United.Kingdom
Background information on industrial relations in United.Kingdom
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: The industrial relations impact of cross-border mergers and acquisitions<#PDF_LINK>The scale of cross-border mergers and acquisitions has increased rapidly in recent years. The UK is more involved in this process than any other EU country: UK-based multinational companies have purchased more firms abroad than any other nationality, while Britain has also been the largest seller of firms to foreign multinationals. This feature examines the implications of this growth for employees and trade unions - implications which are particularly relevant in late 1998 when, for example, the effects of BMW's takeover of Rover in terms of cutting costs and increase flexibility have hit the headlines.
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: Annualised hours agreements: service sector leads the way<#PDF_LINK>Annualised hours systems have long been recognised as an important way to increase flexible working and tackle the "overtime culture" in British industry. Yet it is in the service sector more than manufacturing where annualised hours have been successfully implemented, reflecting differences in patterns of demand, workforce characteristics and trade union approaches. The National Health Service (NHS), which in September 1998 introduced its first-ever national human resource strategy explicitly hailing annualised hours as the key to flexible working, is a leading case.
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: Industrial relations under new Labour: an update<#PDF_LINK>The election of the new Labour government in May 1997 heralded radical changes in the UK's system of industrial relations. Stemming both from Labour's domestic agenda and from EU legislation, these are now underway. This feature reviews developments during the 18 months or so of Labour government up until December 1998.
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: Two million UK employees affected by national minimum wage<#PDF_LINK>Between 1.7 and 2.1 million employees are likely to be affected by the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999, according to an official analysis of the incidence of low-paid employment in the UK, published in December 1998
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: Agreement on flexible working arrangements at Rover<#PDF_LINK>In December 1998, Rover employees in the UK voted to accept a package of job losses and changes in working patterns to secure future investment in the Longbridge car plant by Rover's parent company, BMW.
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: Government proposes performance-related pay for teachers<#PDF_LINK>In a move to improve the status and attractiveness of the teaching profession, the UK government published proposals in December 1998 for a new career and reward structure for school teachers. The proposed reforms received a mixed reaction from teaching unions.
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: UK and Spain issue joint statement on employment<#PDF_LINK>In advance of the December 1998 European Council summit in Vienna, the UK and Spain circulated a joint statement on employment policy to all other EU governments, emphasising that the reform of Europe's labour markets should continue.
- 28 Dec 1998
United Kingdom: 1998 Annual Review for the United Kingdom<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 1998's main developments in industrial relations in the United Kingdom
- 28 Nov 1998
United Kingdom: IPD conference debates partnership at work<#PDF_LINK>At the annual conference of the Institute of Personnel and Development (IPD) held in October 1998, a seminar debating the changing face of employee relations highlighted how difficult it is for the UK social partners even to agree on what "partnership" means, never mind on how to make it work in practice.
- 28 Nov 1998
United Kingdom: Comprehensive survey maps contemporary workplace relations<#PDF_LINK>The first findings of the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey, released in October, reveal the shape of contemporary employment relations at the workplace in all but the smallest workplaces across Britain's economy. Some of the main findings are highlighted here.
- 28 Nov 1998
United Kingdom: Campaign for paid parental leave launched<#PDF_LINK>A trade union-backed campaign was launched in November 1998 to press the case for statutory parental leave, due to be introduced in the UK in 1999 in response to EU legislation, to include provision for payment during the period of leave.
- 28 Nov 1998
United Kingdom: Government publishes draft code of practice to combat age discrimination at work<#PDF_LINK>In November 1998, the UK government issued a draft code of practice designed to encourage employers to eliminate unfair age discrimination in employment. However, campaigners believe that legislation is needed if the fight against age discrimination is to be effective.
- 28 Nov 1998
United Kingdom: UK reaction to draft EU consultation Directive<#PDF_LINK>Proposals to regulate national rules on employee information and consultation, adopted by the European Commission in November 1998, have been welcomed by UK unions but opposed by employers and the Government.
- 28 Oct 1998
United Kingdom: Partnership, flexibility and employment: The growth of job security agreements<#PDF_LINK>Over 1997-8, policymakers in Britain and Europe have been advocating industrial relations "partnership" as a means of reconciling labour flexibility with employment security. In the UK, "job security agreements" are becoming increasingly common between employers and trade unions as a means of introducing productivity-enhancing change without necessarily threatening jobs. In particular, this marks a new departure for the social partners in the manufacturing sectors, which have traditionally been characterised by more adversarial relationships. Question-marks remain, however, over how enduring such partnership agreements can be, and how widely and successfully they can be replicated.
- 28 Oct 1998
United Kingdom: New working time Regulations take effect<#PDF_LINK>The Working Time Regulations 1998 came into force in the UK on 1 October amid fears that many employers are ill-prepared to cope with the complex new legal requirements. We highlight employer concerns and the scope for the flexible application of the working time limits by agreement with employees.
- 28 Oct 1998
United Kingdom: Working time Directive implemented in the UK<#PDF_LINK>From October 1998, the EU working time Directive applies to workers in the UK. However, some question the effectiveness of the measures and indeed whether UK workers want protection from long hours
- 28 Oct 1998
United Kingdom: Alcohol and drug misuse examined<#PDF_LINK>In October 1998, delegates at a conference on alcohol and drug misuse - jointly organised by trade unions and pressure/research groups - were informed of its huge costs to UK industry and of the possible directions for addressing the problems in the future.
- 28 Sep 1998
United Kingdom: Ageism back on the employment agenda<#PDF_LINK>In August 1998, the UK Government published proposals for a non-statutory Code of Practice on age discrimination in employment. This was met with dismay by trade union leaders who feared that it would not go far enough in combating what is seen as a major problem in the UK labour market. Evidence from the most recent large-scale survey of managers on this issue shows that there is some sympathy amongst employers for the union position. Accordingly, although the Government may be lagging behind in proposing only a voluntary approach, there is grounds for optimism that the social partners themselves may be keen to develop more substantive and specific measures.
- 28 Sep 1998
United Kingdom: CBI and TUC surveys highlight the costs of employee sickness<#PDF_LINK>Two separate reports, published in September 1998, highlight the cost of sickness at work in the UK in very different ways.
- 28 Sep 1998
United Kingdom: Focus on pay at 1998 Trades Union Congress<#PDF_LINK>Pay matters were prominent among the issues discussed at the 1998 conference of the UK's Trades Union Congress, held in September.
- 28 Sep 1998
United Kingdom: Government consults on draft regulations for National Minimum Wage<#PDF_LINK>In September 1998, the Government launched a consultation process on the draft regulations governing the new National Minimum Wage, which will come into force in April 1999.
- 28 Aug 1998
United Kingdom: How do UK managers learn to manage?<#PDF_LINK>There is a "crisis of management" in the UK, according to a July 1998 report from the independent Institute for Employment Studies. The fault, says the study, lies in what managers are taught, and what and how they learn, and not in a lack of potential. The issue is seen as being of considerable importance in a number of current key debates in British industrial relations.
- 28 Aug 1998
United Kingdom: Youth income and expenditure: Will the National Minimum Wage help?<#PDF_LINK>A report from the British Youth Council, published in June 1998, highlights the levels of youth income and expenditure in the UK. Comparing figures from the report with the rates recently announced for the forthcoming National Minimum Wage (NMW) shows that average youth wages are already above those of the NMW. There is little indication, however, that the NMW will help in narrowing the increasing differential between youth and adult wage rates since 1979.
- 28 Aug 1998
United Kingdom: Shortage of nurses leads to calls for higher pay<#PDF_LINK>Statistics published in August 1998 reveal falling numbers of nurses qualifying for the profession in the UK, at a time when the Labour Government has confirmed that it will be keeping a tight rein on public sector pay.
- 28 Aug 1998
United Kingdom: Social partners respond to Fairness at work white paper<#PDF_LINK>By mid-August 1998, all main social partner groups in the UK had produced their responses to the Government'sFairness at workwhite paper, covering trade union recognition and other employment law issues. While there are a few areas where all parties agree, for the most part differences of opinion continue to be the order of the day.
- 28 Aug 1998
United Kingdom: Fat cat directors' pay back in the headlines<#PDF_LINK>At a time when most UK workers are being urged to exercise pay restraint, controversy over continuing increases in the so-called "fat cat" salaries of company directors - particularly in the privatised utilities - was renewed in August 1998.
- 28 Aug 1998
United Kingdom: Social partners call for interest rates to be cut<#PDF_LINK>In summer 1998, the failure of the Bank of England to cut interest rates has caused major concern to both employers and trade unions, and a June-July 1998 survey from the CBI employers' organisation shows that manufacturing business confidence is at its lowest level for seven years.
- 28 Jul 1998
United Kingdom: The National Minimum Wage: Report of the Low Pay Commission<#PDF_LINK>June 1998 saw the publication of the report of the Low Pay Commission, set up by the UK's Labour Government to recommend the level of the forthcoming National Minimum Wage (NMW). It recommended an adult NMW of GBP 3.70 an hour from June 2000, with an initial rate of GBP 3.60 from April 1999.
- 28 Jul 1998
United Kingdom: Corporate mergers and takeovers: lessons from the UK<#PDF_LINK>In the light of the growing trend of mergers and takeovers in continental Europe - with a number of high-profile examples occurring in 1997-8 - this feature examines recent evidence of the effects of corporate mergers and takeovers in the UK, indicating that improved performance and job security are not a necessary outcome.
- 28 Jul 1998
United Kingdom: Whistleblowers' Charter becomes law<#PDF_LINK>New legislation came into force in the UK in July 1998, which aims to protect those employees who expose the wrongdoings of their employers
- 28 Jul 1998
United Kingdom: The return of the productivity problem<#PDF_LINK>A government seminar held in June 1998 highlighted the UK's problem of low productivity, with new statistics suggesting that British productivity is half that of Japan and lags behind France and Germany.
- 28 Jul 1998
United Kingdom: Information technology important for industrial relations<#PDF_LINK>A conference held by the UK's Institute of Personnel and Development in June 1998 highlighted the importance of information technology in the management of human resources.
- 28 Jul 1998
United Kingdom: Public sector receives spending increase<#PDF_LINK>Two parts of the UK public sector - education and health - are to receive an increase in public spending, under a government review published in July 1998. However, the extent to which the benefits of this will filter through to employees is not clear.
- 28 Jun 1998
United Kingdom: Government unveils proposals for a fairer workplace<#PDF_LINK>In its long-awaited Fairness at workwhite paper published in May 1998, the UK's Labour Government has put forward a package of proposals for new individual, collective and "family-friendly" employment rights. We review the key elements of the white paper and its reception by employers and trade unions.
- 28 Jun 1998
United Kingdom: Government announces National Minimum Wage<#PDF_LINK>June 1998 saw the publication of the report of the UK's Low Pay Commission on the level of the forthcoming National Minimum Wage.
- 28 Jun 1998
United Kingdom: Rail and Underground workers vote for industrial action<#PDF_LINK>In June 1998, several groups of members of the RMT trade union voted for industrial action on the London Underground and the national rail network, with the aim of protecting job security and conditions of employment.
- 28 Jun 1998
United Kingdom: Latest New Deal statistics released<#PDF_LINK>In late May 1998, the UK Government released the latest statistics on progress under its various "New Deal" programmes for unemployed people.
- 28 Jun 1998
United Kingdom: TUC report highlights membership problems in services<#PDF_LINK>A June 1998 report from the TUC trade union confederation highlights the latest trends in union membership in the UK, including a low level of membership among "new" jobs in the service sector.
- 28 May 1998
United Kingdom: The UK productivity gap<#PDF_LINK>An April 1998 speech by the Chancellor of the Exchequer highlighted the serious labour productivity problem of the UK economy, which is of increasing concern to the Government. All parties now agree that the "productivity gap" needs to be addressed seriously.
- 28 May 1998
United Kingdom: Social partners make joint input to UK National Action Plan on employment<#PDF_LINK>This feature focuses on the involvement of the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress in the preparation of the UK's National Action Plan on employment, drawn up by the Government in response to the EU's 1998 Employment Guidelines
- 28 May 1998
United Kingdom: Government acts on EU working time Directive<#PDF_LINK>In April 1998, the UK's Labour Government published draft legislation to implement the provisions of the EU working time Directive. We review the background to this move and the implications of the Government's proposals.
- 28 May 1998
United Kingdom: TUC black workers conference examines union membership and New Deal<#PDF_LINK>The annual black workers conference of the UK's Trades Union Congress, held in April 1998, sought to promote the recruitment of black people and to tackle the issue of discrimination in the workplace.
- 28 May 1998
United Kingdom: Election of new rail union leader sparks fears of militancy<#PDF_LINK>Fears of strikes on the railways and a resurgence of trade union militancy were triggered in some quarters in May 1998 after the surprise election of a "hard-left" candidate as leader of the UK train drivers' union, ASLEF.
- 28 May 1998
United Kingdom: Government calls for tougher stance on private sector pay<#PDF_LINK>In April 1998, the UK Government called on private sector employers to follow the example of the public sector and curb wage increases
- 28 May 1998
United Kingdom: Vauxhall links new pay deal to exchange rate<#PDF_LINK>At the end of April 1998, Vauxhall broke new ground in the UK by introducing a link to foreign exchange rates into a three-year pay deal that could be crucial to the future of its British plants.
- 28 Apr 1998
United Kingdom: Government plots course to the learning age<#PDF_LINK>February 1998 saw the launch by the UK Government of a Green Paper,The learning age, setting out its vision of Britain as a "learning society". This feature reviews the contents of the Green Paper and the social partners' reactions to it.
- 28 Apr 1998
United Kingdom: The back to work Budget<#PDF_LINK>The UK Government's 1998 Budget, presented in March, was expected to contain radical reforms aimed at improving the opportunities for investment and work, especially for the lower paid. This feature assesses the main elements of the Budget, especially as it relates to employment, and the reactions of the social partners.
- 28 Apr 1998
United Kingdom: Threat of industrial action grows as teachers unions' fight bureaucracy<#PDF_LINK>In April 1998, two trade unions representing teachers reported the results of ballots indicating that their members are willing to take industrial action in protest against workloads and "bureaucracy" in the UK's schools.
- 28 Apr 1998
United Kingdom: New Deal programme may be heading for a crisis<#PDF_LINK>On 6 April 1998, the UK Government unveiled plans for the nationwide launch of its "New Deal" programme to get young unemployed people back to work. However, on the same day a leaked document indicated that the scheme may already be heading for a cash crisis.
- 28 Apr 1998
United Kingdom: Social partners move closer on trade union recognition<#PDF_LINK>In the run-up to the publication in May 1998 of the UK Government's White Paper on "fairness at work", the debate continued over the precise rules which should be introduced on statutory trade union recognition.
- 28 Mar 1998
United Kingdom: Performance-related pay in the UK<#PDF_LINK>A 1998 survey by the Institute of Personnel and Development (IPD) throws light on the use of performance-related pay (PRP) in the UK. The research, however, still leaves large gaps concerning the nature and extent of such schemes.
- 28 Mar 1998
United Kingdom: The UK and the international division of labour<#PDF_LINK>Low labour costs have been thought to be the primary factor in attracting foreign direct investment, an argument fuelled by the example of the UK. However, as this feature highlights, the way that MNCs make decisions concerning where to invest may be a much more complex process.
- 28 Mar 1998
United Kingdom: Government proposes employee consultation reforms<#PDF_LINK>In February 1998, the Labour Government issued proposals for amending UK legislation on employees' information and consultation rights in the event of redundancies and business transfers. We review the background to this initiative and the significance of the planned changes.
- 28 Mar 1998
United Kingdom: Government presents back to work Budget<#PDF_LINK>The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented the UK Government's Budget in March 1998. The measures aimed at getting unemployed people back to work and out of poverty were supported by the social partners.
- 28 Mar 1998
United Kingdom: Social partners support the Government's vision of a learning society<#PDF_LINK>The social partners have given their support to the Government's proposals, issued in February 1998, to make the UK a "learning society".
- 28 Mar 1998
United Kingdom: Unions threaten to call emergency conference over recognition rights<#PDF_LINK>The issue of trade union recognition continued to hit the headlines in the UK in March 1998, with unions threatening to call a special conference of the Trades Union Congress to decide whether they should oppose or support legislative proposals on the issue due to announced by the Government in the next few months.
- 28 Mar 1998
United Kingdom: Yet another UK car plant comes under threat of closure<#PDF_LINK>In March 1998, one of UK's largest trade unions claimed that the long-term future of the Vauxhall (General Motors) plant in Luton is under threat.
- 28 Feb 1998
United Kingdom: EMU and UK industrial relations<#PDF_LINK>At the end of October 1997, the UK Government announced that it would not join EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999. After some initial confusion and inconsistency, the Government has spent the past few months clarifying its position. This article assesses the likely impact of the Government's position on labour market and industrial relations issues.
- 28 Feb 1998
United Kingdom: Voluntary code of practice on age discrimination proposed<#PDF_LINK>Social partner organisations have welcomed the UK Government's February 1998 proposals for a code of practice to end age discrimination, though for some an announcement of forthcoming legislation would have been more appropriate.
- 28 Feb 1998
United Kingdom: Test cases pave the way for mineworkers' ill-health claims<#PDF_LINK>Six test cases, which succeeded in the High Court in January 1998, may have paved the way for tens of thousands of British mineworkers to claim compensation for ill health caused by over-exposure to coal dust.
- 28 Feb 1998
United Kingdom: National Minimum Wage bill to exclude armed forces<#PDF_LINK>In February 1998, as the UK's National Minimum Wage Bill reached its final parliamentary committee stages, it was announced that the armed forces would be excluded from the legislation.
- 28 Feb 1998
United Kingdom: Social partners deadlocked over union recognition<#PDF_LINK>In February 1998, the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry appear deadlocked over trade union recognition rules.
- 28 Jan 1998
United Kingdom: Fashionable flexibility?<#PDF_LINK>In November 1997, the general secretary of the UK's Trades Union Congress gave a speech arguing that flexibility has become too much of a "fashionable buzzword", with very little thought given to its meaning or the policy implications of its use. This feature explores the issue.
- 28 Jan 1998
United Kingdom: Costs of UK labour turnover increase<#PDF_LINK>A survey of labour turnover, published in December 1997, by theInstitute of Personnel and Developmentindicated that the cost of replacing staff has increased significantly in the UK in the last 12 months.
- 28 Jan 1998
United Kingdom: Union recognition: UK social partners reach partial agreement<#PDF_LINK>In December 1998, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress published a joint statement on statutory trade union recognition in advance of the UK Government's forthcoming White Paper on the issue. We highlight the areas of agreement and disagreement, and assess its likely influence on government policy.
- 28 Jan 1998
United Kingdom: Equal opportunities on social partners' agenda<#PDF_LINK>Late 1997 and early 1998 have seen a number of reports confirming persistent problems of sex and race inequality in the UK. Concern over such issues has led to a new initiative intended to raise awareness of the problem among both employers and employees.
- 28 Jan 1998
United Kingdom: Little cheer at Christmas for many workers<#PDF_LINK>Several reports focusing on the treatment of workers over the Christmas 1997 period have highlighted what some see as the growing exploitation and general poor treatment of many UK workers.
- 28 Jan 1998
United Kingdom: New Jaguar model to be produced at Halewood<#PDF_LINK>In January 1998, Jaguar announced that its new car will be produced at Ford's Halewood plant in the UK, to the surprise of some and the delight of trade unions.