On Saturday, 18 May, Ruskin College staff, students past and present, and trade union activists from all over the country marched in Oxford. They were there to show their solidarity with Dr Lee Humber, the Ruskin College lecturer who was recently suspended, seemingly for no other reason than being a trade union activist. Jo Land writes for the People's assembly

The college workers union, UCU, have declared a dispute with Ruskin College, Oxford, and will be sending the college official notification tomorrow.
It’s a dispute that should never have happened.
John Rees writes for The People's Assembly

Dr. Lee Humber

When did austerity start? 

Nine years after Tory PM David Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg ushered in “an age of austerity” it’s a scam that neo-liberals are still fully behind writes Kevin Vickers

Theresa May tweeted this week that “The employment rate is the highest since records began in 1971” and added that the government was delivering “a stronger fairer economy that works for everyone”
There are many factors to consider before we fall for more fudged figures from the Tories...

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) today launched a strike ballot of 120,000 members working in key UK government departments over pay.

Ministers have refused to lift the de-facto pay cap for civil servants last year despite giving other public sector workers a pay rise.

Since 2010 civil service pay has fallen by comparison with rises in the cost of living and the average civil servant, on a £26,000 salary, is now worse off by £2,110 a year.