IUF News: New study highlights elevated breast cancer risk for women working in chemical ‘toxic soup’

IUF News
New study highlights elevated breast cancer risk for women working in chemical ‘toxic soup’
Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:32 AM PST
An important recent study by the UK’s Stirling University suggests that women working in particular industries run double or more the risk of developing breast cancer. In the IUF sectors, women working in agriculture, food packaging, canning, bars and the gaming industry, were identified as being at heightened risk.

Read more here

Firefighters will strike again on 13 November and hold new ballot for further forms of industrial action

Firefighters today announced that a fourth strike on pensions will take place between 10am and 2pm on Wednesday 13 November in England and Wales.

This follows the decision of the government in Westminster to worsen proposals on firefighter pensions.

In addition the Fire Brigades Union announced the start of a further ballot for other forms of industrial action, which will close on Wednesday 4 December.

On the new strike date, FBU General Secretary, said: “Our members enter burning buildings for a living, and will not be intimidated by the government’s decision to worsen their proposals. This latest attack will simply harden the resolve of firefighters.

“Ministers continue to ignore the professional, evidence-based case firefighters have presented over the past three years and refuse to establish an affordable occupational pension scheme which reflects the occupation of firefighting.

“There seems to be little or no understanding of what our members actually do or the standards they are required to meet.”

On the new ballot for further industrial action, Wrack said:

“Although we still hope the government returns to negotiations, our members have told us that they are prepared for a long, hard campaign if necessary.

“As a result we are now balloting for further forms of industrial action.

“The fire and rescue service is totally reliant on the goodwill of firefighters on the front line. Many are now performing additional duties and additional hours as a result of central government funding cuts.

“There is precious little goodwill left in view of these attacks and that I am confident that will be reflected in this further vote.

“I urge the government to come back and talk about all the issues in dispute.”

Fire Minister, Brandon Lewis, told firefighters on Friday 1 November that he had withdrawn June proposals on firefighters taking their pension before 60.

The FBU has argued that firefighters are likely to experience a decline in fitness in their 50s, meaning that they would be unlikely to meet the fitness standards required in the fire service.

Chief Fire Officers last week highlighted that the government’s proposals would mean firefighters facing a choice between the loss of almost half their pension or dismissal for failing to reach the standards.

Trade unions need to toughen up

Polly Toynbee (Welfare dependency isn't the problem. Pitiful pay is, 1 November) is undoubtedly right to point to widespread passivity against the background of "pitiful pay" for many and eroding real wages for many more. Some of the most drastic restrictions on trade union activity in the western world are part of the explanation. But when I scoured the pages of the same edition of the Guardian, I could not find a single mention of the 31 October strike by tens of thousands of members of three unions – Unison, Unite and the UCU – taking co-ordinated action for the first time across Britain's universities over the issue of endemically low pay.

For the majority of direct employees the real value of pay has shrunk by nearly 15% in the past five years, while thousands in the higher education sector work on hourly rates well below the current standards for the "living wage", not to mention thousands more on outsourced contracts on the £6.31 an hour national minimum. And as in the FTSE boardrooms, the salaries of university chancellors and other executives continues to balloon, with more than half now on remuneration packages exceeding £250,000 a year. The fact that thousands were and remain prepared to take a stand over pay in a sector hardly renowned for union militancy surely warranted coverage in Britain's foremost liberal daily.
George Binette
Unison, Camden branch secretary