Workplace Report February 2003

Union learning reps survey; Standby and callout payments; Pensions

Bargaining news

Is the end in sight for two-tier workforce? (448 words)

Long standing union concerns over inferior terms and conditions for staff in contracted-out local government services are to be addressed by a new code ...

Features

Labour Research Department three monthly pay figures (218 words)

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

Prices (62 words)

December 173.4 0.7 1.9 ...

Other pay analysts (30 words)

Confederation of British Industry (manufacturing) (three months to Oct. 2002) 2.3% ...

Average earnings indices (156 words)

October (r) 131.4 4.4 3.9 4.4 4.1 5.6 ...

Inflation forecasts (32 words)

RPI forecasts (and underlying inflation - ...

Latest figures for full-time weekly average earnings (30 words)

all workers £464.10 ...

Teaching unions attack review body's 2.9% increase (494 words)

The School Teachers' Review Body (STRB), which advises government on the pay and conditions for half a million teachers in England and Wales, resisted ...

Finance deals address competence, progression and recruitment (249 words)

Negotiators have gone beyond basic salaries to address a range of issues in finance sector settlements effective from January. ...

Tractor firm closes final salary pension scheme (145 words)

Tractor manufacturer CNH UK is closing its final salary pension scheme for entrants and 'new hires' as part of an enabling agreement concluded in ...

Pay Deals in Brief (506 words)

Agreement % increase date number covered hours holidays ...

Survey shows its still early days for union learning reps (2621 words)

Union learning reps' statutory rights come into force in April and the development of a national network of learning reps has been kickstarted by ...

Standby and callout payments (2170 words)

In many industries, particularly those delivering essential services arrangements exist to compensate anyone who agrees to make themselves available for work outside their normal ...

Royal Mail faces sexual harassment investigation (333 words)

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is formally investigating the sexual harassment of women postal workers. ...

Commission warns that new law will hinder equal pay claims (176 words)

Legal claims by women workers that they are being paid less than a man doing a job worth the same as theirs, will be ...

Union says government's proposed equality regulations don't go far enough (250 words)

Proposed legislation outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and religious belief is a welcome move, but doesn't go far enough, says the ...

Dismissal law update (1649 words)

There are three categories of dismissal that can be challenged in law, where it is - unfair, constructive and wrongful. Bargaining Report this month ...

Representation at tribunals (105 words)

Every person taking a tribunal claim has the right to be represented by the individual of their choice. In a recent case the EAT ...

Minimum wage orders (116 words)

The Inland Revenue has the power to issue enforcement orders against employers not paying the National Minimum Wage (NMW). If the employer does not ...

Alcohol and human rights (136 words)

Even if employers impose a complete ban on alcohol this is unlikely to amount to a breach of human rights. ...

Holiday pay rights (165 words)

Every worker has the right to holidays paid at the worker's normal rate of pay. However, where someone is also entitled to commission it ...

Career breaks (185 words)

Career breaks can break continuity according to the Court of Appeal. ...

Pension research groups attack key elements of green paper (343 words)

A number of important elements in the government's pensions green paper have been attacked by the Independent Pensions Research (IPRG) and Northern Pensions Resource ...

Pensions institute calls for proper debate on long-term outlook for state pensions (262 words)

The independent Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) has called for a full debate on state pensions policy to try to avoid the risk of tomorrow's ...

Government claims work is good for pensioners (109 words)

Earlier this month the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) published research which supports its arguments for allowing people to work beyond normal retirement ...

Absence survey finds bad bosses make their workers sick (289 words)

Workers are having more time off and poor management is to blame, according to research published last month. ...

TUC to call for European law on stress (92 words)

The European Commission says more action is needed to tackle workplace stress - raising hopes of a directive on the issue. The Commission has ...

Monitoring corporate safety crimes (81 words)

Corporate crime watchdog the Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) has added a new section to its website on corporate manslaughter. The site now has ...

Pub managers want new law on violence (68 words)

The NAHLM pub managers' union, part of the T&G general union, is to take its battle for more protection for those employed in the ...

HSE launches new vibration resources (275 words)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a hand-arm and whole-body vibration web page. The new resource includes free HSE information and a ...

HSE Monitor (795 words)

The latest from the Health and Safety Commission and Health and Safety Executive ...

Spanish unions agree pay norm for 2003 (247 words)

The two main Spanish trade union confederations, the CCOO and UGT, have reached agreement with the employers on pay guidelines for negotiators in 2003. ...

Irish unions consult on new three-year pay deal (475 words)

Irish unions are currently consulting on the text of a new pay deal published on 14 February and drawn up after three months of ...

Minimum wage rises around Europe (161 words)

Minimum pay rates went up in three European states last month, but each increase reflected the national rather the EU situation and the rates ...