Examines the pattern of bidding by private contractors and housing associations and the award of contracts to manage council housing in London Boroughs. Assesses pricing information and average tender unit costs. Commissioned by Greater London UNISON (18 pages).

A SCAT Publications expose of a ruthless cleaning contractor that launched Mediclean Ltd in 1982 to bid for NHS contracts. Victorian values – Victorian wages summed up their approach, led by one Michael Ashcroft, later Lord Ashcroft and a former Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party (8 pages).

Results of a Improving Jobs and Services Survey of the Employment and Public Services Department, Darlington Borough Council, that examined job control and satisfaction, ideas for improving services and links between workers and service users, and health and safety issues. The Shop Stewards Committee were involved in the design of the survey and held a…

Commissioned by South Shields Trades Council, this report examines the relationship between housing policy and industrial policies and employment in an area of industrial decline and change. It is a critical analysis of attempting to expand the private housing market through the sale of council housing and land to attract industrial investment (48 pages).

Produced for Sheffield City Council and details the potential impact of outsourcing on local authority jobs in the city, the effect on the local economy and accelerate changes in the labour market. Quantifies public sector costs and national implications (64 pages).

Four tenants associations from Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leeds formed an alliance, the Yorkshire Development Tenants Action Group that succeeded in getting 1,900 damp and defective flats demolished. This report describes how it was done, the mistakes and the lessons learnt (48 pages).

An overview of a looming housing crisis – house building back to the 1920s, rocketing rents, increased subsidies for private housing, improvement slows, repairs backlogs rise. Makes the case why housing is important for the labour movement and provides examples of local organising and action (4 pages). London’s Homes – The Fight Is On, 1981…

BIG Business is after your job, 1982, explains the threat of privatisation, what it means for jobs, services and users, and developing strategies, for NUPE London Division (4 pages). Social Services for Sale, 1984, shoes how children, the elderly and disabled bear the brunt of cuts and privatisation, the effects of rate capping and cashing…

Details asset stripping of the public sector, explains why council housing is important, who’s demanding the sale of council housing, why sales are disastrous, alternatives to sales and action strategies. Published in 1980 and supported by 50 national, regional and city-wide tenants organisations, trade unions and other organisations, this is an expanded version of the…

We’re Coming Out from under the carpet: Job Satisfaction Cleaners & Caretakers – the results of a job satisfaction survey of school cleaners and caretakers – more quality training, better communications between management and staff, improved equipment and cleaning materials and 35% said women were discriminated against in promotion opportunities (16 pages). Fight Rate Capping,…