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Workplace Report March 2016
Pay round so far - The overall midpoint rise for the 2015-16 pay round so far is 2.0% - down on the 2.3% rise for a year ago; Pay on the rails - Sourced from LRD’s Payline, pay rises across the numerous rail franchises are a testament to effective union organisation; Latest case law on contracts of employment and tribunal procedures
Pay and prices
Settlements stick at 2.0% (234 words)
There was no change in the overall median rise for collectively agreed settlements in February and it was much the same story for the sector ...
Open access
Labour Research Department’s Payline Database (227 words)
Percentage increases on lowest basic rates (by agreements covered)
... Open access
Full-time weekly average earnings (42 words)
Source: ASHE 2015 uprated by AWE. ... Open access
Average weekly earnings (AWE) (152 words)
Total pay including bonuses. ... Open access
XpertHR (19 words)
Median increases for three months to February 2016 ... Open access
Prices (77 words)
1 Retail Prices Index (RPI),
Jan ’87=100 ... Open access
Inflation forecasts (36 words)
Fourth quarter 2016 ... Open access
Bargaining news
Negotiators should stick with RPI, says TUC (787 words)
The national statistician has once again voiced opposition to the use of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) as a measure of inflation, but the TUC says ...
Subscribers only
Ambulance service deal builds on legal success (442 words)
Opportunities to negotiate levels of holiday pay that better reflect a worker’s real earnings are opening in the wake of the latest legal ruling, ... Subscribers only
Challenges for 2016 (345 words)
Unions face a challenging environment over the next year. This is not just in terms of the tightening legal straitjacket being imposed by the Trade ... Subscribers only
New minimum wage rates from October (181 words)
There will be rises of well above inflation in the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates for younger workers from October 2016.
... Open access
Zero-hours sums (124 words)
Conflicting figures for the number of people on zero-hours contracts have been released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
... Open access
Current system ‘endorses government pay policy’ (312 words)
Government ministers have accepted in full this year’s Pay Review Body recommendations for NHS staff, doctors and dentists, and prison staff, ... Subscribers only
Night tube deal signed, but still issues to be resolved (430 words)
The long-running dispute over the operation of the night tube in London appeared to be settled in March.
... Subscribers only
Action on pension contributions rates needed (254 words)
Little is going to change without action on automatic enrolment minimum contribution rates. That’s the verdict of TUC pensions policy officer Tim ... Subscribers only
Equality news
UK’s stark pension divide laid bare in 2016 study (371 words)
Women have barely half the pension savings of men, according to a new TUC-sponsored report.
... Subscribers only
MI5 rated best of British for LGBT equality (299 words)
Government intelligence service MI5 came top of Stonewall’s list of top 100 gay-friendly employers for 2016 — up from seventh in 2015 — despite ... Subscribers only
More councils report lack of free childcare places (268 words)
Many parents seeking a free early education place for their three- or four-year-olds are struggling, with councils reporting a lack of places, ... Subscribers only
Learning and training news
Country gets economic benefit from union-led learning and training (373 words)
The value of union-supported learning and training to the economy is revealed in a TUC report.
... Subscribers only
Recruitment and organisation news
Pros of facility time recognised by Lords (563 words)
The TUC has collated evidence showing that facility time for trade union reps has benefits for both employees and employers, as well as the public at ... Subscribers only
European news
Finnish unions agree pact to avoid government intervention (599 words)
Finland’s three union confederations have agreed a new “Competitiveness Pact” with the employers which will freeze pay and worsen conditions in ... Subscribers only
Deal agreed in ‘Big Metal’ (189 words)
After months of negotiations and a series of strikes, Dutch unions and employers have finally agreed a new pay settlement for the 140,000 people ... Open access
Lidl signs first deal with unions in Spain (154 words)
Supermarket group Lidl has reached its first agreement with unions in Spain.
... Open access
Above inflation deal in Germany’s woodworking and plastics industry (157 words)
IG Metall, Germany’s largest union, has reached agreement with the employers on a pay deal for the around 90,000 people employed in the woodworking ... Open access
Law - Contracts
Above inflation deal in Germany’s woodworking and plastics industry (367 words)
Employment rights depend, as a minimum, on the presence of an “employment relationship”. There are important legal distinctions between an ... Subscribers only
Vicarious liability in relationship other than employment (506 words)
The Supreme Court judgments in this case and Mohamud in case 2 both involved vicarious liability. They should be considered together.
... Subscribers only
Supermarket vicariously liable for staff attack on customer (493 words)
Mr Mohamud wanted to print some documents from a memory stick. He pulled into a Morrisons Supermarket petrol station, entered the kiosk and asked for ... Subscribers only
No implied term in contract over reasonable lay-off period (386 words)
Mr Craig was employed as a designer by Bob Lindfield and Son Ltd, a design and technology company, from October 2004 until August 2014 when he ... Subscribers only
Acceptance of resignation not needed for it to take effect (382 words)
Ms Wallace was employed by Ladbrokes Betting and Gaming Ltd. Following difficulties at work, she pursued a formal grievance, but was unsuccessful. ... Subscribers only
Law - Tribunal procedures
Employment tribunals - the law (733 words)
Nearly all tribunal claims must be brought within three months less one day of the matter complained of. Tribunals can extend the time limit in an ... Subscribers only
Claim could go ahead despite mistake in Acas paperwork (337 words)
Ms Mist was employed by Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as a respiratory rehabilitation instructor. In January 2014, the contract to provide ... Subscribers only
Decision to add subsidiaries to claim against parent correct (417 words)
In January 2015, Blue Arrow Ltd, an employment and recruitment agency, began providing management services at Peel Ports Ltd, Liverpool. As a result ... Subscribers only
10% uplift in injury to feelings award applies to tribunal (505 words)
Mr Beckford was employed by the Southwark Council as a social worker in the Early Engagement Team. After a restructure, he was transferred to the ... Subscribers only
Dropbox file not valid for appeal (321 words)
Mr Majekodunmi issued a tribunal claim against City Facilities Management UK and six other respondents. ... Subscribers only
Health & safety news
Health and safety can be union recruitment tool (269 words)
A new TUC guide explains how activists can use health and safety to develop trade unionism.
... Subscribers only
Female police staff suffer bullying at work (199 words)
Two-thirds (67%) of female police staff say that bullying is a problem at work and almost three-quarters (72%) are not confident that their employer ... Open access
Prejudice rife in education (195 words)
One in 10 students have witnessed bullying based on sexual harassment on a daily basis, according to a new report, Pride and prejudice in education, ... Open access
GMB guide on mental health at work (257 words)
New guidance on mental health at work has been published by the GMB general union.
... Subscribers only
Health & safety - HSE Monitor
Answers wanted over the long wait for justice (348 words)
Brian Rye, acting general secretary of construction union UCATT, has demanded “a straight answer” from the HSE as to why it takes three and half ... Subscribers only
Prison sentence for trafficking (436 words)
The UK coalition on corporate accountability (CORE) has welcomed the first prosecution of a British businessman for human trafficking offences, but ... Subscribers only
No ‘concrete policy’ in new HSE strategy (240 words)
Following a consultation exercise at the beginning of the year, the HSE has launched its new Helping Great Britain work well strategy. This sets out ... Open access
Features
Mixed fortunes as settlements show 2.0% rise this pay round (3,252 words)
There have been few surprises so far in the pay round that began last August as far as the headline rate of increase is concerned, as strong downward ... Subscribers only
Above-inflation deals on track mean living standards increase (1,703 words)
Effective union organisation has meant railway workers have for the main part ranked in the higher echelons of pay settlements, with increases in ... Subscribers only