14 September 2012

By Roger Jeary

The announcement today (Friday 14th September) by Vince Cable Secretary of State for Business, that tribunal awards for unfair dismissal will be limited to 12 months net pay or national median earnings (£26,000) is the latest in the weakening of employment rights in the UK. Of course, as has been stated and written so many times before, no-one for one moment believes that this will create one single job or boost the economic recovery currently being undermined by the austerity programme of the Chancellor. So why do it?

Prof Keith Ewing, IER President & Mick O’Sullivan

27 September 2011

One of the problems we are about to face under the Con Dem government is the erosion of employment standards. More use of agency workers, limited rights to unfair dismissal, and restricted access to tribunals

In these circumstances we need to be looking around at areas where the Con Dems are not in power politically, and where there might be opportunities to advance rights at work. Specifically is there anything that can be done in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (and by large local authorities)?

3 February 2011

Keith Ewing

In the same week that the governor of the Bank of England told us inflation-adjusted wages were falling in a manner unseen since the 1920s, Vince Cable is inciting bosses to take advantage of workers’ vulnerability, by telling them in his charter that they have the right to ask their workers to take a pay cut, and to contact women on maternity leave about when they are planning to return.