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Labour Research December 2017
Pay and perks of top executives - The remuneration packages of fat cat executives show few signs of being reined in, as the latest Labour Research survey finds; Labour and the Private Finance Initiative - The Labour Party has pledged that under a Labour government Private Finance Initiative projects will be taken back in house; Government’s benefit plans lack credit - The Conservatives’ Universal Credit scheme means those on low incomes transferring to the new benefit are likely to face a bleak Christmas
News
Unions demand strong action on tax avoidance and havens (348 words)
Unions have renewed calls for urgent government action against tax avoidance and evasion following last month’s explosive publication of the ...
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Proposed merger would increase ‘stranglehold’ on energy market (321 words)
Energy unions have warned that the proposed merger between energy giants SSE and Npower could have a damaging impact on workers and consumers.
... Subscribers only
Centenary news (271 words)
In December 1940, Labour Research reported on new powers introduced over the labour force.
... Subscribers only
Hammond’s Budget provides little cheer for public sector workers (288 words)
Chancellor Philip Hammond’s failure to lift the public sector pay cap in last month’s Budget has been slammed by unions.
... Subscribers only
Bill tackles gig economy failings (237 words)
A draft parliamentary Bill to tackle bogus self-employment and some of the failings of the gig economy has been welcomed by the Unite general union. ...
Open access
Rights must be maintained (255 words)
Unions are again demanding greater assurances that workers from the rest of the EU currently in the UK will be able to maintain their current rights ... Subscribers only
Male unemployment falls to 4.3% (258 words)
Unemployment has once again fallen, but the tight labour market has yet to impact on wage growth.
... Subscribers only
Dearer food raises RPI (63 words)
The upward trend in retail price inflation continued in October.
... Open access
Key economic indicators
Key economic indicators (413 words)
Inflation +4.0%, Average earnings +2.6% ... Subscribers only
Union news
Unions ‘could pay millions’ for certification officer (456 words)
Unions have condemned the government’s plans to make them pay for the certification officer’s (CO) new enforcement powers established under the 20 ... Subscribers only
UNISON reviews political funds (239 words)
Public services union UNISON is conducting a second consultation into the operation of its political funds to decide how to deal with new law in this ... Open access
Gen sec elections (106 words)
Paddy Lillis, deputy general secretary of shopworkers’ union Usdaw, has been elected unopposed to the union’s top job. He will take over as ... Open access
Unite rep wins case (44 words)
Unite general union activist Kathy Smith has won her case against the London Borough of Bromley, who were found to have unlawfully tried to deter her ... Open access
BALPA looks to take on Ryanair (89 words)
The BALPA airline pilots’ union is seeking views among Ryanair agency pilots about whether they would support a group legal action to establish ... Open access
European news
Unions welcome plans to improve social rights (432 words)
The European Union has committed itself to improving social rights in a statement which European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker hopes will ... Subscribers only
Polish partners clash on new law (218 words)
Poland’s main union confederations and employers’ associations have clashed on planned legislation giving non-employed workers the right to set ... Open access
French unions step up action (124 words)
The main French union confederations are maintaining their opposition to the changes in the French labour code introduced by the government of ... Open access
More motor job cuts (94 words)
More jobs look set to go following the takeover of General Motors’ European operations (Opel/Vauxhall) by the French car company PSA. After the ... Open access
Italian pensions (23 words)
Unions have expressed their concern over plans by the Italian government to increase the state pension to reflect increasing life expectancy. ... Open access
Features
Executive pay grows fatter (2,262 words)
Top executives’ pay is 72 times that of the average worker — and government proposals to reveal the pay gap between boardroom and shop floor seem ... Open access
Can Labour unravel the Private Finance Initiative? (2,679 words)
Labour’s pledge to bring Private Finance Initiative contracts back in-house is something unions have long argued for.
... Subscribers only
Universal gloom for claimants (2,245 words)
There’s likely to be little Christmas cheer for individuals and families who are claiming Universal Credit, as Labour Research reports.
... Subscribers only
Law Matters
Rep vindicated in time off for union work case (403 words)
The Unite general union has hailed as “a great victory for the rights of trade union reps” an employment tribunal ruling in favour of a union rep ... Subscribers only
Uber urged to face up to responsibilities to workers (275 words)
In a landmark case in unions’ battle against bogus self-employment, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has confirmed an earlier employment ... Subscribers only
Whistleblowing protection (77 words)
The doctors’ trade union and professional association, the British Medical Association, has secured an important agreement with Health Education ... Open access
Redundancy taxes (71 words)
The revised Finance Bill which was progressing through Parliament as Labour Research went to press, introduces changes to income tax on termination ... Open access
Tribunal fee refunds (83 words)
The government has recently introduced an employment tribunal fees refund scheme. Individuals who paid a fee can apply for a refund online..
... Open access
Law Queries
Men taking shared parental leave (238 words)
Q. Is a man taking shared parental leave entitled to enhanced maternity pay?
... Open access
Lack of pay comparator (252 words)
Q. Is it possible to bring a claim for equal pay if there is no comparator (someone of the opposite sex in the same employment who is earning more)? ... Subscribers only
Gender pay reporting (254 words)
Q. In relation to gender pay reporting, what is the “supporting narrative” and what is its purpose? ... Subscribers only
Law Back-up
Stamping out the scourge of sexual harassment (903 words)
Sexual harassment has received considerable public attention lately (see Labour Research, November 2017, page 25). Back-up looks at the options for ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Matters
ASLEF suspends action on Croydon Tramlink (194 words)
Train drivers’ union ASLEF last month suspended strike action on Croydon Tramlink after the Tram Operations Ltd company agreed to carry out an ... Open access
Mental health law needed (309 words)
New legislation is needed to stop modern workplaces putting “incredible strain” on employees, according to the GMB general union.
... Subscribers only
Legal aid at inquests (118 words)
Bereaved families should have publicly-funded legal representation for inquests at which public bodies are legally represented.
... Open access
Air pollution near schools (123 words)
More than 2,000 schools and nurseries across the country are located close to roads with illegal levels of air pollution, but only one in three ... Open access
Health & Safety Back-up
Unions demand toilet breaks and facilities (916 words)
You might think that access to decent toilet facilities would be a basic right at work, but this isn’t always the case for some workers. Back-up ... Subscribers only
Equality news
Decent work eludes low-income families (365 words)
While low and middle-income parents want to work, inadequate pay, a lack of affordable childcare and poor opportunities for progression are holding ... Subscribers only
BME staff face bullying (323 words)
More than a third of black and minority ethnic (BME) workers have been bullied, abused or singled out at work, according to research published by the ... Subscribers only
Maternity stalls job progression (245 words)
The likelihood of a man being promoted after having children is more than double that of a woman, according to new research.
... Open access
Workplace Back-up
Long commutes are as bad as a 19% pay cut (915 words)
It’s taking us longer and longer to get to work and the toll is not just financial — there are health risks too. Back-up looks at new research on ... Subscribers only
E-views
e-views (435 words)
The TUC’s Unionlearn learning and skills organisation has just launched SkillCheck, a new skills assessment tool to help unions engage with ... Subscribers only
News from LRD
e-views (90 words)
The 2018 annual general meeting of the Labour Research Department (LRD) is on Monday 21 May, 2018 from 2.00pm at Jerwood Space, Union Street, London ... Open access