Marxist. Trade Unionist. Socialist-feminist. Author. Poet. Speaker. Tutor. RMT ex-Exec. Workers' Liberty. Autie. Bi. PUFC fan.
Working nine-to-five, round-the-clock shifts, only when the boss wants you or not working at all …
This is a partcularly poignant year for the annual Workers’ Memorial Day, with key workers dying in the fight against Covid-19. Janine will be contributing some poems as Waltham Forest Trades Council remembers the dead and rededicates itself to fight … Read More
personal protective equipment proves particularly effective preventing pandemic excretion polluting public environments profit pursuers expect priority, private enterprise prevails: purchasing essentials proves prohibitively expensive production postponed, exhausted public protectors endangered political patent expired pay packets empty premier’s proxy explains ‘patience, … Read More
Also on the RMT London Calling website here. Disabled transport workers are a significant and valuable part of the workforce that delivers transport to millions of passengers and freight consignments every day. Many of us are also particularly vulnerable during … Read More
You have no skills – you’re just a carer, a labourer, an apron-wearer, You smear on cream and dish out pills – you don’t have skills. You have no skills, you just wipe arses, the underside of the underclasses, You … Read More
I wrote this for my employer’s intranet Living With .. series written by disabled workers, and thought I’d share it here too. What is monocular vision? I only have sight in my left eye. Some people lose sight in one … Read More
Call centre working is a danger to your mental health. Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, high blood pressure, sleeping problems and even suicidal thoughts are common among call centre workers. More than 4 in 5 respondents to a Unison survey said … Read More
As call centre workers face a mental health crisis, Janine advocates organising for workplace change.
A villanelle about the deaths of workers at the Crossrail Bond Street site. Don’t go down to level five A killer’s prowling in the deep Stay away and stay alive Worker bees construct a hive of industry, where toxins seep … Read More
Fatima’s autism makes her hypersensitive to bright lights, so she can’t work in our office, poor thing. OR The bright lights in our office make Fatima distressed as she is autistic and unusually sensitive to light. She can work here … Read More
When workers leave their homes to graft by muscle or by brain The least they need is safety from the dangers and the strain So those who wave their loved ones off can wave them home again Flowers will lie … Read More
Every year we send our tribunes to knock upon the golden door and take our just demands there with them – place our claim, our case for more The masters let them ask and close their eyes and sigh that times … Read More
Janine will be a panellist at this enquiry session set up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism, called to consider the impact of ten years of the Autism Act.
It’s our annual meet to judge how you’ve conformed So please take a seat – how have you performed? Your targets aren’t SMART and it’s really a shame That you didn’t take part in our team-building game Your goals are … Read More
Ever wondered why only 16% of autistic adults have a full-time job? He worked alone, not a team player Not a keeper or a stayer Didn’t fit in, not really our sort Talked about boring stuff not sport We had to … Read More
by PCS rep, Helen Sheridan Never give a trade unionist a platform if you want to get away on time. I hope you’re all sitting comfortably. For anyone who cares about these things, my name is Helen Sheridan and I … Read More
Autistic, dyspraxic, dyslexic and other people with atypical brain wiring have particular experiences under capitalism. These experiences have positive and negative aspects, and for many people include distress and disadvantage. What are the roots and the causes of this experience? … Read More
Written for and published by TotalJobs.com, here. Work can be an uphill climb for autistic people. Colleague support can smooth out the gradient and make it easier going, explains Janine Booth, co-chair of the TUC Disabled Workers’ Committee. Each … Read More
Published on the PCS blog on 10 April 2017: For autism awareness month, trainer and campaigner Janine Booth blogs about the neurodiversity in the workplace course she is running for PCS. Last week, the first regional PCS neurodiversity in the workplace course … Read More