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Labour Research January 2013
The year ahead - Unions will face ongoing pressure in 2013 thanks to continued austerity and government attacks; Further education cuts - In common with other public service sectors, further education is struggling in the face of cuts; New TUC head - New TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady tells Labour Research of her priorities; SOS for 999 services - Frontline jobs are disappearing from the emergency services, despite government pledges to the contrary
News
Profit-hoarding City restrains other industries, says TUC (436 words)
The success of the City and its rising financial profits have been to the detriment of workers and other industries, according to a TUC report ...
Subscribers only
MPs call for closures to be stemmed (259 words)
Unions have welcomed a call by the Transport Select Committee of MPs to rule out any further threat to coastguard stations beyond its current cuts ... Subscribers only
Strikes in education and transport (238 words)
Teachers at Connaught School, Leytonstone, east London, took strike action in late November and early December last year in a continuing battle over ...
Open access
Education secretary may impose radical change on teachers’ pay (406 words)
Education Secretary Michael Gove appears intent on escalating his “war” with school teachers’ unions and is said to be ready ... Subscribers only
Pensions setback for low earners (235 words)
The TUC has condemned a government decision to raise the minimum earnings level for automatically enrolling workers into a pension scheme. From this ... Open access
BA job cuts (133 words)
The Unite general union said it was bitterly disappointed over plans by British Airways (BA) to cut 400 senior cabin crew positions. ... Open access
Train fares rise faster than wages (121 words)
Average train fares have risen nearly three times faster than wages since the recession began, according to the latest analysis published by the ... Open access
Joblessness down on both counts (209 words)
Unemployment is down on both counts but the good news is not expected to last into 2013. ... Open access
Household wealth gap revealed (76 words)
The net wealth of all households was estimated by the Office for National Statistics to be £10.3 trillion between 2008-10. But the richest 10% ... Open access
Key economic indicators
Key economic indicators (398 words)
Inflation +3.2, Average earnings +1.3% ... Subscribers only
Union news
Union giants confirm surprise elections for leadership position (549 words)
The largest and third largest UK unions are to run surprise early general secretary elections this year, it was revealed last month. ... Subscribers only
Derecognition goes ahead (158 words)
Virgin Media has de-recognised the CWU and BECTU communications and media unions (see Labour Research, December 2012, page 7). The unions believe ... Open access
Voting turnouts (99 words)
Any ideas that thresholds should be imposed for trade union ballots should have been scotched by the low turnouts in the police commissioner ... Open access
Members urged to sign up to Labour (80 words)
Billy Hayes, general secretary of the CWU communications union, has urged his members to “join the Labour Party and help us elect a real ... Open access
MSP quits to take on union role (48 words)
Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament John Park has left his post to take up the role of policy and strategy director for the Community union. ... Open access
European news
Cyprus bailout terms will clobber workers’ living standards (473 words)
The Cypriot government has agreed the terms of a bailout deal with the “troika” — the International Monetary Fund, the European ... Subscribers only
French unions unconvinced over rescue (228 words)
French unions have expressed concern over the agreement reached with the Arcelor Mittal group on the future of the steel works in Florange in the ... Open access
Short-term work subsidy extended in Germany (100 words)
The German government has given way to pressure from both unions and employers and extended the subsidy paid to those on short-time work from the ... Open access
Polish unions call for legal changes (127 words)
The three main union confederations in Poland, Solidarnosc, OPZZ and Forum ZZ, are calling for a change in the law that will strengthen their ... Open access
Features
What will we face in 2013? (3,035 words)
As austerity continues at home and in Europe, the experts at Labour Research examine what 2013 is likely to bring for unions and their members. ... Subscribers only
Still furthering education? (1,655 words)
Labour Research begins a series of occasional features looking at particular sectors of the economy. This month, we examine what’s happening ... Subscribers only
Frances O'Grady - ‘We have to be ready for the attacks’ (2,307 words)
The TUC has a new general secretary in Frances O’Grady. In an interview with Labour Research, she tells us what her top priorities are for ... Subscribers only
Can 999 services be rescued from the cuts? (1,440 words)
The government’s austerity measures pose a considerable threat to the country’s emergency services. ... Subscribers only
Law Matters
Employee ownership rights get thumbs-up (331 words)
The government is to investigate a new employee “right to request” — that of the right to request employee ownership — ... Subscribers only
Tribunal rules on sick leave and adjustments (302 words)
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that the duty to make reasonable adjustments does not end when a worker goes on sick leave. ... Subscribers only
Coalition promotes reserves (226 words)
While the government continues to hack away at employment protections for many workers, it seems to have a different approach in mind for military ... Open access
Law Queries
Long working hours (252 words)
Q. Our member works very long hours. His contract includes a clause stating that he can be asked to work more than 48 hours per week. As he is paid ... Subscribers only
Consultation period (210 words)
Q. We wanted to comment on the government’s consultation on the introduction of employee-shareholder contracts (see Labour Research, December 2 ... Open access
Phased return to work (267 words)
Q. Our member, who has been off long-term sick (but ran out of sick pay some time ago), is now well enough to do some work. The employer has agreed ... Subscribers only
Law Back-up
New rights on parental leave and flexible work (938 words)
The government has responded to comments on its summer 2011 Modern workplaces consultation. It has announced that, as well as introducing shared ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Matters
Low-paid at more risk of being overweight (255 words)
Working in low waged occupations has an association with being overweight, according to a new study. ... Subscribers only
Job losses are heart felt (289 words)
Each time a worker loses their job, their risk of heart attack increases, says recent research. ... Subscribers only
Dangerous dogs law must change (251 words)
An inquiry into dog attacks on postal workers has criticised the continuing failure by governments to deal with the “glaring inadequacies of ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Back-up
Workers are entitled to freedom from fear (909 words)
The Protection of Workers Bill is a private member’s bill introduced by Graeme Morrice, the Labour MP for Livingston. Launched in October 2012 ... Subscribers only
Equality news
Huge pay gap persists for part-time workers (373 words)
The gender pay gap for full-time employees fell to 9.6% in April 2012 from 10.5% the previous year, according to figures released at the end of last ... Subscribers only
Equality watchdog faces yet more punishing cuts (296 words)
The EHRC equality and human rights watchdog, whose budget has already been slashed by almost two- thirds by the coalition government, may face ... Subscribers only
Employers ‘missing a trick’ (239 words)
It is in employers’ interests to help older workers stay in their jobs for as long as possible by offering them greater flexibility, ... Open access
Workplace Back-up
Can apprenticeships’ quality be improved? (811 words)
The Richard review of apprenticeships calls on the government to improve the quality of apprenticeships and make them more focused on the needs of ... Subscribers only
Reviews
William Cuffay (238 words)
The life & times of a Chartist ... Open access
The corporation that changed the world (215 words)
How the East India Company shaped the modern ... Open access
E-views
e-views (406 words)
Cloud computing is a bit of a buzzword at the moment. ... Subscribers only
News from LRD
LRD annual general meeting (98 words)
The Labour Research Department annual general meeting is on Monday 20 May 2013, 2.00pm, at Jerwood Space, Union Street, London SE1 0LN. ... Open access