Uber faces UK legal action from GMB union over driver employee rights July 29, 2015 The GMB union has launched legal action against Uber over the way it treats drivers. The union claims drivers should be considered employees and has a legal duty to provide them with working rights on pay, holiday, health and safety, and grievances. Uber considers drivers as self-employed "partners". Now GMB has instructed law firm Leigh [...]
Sajid Javid says Tata pension chiefs asked for controversial changes May 26, 2016 The government was asked to consider controversial changes to Tata's pensions by the scheme's own trustees, the business secretary has said. Sajid Javid said that the British Steel Pension Scheme has asked for changes that "[they"] believe … will move the scheme into surplus and make it stable." "This is very much about this scheme, and [...]
EU referendum: BT to write joint memo with unions to warn of Brexit risks June 12, 2016 BT and a number of trade unions are to band together in warning its staff on the risks of leaving the European Union. The FTSE 100 company, along with unions representing tens of thousands of its workers, will sign off on a joint memo explaining the rationale behind their support of the EU. "We believe [...]
EU referendum: Corbyn must do more to engage voters, says union boss – as Darling and Osborne team up June 2, 2016 Despite multiple interventions in the EU debate, Jeremy Corbyn must do more to engage voters, a top union boss has warned. The GMB union's Tim Roache said the Remain campaign could end up losing the EU referendum if Labour voters aren't move involved in the debate. While phone polls put Remain steadily ahead, online polling [...]
EU referendum: Usdaw union backs Remain ahead of vote in June April 26, 2016 A second trade union in a week has come out in support of remaining in the EU, in a blow to Leave campaigners. Usdaw, one of the UK's largest trade unions, today announced it would be backing British membership of the EU at its conference, a day after the CWU union committed its support for the same [...]
British Gas cuts 500 jobs in loft and cavity floor insulation business in wider Centrica strategy February 2, 2016 British Gas is to cut 500 jobs as part of a company-wide efficiency programme. The energy firm said the changes were necessary in order to stay competitive in a fast-changing market. The jobs will go in its loft and cavity floor insulation business, affecting staff in Leeds, Oxford and Leicester, according to Press Association reports. Mark [...]
Port Talbot steelworks set to be bought by management according to reports – while unions agree pay cut ahead of sale of Tata’s Scunthorpe steel plant to Greybull Capital April 19, 2016 The troubled Port Talbot steelworks may be saved as management step up with an offer. Stuart Wilkie, managing director of Tata Strip Products UK, is reported to be leading a management buyout of the plant. Tata's decision to sell its UK operations put 4,000 jobs at Port Talbot alone at risk, and some put the total [...]
EU referendum: Another union joins the Remain camp April 25, 2016 The CWU union has today become the latest union to back the UK's continued membership of the EU in a blow to the Leave camp. The union "overwhelmingly" voted to support remaining in the EU at its annual conference. The news comes after Unison officially backed Remain ahead of the referendum earlier this month, following [...]
Setback for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Trident as his plans for Labour members to get a say is “against rules” January 12, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was delivered a blow against his hopes of reversing his party's backing of Trident, after the party's general secretary unambiguously said there would be no change in its policymaking process before September. At a parliamentary meeting Iain McNicol told MPs that any changes in the way the party determined policy would [...]
The Trade Union Bill is welcome, but with a few changes it could be even better January 5, 2016 Despite the occasional headlines, industrial disputes at businesses are rare. Indeed, acceptance of slow wage growth by employees during the recession was one of the reasons the UK avoided the devastating job losses that have crippled many continental economies. But we again start the year with the threat of industrial action hanging over the UK. [...]