News

Threatened Boddingtons staff look for European protection (361 words)

Workers at the threatened Boddingtons Brewery in Manchester are applying to the European Union for special geographical protection for the brand, which is strongly ...

Ferry firm to axe 1,200 jobs (299 words)

Union fears over the future of employment in UK-based shipping have been borne out with the news that P&O Ferries wants to axe 1,200 ...

Public workers protest over pensions (233 words)

Hundreds of UK public sector workers last month attended a TUC-organised lobby of Parliament to express their anger to MPs over government plans to ...

Civil servants walk out over jobs cull (233 words)

Last month's national one-day civil service strike - the first in 11 years - saw huge support for the action by an estimated 200,000 ...

Clash over national minimum (130 words)

The CBI employers organisation is urging a freeze on the national minimum wage until 2006, while the TUC is pushing for an increase in ...

UK relying on migrant workers (360 words)

Migrant workers are "propping up" rural and small-town Britain, keeping the NHS going and supporting our pensions system, according to a batch of new ...

Calculation of earnings figures is changed (70 words)

The government has replaced its New Earnings Survey with an Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). ...

Jobless down, claimants up (200 words)

According to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) count of unemployment, the government's preferred measure, total unemployment in the three months to September fell by ...

Key economic indicators

Key economic indicators (320 words)

September (r) 3.7 3.5 3.8 3.2 5.5 3.0 ...

Union news

Unions vote to keep their political funds (174 words)

Members of eight unions voted to retain their political funds last month, taking the total number of "yes" votes in the latest round to ...

Teaching union gets new leader (104 words)

The second largest teaching union, the NASUWT, has appointed its first female general secretary, Chris Keates, who was elected unopposed after being nominated by ...

AUT and NATFHE aim to merge (313 words)

The two main teaching unions in further and higher education - AUT and NATFHE - are hoping to merge by spring or summer of ...

Learning helps unions recruit (109 words)

Unions promoting learning and training at work are increasing membership and also their standing in the workplace, says the TUC. ...

European news

Dutch strikes force government retreat (394 words)

United union action in the Netherlands has forced the government to retreat from some of its plans to worsen provision on early retirement and ...

100,000 protest in Italy (122 words)

More than 100,000 schools staff took to the streets of Rome last month as part of a one-day strike to protest against the government's ...

German employers attack workers' board participation (295 words)

German bosses have called for major changes in the country's system of employee participation at board level, reducing employees' rights. The government of Gerhard ...

Features

How fair is your shopping? (2390 words)

Buying fair trade goods is one way to shop ethically and avoid an overly commercial Christmas. Labour Research investigates what it means for unions ...

Union learning engages migrants (1443 words)

Union learning and training initiatives are providing migrant workers with the necessary skills to access basic rights, particularly in terms of language and health ...

Gay groups keep firms on their toes (1976 words)

Lesbian and gay lobby group Stonewall is promoting the "business case" for good practice around sexual orientation issues. While unions welcome anything that raises ...

Campaigners scent victory (1781 words)

Current rules mean council tenants cannot stay with the local authority and expect improvements to their homes. But the government is under huge pressure ...

Law Matters

Party promise of more pay was not a legal contract (178 words)

A promise of a wage increase made at a Christmas party was meant to offer comfort and reassurance but was not legally binding, an ...

Union found to have breached disability discrimination law (249 words)

In the first case of its kind relating to trade union membership, journalists' union the NUJ has been found to have breached the Disability ...

New claim forms available (47 words)

The new employment tribunal claim forms (ET1) are now available to download from the Employment Tribunals Service website at www. employmenttribunals.gov.uk/publications.asp ...

Tribunals must heed ACAS code (238 words)

Employment tribunals must take the ACAS code of practice on disciplinary procedures into account when considering claims of unfair dismissal. Failure to do so ...

Law Queries

Law Queries: TUPE (113 words)

Q. We have been told that our company is going to be taken over by another firm and our employment will transfer under TUPE. ...

Law Queries: maternity and holidays (149 words)

Q. Our workplace shuts down for a week over Christmas and we have to take this out of our holiday entitlement. One of our ...

Law Queries: custom and practice (205 words)

Q. How can we show that something has become a contractual term through custom and practice? ...

Law Queries: equal pay and TUPE (194 words)

Q. I work as an administrator for an IT company which has just merged with another. I am now working alongside two colleagues who ...

Law Queries: deductions from wages (162 words)

Q. My employer has sent a memo saying that if I damage or do not return any tools that I take out to do ...

Law Back-up

"Complex laws" blamed for pregnancy abuses (936 words)

Pregnant workers are being paid to leave their jobs, a new survey has revealed - just one form of discrimination allegedly caused by employers' ...

Health & Safety Matters

Anger at new direction for safety regulation (337 words)

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 has transformed the UK health and safety landscape, but unions are more concerned with the direction ...

TUC backs plan to ban smoking (273 words)

Smoking could be banned in almost all workplaces in England under plans unveiled by the government. ...

Unions save fire safety regulations (65 words)

Campaigning by rail and fire unions has persuaded the government to drop plans to scrap sub-surface station fire-safety regulations. ...

Global day of action for Bhopal (88 words)

The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal is organising a global day of action on 3 December 2004 - the 20th anniversary of the ...

No maximum temperature limit (84 words)

The government has told shopworkers' union USDAW that it will not set a maximum workplace temperature. ...

Health & Safety Back-up

Employers must do more to stop bullying (852 words)

Bullying continues to be a major concern for workers. Back-up looks at a new report on the problem and at efforts to tackle bullying. ...

Equality news

Disability equality needs union input, advises TUC (416 words)

The TUC has called for public bodies to be compelled to consult trade unions on schemes to promote equality for disabled people. ...

Employers are still reluctant to recruit older workers (222 words)

Human resources (HR) professionals don't want to employ older workers, despite acknowledging the skills crisis arising from the UK's ageing workforce. ...

Council guilty of race discrimination (115 words)

Wandsworth Council has been found guilty of race discrimination against a former employee. ...

DTI wants women to do "men's work" (125 words)

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is encouraging women into jobs in traditionally male-dominated industries. ...

Workplace Back-up

Proposals on working time disappoint unions (890 words)

European Commission proposals for the revision of the EU Working Time Directive have been condemned by unions. Back-up looks at the reaction. ...

Reviews

Why inequality matters (133 words)

Ben Jackson and Paul Segal, Catalyst, 64 pages, £5.00 ...

Work out (153 words)

Training pack produced by Lesbian and Gay Employment Rights. Available from Anne Hayfield, tel: 020 8555 3709, www.annehayfield.com, price £400 with discounts for lesbian, ...

Industrial relations in China (153 words)

Bill Taylor et al, Edward Elgar, 288 pages, hardback, £40.00 ...

E-views

e-views (296 words)

Last month, the TUC hosted a joint seminar with the Institute for Public Policy Research exploring developments in online union organising. ...