income caps.

Meanwhile, last month UNISON's Say No to Blood Money campaign forced the government to abandon plans to privatise parts of the NHS blood and transplant service.

"It was crunch time for the blood service. It is still crunch time for the NHS," said general secretary Dave Prentis. "We will continue to campaign against the health bill, which is putting the NHS at huge risk."

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary said: "There is a total contradiction from government, with the minister Ed Davey on the one hand claiming he wants the post office network to become the front office of government services yet systematically government work is being removed. Previously it was the 'Green Giro' contract and now it is NS&I products - what will be next?

"The Post Office is not in safe hands under this government. Everything points to downgrading services, worse access for customers, more closures and fewer and fewer products and services. We want to see government actually deliver on their promises of investing in the Post Office and putting work into the network. So far they've been empty promises.

"The uncertainty facing the post office network is crippling for many postmasters. NS&I products have always been associated with the Post Office brand and are popular. Removing them makes no sense and is another betrayal of the network by a government which claims to care about the Post Office."

Commenting on the result, general secretary Dave Prentis said: "The decisive Yes vote in the ballot, reflects the deep concern that our members have over government ministers’ proposals for their pensions.

"Yesterday's statement in Parliament was a marked improvement on earlier proposals.

"But, it is important to understand that the statement has to be translated into offers in the scheme-specific talks.

"We still have had no offer in those negotiations, where such an offer can legitimately be made.

"We support the TUC day of action on 30 November," added Mr Prentis, "but will be negotiating right up to then and beyond to get a fair deal for our members."

Senior lay officials of the union are meeting throughout this afternoon to discuss the latest government statement on pensions and to decide what action to take as a result of the strike ballot.

The union balloted members including nurses, teaching assistants, social workers, care assistants, paramedics, police staff, school dinner ladies, probation workers and cleaners.

The turn-out was 30% in local government, 25% in health and 48% among members covered by the Civil Service scheme.

In local government, the votes were: Yes 171,428, No 54,500 - 76% in favour. In health, the figures were: Yes 73,930, No 15,753 - 82% in favour. The civil service scheme ballot saw an 87% Yes vote.

Seven separate ballots were held for the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the NHS Pension Scheme in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The official result of each ballot, provided by Electoral Reform Services, can be seen by clicking on the links below:

• Local government, England and Wales;
• Local government, Scotland;
• Local government, Northern Ireland;
• NHS, England and Wales;
• NHS, Scotland;
• NHS, Northern Ireland;
• Civil Service scheme.

A statement from the TUC Public Service Liaison Group, chaired by UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:

"At the meeting earlier today Danny Alexander and Francis Maude outlined a number of new proposals to the TUC negotiating team, including an improvement in the proposed accrual rates within the major public service schemes compared to their previous position, and new proposed transitional protections for those closest to retirement. They also indicated a long-term commitment to any agreed reforms not being reopened within the next 25 years.

"The PSLG welcomed this movement in the government's position which has come as a direct result of the strength of feeling and determination shown by public sector workers and the groundswell of support for the TUC's day of action at the end of this month.

"These proposals, and their detailed implications for the pensions offer within each scheme, will now need to be considered in detail within the sector specific negotiations, alongside all the other issues including proposed contribution increases, increases in the pension age, and the impact of the indexation change from RPI to CPI on which the government's position remains unchanged.

"All the unions have indicated throughout this process their determination to reach a negotiated settlement on all these issues. That remains the position and unions will engage intensively in the coming weeks. But unless and until further real progress is made and acceptable offers are made within those negotiations, unions remain firmly committed to continuing their preparations for the planned day of action on November 30.

"A further meeting of the PSLG will be held in November to consider reports on any progress made within the sector talks."

Detailed figures published today (November 2nd) by the Health and Safety Executive confirm that fatalities rose by 20 per cent in 2010/11, with 50 workers being fatally injured.

George Guy, Acting General Secretary of UCATT, said: “These figures are a terrible indictment on the dangers faced by construction workers. This rise in deaths came at a time when workloads are low. As work levels increase and new workers enter the industry, I fear that death rates will rise.

Mr Guy, added: “This situation is made far worse as the Health and Safety Executive will increasingly struggle to ensure workers safety, as they are facing cuts in their budget of 35% by 2015. Even before these cuts were introduced most construction workers only ever saw an HSE inspector when a death or serious injury had already occurred.”

The HSE figures also reveal that construction workers are the profession most at risk of developing occupational cancer. Construction accounts for 56% of occupational cancer registrations in men. The great risk remains exposure to asbestos, which accounts for 71% of cases where workers have been exposed to a carcinogenic substance.

Mr Guy, further added: “The risk of being exposed to asbestos or other carcinogenic substances is not purely historic. Workers continue to be exposed to lethal substances, on a daily basis. Employers know the risks and there must be no excuses to workers being exposed to lethal substances.”

Commenting on the statement today by Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander, GMB National Secretary Brian Strutton said: "The move today theoretically gives us around 8% more negotiating room and additional protection for some existing members. However we don't know how this will translate into actual proposals for the different pension schemes and it will take some time to work out the details. In addition there has been no movement on the 50% contribution hike and we still don't know what overall cost cap will be imposed. For these reasons my view is that we would want to explore the effect of the improved offer whilst still seeking answers on the outstanding matters. We will not be able to resolve these issues quickly or easily so our industrial action ballot continues as will negotiations."

GMB & WAR ON WANT OFFER SOLUTIONS TO RESOLVE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND DELIVER SOCIAL JUSTICE

GMB and War on Want today add their voices to growing international calls for structural economic reform, in the first combined union-charity statement to link the crises in Europe and in the developing world.

They call on world leaders meeting at the G20 summit in Cannes to abandon the ‘neoliberal’ economic model that they say has precipitated the worst recession in 80 years and to instead prioritise the long-term interests of their citizens.

The statement identifies the structural failings that have led to the current global crisis and highlights governments’ deregulation and pursuit of free trade that have enabled multinational corporations to maximise profits by driving down workers’ pay and conditions and decimating job security.

The statement comes less than a month before anticipated strikes on Wednesday 30 November, over which the GMB, alongside most other unions in the public sector, is balloting its members.

GMB and War on Want accuse the UK coalition government of responding to structural defects in its economic model with “an assault on the poorest members of society” and slam its efforts to make life easier for employers by ‘cutting red tape’: “What that really means is making it easier to dismiss workers without compensation and making it more difficult for unions to defend them.”

They propose a solution based on public accountability of companies, managed trade, stable commodity markets, progressive taxation, controls on capital, and new economic metrics to reflect social justice.

GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny said, “The current economic model is driven by growth and the accumulation of capital, often to the exclusion of all other objectives. This has fed a downward spiral of workers’ wages, terms and conditions. Governments must instead actively promote decent work, public accountability for companies, managed trade, stable commodity markets and progressive taxation.”

War on Want Executive Director John Hilary added, “From Wall Street to St Paul’s, from the streets of Athens to Tahrir Square, a growing movement is calling for an end to the economic system based on financial bubbles and corporate greed. If David Cameron and the G20 leaders want to remain relevant in the 21st century, they should drop their obsession with free markets and listen to their citizens.”

Joint GMB-War on Want statement

TSSA members, together with fellow rail unions, TUC leaders and passenger groups joined a protest at Parliament on 25th October, warning the Government against cutting rail jobs, increasing fares and closing ticket offices.

Rail unions said they feared ministers were preparing to implement the McNulty rail review, published in May, saying it would lead to the closure of more than 600 ticket offices, de-staffing stations, cutting the number of guards on trains and increasing fares even further.

Manuel Cortes, assistant general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association, said: "The McNulty proposals will worsen passenger services, turn some rail stations into no-go areas and hit taxpayers in the pocket as a consequence of adding to the already rising unemployment queues. They make no sense and are driven by political dogma."

Gerry Doherty, union general secretary, added: "Rail passengers and staff are facing their biggest threat since the Tories unleashed Dr Beeching on the rail network 50 years ago.

"On top of the McNulty cuts, the Tories are also raising fares by some 30% in just four years. We must fight for an affordable railway for everyone."

Frances O'Grady, the TUC's deputy general secretary, said: "With rail passengers being hit by price hikes and public subsidy increasing, the escalating costs of our dysfunctional privatised rail industry must be addressed.

"The Government has a clear choice. It can follow Europe with more efficient and cheaper rail systems under public ownership, or it can follow the McNulty report, cutting jobs and services, increasing the break-up of our rail network, and giving more power to private train operating companies.

"If the Government follows McNulty, our railways will be even more skewed towards the interests of shareholders.

"With three quarters of franchises up for renewal in the next five years, bringing rail services in-house would be a painless process. Europe shows us that integrated, publicly-owned railways eliminate the massive costs and inefficiency of the privatised rail market where shareholders, consultants, executives and lawyers are the winners."

The legal decision – made on appeal and therefore creating precedent – is the result of ASLEF contesting last December’s High Court decision to give London Midland an injunction to prevent industrial action. That was based on ‘defective’ notice given by the union and ‘inadequate’ explanations we had offered to describe the steps we had taken.

The Court of Appeal today agreed with the union and discharged the injunction which prevented our members taking lawful strike action. ASLEF, and other unions, have argued that the law permitting legal strikes is over-technical and that courts have often declared strikes illegal on minor technicalities and the smallest of errors.

This was shown quite clearly when the High Court last December prevented action in London Midland because we had accidentally given voting papers to two (of over 600!) members who we were not intending to call out on strike. The High Court said that was sufficient to grant an injunction. That has been reversed, with the Court of Appeal saying the law should have applied the ‘small accidental failures’ provisions.

The ruling also made clear that while unions must keep a register of members’ names and addresses it cannot always be expected to have an up-to-date record of workplaces or job categories. It also confirmed that the information given by ASLEF in the ballot notification was ‘as accurate as was reasonably practicable’.

‘Before today’s ruling it was effectively impossible to take legal strike action in this country,’ said Keith Norman. ‘If the employer could find the tiniest discrepancy, the courts would find in the employer’s favour. Thanks to today’s decision, a sense of justice and balance has been returned to industrial relations in this country.’

As part of the TUC's 'All Together for the NHS' campaign, UNISON wants activists, members and all supporters of the NHS to tell their local MP how concerned they are about government’s plans for the health service.

"We want members to go and book appointments with their local MPs in their surgeries on 1 or 2 April," UNISON national officer Sian Davies says.

"It's about getting together all the people who are concerned about the reforms and the impact they're going to have on the NHS and asking them to talk to their MPs about it and to demonstrate the support this country has for the NHS."

The 1 April date aims not only to highlight the foolishness of some of the plans, but also coincides with a key stage in the progress of the Health and Social Care Bill through the House of Commons, before it reaches the House of Lords.

The bill will bring into force the government’s changes to the NHS in England, leaving GPs to commission £80bn of the service's budget from 'any willing supplier' – a move described by UNISON's nursing and midwifery committee as "a toxic prescription for patients".

"This is probably the opportunity to really influence MPs around this and to make sure they know how concerned people are – not just health workers, but everybody who uses the NHS," Ms Davies says.

"We want everybody to turn up at their local MP’s surgery on the day."

The All Together for the NHS campaign brings together health unions with community groups and organisations such as the NHS Support Federation and the Socialist Health Alliance – organisations concerned about the scale and pace of the planned changes.

"The government is trying to railroad this through as quickly as it can," UNISON policy officer Guy Collis says, which is why it's important that as many people as possible get involved now.

This comes after a meeting between GMB and the Leader of Portsmouth City Council and the Chief Executive last week at which they proposed that the pay of non teaching staff should be cut by up to 1.5% with effect from 1 April 2011. The proposed cut would have been a permanent cut affecting overtime payments, future pensions and other terms and conditions of employment. GMB refused to agree to any such cut.

Portsmouth City Council is controlled by the Liberal Democrats. Revenue spending was £190.6 million in 2010/11 and it is due to decrease to £182.1 million revenue spending in 2011/12 and to £173.1 million in 2012/13. The council has already announced that 408 posts are under threat of redundancy.

Kevin Brandstatter, GMB Regional Officer said, "Portsmouth City Council is effectively trying to blackmail GMB members with this pay cut. It put to GMB that this was the only way to save jobs and prevent further compulsory redundancies. When pressed they admitted that no more than 50 jobs could be saved by all staff taking a pay cut.

During the discussions the Council admitted to having around £76m in reserves, of which £16m was in cash. Despite having these reserves the Council refused to use these reserves to prevent the very same job losses.

GMB members are unwilling to agree to cuts of this nature at a time of rising inflation. This cut would effectively lead to GMB members suffering a decline of over 6% in their income taking inflation into account. This is not acceptable. GMB's role is to protect members' terms and conditions of employment not surrender them."

The Unionis determined to retain the existing terms and conditions of employment of GMB members. GMB members are shocked and angered by these proposals. This is an assault on hard working public servants, many of whom are poorly paid.

GMB members will be further angered when they learn that Bankers who caused this crisis expect pay increases of 20%this year, on top of salaries that it would take many GMB members a decade to earn.

GMB will use all means at its disposal, including industrial action to protect our members interests. If the City Council makes any move to impose these cuts I will immediately apply to the GMB Central Executive Council for permission to have a strike ballot.

GMB expect a large number of members and their families to travel to London from the south coast 26th March for the TUC mass demonstration against the Government's policies. GMB will also be campaigning in the local election in the city in May to get a maximum vote against the Tory and Liberal parties who are imposing these cuts."

Baroness Margaret Eaton, Tory leader of the Local Government Association, rejected the case for further changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme in a leaked letter, warning that increased employee contributions and cuts in workforce numbers will jeopardise the viability of the scheme.

On the effect of raising the amount members pay, by up to an additional 3%, she warned: "There is strong evidence to suggest that the opt-out rate will be far greater than the 1% envisaged in the spending review announcement.

"Neither is there any evidence to suggest that full account has been taken of the likely reductions in the local government workforce over the spending feview period, a large proportion of which will be scheme members."

Reacting to Baroness Eaton's comments, UNISON national secretary for local government Heather Wakefield UNISON commented: "Everyone I've discussed this with – councillors, civil servants, council treasurers – agrees this is unworkable and will damage the viability of the scheme and the economy.

"We will be urging the government to think again."

Thomas Armstrong (Holdings) Ltd is a company with a range of different departments such as construction, transport, concrete production.

Kevin Young, GMB Northern Regional Organiser said, "GMB members at Thomas Armstrong have been that told that April 29 is a normal working day which will carry no bank holiday premium and if employees want to take the day off this will be done through the normal holiday booking procedure.

With the nation and the whole of Cumbria scheduled to enjoy the Royal Wedding and take in the festivities, what a killjoy way to operate. The least the company could do is stop penny pinching, give workers a break and then get on with the business after the Royal Wedding Day.

It just goes to show that in the UKsome managers take the attitude of no rest for the wicked and in the bargain let's work till we drop. What a way to run a Company."

GMB has been compiling the number of jobs under threat at local authorities across Britain. GMB now has figures for 297 local councils and the number of jobs under threat amounts to 165,172. GMB has added for the first time the number of jobs under threat at other public bodies including the NHS, universities, the MOD and the Environment Agency (EA). The table below summaries the total.

Local Authorities by Region (Total for 297 Councils)

North East 10,307

North West 29,812

Yorkshire & The Humber 21,403

East Midlands 11,900

West Midlands 21,758

Eastern 10,176

London 15,606

South East 13,866

South West 12,002

Wales 2,896

Scotland 15,446

Total Local Authorities 165,172

Total NHS Bodies 12,693

Total Other Public Bodies 6,208

Total Public Services jobs under threat 184,073

In nearly all of these councils and public bodies a 90 day statutory consultation period is underway on how to deal with these job losses. Most councils have given notice that they plan to delete vacant posts and seek volunteers for early retirements and redundancy.

Under the Trades Union and Labour Relations(Consolidation) Act 1992 employers are required to give the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills an advance (HR1) notification of potential redundancies and to send copies to recognized trades unions. Section 6 of the HR1 form sets out the number of possible redundancies and the date on the form triggers the 90 day consultation period. The information below on the levels of posts under threat is mainly drawn from this source. Where possible GMB officers have sought to establish the difference between the number of posts that will be in a council in April 2014 compared with number of posts in summer 2010. Section 4 deals with timing of redundancies and the most common date on the HR1 forms is 31 March 2011. Many volunteers for redundancy have already left their employment.

Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary said, "The Prime Minister has today pledged to sell-off or privatise all public services as no less than 184,073 public services jobs are under threat because of spending cuts his government has brought in. This is no less than a full frontal attack on public services workers in the name of the private sector bankers who caused this recession. His message to public sector workers who keep our society going is 'tough'.

This will be a disaster for most in society while benefiting a few profiteers. This may be an attempt to divert attention from the failed concept of the Big Society. David Cameron seems to want to completely tear up the whole fabric of our society in favour of commercialism and profiteering. It's an extreme view based purely on ideology – there is no evidence at all that the private sector runs anything better than the public sector. You only have to look at the experience of privatising gas, electricity and water, the disastrous experiment of PFIor the 2008 financial collapse to see that.

What Mr Cameron hasn't said anything about is how much his plans to bring in 'middlemen' will cost the taxpayer. In the short term, the billions of pounds in fees and giveaways to the financial backers of the big businesses who want to get their hands on the public purse – in the longer term paying for profits instead of services, profits squirreled away offshore to avoid tax. The whole thing stinks."

This at a time when public spending cuts may lead to an increase in domestic violence.

Conference heard that Theresa May, minister for women and equalities, had at the annual Women's Aid national conference in July 2010 claimed "Violence against women is and always has been a priority for me and my ambition is nothing less than ending it."

However, only one month later Ms May announced that a scheme set up to protect women from domestic abuse by removing violent partners from the family home was to be scrapped as part of the government's public service cuts.

Conference voted to lobby Ms May to "put her money where her mouth is" and offer stable funding for domestic violence support.

"This is not what we and the majority of the British public want," said Margaret McKee moving a motion to defend the NHS.

A recent survey had shown that only 27% of people backed the government's move to allow profit making companies to increase their role in the NHS.

Looking back at the achievements of the NHS over the last 20 years, Ms McKee said that breast cancer deaths had fallen by 40% over the last 20 years and that the UK had seen the largest fall in heart attack deaths of any European country.

"Our NHS is one of the best healthcare systems in the world, and we are very proud of it."

Despite the Tory promises that the NHS would be protected from public services cuts, in reality she said, there are huge budget cuts that disproportionately affect women as the majority of NHS staff are women, and women access healthcare more than men.

"We don't want an NHS that is based on huge profits for private companies at the expense of healthcare, David Cameron's actions against the NHS are unjustified and unjustifiable."

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: "Privatising the Royal Mail will be disastrous for people who rely on post offices and the mail service. Postal workers and the public in Nottingham will make their voices heard on Saturday against plans by this government which threaten to wreck UK mail services."

Lee Barron, CWU Midlands regional secretary, said: "People in Nottingham don't want the post to be privatised. We've already seen post office closures in Nottinghamshire and privatisation will bring more cuts and closures. Private companies are only interested in profit, not in delivering mail to every house, urban or rural, six days a week."

Details:

Date: Saturday 19th February

1pm: Assemble at Royal Mail's mail centre, Padge Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 2RR

2pm: March to New Venture Social Club, Technology Drive, off Meadow Road, Beeston for rally with speakers. Hospitality and live music after rally.

Flags, banners and plenty of noise will be made along the route. Speakers and local postal workers will be available for interview on the day.

The Bill, which passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons last month, has been delayed because of mammoth debate sessions on the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.

"Issues of accountability, protection of the universal service, defending the post office network and access to services for the elderly and those with disabilities are all set to be discussed by peers in the House," explained CWU general secretary Billy Hayes.

"The CWU has been extremely busy meeting House of Lords members over the past few weeks and we have tried to raise awareness among them of some of the crucial issues at stake in this legislation.

"It's my hope - and the hope of postal workers and members of the public right across the UK - that the Lords consider these issues very carefully and act to preserve UK postal services for all," Billy added.

Birmingham Factual faces a dramatic cut in staff numbers as 26 out of a total staff of 50 are put at risk. The plans affect producer/directors, assistant producers and researchers.

Meanwhile in Bristol, staff in the Factual department and in the Natural History Unit will learn today of plans to cut their numbers by 21 out of a total of 68 across the two teams. The grades affected include series producers and producers.

All of the affected staff are part of the BBC’s production arm, BBC Vision.

BBC accused of ‘stifling’ the departments

Commenting on today’s announcements, Anna Murray, national official said:

“BECTU is devastated to learn that such large numbers of talented staff are at risk of redundancy in Bristol and Birmingham.

“Today’s announcements contradict Mark Thompson’s statements only last month on Delivering Quality First. The union will challenge the fact that these announcements come before the promised BBC-wide consultations with staff. These staff in factual are the very people who can help the BBC to meet these objectives.

'Huge versatility'

“These production teams reflect huge versatility and make everything from high-end specialist wildlife programmes to daytime output. Their work reaches right across the BBC audience and more so than other BBC content.

“We believe that those at the top of the BBC have failed to manage the programme-making operation wisely and that staff in Birmingham and Bristol have been denied the opportunity to make a fair share of output. Those who control the channels and commission programmes have been allowed to by-pass in-house expertise; the result is that the development of sites like Birmingham and Bristol has been stifled.”

BECTU representatives will test BBC management on their proposals as the consultations get underway and will do everything possible to retain employment for the maximum number of staff.

UCATT issued the warning after learning that the frequency of accidents on the Olympic Village is double the rate on the Olympic Park.

Evidence shows that accident rates often increase on major projects during the final months, as there is a rush to finish the project. This can result in corners being cut on health and safety and workers being compelled to work excessive hours. Working excessive hours is a major factor in accidents as tiredness results in a greater number of mistakes occurring. The main construction phase of the Olympics is due to conclude this summer.

In recent weeks there has been growing reports of workers working excessive hours on the Olympics, especially on the Olympic Village.

Despite the Olympic Village being a much simpler construction project than the Olympic Park, the level of accidents are much higher. UCATT has learned that the Accident Frequency Rate on the Olympic Village is 0.24 for every million man hours worked, compared to an AFR of 0.11 on the Olympic Park.

Alan Ritchie , General Secretary of UCATT, said: “It is essential that everyone involved in the Olympics makes every effort to ensure that accidents do not increase during the final months of this project. While accident rates are currently not high, it is all too common for these rates to increase dramatically in a rush to finish a project. That must not be allowed to occur on the Olympics.”

The Olympic Park is governed by strict rules agreed at the inception of the project arranged between the Olympic Delivery Authority and the construction unions. Titled the Memorandum of Agreement this ensure that workers are employed directly and that minimum construction wage rates are guaranteed. By ensuring that workers are directly employed problems associated with a highly casualised workforce have been avoided.

Despite the Olympic Village also now being a publicly funded project the same rules do not apply to it, creating a more casualised environment, which impacts on safety levels. The level of casualisation are demonstrated by workforce surveys, which show that 82% of workers on the Olympic Park were receiving hourly pay above the London Living Wage rate of £7.85, however only 60% of the workforce on the Olympic Village report being paid the LLW or above.

UCATT have been campaigning to have the Memorandum of Agreement applied to the Village to boost safety levels, regularise working practices and to ensure that the correct rates are applied to the work being undertaken.

Mr Ritchie, added: “The Olympics demonstrates categorically that there is a clear link between casual working practices and accidents in the construction industry. It is essential that measures are taken to improve safety and working conditions on the Olympic Village.”

Despite the concerns about safety levels, on the whole the current safety record on the site is good, compared to many other construction projects. Currently there have been no fatal accidents on the Olympics and only a very small number of major injuries on the project.

Earlier this week Dennis Hone, the new Director of Construction on the Olympics, launched a new safety awareness campaign for Olympic workers.

No-one can doubt the benefit of music education in our schools. Both the Secretary of State for Education and Darren Henley’s recent review into Music Education in England speak in glowing terms of its importance and the place it should have in our schools.

The words however do not match up to the reality. Many music services have already been hit by cuts to Local Authority budgets. Freezing music funding for the next year does not ‘protect’ music services as the government claims. With inflation running at near 5% this is a real terms cut which will be compounded by the possibility of Local Authorities losing up to 10% of their music budgets as the government moves towards a national funding formula.

Diane Widdison, MU National Organiser, Live Performance & Teaching, says: ‘While we were pleased to see the recommendations made by the Henley review last week, we are concerned that these pro-music teaching proposals may have come too late for some music services. Over a third of music services have already issued redundancy notices because of cuts in Local Authority funding and it remains to be seen whether any of this damage can be undone. We strongly believe that every child should have the opportunity from preschool through primary and secondary to have quality music education and opportunities and we urge the Government to act quickly to safeguard jobs and music education provision.’

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the NUT, the UK’s largest teachers’ union, says: ‘I welcome the opportunity to be working together with the Musicians’ Union to ensure that our schools do not lose their music services. The stark divisions between the educational opportunities of children from different economic backgrounds is widening as a result of Government cuts to the education budget. It is essential that music becomes part of the National Curriculum. It is only through timetabled music lessons that a minimum entitlement with sufficient resources and teacher expertise can be guaranteed.’

In support of the MU/NUT partnership

Crispin Woodhead of Music Teachers UK says: ‘Musicians who teach make such a colossal and varied impact on the cultural life of the nation that their contribution is all too easy to underestimate. The threat of cutback looms heavily over the arts and so it has never been more important that this key professional group has the most powerful and eloquent voice to defend, support and promote the work that it does. A shoulder to shoulder partnership between the NUT and the MU is more than just good news, it gives hope to our music teachers and their countless pupils that a robust effort will be made to protect those working conditions, facilities and services that make music happen.

Baroness McIntosh, Chair of the Performers’ Alliance Parliamentary Group, says: ‘Music education should not be reserved for the privileged few who can afford to pay privately for it. All children should have the opportunity to participate in music – it opens the mind, engages the imagination and enriches other learning. Cutting music education impoverishes the whole curriculum for a very small saving.’

Ed Davey MP - the government Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs - represents the Kingston Constituency in Parliament and Saturday's protest was aimed at bringing home to Mr Davey the strength of feeling against Royal Mail privatisation.

"We're waking up Ed Davey and we're waking up Kingston," CWU general secretary Billy Hayes told the crowd at a rally before the demonstration headed off.

Billy went on to argue that the government's plans were not representative of the views of the UK public, who have shown their opposition to the Royal Mail sale in opinion polls taken among voters of all three political parties.

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward warned that postal workers would be fully justified in taking industrial action to defend their terms and conditions of employment if these came under threat through the privatisation process.

"Whatever happens at Westminster, if we have to take action to defend our members then we will," Dave vowed, adding that privatisation was not in the "interests of this country, the workforce or businesses."

Speakers from the Labour Party's Young Labour organisation, local Labour parliamentary candidate Max Freedman, students and the teachers' union NUT general secretary Christine Blower also pledged their support to the CWU campaign, after which surprise guest "Her Majesty the Queen" arrived.

"Rise up my subjects and together, let us all fight to Keep the Post Public," she urged the audience, who cheered at this apparent Royal approval. Protesters then set off, marching through Kingston to the surprise and interest of Saturday shoppers, lead by a drumming band to the banks of the River Thames.

The firm, now run by the DfT after National Express handed back the keys on the loss making route in 2009, is axing on board customer service staff in standard class and travel centre staff to give free alcohol and sandwiches to first class passengers from March.

It has warned the rail unions that it is looking to axe more than 100 jobs on the Kings Cross to Aberdeen route-around 10 per cent of all on board, platform and travel centre posts.

Gerry Doherty, union general secretary, accused the firm of turning back the clock to the Edwardian era by sacking staff to boost first class travel.

"I know that Edwardian dramas like Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs are all the rage but I never thought they would be used by a railway company as a basis for its industrial relations policy in this day and age.

"Here we are in the 21st century with a company running Toffs Specials with standard class passengers having their food trolleys scrapped altogether while first class passengers can drink as much beer and sandwiches as they want.

"It is an insult to both hard working staff and loyal passengers. Ministers should stop it at once."

National Express axed all first class dining cars in a failed attempt to cut costs when it was running the line which will now be kept in Government hands until 2013 when it will once again go back to the private sector.

Among the posts being axed are 46 on board staff who serve tea and sandwiches in standard class and a further 30 travel centre staff at main line stations at King Cross, Peterboroough, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

"It is simply wrong to axe jobs to fund first class travel perks," added the union leader.

"What will they think of next-bringing back the Fat Controller to boss the staff around?".

He said it would make more sense to fully restore the first class dining cars run by GNER which would encourage first class travel and create extra catering jobs.

Cutting back on travel centre staff would also force passengers to use ticket machines which sold more expensive and a more limited range of tickets.

"Ministers will be sending out the wrong message to all the other private train operators if they allow this to happen," he warned.

Whilst the Arts Council faces a 30 per cent cut in its government grant, the stipulation is that 'regularly funded organisations' should not suffer more than a 15 per cent cut in their funding over the next four years.

In addition, all arts bodies wishing to secure funding for the three years from April 2012 will be invited to submit their bids in January 2011. The Arts Council has committed to responding to applications by March 2011.

Commenting on the Arts Council's announcements, Gerry Morrissey, general secretary said:

"There is no doubt that budget cuts will test organisations both large and small. We are particularly concerned, looking ahead, that the Arts Council should set clear parameters for all organisations looking to secure ACE support from 2012."

"The cake will be smaller but it is essential, for the good health of the sector, that successful organisations, often operating on tight budgets, are not made unviable because of the requirement to run a more open application process at a time of cutbacks."