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Labour Research May 2012
Coalition two years on - The Con-Dem coalition has overseen two years of draconian cuts and attacks on public services; Bonus pay, little reward - Bonus pay means eye-watering sums for top bosses but pressure and stress for ordinary finance workers; Governments wield hatchet - Across the Eurozone governments continue to hack away at workers' pay and conditions; Living Wage campaigns - Despite economic gloom the campaign for a Living Wage is having some notable successes
LRD Centenary
General Strike 1926 (263 words)
The month of May is famous throughout the British labour movement for the general strike which took place in May 1926. The Labour Research ...
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News
Campaign aims to fight closures and fare rises in rail industry (323 words)
Unions representing workers in the rail industry have joined forces with the TUC and transport campaigners to launch a campaign to fight job cuts, ... Subscribers only
Manufacturing takes a big hit (334 words)
The manufacturing and construction sectors have suffered the biggest loss of jobs since the eve of the recession, with serious consequences for ... Subscribers only
Day of action set over ongoing public sector pensions dispute (447 words)
The PCS civil service union and general union Unite have announced industrial action in the ongoing dispute over public sector pensions. The action ... Subscribers only
Diamond Jubilee loses its sparkle for workers who miss out on paid leave (214 words)
Construction union UCATT and the GMB general union are warning that thousands of workers may miss out on the extra day’s paid holiday over ...
Open access
Musicians’ union (155 words)
The MU musicians’ union has been receiving reports of professional musicians being asked to perform for no payment at events connected with ... Open access
Civil servants (87 words)
A quarter of senior civil servants have left their posts since the coalition government came to power. ... Open access
Inflation rate down again (61 words)
Inflation fell for the sixth consecutive month, according to the Office for National Statistics. Under the Retail Prices Index (RPI), inflation was ... Open access
Unemployment falls by 35,000 (206 words)
Depending on which figures are used, unemployment was up or down. ... Open access
Key economic indicators
Key economicindicators (389 words)
Inflation +3.6%, Average earnings +1.2% ... Subscribers only
Union news
Merger no longer on track as rail union talks are called off (262 words)
The possibility of a merger between the RMT rail and maritime union and the TSSA white collar transport union has faded for the time being. ... Subscribers only
Unite and PCS stepping up cooperation (60 words)
The Unite general union and PCS civil service union are to step up talks over cooperation, according to The Guardian newspaper. ... Open access
Prospect leader (112 words)
Mike Clancy has been elected unopposed as general secretary of 120,000-strong professionals’ and managers’ union Prospect. He will ... Open access
Appeal launched over ‘political’ trial (203 words)
Leaders of the “Shrewsbury Pickets” — the 24 striking building workers convicted in the 1970s under the 1875 Conspiracy Act ... Open access
Barber to retire (161 words)
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber is to retire around the end of this year after a decade at the helm. A successor will be chosen at this ... Open access
Women in unions (94 words)
Almost half of unions now have women members proportionately represented on their national executives, according to a report from the southern and ... Open access
European news
Italian employment law proposals erode reinstatement rights (375 words)
This month, the Italian parliament is finally set to approve new employment legislation which the government, led by former European commissioner ... Subscribers only
Slovenian workers strike back (275 words)
Public sector workers in Slovenia last month staged a highly successful strike against government plans to cut their pay and allowances. ... Subscribers only
Spanish government financial support to unions cut (139 words)
As part of its overall programme of cuts, the Spanish government has reduced the funds it provides to the country’s unions by a third. ... Open access
CGT intervention (112 words)
The CGT, one of the largest union confederations in France, has asked voters not to re-elect Nicolas Sarkozy as French president in next ... Open access
Features
Coalition sets siege to the public sector (2,362 words)
This month marks the coalition’s second anniversary. Labour Research examines some major aspects of its record. ... Subscribers only
When bonus pay is no dividend (2,008 words)
The impact of the bonus culture on low-paid workers in the finance industry is very different to that enjoyed by top bank executives. ... Open access
No let-up in austerity attacks (1,956 words)
The governments of European states continue to pile brutal austerity measures on to their citizens, including working people. ... Subscribers only
Every little helps in Living Wage campaign (1,627 words)
Despite the current economic gloom, Labour Research finds that the campaign for the Living Wage is gathering pace. ... Subscribers only
Law Matters
Disciplinary failures made sackings unfair (397 words)
The Court of Appeal has held that failures in a disciplinary process led to the unfair dismissal of two nurses. ... Subscribers only
Working time on road regs are broadened (221 words)
Thanks to a concerted and sustained effort by the general union Unite, the European Transport Federation and European Parliamentarians, member ... Open access
Coalition consults on sacking (227 words)
The coalition government is proposing to make it easier for employers with small workforces to sack workers. ... Open access
Law Queries
Trade union duties (241 words)
Q. Our employer has become unhappy with the amount of time off we are taking for our trade union work. It says that it doesn’t object to ... Open access
Alternative work (267 words)
Q. We recently endured a redundancy exercise. One of our members, having been put at risk of redundancy, was offered alternative work by the employer. ... Subscribers only
Adoption leave (257 words)
Q. Our member is currently on adoption leave. They opted to take the full twelve months’ leave and were due to come back to work on 14 May. ... Subscribers only
Law Back-up
Questions over marriage may not be discriminatory (924 words)
It is not uncommon for someone to work in the same organisation as other members of their family. And the consequences for the family, where one of ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Matters
NHS workers report climate of violence (342 words)
Against the backdrop of staff shortages and a renewed move towards healthcare being carried out in the community, the 2011 NHS Staff Survey provides ... Subscribers only
Tube staff suffer abuse (205 words)
Unreliable information about the levels of service on the London Underground (LU) is leading to members of the public harassing tube workers, ... Open access
Wider exclusion zone needed over gas leak (139 words)
With large quantities of gas continuing to leak, the exclusion area around the North Sea Elgin platform should be extended, say unions. ... Open access
Union is still waiting for action on dogs (125 words)
The government has failed to keep its promise to announce changes to the law on dangerous dogs before Easter. ... Open access
Health & Safety Back-up
Court ruling is victory for asbestos victims (925 words)
A landmark asbestos ruling has delivered a long-awaited victory for asbestos victims and their families. Back-up investigates the judgment. ... Subscribers only
Equality news
Dismissal change will hit vulnerable workers (374 words)
A longer qualifying period for unfair dismissal is particularly bad news for part-time women workers, employees from black and minority ethnic (BME) ... Subscribers only
Higher childcare costs cut into family budgets (280 words)
Childcare costs can account for more than 35% of working parents’ salaries according to the Hay Group. ... Subscribers only
Fraud enquiry (96 words)
The preferred bidder to take over the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) helpline is caught up in a fraud enquiry. ... Open access
Single parents (151 words)
The experiences of single parents transferring onto the Work Programme (WP), launched last year to help the longer term unemployed, have been ... Open access
Workplace Back-up
Investment a priority if young are to get jobs (917 words)
The UK manufacturing and construction sectors have suffered the biggest loss of jobs since the onset of the recession, a new analysis from the TUC ... Subscribers only
Reviews
Struck out (255 words)
Why employment tribunals fail workers and what can be ... Subscribers only
Treasure islands (190 words)
Tax havens and the men who stole the ... Open access
E-views
e-views (396 words)
The recent furore over the “Girls Around Me” smartphone app illustrates the increasing ease with which our movements can be tracked ... Subscribers only