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The FT’s Undercover Economist rightly argues that, while boycotting Bangladesh would not work, what would is free trade unions. “Ultimately, whatever western consumers demand, what determines whether rules about working conditions are upheld is that workers on the factory floor have a voice and some power.”
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The online campaign network are mobilising to support a safety pact for the garment industry devised by global union federation IndustriALL. Help them lobby major fashion brands to take meaningful action in the wake of the Dhaka tragedy.
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A double bill of posts from our sister blog Stronger Unions today. First, Hugh Robertson looks at the proposed privatisation of the Cabinet Office “nudge unit”, and how a dogmatic preference for nudge over regulation is damaging the effectiveness of policy – especially in the field of safety.
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And also on Stronger Unions, Owen Tudor unpicks the objection in the wake of Bangladesh’s Rana Plaza tragedy, that campaigners and unions are seeking to raise wages in developing countries to developed country levels, which would result in the loss of jobs, and leave workers even worse off.
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For those confused about the mixed messages coming out of the IMF (against austerity in theory, arguing for Greece's austerity package to be relaxed, but still backing austerity in particular countries), Professor Wren-Lewis provides a plausible explanation
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Latest official stats for the Access to Work scheme that helps with the costs of adjustments to enable a disabled person to take-up or stay in a job. These show that the number of new ‘customers’ has fallen from 16,540 in 2009/10 to 9,930 in 2011/12.
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Chen Wang and Koen Caminada used Luxembourg Income Study data to analyse income inequality and redistribution in 36 countries.
"On average, transfers reduce income inequality by over 85
percent, while taxes account for only 15 percent of total redistribution. Among all welfare states, Continental European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxembourg) achieve the highest level of the reduction of initial income inequality."
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The Observer reports that the Work Programme has led to a huge increase in the number of unemployed people being 'sanctioned' -
"The number of cases has risen from 139,000 benefit cuts under Labour in 2009 to more than 500,000 in 2011."
But even that isn't enough for the private companies that run WP: they referred three times as many people for sanctioning as Jobcentre Plus actually sanctioned.
"By the time it's finished, more people will have been sanctioned by the Work Programme than properly employed through it."
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