Joining Ewing and Hendy at the launch will be General Secretary of Unite Len McCluskey, General Secretary of NUT Christine Blower and General Secretary of RMT Bob Crow. Our guests represent just three of the nine trade unions that have already given their backing to the manifesto, who also include Unison, GMB, PCS, CWU, UCU and ATL.

The manifesto for collective bargaining is a policy proposal for the next Labour government, which will not only improve workers' rights but also strengthen the economy in a long-term and sustainable way.

See here for further information

Blacklisting

The blacklisting scandal has been in the news again this week, with the strongest evidence yet that the police were embroiled in the unethical practice. Former Metropolitan Police officer Peter Francis told revealed evidence to the Guardian showing that the force gathered intelligence on trade union activists and gave it blacklisting agency the Consulting Association. In particular, Francis told the newspaper he had collected information on an American political activist and her marriage to bricklayer Frank Smith, which the Home Office argued was a sham. Read more here and Dave Smith of the Blacklist Support Group's response here.

Lobbying Bill

The widely unpopular and ineffective Transparency of Lobbying, non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill could outlaw next year's TUC Congress, the Morning Star has reported. The TUC believes that national demonstrations and the congress may count as "campaigning", which trade unions would be banned from in the 12 months running up to a general election if the Bill goes through. General Secretary of the TUC Frances O'Grady described said the Bill's "chilling effect will be to shut down dissent for the year before an election".

O'Grady also wrote about the Bill in the Guardian, warning that it will not only oppress trade union activity, but it will also gag charities and campaigners.

The IER has previously clarified that businesses for which lobbying is not a major part of their operations (say, the tobacco industry or banks) are exempt from the new proposals on transparency. This glaring exemption from the law is enough for most of us to assume that the aim of the Bill is not in any way to reduce politically motivated donations or increase true transparency, but simply to attack trade unions and left-wing organisations that may back the opposition. But if you were in any doubt, it has since been reported that a third of all seats at the Tory Party conference this year have been booked by lobbyists while only 38% of delegates will actually be members of the party.

Zero-hours contracts

The scandal of widespread use of zero-hours contracts is continuing to make headlines, having become the biggest employment law story of the summer. The Labour Party held a Zero-Hours Summit this week, at which Chukka Umunna shared estimates that the pay rates of those on the exploitative contracts are 40% lower than those on traditional contracts. He also vowed that a Labour government "would work across government to implement comprehensive, sector specific, industrial strategies" to prevent the continuation of this race to the bottom and replace it with a global race to the top. However, he did not go into detail about how the Party would achieve this.

Read some policy ideas on zero-hours contracts from the IER in our briefing on the subject

Special offer: Buy Access to Justice and get Justice Deferred half price

The Institute of Employment Rights is offering a special offer for a limited period only on our latest publications looking at the Coalition's reforms of employment tribunals.

Access to Justice consists of essays on workers' current restraints from making claims authored by the UK's leading experts, including John Hendy QC and Emeritus Professor of Industrial Relations Linda Dickens.

When purchasing Access to Justice, readers will also receive Justice Deferred - our most popular publication of 2013 - from just £5. Solicitors David Renton and Anna Macey provide a critical guide to the Coalition's employment tribunal reforms in an easy-to-read analysis of changes that have already been introduced, and those still to come.

Click here to access the offer for a limited time only

Forthcoming events

Our autumn events are our most popular and are already selling out, so make sure you book in early!

Employment Law Update 2013

Wednesday 09 October 2013
A one-day conference
Conference Chamber, 9th Floor, UNISON, Euston Road

Wednesday 06 November 2013
A one-day conference
The Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool

Tupe Update: The New Regulations

Wednesday 23 October 2013
A one-day conference
UNISON, Euston Road, London

Labour Migration in Hard Times

Wednesday 20 November 2013
A one-day conference
Diskus Room, Unite Building, Theobalds Road, London