Well, this is awkward: Xi Jinping’s trade deals visit overshadowed by growing concern over China’s impact on UK steel industry October 20, 2015 The government is making its case for stepping up the Sino-British relationship by announcing £30bn worth of new trade and investment deals, despite escalating concerns that the UK steel industry is crumbling at the hands of Chinese manufacturers. The Prime Minister announced the business deals, which the government says will create more than 3,900 jobs [...]
“Britain Needs a Pay Rise”: Trades Union Congress organises pay protests for public sector workers in London, Glasgow and Belfast October 18, 2014 Tens of thousands of public sector workers have gathered in London, Glasgow and Belfast to protest about low pay. Organised by the Trades Union Congerss (TUC), the rallies are against the below-inflation 1 per cent pay offer, which the government says will safeguard jobs. According to the TUC, average wages have dropped by £50 [...]
Surprise drop in top dog pay: Report shows FTSE chiefs taking home less cash in real terms August 16, 2015 Average pay packages for FTSE 100 chief execs fell in real terms over the course of the most recently-recorded year, according to a new report out today. Bosses at British blue chip firms took home an average of £4.96m in 2014, compared with £4.92m in 2013, according to the High Pay Centre think tank. Adjusting [...]
Qatar accused of being a “slave state” as pressure campaign on Fifa sponsors is launched May 18, 2015 Qatar has been accused of being a "slave state" at the launch of a campaign from international workers unions, pressure groups and the sportswear company Skins demanding Fifa's sponsors challenge human rights abuses at World Cup construction sites in the gulf state. Figures from Skins, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the UK's Trade Union [...]
David Cameron: Labour-SNP is a match made in hell April 20, 2015 A Labour-SNP alliance would be “a match made in hell” for the UK economy, Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday. In a speech at a train factory in Crewe, Cameron said Labour leader Ed Miliband would bring the economy “to a grinding halt” if he did a deal with Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon. “Make [...]
Business backs Sajid Javid over strike law reforms May 12, 2015 Business groups have rallied behind government moves to make big changes to strike laws. New business minister Sajid Javid said he will use his first days in office to tighten rules surrounding strikes, saying that the Tory government’s Queen’s Speech would introduce thresholds for strike ballots. Under the proposals, strikes affecting public services would need [...]
Sepp Blatter must go now, says Tory MP’s group September 27, 2015 FIFA president Sepp Blatter should step down immediately in favour of an independent reform process, according to campaign groups NewFIFANow, Transparency International and the International Trade Union Confederation. The campaigners said the 79-year-old should step aside because he is part of a criminal investigation. “We know that the Fifa ethics committee serves at the pleasure [...]
July Budget 2015: From the pensions expert to the PwC economist, reactions to the chancellor’s statement July 9, 2015 THE BUSINESS GROUP Confederation of British Industry director general John Cridland Firms will welcome measures to boost investment but will be worried about paying living wage. “This is a double edged Budget for business. Firms will welcome measures to balance the books and boost investment, but they will be concerned by legislating for wage increases [...]
Here’s why David Cameron’s plan for three days’ paid volunteering is bad for business April 10, 2015 David Cameron's plan to offer workers three days' paid leave for volunteering has come under fire from the business world. The Prime Minister has pledged that if the Tories win the General Election up to 15m workers in the public and private sector will be able to take paid time off for volunteering. In the [...]
Banking ethics body wins over sceptics April 1, 2015 THE NEW banking ethics group designed to improve behaviour in the City has won over some of its critics, and recruited a heavyweight advisory panel of top industry leaders. Investment banks had initially expressed reservations about joining the group, but today Citi, Morgan Stanley and HSBC all joined the Banking Standards Body’s board. Their enthusiasm [...]