If it wasn’t for companies meeting their obligations to fund defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, average wages would be £1,473 higher, claimed a think tank this morning. It is a compelling argument for many coming after a prolonged period of stagnant wage growth. It is also reminiscent of the…Read more…
Businesses and unions across the country call for right to remain for EU citizens
Today chambers of commerce representing businesses and TUC offices across the country put out joint statements calling for the government to stop stalling and give EU citizens the right to remain in the UK after Brexit. These joint statements back the …Read more…
All to play for on #Brexit
It’s not clear that the British public really cares that much yet about whether Britain should be seeking a ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ Brexit, because the options haven’t been clearly set out, and the Government hasn’t yet set out what it favours. The TUC wants a…Read more…
#InternationalMigrantsDay 2016: Solidarity with undocumented workers
The TUC has joined other unions around Europe to mark International Migrants Day (18 December) by calling for undocumented migrants to have their rights respected. All too often undocumented workers suffer the humiliating and degrading experience of be…Read more…
What we talk about when we talk about insecure work
Today sees the launch of a new TUC report mapping insecurity at work in Britain today, and how key risks associated with work have been transferred to working people, while the financial rewards from flexibility accrue to employers. We find that 3.2 mi…Read more…
For the last two years London per capita income was DOUBLE the rest of the UK
Despite all the rhetoric about rebalancing and powerhouses, new regional figures show how far London has moved from the rest of the country. In 2014 and 2015 gross value added (GVA) per capita was more than double in London compared to the average over the rest of the UK. In cash terms: £43,600…Read more…
Trying not to read too much into today’s employment figures
The latest employment figures show that the labour market recovery hasn’t reversed, but the story of the last six months hasn’t changed much either: little improvement and some worrying signs of weakness. The latest figures, for August to October, show the employment level down 6,000 and the…Read more…
Qatar labour ‘reforms’: actions speak louder than laws
Qatar’s new labour laws will not end abuse, warns Amnesty, and FIFA must act to force real change. Hot on the heels of the deal between Qatar’s World Cup Supreme Committee and the international construction unions to allow the latter to keep an eye on workers building World Cup stadiums, comes…Read more…
Something we can (almost) all agree on: the #right2remain
Yesterday the immigration think-tank British Future launched a report setting out hot to put into effect the right for EU citizens living and working in the UK to remain in the UK after Brexit. The report was drawn up by a panel chaired by Labour MP an…Read more…
First European Parliament NO vote to CETA from the employment committee
Yesterday the Employment and Social Affairs committee of the European Parliament voted to reject the notorious EU-Canada (CETA) trade deal because of the negative impact it would have on workers. While this vote was not binding – the vote on whether to accept the deal will ultimately be made in the…Read more…
Brexit economics update: the economy remains sluggish
The economy has been slow to grow, a trend that predates the referendum, and there are signs it will get worse. The latest round of economic data from the Office of National Statistics gives us a more robust picture of the third quarter of 2016 and the…Read more…
Trans equality debated in parliament for first time is slow but sure progress
On December 1st, Transgender Equality was debated on the Floor of the House of Commons for the very first time. Maria Miller MP moved the motion calling on the Government to review its response to the recommendations of the Women and Equalities Committ…Read more…
Women, crime and inequality
Official statistics show that you’re more likely to be a victim of violent crime or domestic abuse if you are a woman and if you live in a poorer part of the country. A woman living in one of the most deprived parts of the country is nearly four times as likely as a man…
The post Women,…Read more…
Brexit campaigners push for a bonfire of regulations (and rights)
MPs from the cross-party Exiting the EU Select Committee today heard evidence on how Brexit could affect the world of work, from the TUC’s Frances O’Grady, CBI’s Carolyn Fairbairn and former BCC Chair turned Brexit campaigner, John Longworth. We’ve heard a lot of promises in…Read more…
IMF in radical challenge to “accepted truths” on globalization
The IMF has published a new feature on globalisation. It promotes a radical debate, with contributions from leading economists and public figures – not least TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady – and no-one defends the status quo. This blog summaries the contributions, with a few observations of…Read more…
Happy International Day of Disabled People from the UK Government
Today is the 25th International Day of Disabled People. As of Thursday the government didn’t seem to have anything planned, so I will try to fill the gap by discussing what the Day should mean to our government and what’s actually happening in the UK. As it’s an international day, the most obvious…Read more…
Privatising East Coast is a bad deal for passengers and taxpayers
Virgin Trains is set to increase rail fares by 4.9% overall in 2017, compared to the average 2.6% rise across the UK. In 2015, Virgin Trains won the East Coast Main Line franchise when the line was hurriedly re-privatised ahead of the General Election,…Read more…
Right to remain: Theresa May can break the deadlock
This week has seen a string of headlines about prospects for EU citizens in the UK and Brits in the EU’s right to remain after Brexit. Much of the media took aim at EU leaders – particularly German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of the European Council Donald Tusk – for…Read more…
Spinning the railways
UK passengers spend up to six times as much of their salary on rail fares than commuters using largely publicly owned railways in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. We have the most expensive commuter fares in Europe – and it’s no coincidence that out of those countries listed, we’re the only one…Read more…
Green Paper is a missed opportunity to create a Corporate Governance system that works for everyone
The glaring omission of yesterday’s Corporate Governance Green Paper is its failure to include any proposals to deliver on Theresa May’s promise to put workers on company’s boards. On other issues, it includes a few sensible suggestions, but these are wedged between others that would be make little…Read more…