Workplace Report March 2015

Bonuses - As the recovery sets in, will there be a resurgence in bonus schemes? Council pay and conditions - Austerity has had an impact on council staff’s pay; Latest case law on discrimination

Pay and prices

No change in midpoint rise (272 words)

There has been no movement in the median increase for settlements for five months now. ...
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Labour Research Department three-monthly pay figures (224 words)

Percentage increases on lowest basic rates (by agreements covered) ...
Open access

Full-time weekly average earnings (41 words)

Source: ASHE 2014 uprated by AWE. ...
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Average weekly earnings (AWE) (152 words)

Total pay including bonuses. Percentage annual increases ...
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Other pay analysts (23 words)

...
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Prices (79 words)

1 Retail prices index, Jan ’87=100 ...
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Inflation forecasts (35 words)

Fourth quarter 2015 ...
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Bargaining news

Differences of opinion over earnings growth (765 words)

Chancellor George Osborne says living standards this year will be higher than in 2010 or any previous year, and the issue is centre-stage in the ...
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Parents get new right on sharing leave next month (273 words)

The law changes next month to provide parents with the option of sharing parental leave. ...
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Skills shortage a brake on growth in construction (418 words)

Construction output is falling and building and engineering employers anticipate a modest slowdown in economic activity, but many are employing more ...
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Adult NMW rate to rise by 3.1% (331 words)

The government has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations over the rates paid under the National Minimum Wage (NMW) from 1 October ...
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Pay review bodies recommendations lead to more pay misery and an injunction threat (1,118 words)

The POA prison officers association has been threatened with a High Court Injunction for failing to rule out industrial action over pay. Schools are ...
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Equality news

Short straw for women in gender split on jobs growth (415 words)

Women moving in to lower-paid part-time jobs accounts for just under half of the net growth in female employment in 2014, according to analysis by ...
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Campaign to inspire women engineers of tomorrow (243 words)

Just 3% of engineering apprentices are women because of an unconscious bias from teachers, parents and employers according to a new guide, Thinking ...
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Students clam up over disability (248 words)

Graduates are reluctant to be open about their disabilities or long-term health conditions to potential employers, according to a new study. ...
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Learning and training news

Flower of youth forgotten (305 words)

A new report from the National Union of Students (NUS), Forget me not: an investigation into the financial well-being of apprentices in the UK, ...
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People in twenties worst affected since recession (82 words)

Research, published this month by the London School of Economics, looks at what has happened to inequalities in qualifications, employment, pay, ...
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Recruitment and organisation news

GMB pressure wins over British Gas to recognition (406 words)

A GMB general union recruitment campaign in British Gas has dramatically raised union density among smart meter staff to the point where it now ...
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Rio managers included in chosen bargaining unit (156 words)

Entertainment union BECTU has won its claim for recognition at the Rio Centre in Dalston, east London, based on its chosen bargaining unit which ...
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European news

German metalworkers forge real terms pay increase (616 words)

Germany’s largest union, IG Metall, has reached agreement with the employers on a new pay deal, which provides a 3.4% increase. This is much more ...
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Small rises at French supermarket giant (215 words)

Carrefour, the French supermarket group, has agreed pay rises for its two major businesses in France, Carrefour Hypermarchés, which covers the ...
Open access

Lift off for cabin crew pay in Italy (302 words)

EasyJet, the low cost airline, has renewed its pay and conditions agreement covering its 700 cabin crew based in Italy. The three-year agreement has ...
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Law - Discrimination

Discrimination - the law (1,013 words)

Discrimination law is found in the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010). The EA 2010 lists nine “protected characteristics”: age; disability; gender ...
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Firms have duty to keep long-term sick workers informed (488 words)

Case 1: The facts ...
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Sole candidate was victimised by withdrawal of post (676 words)

Dr Das applied for an advertised post at Cross House Hospital run by the Ayrshire and Arran Health Board (the Board). He was the only candidate and ...
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Changes affecting ‘protected group’ must be proportionate (1,463 words)

The employer in this case, an insurance company called HCL Insurance, was the product of several historic TUPE transfers. As a result there were 10 ...
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Absence-related bonus scheme was unfair to staff with disability (576 words)

The Land Registry operated a discretionary bonus scheme under which eligible employees were paid a bonus of £300 (pro rata for part-time employees). ...
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Health & safety news

Increased stress for mental health staff (444 words)

Mental health workers in Scotland are stressed by working under increasing pressure, says a new UNISON report, with four out of five saying their ...
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Improved safety on sites must be legacy of a death (294 words)

Construction workers’ union UCATT has said that the industry must learn lessons from the death of René Tkacik on the Crossrail project, as an ...
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Guide to help as Fit for work rolls out (278 words)

New guidance for employees, employers and GPs on the Fit for Work Assessment service has been published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). ...
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Health & safety - HSE Monitor

HSL rating scheme aim to get a grip on slips (330 words)

The latest Health and Safety Executive statistics for 2013-2014 show that 56% of all major injuries and almost three out of 10 over seven-day ...
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Industry needs to recognise key role of safety reps (328 words)

The HSE has published new research looking at the current effectiveness of worker engagement practices in the quarry industry. ...
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Advice body’s refusal over asbestos link (276 words)

A government advisory body has refused to recognise the link between two types of cancer and exposure to asbestos at work. ...
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Features

Workers want a pay rise, but bonus payments also feature (3,193 words)

Economic recovery, pent up demand for higher wages and lacklustre productivity growth could be fertile grounds for a resurgence in bonus and ...
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It’s not easy being on the Green Book as a council worker (2,004 words)

The general effects of the coalition government’s cuts in public spending on the workforce of local authorities have been widely reported. ...
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