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Labour Research February 2022
Workers' health and safety in the green economy - we tend to associate the word ‘green’ with safety, but is this necessarily the case for those working in the green economy? When artificial intelligence is in the saddle - recent years have seen the rapid development of artificial intelligence to undertake management functions; Government signals yet more cuts to rail - the reduction in passenger numbers during the Covid crisis has struck another heavy blow to a rail industry facing more huge cuts
News
Self-isolation change will not fix UK’s sick pay problem (363 words)
The reduced self-isolation period for people testing positive for Covid-19 in England won’t fix the UK’s fundamental sick pay problem, the TUC ...
Subscribers only
Energy bill increases will see more suffering ‘fuel stress’ (289 words)
Urgent action must be taken to prevent a cost-of-living crisis, with more and more families expected to be hit by rocketing fuel bills, the union ... Subscribers only
Thousands of energy jobs at risk (229 words)
“Tens of thousands” of jobs are at stake in the energy sector if the government does not act, says general union Unite. Unite general secretary ...
Open access
Unions condemn government plans to freeze BBC funding (301 words)
Media unions last month roundly condemned plans, announced by culture secretary Nadine Dorries, to freeze funding to the BBC for two years and ... Subscribers only
‘Pushback’ policy slammed (230 words)
The Home Office could face a court injunction to stop “pushbacks” — a policy that forces refugees back across the channel — says the PCS ... Open access
Health staff struggle (232 words)
Surging Omicron cases are leaving hospitals struggling to cope and health workers guilt-stricken at the potential harm to patients, according to ... Open access
Part-time workforce grows (180 words)
A vision of the post-pandemic economy is beginning to take shape — and so far it looks like one in which there are more part-time jobs while real ... Open access
Inflation surges (67 words)
An annual inflation rate of 7.5% on the Retail Prices Index (RPI) was recorded for the year that ended in December 2021. As usual, widely quoted ... Open access
Key economic indicators
Key economic indicators (409 words)
Inflation +7.5%, Average earnings +3.5% ... Subscribers only
Union news
Controversial union hotel centre now subject to inquiry (402 words)
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has commissioned a QC-led inquiry into the union’s hotel and conference centre project which has been the ... Subscribers only
Union launches scheme to prepare members for office (226 words)
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has launched a new training scheme to help “talented” members prepare for political office. ... Open access
New leader for musicians’ union (117 words)
The Musicians Union will have a new general secretary after 22 March this year, when current leader Horace Trubridge’s term of office comes to an ... Open access
Movement mourns passing of Dromey (134 words)
The union movement has reacted with shock and sadness at the sudden passing of former union official and Labour MP Jack Dromey. ... Open access
European news
Significant labour legislation changes introduced in Spain (418 words)
Almost two years after coming to power, the Spanish government has introduced legislation fulfilling its promise to make significant changes to the ... Subscribers only
Workers with North African heritage have lower earnings (184 words)
A new study for Dares, the research agency of the French labour ministry, has found that the descendants of immigrants from North Africa (the ... Open access
EU equality plan excludes two-thirds (148 words)
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has criticised the current proposals for new EU legislation on the gender pay gap, arguing that it ... Open access
Greek unions (99 words)
Greek unions are continuing with their refusal to register details of their structure and activities in a new government electronic database. This is ... Open access
Features
Greening the economy: is it safe for workers? (2,125 words)
What’s good for the environment may not necessarily be good for the health and safety of those employed in ‘green jobs’. ... Subscribers only
When AI rules the workplace (2,417 words)
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used as a management tool to monitor staff activity, both in the workplace and for remote workers. ... Open access
Alarm over swingeing rail cuts (1,898 words)
The government has been warned that a national strike in the rail sector is very likely as unions prepare for another year of battle to prevent ... Subscribers only
Law Matters
Time limit extended while grievance ongoing (485 words)
It was just and equitable to extend the time limit in a claim where the employees had waited for the outcome of their grievances before issuing a ... Subscribers only
‘Frivolous’ grievances led to dismissal being fair (182 words)
A policy adviser had his claim of unfair dismissal rejected by an employment tribunal after it accepted that his repeated use of informal grievances ... Open access
Employer not liable for injury due to ‘horseplay’ (265 words)
An employer was not liable for an injury inflicted by a fellow worker that resulted from “horseplay”. ... Subscribers only
Law Queries
Redendancy and service (250 words)
Q. I’ve just been told I’m to be made redundant after six years’ service. There are nine of us in the team — two have been employed for a ... Subscribers only
Claim for detriment (286 words)
Q. I recently complained to my manager that I hadn’t been given enough days off — additional training days and extra shifts meant I’d been ... Subscribers only
Dependency leave (238 words)
Q. My husband is leaving hospital next week after 10 days. I’ve applied for emergency dependency leave because I had no annual leave left and the ... Open access
Law Back-up
Well-meaning questions amounted to age bias (846 words)
Asking an employee about retirement plans could constitute age discrimination. ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Matters
New vaccination policy will worsen NHS crisis (346 words)
The RCN nurses’ and RCM midwives’ unions joined the TUC call for the government to delay the introduction of mandatory Covid vaccinations after ... Subscribers only
Classroom ventilation (208 words)
Over half of teachers (56%) in a new NASUWT teaching union survey said they do not have access to a CO2 monitor in their classroom — despite a ... Open access
Changes to Covid testing rules slammed (241 words)
Changes to Covid testing rules last month mean people without symptoms do not have to confirm a positive lateral flow test (LFT) with a PCR test, ... Open access
Health & Safety Back-up
Unions and scientists demand action on Covid (891 words)
Unions, scientists and safety campaigners last month called for urgent action to protect workers and communities from the Omicron variant. ... Subscribers only
Equality news
Sexual violence endemic in FE & HE workplaces (380 words)
Sexual violence is endemic in the UK’s further and higher education workplaces and employers must do more to tackle it, according to a recent ... Subscribers only
Homeworking assists in coping with menopause (239 words)
Two-thirds of women experiencing menopausal symptoms have found homeworking has helped them cope, according to a poll by the Community union. ... Open access
Saga offers grandparents a week’s paid leave (230 words)
Saga has become the first UK firm to offer grandparents paid leave to spend time with a new grandchild. ... Open access
Workplace Back-up
Asbestos still common in many public buildings (903 words)
The “leave it and manage it” approach to undisturbed asbestos (that is in good condition) is under pressure from a more pro-active removal ... Subscribers only
E-views
e-views (485 words)
Technology continues to change the world of work — something that’s not expected to slow down any time soon. Innovations in artificial ... Subscribers only
News from LRD
LRD annual general meeting (97 words)
The 2022 annual general meeting of the Labour Research Department (LRD) will be held on Monday 16 May starting at 2.00pm. The AGM will once again be ... Open access