United.Kingdom
Background information on industrial relations in United.Kingdom
- 28 Dec 1999
United Kingdom: Manufacturing unions in merger talks<#PDF_LINK>It was confirmed during November 1999 that two major trade unions with substantial memberships in manufacturing are currently engaged in talks about a possible merger which would create the UK's second-largest union.
- 28 Dec 1999
United Kingdom: Strike at BT highlights union concern over conditions in call centres<#PDF_LINK>In November 1999, a national one-day strike was held by British Telecommunications call centre staff in protest at their working conditions. The dispute coincides with expressions of concern over working practices in call centres more generally.
- 28 Dec 1999
United Kingdom: UK introduces new rights to time off work for family and domestic reasons<#PDF_LINK>Regulations which came into force in December 1999 introduce new statutory parental leave entitlements for UK employees. We highlight the key points of the regulations, and of related legislative provisions governing time off work for family emergencies which were brought into effect at the same time.
- 28 Dec 1999
United Kingdom: Employment Relations Act starts to take effect<#PDF_LINK>The Employment Relations Act 1999 completed its passage through parliament in the summer and its phased implementation is now underway, with important elements of the legislation being brought into force in October and December 1999. However, the Act's most contested provisions - concerning statutory trade union recognition - are not scheduled to take effect until after Easter 2000.
- 28 Dec 1999
United Kingdom: 1999 Annual Review for the United Kingdom<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 1999's main developments in industrial relations in the United Kingdom
- 28 Nov 1999
United Kingdom: UK union leader renews call for adoption of EU consultation Directive<#PDF_LINK>In October 1999, the general secretary of the UK's Trades Union Congress strongly criticised the UK government for continuing to oppose the draft EU Directive on national information and consultation rules put forward by the European Commission, but expressed confidence that the measure would ultimately be adopted.
- 28 Nov 1999
United Kingdom: Racist incidents lead to new equality initiative at Ford<#PDF_LINK>In October 1999, talks between Ford president Jacques Nasser and UK union leaders resulted in agreement on new measures to combat racial discrimination and harassment within the company's UK plants. The move follows an employment tribunal case in which the company accepted responsibility for the racial abuse of an Asian employee by supervisors, and subsequent walkouts over other allegations of racism.
- 28 Nov 1999
United Kingdom: Bargaining over the millennium<#PDF_LINK>In the UK, a unique dimension has been introduced to the issue of incentives for working over the new year holiday period in 1999/2000 by the millennium festivities and the feared millennium computer "bug". More people will be required to work at a time when more people than usual may be hoping to celebrate. An examination of the patterns of incentives offered by employers indicates that early expectations of a pay bonanza for staff appear to have been unfounded, except for those in key sectors such as information technology.
- 28 Nov 1999
United Kingdom: Attendance management: beyond the basics?<#PDF_LINK>Absence from work has run at steady levels for many years in the UK. This is confirmed by the most recent survey evidence, which covers 1998. Absence is a significant cost for employers, and policies of monitoring and control are now widespread. However, in late 1999, more positive policies aimed at encouraging attendance rather than managing absence remain rare.
- 28 Oct 1999
United Kingdom: The changing meaning of skill and its implications for UK vocational education and training policy<#PDF_LINK>During the 1980s and 1990s, UK policy-makers have stressed that economic competitiveness and national prosperity depend on a highly skilled workforce. At the same time, the meaning of "skill" is now considerably broader than it used to be and embraces a range of desirable behaviours, attitudes and personal characteristics. This feature looks at some of the implications this is likely to have for vocational education and training policy.
- 28 Oct 1999
United Kingdom: Consultation procedure on redundancies and transfers reformed<#PDF_LINK>In July 1999, the Labour government introduced amendments to the existing legislation on employees' information and consultation rights in the event of redundancies and transfers of undertakings. We outline the key aspects of the new provisions and assess their significance.
- 28 Oct 1999
United Kingdom: Employment security in banking: the case of the Co-operative Bank<#PDF_LINK>A job security agreement between the UK's Co-operative Bank and the banking trade union was introduced as long ago as 1983, committing the parties to explore a range of prior options before invoking compulsory redundancy as a last resort. Large-scale voluntary redundancies and a small number of compulsory redundancies in the early 1990s undermined the credibility of the agreement, as well as souring relationships between the bank and the union. The perceived need by both parties to put industrial relations on a new footing resulted in the conclusion of an innovative partnership agreement in March 1997. A central feature of the agreement is a strengthened commitment to employment security. We review the agreement as it approaches the end of its three-year term.
- 28 Oct 1999
United Kingdom: Negotiations over junior doctors' working hours<#PDF_LINK>In September 1999, the UK Department of Health announced that negotiations with the British Medical Association (BMA) had resulted in a draft agreement to reduce junior doctors' working hours and modernise pay and working conditions. However the junior doctors' committee of the BMA decided not to ratify the deal and to press for further improvements.
- 28 Oct 1999
United Kingdom: CBI and TUC give evidence to Low Pay Commission<#PDF_LINK>The Low Pay Commission is currently evaluating the impact of the introduction of the UK's national minimum wage and reviewing whether 21-year-olds should continue to be covered by the lower "development rate", and is due to report to ministers by December 1999. In October, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress submitted evidence to the Commission.
- 28 Sep 1999
United Kingdom: Leading manufacturers make employment case for EMU<#PDF_LINK>In July 1999, senior management representatives from two leading manufacturing companies in the UK - Unilever and Vauxhall Motors - gave evidence to the House of Commons employment subcommittee about the employment and industrial relations implications of Economic and Monetary Union. Both companies made a case for UK entry on business and employment grounds, providing that sterling was locked in at a "more realistic" rate. They also argued that, by focusing attention on international comparisons of productivity, the euro will place even more of a premium on labour flexibility and "partnership" with employees.
- 28 Sep 1999
United Kingdom: The Health and Safety at Work Act after 25 years<#PDF_LINK>In October 1999, the UK's Health and Safety at Work Act is 25 years old. The UK has long been identified as having a good health and safety record. Nonetheless, changes in the labour market and recent court decisions demonstrate that there is no room for complacency and also raise questions about the adequacy of the country's health and safety regulations.
- 28 Sep 1999
United Kingdom: Trade unions debate future strategy<#PDF_LINK>The annual conference of the UK's Trades Union Congress took place in September 1999. Key debates included those on unions' future organising strategies, UK entry into the European single currency and the regulation of working time. An underlying theme concerned relations between unions and the UK's Labour government.
- 28 Sep 1999
United Kingdom: TUC calls for early euro entry<#PDF_LINK>The annual conference of the Trades Union Congress, which met in September 1999, voted to call on the government actively to pursue UK entry into the single European currency early in the new decade. However, the TUC's two largest affiliates did not support this policy.
- 28 Sep 1999
United Kingdom: Ministers decide against major reform of sex equality laws<#PDF_LINK>In July 1999, ministers responded to proposals from the Equal Opportunities Commission for the reform of UK sex equality laws by announcing that the government did not believe that major legislative change was necessary.
- 28 Sep 1999
United Kingdom: CBI survey highlights worries over employment laws<#PDF_LINK>According to a survey published by the Confederation of British Industry in September 1999, four out of five UK companies feel that the administrative burden caused by employment legislation has risen over the past year. The working time Regulations were identified as having the biggest impact.
- 28 Aug 1999
United Kingdom: Government unveils proposals for statutory parental leave<#PDF_LINK>In early August 1999, the UK government issued detailed proposals for Regulations to implement the rights to parental leave required by the EU parental leave Directive and to improve existing UK maternity leave provisions. The new Regulations will take effect from 15 December 1999.
- 28 Aug 1999
United Kingdom: More women elected to representative positions in unions<#PDF_LINK>The 1998 Labour Force Survey showed an increase in trade union membership amongst women in the UK. Research indicates that the number of women members elected as trade union representatives is also growing but at a much slower pace. This feature reviews the issues and stresses the significance of union structures which facilitate women's election to representative positions - an issue highlighted by the European Trade Union Confederation in July 1999.
- 28 Aug 1999
United Kingdom: The industrial relations implications of the British Steel/Hoogovens merger<#PDF_LINK>In June 1999, British Steel and the Dutch steel producer Hoogovens announced their intention to merge. The deal is the latest in a wave of cross-border mergers and acquisitions, which have reached record levels in recent years. This feature examines the industrial relations implications of the proposed merger, considering the possible restructuring that will follow, the impact on the relationships between employee representatives and management, and the nature of management style in the newly merged company.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: Differences over partnership widen<#PDF_LINK>A speech given in June 1999 by the president of the UK's CBI employers' confederation questioned the role of trade unions in "partnership" arrangements, prompting criticism from a number of union leaders.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: Government proposes changes to working time Regulations<#PDF_LINK>In July 1999, the UK government announced two proposed amendments to the Working Time Regulations 1998, intended to reduce the administration involved in implementing the Regulations. The proposals have been welcomed by employers' groups but criticised by trade unions.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: CBI review reaffirms pro-EMU policy<#PDF_LINK>Following an extensive consultation exercise, including an opinion survey of member companies, the July 1999 meeting of the national council of the Confederation of British Industry issued a policy statement confirming its support for the principle of UK membership of EU Economic and Monetary Union.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: Legal protection for whistleblowers takes effect<#PDF_LINK>The UK's Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 came into force in July 1999, giving legal protection to workers who are victimised by employers for "blowing the whistle" about wrongdoing at work.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: UK unions boycott Lufthansa over strike sackings<#PDF_LINK>In July 1999, as part of a long-running dispute over the dismissal of striking workers by airline catering company Skychefs, the UK's Trades Union Congress backed a union campaign to boycott the services of the German airline Lufthansa - Skychefs' parent company.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: Assessing the significance of partnership agreements<#PDF_LINK>In May 1999, the UK's Trades Union Congress organised a major conference to promote the spread of "partnership" agreements between management and trade unions. Stressing shared responsibility for business efficiency based on employment security and flexible working, these agreements represent, for their advocates, a modernisation of industrial relations. However, some of their critics argue that they reflect and exacerbate trade union weakness. This feature looks at how partnership agreements differ from previous industrial relations practice.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: Strikes in the UK: withering away?<#PDF_LINK>Official statistics on the incidence of labour disputes in 1998, published by the Office for National Statistics in June 1999, show that strike activity in the UK is at its lowest level since records began over a century ago. This feature highlights strike trends in the UK since the 1960s and assesses the explanations for the declining use of industrial action by trade unions.
- 28 Jul 1999
United Kingdom: UK Government publishes proposals for implementing EWCs Directive<#PDF_LINK>The UK Government's long-awaited proposals for national implementation of the EU European Works Councils Directive were published at the beginning of July 1999. We outline the main features of the draft Regulations.
- 28 Jun 1999
United Kingdom: TUC's partnership agenda wins qualified support from government and employers<#PDF_LINK>At a high-profile conference on "partnership" organised by the UK's TUC trade union confederation in May 1999, both the Prime Minister and the director-general of the CBI employers' organisation endorsed the development of partnership at the workplace but indicated that such arrangements do not necessarily involve a role for trade unions.
- 28 Jun 1999
United Kingdom: Skills and training policies reviewed<#PDF_LINK>Over the two years since the Labour government was elected to office in May 1997, there have been a number of key developments in skills and training policies in the UK, including a new statutory training entitlement for young workers, the University for Industry, "individual learning accounts" and a renewed role for trade unions in training policy.
- 28 Jun 1999
United Kingdom: New code of practice targets age discrimination in employment<#PDF_LINK>In June 1999, the UK government launched a non-statutory code of practice on "age diversity in employment". The CBI employers' organisation endorses the government's voluntary approach to tackling age discrimination, but the TUC trade union confederation and other groups continue to argue that legislation is needed if employment practices based on "ageism" are to be eradicated.
- 28 Jun 1999
United Kingdom: Government moves to limit regulation of business<#PDF_LINK>In early June 1999, the UK's trade and industry secretary announced new steps by his department to reduce the impact of government regulation affecting business, including revised and simplified guidance on the 1998 working time Regulations. The government's move follows sustained criticism from employers' groups about burgeoning regulation under the Labour government.
- 28 Jun 1999
United Kingdom: Details of Rover financial aid package announced<#PDF_LINK>In June 1999, the UK government unveiled details of a financial aid package worth GBP 152 million to secure the future of the BMW-owned Rover plant at Longbridge. The government's financial support is linked to productivity targets. At the same time, BMW executives announced plans to invest a total of GBP 3.3 billion in its loss-making Rover subsidiary.
- 28 Jun 1999
United Kingdom: EU social affairs Council decision fuels junior doctors' grievances over working hours<#PDF_LINK>Junior doctors in the UK reacted angrily to the proposal by the May 1999 EU Labour and Social Affairs Council for an extended transition period before the working time Directive's 48-hour limit on average weekly working hours applies to doctors in training. The British Medical Association is to hold a ballot on industrial action by junior doctors in the autumn over the issue of overtime pay and excessive working hours.
- 28 May 1999
United Kingdom: UK trade unions and the euro<#PDF_LINK>In May 1999, the Trades Union Congress held a major conference on the impact of the European single currency on the UK. While a number of trade union leaders are calling for the Government to make a more positive commitment to joining the euro, a range of views were expressed at the conference, with many participants expressing concern about the implications of euro membership.
- 28 May 1999
United Kingdom: Labour's family-friendly employment agenda<#PDF_LINK>The UK government sees its "family-friendly" policies as a central plank in its efforts to "modernise" employment relations to the benefit of workers and employers alike. The Employment Relations Bill, due to become law in the summer of 1999, contains several important measures relating to maternity, parental and family leave. So far, however, collectively agreed provision on these issues remains limited, especially in respect of parental leave. Trade unions argue that without further government support a "minimalist" approach is likely to continue.
- 28 May 1999
United Kingdom: Coverage of unfair dismissal law extended<#PDF_LINK>From 1 June 1999, the qualifying period of employment necessary for claims of unfair dismissal in the UK will be reduced from two years to one year, extending statutory protection to an additional 2.8 million employees.
- 28 May 1999
United Kingdom: Union membership steadies after 18 years' decline<#PDF_LINK>The decline in trade union membership has been halted, according to a TUC analysis of figures from the autumn 1998 Labour Force Survey, published in May 1999. A growth in membership among women, part-time and Asian workers offset continued losses in more traditional areas of union strength.
- 28 May 1999
United Kingdom: CBI warns against further labour market regulation at both UK and EU level<#PDF_LINK>In May 1999, the Confederation of British Industry used the publication of its annual employment trends survey and its "business manifesto" for the European Parliament elections to highlight its continuing concerns about the impact of national and EU-level regulation on competitiveness and employment.
- 28 Apr 1999
United Kingdom: Government aid package secures future of Rover plant<#PDF_LINK>At the end of March 1999, agreement was announced between BMW, the German-owned motor manufacturer, and the UK government on a financial aid package which ensures that the new Rover medium-sized car will be produced at the Longbridge plant near Birmingham. This move followed an earlier agreement on flexible working arrangements at Rover and ended months of uncertainty over the future of Longbridge.
- 28 Apr 1999
United Kingdom: UK and Italy hold bilateral talks on EU employment issues<#PDF_LINK>In April 1999, employment ministers from the UK and Italy met for talks on a range of employment and labour market issues and agreed a joint statement emphasising the need to promote growth, employment and structural reform at national and EU level.
- 28 Apr 1999
United Kingdom: The UK's first national minimum wage<#PDF_LINK>On 1 April 1999, a statutory national minimum wage (NMW) came into effect in the UK for the first time - an event of major significance for the UK labour market and industrial relations. This feature places the new NMW in its historical context and examines the effects on wages of the formerly deregulated system. It then updates estimates of the direct effect of the NMW and considers the possible wider impact.
- 28 Apr 1999
United Kingdom: Information and consultation in the UK: an alien imposition?<#PDF_LINK>The European Commission's proposed Directive on national information and consultation rules has been welcomed by UK trade unions but opposed by employers and the government. This feature reports on an Anglo-German seminar held in March 1999 to discuss the implications of the draft Directive, and highlights the significance of consultation arrangements in UK industrial relations.
- 28 Apr 1999
United Kingdom: UK social partners agree joint contribution to 1999 NAP<#PDF_LINK>The UK government has initiated consultation with social partner organisations on the content of its 1999 National Action Plan (NAP) on employment. In March 1999, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress agreed a joint contribution for inclusion in the NAP.
- 28 Apr 1999
United Kingdom: Teachers' unions threaten industrial action over performance-related pay<#PDF_LINK>The UK government's plans to introduce performance-related pay for teachers met strong opposition at the 1999 annual conferences of the three main teaching trade unions held over the Easter period.
- 28 Mar 1999
United Kingdom: Conference debates strategies for union renewal<#PDF_LINK>Faced with declining membership and bargaining leverage, trade unions in the UK are mapping out strategies to build union organisation and establish new relationships with employers. In February 1999, participants at a major conference debated these and other key issues concerning the modernisation of trade unionism.
- 28 Mar 1999
United Kingdom: Above-inflation pay awards for public sector workers<#PDF_LINK>The UK government has agreed to implement above-inflation pay awards recommended by independent pay review bodies covering 1.3 million public sector workers. The awards will take effect in full from 1 April 1999, in contrast to the staging of public sector pay increases in recent years. Trade unions argue that the awards will do little to address problems of staff recruitment, retention and motivation, while some public sector employers are concerned at the affordability of the increases.
- 28 Mar 1999
United Kingdom: Trade union recognition and the Employment Relations Bill<#PDF_LINK>The statutory trade union recognition provisions of the Employment Relations Bill, published in late January 1999 and now under consideration in parliament, are already prompting some employers to reach pre-emptive voluntary agreements with unions. This feature looks at likely impact of the legislation once it is introduced.
- 28 Mar 1999
United Kingdom: More legal action over working time rules<#PDF_LINK>Litigation on working time issues continued to make the UK headlines during February and March 1999. Key cases concerned the direct effect of provisions of the EU working time Directive despite the delay in UK transposition, and the ability of workers to refuse to work more than a 48-hour average working week.
- 28 Mar 1999
United Kingdom: TUC poll highlights case for parental leave to be paid<#PDF_LINK>An opinion poll published in March 1999 by the UK Trades Union Congress indicates that one in three parents would not be able to take up the right to parental leave contained in the current Employment Relations Bill unless the leave is paid.
- 28 Mar 1999
United Kingdom: Finance workers vote for merged super-union<#PDF_LINK>Three UK trade unions in the financial services sector are to merge in May 1999. The move follows a ballot of their members in which over 90% of those voting supported the merger proposal.
- 28 Mar 1999
United Kingdom: Government responds to employer criticism of labour market regulation<#PDF_LINK>In March 1999, following a "red tape summit" with employers' representatives, the UK trade and industry secretary announced that he was initiating a review of all regulations that have an impact on business, with the intention reducing the regulatory "burden".
- 28 Feb 1999
United Kingdom: Employment Relations Bill published<#PDF_LINK>In late January 1999, the UK government published an Employment Relations Bill to give effect to its proposals on "fairness at work". The Bill is expected to complete the legislative process by late summer. This feature outlines its provisions.
- 28 Feb 1999
United Kingdom: Non-union forms of employee representation<#PDF_LINK>The publication in November 1998 of a draft EU Directive on employee information and consultation has focused attention on the implications of such requirements for non-union enterprises in the UK. A recent review of research into the extent and significance of non-union forms of collective employee representation in the UK finds that they have been rare and ineffective in the absence of legal or other support, but that changing legal frameworks and managerial strategies may enhance their future importance.
- 28 Feb 1999
United Kingdom: Productivity, competitiveness and the knowledge-driven economy: a new agenda?<#PDF_LINK>The UK economy continues to experience lower rates of productivity than its major competitors. In December 1998, the Government published a white paper outlining a variety of measures aimed at shifting the economy into a new era of success, based upon the idea of a "knowledge-driven economy". This feature outlines the background to the white paper, its main features and the implications for industrial relations.
- 28 Feb 1999
United Kingdom: Increase in union recognition ahead of statutory procedure<#PDF_LINK>A survey by the TUC trade union confederation, published in February 1999, suggests that UK companies are increasingly ready to reach voluntary union recognition deals. Unions say that the prospect of statutory intervention stemming from the current Employment Relations Bill is already influencing employer attitudes. At the same time, unions fear that the new legislation will give a boost to the activities of "union-busting" consultants in the UK.
- 28 Feb 1999
United Kingdom: UK social partners welcome euro changeover plan<#PDF_LINK>The Confederation of British Industry and Trades Union Congress both welcomed the UK "national changeover plan" for potential UK entry into the European single currency, which was outlined by the Prime Minister in a statement to the House of Commons in February 1999.
- 28 Feb 1999
United Kingdom: National minimum wage moves a step nearer<#PDF_LINK>Draft Regulations governing the detailed application of the UK's national minimum wage were laid before Parliament in February 1999 and will come into force from the beginning of April. Employers' organisations have welcomed modifications made by the government, but trade unions and low pay campaigners are unhappy that there will be no obligation to state the national minimum wage on workers' payslips.
- 28 Feb 1999
United Kingdom: New research on the individualisation of employment contracts<#PDF_LINK>Many UK companies have replaced collective bargaining with individual employment contracts, but research published in February 1999 by the Department of Trade and Industry suggests that this has generally resulted in the greater standardisation of terms and conditions of employment.
- 28 Jan 1999
United Kingdom: Recession in engineering intensifies pressures on jobs, pay and working time<#PDF_LINK>The growth of the UK economy as a whole disguises declining performance in the manufacturing sector in 1998. Industries exposed to intense international competition, such as engineering, are now warning of developments reaching crisis point. With skills shortages limiting the ability of employers to address pay directly, most have focused on redundancies, work reorganisation and working time to enhance flexibility and productivity.
- 28 Jan 1999
United Kingdom: Industrial relations in German-owned companies in the UK<#PDF_LINK>Events in the UK during 1998, such as the deal struck at Rover to secure the Longbridge plant and the closure of the Siemens plant on Tyneside, have drawn attention to managerial attitudes towards redundancies and towards consultation and negotiation in German companies in the UK. New research into the human resource management practices of German multinationals operating in the UK sheds light on the issues.
- 28 Jan 1999
United Kingdom: Government announces refinements to Fairness at work proposals<#PDF_LINK>In December 1998, the UK Government published details of its forthcoming "Fairness at work" employment rights legislation following consultations on its earlier white paper. The refinements announced were widely seen as signalling a successful outcome for lobbying by employers' groups.
- 28 Jan 1999
United Kingdom: Equal Opportunities Commission urges new sex equality law<#PDF_LINK>In November 1998, the Equal Opportunities Commission published proposals for the reform of British sex equality laws. These are now under consideration by the government.
- 28 Jan 1999
United Kingdom: Union mounts legal challenge to working time Regulations<#PDF_LINK>In January 1999, the film, broadcasting and theatre trade union, BECTU, was allowed to proceed with a legal challenge to the holiday entitlement provisions of the UK working time Regulations introduced in October 1998. The move could potentially force the government to amend the Regulations.
- 28 Jan 1999
United Kingdom: TUC reports fewer unions balloting on industrial action<#PDF_LINK>According to a survey published by the UK's Trades Union Congress in December 1998, balloting on industrial action is at a very low level, increasingly concerns action short of a full strike and normally leads to a negotiated settlement rather than stoppages of work.
- 28 Jan 1999
United Kingdom: Ex-GCHQ staff win compensation<#PDF_LINK>In January 1999, a group of former intelligence officers sacked 14 years previously for refusing to leave their trade union were offered compensation by the UK government, ending a long-running trade union campaign.