Features

Pay deals maintain steady rise reaching 3.5% (204 words)

The latest figures from the LRD PayLine database show settlements moving up to a new three-monthly median of 3.5%. This was the figure in ...

Labour Research Department three monthly pay figures (219 words)

Percentage increases on lowest basic rates (by agreements covered) ...

Other pay analysts (30 words)

Confederation of British Industry (manufacturing, three months to July 2003) 2.8% ...

Average earnings indices (149 words)

Jun 02 108.5 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.5 ...

Latest figures for full-time weekly average earnings (31 words)

all workers £481.00 ...

Inflation forecasts (31 words)

RPI forecasts (and underlying inflation- excluding mortgage interest payments) ...

Prices (57 words)

August 02 176.4 1.4 1.9 ...

Offshore holiday campaign continues (202 words)

Unions representing offshore workers were continuing their campaign to secure a legal entitlement to four weeks' paid leave for their members (see news, Workplace ...

Unions strike over London weighting (260 words)

Two unions took further strike action over London Weighting earlier this month. On 16 October some 30,000 postal workers, members of the CWU communications ...

Police, probation and court staff get increases of 3% to 4.8% (478 words)

Magistrates court staff received a 4% pay rise under the first year of a two-year deal while a £250 consolidation coupled with a 2.9% ...

Staff shortages help keep bus industry deals above average (442 words)

There is further evidence of bus industry pay deals above the 'going rate', a trend previously reported in Workplace Report and one which reflects ...

Local deals tackle harmonisation as councils await pay report (456 words)

Two local authorities have recently taken steps towards harmonisation as most councils covered by the national agreement await the findings of the Local Government ...

Lorry drivers continue to push for action to reduce working hours (485 words)

The T&G general union is keeping up the pressure for government action to reduce long working hours and is calling for a new cross-industry ...

Retailer offers paid leave for women taking IVF treatment (200 words)

The Asda supermarket chain is to give paid leave to female staff undergoing fertility (IVF) treatment. And the company says men whose partners are ...

Campaigners call for legal ban on genetic testing (425 words)

Legal changes are needed to prevent genetic discrimination in the workplace say public interest group GeneWatch UK, the TUC and the British Council of ...

TUC region launches equality initiatives (226 words)

The TUC's Northern region has launched two initiatives designed to promote race and disability equality at work. ...

Union studies stress among ethnic minority teachers (104 words)

The NUT teachers' union is undertaking a study into stress among ethnic minority teachers. ...

UNISON boasts major success with school support staff campaign (434 words)

A model recruitment and organising campaign among school support staff Rhondda Cynon Taff in South Wales resulted in the recruitment of over 600 new ...

Supermarket staff benefit from new lifelong learning initiatives (379 words)

Staff at supermarket chains Sainsbury's and Safeway are benefitting from two new learning initiatives. ...

German regional government workers to work and earn less (111 words)

Employees of the regional government of Sachsen-Anhalt, an area in the former East Germany, have agreed new pay and working time arrangements to protect ...

Spanish civil servants get additional pension (251 words)

Earlier this month the main Spanish unions and the Spanish ministry for public administration signed a new agreement on improving pensions for the around ...

Michelin faces payout over unjustified job cuts (260 words)

French multinational tyremaker Michelin could face a multi-million euro compensation bill following a court ruling over redundancies implemented four years ago. ...

Government sets out European Company legislation (203 words)

The British government has this month published proposals for legislation to implement the European Company Statute in the UK. It comes into effect in ...

Contract law (599 words)

This month's round up of key cases cover contracts and collective agreements, agreeing to changes under duress, several breach of contract claims and a ...

Incorporated terms (127 words)

Case 1: The facts ...

Agreements under duress (135 words)

Case 2: The facts ...

Modern apprenticeships (133 words)

Case 3: The facts ...

Breach of contract (453 words)

Case 4: The facts ...

Gang workers (118 words)

Case 7: The facts ...

Mobility clauses (350 words)

Case 8:The facts ...

Stress and breach of contract (253 words)

Case 9: The facts ...

Definition of a worker (144 words)

Case 10: The facts ...

Arranging for substitutes (158 words)

Case 11: The facts ...

Transfer law (194 words)

The key developments ...

Early pensions and TUPE (283 words)

Case 1: The facts ...

Identifying the employer (100 words)

Case 2: The facts ...

Remedies (139 words)

Case 3: The facts ...

Rolled-up holiday pay (294 words)

The Employment Appeal Tribunal has ruled that not all systems of payment where holiday pay is "rolled-up" into the basic rate conflict with the ...

Working time - on call (197 words)

Workers on call at their employers' premises have the right to have their hours counted in the calculation of working time. ...

Whistleblowing (144 words)

Employees have the right to be protected from victimisation if they blow the whistle on employer malpractice. ...

Time off for magistrates (222 words)

Section 50(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 says that employees have the right to unpaid time off to carry out their duties as ...

National minimum wage (135 words)

Employers can pay the National Minimum Wage (NMW) net even if they have not made deductions for tax and national insurance. ...

Government funds worker safety adviser scheme (312 words)

The government is setting up a worker safety adviser (WSA) challenge fund to help improve health and safety in small and medium sized firms. ...

CWU strikes safety rep training deal with BT (265 words)

Communication workers' union CWU has negotiated a ground-breaking deal with telecom giant BT on paid time off for safety rep training. The deal is ...

Construction Safety Campaign AGM (67 words)

The Construction Safety Campaign (CSC) is holding its AGM in Liverpool on 8 November. The CSC has played a leading role in campaigning for ...

Victimised whistleblowers on the railways (112 words)

Victimised whistleblowers is a new booklet from the London Hazards Centre which provides an insight into the disastrous effects of privatisation on the rail ...

Research shows working week is getting longer (116 words)

The working week is getting longer, according to new survey published by professional body, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). ...

Health and safety website goes live (30 words)

Public services union UNISON has launched a new website giving free health and safety information to small and medium sized community and voluntary organisations. ...

Union says new accident book hampers safety reps (232 words)

The CWU communication workers' union is challenging the HSE over its new accident book, due to come into force on 31 December. ...

Workplace illnesses affect more than two million (166 words)

Around 2.3 million people suffer from an illness they believe was caused or made worse by work. This is the latest estimate from the ...

Building site blitz finds falls from height risks persist (162 words)

Health and Safety Executive inspectors found over a third of construction sites were well below standard during the national "falls from height" blitz in ...

Safety and fire regs allow for damages claims (120 words)

New workplace safety and fire regulations that allow workers to claim damages for breaches of health and safety law came into force this month. ...

Guidance on slips and trips in health care (103 words)

The HSE has published a new information sheet giving advice about preventing slips and trips to workers in health services. ...

HSC consults on occupational exposure limits (103 words)

The Health and Safety Commission has published a consultative document that proposes to change the existing regime of occupational exposure limits (OELs). ...

Studies show workplace reps are key to trade union revival (1950 words)

The very future of trade unions hangs on a strong reps' structure at the workplace, according to a number of new reports. The problem ...

Employers look to new ways of providing pension guarantee (2146 words)

A recent survey by employee benefits specialists Watson Wyatt revealed that major companies were continuing to close final salary schemes to new employees, even ...

European Company law offers employee involvement option (945 words)

From next year firms will be able to set themselves up as European Companies. This will offer them certain advantages but more importantly for ...