United.Kingdom
Background information on industrial relations in United.Kingdom
- 16 Dec 2003
United Kingdom: Porter report examines UK competitiveness<#PDF_LINK>In May 2003, the government published a report on UK competitiveness commissioned from Professor Michael Porter of Harvard Business School. The report reviews the state of UK competitiveness and provides guidance to policy-makers on broad priorities to achieve sustained improvements. This article highlights its key points and government, employer and trade union reaction.
- 16 Dec 2003
United Kingdom: New Employment Relations Bill published<#PDF_LINK>In early December 2003, the UK government published its latest Employment Relations Bill. The main aim of the new legislation is to amend the statutory trade union recognition procedure established by the Employment Relations Act 1999. Other key provisions will make changes to the existing law on ballots for industrial action and empower the government to make regulations on employee information and consultation.
- 15 Dec 2003
United Kingdom: Thematic feature - redundancies and redundancy costs<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the procedures and costs involved in collective redundancies in the UK, as well as current trends and debate in this area, as at November 2003.
- 04 Dec 2003
United Kingdom: New anti-discrimination legislation takes effect<#PDF_LINK>Regulations protecting workers from discrimination and harassment at work on grounds of sexual orientation and religion or belief came into force in the UK in December 2003. The legislation is intended to implement key elements of the 2000 EU equal treatment Directive.
- 04 Dec 2003
United Kingdom: Flexible working law causing few problems, finds survey<#PDF_LINK>Research published in October 2003 by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development finds that the statutory right for parents of young children to request flexible working, introduced in the UK in April 2003, has operated smoothly and that most employers report no significant problems in complying with the new legislation.
- 25 Nov 2003
United Kingdom: Local Government Pay Commission reports<#PDF_LINK>The report of the UK's Local Government Pay Commission, published in October 2003, rejects regional pay and focuses on remedying the gender pay gap. The report has been generally well-received by the local government employers and trade unions.
- 17 Nov 2003
United Kingdom: Thematic feature - social partner involvement in the 2003 NAP<#PDF_LINK>This article examines social partner involvement in the preparation of the UK’s 2003 National Action Plan for employment drawn up in response to the EU Employment Guidelines.
- 11 Nov 2003
United Kingdom: Employers and unions respond to review of EWCs<#PDF_LINK>In October 2003, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress published divergent views on the case for revising the EU European Works Councils (EWCs) Directive, as part of a UK government consultation exercise on the issue.
- 25 Oct 2003
United Kingdom: Unions launch new campaign against long working hours<#PDF_LINK>A new campaign against long working hours was launched by the UK's Trades Union Congress (TUC) in September 2003. It focuses on the incidence of the so-calledindividual opt-outfrom the 48-hour weekly limit on average working time. The TUC claims that many employees are not aware of their rights or are coerced into working longer hours than they would like.
- 25 Oct 2003
United Kingdom: The impact of employment legislation on small firms<#PDF_LINK>A persistent complaint by UK employers is the burden imposed on them by employment regulations. Small firms are felt to be particularly seriously affected. A study published in September 2003, based on qualitative research in 18 small firms, finds that the effects of employment legislation on small firms can be small. The reasons for this lie in the nature of different employment laws and the ways in which their effects in practice are shaped by firms’ market context and internal processes.
- 22 Oct 2003
United Kingdom: Thematic feature - works councils and other workplace employee representation and participation structures<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the UK situation, as of September 2003, with regard to works councils and similar workplace employee representation and participation structures. It looks at the regulatory framework, statistical data, evidence on practice and the views of the social partners.
- 08 Oct 2003
United Kingdom: CBI survey highlights employer concern over regulation<#PDF_LINK>The Confederation of British Industry’s annual employment trends survey, published in September 2003, argues that the prospect of further employment regulation, especially from the EU, threatens to undermine the UK’s flexible labour market.
- 08 Oct 2003
United Kingdom: Postal workers reject national strike<#PDF_LINK>In September 2003, employees of the UK's Royal Mail belonging to the Communication Workers’ Union voted against a national postal strike over pay, but London postal workers supported industrial action in pursuit of improved London weighting allowances.
- 23 Sep 2003
United Kingdom: Rail union’s campaign for national bargaining gathers steam<#PDF_LINK>The train drivers’ trade union Aslef is campaigning for the restoration of a national framework for collective bargaining in the UK railway sector. During 2003, it has published a report on the issue, together with two independent studies that support its case.
- 23 Sep 2003
United Kingdom: TUC conference highlights tensions in union-government relations<#PDF_LINK>The annual conference of the UK's Trades Union Congress, which took place in September 2003, highlighted the growing tensions in relations between trade unions and the Labour government. This article reviews the policies the conference adopted on a range of key issues.
- 10 Sep 2003
United Kingdom: Thematic feature - implementation of the EU framework equal treatment Directive<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the UK situation, as of August 2003, with regard to the implementation and impact of the 2000 EU Directive establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, which seeks to combat discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation.
- 08 Sep 2003
United Kingdom: Social partners agree telework guidance<#PDF_LINK>In August 2003, the UK's Department of Trade and Industry published guidance on telework agreed by the CBI, TUC and CEEP UK. The move is in response to the July 2002 agreement on this issue between the EU-level social partner organisations.
- 18 Aug 2003
United Kingdom: Strike grounds British Airways at Heathrow<#PDF_LINK>In July 2003, an unofficial strike by British Airways customer services staff caused heavy disruption at the company’s Heathrow base, costing it an estimated GBP 40 million. The dispute was triggered by the introduction of a new electronic attendance-monitoring system, but reflected deeper staff concerns over the management of working time.
- 18 Aug 2003
United Kingdom: Employer and union reaction to UK’s decision to defer euro entry<#PDF_LINK>In June 2003, after a detailed assessment of five economic tests, the government decided that it would not be in the national economic interest of the UK to join the European single currency at present. This article examines the rationale of government policy, and the response of trade unions and employers’ organisations to the decision.
- 04 Aug 2003
United Kingdom: Government seeks views on EWCs ahead of review of Directive<#PDF_LINK>In July 2003, the Department of Trade and Industry published a discussion paper on the UK experience of European Works Councils (EWCs). Its aim is to gather information and views to help the UK government prepare for the forthcoming EU-level discussions on the possibility of revising the EWCs Directive.
- 23 Jul 2003
United Kingdom: Negotiations on new contracts for National Health Service doctors<#PDF_LINK>In June 2003, after prolonged negotiations, UK doctors working in local general practice voted in favour of a new contract, involving significant reforms in in their pay and conditions and in the organisation of primary healthcare services. In July 2003, agreement was reached on a new contract for hospital consultants, subject to approval in a ballot.
- 22 Jul 2003
United Kingdom: Thematic feature - posted workers<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the UK situation, as of June 2003, with regard to: legislation and collective bargaining on the pay and conditions of posted workers (ie workers from one EU Member State posted by their employer to work in another); the number of such posted workers; and the views of the social partners and government on the issue.
- 21 Jul 2003
United Kingdom: Government launches new skills strategy<#PDF_LINK>In July 2003, the UK government unveiled its new skills strategy white paper aimed at addressing England’s long-standing skills and productivity weaknesses. This feature examines the background to the white paper as well as the main elements of the new strategy, and reflects on some of the key challenges it is likely to face
- 21 Jul 2003
United Kingdom: Draft information and consultation legislation published<#PDF_LINK>In July 2003, the UK government published draft Regulations that will implement the EU information and consultation Directive. The approach adopted in the Regulations is based on a framework agreed between the government, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress.
- 08 Jul 2003
United Kingdom: Fire service pay dispute settled<#PDF_LINK>The long-running pay dispute affecting the UK’s fire service ended in mid-June 2003 when a special conference of the Fire Brigades’ Union voted to accept a revised pay deal.
- 08 Jul 2003
United Kingdom: CBI report urges retention of individual opt-out from 48-hour week<#PDF_LINK>In June 2003, the Confederation of British Industry published a report arguing that the removal of the scope under the EU working time Directive for individual employees to opt out of the 48-hour limit on average weekly working hours could have a severe impact on the competitiveness of UK businesses.
- 25 Jun 2003
United Kingdom: Regional pay proposals spark controversy<#PDF_LINK>An announcement by the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer in his April 2003 budget statement that the government intends to introduce measures to increase regional wage flexibility in the public sector has drawn an angry response from trade unions. This feature examines the rationale behind the government’s proposal and the evidence on regional wage disparities within the UK economy.
- 24 Jun 2003
United Kingdom: Unions call for tougher controls over boardroom pay<#PDF_LINK>In June 2003, the UK government issued a consultative document on company directors’ severance pay-offs and their links with company performance. The move follows increasing shareholder and trade union concern over executive pay issues. Trade unions are leading calls for a tougher regulatory framework.
- 24 Jun 2003
United Kingdom: Government to introduce corporate killing law<#PDF_LINK>In May 2003, the UK government renewed its long-term commitment to legislate on corporate manslaughter - ie deaths caused by management failure, where the company's conduct fallsfar below what could reasonably be expected. Trade unions gave the move a cautious welcome, while employers' responses were more mixed.
- 24 Jun 2003
United Kingdom: Unions develop strategies to combat disability discrimination<#PDF_LINK>With the EU having declared 2003 as the European Year of People with Disabilities, this article reviews initiatives by the UK trade union movement to combat disability discrimination and promote equal rights for workers with disabilities.
- 10 Jun 2003
United Kingdom: Key unions elect left-wing leaders<#PDF_LINK>The election of left-wing candidates as the new general secretaries of the influential TGWU and GMB unions during the first half of 2003 has reinforced the anti-New Labourstance of many of the UK’s leading trade unions, and is likely to put further strains on government-union relations.
- 10 Jun 2003
United Kingdom: National Health Service pay reforms ratified by union members<#PDF_LINK>By the end of May 2003, membership ballots conducted by trade unions confirmed widespread, but conditional, support for an agreement on the radical reform of pay and conditions of employment covering most staff in the UK's National Health Service.
- 23 May 2003
United Kingdom: New statutory rights for union learning representatives<#PDF_LINK>The UK's Employment Act 2002 introduced a statutory right to time off work for trade unionlearning representatives, so that they can carry out their duties. The new provisions came into force in April 2003, as did a revised Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) code of practice which includes guidance on their practical application. This feature reviews the background, nature and potential impact of the legislation.
- 07 May 2003
United Kingdom: Teaching union conferences debate school funding and reforms<#PDF_LINK>At their Easter 2003 conferences, the UK's three main teachers’ trade unions expressed concern over the 2003-4 financial settlement for schools, and debated its implications for the planned reform of teachers’ contracts and improvements in educational standards.
- 22 Apr 2003
United Kingdom: National strikes hit rail network<#PDF_LINK>Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers took industrial action at nine UK train companies in March 2003 over the safety role of train guards. The train drivers’ trade union is also threatening nationwide action over pay.
- 22 Apr 2003
United Kingdom: New rules on flexible working come into force<#PDF_LINK>From 6 April 2003, working parents in the UK are entitled to request flexible working for childcare reasons and to have their request seriously considered by their employer. This feature highlights the key features of the new legislation and social partner reaction.
- 08 Apr 2003
United Kingdom: Increases in national minimum wage announced<#PDF_LINK>In March 2003, the UK government announced that, as recommended by the independent Low Pay Commission, the adult rate of the national minimum wage will be increased in October 2003 to GBP 4.50 per hour, with the rate for 18-21 year olds rising to GBP 3.80.
- 08 Apr 2003
United Kingdom: Union conference rejects draft agreement on fire service reform<#PDF_LINK>In March 2003, negotiations between the Fire Brigades Union and the local authority fire service employers resulted in a draft agreement aimed at ending the long-running pay dispute in the UK fire service. However, a special conference of union delegates on 19 March voted to reject the document. The government subsequently published legislation enabling ministers to impose a pay settlement.
- 25 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: Corus’s UK workforce faces deep job cuts<#PDF_LINK>In March 2003, the Anglo-Dutch steel producer Corus was forced to abandon the sale of its aluminium business after the company’s Dutch supervisory board blocked the proposed move. This looks certain to result in thousands of job losses in the company’s UK operations.
- 25 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: New pay system planned in National Health Service<#PDF_LINK>At the end of November 2002, the UK's government health departments, National Health Service employers and trade unions concluded negotiations on a new pay system for over 1 million health service staff. If ratified, the agreement will be piloted at 12 sites in spring 2003, with full implementation from October 2004.
- 24 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: 2002 Annual Review for the UK<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews the main industrial relations developments in the UK during 2002.
- 12 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: Spread of union recognition deals slows<#PDF_LINK>Research published in February 2003 by the UK’s Trades Union Congress shows that union recognition by employers is continuing to increase, but that unions secured fewer recognition agreements in the 12 months to October 2002 than over the previous year.
- 12 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: Government rejects calls for major changes to Employment Relations Act<#PDF_LINK>In February 2003, the UK government published its review of the Employment Relations Act 1999. This concluded that there is no case for major changes in the law, but proposed some minor and technical amendments to improve its operation. The outcome of the review represents a major disappointment for trade unions but was welcomed by employers.
- 05 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: Progress on work-life balance?<#PDF_LINK>Three years on from the launch of the UK government’swork-life balancecampaign in March 2000, the topic has become widely researched and debated. This feature reviews the latest developments, to assess what progress has been made in enabling employees to achieve a better balance between work and the rest of their lives.
- 05 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: Changes in the pay and workload of school teachers<#PDF_LINK>In February 2003, the School Teachers’ Review Body recommended an increase of 2.9% in the pay scales and allowances for teachers in England and Wales, and the introduction of a new inner Londonpay spine. This followed a historic national agreement in January between government, employers and trade unions on measures to reduce the workload of teachers. This feature examines the links between changes in pay and workload in addressing teachers’ recruitment and retention problems.
- 05 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: Government tests new training programme for low-skilled workers<#PDF_LINK>In September 2002, the UK government launched six pilot schemes designed to test a new policy model for supporting the training of poorly qualified adults in England. This feature looks at the background to the new initiative and some of the main challenges it faces.
- 05 Mar 2003
United Kingdom: Government code to tackle 'two-tier workforce' in local government services<#PDF_LINK>In February 2003, the UK government announced details of a new code of practice governing the terms and conditions of the employees of contractors providing services to local authorities. This specifies that new recruits working alongside transferred, former local authority employees must be offered an employment package which is no less favourable in overall terms. The move is in response to a long-running campaign by trade unions for an end to thetwo-tier workforcein the area of local government services.
- 11 Feb 2003
United Kingdom: Talks resume in fire service dispute<#PDF_LINK>In early February 2003, following a meeting convened by the UK government, the Fire Brigades Union and the local authority employers agreed to the resumption of negotiations over their pay dispute, during which the union will not organise any further strike action.
- 11 Feb 2003
United Kingdom: Minister outlines government's likely approach to consultation legislation<#PDF_LINK>In January 2003, at a trade union conference on the EU information and consultation Directive, employment relations minister Alan Johnson gave an initial indication of the government’s likely approach to implementing the Directive in the UK.
- 29 Jan 2003
United Kingdom: Latest strike trends examined<#PDF_LINK>Strikes were rarely out of the UK headlines throughout 2002. Disputes have been prominent because of their scale and concentration in important, usually public, services. Yet the overall incidence of strikes remains low, particularly in private manufacturing.
- 29 Jan 2003
United Kingdom: Employers and unions submit views on UK consultation law<#PDF_LINK>The closing date for responses to the government's discussion paper on employee involvement and the UK implementation of the EU information and consultation Directive was 11 December 2002. This feature reviews the submissions made by the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress and other key organisations.
- 29 Jan 2003
United Kingdom: Pensions high on industrial relations agenda<#PDF_LINK>The issue of pensions rose up the UK's political and industrial relations agenda during 2002 and is likely to remain there in 2003. Trade unions have increasingly been prepared to threaten or take industrial action over the closure of final salary occupational pension schemes and government policy on pensions is under review. This feature highlights key developments.
- 20 Jan 2003
United Kingdom: TUC elects new leader<#PDF_LINK>In December 2002, Brendan Barber was elected as the next general secretary of the UK's Trades Union Congress. He will take over from John Monks in May 2003 when the latter becomes general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation.
- 20 Jan 2003
United Kingdom: Government survey shows strong employee preference for flexible working<#PDF_LINK>To highlight newfamily-friendlyemployment rights due to come into force in April 2003, the UK government has published survey findings showing that almost half of those questioned valued flexible working hours over other benefits, with nearly one-third choosing flexibility over higher pay.