GMB Union's cover photo

The government looks set to repeat the blue passport fiasco by putting ANOTHER order of national significance out to tender abroad There’s NO excuse for sending new Royal Navy support ship contracts overseas. We already have a highly skilled UK shipbuilding workforce who could make these ships and provide benefits to the UK economy Read our new report on the order here: www.gmb.org.uk/turning-the-tide

Our investigation reveals German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, South Korean & Spanish companies are eyeing up this critical £1bn UK contract - shipbuilding workers disillusioned by orders flowing overseas while highly skilled jobs at UK yards are cut.

BREAKING: main speaker for 12 May Trades Union Congress (TUC) New Deal national rally announced. Will you march with Jeremy Corbyn. GMB and thousands of others for a new deal for working people? ℹ️ https://www.tuc.org.uk/new-deal-working-people-tuc-march-and-rally 📝 https://tuc.good.do/newdealmarch/pledge/ 🗓 https://www.facebook.com/events/1534163209986439/

🚢⚓🇬🇧 "There really can be no excuse for sending our shipbuilding contracts overseas. We have a highly skilled shipbuilding workforce in the UK that is more than capable of making these ships" GMB National Officer for shipbuilding Ross Murdoch More >>

An indication of the enormous levels of stress being suffered by staff. Successive ministers have buried their heads in the sand, leaving the emergency services at breaking point, and it must end now >>

Kevin Brandstatter, national officer of the GMB union, said: “PFI deals represent a scandalous waste of taxpayers’ money. “But seeing them in the NHS is particularly disturbing. Our health service is desperately short of cash and the last thing it needs are blood-sucking companies leeching its precious resources. It’s shameful that our NHS trusts spent £2billion last year alone on their PFI contracts. That’s money that should be spent on patients."

The NHS pay deal is complicated and its impact will vary from individual to individual. This is why we're recommending members reject it >> GMB Union Public Sector Workers

Tim Roache: “Playing politics with meals for hungry kids is beyond the pale. No one is going to be fooled by smoke and mirrors when we struggling families know the reality. It’s time for Ministers to stop messing about and put sorely needed money towards the facilities and staff we need to provide healthy meals. How can feeding kids who need a warm meal in their belly even be a point of debate?”

Shocking - ministers need to do more. It’s taken too long, but guaranteeing Carillion apprentices their wages is the least the government can do given it created this mess in the first place. Good work Angela Rayner and Stephanie Peacock MP for keeping the pressure on >>

Ministers need to put the needs of working people and communities ahead of their own backbenchers' obsessive backbiting - Tim Roache on new polling by Survation >> http://www.gmb.org.uk/poll-public-government-brexit-survation

NEW BREXIT POLL: one year out, the public clearly disagree with the Government's handling of Brexit. Ministers must start putting the needs of working people and communities first. The key findings via independent pollsters Survation here >>

We know the PM doesn't like to meet real working people on these tours of the UK, but with these poll findings (via independent Survation poll) in mind maybe this time she should do - and she should listen to their very real concerns 👇👇 🗳 Only 15% think the Government is handling the Brexit process well, with more than three times as many (48%) saying it is being handled badly 🗳 Less than a third (28%) of people believe the Government has put jobs, wages and living standards as a top priority in Brexit negotiations 🗳 A total of 67% think Brexit is a distraction the Government from other important issues facing the county 🗳 Currently only 20% of the public this it is likely the Conservative government will provide an additional £350 million a week for the NHS after Brexit. Within that 20%, only 8% say it's 'very likely' (📊 full data tables available at: http://survation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Final-GMB-Tables-070317NFCH-1C0D3H8-2.0.pdf)

From Making It with the Mayor to National Equality Conference - lots of new updates up on GMB Active this week. Read more >>

At this rate, a Tory hard Brexit is going to be a passport to nowhere for our manufacturing industry - please sign the petition to keep passports made here in the UK

NHS pay offer update from GMB Union Public Sector Workers >>

🎉 Recent awards day for staff at HC One Beechcroft care home was an amazing success - thanks to fab reps Ann + Barbie Stoddart (who you might remember from our #WeCare at Christmas series. http://www.gmb-wecare.org ). Our members and reps do great work 365 days a year!

People like Jacob Rees-Mogg say they want a Brexit that works for everyone, but then agree to have our own passports made elsewhere in a move completely against UK workers (and his own constituents). SIGN: The Govt must reverse the blue passport farce https://campaign.goingtowork.org.uk/petitions/we-demand-the-new-blue-uk-passport-is-made-in-britain-to-support-uk-jobs?source=gmb

🛂 "When Theresa May promised a red, white and blue Brexit we didn't think she was on about the French flag. At this rate, a Tory hard Brexit is going to be a passport to nowhere for our manufacturing industry." Tim Roache ✒ We're delighted to be backing the Daily Mirror campaign demanding the new blue passports are made here in the UK to protect our manufacturing jobs. Please sign the petition >> https://campaign.goingtowork.org.uk/petitions/we-demand-the-new-blue-uk-passport-is-made-in-britain-to-support-uk-jobs?source=gmb

Thanks to all members and non-members getting in touch about the NHS pay deal. All members affected will get a vote. You deserve an informed choice on the offer and we'll be in touch with all details. Not a member? Join to make sure you get your say: www.gmb.org.uk/join