Pay and prices

Settlements respond slowly to inflation (222 words)

While inflation receded slightly this month (see below), pay settlements recorded on the LRD Payline database are unchanged at a median level of 3.6% ...

Labour Research Department three-monthly pay figures (84 words)

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

Other pay analysts (21 words)

Industrial Relations Services (median, three months to end April 2007)3.0%Incomes Data Services (median, three months to end April 2007)3.5% ...

Full-time weekly average earnings (16 words)

All workers£561.50All male£617.60All female£474.00Managers£847.20Professionals£762.20Associate professional£579.80Admin & secretarial£372.40Skilled/craft£468.30Services£327.80Sales£310.80Operatives£431.60Other manual£335.20 ...

Average earnings indices (including bonuses) (73 words)

Earnings index*% annual rise Whole economyManufacturingServicesPrivate sectorPublic sector January 2006 (r)124.32.85.22.72.84.1 February (r)125.24.55.24.34.54.2 March (r)125.64.74.94.94.84.4 April124.83.55.93.23.72.9 May125.94.45.74.24.73.7 June126.64.95.84.95.33.7 July126.53.94.83.83.84.1 August126.83.85.33.73.93.2 September127.34.15.44.24.33.4 October127.64.25.14.44.43.3 November128.24.04.74.14.13.1 December129.03.93.94.24.13.3 ...

Prices (27 words)

Retail prices index (RPI)*% annual increases RPIRPI excluding mortgagesMarch 2006195.02.42.1 April196.52.62.4 May197.73.02.9 June198.53.33.1 July198.53.33.1 August199.23.43.3 September200.13.63.2 October200.43.73.2 November201.13.93.4 December202.74.43.8 January 2007201.64.23.5 February203.14.63.7 March204.44.83.9 April205.44.53.6 ...

Inflation forecasts (21 words)

Fourth quarter 2007 ...

Bargaining news

Metronet backs down in outsourcing dispute (560 words)

Maintenance workers on the London Underground network will have their jobs protected when they are transferred to a new employer, following the threat of ...

Computacenter says yes to 2.7% pay rise (75 words)

Communication professionals’ union Connect has agreed a settlement for its members at IT infrastructure provider Computacenter, involving a 2.7% pay increase backdated to 1 ...

NHS skills premium “has no opt-out” (132 words)

An employment tribunal has held that NHS trusts cannot opt out of paying a nationally agreed recruitment and retention premium to skilled workers. ...

BECTU’s theatre members vote on 4% pay increase (297 words)

Members of entertainment union BECTU working in regional theatres are voting on an improved pay and conditions offer worth 4% to workers in the ...

Unions negotiate new terms to save jobs at Nestlé Rowntree (486 words)

A long-running dispute over threatened reductions in pay and jobs may be settled at confectioners Nestlé Rowntree in York, where members of the GMB ...

Equality news

Women are encouraged into utilities (254 words)

The skills council responsible for the energy and utilities sector has revealed that only a quarter of the sector’s workforce is female, compared with ...

Prison Service pledges to tackle sexual harassment (341 words)

The Prison Service is to work with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) on a major initiative to tackle sexual harassment in English and Welsh ...

Epilepsy discrimination is rife, says charity (411 words)

Almost half of people with epilepsy (47%) say they have been discriminated against when applying for jobs, according to a new survey carried out ...

Recruitment and organisation news

BECTU sets the stage for bargaining at the RSC (326 words)

Workers in the stage, front-of-house and hire wardrobe departments of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) have won the right to be represented in collective ...

GMB brings a taste of Poland to Glastonbury (270 words)

Polish reggae and Easter eggs are among the tools recently adopted by unions to aid their recruitment efforts. ...

New union lifts off in style (157 words)

A voluntary recognition deal covering more than 1,000 cabin crew has been reached between Thomas Cook Airlines and the new union Unite. ...

Vodafone statutory recognition process begins (198 words)

Communication workers’ union Connect won round one of its recognition battle at Vodafone last month when the CAC accepted its application for statutory recognition. ...

Learning and training news

Adult learners are hit hard by government cutbacks (441 words)

The government’s decision to focus its funding priorities and education and training plans on young people aged 14–19 is having a dire effect on ...

Learning helps unions to organise (398 words)

Promoting union-led workplace learning has beneficial effects on union organising as well as benefiting workers and employers, according to two new research reports . ...

Co-op opens new learning centre (128 words)

Workers at Co-operative Retail Logistics, the distribution arm of the Co-operative Group, have had their learning horizons broadened by the opening of an innovative ...

European news

Employers pledge to end harassment (220 words)

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has signed a framework agreement with Europe-wide employers’ associations on tackling harassment and violence at work. ...

Germany’s metalworking industry settles at 4.1% (577 words)

Employers and the union IG Metall have agreed a settlement for the German metalworking industry worth more than double the country’s current level of ...

Dutch civil servants agree four-year pay deal (221 words)

Civil servants in the Netherlands are to see their pay increase by 13.2% over the coming four years. ...

Law - Dismissal

Dismissal law (550 words)

This month’s round-up of cases include rulings on conduct that can give rise to constructive dismissal. ...

Trade union dismissals (251 words)

Case 1: The facts ...

Compensation (258 words)

Case 2: The facts ...

Burden of proof (266 words)

Case 3: The facts ...

Criminal charges (284 words)

Case 4: The facts ...

Protected disclosures (358 words)

Case 5: The facts ...

Jurisdiction (212 words)

Case 6: The facts ...

Automatically unfair dismissal (235 words)

Case 7: The facts ...

Reasonableness of dismissal (152 words)

Case 8: The facts ...

Constructive dismissal (908 words)

Case 9: The facts ...

Health & safety news

Teachers expose schools’ health and safety lapses (338 words)

Teaching unions are campaigning on a range of school safety issues following members’ complaints about their working conditions. ...

Unions demand increased commitment to clean coal (210 words)

The NUM mining union hosted a “clean coal” conference last month, aimed at making the industry reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. ...

Driving deaths petition (120 words)

The Preston & District Workers’ Memorial Day Committee and the Greater Manchester Hazards Centre are petitioning the government to tackle the number of work-related ...

Reps protect workers from asbestos risks (156 words)

Prompt action by union safety reps has resulted in an agreement for the safe demolition of a building containing asbestos. ...

Betting shop alarms are saved (102 words)

Prompt action by the Community union has forced a betting chain to keep safety measures in place. ...

Health & safety - HSE Monitor

Government is neglecting work safety, says Prospect (343 words)

Prospect, the union that organises most safety inspectors, has claimed that the UK’s financial regulations are better enforced than its health and safety laws ...

HSE admits that it is too lenient (512 words)

The HSE prosecutes employers in only one-third of the cases where a prosecution would be appropriate, according to the findings of its own internal ...

Campaigners aim for action on cancers (101 words)

Unions and safety campaigners are pressing the HSE to take action to reduce the incidence of occupational cancer. ...

Features

Transfer law (239 words)

This month’s cases include a ruling on a situation in which a sale of shares can amount to a TUPE transfer. ...

Separate entity (210 words)

Case 1: The facts ...

Sale of shares (301 words)

Case 2: The facts ...

Reason for dismissal (292 words)

Case 3: The facts ...

Research shows role for unions in promoting religious equality (3785 words)

Discrimination against workers on grounds of their religion or belief was made illegal in December 2003 by the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations ...

Who cares for working carers? (1869 words)

There are more than three million people in the UK who combine paid work with caring for adult dependants – and as of last ...