This report reviews the present situation regarding the use of temporary agency work (TAW) in European Union Member States. It examines arrangements for social dialogue and collective bargaining at national level across the EU. It examines the role of collective bargaining in determining such
The objectives of the report are to investigate how companies in three sectors: the automobile industry, the banking business and road haulage experience EMU with regard to the practicalities of the introduction of the EURO, industrial relations, pay, employment, working conditions, restructuring of
This report, commissioned by the sectoral social dialogue committee on temporary agency work, is based on an EIRO comparative study of temporary agency work in the enlarged EU. The questionnaire survey gathered responses across 28 countries – the 25 EU Member States, as well as Norway and the
The way to EMU has deeply changed the macroeconomic conditions of the British economy. This report looks at the main features of industrial relations in the United Kingdom. It analyses the impact on three sectors: banking and finance, automotive and road haulage, which have undergone or are
The issue of works councils and similar workplace employee representation and participation structures is topical at present, with the EU Member States required to implement the recent Directive (2002/14/EC) [1] establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European
A campaign by the train drivers’ trade union, the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef), aimed at restoring a national framework for industrial relations in the rail industry (UK0201169F [1]), reflects persistent and significant differences in pay and conditions for drivers
Around 500 British Airways (BA) customer service workers, including check-in and ticket-desk staff, went on strike at the company’s Heathrow hub on 18 July 2003, in protest at the introduction of an automated swipe-card system for recording their attendance. The strike led to the cancellation or
The government announced in May 2003 that it intends to introduce legislation on corporate manslaughter, with details to follow in the autumn. The home secretary, David Blunkett, said: 'there is great public concern at the criminal law's lack of success in convicting companies of manslaughter where
The issue of company directors’ pay is highly topical in the UK following regulations in 2002 to introduce a clearer role for shareholders (UK0111101N [1]). With greater transparency has come controversy over the links between boardroom pay and corporate performance. In June 2003, the government
The rail sector has seen a number of disputes over the past year, though localised within individual companies. Examples include a series of 24-hour stoppages over pay by around 700 train conductors at Arriva Trains Northern, starting in January 2002 (UK0201169F [1]) and continuing into 2003. The
The number of strikes in the UK has been stable for the past 10 years, and is very low by historical standards (UK0110109F [1] and UK9907215F [2]). From 1981 to 1989, the average annual figure for recorded stoppages was 1,155. In contrast there were 205 strikes in 1999, 212 in 2000 and 194 in 2001
In June 2002, the government asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC [1]) to continue to monitor and evaluate the impact on the national minimum wage (NMW) - introduced in 1999 (UK9904196F [2]) - on pay, employment and competitiveness, to make recommendations for revised rates, if appropriate, and to
On 18 October 2002, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) announced that a ballot of around 50,000 firefighters had resulted in an 87.6% vote in favour of taking industrial action in support of a pay claim. The FBU’s executive council published plans for a a series of strikes between 29 October and 24
The concept of industrial relations 'partnership' emerged in the UK in the mid-1990s. Though not defined precisely, it involves a joint commitment to problem-solving rather than adversarial relations, and often includes some reassurances by the employer over employment security (UK9907214F [1]). In