Network Journal 2003 Issue 2

Campaigns

Campaign takes on European dimension
Usdaw’s Freedom from Fear campaign to win respect for shopworkers and help tackle the growing violence they face at work took, on an European dimension last month when Deputy General Secretary John Hannett travelled to Stockholm, Sweden, for an international union conference.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Charter and Respect Day gain ground
Signatories to the Usdaw Charter now reads like a who’s who of British retailing, with Tesco and Sainsbury the latest in a long line of top companies to sign up to it.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



End in sight for Christmas Day trading
The Government has announced its intention to introduce legislation to prevent large stores opening on Christmas Day.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Freedom From Fear – the story so far
Usdaw is recruiting new members and reps every day of the week, so for those newly elected shop stewards who may not be familiar with the union’s latest campaign here is a summary of the story so far.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



July deadline for backdated credits claims
The Government has come under fire after its highly publicised tax credit schemes failed to be paid on time to millions of UK workers.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



More and more MPs sign up to the campaign
Labour MPs up and down the country are signing up to the Freedom From Fear campaign and giving Usdaw and its members vital parliamentary backing.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



New guide aims to protect shopworkers from violence and abuse
The UK’s shopworkers have a new aid in their campaign to improve safety in store with the publication of a comprehensive new guide from Usdaw.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



New surveys reveal extent of crime
There were more than 5.5 million crimes recorded by police in 2001/02, 356,239 more than the previous year – an increase of seven per cent.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Parliamentary debate keeps the campaign in the political spotlight
Leader of the union’s parliamentary campaign, Labour MP Tom Watson maintained Freedom From Fear’s high profile when he used parliamentary time to debate the issues and promote Usdaw’s campaign.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Scottish parliament impressed with Usdaw
The Freedom From Fear campaign was given a major boost North of the border after Usdaw’s National Political Committee took the message to the Scottish Parliament.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



The Government is listening to Usdaw
Usdaw has, over a number of years, been described, justifiably, as a ‘campaigning union’. Our recent activities on trading legislation, Lifelong Learning and minimum wage have helped to further improve our campaigning capability.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Companies

Another ‘no-win no-fee’ legal firm crashes
More than 2,500 workers have lost their jobs after no-win no-fee legal firm, the Accident Group, went into receivership.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Companies – news in brief
News about leading retailers.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



GUS in £590m sale to Barclay family
Usdaw moved quickly to meet with representatives of the Barclay family after they bought the home shopping arm of GUS, including Reality, for £590 million.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Sackings could cost Sainsbury’s
Managers dismissed by Sainsbury’s last January have won their employment tribunal claim for unfair dismissal, and are demanding reinstatement.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Somerfield is the latest retailer to be a takeover target
Supermarket group Somerfield has rejected two bids of £510 million and £594 million from two entrepreneurs, saying both offers ‘substantially’ undervalued the chain.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Workers vote to accept redundancy packages
Workers at the Boots plant in Airdrie have voted overwhelmingly to accept an enhanced redundancy package following an independent consultant’s review which upheld the firm’s decision to close the factory.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Conferences

ADM in brief
Subscriptions will rise from week commencing June 30. Scale A will go up 7p to £1.72, Scale B up 5p to £1.55 and Scale C rises 3p to £1.13.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Policies and priorities set for coming year
More than 1,200 delegates, visitors, and officials packed into the Empress Ballroom in the Winter Gardens Blackpool for the union’s 57th Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM).
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Policy statements outline important issues
Three in-depth policy statements were presented to the ADM, on behalf of the Executive Council, and unanimously approved by conference.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Employment

Employment – news in brief
News about employment related issues.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Equality

Closing the gap on men and women’s pay
It’s almost 30 years since women won the right to fair treatment at work, writes Julie Mellor, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Equal Opportunities – news in brief
News about equality issues.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Focus on rights for transgender workers
Few people actually appreciate that over the last 30-40 years, more than 5,000 people in Britain have successfully transitioned between the genders – from male to female, or from female to male. Transsexuality is an internationally recognised condition.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



New video gives disturbing picture of racism in UK
Anyone who thinks racism is a thing of the past will get a much clearer picture with the release of a powerful new Usdaw video.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Get Involved

National youth weekend gives voice to young members
The perfect opportunity for young members to get involved in the varied activities of the union, and to find out more about Usdaw, is available as part of a special weekend exclusively for workers aged 26 and below.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Health and Safety

Drink and work – a dangerous cocktail
People are drinking more than ever before, but few employers have alcohol policies in place to tackle any problems arising from their employees’ drinking habits, warns the TUC.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Euroweek to focus on dangerous substances
European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003 will start on 13 October. This year the theme for the week will be dangerous substances in the workplace.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Health and safety – news in brief
News about health and safety issues.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Information on RSI in small businesses
A new HSE leaflet ‘Aching arms (or RSI) in small businesses’ is now available.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



New guide offers expert advice
A new guide to hazardous substances has been published by the Labour Reseach Department offering important information and advice to workers.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



New rules to combat killer dust
Asbestos is a killer dust with more than 3,000 people a year dying because of previous exposure. Increasingly, those at risk are not workers in traditional industries where there was known exposure, but people like electricians, builders and plumbers who accidentally disturb asbestos in place.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Passive smoking blamed for workplace deaths
Previous research has seriously underestimated the number of people killed in the workplace by passive smoking, says a new report.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Supermarket chain fined for health and safety breach
Supermarket chain Budgens and a haulage company were fined £20,000 and £30,000 respectively after admitting breaches of health and safety legislation.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Vital role for new look accident book
The Health and Safety Executive has launched a new version of the Accident Book used to record workplace accidents.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

International

International News
More than 200 trade unionists were assassinated or disappeared worldwide in 2002 a new report has shown.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Lifelong Learning

New rights for learning reps will boost skills
In April this year the Employment Act 2002 was amended to give union learning reps the same rights and protections as other reps in the workplace. It means reps will be given recognition of their role and help them as they aim to boost the level of skills right across Britain’s workplaces.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Pay

Executive’s ‘creed of greed’ condemned across Europe
The TUC has joined unions in Germany and the Netherlands to highlight the growing scandal of excessive executive pay.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Pay deals on the up at 3 per cent
Pay deals in the UK increased to three per cent in the three months to April, according to independent researchers Industrial Relations Services.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



UK workers face miserly redundancy payments
Minimum redundancy pay in the UK is among the lowest throughout the European Union with only French and Dutch employees entitled to less money than their British counterparts, says a new survey.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

People and Events

Diary dates 2003
Forthcoming events.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Politics

Billions of pounds left unclaimed
Means-tested benefits worth between £3-5 billion went unclaimed by some of the UK’s poorest households in the year 2000/1, Government figures have revealed.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Budget takes a ‘steady as you go’ approach
The Government delivered a mainly ‘neutral’ Budget in April this year with no surprise announcements or headline grabbing initiatives. It reaffirmed its goal to deliver high and stable levels of growth and employment, with opportunity and rising living standards for all.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Politics – news in brief
News about directors' contracts, the Safeway sell-off and worklife balance.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Welcome for Euro statement
General Secretary of the TUC, Brendan Barber, has welcomed the Chancellor’s statement on the Euro.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Recruitment and Organising

Academy marks new era for union organising
Fifteen Usdaw reps have got off to a flying start, recruiting more than 500 new members in their first few weeks with the union’s new Organising Academy.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Important notice – membership application forms
In order to comply with the new Data Protection Act, it is necessary to replace all supplies of blank Union Membership Application forms that your branch/shop stewards may keep in stock.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Rights at work

Scots shopworkers in line for equal rights on Sunday working
Legislation giving Scottish shopworkers the same rights to refuse Sunday working as their English and Welsh counterparts is well on course after it cleared its final hurdle in the Commons in May.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



TUC – news in brief
News from the TUC.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

Work and Life

Are you a pension fund trustee?
Is there an Usdaw member who is a trustee of your pension scheme?
17 June 2003 [Full Story]



Childcare on Government’s agenda
The Government is trying to make it easier for employers to get involved in childcare, writes Women and Equalities Officer Ruth Cross.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Consumers warned against pension ‘unlocking’ schemes
Workers tempted to ‘unlock’ money from their occupational or personal pension schemes before they retire will face a substantially reduced income in their retirement, warns the Government’s pensions watchdog.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Information will guide you through pensions maze
Comprehensive advice and information is now available to members in the latest of two publications from Usdaw on pensions.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Penisons – news in brief
News about pensions.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Pension legislation needs complete overhaul
Pensions are in crisis and radical steps need to be taken to address the problems, writes Pensions Officer Eleanor Lewington.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]



Transfer values under the spotlight
In March, the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra) issued guidance on Transfer Values, which allows Pension Fund Trustees to delay giving members a valuation of their pension entitlement, and therefore prevent them from transferring their funds into another occupational scheme or a personal pension.
16 June 2003 [Full Story]

© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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