Workplace Report January 2019

Shift pay and premia - With the number of people working shifts on the rise, Workplace Report highlights the best collectively-agreed shift premia; Pay and prices - Euro survey - Workplace Report’s annual survey of pay and prices across Europe finds workers in most countries saw their pay increase in real terms; Latest case law on discrimination

Pay and prices

Settlements maintain rise 
 (87 words)

In December, pay settlements maintained the healthy increase of the previous month.
 ...
Open access

Labour Research Department’s Payline Database 
 (235 words)

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

Average weekly earnings (AWE)
 (277 words)

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

ASHE 2018 median uprated by AWE. ...
Open access

XpertHR (19 words)

Median increases for three months to December 2018 ...
Open access

Prices (77 words)

1 Retail Prices Index (RPI), 
Jan ’87=100 ...
Open access

2019 forecasts (55 words)


1 Fourth quarter ...
Open access

Bargaining news

Improve RPI don’t ditch it, say Lords (764 words)

The long-running row over the usefulness of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to measure consumer price inflation has taken a new turn, with the ...
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New NHS pay bands and pay progression in England
 (416 words)

A new pay progression system is being introduced as part of the NHS Agenda for Change (England) three-year pay deal and contract “refresh”. 
 ...
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Holiday pay entitlement for Cross Country managers
 (330 words)

Transport and travel union TSSA has won an extension of the new backdated holiday pay claim for all manager grades at Cross Country Trains, not just ...
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Acas highlights big issues for year ahead
 (247 words)

Employees think recruitment, technological change and productivity will be the biggest issues in their workplace this year, a survey by the ...
Open access

‘Time for better pay’ the demand from Usdaw
 (418 words)

A petition, demanding minimum standards on hours of work, as well as the minimum wage has been launched by Paddy Lillis, general secretary of the ...
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Open University associate lecturers back improved contract
 (311 words)

Over 4,000 associate lecturers at the Open University (OU) now have more job security and better rights as a result of a new contract negotiated by ...
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NHS Pay Review Body process gets under way
 (166 words)

Pay increases for non-medical NHS staff were determined through collective bargaining last year, rather than on the advice of the NHS Pay Review Body ...
Open access

Sodexo to pay NHS Agenda for Change rates
 (146 words)

Sodexo has agreed to implement the 2018 NHS Agenda for Change Pay Framework Agreement for its staff at Wythenshawe Hospital, in full and with back ...
Open access

Equality news

Aim for gender equality on apprenticeships - TUC
 (436 words)

Unionlearn, the TUC’s learning and skills arm, has published a guide showing why trade unions should negotiate for gender equality in ...
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Huge ethnicity pay penalty for BME workers

 (280 words)

As a government consultation seeks view on introducing ethnicity pay reporting by employers, analysis by the Resolution Foundation think tank reveals ...
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Ambulance workers want to retire earlier
 (273 words)

The government is being urged by public services union UNISON to lower the normal retirement age for ambulance staff to bring them into line with ...
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Learning and training news

Adults failed by training system
 (397 words)

Adults with low educational achievements are among those facing the most significant barriers to improving their life chances, according to the most ...
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Recruitment and organisation news

Drivers demand recognition at Addison Lee
 (394 words)

The Central Arbitration Committee is considering an application for union recognition for private-hire cab drivers working for Addison Lee in Luton, ...
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Usdaw looks to boost membership
 (98 words)

The shop and distribution workers’ union Usdaw ran its annual recruitment week from 21-27 January with the aim of giving the union “a massive ...
Open access

Heartunions Week (25 words)

♥ The TUC’s annual Heartunions Week will take place from 11 to 17 February. This year the focus is on banning zero-hours contracts. ...
Open access

European news

Tidy increases in minimum wage for most Central and Eastern Europe
 nations
 (512 words)

January is typically the month when the national minimum wage is increased and this year has seen substantial increases across most of Central and ...
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Collective bargaining recovers 
in Portugal (163 words)

The latest figures from the Portuguese ministry of labour show a continuing recovery in the extent of collective bargaining in the country.
 ...
Open access

General strike in Belgium 
 (169 words)

Belgium’s three union confederations have decided to call a general strike on 13 February to push for improved pay. 
 ...
Open access

Central government agrees harassment guidelines 
 (111 words)

Unions and employers in central government at European level have agreed that the multi-sectoral guidelines on the prevention of third-party violence ...
Open access

Law - Discrimination

Discrimination - the law (822 words)

Discrimination law is found in the Equality Act 2010 (EA10). The EA10 lists nine “protected characteristics”: age; disability; gender ...
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Landmark pension victories for firefighters — and judges
 (1,311 words)

In 2011, the government accepted recommendations made in the independent Public Service Pensions Commission, headed by Lord Hutton to cut public ...
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No unfavourable treatment in early retirement pension
 (403 words)

Mr Williams worked for Swansea University until he took early ill-health retirement at the age of 38 because of his disability. He suffered from ...
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‘Tendency to steal’ requires evidence of dishonest intent
 (708 words)

Mr Wood was an anti-social behaviour officer for Durham County Council. Before joining the council, he worked as a police officer for 17 years. 
 ...
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Loose causation test in disability discrimination claims
 (1,032 words)

Professor Sheikholeslami worked at Edinburgh University’s School of Engineering. 
 ...
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Health & safety news

Road traffic accident recording needs reform
 (393 words)

The Unite general union has called for urgent reforms in the way work-related road traffic accidents are recorded and investigated, after a Freedom ...
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More women diagnosed with mesothelioma
 (299 words)

An increasing number of women are being diagnosed with the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma, according to Thompsons Solicitors senior asbestos ...
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Mental health first aid guidance from IOSH
 (118 words)

Volunteer Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) do not tackle the root causes of mental health issues and new business guidance cautions against ...
Open access

Gig economy guide 
 (97 words)

Public services union UNISON has published a guide on health and safety in the gig economy. 
 ...
Open access

Health & safety - HSE Monitor

Council safety inspection visits rates plummet
 (225 words)

The average local authority-enforced business can now expect a health and safety inspection only once every 38 years, according to professionals’ ...
Open access

Number of fire safety audits down by over 40%
 (350 words)

There has been a drastic reduction in the number of fire safety audits carried out in England, according to a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate ...
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Hillsborough police chief’s trial begins
 (110 words)

The trial of match commander on the day of the Hillsborough disaster, David Duckenfield, has begun at Preston Crown Court. Duckenfield denies the ...
Open access

Drone protection for airports 
 (151 words)

Airline pilots’ union BALPA has called on the government to ensure every airport invests in drone protection technology immediately, and to ...
Open access

Sexual harassment rejection from Tories
 (124 words)

The government has rejected a recommendation from a select committee of MPs that the HSE “must take up its share of the burden of holding employers ...
Open access

Features

Rising number of workers now looking for shift pay premium
 (2,638 words)

The number of people working shifts is increasing, but what are the chances of getting employers to compensate staff adequately for unsocial and ...
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2018 a vintage year? No, but pay did increase across Europe
 (1,973 words)

Pay increased in most countries across Europe in 2018 and as with last year’s survey the highest increases were in Central and Eastern Europe. ...
Subscribers only