Pay and prices

"Bonus blip" masks lack of change in settlements (195 words)

The latest figures on average earnings show that the January "blip" caused by City bonuses was even more pronounced than was originally reported. The ...

Labour Research Department three-monthly pay figures (216 words)

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

Other pay analysts (20 words)

Industrial Relations Services (median, three months to end March 2004) 3.0% ...

Average earnings indices (155 words)

Dec 02 109.5 3.6 4.2 3.4 3.2 5.0 ...

Full-time weekly average earnings (28 words)

All workers £491.00 ...

Inflation forecasts (30 words)

Fourth quarter 2004: ...

Prices (59 words)

February 03 179.3 3.2 3.0 ...

Bargaining news

Boost for low-paid furniture workers (226 words)

A formula to raise minimum pay rates and a new clause enshrining principles of equality and diversity have been agreed by the British Furniture ...

Retained firefighters seek equal treatment (281 words)

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is backing a test case at the Court of Appeal over the exclusion of retained firefighters from the fire ...

Unifi wins battle over bonus at RBS (258 words)

Finance union Unifi has won a legal case against the Royal Bank on Scotland (RBS) on behalf of almost 100 fixed-term contract staff who ...

University staff vote on improved pay offer (394 words)

The AUT lecturers' union is balloting members this month on an improved pay offer from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA). ...

Scottish nursery nurses to negotiate on local deals (313 words)

Nursery nurses in Scotland have decided to enter negotiations with individual local authorities - but their strike action, which began on 1 March, will ...

Government praises labour market "strength" (334 words)

The secretary of state for work and pensions, Andrew Smith, this month praised the UK labour market, which he said was going "from strength ...

Millions missing out on pay for bank holidays (364 words)

Rights to paid time off on bank and public holidays came under the spotlight again over the Easter period. ...

Managers realise value of call-centre staff morale (91 words)

Call or "contact" centres can damage a company if they are poorly managed or morale is low, according to management recruitment agency Executives Online. ...

Co-op checkout staff offered £5 an hour (116 words)

A pay offer for more than 35,000 workers employed by the co-operative movement will see their hourly rate rise to £5 an hour. ...

Equality news

Flexible working proves a success - if employers abide by the rules (534 words)

Almost a quarter of eligible parents have asked to change their working hours since the rights to request flexible working arrangements came in a ...

Large employers are lagging behind on equal pay reviews (200 words)

Large employers have failed to meet the Equal Opportunities Commission's (EOC) target for carrying out equal pay reviews, although small and medium-sized employers may ...

Disability champions set to roll out across more unions (226 words)

The Disability Champion@ork project, initiated by the Amicus technical and professional union, has exceeded its initial target of training disability champions and is set ...

Recruitment and organisation news

PCS plans strategy to increase participation in workplace issues (471 words)

The largest civil service union, the PCS, is planning a major new organising strategy aimed at "building proper sustainable workplace union organisation". ...

Learning and training news

New training packages for school support staff (261 words)

Public services union UNISON, which represents over 250,000 support and professional staff in education, has welcomed plans to introduce a new comprehensive training and ...

TUC launches briefings on information and consultation (84 words)

Starting this month, the TUC education service is providing briefings for union officers and reps to help them prepare for the introduction of the ...

European news

Call for 40-hour week in German public sector (251 words)

Employers at regional government level in Germany want to end the 38.5-hour week and move back to a working week of 40 hours or ...

Swedes sign above-inflation agreements (269 words)

Swedish unions and employers have once again signed a series of three-year deals. They provide increases well above the current level of inflation as ...

Muslim demand for prayer breaks gets result in Italy (192 words)

The Italian union FIT-CISL and a parcel despatch company, Essevi, at Milan's Linate airport have agreed new working-time arrangements which allow the largely Muslim ...

Spanish workers get inflation protection (167 words)

Figures from CCOO, one of Spain's two major trade union confederations, show that 78.7% of employees covered by agreements either concluded or revised in ...

Law - Discrimination

Discrimination case law news (523 words)

Among this month's developments are key cases focusing on part-time workers and pensions and on holiday rights during maternity leave. ...

Compensation (273 words)

Case 1: The facts ...

Challenging a decision (162 words)

Case 3: The facts ...

Part-time workers' pensions (262 words)

Case 4: The facts ...

Maternity and holidays (151 words)

Case 5: The facts ...

Part-time work (159 words)

Case 6: The facts ...

Proving discrimination (182 words)

Case 7: The facts ...

Treating employees differently (170 words)

Case 8: The facts ...

Continuing discrimination (149 words)

Case 9: The facts ...

Law - Tribunal procedures

Employment tribunals (336 words)

Developments this month include key cases focusing on costs, evidence and the right of appeal. ...

Costs against representatives (166 words)

Case 1: The facts ...

Right of appeal - companion rights (112 words)

Case 2: The facts ...

Awards of costs (126 words)

Case 3: The facts ...

Hearing evidence (125 words)

Case 4: The facts ...

Restriction of proceedings (152 words)

Case 5: The facts ...

Health & safety news

UNISON's space odyssey to combat overcrowding (444 words)

The public services union UNISON has published an information sheet on overcrowding at work, highlighting action that reps can take to ensure all employees ...

Exploring the politics of firefighters' lost sleep (284 words)

The UK fire service does not actively manage sleep loss because it is a "politically loaded subject", according to Dr Alexandra Holmes of the ...

Workers' Memorial Day (143 words)

Trade unions around the world will use Workers' Memorial Day (WMD) on 28 April to remember those who have died at work and to ...

Irritable desk syndrome (155 words)

Cluttered desks, poor posture and hours spent in front of a computer are damaging office workers' health, with increasing numbers now suffering from "irritable ...

Features

Holiday pay rights for workers on long-term sick leave (120 words)

Two years ago the EAT ruled that employers had the obligation to pay holiday pay to employees on long-term sick leave, even where their ...

Whistleblowing (153 words)

Workers who blow the whistle on employer malpractice have the right to claim compensation for injury to feelings. ...

Expelling fascists from unions (101 words)

The EAT, in an important new ruling, has confirmed that unions can expel members of fascist organisations where their activities are contrary to union ...

Deterring union membership (236 words)

Employers can take action against union representatives if they can show that their purpose was not to deter union membership. ...

Overpayments (99 words)

Employers can recover money mistakenly overpaid to an employee, regardless of the circumstances leading to the mistake. ...

Deducting strikers pay (88 words)

Employers can only deduct 1/365 of a worker's pay for each day of strike action. ...

HSC consults on new noise regulations (279 words)

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has published a consultation document on the proposed regulations and guidance that will implement the European Physical Agents ...

HSE inspectors strike (229 words)

More than 3,000 Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors and administration staff took their first strike action for 23 years on 29 March, after ...

Unions tell enquiry of HSE's shortcomings (155 words)

The House of Commons Select Committee inquiry into the HSC and HSE heard oral evidence from unions and campaigners last month. ...

New fund to improve workers' safety (137 words)

Last month the HSE launched its Workers' Safety Adviser Challenge Fund, with £3 million available over a three-year period to increase worker involvement and ...

Have your say on information disclosure (140 words)

The HSE has begun a consultation on bringing Section 28 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) into line with the ...

New legal rights help union negotiations on parental leave (2885 words)

It is now a year since the government introduced significant improvements to statutory maternity rights, as well as legal rights to paternity leave and ...

Current pay round generally "buoyant" (1870 words)

Overall earnings growth in 2003 was "subdued", due partly to lower bonuses - but with bonuses, pay structure changes and other elements featuring in ...