[IER] News Brief: 23/08/2013

Fri Aug 23 16:50:07 BST 2013

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/node/1678>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/ierlogo-blog.gifNews
Brief 23/08/2013

View on your browser <http://www.ier.org.uk/node/1678> 

The IER at TUC

If things have seemed quiet from the Institute of Employment Rights
recently, that's because we're gearing up for a really exciting launch at
the TUC Congress this year. Professor Keith Ewing, President of the IER; and
John Hendy QC, Chair of the IER, have co-authored a new publication entitled
Reconstruction after the crisis: a manifesto for collective bargaining,
which will be released on Sunday 08 September 2013.

Joining Ewing and Hendy at the launch will be General Secretary of Unite Len
McCluskey, General Secretary of NUT Christine Blower and General Secretary
of RMT Bob Crow. Our guests represent just three of the nine trade unions
that have already given their backing to the manifesto, who also include
Unison, GMB, PCS, CWU, UCU and ATL.

The manifesto for collective bargaining is a policy proposal for the next
Labour government, which will not only improve workers' rights but also
strengthen the economy in a long-term and sustainable way.

<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/unions-back-alternative-growth-strategy-be-launc
hed-tuc-congress> See here for further information

Blacklisting

The blacklisting scandal has been in the news again this week, with the
strongest evidence yet that the police were embroiled in the unethical
practice. Former Metropolitan Police officer Peter Francis told revealed
evidence to the Guardian showing that the force gathered intelligence on
trade union activists and gave it blacklisting agency the Consulting
Association. In particular, Francis told the newspaper he had collected
information on an American political activist and her marriage to bricklayer
Frank Smith, which the Home Office argued was a sham.
<http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/aug/18/police-activists-blacklistin
g-agency-alleged> Read more here and Dave Smith of the Blacklist Support
Group's response
<http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/20/blacklisting-activists
-human-rights-inquiry> here.

Lobbying Bill

The widely unpopular and ineffective Transparency of Lobbying, non-Party
Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill could outlaw next year's TUC
Congress,
<http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/content/view/full/136611> the
Morning Star has reported. The TUC believes that national demonstrations and
the congress may count as "campaigning", which trade unions would be banned
from in the 12 months running up to a general election if the Bill goes
through. General Secretary of the TUC Frances O'Grady described said the
Bill's "chilling effect will be to shut down dissent for the year before an
election".

O'Grady also wrote about the Bill in the Guardian, warning that it will not
only oppress trade union activity, but it will also
<http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/18/attack-on-unions-gag-d
emocracy> gag charities and campaigners.

The IER
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/lobbying-bill-barely-touches-rich-slams-workers>
has previously clarified that businesses for which lobbying is not a major
part of their operations (say, the tobacco industry or banks) are exempt
from the new proposals on transparency. This glaring exemption from the law
is enough for most of us to assume that the aim of the Bill is not in any
way to reduce politically motivated donations or increase true transparency,
but simply to attack trade unions and left-wing organisations that may back
the opposition. But if you were in any doubt, it has since been reported
that a third of all seats at the Tory Party conference this year have been
<http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/aug/17/tory-party-lobbyists-third-
conference-seats> booked by lobbyists while only 38% of delegates will
actually be members of the party.

Zero-hours contracts

The scandal of widespread use of zero-hours contracts is continuing to make
headlines, having become the biggest employment law story of the summer. The
Labour Party held a Zero-Hours Summit this week, at which Chukka Umunna
shared estimates that the pay rates of those on the exploitative contracts
are
<http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/aug/20/zero-hours-pay-rates-chuka-u
munna> 40% lower than those on traditional contracts. He
<http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/19/insecurity-zero-hours-
contracts> also vowed that a Labour government "would work across government
to implement comprehensive, sector specific, industrial strategies" to
prevent the continuation of this race to the bottom and replace it with a
global race to the top. However, he did not go into detail about how the
Party would achieve this.

<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/zero-hours-contracts-some-policy-proposals>
Read some policy ideas on zero-hours contracts from the IER in our briefing
on the subject

<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.jpgThe 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.jpg

Wednesday 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.jpg
Wednesday 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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