Fact Service November 2010

Issue 47 (25/11/2010), Issue 46 (18/11/2010), Issue 45 (11/11/2010), Issue 44 (04/11/2010)

Issue 47

U-turn on bankers’ pay (467 words)

The City grandee who called for more openness on pay in the finance sector has performed a U-turn. ...

Economy expands (101 words)

The UK economy is performing well, according to official figures for the third quarter of 2010. ...

New Unite head sets 2011 fightback rolling (350 words)

The new leader of the UK’s largest private sector union — Unite — has warned that thousands of families face a miserable Christmas and ...

Political gifts show post-election slump (153 words)

Nine political parties reported receiving just over £7.2 million in donations in the third quarter of 2010, according to new figures published by the ...

More council job cuts are threatened (269 words)

So far, almost 50,000 council jobs face the axe as a result of the Con-Dems Comprehensive Spending Review, according to a round-up of announcements ...

Butchers and bakers thin on the ground (525 words)

Full Fact, an independent fact-checking organisation, has responded to an assertion over representation in Parliament by Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT transport ...

Sickness absence and sick pay — LRD booklet (214 words)

Against a background of recession and looming widespread job cuts many employers are tightening up their sickness absence procedures, while sick workers are increasingly ...

Issue 46

RPI inflation still high after small fall (389 words)

Inflation edged lower on the back of lower housing costs and food prices, the Office for National Statistics said. However, it remains at a ...

Unemployment down but worries remain (471 words)

Unemployment fell on both official counts, the latest figures show. However, long-term unemployment has risen. ...

Earnings growth no match for inflation (338 words)

Weekly earnings growth is still lagging behind the cost of living, Office for National Statistics figures show. ...

Trade unionist wins over blacklisting (189 words)

A major construction firm has been found guilty by an employment tribunal of blacklisting a prominent trade unionist. ...

Welfare reform to bring workfare to the UK (452 words)

The Con-Dems have unveiled their welfare reform proposals which include a single Universal Credit to replace work-related benefits and measures to force some long-term ...

Issue 45

Cuts are piling up the pressure on NHS (441 words)

Staff shortages, recruitment freezes and redundancies are set to “turn back the clock” on patient care in the UK, according to the public sector ...

Timetable for new State Pension age released (222 words)

The timetable for when the rising State Pension age will be reached has been published by the government. They changes are not yet law ...

Outlook is far from rosy in pay round (303 words)

The forthcoming pay round will see employees struggle to make up lost ground following an extremely tough bargaining climate in 2009-10, according to a ...

Widespread fears over axing of council jobs (590 words)

Councils are announcing thousands of job losses as they face cuts in their government funding. ...

Firms face prosecution over Potters Bar crash (204 words)

Proceedings against Network Rail Infrastructure Limited and Jarvis Rail Limited over breaches of health and safety law which caused the Potters Bar derailment are ...

Rise in manufacturing output continues (200 words)

Manufacturing posted its 11th consecutive three-monthly rise in the quarter ending September, according to the Office for National Statistics. ...

Employment tribunal system facing attack? (148 words)

The government should consider drastic measures to overhaul the “flawed” employment tribunal system in the UK and reduce the number of cases in the ...

Issue 44

Equal pay law 'should be fit for purpose' (287 words)

The government should make equal pay law “fit for purpose” by implementing the 2010 Equality Act, with its measures to improve employer transparency on ...

School support staff to take industrial action? (270 words)

Unions are threatening industrial action after the government announced that the negotiating body for school support staff is to be abolished. ...

Tory councils to merge services and cut jobs (256 words)

While some councils are ripping up staff contracts in an attack on jobs and pay and conditions, three Conservative-controlled London councils — Westminster, Hammersmith ...

Stress is top concern for safety reps in 2010 (418 words)

Stress, bullying and harassment, back strains, slips, trips and falls, and overwork top the list of workers’ safety concerns, according to the TUC’s biennial ...

Asbestos challenge goes to Supreme Court (217 words)

The highest court in the land — the Supreme Court — is to be asked to rule on an appeal by the general union ...

Job loss toll likely to be 1.6 million by 2015 (392 words)

Cuts in public spending announced in last month’s Comprehensive Spending Review and the rise in the standard rate of VAT to 20% due in ...

All out attack on staff at Welsh council (229 words)

All 10,000 council workers at a south Wales council have been threatened with the sack unless they accept worse pay and conditions under new ...

Crown guarantee over BT pension scheme (213 words)

The High Court has stated that the government must support the BT pension scheme should the company become insolvent. The ruling was in relation ...