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Labour Research June 2020
Helping us weather the coronavirus pandemic - the work of essential workers in the retail and distribution sectors shine a light on who some of the nation’s key workers are; Crisis sees government calling on unions - Trade unions have experienced a level of engagement with government ministers not seen in decades; Logging on to changes in organising - the COVID-19 outbreak has led to a revolution in digital transformation for unions, with a huge increase in online organising and activity
News
Survey reveals reps’ role in alleviating impact of crisis (382 words)
Initial results from a unique new survey has revealed the importance of trade union reps in mitigating the impact of the coronavirus pandemic for ...
Subscribers only
Back-to-work must be made safe (235 words)
If people can’t work from home they should go back to work, Boris Johnson told a stunned nation last month as he embarked on easing the coronavirus ...
Open access
Jobs watch (267 words)
Aero engine manufacturer Rolls Royce will cut 9,000 jobs, 3,375 of them in the UK, by the end of 2020, as the UK economy tumbles into a COVID ... Subscribers only
Education unions call for step back from schools reopening (346 words)
Early reopening of schools last month became the main focus of trade union, local authority and public worries over the relaxation of the lockdown. ... Subscribers only
Worries over public transport (191 words)
Journeys on public transport will inevitably increase, even though the government has urged people to cycle, walk or drive wherever possible. ... Open access
Recovery report (136 words)
A new TUC report sets out how the UK can recover from the coronavirus economic crisis, stop the despair of mass unemployment and set working families ... Open access
Conditions for COVID finance scheme (115 words)
The Bank of England and the Treasury have set new conditions for borrowing money from the COVID Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF), designed to ... Open access
Inflation falls (69 words)
The rate of inflation fell in the year to April. The Retail Prices Index (RPI), the preferred inflation measure for union negotiators, was 1.5% (down ... Open access
Unemployment posts a rise (204 words)
Regular statistics were once again playing second fiddle to the economic reality last month. ... Open access
Key economic indicators
Key economic indicators (403 words)
Inflation +1.5%, Average earnings +1.5% ... Subscribers only
Union news
Inquiry launched into claims against former union leader (265 words)
The GMB general union is conducting an inquiry into potentially serious allegations around the conduct of its former general secretary, Tim Roache, ... Subscribers only
TUC welcomes recommendation on recognition (199 words)
The TUC has welcomed a recommendation by the Law Commission not to make it easier for employers to challenge statutory recognition awards, describing ... Open access
Union growth (125 words)
Public services union UNISON says workers are joining the union in record numbers as they seek support and security during the coronavirus crisis. It ... Open access
Union welfare (171 words)
Public services union UNISON has allocated £250,000 for a special COVID-19 Response Fund to give speedy help to members hit financially by the ... Open access
Sarah Woolley takes over at BFAWU (81 words)
The new general secretary of the BFAWU bakers and foodworkers’ union has taken up her post early as a result of the COVID crisis. ... Open access
European news
Italy’s schools to return half time from September (405 words)
Italy, which has had the highest level of COVID-19 deaths in Europe after the UK, plans to reopen schools in September — but with only half the ... Subscribers only
Work from home right proposed in Germany (258 words)
Germany’s minister of labour, Hubertus Heil, has said he intends to bring in new legislation giving workers a right to work from home after the ... Subscribers only
Job-saving scheme welcomed (110 words)
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has backed the decision of the governments of EU member states to support the SURE programme, which ... Open access
French unions recruit more members (139 words)
France’s two biggest union confederations, the CGT and the CFDT, have both seen their membership increase in 2019, a period of major union action ... Open access
Features
Essential shopworkers experience tough times (2,334 words)
Tens of thousands of workers in shops and the supply chain have played a critical role in helping to maintain our families and communities during the ... Open access
Getting a seat at the table (2,714 words)
Labour Research looks at how unions have influenced the government’s response to the pandemic, what they have achieved and their demands as the ... Subscribers only
Organising through the crisis (2,025 words)
Labour Research looks at how unions have been conducting virtual campaigns, training, organising and providing information to members and activists ... Subscribers only
Law Matters
Crisis highlights role of whistleblowing law (323 words)
Whistleblowing legislation has become highly relevant to the handling of COVID-19 in workplaces. ... Subscribers only
Law Commission proposals (326 words)
The Law Commission, which keeps the law of England and Wales under review and recommends reforms, has made a number of recommendations that support ... Subscribers only
Disciplinary & grievenace hearings can continue (231 words)
The Acas employment advisory and conciliation service has issued guidance on disciplinary and grievance procedures during the coronavirus pandemic. ... Open access
Law Queries
Post-furlough changes (433 words)
Q. I was put on furlough at the beginning of April. My employer has written to ask me to agree to receiving 80% of my salary while I am on furlough, ... Subscribers only
Disciplinary during COVID-19 (335 words)
Q. My employer wants to carry out my disciplinary hearing online by video while I am on furlough. Can they do this? ... Subscribers only
Law Back-up
Extension of pay scheme: what it means for workers (917 words)
Back-up explains the extension of the government’s furlough pay scheme. ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Matters
Strategy on return to work is ‘social murder’ (295 words)
Construction safety campaign Shut The Sites has released a video condemning the government’s return-to-work strategy as “social murder”. ... Subscribers only
TUC demands public inquiry into ‘grotesque’ PPE failure (224 words)
The government must set up an independent inquiry into the “grotesque” failure to provide frontline workers with adequate personal protective ... Open access
Coronavirus death leads to calls for improvements (244 words)
The TSSA transport union last month demanded a series of improvements at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) following the death from coronavirus ... Open access
Health & Safety Back-up
Fire safety reforms not enough, says union (922 words)
The fire safety situation in high-rise residential buildings, so tragically thrown into sharp relief by the Grenfell Tower fire, has not been ... Subscribers only
Equality news
Pandemic throws race bias into sharp relief (616 words)
Unions say massive efforts must be made to tackle structural race discrimination in employment and across society once the immediate coronavirus ... Subscribers only
Women workers (153 words)
Women and parents of young children have been under particular strain from the coronavirus lockdown, according to research carried out by the ... Open access
Visa extensions (99 words)
Public services union UNISON has welcomed the announcement that health and care workers from overseas, and their families, whose visas are due to ... Open access
Workplace Back-up
Low-paid men have highest death rates from COVID-19 (924 words)
The analysis of coronavirus-related deaths among different occupations released last month by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed what ... Subscribers only
E-views
e-views (432 words)
I’ve been working with the TUC on the latest version of their digital healthcheck tool, with our third major release (version 3) seeing a ... Subscribers only