BA Strike-Latest update

This is an email I received today from my union 'Unite' regarding the dispute with British Airways:-

BA dispute - we’ve gone the extra mile
On the eve of the strike by BA cabin crew, we can put our hand on our hearts and honestly say we have done all we possibly could to find a peaceful solution to this dispute. This week Unite offered to suspend the strike and all we asked for in return was for BA to put its original deal back on the table to let our members decide.
Remember, this dispute is not about gain. Crew are not seeking more money or better conditions. They are fighting because BA stopped negotiating and imposed changes that cut 1,000 crew members from flights – cuts that crew believe are a disaster for BA’s reputation as a premier airline.
Crew do live in the real world, they know BA is suffering – they like other workers all over the country during this recession, have been prepared to make big sacrifices to save jobs.
As this dispute has dragged on it has become increasingly clear to Unite that BA wants more than cost savings. Crew offered BA savings to match those made by BA’s crew cuts. Unite believes that Willie Walsh’s end game is to destroy the crew’s union.
Cabin crew have received amazing messages of solidarity from aviation unions from around the world. BA cabin crew now need your support. Attached is a leaflet explaining what this strike is about - please send this to your colleagues and help our members win their fight for a say in their future.
Tony Woodley Derek Simpson
Joint General Secretaries

Pass this on to anyone you know, thanks!

Newcastle Science Festival

Yesterday I spent at Newcastle Science Festival making an electronic device for switching off any tv with my eldest daughter Alice (my other two kids were busying themselves at other parts of the maker faire).

 Download programme

This was at the maker faire in the Centre for Life. There was loads of other stuff going on for those of us with geeky tendencies, a robot that can solve Rubiks cube, Tesla coil music and much more.
There is a certain satisfaction in making something yourself that works when you've completed it and for this I must also thank the genial Mitch Altman for helping and encouraging us during the construction process.  Later we had much fun putting this device to good use at the Metro Centre.

If you get the chance I urge you to go to the Science Festival, you'll certainly have a great time!

Electrical power chargers go BANG!!!

I have just read a very interesting article via my professional institution the IET.  It concerns the safety of electrical power chargers bought over the internet and in particular via auction websites like ebay.  I would urge you to read the article here and there is also a very good guide to buying electrical equipment over the internet here.

Sunbeds and local authorities

I see Sunderland is being targeted in a high profile campaign by Cancer Research UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/8544460.stm. This is a worthy campaign and if successful I expect other cities will also be targeted in a similar way.  More worrying is the promotion of sunbed use in local authority facilities such as leisure centres (see Cancer Research Uk policy statement here).  On this note, I found that my own local leisure centre in Washington is promoting sunbeds on their website as a facility available to use  (see here).  This in my mind is sending a mixed message to the general public, on the one hand, leisure centres promote fitness and wellbeing, on the other there is good evidence showing the dangers of sunbeds and the increase of skin cancer as a result of their use.  I wrote to my local MP (Sharon Hodgson) highlighting this paradox and received a heartening reply in which she is

"pleased to support the current Cancer Research UK campaign."

She has also agreed to contact Sunderland City Council to ask for clarification about their policy on sunbed use.
More to follow, I'm sure!.