Nearly two in three young women, and predominantly those in zero hours’ contracts or agency work, are sexually harassed at work, a TUC survey has revealed. The TUC’s research, in partnership…Read more…
Self-employment at all-time high, but earnings down 25% on pre-crisis peak
Yesterday’s labour market figures showed another rise in self-employment, of 94,000 on the quarter, with employee jobs up 73,000. As a share of total employment, self-employment is now at an all-time high – at 15.1% in 2016Q2, above the previous peak of 15.0% in 2014Q2. Though really a steadily…Read more…
Record employment and profits bode well for minimum wage increase
Some employers have been lobbying the government to slow down or stall its minimum wage target for those aged 24 and above. The argument made is that post-referendum economic uncertainty will make the target impossible to meet. This is palpable nonsense. First, the Low Pay Commission (LPC) is…Read more…
Timetable now call
The government’s continued incompetence in devising a long-term defence strategy has been again exposed after last month the ministry of defence (MoD) refused to set out a timetable for building its…Read more…
Unite: May ‘must re-double efforts’
If you happen to be a black or Asian ethnic minority (BAEM) person in the UK today, you’ll inhabit a vastly different world than the rest of the population – you’re much more likely to be jobless, to…Read more…
Profession under pressure
Overwhelming evidence proves that a child’s life chances are largely determined by what they experience between the ages of 0 and 5. If you’re a healthy, supported young child, you’ll be a healthy,…Read more…
Pizza Factory jobs threat
The threat to 350 jobs at The Pizza Factory in Nottingham was branded ‘a hammer blow’ for the workers and the local economy by Unite last night (August 17). Unite is due to hold talks with the…Read more…
‘Why are we waiting?’
Unite, which represents bus drivers in Weymouth and Bridport, is waiting to hear if the company will agree to the terms of reference for arbitration talks under the auspices of the conciliation…Read more…
EU citizens’ right to stay: We need your evidence
I’ve joined a panel established by British Future to look at the detail of how a guarantee to EU27 citizens (people from the 27 countries staying in the EU) currently living and working in the…Read more…
‘Flawed’ scheme
BA management was today (August 17) urged to drop its new controversial ‘unfair’ performance scheme, after its cabin crew voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in protest. …Read more…
‘Massive impact’
Campaigners from the Unite have taken their message against massive NHS Fife cuts direct to the Scottish health minister. Members of the union lobbied NHS Fife board members at the…Read more…
Positive talks
Bus drivers and engineers at Brighton & Hove and Crawley have welcomed the firm’s ‘fresh look’ at its management style. Bus drivers and engineers at Brighton and Hove Buses and its…Read more…
UAW backs Kurdish solidarity call
Unite has welcomed the backing from the 400,000 strong US union, the UAW, for the freedom of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdish Workers’ Party who remains imprisoned in Turkey. In a…Read more…
‘Body blow’ for Boulby
Around 140 employees are facing redundancy at a Teeside potash mine, after bosses announced “further restructuring” measures. The job losses, which are expected to take place by the end of the…Read more…
Making the case for compulsory sex and relationships education
Today sees the launch of a new campaign for Sex and Relationships Education (SRE), set up by the End Violence Against Women coalition and the Everyday Sexism project, and supported by the TUC. The SREnow campaign calls for SRE to be made compulsory in …Read more…
Rail: nationalise now
As services dangerously deteriorate, rail fares have continued to rise, outstripping wages by more than double since 2010, a new analysis has found. As it was announced today (August 16) that…Read more…
Working at Sports Direct hurts your health as well as your pay packet
This week we’ve had proof that working at Sports Direct is bad for your pay packet, after the union Unite won a million pounds in back pay for workers who had received less than the legal minimum…Read more…
Let EU citizens stay – new inquiry launched
I’ve joined a panel set up today by centre-left think tank British Future to look at one of the knottiest problems caused by the Brexit vote in June – what to do when we leave about the EU citizens who are already living and working in the UK. The TUC and CBI have jointly…Read more…
TUC says “Cool it!” as workers suffer in summer heat
A month or so ago, when there was a hot spell and the thermometer went over 30c the TUC called for employers to take action to help workers cope with it by supplying fans, relaxing dress codes and…Read more…
Sweet victory
An agreement covering 7,600 UK employees of food and drink giant Nestlé has been agreed with the Unite and GMB trade unions. The agreement (which is subject to trustee approval) will safeguard…Read more…