News

Billy Bragg backs anti-BNP campaigns (227 words)

Next month singer Billy Bragg embarks on his “Hope not Hate” tour in support of the three anti-fascist campaigns, Unite Against Fascism, Love Music ...

Work and Pensions hit by two-day national strike (162 words)

The PCS civil service union claimed a very high turnout for two days of strike action at the end of January. ...

Hopes rise for council house policy change (360 words)

Around 1,300 trade unionists, tenants and councillors joined a lobby of parliament last month in the continuing campaign to stop council house privatisation. ...

Parliament cleaners win battle for "living wage" (142 words)

Cleaners at the Houses of Parliament have won their campaign for a living wage after two one-day strikes in 2005. ...

Tribunal exposes ASDA's anti-union campaigning (268 words)

A Newcastle employment tribunal has found supermarket giant ASDA guilty of offering an inducement to 340 members of the GMB general union to give ...

Council pensions balloting begins (211 words)

The first ballot papers in the local government pensions dispute were being sent out as Labour Research went to press. ...

No change in inflation (69 words)

Inflation was unchanged despite higher fuel prices. The rise in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which excludes housing costs and is the government’s preferred ...

Claimant count falls but jobless rate rises (220 words)

Unemployment fell for the first time in a year. The claimant count, which only includes those drawing Jobseeker’s Allowance, fell by 2,000 to 904,200 ...

Key economic indicators

Key economic indicators (320 words)

December 2004 (r) 4.0% 3.5% 4.1% 3.8% 4.4% 3.5% ...

Union news

BNP sets up "trade union" (281 words)

A “union” launched by activists linked with the British National Party (BNP) has been listed by the government trade union watchdog, the certification officer, ...

Amicus backs bands "battle" (81 words)

The Amicus manufacturing and professional union is targeting potential young members by staging a major contest for the best new band. ...

GMB election inquiry prompts congress recall (243 words)

The GMB general union’s central executive council (CEC) was drafting new rules for internal union elections as Labour Research went to press. This was ...

TUC calls for support for May Day march (60 words)

The TUC executive has called on trade unionists to march for union rights and in support of a trade union freedom bill on May ...

USDAW Organising Awards (48 words)

Shopworkers’ union USDAW arranged an “Oscars-style” ceremony for reps who won the union’s Organising Awards in 2005, in recognition of the thousands of unpaid ...

European news

Young worker dismissal law passed (202 words)

The French parliament has agreed new rules governing the employment of young workers despite nationwide demonstrations against the legislation. ...

Parliament compromises on services directive (263 words)

The European Parliament reached a compromise on the services directive last month two days after up to 50,000 trade unionists demonstrated outside. ...

ETUC backs Commission call for free movement of workers (308 words)

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has backed a proposal from The European Commission, calling for an end to restrictions on the movement of ...

Features

Unions see a few more women reach the top (1815 words)

Chris Keates of the NASUWT teaching union made history in November 2004 when she became the first woman ever to lead a top 10 ...

Pensions inequality poses huge challenge (1531 words)

The current pensions system is not working for women — whether as current or future pensioners. They have less access to occupational pensions than ...

Employers fail to meet equal pay review targets (1291 words)

At the end of January over 3,000 administrative and managerial workers in the Prison Service celebrated a major equal pay victory. Compensation in the ...

Unions back "better governance" at BBC (1613 words)

Thousands of BBC employees and union members are waiting with bated breath for the next stage of the renewal of the Corporation’s Charter, which ...

Law Matters

Lords award employment rights to workers abroad (374 words)

Employees working outside Great Britain have been given the right to bring claims of unfair dismissal in the UK. ...

Tribunal is caught napping after member falls asleep (234 words)

An employment tribunal’s decision has been overturned on appeal because a panel member had seemed to fall asleep — at least twice. ...

Expired warning led to unfair dismissal (158 words)

The Court of Session has held that an employer cannot rely on an expired warning when deciding whether to dismiss an employee. ...

Success for part-time worker (106 words)

A part-time lecturer who worked more hours than her full-time colleagues has won a settlement in her claim under the Part-time Workers (Prevention of ...

Law Queries

Bank holidays & part-timers (260 words)

Q: Our employer only pays part-time staff for 4.5 hours on a bank holiday — even though they would have worked the full 7.5 ...

Maternity suspension (235 words)

Q: A member who is self-employed for tax reasons has been put on suspension for medical reasons because she is pregnant. Is she entitled ...

Relocation (226 words)

Q: What is a reasonable travelling distance to expect an employee to accept when a company relocates? ...

Law Back-up

New TUPE rules cover service transfers (913 words)

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) will come into effect on 6 April, applying to any business transfers that take ...

Health & Safety Matters

Smoking ban is on the way, but exemptions remain (281 words)

Unions have welcomed the forthcoming ban on smoking in almost all enclosed workplaces in England, although concerns remain about some exemptions. ...

Unions delay abolition of existing fire-safety measures (271 words)

Unions have welcomed the government’s decision to delay the abolition of fire-safety regulations for sub-surface stations, which were introduced after the 1987 King’s Cross ...

Stress causes heart disease and diabetes (113 words)

Workers who suffer from chronic stress in their job are more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes, according to new research. ...

"Dreadful" pleural plaques ruling (131 words)

Unions have expressed their horror at a Court of Appeal ruling that denies workers with pleural plaques the right to compensation. ...

Health & Safety Back-up

Make health and safety relevant to both sexes (852 words)

According to the stereotypes, male workers typically do heavy work that is high-risk and unsafe, while women — “the weaker sex” — have jobs ...

Equality news

Raising awareness of age regulations (97 words)

Age Positive, the campaign run by the Department for Work and Pensions to promote the benefits of a mixed-age workforce, has issued a factsheet ...

Poll reveals extent of sexuality-based prejudice (149 words)

Almost half of gay people hide their sexuality at work, according to a recent survey by gay marketing company Out Now Consulting. ...

Consultation on Gender Equality Duty is launched (291 words)

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has launched a three-month consultation exercise on the forthcoming “Gender Equality Duty” for the public sector. ...

PCS secures victory on Equal pay claims in the prison service (318 words)

After a legal battle lasting nearly seven years, the Prison Service has agreed to settle over 3,300 equal pay claims at a cost of ...

Workplace Back-up

Why employers should care about childcare (827 words)

Despite considerable government investment in recent years, parents in the UK still do not have access to anything like the levels of affordable childcare ...

Reviews

Bread on the waters (134 words)

John Fisher, Lawrence and Wishart, 256 pages, paperback, £15 ...

Hollywood's new radicalism (194 words)

Ben Dickenson, I B Taurus, 232 pages, paperback, £14.99 ...

Putting development first (134 words)

Kevin Gallagher, Zed books, 320 pages, paperback, £18.95 ...

E-views

e-views (297 words)

The annual increases to state benefit rates take effect next month. If you want to check the new rates for a wide range of ...