Labour Research June 2022
Does energy security strategy fit the bill? The Tories claim to have set out ‘bold plans’ in their Energy Security Strategy. Trade unions, however, are unconvinced. Government ploughs on with Channel 4 sell-off Plans to privatise Channel 4 are unpopular. So what’s behind the government’s determination to do this? Marking the fifth anniversary of Grenfell Days after the Grenfell Tower fire five years ago, the Conservatives promised to ‘do whatever it takes’ to help victims and the bereaved. Has this happened?
News
GMB union signs partnership agreement with Deliveroo (339 words)
The GMB general union and the Deliveroo online food delivery company have signed a union recognition agreement covering the company’s more than 90,0 ...
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Journalists and Met Police engage (214 words)
A delegation of journalists and photographers from the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) last month met with the Metropolitan Police to improve how ...
Open access
Swingeing civil service job cuts are an ‘act of vandalism’ (279 words)
Civil service unions have vowed to fight government plans — announced in the Daily Mail — to take an axe to 91,000 civil service jobs.
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Government plans threaten our rights, say firefighters (395 words)
The FBU firefighters’ union has accused the government of attacking workers’ rights following the publication of the Fire and Rescue White ...
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Plea over care funding (251 words)
The UNISON public services union has joined forces with the Care Provider Alliance (CPA) that represents adult social care providers in England to ...
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Inflation still climbing (80 words)
Inflation is at a 40-year high: 9% for the Consumer Prices Index and 7.8% for CPIH. But it is the 11.1% Retail Prices Index (RPI) figure unions will ...
Open access
More job vacancies than jobless (206 words)
The January-March unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points on the quarter to 3.7% (officially, 1.257 million). For the first time since ...
Open access
Key economic indicators
Key economic indicators (409 words)
Inflation +8.2%, Average earnings +4.9% ...
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Union news
Delegates reject motions to disaffiliate from Labour (370 words)
Members of two Labour-affiliated unions have rejected conference motions to cut ties with the Party while expressing concerns over its current ...
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Independent inquiry to examine claims of sexual misconduct (241 words)
The TUC and the TSSA transport union are discussing the establishment of an independent inquiry into claims of sexual misconduct on the part of ...
Open access
Rally will ‘demand better’ (240 words)
The union movement is getting behind what is expected to be a huge march and rally in London later this month to demand a better deal for working ...
Open access
European news
Re-elected Macron places pensions back on the agenda (348 words)
April’s re-election of Emmanuel Macron as France’s president means that plans to change the country’s pension system are back on the agenda.
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Platform workers’ rights (287 words)
The European Parliament is considering proposals which would significantly strengthen the planned platform workers directive and make it more ...
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Strikes in Germany (260 words)
A new study by the WSI, an economic and social research body close to the DGB German union confederation, has found that strikes returned to their ...
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Parental provision (68 words)
The Polish government is moving to significantly improve levels of parental leave in order to fulfil the terms of the EU’s work-life balance ...
Open access
Features
Energy strategy won’t deliver, say unions (2,746 words)
The government’s Energy Security Strategy, doesn’t meet what’s needed on jobs, soaring energy bills and the climate crisis, unions say.
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Privatising Channel 4 (2,022 words)
The government appears determined to plough ahead with selling off Channel 4, despite the many critics who say this makes no sense.
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Still awaiting justice (1,756 words)
On 14 June 2017, fire ripped through the 24-storey Grenfell Tower residential block in North Kensington, London, killing 72 people.
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Law Matters
Perception is just one factor in harassment (335 words)
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT), in Ali v (1) Heathrow Express Operating Company Ltd (2) Redline Assured Security Ltd [2022] EAT 54, said the ...
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Claim strike-out was wrong (317 words)
An employment tribunal was wrong to strike out an unfair dismissal claim where the claimant had requested redundancy. ...
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Tribunal erred over ‘last straw’ dismissal claim (246 words)
An employment tribunal was wrong in failing to consider whether there had been a “last straw” entitling the claimant to resign and claim ...
Open access
Law Queries
Withdrawal of resignation (227 words)
n I was having difficulties at work and, when offered another job, handed in my notice. But I’ve now changed my mind and want to stay. My ...
Open access
Agency workers’ rights (252 words)
n A group of agency worker members has now been with the same hirer for more than 12 weeks. But they think they’re not getting the same rights ...
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Settlement figures (271 words)
n I’m often expected to help members who are negotiating through Acas and are asked to come up with a settlement figure. I find this difficult ...
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Law Back-up
wWat does uber case mean for gig economy workers? (947 words)
The Supreme Court found that Uber drivers are “workers” under employment legislation as opposed to independent contractors. ...
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Health & Safety Matters
Cuts will compromise rail safety, tuc warns (219 words)
Spending cuts planned by Network Rail will compromise passenger safety, a new TUC report, The future of rail funding in the UK, sets out. ...
Open access
Unite demands protection for health and care workers (246 words)
All health and social care workers (HSCWs) must be issued with respiratory protective equipment as the Covid crisis continues, the Unite general ...
Open access
Call for action over bullying (246 words)
The GMB general union has called for an overhaul of the employment system for MPs’ staff after the Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, Liam Byrne, ...
Open access
Health & Safety Back-up
employers must get to grips with long covid (899 words)
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published last month show an estimated 1.8 million people in the UK are now experiencing ...
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Equality news
Women undergoing the menopause lack support (396 words)
Workplaces are seriously failing menopausal women, according to a recent survey by the Fawcett Society gender equality charity. ...
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TUC points up increase in bme unemployment rate (239 words)
The unemployment rate among Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers is more than double that of their white counterparts. ...
Open access
Disability pay gap widens (233 words)
New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals the disability pay gap increased in 2021 — to 13.8% from 13.5% the year before. ...
Open access
Workplace Back-up
Paid time off for victims of domestic violence (890 words)
Employers are increasingly recognising the impact that domestic abuse and violence can have on their staff. ...
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