[IER] News Brief 13 February

Fri Feb 13 17:13:58 GMT 2015

News Brief 13 February

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/node/2358> 

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/node/2358> View in your browser

By Claudia O’Brian

 The Institute is hiring!

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/institute-hiring/> 

There is an exciting opportunity to join our small but dedicated team of staff at the Institute of Employment Rights. We are looking to appoint a National Coordinator to join our busy office in Liverpool. The job description and information on how to apply is available  <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/institute-hiring/> here.

We’ve gone into more depth on a wide range of stories this week. Click through on the stories below to read more.

News

Work experience off limits for many young workers

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/work-experience-limits-many-young-workers> 

Young people are facing a postcode lottery in gaining work experience – with some parts of the UK twice as likely to offer work experience as others. A survey of 18,000 businesses revealed one in five say nothing will persuade them to offer work experience, yet two in three say experience is vital in hiring new staff. And the opportunities that do exist are increasingly open only to a privileged few; underlying the issue is the fact that “work experience” is often a byword for unpaid labour.

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/work-experience-limits-many-young-workers> Read More…

Report on whistleblowing in the NHS published

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/report-whistleblowing-nhs-published> 

The findings of a review into NHS whistleblowing have been published. The review, led by Sir Robert Francis QC, the lawyer who led the inquiry into the care scandal at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, “was set up in response to continuing disquiet about the way NHSorganisations deal with concerns raised by NHS staff and the treatment of some of those who have spoken up”.

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/report-whistleblowing-nhs-published> Read More…

Miliband pledges to double length of paternity leave

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/miliband-pledges-double-length-paternity-leave> 

Under the plans, fathers would be offered four weeks off work at £260 per week. An entitlement to two weeks paternity leave has been in place since 2003, but Labour says that only about 55% of new fathers take the full two weeks due to the financial pressures they are under. Three in four fathers who are on low incomes do not currently take up their full entitlement.

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/miliband-pledges-double-length-paternity-leave> Read More…

David Cameron calls for workers to get a pay rise

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/david-cameron-calls-workers-get-pay-rise> 

Echoing the language of the TUC, David Cameron urged business leaders to “give Britain a pay rise” on Tuesday (10 February). After a four year assault on employment rights and trade union freedoms in which he has introduced a litany of policies designed to degrade pay and conditions, and to make it harder for workers to access justice, the hypocrisy of Cameron’s comments is jarring. As he knows, politely asking corporations to raise wages will have absolutely no effect.

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/david-cameron-calls-workers-get-pay-rise> Read the response…

Stop TTIP

Thanks to a brilliant campaign, opposition to TTIP it is gaining momentum. The European Parliament will vote on a resolution on TTIP in May, however ISDS has been separated out for an earlier debate and resolution. Between 9-12 March, there may be the adoption of a European Parliament resolution on ISDS. Please email your MEPs and tell them you do not want ISDS in any agreement. You can find your set of MEPs and their email addresses at: <http://www.europarl.org.uk/en/your_meps.html#shadowbox/1/%E2%80%A8> http://www.europarl.org.uk/en/your_meps.html#shadowbox/1/

A template email for your adaption is available  <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/ttip-template-email> here. 

New on the Coalition Timeline

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

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

 Pay and Benefits

*         Football displays modern day pay inequality at its worst (10/02/2014)

Health and safety

*         Construction deaths rise after safety inspections are cut (13/02/2015)

Other

*         Postcode lottery for work experience (12/09/2013)

*         Tube drivers vote to strike over sacked colleague(10/02/2015)

Forthcoming Events

Two events in Liverpool: Wednesday 25th March 2015  Adelphi Hotel 

Employment law after the election: what we want?, The Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool

Half day conference, 2.00pm – 5.00pm. Cost £25

Following the tremendous success of the IER’s What We Want <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/what-kind-laws-do-we-want>  conference in London on 11 February, a similar, half-day event will take place in Liverpool to allow more people to engage in the debate. The conference will be a key event in the run-up to the general election, asking how the lives and living standards of Britain’s population are going to improve under a new government.  What laws do you want after the election? Let us know on #ierwhatwewant.

Trade unions under attack: Time to fight back. FREE

Evening Rally in association with Campaign for Trade Union Freedom, the People’s Assembly, the Centre for Labour and Social Studies and the Morning Star. Full programme to follow. Get the date in your diary! 

Can unions stay within the law any longer?

Bill Wedderburn Lecture addressed by Len McCluskey, 19 March 2015

This meeting will be held at The Royal College of Surgeons, 35-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE at 6.30pm. The attendance fee will be waived for Trade Union members. More information and online booking is available  <http://www.industriallawsociety.org.uk/ils_events/66> here.

New – Election 2015: What’s at stake for work, pay and trade unions?

  <http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/Screen%20Shot%202015-02-13%20at%2019.00.26.png> 

Contributors: Professor Tonia Novitz, University of Bristol Law School; Professor Ozlem Onaran, University of  Greenwich; Dr Lydia Hayes, Cardiff University; Carolyn Jones, Institute of Employment Rights; and James Lazou, Unite the Union.

This guide outlines the scale of the fall in living standards since 2008, the explosion of low-wage, insecure work and how working people and their unions have seen their rights attacked. By explaining the link between strong trade unions, widespread collective bargaining and lower inequality the pamphlet suggests short and long term policy interventions that would improve the living standards of working people and begin to steer the economy in a more equitable direction with collective bargaining at its core.

You can read and download the election guide <http://www.classonline.org.uk/projects/election-2015-whats-at-stake> here.

Publications

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/justice-deferred-critical-guide-coalitions-employment-tribunal-reforms> 

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/justice-deferred-critical-guide-coalitions-employment-tribunal-reforms> Justice Deferred: a critical guide to the Coalition’s employment tribunal reforms

By David Renton and Anna Macey

This publication offers a chilling reminder of the extent to which access to justice is being systematically shut down by the Coalition government.

  <http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/trade%20unions%20and%20economic%20inequality.img_assist_custom.png> 

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/trade-unions-and-economic-inequality> Trade Unions and Economic Inequality

By Dr Lydia Hayes and Professor Tonia Novitz

What is the point of trade unions? What do they deliver? Are trade unions relevant in 21st century modern society? These and many other questions are answered by the authors of this timely and well presented report. Order your copy <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/trade-unions-and-economic-inequality>  here

  <http://www.ier.org.uk/sites/ier.org.uk/files/images/re-regulating%20zero%20hours%20coontracts%20cover_0.img_assist_custom.png> 

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/re-regulating-zero-hours-contracts> Re-regulating Zero Hours Contracts

By Zoe Adams and Simon Deakin

ZHCs are highly profitable for employers, but lead to insecurity of income and low pay for workers. The authors point to rigidities in employment law and the operation of the tax-benefit system as being responsible for the rise in zero hours contracting. Order your copy <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/re-regulating-zero-hours-contracts>  here

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/labour-migration-hard-times-reforming-labour-market-regulation> 

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/labour-migration-hard-times-reforming-labour-market-regulation> Labour migration in hard times: Reforming labour market regulation?

Edited by Bernard Ryan

A collection of papers by the UK’s leading experts on labour migration on the exploitation of migrant workers and the need for labour law reform.

IER Manifesto for Collective Bargaining

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-collective-bargaining> 

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/ten-point-collective-bargaining-manifesto> Read the ten-point manifesto

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/reconstruction-after-crisis-manifesto-collective-bargaining> Buy the book

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/watch-experts> VIDEOS: Watch the experts

 <http://www.ier.org.uk/resources/listen-experts> PODCASTS: Listen to the experts

Our mailing address is:

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