Workplace Report July 2002

London weighting; Negotiating allowances

Pay and prices

Labour Research Department three monthly pay figures (220 words)

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

Prices (59 words)

May 174.2 2.1 2.4 ...

Pay analysts (29 words)

Confederation of British Industry (manufacturing) (three months to April 2002) 2.7% ...

Average earnings (150 words)

April (r) 128.8 4.9 5.2 4.8 4.8 5.4 ...

Inflation forecasts (41 words)

RPI forecasts (and underlying inflation - excluding mortgage interest payments) ...

Average earnings (39 words)

Latest figures for full-time weekly average earnings ...

Bargaining news

Union anger mounts over pensions robbery (382 words)

Unions have been reacting angrily to the trend among employers to abandon final salary pension schemes and the threat to pension rights posed by ...

Features

Mediated settlement finally reached at Royal Mail (394 words)

Royal Mail Service Delivery ...

Heatrae Sadia links pay to underlying inflation (125 words)

Heatrae Sadia ...

Three-stage deal at TNT Express (225 words)

TNT Express ...

Pay deals in brief (565 words)

Agreement % increase date number covered hours holidays ...

Strikes and review put London weighting in the spotlight (3571 words)

Industrial action by teachers and local government workers earlier this year and the 240-page report from the Greater London Authority (GLA) have made London ...

Duties, disturbance and dirty jobs - allowances on the bargaining agenda (2396 words)

As this month's London weighting survey shows, allowances can be an important and sometimes controversial element of the pay package. Bargaining Report looks at ...

Latest developments in dismissal case law (800 words)

This month the Employment Bill 2001 is likely to become law. Many of its provisions are aimed at reducing the number of claims going ...

Costs awards (95 words)

The government has announced that it is to amend the law to make it clear that tribunals can take account of an individual's ability ...

Career breaks (100 words)

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has made an important ruling that employment continues during a career break even though there is no contract of ...

Holiday rights (56 words)

Employers cannot deduct money from workers' pay on termination to take account of the fact that they had taken more statutory annual leave than ...

Sickness and strikers (113 words)

An employee who is off sick when industrial action begins is unlikely to be taking part in the action according to the EAT. Employees ...

Overtime pay (103 words)

The EAT has ruled that the fact that an employee worked longer than the limits laid down in the working time directive did not ...

Unions take action to defend pensions (309 words)

Both the ISTC community union and UNISON public service union have had to take industrial action in an attempt to defend their members' pension ...

T&G welcomes final salary move (113 words)

The T&G general union welcomed the decision by the H+H Celcon building products group to allow all employees to join its final salary scheme. ...

Unions react angrily to Pickering report proposals that could lead to lower benefits (786 words)

Unions were quick to condemn some of the key proposals in the government-commissioned Pickering report which was published earlier this month. ...

Training materials will help prepare for new asbestos regulations (209 words)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced an Asbestos Risk Management Presenter's Pack containing a range of training materials for those affected by ...

Farmworkers' union attacks lack of protection for children on farms (232 words)

The T&G general union, the largest trade union representing agriculture workers, has condemned the continued failure to outlaw children under 16 driving tractors on ...

Union's helpline exposes widespread harassment (167 words)

The success of the CWU communication workers' union harassment hotline was widely acknowledged by postal delegates at its annual conference last month. ...

Commission targets building site safety (117 words)

Health and Safety Commission (HSC) chair, Bill Callaghan, has outlined the steps being taken to improve safety in the construction industry and address the ...

Partnership projects provide important lessons on tackling back pain at work (271 words)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a report evaluating the results of 19 projects set up jointly with the Department of Health ...

First European-wide campaign to combat work-related stress (451 words)

A major campaign to combat work-related stress - the second biggest occupational health problem in the European Union (EU) after back pain - was ...

Survey suggests most top firms are not tackling disability issues (192 words)

Only six out of 50 leading UK and overseas companies mention disability as part of their corporate responsibility strategy. ...

Union report exposes lecturers' pay inequality (218 words)

Average pay for full-time ethnic minority academic staff in some UK higher education institutions is more than 20% lower than their white colleagues, according ...

Childcare charity calls for local children's centres (244 words)

Childcare charity Daycare Trust has called for the creation of children's centres in every community. The centres would give universal access to good quality ...

Kit to simplify equal pay reviews (104 words)

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has produced an equal pay kit to help employers review their pay systems for gender inequalities. The step-by-step guide ...

Germany - disputes continue in banking and retail sectors (388 words)

disputes in the banking and retail sectors continue to disrupt this year's German pay round. However, there have been more settlements in some key ...

Unions and employers agree teleworking deal (71 words)

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European employers' associations signed an agreement on teleworking earlier this month. It covers issues such as ...

Minimum wage rises 4.2% in the Netherlands (133 words)

The minimum wage in the Netherlands increased this month to €284.25 a week or €56.85 a day. ...

French government decides on lowest increase for minimum wage (186 words)

The new centre-right French government of Jean-Pierre Raffarin has decided to increase the French national minimum wage, the SMIC, by 2.4%, the minimum possible. ...