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Labour Research September 2012
Bargaining for equality - It has been a difficult few years as unions try to keep the pressure on employers over equality at work; Pay the premium - The gap between the wages of union and non-members - the union premium - is back to the level of five years ago; No to privatisation agenda - Unions say David Cameron's Big Society will see public services opened up to a market free-for-all; European attacks on unions - Centre-right governments across Europe have been using austerity as an excuse to weaken union power
LRD Centenary
LRD archive (245 words)
In 2005, the archives of the Labour Research Department (LRD) were transferred to London Metropolitan University to join the TUC Library Collections. ...
Open access
News
Economic growth needed to maintain staffing levels (373 words)
Many businesses are holding onto more staff than they need but warn that this cannot continue. ...
Subscribers only
Jobcentre staff strike over ‘unrealistic targets’ (270 words)
Thousands of Jobcentre Plus staff countrywide took industrial action last month in protest at “oppressive working conditions” and ȁ ... Subscribers only
Young people are being priced out of education (447 words)
Unions have slammed the government for depriving many young people of the chance to an education that could help them find employment in the ... Subscribers only
Economy is out of kilter (212 words)
The TUC has accused the government of failing to rebalance the economy as a report reveals that it is now more dependent than ever on financial ... Open access
Protest over rail fare hikes (253 words)
Last month, trade union action group Action for Rail joined transport campaigners and passenger groups for a national day of action to protest ... Subscribers only
Jobless at lowest level for a year (228 words)
Unemployment was at its lowest level since July last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. ... Open access
Inflation rebounds (72 words)
Under the Retail Prices Index (RPI), annual inflation rebounded to 3.2% in July from 2.8% in June. The largest upward pressures came from dearer ... Open access
Key economic indicators
Key economic indicators (391 words)
Inflation +3.2%, Average earnings +1.3% ... Subscribers only
Union news
Small loss as unions overhaul membership records (422 words)
Overall union membership held up reasonably well over the last year, according to the latest figures reported by TUC affiliates. This is despite ... Subscribers only
Get voice heard on reps’ time (213 words)
Civil service union PCS is urging its members to respond to the government consultation on trade union facility time by saying how the union has ... Open access
Youth and unions (70 words)
This month’s TUC Congress will consider a motion that calls on the TUC to develop a programme of political education for young workers and ... Open access
Trades councils (90 words)
Sustainable development and green workplaces and fighting the cuts are two of the key areas that trades councils will be concentrating on in terms ... Open access
Blacklisting (85 words)
Human rights organisation Liberty has added its weight to calls for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to reopen the investigation ... Open access
European news
Greek government looks to make more savings (412 words)
The Greek government hopes to have agreement on a new package of cuts to present to the institutions providing financial support to the country, on ... Subscribers only
FIAT must reinstate staff (279 words)
The Italian carmaker FIAT has lost the latest stage of its court battle with the union FIOM over the employment of members at its Pomigliano plant, ... Subscribers only
Blows for Peugeot workers? (258 words)
Senior management at the French motor group PSA Peugeot-Citroën has refused to confirm a story in the German press that production of the ... Subscribers only
Features
Difficult climate for equality (1,733 words)
The last three years have clearly been a tough period for unions to negotiate improvements for their members. And equality is no exception. ... Open access
Get in — as part of union (1,434 words)
Union and collectively-bargained wage levels have risen faster since the 2008 recession than those of other workers, providing a great advertisement ... Subscribers only
Public services to go private (1,903 words)
Delegates at TUC Congress will call for greater action to defend public services and rejection of the government’s privatisation agenda. ... Subscribers only
European centre-right use crisis to neuter unions (1,884 words)
Union rights have been under attack from some goverments in Europe, but elsewhere anti-union measures have been reversed by the centre-left. ... Subscribers only
Law Matters
Underhill proposes changes on tribunals (333 words)
Judge Underhill has completed his fundamental review of employment tribunal rules and proposed a number of changes. ... Subscribers only
Reduction in workload establishes redundancy (285 words)
Can there be a redundancy situation where no one is put at risk of dismissal? ... Subscribers only
Downside to judges sitting alone (256 words)
Since 6 April, employment judges have heard unfair dismissal claims on their own, without lay members. But one judge has criticised this measure in ... Subscribers only
Law Queries
Redundancy pool (318 words)
Q. Our member has been put at risk of redundancy but in a pool of one. Is that lawful? ... Subscribers only
Companion at hearings (271 words)
Q. Prior to outsourcing, we all used to work for the same employer. But even though, we continue to be based in the same building, we are now ... Subscribers only
Native language at work (191 words)
Q. Our workforce includes a number of union members who are originally from Slovakia. Management have just given a warning to one of our members for ... Open access
Law Back-up
Many workers are to be ‘priced out of justice’ (969 words)
From late 2013, separate fees for lodging a tribunal claim and going to a hearing will be due. Back-up reports on the government’s proposals, ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Matters
Workers pay out for protection equipment (348 words)
A TUC survey suggests that one in five workers has to pay for their own personal protective equipment (PPE) or its upkeep. ... Subscribers only
Cancer compensation (231 words)
The government has finally announced a compensation scheme for all newly diagnosed victims of mesothelioma — the asbestos induced cancer of ... Open access
Injury rates for piece rate workers (251 words)
Piece rate workers suffer twice as many injuries as those on standard contracts, according to recent research. ... Subscribers only
Health & Safety Back-up
Small price paid over loss of worker’s life (969 words)
A firm guilty of corporate manslaughter over the death of a worker has been fined just £480,000 plus legal costs. Back-up reports on the case ... Subscribers only
Equality news
Older UK worker rates trail other countries (431 words)
An international comparison of older people in employment ranked the UK 15th out of 34 top market economies that make up the OECD. Its employment ... Subscribers only
Graduates have no option but to work part-time (212 words)
More than one-fifth of recent graduates who have moved into employment are working part-time, according to official figures. ... Open access
Ethnic unemployment (154 words)
The GMB general union has called for government intervention following the release of a report showing disproportionately high levels of ... Open access
Voluntary sector faces big squeeze (87 words)
An annual survey by the London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC) reveals a sector facing increased levels of need while dealing with vastly reduced ... Open access
Workplace Back-up
Working days lost to strikes at 20-year high (862 words)
Annual research on labour disputes shows a total of 1.39 million working days were lost to strike action and other industrial disputes last year, ... Subscribers only
Reviews
The Vote (252 words)
How it was won and how it was ... Subscribers only
Scapegoat (217 words)
Why we are failing disabled ... Open access
E-views
e-views (371 words)
You may have noticed over the past few months that some websites you have visited have asked for your permission to use “cookies”. ... Subscribers only