The TUC has been fighting attempts to scrap the workers’ rights we have won from the European Union for nearly a year. First we had to fight off the Prime Minister’s plan to use his renegotiation strategy to reduce worker protections; secure a further UK opt out from them; or…Read more…
Economists who just can’t give up & learn to love workers’ rights
We are gradually winning the argument that workers’ rights (known in the academic literature as Employment Protection Legislation, or EPL) are not only good for the workers concerned, but also beneficial – or at the very least not harmful – to the economy as a whole. See this OECD…Read more…
Forty years of progress on workplace rights at risk for workers if Britain Brexits
The TUC has published today a legal opinion from prominent legal expert Michael Ford QC – Employment Silk of 2015 – which warns of years of chaos as a post-Brexit government re-regulates British employment law. The advice he has given the TUC lists the workplace rights which are most…Read more…
‘On the same page’
Business secretary Savid Javid has met with unions, ministers as well as potential buyers of Tata Steel’s UK operations in a bid to save an industry that may be weeks away from collapse if urgent…Read more…
ONS data confirms rents in London are a high-rise nightmare
The latest monthly ONS economic review includes a focus on housing tenure. There are a number of takeaways from this latest release but the prospects for those in rented accommodation appear gloomy, and Londoners, especially younger Londoners are beari…Read more…
Don’t let others speak for us
Polls have shown that young people are most likely to back the UK staying in the European Union – however they are also the least likely to turn out to vote. It is also young people who would…Read more…
What future for the HSE?
The HSE have recently launched a new strategy called “Helping Great Britain work well”. It has six themes – Acting together; tackling ill health; managing risk well; supporting small employers;…Read more…
Bottling line sale welcomed
The future of Somerset cider is still under threat, despite welcome news yesterday that Brothers Drinks will be taking over a bottling line at the Shepton Mallet cider mill. The high-speed…Read more…
‘Act responsibly’
Representatives for thousands of car workers at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) today (April 5) wrote to Cyrus Mistry, the chairman of the carmaker’s parent company, Tata Group demanding the conglomerate…Read more…
‘Failed to get to grips with crisis’
Labour has proposed a £35bn plan to save Port Talbot steel works and the rest of the British steel industry by bringing forward work on HS2 and 500 other rail, airport and road projects. More…Read more…
Sainsbury’s staff face axe
Unite has expressed its ‘severe disappointment’ today (April 5) that Sainsbury’s is axing hundreds of staff – just days after it agreed to splash out £1.4bn to buy Argos owner, the Home Retail…Read more…
‘Good economic sense’
Airbus, one of the world’s biggest aerospace companies, has issued a statement to its workforce asking them to back a ‘remain’ vote in the upcoming European Union referendum for the business to stay…Read more…
Poll shows workers’ voices aren’t being heard in #EUreferendum debate
The new polling released by the Fabian Society at the weekend has some hard messages for both Remain and Leave campaigners in the EU referendum debate. There’s one over-riding message however, that echoes what the TUC (and a few others) have been saying: The campaigns aren’t currently addressing…Read more…
Debt remains a bigger burden for the lowest paid
On Monday, the ONS released the latest instalment of their data on household debt inequalities between July 2012 and June 2014. The data indicates that the absolute and relative burden still falls disproportionately heavily on the lowest paid. For instance: “Twice as many individuals living in…Read more…
‘Deliver our plan’
Steel unions emerged from today’s (April 4) meeting at TUC headquarters in London with specific steps the government can take now to save the steel industry. The meeting was attended by one…Read more…
“See us through this storm”
Steelworkers are continuing their campaign to save the industry today (April 4) as steel unions held emergency talks this afternoon. The talks come on the eve of the government’s woefully…Read more…
Join the fight for justice
For over 20 years there has been a virtually unreported war waged against trade unionists and the poor of Colombia. Unite is affiliated with Justice for Colombia and as the sister union of…Read more…
‘Sort this now’
Steel union leaders are set to meet today (April 4) to discuss the steel crisis in an effort to save thousands of jobs. “After a tumultuous few days this will be the first time representatives…Read more…
Amnesty International report finds abuse still rife as Qatar & FIFA make excuses
Amnesty International has poured cold water on Qatar’s claims to be protecting workers on FIFA World Cup projects, exposing a litany of abuses faced by people refitting the Khalifa International…Read more…
NMW increase welcome – but not to be confused with a living wage
I have been feeling a little conflicted about the new “national living wage” introduced today. On the one hand, it would clearly be churlish to do anything except welcome an increase in the national minimum wage to £7.20, as it will benefit about 1.5 million workers. We have quite…Read more…