Fact Service May 2014

Issue 21 (29/05/2014) - UNISON can appeal over tribunal fees; Economy grows with more expected; Global Rights Index; Ruling on holiday pay and commission; Executive pay - 31 more on £1m plus; It's a bit rich this list

Isue 20 (22/05/2014) - UK unemployment hits lowest level since 2009; No change in retail price inflation; Earnings-inflation gap widens again; Agency runs blacklist

Issue 19 (15/05/2014) - Docker wins over homophobic abuse; Executive pay ratchets ever higher; Cameron plans attack on unions; Factory output up in first quarter; Law on dangerous dogs tightened up; Criticism over Gove's 'free' schools

Issue 18 (08/05/2014) - Executive pay; Unions target UKIP; Zero-hours contracts; TUC guide to autism in the workplace; Mental health support lacking at top firms; Early conciliation is now compulsory

Issue 17 (01/05/2014) - EU court rebuffs UK over 'Robin Hood' tax; Employers sign Living Wage agreements; Role of union reps; Economy moves up a gear at start of 2014; Myths of compensation culture dispelled; Latest estimate on zero-hours contracts

Issue 21

UNISON can appeal over tribunal fees (225 words)

The Court of Appeal has granted public service union UNISON leave to appeal the High Court’s decision turning down its Judicial Review application ...
Open access

Economy grows with more expected (296 words)

The UK economy grew by 0.8% in the first quarter of 2014, according to the latest official estimates. ...
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Global Rights Index (385 words)

The International Trade Union Confederation has been collecting data on the abuse of trade union rights around the world for the past 30 years. Now ...
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Ruling on holiday pay and commission (442 words)

Public services union UNISON has won a landmark case that could pave the way for employees whose pay is commission based to be entitled to holiday ...
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Executive pay — 31 more on £1m plus (536 words)

Three-quarters of the top executives featured in the table over saw their total remuneration rise last year, according to company remuneration ...
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It’s a bit rich this list (254 words)

The number of billionaires living in the UK has risen to more than 100 for the first time, according to the 2014 Sunday Times Rich List. ...
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Issue 20

UK unemployment hits lowest level since 2009 (571 words)

Unemployment was at a five-year low, according to the latest official figures. ...
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No change in retail price inflation (463 words)

Retail price inflation was unchanged, while consumer price inflation edged higher, the latest official figures show. ...
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Earning — inflation gap widens again (664 words)

The gap between earnings growth and the cost of living widened in March, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show. ...
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Agency runs blacklist (274 words)

An international employment agency, with an office in the Northampton, has been blacklisting workers who join a trade union. ...
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Issue 19

Docker wins over homophobic abuse (280 words)

A Belfast docker sacked after reacting to homophobic abuse at work has been awarded £45,000 in compensation. ...
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Executive pay ratchets ever higher (666 words)

Adam Crozier, chief executive of the ITV Group, saw his total pay and benefits package increase by 187.1% last year, according the group’s latest ...
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Cameron plans attack on unions (164 words)

Prime minister David Cameron confirmed to the BBC’s Andrew Marr that the Conservative manifesto for the 2015 general election will include plans to ...
Open access

Factory output up in first quarter (131 words)

Manufacturing output put on a spurt in early 2014, according to official figures. ...
Open access

Law on dangerous dogs tightened up (255 words)

Irresponsible dog owners may find that 13 May proves an unlucky date as tougher penalties under the Dangerous Dogs Act came into force for dog owners ...
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Criticism over Gove's ‘free’ schools (536 words)

Education secretary Michael Gove’s vanity project — 'free' schools — have been the subject of a critical report from the House of Commons ...
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Issue 18

Executive pay (726 words)

Thirty six executives at 10 companies that are ranked in the top FTSE 100 feature in the table below. Their remuneration packages came to at least £1 ...
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Unions target UKIP (198 words)

Union campaigners have launched a drive against the far-right UK Independence Party (UKIP) ahead of the European elections. ...
Open access

Zero-hours contracts (710 words)

The majority of workers on zero-hours contracts earn less than the Living Wage, according to the TUC. ...
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TUC guide to autism in the workplace (292 words)

New workplace guidance, published by the TUC, gives union reps and employees the information they need to support autistic work colleagues and make ...
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Mental health support lacking at top firms (295 words)

The top-ranked FTSE 100 companies are increasingly discussing employee engagement and wellbeing, but very few offer mental health support. ...
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Early conciliation is now compulsory (146 words)

From 6 May, it is compulsory for anyone wanting to make an Employment Tribunal claim to contact the employment relations service Acas first. It will ...
Open access

Issue 17

EU court rebuffs UK over 'Robin Hood' tax (155 words)

The UK government’s challenge to the introduction of an EU financial transactions tax (FTT), which it has said will damage British firms, has been ...
Open access

Employers sign Living Wage agreements (415 words)

Recently there have a number of companies or organisations that have agreed to pay their staff the Living Wage or London Living Wage or expand its ...
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Role of union reps (318 words)

The number of trade union representatives has remained broadly stable over the recent recession in both union and non-union British workplaces, ...
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Economy moves up a gear at start of 2014 (346 words)

Britain’s economy expanded in the first quarter of the year, but it’s still smaller than it was before the recession. ...
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Myths of compensation culture dispelled (585 words)

The coalition government has been fond of claiming that the UK is riddled with a compensation culture. However, workplace compensation cases have ...
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Latest estimate on zero-hours contracts (418 words)

There are 1.4 million “zero-hours” contracts, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). ...
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