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Workplace Report March 2017
Tribunal fees - Has the introduction of tribunal fees in 2013 had an effect on the number of workers seeking justice? Drugs and alcohol policies - Alcohol and drugs have no place in a work environment. However, where there are problems they should be treated as a health and safety issue. Latest case law on unfair dismissal, TUPE or redundancy
Pay and prices
Pay deals’ rise stays at 2% (116 words)
There’s been no overall movement in settlements in recent months.
...
Open access
Labour Research Department’s Payline Database (234 words)
Percentage increases on lowest basic rates (by agreements covered)
... Open access
Average weekly earnings (AWE) (255 words)
Regular pay excluding bonuses. Percentage annual increases
...
Subscribers only
Full-time weekly average earnings (42 words)
ASHE 2016 median uprated by AWE. ... Open access
XpertHR (19 words)
Median increases for three months to February 2017 ... Open access
Prices (77 words)
1 Retail Prices Index (RPI),
Jan ’87=100 ... Open access
2017 forecasts (38 words)
1 Fourth quarter ... Open access
Bargaining news
Uber’s changes ‘cosmetic’ says GMB (803 words)
Car hire firm Uber has missed a “golden opportunity” to start complying with the law, according to the GMB general union.
... Subscribers only
Cost of living expected to be on the rise this year (450 words)
Inflation is expected to rise this year and most people think that will weaken the economy, the latest Bank of England/TNS Inflation Attitudes Survey ... Subscribers only
BALPA victory broadens bargaining agenda (293 words)
Employers forced to recognise a trade union under the statutory procedure should be prepared to discuss more than just the bare bones of pay, hours ... Subscribers only
BBC Studios transfer (184 words)
Pay, terms and conditions and pensions for 1,700 BBC employees transferring to the new subsidiary, BBC Studios Ltd, will be protected under a deal ... Open access
New minimum wage rates from April (124 words)
Statutory minimum wage rate rises come into force from 1 April.
... Open access
Unions fight on to keep quality pension schemes (423 words)
The battle to retain quality pension schemes and make employers stand by them continues.
... Subscribers only
New deal agreed by police staff (365 words)
Most police staff in England and Wales should have more certainty about their working patterns in future, following their acceptance of new terms and ... Subscribers only
Ealing pay cut reversed (177 words)
A pay cut for Ealing care home staff in west London has been reversed, following consultation with staff and the GMB and UNISON unions. Instead, pay ... Open access
Peternity leave (129 words)
A novel form of special leave has been introduced by pet supplies retailer Pets at Home. Employees in its 8,200 workforce will be allowed one paid ... Open access
Equality news
Childcare costs take large slice of family income (448 words)
Parents in Britain now pay an average of £116 a week for a part-time nursery place — or over £6,000 every year — which is more than double what ... Subscribers only
Pay gap means women’s first pay day is in March (300 words)
The average woman has to wait nearly a fifth of a year before she starts to get paid, compared to the average man and in some sectors women have to ... Subscribers only
Pay rights campaign (139 words)
Last month, the government launched an advertising campaign to inform the lowest paid workers of their rights ahead of the National Minimum (NMW) and ... Open access
Diversity in universities (169 words)
University employers need to “get their houses in order” and do more to make sure the higher education workforce properly reflects society, said ... Open access
Learning and training news
Large employers to pay levy to fund apprenticeships (249 words)
Next month sees a sea change in learning and skills with the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy.
... Open access
More cash and new routes to skills (104 words)
Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in the Budget that vocational and technical education in England is to get an extra £500 million a year for new ... Open access
Recruitment and organisation news
Who do you think you are kidding Mr Ashley? (415 words)
The Unite general union says it is “deeply sceptical” about the plan announced by retailer Sports Direct to have a worker representative ... Subscribers only
CWU targets new areas for members (150 words)
“Recruitment and organising must be at the heart of everything we do,” according to Andy Kerr, deputy general secretary of the CWU communication ... Open access
European news
Key deals across sectors agree significant increases for German workers (579 words)
A series of important pay agreements have been signed in the last few weeks, most outpacing inflation, at least when they were signed. Whether they ... Subscribers only
Dutch truck drivers agree pay rises (235 words)
Unions and employers in the Netherlands have reached agreement on a new three-year deal for truck drivers which will increase basic pay but will see ... Open access
ETUC calls for pay rise to make up for lost ground (105 words)
A campaign for higher wages throughout Europe to drive economic growth and tackle inequality has been laucnched by the European Trade Union ... Open access
Italian public sector pay rise edges closer (78 words)
The Italian government has taken a further step towards the increase in pay in the public sector, which it promised last November (see Workplace ... Open access
Danish finance sector signs three-year deal (93 words)
Following the settlement reported last month in Danish industry, unions and employers in the finance sector have reached agreement for the 43,000 ... Open access
Law - Dismissal
Danish finance sector signs three-year deal (653 words)
f Employees dismissed unfairly can go to a tribunal if they have been working for at least two years. Some specific types of dismissal do not ... Subscribers only
Use of confidential matter in disciplinary didn’t justify sack (692 words)
Ms Corbin, a radiographer, was employed by the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust (the Trust).
... Subscribers only
Lapsed warnings can count in dismissal determination (546 words)
Mr Stratford had been employed by motorhomes firm Auto Trail for around 13 years.
... Subscribers only
‘Gross negligence tantamount to gross misconduct’ (687 words)
Mr Adesokan was employed by supermarket giant Sainsbury’s for around 26 years until he was
summarily dismissed for gross misconduct.
... Subscribers only
Law - TUPE
Transfers - the law (202 words)
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) are intended to protect the rights of employees on the transfer of ... Open access
Consideration of ‘principal purpose’ of ‘organised grouping’ (483 words)
The claimants, Mrs Harland and others, were employed by the Tees Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust). ... Subscribers only
Law - Redundancy
Redundancy - the law (189 words)
A redundancy situation exists where an employer closes or intends to close the workplace or reduce the number of employees doing a particular kind of ... Open access
Instruction to employees to move office not reasonable (708 words)
Mr Fitton and Mr Ewer were employed by the oil and gas engineering company Kellogg.
... Subscribers only
Health & safety news
CWU hopes message to mail drivers hits home (267 words)
Last month, the CWU communication workers’ union, used the Royal Mail/CWU annual road vehicle safety week to promote its “HIT” message.
... Subscribers only
Compo on menu for whistleblowing chef (191 words)
Marcelo Lagos, a member of the GMB union who was sacked after he blew the whistle about faulty catering equipment has won an unfair dismissal case ... Open access
Ban on prison staff action (206 words)
The POA prison officers’ association has accused justice secretary Liz Truss and senior officials at the Prison Service of hiding behind anti-trade ... Open access
Asbestos in schools (143 words)
Hundreds of schools are putting pupils and teachers at risk by failing to manage asbestos effectively, says teaching union NASUWT.
... Open access
Personal injury claims (155 words)
The small claims limit for work-related injury claims is to rise to £2,000 from £1,000.
... Open access
Health & safety - HSE Monitor
Success as MEPs vote for changes in cancer directive (247 words)
The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) says the first victory in the fight against occupational cancer has been won in the European Parliament.
... Open access
Heathrow Airport is hot spot for laser attacks (267 words)
The number of laser attacks on aircraft is “dangerously high”, pilots’ union BALPA warned last month.
... Subscribers only
Pilot errors led to Shoreham air crash (139 words)
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) investigation into the causes of the Shoreham Airshow crash in August 2015 has found that the aircraft ... Open access
Furniture store fined £1m (112 words)
As Sentencing Council guidelines introduced in February 2016 continue to bite, another company has been hit with a large fine over safety ... Open access
Link boardroom pay with safety outcomes (158 words)
The safety professionals’ body, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), has responded to a government green paper on corporate ... Open access
Features
Thousands of workers being ‘priced out of justice’ by fees (3,330 words)
Public service UNISON’S appeal on its legal challenge on the lawfulness of tribunal fees is being heard in the Supreme Court at the end of this ... Subscribers only
No mixing it — keep it straight at work over drink and drugs (2,159 words)
The use of alcohol and drugs can be a serious workplace issue — but it should be one of health and safety. Workplace Report details the legislation ... Subscribers only