News

Brown’s intransigence looks set to escalate pay disputes (496 words)

Gordon Brown’s insistence on “pay discipline” for public sector workers isn’t going down well, and his government could face more strike action like that ...

Union equality rep projects win funding (165 words)

The government’s Union Modernisation Fund (UMF) has awarded funding to 28 projects, including six aimed at developing union equality reps, it was announced during ...

More postal strikes are likely after Royal Mail refuses to re-open talks (289 words)

The dispute between the CWU communication workers’ union and the Royal Mail over cost-cutting measures threatens to flare up again following the ending of ...

PCS holds talks over work de-skilling (235 words)

Industrial action provoked by the de-skilling of work at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), under the so-called LEAN working system, was suspended until 19 ...

Directors’ pensions (117 words)

The latest analysis of directors’ pensions published by the TUC shows that company directors tend to accrue pensions at a more generous rate than ...

Cynical choice (127 words)

General union Unite described the decision of TV manufacturer JVC to sack 99 workers at its College Milton site in East Kilbride as “cynical”. ...

Performance pay (94 words)

Members of professional union Prospect employed in non-industrial jobs at Devonport dockyard staged a highly successful strike at the end of August in protest ...

Jobs lost and won (143 words)

Airline company EasyJet is to close its Luton call centre, putting 144 jobs on the line, despite months of efforts by general union Unite ...

UK economy is expected to grow (235 words)

The economy was healthy in the second quarter with gross domestic product (GDP) 0.8% higher than the previous quarter and 3.6% higher than a ...

Interest rates stay put (81 words)

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has voted to keep interest rates at 5.75% for a second consecutive month. ...

Union news

Congress calls for EU referendum but rejects a no vote campaign (228 words)

Last month’s TUC Congress backed a call for a referendum on the EU reform treaty, although it rejected a motion which called for the ...

Simpler dispute procedures are promised (291 words)

A package of measures to replace the flawed dispute resolution procedures will be announced in the next session of parliament, employment relations minister Pat ...

General council (68 words)

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT rail union, lost his seat on the general council this year after being re-elected 12 months ago. ...

Apprentices (102 words)

Prime minister Gordon Brown announced a series of initiatives to improve the skills and job prospects of young people. He told the TUC that ...

Learning fund (21 words)

Gordon Brown announced an increase in funding to the Union Learning Fund from £12.5 million to £15.5 million next year. ...

TU Freedom Bill (46 words)

The United Campaign to Repeal the Anti-Trade Union Laws has organised a national rally of Parliament on 18 October. The second reading of John ...

European news

Slovakia brings in major new rights to strengthen unions (413 words)

A new labour code, introduced at the beginning of last month has produced significant improvements in rights for employees and trade unions in Slovakia. ...

French union numbers are questioned (274 words)

The CGT, traditionally the more militant of the main French unions, has more members than the CFDT its more moderate rival. This is one ...

Polish unions fall out over minimum wage deal (217 words)

Solidarnosc and OPZZ, the two main Polish union confederations, are in dispute over Solidarnosc’s decision to sign a deal with the Polish government covering ...

Features

Is Labour equal to the task? (1648 words)

On 1 October, the new “super equalities” watchdog, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) formally begins its work, bringing together the functions ...

Housing shoots up the political ladder (1611 words)

The problems with today’s housing market have created a toxic mix, according to Gail Cartmail. “People are in overcrowded homes, the young can’t afford ...

Focusing in on Brown’s proposals (1732 words)

Since taking over the reins of power in June, Gordon Brown has made a raft of announcements intended to distinguish him from his predecessor. ...

Preparing for the Olympic race (1589 words)

The union movement overall has been supportive of the 2012 Olympics project, particularly because of the potential for economic and social regeneration in the ...

Law Matters

Multiple Equal pay claims bump up tribunal figures (424 words)

The number of employment tribunal claims rose by 15% last year, according to new statistics issued by the Tribunals Service. ...

Court rules that harassment procedure was contractual (267 words)

The Court of Appeal has ruled that an employer was not in breach of its duty of care when it failed to follow its ...

Changes to employment law this month (259 words)

A number of changes to employment law are taking effect from 1 October, with increases in both the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the ...

Law Queries

Defining redundancy (264 words)

Q. Our employer has told the union that there are going to be redundancies, but we think it will be re-employing staff on worse ...

“Voluntary” termination (196 words)

Q. One of our members has agreed to the termination of his contract as an alternative to being dismissed, but he believes this to ...

Imposed contractual changes (288 words)

Q. Does my employer have to give me 90 days’ notice of a substantial change to my employment contract? ...

Law Back-up

Promised rights have yet to become reality (895 words)

The need for legislation to stop the exploitation of agency workers was a key topic at last month’s TUC Congress — with Tony Woodley, ...

Health & Safety Matters

HSE research underlines safety reps’ effectiveness (423 words)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has acknowledged safety reps’ ability to promote health and safety messages, in a research report published with the ...

“Thwarted” safety rep wins tribunal claim (170 words)

An employment tribunal has awarded compensation of £11,500 to a safety rep from train drivers’ union ASLEF who was prevented from inspecting four Tube ...

RMT demands an end to railway violence (171 words)

The RMT rail union has called for zero tolerance of violent crime after official figures revealed an 8% increase in assaults on staff across ...

Health & Safety Back-up

Unions join the call to lighten the load (858 words)

According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (OSHA), almost a quarter (24%) of workers across the European Union’s 25 member ...

Equality news

Young people with autism lack work opportunities (292 words)

The National Autistic Society (NAS) has highlighted the poor employment prospects of young people with autism. ...

Gender bias hampers girls’ job prospects (231 words)

More than a third of girls and young women have received careers guidance that reinforces gender stereotypes. ...

TUC exposes widespread abuse of Eastern European migrants (340 words)

A TUC-commissioned report has revealed the extent to which migrant workers from the European Union’s new member states are abused and exploited. ...

Workplace Back-up

Minimum wage cheats face new crackdown (839 words)

Gordon Brown’s debut as prime minister at last month’s TUC congress received a generally lukewarm reception, but it had its moments. ...

Reviews

Iraqi women (161 words)

Nadje Sadig Al-Ali, Zed Books, paperback, 292 pages, £14.99 ...

Towards a European labour identity (163 words)

Michael Whitall, Herman Knudden and Fred Huijgen (eds), Routledge, hardback, 233 pages, £65 ...