News

Study shatters myth of growth in bureaucrats (290 words)

Contrary to popular myth, the growth in public sector jobs has been mainly in frontline education and health services - not administrative staff, says ...

Voluntary sector must end low pay (371 words)

Pay and workforce issues in the voluntary sector must be addressed if the "growing crisis" in staff recruitment and retention in social care is ...

Act to end "modern day slavery" (235 words)

A new law means the days of illegal gangmasters are now numbered, according to unions and others who have campaigned to put a stop ...

Cost of PFI deals not scrutinised (411 words)

The true costs of private finance initiative (PFI) deals are shrouded in secrecy and private companies are raking in the financial benefits of this ...

Millions excluded from occupational pensions (151 words)

Millions of workers, particularly women, are on track for a poverty-stricken retirement, the charity Age Concern England is warning. ...

CBI calls for work till 70 (169 words)

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) says the government should gradually raise the state pension age to 70 to fund an increase in the ...

Union news

General union keeps cash for loyal MPs (233 words)

The UK's fourth largest union, the GMB general union, last month rejected the Labour Party's request for a £744,000 contribution to its election war ...

NUT has first new leader in 15 years (117 words)

The largest teachers' union, the NUT, has a new general secretary after 15 years with Doug McAvoy at the helm. ...

ASLEF finances "sound" (266 words)

The finances of troubled rail union ASLEF are "sound", according to a major independent report, but there are a number of improvements that should ...

AUT and NATFHE plan merger (83 words)

The two teaching unions in further and higher education could merge within a year if current talks continue as planned. ...

European news

German employers push for longer working hours (314 words)

A series of developments threaten the trend towards shorter working time in Germany. ...

Dutch unions plan major action over early retirement (247 words)

Unions in the Netherlands are preparing for a series of strikes and demonstrations against government policy in the autumn, in a break with their ...

French plant lets go of 35-hour week (226 words)

Workers at a French plant belonging to German auto component-maker Bosch have agreed to move from a 35 to a 36-hour week to prevent ...

Features

Fat cats thumb their noses (1707 words)

Despite some shareholder backlash on executive pay arrangements, it has been another good year for the fat cats, with average pay rises topping 13%. ...

Summertime, and the living ain't easy (1700 words)

Hurrah! Here comes summer. But that's bad news for those who work in hot conditions or whose working environments are not adequately controlled. Labour ...

When over 40 is over the hill (1566 words)

Under 35, and you're too inexperienced; over 40 and you're past it, according to some employers. The government is consulting over age discrimination rules, ...

New crime plan "won't work" (1324 words)

The second major reorganisation of the probation service in three years will not solve the problems in the probation and prison services, say unions ...

Law Matters

Withholding sick pay was "perverse and arbitrary" (351 words)

A brewery refused to continue paying a worker sick pay because they thought he was not genuinely sick - despite having no evidence to ...

House of Lords says "no" to award for injury to feelings (371 words)

The House of Lords has ruled that a worker cannot claim damages for injury to feelings in cases of unfair dismissal. ...

Petty cash payments derail claim (274 words)

A restaurant manager who received payments from petty cash with his employer's approval may not be entitled to compensation after he was constructively dismissed. ...

Law Queries

Holiday during sick leave (112 words)

Anyone who is a "worker" is entitled to annual leave under the Working Time Regulations, as long as they have given notice to take ...

Overpayment of wages (167 words)

An employer is entitled to recover an overpayment of wages without the employee's consent in these circumstances. ...

Union agreements and TUPE (138 words)

Although generally collective agreements do transfer to the new employer under Regulation 6 of TUPE (the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981), ...

Reduced hours in pregnancy (163 words)

Where an employee is unable to carry on with her usual duties because she is pregnant, the employer is obliged to offer her alternative ...

Pornography allegation (184 words)

Even if your employers have a policy allowing them to discipline or dismiss someone for accessing pornography, they will still need to carry out ...

Law Back-up

Employers fail in duty to disabled workers (849 words)

If a worker becomes disabled and unable to do their job because of a feature of their job or workplace, it is up to ...

Health & Safety Matters

Most workplace drug tests are "a waste of time" (313 words)

An independent report has concluded that almost all workplace drug tests are a costly and damaging waste of time. ...

Hazards conference tackles "the brutalisation of work" (254 words)

Nearly 600 delegates from 26 national unions representing around 200 branches met on 16-18 July in Manchester for the inspirational Hazards conference, which this ...

Shopworkers under attack (88 words)

An average shopworker's week includes verbal abuse, threats of violence and physical attacks, a survey by USDAW shopworkers' union has revealed. ...

Downsizing doubles stroke risk (77 words)

Workers who lose their job close to retirement age are more than twice as likely to have a stroke, new research suggests. ...

Latex allergy payout (85 words)

A nurse who developed a life-threatening allergy to latex while working at two Swansea hospitals has been awarded at least £240,000 compensation. ...

Health & Safety Back-up

How healthy and safe are ethnic minorities? (875 words)

The health and safety of minority ethnic workers in Britain is a hugely neglected area. Back-up looks at a new report into the issue ...

Equality news

Law needs to promote race equality in private sector (380 words)

A government-appointed task force has suggested using legislation to promote race equality in the private sector unless businesses demonstrate a positive commitment. ...

Unions seek gay pension rights (146 words)

The TUC has called for a change to the law so that gay workers and their partners can have the same rights to a ...

Charity report uncovers employers' discrimination against blind people (377 words)

Despite the best efforts of blind and partially sighted people to succeed in employment, the odds remain stacked against them, says a recent report. ...

Workplace Back-up

Employers face rise in staff turnover (758 words)

With the level of vacancies rising and more jobs becoming available, employers could be increasingly vulnerable to staff turnover this summer as discontented employees ...

Reviews

Striking back (89 words)

Photographs of the Great Miners' Strike 1984-1985 ...

Nine proposals for the reform of the law on unfair dismissal (128 words)

Hugh Collins, The Institute of Employment Rights, 90 pages, £8.00 ...

We are millions (145 words)

Neo-liberalism and new forms of political action in Argentina ...

E-views

Eviews (399 words)

Unsolicited commercial e-mail, or spam, has now reached epidemic proportions, so that even the United Nations has been attempting to tackle the problem. Regulators ...