Modern slavery is an international phenomenon and comes in many forms ranging from East European migrants in the UK food industry in debt to trafficking gangs, to Nepalese workers on Middle Eastern construction sites with no access to their ID documents. The UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 not only…Read more…
South Africa: the long campaign for justice for silicosis sufferers
The announcement of a settlement for 4,365 former gold miners in South Africa suffering from silicosis is welcome news. Anglo American South Africa and AngloGold Ashanti have agreed to put up to 464m…Read more…
The zero-hours nightmare is spreading: 800,000 now on zero-hours contracts.
Zero-hour contracts may be a dream for cost-cutting employers. But they are all too often a nightmare for workers. And despite widespread condemnation from politicians, they’re growing, with this year’s official statistics showing a 15% rise. 104,000 more people are now employed on zero…Read more…
NHS cash crisis reaching a turning point for the worse
We are at a turning point in the growing cash crisis of the NHS. In many areas the threat of cuts and closures could soon be a reality. The NHS cash freeze has barely increased spending in real terms since 2010 while the population has grown and costs …Read more…
Children’s charity strike off
The strike over pay due to take place tomorrow (March 9) at the charity Action for Children, by members of Unite and UNISON, has been suspended. This is to allow talks to continue with…Read more…
The inequality challenge
First written in 1980, this book now covers the period from the 1830s to 2010. Sarah Burton reveals that at the advent of industrialisation much of the workforce, particularly in…Read more…
Keep the lights on
Confirmation that Npower is cutting a total of 2,400 jobs is a ‘bitter blow’ for workers and the energy sector Britain’s largest union, Unite said today (Tuesday 8 March) as it vowed to protect…Read more…
The young mother penalty
Women who have children at a younger age suffer a significant pay penalty throughout their careers compared to older mothers, a new TUC analysis published today (March 8) has revealed. The TUC…Read more…
A beacon of shining light
If black pioneering nurse Mary Seacole was alive today she would probably be in action on the Greek-Macedonian border or helping those trapped in the twilight hell that is the so-called ‘jungle’ in…Read more…
Stop the cruelty
Tomorrow (March 9) hundreds of thousands of people will protest at the Tories’ cruel benefit sanctions. Vulnerable people up and down the country are being punished for the ‘crime’ of being victims…Read more…
The impact of motherhood on pay
On Sunday we celebrated mothers’ day, a day when we show our appreciation for the often unsung and uncelebrated hard work of mothers. Today, on International Women’s Day, the TUC has published research that finds mothers are not so valued in the workplace. In fact, the research confirms the…Read more…
‘Grotesquely cruel’
The coalition government’s benefits sanctions regime has ravaged the nation, punishing vulnerable people up and down the country for the ‘crime’ of being the victims of a failing economy….Read more…
Primary school teachers go above and beyond to give their children the best
If the recent media coverage of the new primary school assessment and testing arrangements are anything to go by you would think that primary schools are pretty horrible places to be right now….Read more…
92 pages but one clear message: what today’s employers’ pensions survey tells us
The Department for Work and Pensions’ employers’ pension survey published today stretches across 92 pages but there is one clear message apparent to readers: little is going to change regarding the level of UK pension saving without action on automatic enrolment minimum contribution rates….Read more…
Seven tests for fairer pensions tax
The hitherto obscure subject of pensions tax relief is likely to be in the foreground when George Osborne reveals the content of his latest Budget later this month. On the table is a potential move to flat-rate tax relief, an approach favoured by the TUC. But, if given the nod, key decisions about…Read more…
Get ready – get registered
This is a big year for your vote – but time is running out to make sure you are able to use it. On the May 5 the UK goes back to the polls with elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern…Read more…
Concerns over workers’ treatment
Unite is raising concerns about the way global logistics giant DHL treats its workers in Latin America after a report found the company guilty of breaking its own – and international – rules. …Read more…
Unite ‘pursuing’ Redcar package
Unite is “actively pursuing” compensation claims on behalf of former steelworkers at the mothballed SSI plant at Redcar. A package is being sought from the government’s Redundancy…Read more…
BMW stresses EU benefits
Car giant BMW Group took the unprecedented step yesterday (March 3) of contacting its 8,000 UK workforce by email, highlighting the risk to the UK of an EU Brexit. The emailed letter states,…Read more…
Periods can be a real pain but menstrual leave policies aren’t the solution
This week a Bristol company hit the headlines for its plan to implement a “period policy”. Most commentators’ reactions to this news could be summarised roughly as “Brilliant. How can I get a job there?” It’s true that you’d be hard pressed to find a woman who hasn’t at some point…Read more…