Hall, Mark

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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