[IER] News Brief: 16/08/2013

Fri Aug 16 17:03:31 BST 2013

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/node/1668>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/ierlogo-blog.gifNews
Brief 16/08/2013

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<http://www.ier.org.uk/node/1668> 

We're back!

Some users will have noted the Institute of Employment Rights has been
struggling with some technical difficulties recently which temporarily
brought down both our website and email. For this reason, today's News Brief
is the first in August so far and may not be as comprehensive as our
long-term users are accustomed to! Fortunately, our systems and servers are
now fixed and we will continue as usual from now on.

Zero-hours contracts

As has been the case for the past few weeks, much of the news has been
centred on zero-hours contracts. One of the most shocking revelations has
been the true number of workers stuck on these exploitative contracts,
<http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/content/view/full/136176>
which is closer to one million rather than the 250,000 originally estimated
by the Office for National Statistics.

While the Coalition government continues to bang the same drum, promising
that a more "flexible" workforce will revitalise the economy, yet more
contradictory statistics have been released. As one would expect with a
significant proportion of the workforce seeing wage freezes and cuts, or
stuck on precarious contracts,
<http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/aug/11/uk-wages-fall-sharpest-eu>
real-term wages have plummeted over the last few years. In fact, the 5.5%
drop in salaries seen by UK workers exceeds even those falls seen in
struggling economies like Spain and Greece.

Despite this, the Institute of Directors is fighting a ban on the zero-hours
contracts and it has been reported that
<http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/institute-directors-fights-zero-hours-
2129216> the organisation uses zero-hours contracts itself.

<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/zero-hours-contracts-some-policy-proposals>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/keith%20ewing.img_assist
_custom.pngFollowing the revelation that a massive 90% of Sports Direct
staff are employed on zero-hours contracts, Law firm Leigh Day is
<http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/07/08/2013/59589/sports-directs-zero
-hours-contracts-face-legal-challenge.htm> leading a claim against the
company brought by members of campaigning group 38 Degrees.

Our favourite press-based comment on the scandal was authored by Seumas
Milne, who argued that the rise of zero-hours contracts
<http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/06/david-cameron-britain-
dockers-line-up-back> is a symptom of the neo-liberalist agenda that caused
the crash five years ago. Rather than resurrect this failed system, we
should be looking for more progressive alternatives.

The Institute of Employment Rights has gone further by offering several
policy ideas to turn-around the tide of precarious employment. Author Keith
Ewing, the IER's President and Professor of Public Law at Kings College
London, recommended moving people to more flexible defined hours contracts
and only allowing non-defined hours contracts where the employer has
recognised a trade union that can negotiate terms on the workers' behalf.

His policy suggestions are available as:
<http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/zero-hour-contracts-some-policy-proposals> an
IER blog on proposed changes to the law to reduce harm caused by zero-hours
contracts and
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/zero-hours-contracts-some-policy-proposals>
a briefing on the policy proposals.

Business Secretary Vince Cable's
<http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/aug/05/zero-hours-contracts-legisla
tion-cable> much weaker recommendation following his department's review
into the matter is to tackle the exclusivity of zero-hours contracts so that
workers are able to find a secondary job. However, this does little to
improve workers' rights. There is no telling whether that second job will
also be based on a zero-hours contract, and it has already been revealed
that workers turning down work (for instance, because they have already
agreed to work elsewhere) are sometimes punished by having their working
hours "zeroed-down". In effect, it is a dismissal, but workers are left
without a clue whether or not they have been fired and whether they can
claim benefits or other support.

Health and safety deregulation

Elsewhere, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
<http://news.bis.gov.uk/Press-Releases/Businesses-to-benefit-from-better-enf
orcement-of-fire-safety-regulation-69137.aspx> has announced changes to fire
safety regulation for businesses as part of its Focus on Enforcement
programme, which aims to reduce inspections to lessen their so-called
"burden on business".

The Lobbying and Trade Union Administration Bill

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/they-want-know-where-you-live>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/paul_statham.jpgThe
latest news on the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade
Union Administration Bill 2013-14 Bill is that The Political and
Constitutional Reform Committee is to hold a number of oral evidence
sessions on 29 August. Evidence will be brought by Nigel Stanley, Head of
Campaigns and Communications at the Trades Union Congress, alongside a
number of other organisations.
<http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/
political-and-constitutional-reform-committee/news/oral-ev-2nd-3rd--4th-lobb
yig-bill/> Find out more here.

Paul Statham of Pattinson and Brewer solicitors has also authored an
<http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/they-want-know-where-you-live> IER Blog
analysing new powers given to the Certification Officer (CO) in the Bill.
Although the current CO is well-respected and trade union friendly,there is
no telling who could next be installed in this government role. With the
proposed new powers, the CO could demand to see the names and addresses of
trade union members.

Our mailing address is:

Institute of Employment Rights

4th Floor

Jack Jones House

1 Islington

Liverpool

L3 8EG

office at ier.org.uk

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On the Coalition timeline...

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/coalition-timeline>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Coalition%20Timeline.img
_assist_custom.jpg

Redundancy and grievances
Conservative Party would make it easier to sack workers (31/07/2013)

Increasing vulnerability in the workplace
Clegg: I'm a huge fan of flexibility for employers (31/07/2013)
Cable offers weak changes to zero-hours contract (05/08/2013)

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/coalition-timeline> Click here to view the
timeline

<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/buy-access-justice-and-get-justice-defer
red-half-price> Special offer: Buy Access to Justice and get Justice
Deferred half price

<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/buy-access-justice-and-get-justice-defer
red-half-price>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Access%20to%20Justice%20
cover.thumbnail.jpg

The Institute of Employment Rights is offering a special offer for a limited
period only on our latest publications looking at the Coalition's reforms of
employment tribunals.

<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/buy-access-justice-and-get-justice-defer
red-half-price>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Justice%20Deferred%20Pub
lication%20cover.thumbnail.jpgAccess to Justice consists of essays on
workers' current restraints from making claims authored by the UK's leading
experts, including John Hendy QC and Emeritus Professor of Industrial
Relations Linda Dickens.

When purchasing Access to Justice, readers will also receive Justice
Deferred - our most popular publication of 2013 - from just £5. Solicitors
David Renton and Anna Macey provide a critical guide to the Coalition's
employment tribunal reforms in an easy-to-read analysis of changes that have
already been introduced, and those still to come.

<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/buy-access-justice-and-get-justice-defer
red-half-price> Click here to access the offer for a limited time only

Forthcoming events

Our autumn events are our most popular and are already selling out, so make
sure you book in early!

Employment Law Update 2013

 <http://>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/ELU%20London%20cover%20w
ebsite.thumbnail.jpgWednesday 09 October 2013
A one-day conference
Conference Chamber, 9th Floor, UNISON, Euston Road

<http://www.ier.org.uk/events/employment-law-update-2013-ken-gill-memorial-f
und-0>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/ELU%20Liverpool%20cover.
thumbnail.jpgWednesday 06 November 2013
A one-day conference
The Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool

Tupe Update: The New Regulations

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/events/tupe-update-new-regulations>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/TUPE%20Update%20cover.th
umbnail.jpgWednesday 23 October 2013
A one-day conference
UNISON, Euston Road, London

Labour Migration in Hard Times

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/events/labour-migration-hard-times>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Labour%20Migration%20in%
20Hard%20Times%20Cover.thumbnail.jpgWednesday 20 November 2013
A one-day conference
Diskus Room, Unite Building, Theobalds Road, London

Sarah Glenister

IT Development and Communications Assistant

Institute of Employment Rights

4th Floor, Jack Jones House, 1 Islington, Liverpool, L3 8EG

0151 207 5265

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