Pay and prices

Faster growth in both prices and earnings (212 words)

Once again, our database of settlements shows little change since last month: the overall median for the three months to November is 3.0%, although ...

Labour Research Department three-monthly pay figures (203 words)

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

Full-time weekly average earnings (28 words)

All workers £514.50 ...

Other pay analysts (23 words)

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

Average earnings indices (155 words)

Aug 03 (r) 112.3 3.5 3.0 3.7 2.9 6.0 ...

Prices (59 words)

October 03 182.6 2.6 2.7 ...

Inflation forecasts (29 words)

Fourth quarter 2004 ...

Bargaining news

Mixed response to civil service pension plans (711 words)

The government's plan to raise the pension age for civil servants is being bitterly contested by the unions - but a proposal to replace ...

Working time is still on the bargaining agenda (434 words)

Recent and forthcoming changes to working time legislation are continuing to influence the bargaining agenda. ...

Reps urged to be wary of consultation proposals (310 words)

With under five months to go before larger employers will have to set up formal mechanisms for consulting employees on workplace issues, unions are ...

Drinks unions seek national bargaining (239 words)

Unions representing workers at Interbrew are to ballot their members across the company's four British breweries - including the Boddingtons factory in Manchester, which ...

Scottish local government pay deal is voted through (223 words)

The pay settlement for local government staff in Scotland can now go ahead, following the granting of all three signatory unions' consent. ...

Co-op dispute laid to rest (196 words)

Sustained industrial action by members of the T&G and GMB unions has resulted in an improved pay deal at Co-op Funeralcare. ...

Drivers find that fortune favours the courageous (203 words)

Drivers at the Scottish Courage brewery have voted to call off their intended strike action and accept a new three-year pay deal. ...

Brewery strike called off (82 words)

Members of the T&G general union at Carlsberg's Northampton brewery have resolved their dispute with the company over pay and restructuring (see last month's ...

T&N talks break down (64 words)

The Amicus, T&G and GMB unions are alarmed at press reports that the pension scheme at car-parts manufacturer Turner & Newall is again in ...

Rail suppliers get 3.5% rise (109 words)

The TSSA, Amicus and RMT rail unions have negotiated a pay deal at National Railway Supplies worth 3.5% on basic rates from 1 January ...

Equality news

Task force reveals full extent of black pay gap (412 words)

Workers from some black and Asian communities are earning an average of £7,300 a year less than their white counterparts, according to the first ...

TUC seeks positive action from employers on HIV (288 words)

New advice on dealing with HIV and AIDS in the workplace was launched last month by the TUC in the run-up to World AIDS ...

Civil partnerships get the go-ahead (112 words)

The TUC and unions have welcomed the enactment of the government's Civil Partnership Bill, under which same-sex couples who register their partnership will gain ...

Maternity leave to rise (158 words)

Paid maternity leave is to be extended from six to nine months, with a long-term aim of increasing it to a year and making ...

Recruitment and organisation news

Unions must do more for women (244 words)

Changing the times of union meetings to allow part-timers to attend would increase the participation of women members, according to research by the Scottish ...

Recruitment push for CWU (229 words)

The CWU communication workers' union is conducting a recruitment push in five telecoms companies - Orange, Cable & Wireless, T-Mobile, NTL and Telewest - ...

Learning and training news

Training initiative must reach out to involve all employers, says TUC (353 words)

A new TUC report has highlighted the range of skills initiatives that union learning reps (ULRs) can access to promote paid time off for ...

European news

Finns agree pay increases totalling 4.6% to 2007 (458 words)

The three Finnish union confederations and the Finnish employers' association have agreed new framework pay arrangements for the next two-and-a-half years. ...

Belgian pay talks head for deadlock (165 words)

Negotiations for pay in Belgium over the next two years were reaching a climax as Workplace Report went to press, but with little sign ...

Partial agreement at Opel saves German jobs - in the short term (296 words)

German employees of car-maker Opel, the General Motors subsidiary, face an insecure future with pay reductions likely, despite an agreement earlier this month that ...

Law - Dismissal

Dismissal law (475 words)

This month's round-up includes decisions on ACAS's disciplinary code of practice and compensatory awards. ...

Automatically unfair dismissal (156 words)

Mr Pearce and his son alleged that their employer had made unlawful deductions of wages by failing to pay sick pay and travelling time ...

ACAS code of practice (144 words)

Mrs Spence had worked for her employer for 10 years with an unblemished disciplinary record. She was then summarily dismissed for making and receiving ...

Dismissal by third-party order (126 words)

Thomas Martin was a driver delivering documents for his employer's only client, Hays. Hays complained about Martin failing to carry out deliveries, and said ...

Reasonableness (121 words)

Mr Strouthos was dismissed for gross misconduct after he used a company vehicle without permission. The Employment Appeal Tribunal held that his dismissal was ...

Reinstatement (135 words)

Louise Finlay was unfairly dismissed and awarded compensation. She raised the question of reinstatement at her tribunal hearing, but not at the remedies hearing. ...

SOSR dismissal (123 words)

Mark Huggins was dismissed on the grounds that his attitude amounted to a breach of the written and implied terms of his contract. He ...

Constructive dismissal (163 words)

At a review, Mr Hassan's manager raised a few performance issues and told him that a new manager would be appointed in his department ...

Compensation (161 words)

Mr Stark was dismissed when his job was merged into a new post, for which he was not given the opportunity to apply. He ...

Compensation - health cover (142 words)

John Haddock suffered disability discrimination at work, resulting in psychiatric injury. He could not return to work, but remained employed and received payment under ...

Reason for dismissal (235 words)

Darren Keyes had received a number of disciplinary warnings throughout his employment, and was dismissed following what the employment tribunal considered a "trivial" incident. ...

Health & safety news

Computer screens linked to eyesight problems (252 words)

Using a computer for long periods may increase the risk of eye disease and should be monitored by employers, according to recent research. ...

Women's reproductive health at risk from stress (228 words)

Two new studies into periods and miscarriage have highlighted the dangers posed to younger women in stressful jobs. ...

Speaking up for voices (63 words)

Five million UK workers - from teachers to call-centre workers and checkout staff - could suffer voice loss, Hazards magazine has warned. ...

Safety reps prevent asbestos exposure (72 words)

Prompt action by safety reps last month prevented workers being exposed to asbestos. ...

Nanotechnology warning (94 words)

More evidence that the risks from nanotechnology are not being assessed has come to light. ...

Occupational health is online - and interactive (80 words)

The Sheffield Occupational Health Advisory Service (SOHAS) has launched an occupational health website - the Work and Health Information Gateway (WHIG). ...

Features

Disability discrimination law (369 words)

Medical evidence and the duty to make adjustments are among the subjects of this month's decisions. ...

Less favourable treatment (111 words)

The Home Office offered Mr Pantry a job, and then pursued references and carried out security checks. Pantry had a hearing impairment which caused ...

Substantial and adverse effect (194 words)

Mrs Swift took sick leave with a psychiatric illness after two colleagues bullied and harassed her. She asked her employer to arrange for her ...

Claims against other bodies (98 words)

Ms Johnson, a psychologist employed by the Prison Service, claimed that she was subjected to discrimination and harassment by other psychologists - one of ...

Separate bouts of disability (246 words)

Mr Evans's employer raised concerns about his inability to work in a team and his relationship with his manager. He was dismissed on the ...

Definition of disability (92 words)

Wallace Millar suffered eye problems and head and neck ache following a fall at work. Medical tests could find no physical or psychological cause. ...

Medical evidence (121 words)

Mr Toms suffered from a back condition that amounted to a disability. His employer made adjustments to his job to allow him to continue ...

Offers of alternative work (195 words)

Mrs Archibald worked for Fife Council as a road sweeper. Following surgery, she was left disabled and unable to do her job, so she ...

Duty to make adjustments (223 words)

Mr Bruce, a solicitor, brought a disability discrimination claim against a law firm which failed to offer him a post. He accepted that he ...

Normal day-to-day activities (196 words)

David Booth became ill with work-related stress and depression, which he believed was caused by his employer's conduct after he raised a grievance, and ...

Constructive dismissal (132 words)

Teacher Gaynor Meikle suffered from deteriorating vision which amounted to a disability. She asked for adjustments to be made so that she could continue ...

Confusion over Accident Books (371 words)

The publication of the new Accident Book has created confusion, despite the efforts of unions and hazards campaigners to resolve the issue. ...

Rise in deaths and injuries at work sparks outcry (251 words)

Unions have expressed alarm at new HSE statistics that show increases in fatalities, major injuries and injuries leaving workers incapacitated for over three days. ...

New rights to safety data (114 words)

New rights of access to information held by government bodies, including the HSE, come into force on 1 January 2005. ...

More funds for advisers (88 words)

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is calling for bids for the second round of the Worker Safety Adviser Challenge Fund. ...

Shocking news for telephone workers (80 words)

The HSE has found that hundreds of thousands of telephone users are at risk of "acoustic shock", caused by a sudden spike of noise ...

Flexible approach to tackling harassment gets results (2581 words)

Harassment at work continues to be a serious problem, according to most of the union reps in Workplace Report's new survey of policies and ...

Shift premia keep pace with pay - and sometimes sneak ahead (2055 words)

In workplaces that operate a shift system, pay rises often "flow through" automatically to other payments such as allowances and premia for night, shift ...