‘The plan is working’: Sunak hails falling inflation – but PM warned targets still in jeopardy August 16, 2023 Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt have welcomed today’s dramatic fall in inflation to 6.8 per cent, with the prime minister saying it shows his “plan is working”. The government welcomed today’s news of falling headline inflation, despite expectations the Bank of England is still likely to hike interest rates for a 15th straight time. However, [...]
Fashion factories: Government must do more to tackle workers’ fears towards reporting illegal wages July 25, 2022 The government should do more to tackle Leicester garment workers’ fears around reporting illegal wages, a report has urged. Findings from the Low Pay Commission (LPC) echo earlier studies in concluding there is still a long way to go in improving the treatment of textile factory workers in the city. Some factories have operated at [...]
Waterstones ‘named and shamed’ for failing to pay minimum wage December 9, 2021 Waterstones are among just some of the companies that have been “named and shamed” by the Government this morning for failing to pay the minimum wage.
Tory MP Lee Anderson refuses to apologise for saying poor people who use food bank ‘cannot cook and budget’ May 12, 2022 A Conservative MP said he stands by his comments that people who use food banks do so because they “cannot cook properly” and “cannot budget”. Lee Anderson invited “everybody” on the opposition benches in the Commons to visit a food bank in his Nottinghamshire constituency where, when people come for a food parcel, they now [...]
Keir Starmer to promise new deal for workers under a Labour government September 14, 2021 Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to deliver a “new deal for workers” under a future Labour government after facing criticism that he lacks vision. The labour leader will announce a policy to enforce full rights and protections for all workers from day one in a job at a meeting of the Trade Union Congress today. [...]
Starmer hints Labour could link government contracts to how firms treat unions June 6, 2023 Keir Starmer has suggested that, under a Labour government, the awarding of state contracts could hinge on how companies treat trade unions that represent their staff. Speaking at the annual congress of trade union GMB in Brighton yesterday, Starmer said that Amazon should “recognise unions”, arguing that his party would beef up the power of [...]
Government task force to examine hybrid working post-pandemic April 27, 2021 Ministers have formed a task force to draw up advice on flexible working, as Covid-19 restrictions ease and attention turns to the role of the office post-pandemic. Twenty business groups and trade unions will meet today to begin a review of hybrid working, the Times first reported. The group will be asked to consider how [...]
Euros 2020: Bank holiday, sick day or in mourning? Businesses urged to be flexible day after final July 9, 2021 There are increasing calls from business groups, unions, and the public, for employers to offer flexibility to staff for the day after the Euros 2020 final, as the Prime Minister is under pressure to announce a bank holiday if England win. “Businesses across England will recognise the momentous nature for many of the prospect of [...]
Pandemic stretches gender pension gap to nearly £200,000 August 11, 2021 Women’s retirement prospects and savings have been dragged down by the pandemic much more than men’s, widening the gap between their pensions pots by almost £200,000. On average, the difference between the average pensions of women and men aged over 55 widened to £184,000 in in the last year – up £26,000 on 2020, according [...]
Battle brewing over ‘unreformed and generous’ TfL pension scheme August 4, 2021 Sadiq Khan is gearing up for a battle with Transport for London (TfL) staff after a report on the transport operator’s finances found its pension scheme was “expensive, unreformed and generous”. According to the Telegraph, advisers to London’s Mayor have said that the current scheme is more beneficial for workers than models used by Network [...]