[IER] News Brief: 04/10/2013

[Sarah Glenister]

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/node/1766>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/ierlogo-news.gifNews
Brief 04/10/2013



 

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/node/1755> View in your browser

 



In the news this week


This week's major news event was the Conservative Party Conference, and the
inevitable mass protests that it brings. More than 50,000 people are
estimated to have joined the weekend's impressive demonstration against the
privatisation of the NHS, which snaked its way through Manchester on Sunday
29 September 2013 and at some points reached a mile long. Unfortunately, it
seems many mass media outlets missed this, as coverage was
disproportionately scarce following the event, and
<http://metro.co.uk/2013/09/29/50000-rally-outside-tory-conference-amid-cens
orship-row-4127508/> the Metro reported that BBC Political Correspondent
Norman Smith was told by security staff at the Conference that he was not
allowed to film the protest live from the balcony. No reason for this was
given.

As expected, union bashing has been one of the themes of the Conference,
with both Michael Gove and Grant Shapps giving anti-union speeches.

Elsewhere, as the Tories continue to celebrate a mediocre rise in the
economy, research suggests that for most of us, it really makes no
difference. XpertHR's Annual Review of Pay trends showed that companies the
average worker actually received a real-term cut in pay. In the 12 months to
the end of August 2013, the average pay settlement was 2%, dropping far
behind inflation at 3.3% (as measured by the Retail Prices Index).

But not only did workers find their living standards falling, they were also
treated more poorly this year - when the economy is supposed to have grown -
compared with last year. In the 12 months to August 2013, the median pay
increase was 2%, compared with 2.3% in the 12 months to August 2012.Health
and safety in GPs' offices was also given a black mark this week after it
was revealed that one-third of the family doctors do not have access to
Occupational Health support. The research, conducted by GP trade magazine
Pulse, found that 32% of primary care trusts providing information to the
publication had no contracts in place to provide occupational health to GPs
and those they work with. One GP partaking in the study admitted he had
spent £2,000 on private psychotherapy to help him stay well at work.



Collective bargaining


As regular readers will know, the Institute of Employment Rights is
currently promoting its latest policy proposals
<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-co
llective-bargaining> Reconstruction after the Crisis: a manifesto for
collective bargaining and further resources have been added this week.

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/watch-experts>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Collective%20Bargaining%
20infographic.thumbnail.jpg <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/watch-experts>
Watch the experts

The full video of our packed-out Trade unions: new rights; new freedoms
fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference last week, with speeches from
Professor Keith Ewing, John Hendy QC, Katy Clarke (Labour MP), Sarah Veale
of the TUC, and Len McCluskey.

 


 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/listen-experts>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Collective%20Bargaining%
20infographic.thumbnail.jpg <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/listen-experts>
Listen to the experts


Free podcasts recorded at our TUC Fringe Meeting, with speeches from
Professor Keith Ewing, John Hendy QC, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow,
Unite's Jim Mowatt, NUT's Amanda Brown and our special guest Ian Richards of
the UN, who explains the situation facing UN staff in dangerous situations
now that Ban Ki-Moon has disrecognised all trade unions.

 


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-colle
ctive-bargaining>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Collective%20Bargaining%
20infographic.thumbnail.jpg
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-colle
ctive-bargaining> More on the manifesto for collective bargaining


For more on the Manifesto for collective bargaining, take a look at our
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-colle
ctive-bargaining> easy-access hub, where you will also find
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/ten-point-collective-bargaining-manifesto>
the ten-point manifesto,
<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-co
llective-bargaining> ways to buy the publication, and
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/manifesto-collective-bargaining-pictures>
pictures of us at TUC Congress 2013.



Trade union rights


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/gove-perpetuates-predictable-anti-union-sentimen
t> http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Logo.thumbnail.GIF
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/un-derecognises-all-trade-unions> Gove
perpetuates predictable anti-union sentiment


Education Secretary Michael Gove is hardly a friend of the unions, having
made attacks on teaching unions NUT and NASUWT plenty of times before. At
the Conservative Party Conference this week he persisted with his
anti-worker ideology.



Blacklisting


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/day-action-announced-campaign-against-blacklisti
ng-practices-uk>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Logo.thumbnail.GIF
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/day-action-announced-campaign-against-blacklisti
ng-practices-uk> Day of action announced to campaign against blacklisting
practices in the UK

The TUC has announced a day of action next month to protest against
blacklisting practices and the companies which used them to lock out trade
unionists from the construction industry.



Workplace rights


 


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/employment-law-changes-week-cuts-health-and-safe
ty-and-equality-law-and-more-dreary-pay-uks-poo>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Logo.thumbnail.GIF
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/employment-law-changes-week-cuts-health-and-safe
ty-and-equality-law-and-more-dreary-pay-uks-poo> Employment law changes this
week: cuts to health and safety and equality law, and more dreary pay for
the UK's poorest


October is one of the times of year the government brings in a slew of
reforms and new laws, so this week employment law has seen a number of
changes.

 


 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/human-rights-we-stand-lose-tory-government>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Sarah%20Glenister.thumbn
ail.jpg
<http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/human-rights-we-stand-lose-tory-government> The
human rights we stand to lose from a Tory government


By Sarah Glenister, IER Staff

David Cameron told the BBC's Andrew Marr this weekend that he would withdraw
the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if he thought
such an action was necessary to "keep our country safe".



Pay and benefits


 


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/we-must-fight-care-workers-earn-least-national-m
inimum-wage> We must fight for care workers to earn at least the National
Minimum Wage


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/we-must-fight-care-workers-earn-least-national-m
inimum-wage>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Matthew%20Egan.thumbnail
.jpgBy Matthew Egan, assistant national officer for Unison

It is conservatively estimated that around 150-200,000 homecare workers are
routinely paid less than the National Minimum Wage mainly because they are
not paid for the time they spend travelling between the homes of the people
they care for.



Equality


 


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/advocate-general-ecj-says-intended-mothers-surro
gate-children-should-receive-maternity-rights>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Logo.thumbnail.GIF
<http://www.ier.org.uk/news/advocate-general-ecj-says-intended-mothers-surro
gate-children-should-receive-maternity-rights> Advocate General of the ECJ
says intended mothers of surrogate children should receive maternity rights


Advocate General of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) Juliane Kokott has
agreed with a case brought by public sector union Unison stating that the
intended mothers of children born through surrogacy should receive the same
maternity rights as women who are able to give birth to their own children.

 


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/surrogacy-and-maternity-rights-making-all-m
others-equal>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Surrogacy%20and%20matern
ity%20rights%20cover.thumbnail.jpg
<http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/surrogacy-and-maternity-rights-making-all-m
others-equal> BRIEFING: Surrogacy and maternity rights: making all mothers
equal


By Kate Ewing

Kate Ewing, Legal Officer for Unison, provides an exclusive briefing to the
Institute of Employment Rights on a landmark case to afford intended mothers
in surrogacy arrangements the same maternity rights as other mothers.


 
<mailto:sarah at ier.org.uk?subject=Information%20on%20news%20brief%20advertisi
ng>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/ad%20banner%20narrow.img
_assist_custom.jpgSponsor our news briefs

Help support our charity and the work we do, as well as advertising your
services or products to 5,600 trade unionists, solicitors, academics and
others interested in trade union and employment rights. Contact
<mailto:sarah at ier.org.uk> sarah at ier.org.uk for more details.


New publications


 
<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-co
llective-bargaining>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Manifesto%20book%20cover
%20shadow.thumbnail.jpg
<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-co
llective-bargaining> Reconstruction after the crisis: a manifesto for
collective bargaining


By Professor Keith Ewing and John Hendy QC

This publication presents an evidence-based policy proposal for the state
encouragement of collective bargaining, and particularly sectoral
bargaining, as a tried-and-tested means of reducing income inequality and
stimulating the sustainable recovery of a strong and resilient economy.


 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/labour-law-highlights-2013>
http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Labour%20Law%20Highlight
s%202013%20cover%20website.thumbnail.jpg
<http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/labour-law-highlights-2013> Labour Law
Highlights 1013




By Rebecca Tuck, Betsan Criddle & Stuart Brittenden


SPECIAL OFFER – 4 for the price of 1! Buy Labour Law Highlights 2013 and get
Labour Law Highlights 2012, 2011, and 2010 for free! Already got past copies
of Labour Law Highlights? You can still buy this year’s copy on its own for
the usual price of £8.


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.jpg
Wednesday 20 November 2013
A one-day conference
Diskus Room, Unite Building, Theobalds Road, London

 

 

 

NEW ON THE COALITION TIMELINE!

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/coalition-timeline> Coalition Timeline.jpg

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

 


Trade union rights


·         Gove: Unions put themselves than children (04/10/2013)


Pay and benefits


·         Pay barely increases (01/10/2013)


Equality


·         Employers no longer liable for third-party harassment (01/10/2013)


Health and safety


·         RIDDOR and first-aid protection cut (01/10/2013)

 

 

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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