Fact Service June 2011

Issue 26 (30/06/2011); Issue 25 (23/06/2011); Issue 24 (16/06/2011); Issue 23 (09/06/2011); Issue 22 (02/06/2011)

Issue 26

Manufacturing output revised downwards (90 words)

The UK economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.5% in the first quarter, according to the third and latest official ...

Fatal injuries at work rise by a sixth (359 words)

The number of workers fatally injured at work in 2010-11 rose by a sixth, according to provisional figures from the Health and Safety Executive ...

Balance of payments shows improvement (309 words)

Britain’s trading with the rest of the world improved somewhat at the start of the year, but is still in deficit, according to the ...

Knowledge economy is crux of jobs growth (416 words)

Only the knowledge economy can provide the jobs and balanced growth needed to secure the UK’s future prosperity, according to a report from The ...

Learning is an aid to union recruitment (317 words)

As learning becomes increasingly a core role of unions, a new report shows that it can act as a powerful recruitment tool, bringing new ...

High risk of pay cut for over-50s in new job (125 words)

A new nationwide survey has found that more than three-quarters (77%) of people aged 50 and over who had found a new full-time job ...

RAC sold to private equity in £1bn deal (194 words)

The RAC breakdown service has been sold to the US private equity group Carlyle for £1 billion. ...

Extra apprenticeships delivered in 2010-11 (178 words)

The government’s ambition to deliver 50,000 additional apprenticeships has been substantially exceeded, official statistics show. The statistics show over 103,000 additional adult apprenticeships started ...

Issue 25

U-turn on privatisation of local services (229 words)

More than half of all councils have backtracked on outsourcing contracts by bringing services back in-house, or are considering it, after failings by private ...

Sneak removal of local consultation (196 words)

So much for the prime minister’s idea of the Big Society. Local public services — councils, police and fire services, and local health bodies ...

Acas disciplinary and grievance code (423 words)

Two key challenges have been indentified by researchers in an evaluation of the Acas conciliation and arbitration service’s Code on disciplinary and grievance procedures ...

Curtain to fall on Remploy factories? (238 words)

The latest report on employment opportunities for disabled people is a blueprint to close more than 50 Remploy plants, the Unite general union said. ...

Increased pessimism on UK economy (308 words)

Economic forecasters appear to have grown less confident about the economy since May. ...

Obscene profits of PFI exposed again (341 words)

The vast profits being made by contractors and banks selling equity in Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project companies, have been exposed by the BBC ...

Unpaid placements and internships rife (167 words)

Almost half of employers admit that they do not pay students and graduates who join them for work experience placements or internships, potentially breaching ...

Pay settlements show gradual rise (248 words)

Settlements showed a rise in the median (midpoint) — up from 2.5% in the three months to April to 2.7% in the three months ...

Issue 24

Inflation steady in May (447 words)

Inflation on both the main measures steadied last month, according to the Office for National Statistics. The rate of inflation under the Retail Prices ...

Earnings continue to lose pace with prices (436 words)

The recovery in average earnings growth continued into April, latest official figures show, but the rises are still well below the inflation rate. ...

Largest quarterly fall in jobless for 11 years (531 words)

Unemployment posted the biggest drop since the middle of 2000, according to the latest official figures. Under the Labour Force Survey count, it fell ...

Conservative council ‘out of control’ (286 words)

The Conservative-controlled council in the London Borough of Barnet is “out of control”, according the public sector union UNISON. The warning came on the ...

Keep May Day — TUC (204 words)

The TUC has warned against moving the May Day bank holiday in its submission to the government’s pre-consultation on moving it as part of ...

Issue 23

Low company tax rates fail on job creation (546 words)

Low corporate tax rates reduce tax revenues but fail to create jobs, according to a new TUC report. ...

UK investment abroad at three-year high (290 words)

Merger activity by UK companies abroad in the first quarter of the year was at its highest level in terms of value since the ...

Outsourcing firm Amey closes pension scheme (151 words)

Outsourcing contractor Amey has closed its trust-based defined contribution (DC) pension scheme to future accrual, moved members to its group personal pension (GPP) and ...

Forced labour in Northern Ireland (502 words)

Modern day slavery or forced labour in Northern Ireland has been highlighted in research by the Institute for Conflict Studies for a Joseph Rowntree ...

Trade unionists murdered in 2010 (384 words)

Last year was another difficult and dangerous year for trade unionists around the world, with 90 murdered for their efforts defending workers’ rights. ...

Care home axes 3,000 jobs, more threatened (304 words)

Troubled care home provider Southern Cross has announced proposals to cut 3,000 jobs. ...

Issue 22

Disabled urged to carry on fightback (465 words)

Disabled people have been urged to continue their resistance to the government spending cuts which are hitting every aspect of their lives. ...

Takeover rule changes and employment (409 words)

Industry figures have backed calls for companies involved in mergers and acquisitions to disclose their intention for the target company pension scheme prior to ...

Benefits of telework (307 words)

Employers who allow telecommuting two days a week on average realise a 20% increase in productivity, save 15% in real estate costs, and see ...

Outsourcing neglects public sector potential (406 words)

Coalition government policy is failing to deliver the public sector innovation that could dramatically boost value for money and benefit the economy beyond the ...

Chief executives’ pay goes on rising (154 words)

Chief executive officer (CEO) pay continues to rise, quadrupling over the past 12 years, according to the Executive Director Total Remuneration Survey 2011 by MM&K ...

London Living Wage rises by 45p an hour (525 words)

The London Living Wage is to be increased to £8.30 an hour, the Greater London Authority (GLA) has said in its seventh annual report. ...