Carley, Mark

The Olympic Games [1] are being held in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012, with the Paralympic Games [2] taking place between 29 August and 9 September. The total number of visitors to London expected during the Olympics has been estimated at upwards of six million. Transport for London (TfL [3]), which oversees public transport in the capital, predicts an additional three million journeys a day on the system during the Games. [1] http://www.london2012.com/ [2] http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/sports/ [3] http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

The union that represents 3,000 oil tanker drivers in the UK, Unite [1], says that the industry has become increasingly fragmented and unstable since 2000. There has been a general reduction in the length of contracts between oil companies and distribution firms, and mounting pressure from the former to cut costs. Unite argues that this has led contractors to reduce drivers’ pay and conditions, and eroded health and safety standards, training and pensions. [1] http://www.unitetheunion.org/default.aspx?gclid=CI-NzfHq0LACFW1ItAodbjPYYQ

Opel/Vauxhall, the European arm of US-based General Motors (GM [1]), will build the next generation of the Astra compact car at the Vauxhall plant at Ellesmere Port in north-west England and the Opel plant in Gliwice, Poland. [1] http://www.gm.com/

Pay awards for many public sector workers are set by the government, based on the recommendations of independent pay review bodies (PRBs [1]). PRBs cover groups such as National Health Service (NHS) nursing and other staff (1.45 million employees), school teachers (450,000), NHS doctors and dentists (200,000), the armed forces (200,000) and prison officers (30,000). [1] http://www.ome.uk.com/Default.aspx

The independent Low Pay Commission (LPC [1]), which advises the government on the statutory National Minimum Wage (NMW [2]), draws up an annual report containing recommendations for increases. If the government accepts the recommended increases, as it usually does, the NMW is uprated accordingly from 1 October each year. [1] http://www.lowpay.gov.uk/ [2] http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/employment/employees/thenationalminimumwage/dg_10027201

The UK’s Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 [1] obliges employers to grant reasonable paid time off work for employees who are representatives of recognised trade unions. This time is for them to carry out certain duties, notably collective bargaining, representation of members, gathering information, and consulting on collective redundancies and business transfers. [1] http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/52/contents

In January 2011, as part of a broader ‘welfare to work’ initiative known as Get Britain Working [1], the UK government launched a work experience programme aimed at unemployed people aged 16 to 24 who had been receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) (unemployment benefit) for at least 13 weeks. [1] http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/get-britain-working/

One of the highest-profile current issues in UK industrial relations is widespread trade union opposition to government changes to public sector occupational pension (OP) schemes, including a national one-day strike held on 30 November 2011 (*UK1112029I* [1]). However, the OP issue is also increasingly contentious in the private sector, where provision is much less extensive and generous than in the public sector. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/industrial-relations-undefined/public-service-workers-strike-over-pension-reforms

In January 2012 the Trades Union Congress (TUC [1]) published an analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics [2] Labour Force Survey (LFS [3]), which found that nearly two billion hours of unpaid overtime [4] were worked during 2011. According to the TUC’s calculations [5], in 2011: [1] http://www.tuc.org.uk/ [2] http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ [3] http://www.esds.ac.uk/government/lfs [4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/overtime [5] http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-20446-f0.cfm

Where UK employers recognise a trade union for collective bargaining purposes, this is usually based on a voluntary agreement between the parties. However, since 2000, there has also been a statutory procedure through which a union can apply to the independent Central Arbitration Committee (CAC [1]) to oblige an employer to recognise it (*UK0007183F* [2]). If the union demonstrates a certain level of membership and support for recognition (in some cases through a workforce ballot), the CAC issues a declaration making recognition compulsory, and this has happened in over 220 cases. [1] http://www.cac.gov.uk [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-industrial-relations/statutory-trade-union-recognition-procedure-comes-into-force