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In the news this week

Dear IER subscribers, We apologise for the absence of our news briefs over the past two weeks. However this week we have plenty of news to share with you about the IER's work, our forthcoming events and news from all around England about workers rights. This week has brought much sadness as we were devastated to hear of the loss of Bob Crow, General Secretary of the RMT and a giant of the labour movement as well as the passing of Tony Benn, a former cabinet minister and a left-wing campaigner. The institute salute the memory of Bob Crow and Tony Benn and hope that many will be inspired by their work over numerous years.

We've gone into more depth on a wide range of stories this week. Click through on the stories below to read more.

In Memory...

Bob Crow

The Institute salutes the memory of Bob Crow Read more…

Tony Benn

The Institute pays tribute to Tony BennRead more…

Venezuela

REVIEW: Boliviarian Venezuela: Sustained progress for workers' rights by Francisco Dominguez and Sian Errington

By Adrian Weir

With the forces of counter-revolution apparently rampant in Caracas (although importantly not supported in barrios) and drooled over by the western press Read more…

Blacklisting

Blacklist the blacklisters!

The Scottish affairs committee has said that any construction firms that blacklist or have not made appropriate amends for past blacklisting should be denied public contracts.Read more…

Equality

Government to consult Parental Leave Regulations draft

The government has decided to consult the draft, Shared Parental Leave Regulations. This draft will allow parents to share the leave after the birth of a baby in whichever proportions they see fit.Read more…

Zero hour contracts – the power factor!

On 10th March the Guardian ran a story exposing the huge rise in zero hour contracts. According to the lastest official statistics from the Office for National Statistics, nearly 583,000 employees – more than double the government's estimate – were forced to sign up to the exploitative conditions last year. Read more…

Dramatic fall in Employment Tribunal Figures

By Carolyn Jones

The Ministry of Justice published the latest ET statistics, showing the type and volume of Tribunal cases received, disposed of or outstanding for the third quarter of the financial year October to December 2013. Read more…

Collective Bargaining

It's time for a collective bargaining renaissance

John Earls

Speaking at last week's annual TUC & IDC Pay Forum, I posed the question: is it time for a collective bargaining renaissance? Read more…

Trade Union Rights

Royal Commission in Australian Trade Union Governance

By Timothy Wetherell

On 10 February 2014 Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the creation of a Royal Commission into the governance of trade unions.Read more…

ACAS early conciliation

The ACAS early conciliation service will launch on 6 April 2014. Under the scheme, employment tribunal claimants will be required to first notify details of their claim to ACAS, who will then attempt to conciliate a settlement without litigation. Notification to ACAS will be through completion of a form – which, according to recent speakers at IER conferences, is not as easy as it sounds - or by telephone. Read more…

TUPE

EDM calls for changes to TUPE Regulations to be annulled

On 1st march 2014 Ed Miliband tabled an EDM calling for the recent changes to the TUPE Regulations to be annulled. Read more…

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Forthcoming events

Access to justice, London

Wednesday 19 March 2014
A one-day conference
Unison, Euston Road, London

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act: Liverpool

Wednesday 11 June 2014
A one-day conference
The Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool

TUPE update: the new regulations

Thursday 26th June 2014
A one-day conference
Unite the Union, London

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act: impacts and effects, London

New publications

Bolivarian Venezuela: sustained progress for workers' rights

By Francisco Dominguez and Sian Errington

This 10th in the series of Comparative Notes publications, explores the Venezuelan labour law introduced by Hugo Chavez on 1 May 2012.

Labour migration in hard times: Reforming labour market regulation?

Edited by Bernard Ryan

A collection of papers by the UK's leading experts on labour migration on the exploitation of migrant workers and the need for labour law reform.

Justice Deferred: a critical guide to the Coalition's employment tribunal reforms

By David Renton and Anna Macey

Justice Deferred maps out in a concise, easy to read, accessible style and language, the ideologically driven path being pursued by the Coalition Government. It provides a critical guide to changes in employment tribunal rules and procedures.

Reconstruction after the crisis: a manifesto for collective bargaining

By Professor Keith Ewing and John Hendy QC

This publication presents an evidence-based policy proposal for the state encouragement of collective bargaining, and particularly sectoral bargaining, as a tried-and-tested means of reducing income inequality and stimulating the sustainable recovery of a strong and resilient economy.

Labour Law Highlights 1013

By Rebecca Tuck, Betsan Criddle & Stuart Brittenden

SPECIAL OFFER – 4 for the price of 1! Buy Labour Law Highlights 2013 and get Labour Law Highlights 2012, 2011, and 2010 for free! Already got past copies of Labour Law Highlights? You can still buy this year’s copy on its own for the usual price of £8.