Web usability expert Jakob Nielsen seems to be on the defensive this week. It looks like someone asked him why he doesn’t have a blog just one time too many, and his latest weekly article is about how a real expert should set themselves apart from the madding crowds of the blogosphere and focus on …
Yes – this year’s Tolpuddle Festival has SOLD OUT of tickets for the camp site, which must put it on course for a record attendance. I won’t be going. Mainly because of family committments, but officially I’m not going because I’m boycotting this year’s headliners, Chumbawamba, who I well & truly despise. Mrs is a …
Eek! Spotted at Charing Cross this morning – an advert for a new Kent housing development, with a logo I’m sure I’ve seen somewhere before. Indeed, a quick shufty at their website seems to confirm it. “The traditions of yesterday”, “cricket green”, “all the benefits normally associated with a exclusive country club.” The pub is …
Sad news today – the Sheffield Wool Shear Workers’ Union has folded after 117 years representing people working in the manufacture of sheep shears in Sheffield. I never met any of them, but like a lot of unionists had a bit of a soft spot for SWSWU, as they gave the UK union movement a …
Solidarity, the right nationalist ‘trade union’, might not be nearly as much use to their members as a real union, but they are at least excelling in one area – splits and squabbles. Over the past week, a very entertaining story has been emerging. It seems that Pat Harrington, General Secretary (and occasional commenter to …
There’s a petition doing the cyber-rounds at the moment, encouraging people to press for a ballot on reversing the NUJ conference (ADM) decision on boycotting Israel. I’ve been thinking about this for some time, as I oppose the boycott, and was pretty dismayed when it went through. The case against the boycott, and the similar …
Unexpected tribute to Tony on the RMT’s website. Their latest poll: “Will you be glad to see the back of Tony Blair?” resulted more than two to one against, with 71% of people saying they’ll miss him. Are Bob and his members mellowing now that he’s named the date, or is it maybe just that …
Just back from Singapore and Hong Kong. Much that’s strange to report (I’d never been to Asia before), but on a union-geek tip, I found this quite amusing: two official attempts to promote good workplace health & safety. Singapore’s government might politely be described as ‘paternalistic’, so they don’t have the hang-ups about mounting an …
Off to debate union blogging (amongst plenty of other stuff) with UNI‘s Communicators’ Forum in their Asia Pacific region next week, so I’m sort of practicing what I preach and have made them a nice group live-blog for everyone who will be attending the conference (www.unicommunicators.org). If you’re interested in what UNI-affiliated unions from other …
Congratulations to the drivers (though not the management by the sounds of it) of Eddie Stobart’s haulage firm. The Edinburgh Evening news reports that they refused extra payments of £500 each for a special assignment, when they found out that it was to strike-break against the UNITE-T&G distribution members at Tesco in Livingstone, Scotland. UNITE-T&G’s …