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Network Journal 2003 Issue 4 |
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Book reviews
Campaigns
Companies
Conferences
Editorial
Employment
Equality
Get Involved
Health and Safety
Lifelong Learning
Pensions
People and Events
Recruitment and Organising
Rights at work
Union Benefits
Work and Life
Book reviews
Book advice X 3
The Labour Research Department (LRD) has produced three new booklets to help union reps.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Campaigns
Companies
Co-op Group in clothes tie-up
Discount clothing retailer Ethel Austin is set to open up to 20 self-contained outlets in Co-op Group food stores nationwide over the next 12 months.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Companies - news in brief
Britain's top bosses have enjoyed pay rises of an average 288 per cent, Tesco’s commitment to self-checkout, Boots is to recruit thousands of temporary staff in the run up to Christmas and a new survey has criticised the education system for doing very little to help deal with a skills shortage in retail. Full details below.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Fresh bid expected for Safeway
Northern-based retailer Morrisons looks set to make a fresh bid for Safeway following developments at the Office of Fair Trading - signalling a potential beginning of the end for the protracted saga.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
More pay and fewer hours at ACC in forward looking agreement
A ground-breaking deal has been agreed which will see 1,200 drivers receive an 18.5 per cent pay rise over two-and-a-half years, coupled with a huge reduction in working hours.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Sainsbury depot in strike ballot
Workers at the Sainsbury distribution centre in Haydock, Merseyside, were balloting on industrial action (as Network went to press) after wage negotiations broke down.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
TJ Hughes
Usdaw described the management buy-out of discount retail chain TJ Hughes as positive news for the company’s workers.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Usdaw makes the case for home shopping jobs
An estimated 19,000 jobs are at risk at a UK home shopping company if the Competition Commission blocks a crucial merger, Usdaw has warned.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Conferences
ADM replies
Propositions from the Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM) 2003 which were referred to government bodies have now received formal responses from the relevant government departments.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Conference revitalises political campaigns
The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons has praised Usdaw’s constructive and successful approach to political campaigning.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Editorial
Have a great Christmas - you deserve it
This issue is packed with concrete examples of the success Usdaw is achieving as a modern union meeting the challenges, and grasping the opportunities, of a rapidly changing world.
09 December 2003 [Full Story]
Employment
TUC – news in brief
British workers putting in unpaid overtime, employers are increasingly testing employees for drink and drugs, Working and Child Tax Credits and ‘out of work’ benefits must be increased, the TUC and trade unions have been active in enabling members to address literacy and numeracy problems, employees in small firms are still being denied a voice at work, the Government’s Employment Relations Bill given a mixed reception by the TUC and widespread abuses of the Working Time Directive in the UK has been exposed by the TUC. Full details below.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Equality
Disability should be no bar to work
More than 35,000 trade union reps across the UK will be trained by the TUC to ensure that employers do not use health and safety as an excuse to discriminate against disabled workers.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Equal opportunities - news in brief
More than a quarter of union reps deal with complaints of harassment or discrimination relating to sexual orientation, TUC calls on the Government to spend more money on employment initiatives for disabled people, a new code of practice will oblige companies to ensure men and women are paid equally and the Government's plans to merge the three equality commissions have been confirmed. Full details below.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
New rights
Usdaw has launched a new leaflet, in conjunction with the Labour Party, the Muslim Council of Britain and the Coalition against Racism, which aims to inform Muslims of their new rights at work.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Get Involved
Health and Safety
Lifelong Learning
Learning attracts more new reps
A new TUC survey of Union Learning Representatives has found that more than one in four had never had a union role before, and that nearly two in three (59 per cent) of these new reps are women.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
New team to provide more learning opportunities
More and more lifelong learning opportunities will be delivered to thousands of Usdaw members following the appointment of a special team of project workers.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Open for you
Usdaw offers financial assistance to union members* wishing to study with the Open University (OU).
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Pensions
Cash balance scheme – a new type of pension?
Many companies have closed their final salary schemes to new members, and replaced them with money purchase schemes, with lower employer contributions and all the investment risks placed on the members.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
New credit will put more cash in your pocket
The Government launched its new Pension Credit in October. On this page Network explains how the new benefit will work.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Online pensions advice on offer
The TUC is offering new online pension advice on workSMART, its world of work web site. The site provides answers to more than 120 of the commonest questions asked about pensions.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Pensions – news in brief
UK companies closing final salary pension schemes doubles, under 35s will have little or no nest egg for their retirement and a deep and growing divide between pension benefits that staff can expect and those offered to directors. Full details below.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
People and Events
Recruitment and Organising
Rights at work
Know your rights to time off for union duties
The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has introduced a new code of practice on time off for trade union duties and activities. The new code, which came into effect in April 2003, replaces the previous code introduced in February 1998 and is summarised below.
14 December 2003 [Full Story]
New rights on sexual and religious discrimination
Important new anti-discrimination rights were introduced on December 1 by the UK government. This will give workers new rights to protection against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, religion or belief.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Queen’s speech maps out parliamentary year for 2004
Occupational pensions and employment rights will make up part of the domestic political agenda after the Government set out its programme for the forthcoming parliamentary year.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Your rights at work
A new updated comprehensive guide to your rights at work is now available.
15 December 2003 [Full Story]
Union Benefits
Work and Life
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