Carley, Mark

The central aim of the draft EU Directive on working conditions for temporary agency workers (*EU0204205F* [1]) is to guarantee equal treatment for these workers in terms of pay and conditions as workers employed by the user company to do the same job. Following a lengthy deadlock on the issue in the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO [2]) (*EU0410204F* [3]), the Portuguese EU Presidency in the second half of 2007 renewed the debate on the draft directive and prepared a new text, which was discussed at an EPSCO meeting on 5 December 2007. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-industrial-relations/commission-proposes-directive-on-temporary-agency-workers [2] http://consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?id=411&lang=en [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/temporary-work-working-time-and-equality-discussed-at-council

In April 2007, the Department of Trade and Industry (since renamed the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) published its annual report on trade union membership (2.34Mb PDF) [1], based on Labour Force Survey data for the fourth quarter of 2006. [1] http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39006.pdf

The UK papermaking industry currently employs some 10,000 workers at around 60 sites. It is unusual, in the context of the UK private sector’s decentralised collective bargaining system, in having national bargaining arrangements. The few other sectors in this regard include printing, engineering construction and electrical contracting.

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC [1]), set up in 1975, is the main public agency working to eliminate gender discrimination in the UK. From October 2007, it will cease to exist and its responsibilities will pass to a new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR [2]), dealing with all equality issues (*UK0407102N* [3]). On 24 July 2007, the EOC issued its final report entitled Completing the revolution: The leading indicators (293Kb PDF) [4] which sets out the ‘most comprehensive ever measure of gender equality in Britain’, based on 22 indicators that assess the ‘state of the nation’ in terms of gender equality. [1] http://www.eoc.org.uk/ [2] http://www.cehr.org.uk/ [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/white-paper-on-single-equality-and-human-rights-commission-published [4] http://www.eoc.org.uk/pdf/Gender_Equality_Index_GB_web.pdf

In its manifesto for the 2005 general election (*UK0504110F* [1]), the Labour Party promised to make paid time off for bank holidays additional to employees’ statutory four-week annual holiday entitlement; there are eight permanent bank holidays a year in Great Britain. In June 2006, the then Department of Trade and Industry (since renamed the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, BERR [2]) issued an initial consultation document on raising the holiday entitlement in two stages to 5.6 weeks a year – the equivalent of an increase from 20 days to 28 days for an employee working a five-day week (*UK0607039I* [3]). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/parties-outline-contrasting-election-policies-on-employment-relations [2] http://www.berr.gov.uk [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/government-launches-consultation-on-extra-holiday-entitlement

Industrial relations developments in Europe 2006 highlights the most significant industrial relations developments over the past year – both at national and EU level. It examines the key issues covered by collective bargaining – pay, working time, job security, training, and equal opportunities – and looks at developments in the area of social partner activity, industrial action, cross-border activity and reconciliation of work,family and private life. A special thematic chapter explores the theme of gender and career development, looking in particular at workplace segregation, the underrespresentation of women in managerial posts and the prevalence of women’s involvement in part-time work.

In March 2006, the Labour Party government announced its plans to launch a review of the time off, training and facilities available to workplace representatives (*UK0605019I* [1]). In June 2006, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI [2]) launched the review and in January 2007 published its Consultation document - Workplace representatives: A review of their facilities and facility (405 Kb PDF) [3] presenting the initial findings. The review addresses: [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/government-publishes-employment-relations-strategy-paper [2] http://www.dti.gov.uk/ [3] http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file36336.pdf

Where trade unions are recognised by employers, the Employment Act 2002 [1] (*UK0210103F* [2]) provides a statutory right to paid time off work for union learning representatives (ULRs) (*UK0402103F* [3]) to carry out a range of duties. These include: [1] http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2002/20020022.htm [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/employment-act-2002-outlined [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/union-learning-representatives-profiled

This report focuses on the role that EWCs play in influencing the handling of transnational restructuring. It analyses EWC agreements and relevant joint texts to assess how well equipped EWCs are to address the issue of restructuring. It looks at the kind of input EWCs make in practice and highlights the factors that appear to play an important role in favouring or hindering their involvement in transnational restructuring.

To mark ‘International stress awareness day’ on 1 November 2006, the Trades Union Congress (TUC [1]) released findings from its 2006 survey of workplace trade union health and safety representatives [2]. The study is conducted every two years and, during the spring and summer of 2006, a total of 3,339 health and safety representatives responded to a questionnaire either online or by post. [1] http://www.tuc.org.uk/ [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/health-and-safety-representatives