Pay and prices

Manufacturing sets pace for settlements (221 words)

The latest figures from the LRD Payline database show the first movement in settlements for some time. ...

Labour Research Department three-monthly pay figures (77 words)

Percentage increases on lowest basic rates (by agreements covered) ...

Other pay analysts (23 words)

Industrial Relations Services (median, three months to end November 2006) 3.0% ...

Average earnings indices (including bonuses) (52 words)

Earnings index*Annual riseWhole economyManufacturingServicesPrivate sectorPublic sectorAugust 2005 (r)122.14.1%4.3%4.1%4.1%4.3%September (r)122.33.8%4.5%3.5%3.8%4.0%October (r)122.43.2%4.5%2.9%3.0%4.1%November123.13.5%4.4%3.4%3.2%4.4%December124.04.2%4.4%3.9%3.9%4.7%January 2006124.53.0%5.0%2.8%2.9%4.1%February125.85.0%5.2%5.1%5.3%4.1%March125.34.4%4.8%4.4%4.4%4.3%April124.83.5%5.9%3.2%3.7%2.9%May125.94.4%5.7%4.2%4.7%3.7%June126.64.9%5.8%4.9%5.3%3.7%July126.53.9%4.8%3.8%3.8%4.1%August (r)126.83.8%5.3%3.7%3.9%3.2%Sept (r)127.34.1%5.4%4.2%4.3%3.4%October (p)127.74.3%5.3%4.4%4.5%3.2%Headline rate** for Oct4.1%5.3%4.1%4.2%3.3% ...

Full-time weekly average earnings (16 words)

All workers£549.70All male£604.60All female£464.00Managers£829.30Professionals£746.20Associate professional£567.60Admin & secretarial£364.60Skilled/craft£458.40Services£320.90Sales£304.20Operatives£422.50Other manual£328.20 ...

Prices (10 words)

Retail prices index (RPI)*Annual increasesRPIRPI excluding mortgages September 2005193.12.7%2.5%October193.32.5%2.4%November193.62.4%2.3%December194.12.2%2.0%January 2006193.42.4%2.3%February194.22.4%2.3%March195.02.4%2.1%April196.52.6%2.4%May197.73.0%2.9%June198.53.3%3.1%July198.53.3%3.1%August119.23.4%3.3%September200.13.6%3.2%October200.43.7%3.2%November201.13.9%3.4% ...

Inflation forecasts (17 words)

Fourth quarter 2006 ...

Bargaining news

Single status dispute in Glasgow is resolved (676 words)

Public services union UNISON has reached an important agreement with Glasgow City Council over the implementation of "single status" - but is still in ...

HBOS pay deal will benefit low-paid staff (277 words)

Banking giant HBOS will allocate more than £8 million to boosting the pay of its most junior workers under a 2007 pay award agreed ...

Guardian web journalists get pay rises of up to £12k (543 words)

Journalists' union the NUJ is celebrating the successful conclusion of two long-running disputes involving its members in the national and regional press. ...

Tunnock's staff get to have their teacake and eat it (180 words)

A dispute over workers' demands for an extra 4p an hour at biscuit-maker Tunnock's has been resolved after two 24-hour stoppages. ...

Lecturers teach university a lesson (402 words)

A strike threat at Britain's newest university has resulted in improved pay structures and the scrapping of plans to impose a non-negotiated, inferior contract ...

Equality news

Euro court will rule on forced retirement (258 words)

Lecturers' union UCU has warned that imminent staffing shortage in further education colleges could become much worse if employers prevent their staff from working ...

Extend sexual orientation law to all, demands union (252 words)

Public services union UNISON has called for legislation preventing discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity to include religious organisations, and for ...

Government outlines plan for more paternity leave (264 words)

The government has confirmed that it intends to introduce a new right for working fathers to take additional paternity leave - but has not ...

Recruitment and organisation news

Union reaches for the sky in civil aviation campaign (307 words)

The T&G transport union's drive to strengthen union organisation in the civil aviation industry received a boost this month as it signed a recognition ...

Direct action forces City firms to clean up their act (404 words)

Office cleaners in the City of London have scored two early victories in their direct action campaign against low pay and lack of union ...

Maritime battle ends in union victory (253 words)

Public service unions PCS and Prospect have finally secured recognition at the National Maritime Museum (NMM) in London, following votes in favour by their ...

Learning and training news

Leitch Review calls for a radical training shake-up (378 words)

Employers could be forced to invest in training their staff, if radical proposals contained in a government-commissioned report are adopted. ...

T&G helps to build up workers' skills (126 words)

A workplace learning project set up by the T&G general union and Tarmac Topblock is helping staff at the Essex-based manufacturer of building materials ...

European news

Redundancy package wins over VW staff (169 words)

German car manufacturer Volkswagen has agreed above-average redundancy terms for workers leaving its Forest plant in the Belgian capital, Brussels. ...

New equality agreement is signed at Paris airports (602 words)

Aéroports de Paris, operator of the major airports in the French capital, has agreed to implement measures promoting sex equality among its workforce. ...

Dutch unions reach call-centre deal (219 words)

FNV Bondgenoten, the largest trade union in the Netherlands, has reached an agreement with the employers' association representing firms that provide call centres to ...

Law - Tribunal procedures

Tribunal case law (419 words)

This month's cases include rulings on the situations in which time limits on claims can be extended. ...

Abuse of process (234 words)

Frank Palma was employed by a local authority as a residential child care worker. In 2001 he brought a claim for unlawful deduction of ...

Striking out a claim (295 words)

Mr Letherbarrow was a director of a company which he co-owned with his wife. At the time of his appeal hearing, they were in ...

Amending a claim (326 words)

Mr Martin was made redundant and brought claims of unfair dismissal and redundancy. On the first day of his tribunal hearing, he applied to ...

Appearance of bias (177 words)

Mr Hamilton, a branch secretary of the GMB general union, was disciplined by the union for acting contrary to its policy. It alleged that ...

Disciplinary procedures (210 words)

Mrs Stewart's employer had concerns about her conduct, which it set out in a letter inviting her to an investigatory meeting. The issues were ...

Scope of statutory procedures (128 words)

Mr Scott-Davies was dismissed before he had a year's service with his employer, and so could not bring an unfair dismissal claim. However, he ...

Extended time limits (425 words)

When environmental enforcement officer Mr Colbourne went into work for a return-to-work meeting, he was upset that someone else had taken over his desk, ...

Health & safety news

Stress and long hours take their toll on older workers (279 words)

Workers in the UK increasingly fear that they will be unfit for work by the age of 60, despite government threats to make people ...

Acoustic shock remains a risk for call-centre workers (246 words)

Two-thirds of UK contact centres are failing to protect their workers against hearing damage from noise, putting many of their 900,000-strong workforce at risk. ...

Union urges betting-shop staff to report abuse (122 words)

The Community union is backing a campaign to stamp out verbal and physical abuse of betting-shop staff in Scotland. ...

CWU agreement on ink (88 words)

The CWU communication workers' union has secured an agreement with Royal Mail on the use of fluorescent coding ink. ...

Time sheets doctored to allow longer hours (81 words)

T&G transport union safety reps have discovered evidence that managers at distribution firm DHL Exel in Redditch deliberately changed drivers' timesheets without their knowledge. ...

Teachers suffering bullying and harassment (99 words)

A report from the NUT teaching union reveals that young teachers are increasingly seen as "fair game" by some pupils for sexual harassment, including ...

Features

Employment contract case law (452 words)

Questions of claimants' employment status and what constitutes a fundamental breach of contract feature in this month's round-up. ...

Constructive dismissal (445 words)

Dr Varma was a student doctor whose supervisor refused to sign him off as having satisfactorily completed his training to the required standard. The ...

Unlawful deduction of wages (168 words)

Mr Atchoe was employed for 16 years as a maintenance fitter, responsible for ensuring that equipment was safe. He was required to be on ...

Illegal contracts (182 words)

After he was dismissed on grounds of redundancy with no consultation, Mr Grace was awarded compensation for unfair dismissal. However, during his employment he ...

Fundamental breach of contract (258 words)

As a result of alleged performance issues, technology consultant Ian Jamie was offered an alternative role at a lower salary and with a different ...

Employment status (655 words)

Foreign correspondent Richard Gizbert was offered a transfer to a different job after deciding that he no longer wanted to report from war zones. ...

Blair and Brown promise further cuts in regulation (247 words)

Unions have reacted with dismay to promises of sweeping deregulation made by Gordon Brown and Tony Blair at last month's Confederation of British Industry ...

Emergency workers gain improved legal protection (212 words)

Obstructing or hindering emergency workers in the course of their duties has become a specific offence under a new law which received royal assent ...

RMT fights for vital underground safety rules (170 words)

The RMT rail union is stepping up its campaign to defend fire safety regulations on underground railways. ...

New road safety law has implications for workers (157 words)

Legislation passed last month will introduce stiffer penalties for a number of driving incidents from next year. ...

HSE raises pulmonary disease awareness (116 words)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is highlighting the risks from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a condition in which the airways become narrowed ...

Whiteboards to blackberries: what facilities are reps getting? (2511 words)

A lot is expected of unions' workplace reps and shop stewards: they have to provide information to and communicate with their members, and their ...

Shift pay shows little movement (1555 words)

This year's Workplace Report survey of shift pay has obtained information from a number of workplaces for the first time - including paper manufacturer ...