Hall, Mark
Negotiations over junior doctors' working hours
27 Oktober 1999
On 23 September 1999, the Department of Health announced that negotiations
with the British Medical Association (BMA) about junior doctors' working
hours and overtime pay had resulted in a draft agreement on new contractual
arrangements. The negotiations followed a decision by the BMA junior doctors'
conference in June to move to a ballot on industrial action over long hours
and low overtime pay (UK9906113N [1]). According to the Department of Health,
the proposed agreement would "modernise junior doctors' pay, reduce hours and
improve working conditions", and would "provide the opportunity, over a
three-year period, to see that junior doctors on average work no more than 56
hours a week".
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/eu-social-affairs-council-decision-fuels-junior-doctors-grievances-over-working-hours
CBI and TUC give evidence to Low Pay Commission
27 Oktober 1999
The national minimum wage, introduced in April 1999 (UK9904196F [1]), has
"not had a significantly adverse effect on the UK economy," according to
evidence submitted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to the Low
Pay Commission. The UK's principal employers' organisation believes that the
"downside risks" of the national minimum wage have been "contained", due to
the "prudent level" at which it was set. The CBI remains opposed to the
indexation of the national minimum wage, and argues that any proposed
increase should be considered in the light of economic conditions.
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined/the-uks-first-national-minimum-wage
TUC calls for early euro entry
27 September 1999
At its annual conference held in September 1999 (UK9909128N [1]), the Trades
Union Congress (TUC) gave strong backing to a motion [2] urging the
government to prepare for early UK entry into the single European currency,
despite misgivings on the part of some major unions. Delegates voted for a
motion which supported the UK having "the option of actively pursuing [euro]
entry early in the new decade through action to bring the UK economic cycle
more closely into line with that of our EU partners".
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/trade-unions-debate-future-strategy
[2] http://www.tuc.org.uk/vbuilding/tuc/browse/object.exe?5798&0&0&1&1
Ministers decide against major reform of sex equality laws
27 September 1999
On 14 July 1999, ministers at the Department for Education and Employment
published their response to proposals [1] made by the Equal Opportunities
Commission (EOC) for a new Sex Equality Act to replace the UK's current sex
equality legislation (UK9901175N [2]). While announcing action in a number of
areas, including some changes to existing legislation, education and
employment secretary David Blunkett said that the government "does not
believe that major legislative change at this stage is the most effective way
of bringing about the changes that are needed".
[1] http://www.eoc.org.uk/html/new_law_proposals.html
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/equal-opportunities-commission-urges-new-sex-equality-law
CBI survey highlights worries over employment laws
27 September 1999
In a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), published on 13
September 1999 and coinciding with the start of the annual conference of the
Trades Union Congress (UK9909128N [1]), 85% of firms questioned thought that
the administrative burden caused by employment legislation has increased over
the past year, 17% believing that it had "increased a lot". The impact of the
EU working time Directive is reported to be "causing easily the most
headaches".
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/trade-unions-debate-future-strategy
Trade unions debate future strategy
27 September 1999
The 1999 annual conference of the UK's Trades Union Congress (TUC) took place
on 13-16 September. The agenda covered a wide range of employment issues and
featured speeches by a number of government ministers including the Prime
Minister, Tony Blair, and the trade and industry secretary Stephen Byers.
Government unveils proposals for statutory parental leave
27 August 1999
On 4 August 1999, the trade and industry secretary Stephen Byers published a
consultation document setting out the government's proposals for a statutory
right for working parents to take parental leave and for improved maternity
leave arrangements. The legislation will take the form of Regulations, and
will take effect from 15 December 1999 - the deadline for implementing the
requirements of the EU Council Directive on parental leave (96/34/EC) [1].
[1] http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=en&numdoc=31996L0034&model=guichett
CBI review reaffirms pro-EMU policy
27 Juli 1999
On 20 July 1999, the national council of the Confederation of British
Industry (CBI) adopted a policy statement [1] reaffirming that the CBI is "in
favour in principle of UK entry into European Economic and Monetary Union
once key conditions for success are in place". The CBI believes that UK
membership of EMU"has the potential to deliver significant benefits to the UK
economy", but that further progress is needed towards "sound fiscal
conditions in all major euro-zone countries", together with a shift in labour
market policies towards more flexibility. The new policy statement is the
culmination of a three-month consultation process involving voting on CBI
regional and national committees and a survey of wider membership opinion
carried out by polling organisation MORI.
[1] http://www.cbi.org.uk/ndbs/content.nsf/802737aed3e3420580256706005390ae/53dbaab1a1943690802567b4003febd4?OpenDocument
Legal protection for whistleblowers takes effect
27 Juli 1999
On 2 July 1999, the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 [1]
were brought into force, one year after receiving Royal Assent (UK9807137N
[2]). The Act has been described as the most far-reaching "whistleblowing"
legislation in the world. It provides remedies to workers who are dismissed
or subjected to detriment by their employer for making certain categories of
disclosure, ie a disclosure of information which, in the reasonable belief of
the worker making the disclosure, concerns:
[1] http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980023.htm
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/whistleblowers-charter-becomes-law
UK unions boycott Lufthansa over strike sackings
27 Juli 1999
On 21 July 1999, the general council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC)
pledged its support for a campaign [1] organised by the Transport and General
Workers' Union (TGWU) to try to win reinstatement for 270 workers sacked in
November 1998 by the Lufthansa-owned airline catering company Skychefs.
[1] http://www.tgwu.org.uk/news/support_skychefs.htm