Trades Union Congress -

Text only

Accessibility Site map Search

Home > About the TUC

Union Modernisation Fund

Subscribe to the latest on the subject 'About the TUC'

Email alerts

We can alert you by email if there is something new in your chosen subject areas. Register your interests now.

Welcome

Welcome to In ToUCh e-bulletin from the TUC, the bite-size round up of our news and views.

This issue features surprising findings from a TUC-commissioned poll on tax, our thoughts on the rising cost of living and plans for a new social Europe.

Let us know what you think about the issues reported here by emailing editor@tuc.org.uk.

Copies of In ToUCh are archived at www.tuc.org.uk/intouch

TUC News

More tax please, we're rich

Even the wealthy agree that it is too easy for big companies and the rich to get out of paying a fair level of tax in the UK, according to a YouGov poll for the TUC earlier this month.

Published to coincide with a TUC seminar on tax justice, the survey shows that only seven per cent of people think that 'Britain's tax system gets the balance right between the amount of tax paid by the rich, the poor and those in the middle'.

Three quarters of those polled agree that 'it is too easy for very rich people to get out of paying a fair level of tax'. In households earning more than £100,000, 52 per cent agreed with this statement and only 22 per cent disagreed - a margin of more than two to one.

Full details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-15037-f0.cfm

No threat of wage-price spiral, says TUC

As media commentators forecast that Britain was heading for a 'summer of discontent' amidst rising inflation and industrial unrest, the TUC made it clear last month that there was no danger of a 'runaway' wage-price spiral.

It said that the UK's economic difficulties were caused by reckless lending by bankers, while higher inflation was the result of rising oil, food and commodity prices. 'Ordinary people at work will not understand calls for cuts in their standard of living, especially when there is absolutely no sign of restraint at the top and when most pay settlements are modest', said TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber.

Meanwhile, the TUC said that figures published by Incomes Data Services confirmed that public servants are facing cuts in their living standards, with the gap between wage settlements in public and private sectors continuing.

More on this @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-14979-f0.cfm

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-14965-f0.cfm

http://www.tuc.org.uk/publicsector/tuc-15052-f0.cfm

EU plan for workers' rights

The European Commission's plan to introduce a Renewed Social Agenda was welcomed by the TUC when it was announced at the beginning of July.

The TUC said the new package of measures 'shows that Europe still matters to working people' and 'has something to offer on rights at work and equality'. The new agenda includes legislation on workplace democracy; the Temporary Agency Workers Directive; a directive on equal treatment in access to goods and services; revisions to the Working Time Directive; an encouragement to ratify ILO conventions; and programmes covering lifelong learning and green jobs.

Full details available @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-15051-f0.cfm

Earlier agreement on agency workers @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/law/tuc-14925-f0.cfm

Equality Bill gets positive response

The Equality Bill published last month was described by the TUC as 'a landmark piece of legislation' which if implemented fully 'will help millions of people to reach their potential at work'.

Beefing up the equality duties to include all major forms of discrimination will give unions the tools they need to deliver real equality on the shopfloor, the TUC suggested.

In addition, using procurement to promote equality should also have a major impact on the private sector, where the gender pay gap stands at 22.3 per cent, compared with 13.6 per cent in the public sector.

Read full TUC response @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-15012-f0.cfm

Zimbabwe action urged

As the situation in Zimbabwe continued to deteriorate, with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai forced to pull out of the run-off election as violence escalated, the TUC urged the leaders of 13 southern African countries to do more to put pressure on the Mugabe regime.

Meanwhile, to mark the expected trial on 23 June of Lovemore Matombo and Wellington Chibebe, President and General Secretary of the ZCTU, the TUC joined forces with Action for Southern Africa to hold a demonstration outside the Zimbabwean embassy on the Strand.

More on Zimbabwe @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-14994-f0.cfm

Schools call to tackle homophobia

The TUC is calling on the Government to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) equality education in the school curriculum, as the only way to address homophobic bullying in schools.

Speaking at the TUC's annual LGBT conference in London on 3 July, Brendan Barber said that this was the best solution to what had become a serious problem.

Further details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-15020-f0.cfm

Women's pay key to child poverty fight

Getting to grips with the low pay suffered by many women is central to ending child poverty in the UK, the TUC suggested in a briefing last month.

The Iron Triangle draws together research from the TUC, the End Child Poverty coalition and the Fawcett Society and finds that women's pay not only causes poverty, but also has huge implications for their children's living standards.

Summary details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-14973-f0.cfm

Read briefing in full @

www.tuc.org.uk/extras/irontriangle.pdf

Workers and pensioners unite

The National Pensioners Convention and the TUC will be holding a pensions rally and lobby of parliament on 22 October to call for an end to pensioner poverty. It follows last month's joint event to mark the centenary of the introduction of the state retirement pension.

More on this @

http://www.npcuk.org/lobby2008.htm

Piper Alpha remembered

A full review of infrastructure, safety procedures and worker involvement in the offshore industry is needed if future tragedies are to be avoided, the TUC said on 5 July, the twentieth anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster.

Further information @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-15061-f0.cfm

Vulnerable workers: findings to be shared

The TUC's groundbreaking vulnerable workers project (VWP), based in East London, will be running a seminar for unions to share key findings and talk about initiatives for organising and representing vulnerable workers. Due to be held on 14 July in Congress House, the event will see the launch of the report Vulnerable workers project: lessons and opportunities for unions.

More information on this @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/newsroom/tuc-14961-f0.cfm

Breakthrough for domestic workers

In another development on the vulnerable workers issue last month, the TUC welcomed the Home Office's decision that sees overseas domestic workers retain their existing protections under UK law.

Described as a 'victory for a very vulnerable group of workers and for common sense', the decision means that these workers will continue to have the right to challenge abuse by their employers by getting another job.

Working with the charity Kalayaan, the TUC has discovered 'alarming levels of abuse' suffered by overseas domestic workers. Of the 687 workers supported by the charity, 22.5 per cent had experienced physical abuse; a commonly reported abuse was employers burning workers' hands on stoves as punishment for cooking 'mistakes'.

Full details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-15011-f0.cfm

North-south divide

The TUC last month suggested that more needed to be done to bridge the north-south divide on apprenticeships.

In Apprenticeships: skilling the regions? the TUC found that the 9,000 new apprenticeships in Greater London represented just 0.25 per cent of the employment in the region. Conversely, the North West and North East had almost four times as many new apprentices per employee as London.

More on this story @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/skills/tuc-14967-f0.cfm

Blueprint for green future

Government, business and unions need to work together to smooth the transition to a low-carbon economy, the TUC said last month in a new pamphlet launched at a major conference on climate change.

A green and fair future: for a just transition to a low carbon economy argues that while other countries are supporting green businesses, the UK is lagging behind. Rather than rely on market forces, the Government should develop an intelligent industrial strategy that engages both employers and unions in the changes that lie ahead as the economy adjusts to a low-carbon age.

Speakers at the TUC conference, held on 16 June, included Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady, Prospect General Secretary Paul Noon, UNITE Deputy General Secretary Jack Dromey and Friends of the Earth executive director Tony Juniper.

Summary details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-14952-f0.cfm

Download full report @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/touchstone/Justtransition/greenfuture.pdf

Secrecy and the City

A hard core of investment fund managers still refuse to reveal how they vote at company AGMs, according to the TUC's sixth annual survey of fund manager voting.

Fewer than half the funds surveyed - 23 out of 49 - responded to the survey, underlining the need for the Government to use its reserve power to force disclosure should this situation not improve.

The survey was published in the run up to the TUC's annual conference for its Member Trustee Network, which was addressed by Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell.

More on this @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/pensions/tuc-15009-f0.cfm

Other developments on pensions governance @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/pensions/tuc-15016-f0.cfm

http://www.tuc.org.uk/pensions/tuc-14991-f0.cfm

http://www.tuc.org.uk/pensions/tuc-14976-f0.cfm

Smoke ban makes a world of difference

On the first anniversary of the introduction of smoking restrictions in workplaces and public places in England, the TUC said that the ban's success was because the law change was backed by strong, simple regulation.

Introducing smoke-free laws in the workplace was one of the biggest occupational health measures the UK had seen for decades. Before the ban came in, it was estimated that every year up to 700 workers died as a result of having to breathe in other people's tobacco fumes.

Read full story @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-15026-f0.cfm

Muted welcome for reform report

A Cabinet Office report on public service reform included a welcome focus on workforce issues but underlined the government's 'continued reliance on competition and contestability', the TUC said in response.

Full TUC response @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/publicsector/tuc-15019-f0.cfm

World Day for Decent Work

As part of the 50 days of action against global poverty this autumn, the international trade union movement is holding a World Day for Decent Work on Tuesday 7 October. The day will focus on rights at work; solidarity; and ending poverty and inequality.

More on this @

http://www.wddw.org/-English

RISE falls

SERTUC and unions in London have withdrawn support and participation from the Mayor of London's RISE festival, due to be held on 13 July. This includes major sponsors UNITE and UNISON.

The decision came after Boris Johnson's cultural adviser stripped the festival of its anti-racist theme and banned the Cuba Solidarity Campaign from continuing its joint sponsorship of the Latin American stage, and even from participating in the event.

Further details @

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/news.asp?ItemID=1355

Housing call

With house prices falling, private sector house-builders are likely to start limiting the number of new homes offered for sale, the TUC warned in a report published at the start of July.

Fair Homes: Building a New Deal for Housing looks at the state of the UK housing market and says that the Government is right to plan to increase the rate of house-building. But with the population increasing and people living in ever smaller units, the report questions whether ministers' target of an extra three million homes by 2020 will be enough.

More on this @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-15029-f0.cfm

TUC on government affordable housing plans @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-15053-f0.cfm

Poor marks for science policy

The Government's response to last month's select committee report into science budget allocations came in for strong criticism from the TUC.

'DIUS has refused to acknowledge the deep funding problems in UK science, highlighted by the select committee,' said Brendan Barber. 'Hundreds of jobs could be lost and cutting edge physics programmes could disappear because of funding shortfalls'.

Details @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-14971-f0.cfm

European Capital of Culture

The TUC's support for Liverpool as the European Capital of Culture is manifest in two ways this month: through the publication of a walking guide to the city's radical history; and through a new theatrical production, Unstated, which is visiting the city in a tour that also includes performances in London and Manchester.

Details of the new walking guide @

http://www.unions08.co.uk/news/18

Details about Unstated @

http://www.theredroom.org.uk/index1.htm

Make 2012 work for all

As part of the Playfair at the Olympics alliance, the TUC and Labour Behind the Label have produced a series action cards for members to send to Seb Coe and their MPs. The postcards call on the organisers of the 2012 Games to take concrete and transparent steps to ensure that London raises the bar on workers' rights throughout the global supply chains that produce Olympic branded goods and sportswear.

More on the Playfair campaign @

http://www.playfair2008.org/

Act on EPAs - no to unfair trade

The Trade Justice Movement, a coalition of NGOs, unions and civil society organisations, has called on Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander to press the European Commission to allow developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific to renegotiate interim Economic Partnership Agreements.

Find out more @

http://www.tjm.org.uk/

In Place of Fear

As Britain marks the 60^th anniversary of the creation of the NHS, the Aneurin Bevan Society has organised the re-publication of Bevan's famous book In Place of Fear. The book was originally published in 1952 and the latest edition will carry an introduction by the Prime Minister; it will be available at a special price for trade unions of £3 per copy.

To order a copy please email:

norman.howard1@virgin.net

Musicians' Union scores number one

The union representing musicians won three awards at the annual Union Communications Awards organised by the TUC and presented early in July. As well as winning the prize for best-one off publication and best website, the MU shared the coveted best journal award with the NUT.

Find out other award winners @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-15062-f0.cfm