Workplace Report November 2021

A year of extremes - LRD's annual survey of what's happening with pay; Latest case law on discrimination

Pay and prices

Earnings growth remains modest (124 words)

Official earnings growth was down across the board in August, continuing its two month dip. The figure for the whole economy still remains ...
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Labour Research Department’s Payline database (222 words)

Percentage increases on lowest basic rates (by agreements covered) ...
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Average weekly earnings (AWE) (241 words)

Regular pay excluding bonuses. Percentage annual increases ...
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Full-time weekly average earnings (33 words)

...
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XpertHR (21 words)

Median increases for three months to end of Septmber 2021 ...
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Prices (76 words)

1 Retail Prices Index (RPI), 
Jan ’87=100 ...
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2021 forecasts (40 words)

1 Fourth quarter ...
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Bargaining news

Fireworks on campus (795 words)

Pension cuts, coupled with declining pay, insecure contracts, unsafe workloads and equality failings are driving university lecturers to yet another ...
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Unions challenge bus companies (830 words)

While media attention has been focused on HGV drivers, a similar crisis has been quietly brewing in the bus sector. Shortages of drivers and other ...
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Refuse workers win through (305 words)

Refuse workers in the Amber Valley area of Derbyshire have been awarded a new deal, including a pay rise in line with inflation. The offer made by ...
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Local authority workers demand 10% (249 words)

Three trade unions representing local authority workers have moved a step closer to industrial action after their members collectively rejected the ...
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Strikes underway across FE (195 words)

University and College Union (UCU) members at six colleges took further strike action in October as their dispute over fair pay continued. ...
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Industrial action at Clarks (221 words)

In October, workers at the high street shoe brand Clarks began industrial action in a dispute over the company’s plans to fire and rehire workers ...
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Delivery drivers push back against cuts (255 words)

While drivers across the country have been pushing for better pay conditions at a time when labour shortages are severe, grocery delivery firm Ocado ...
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Equality news

UK ‘still not happy talking about race’ (320 words)

The UK is still unhappy talking about race, with only four in 10 employees saying that their employers are comfortable discussing the subject in the ...
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Pay gap reporting drops 11% (423 words)

The number of organisations reporting gender pay gap figures is down by 11%, according to analysis by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and ...
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Ending ageism could boost GDP (336 words)

Ageism will lock older workers out of employment following the end of furlough, experts from the Centre for Ageing Better have warned. ...
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Learning and training news

Skills fund is ‘too little too late’ (460 words)

There is a need for “urgent action on a much greater scale” to tackle skills and labour shortages than is envisaged in the government’s ...
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New qualification launched for train drivers in Wales (147 words)

Train drivers’ union ASLEF has worked with the Welsh government to launch the first accredited qualification for train driving in Wales. The new ...
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Recruitment and organisation news

New HS2 access accord reached (295 words)

A “significant” agreement allowing union access to workers on part of the HS2 rail development has been reached between the Unite general union ...
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Unite establishes activists "hub committee" at freeport (54 words)

General union Unite has established a cross-sector “hub committee” of its activists at the Teesside freeport in an effort to prevent a “race to ...
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Ballot leads to recognition (78 words)

The GMB general union has won a claim for recognition for workers at two Fablink Tank Systems sites in County Durham, following a ballot ordered by ...
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Unite seeks recognition at the FCA (35 words)

Unite is campaigning to get formal recognition at the Financial Conduct Authority. It follows what it calls “the massive growth in staff joining ...
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European news

French home care workers face health risk (331 words)

Workers providing care to people in their own home have a fragmented pattern of work, are isolated and face emotional stress – those are some of ...
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German union wants deal extended (516 words)

Germany’s service sector union ver.di has signed agreements on pay increases in retail across the country but it recognises that many shopworkers ...
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Polish court workers reach agreement, but protests continue (92 words)

A group of unions representing court workers reached agreement with the ministry of justice on a six-point document last month, which, among other ...
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Spanish prices outstripping wage increases (104 words)

Prices are outstripping wages in Spain according to the latest figures, and, while the trend for prices in up, the trend for wages is down. The most ...
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Irish minimum wage increases (65 words)

The National Minimum Wage in Ireland will be €10.50 an hour from 1 January 2022. The increase from the current level of €10.20 was announced in ...
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Law - Discrimination

Discrimination — the law (541 words)

Discrimination law is found in the Equality Act 2010 ( EA10). The EA10 lists nine “protected characteristics”: age; disability; gender ...
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Compulsory retirement can be justified (999 words)

Since 1 October 2011 it has been unlawful for an employer to have a default retirement age (DRA) unless it can be objectively justified by showing ...
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Denying part-time workers paid breaks was not unlawful (712 words)

James Campbell was employed by a health board as a phlebotomist to work 16 hours a week on a six-week rota. A full-time worker worked 37.5 hours per ...
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No evidence of disability (570 words)

David Seccombe began his employment as a supply chain manager in November 2016. ...
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Continuing pay was not a reasonable adjustment (799 words)

Ms Aleem began her employment as a science teacher in 2000 with the academy’s predecessor before her employment was transferred across. In March 201 ...
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Discretionary policy did not prevent discrimination (499 words)

Ms Martin started working for Swansea Council in January 2014 as an equality engagement officer and in April 2015 was redeployed into the position of ...
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Requiring foster carers to refrain from “homosexual activity” was unlawful (437 words)

Cornerstone is an independent fostering agency (IFA) that recruits and supports foster carers and adoptive parents. Ofsted is the statutory body ...
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Health & safety news

Union demands action on sexual violence (255 words)

The NASUWT teaching union has rejected the government’s “warm words” on the issue of violence against women and girls and demanded action “to ...
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‘Union busting is causing accidents’ (233 words)

The Unite general union says a recent spate of accidents on a section of the HS2 tunnelling and track-laying construction project in London is down ...
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Unions voice road safety worries (332 words)

The government has failed to carry out an impact assessment of the road safety implications of extending HGV driving hours, according to Unite. It ...
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Personal injury compensation wins mount (85 words)

The UNISON public services union won an “incredible” £1.7 million in settlements in almost 200 personal injury cases in August 2021 alone, it ...
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Prison officers’ union highlights PTSD study (93 words)

The POA prison officers’ union has highlighted new research raising awareness and developing understanding of the experiences of ex-prison officers ...
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Personal attack alarms receive thumbs up (71 words)

CWU communications union members have welcomed a “landmark” agreement to provide personal attack alarms to postal delivery workers. CWU national ...
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Health & safety - HSE Monitor

HSE makes first Covid spot check prosecution (241 words)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced the first prosecution arising from a Covid spot check. Construction principal contractor Umar ...
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Crackdown on construction dust danger (301 words)

A month-long inspection initiative beginning in early October saw the HSE “crack down hard” on construction dust, which kills thousands of ...
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Study shines spotlight on Covid call centre risks (244 words)

A new model to predict the risk of airborne Covid-19 infection in workplaces, developed by the HSE-led PROTECT Covid-19 national core study, has ...
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New Covid ventilation resources launched (148 words)

The HSE has collaborated with the BOHS occupational hygiene and worker health protection charity to develop a free, non-technical, online ventilation ...
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HSE to hold conference (93 words)

The HSE will hold its first health and work conference on 16 November 2021. The free, interactive, all-day event will take place online and will ...
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Features

A year of extremes (4,460 words)

Our annual survey of the year’s pay developments reports on the highs and lows of pay bargaining under the pandemic, at a time when rising ...
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