Public servants co-ordinate strikes to fight cuts

The first of a series of co-ordinated national strikes in protest at coalition government budget cuts is expected to take place at the end of next month, with more than a million public servants due to take part.  The UK’s largest civil service union the Public and Commercial Services Union is expected to vote overwhelmingly […]

Public sector learning pros brace for budget cuts

Almost two thirds of public sector learning and development professionals are bracing themselves for budget cuts over the year ahead as they find themselves on the front line to make savings.  According to a survey of more than 500 IT training specialists undertaken by the Institute of Information Technology Training, some 63% expect to experience […]

UK households squeezed to 1970s levels

Ongoing rises in unemployment combined with a continuing fall in real earnings and house prices will see UK households more squeezed than at any time since 1977, a report has warned.  According to the latest issue of Deloitte’s Economic Review, pay growth is unlikely to catch up with inflation any time soon as the latter […]

Chairman of Glencore makes sexist gaffe

The chairman of the world’s largest commodities trader has sparked off a sexism row after indicating his reluctance to hire young women, particularly to the boardroom, because they have a habit of getting married and having babies.       Septuagenarian Simon Murray, who was only hired as chairman of Glencore last month to facilitate […]

Ageism ‘endemic’ in the workplace

Ageist attitudes are endemic in the workplace and must be tackled by appointing a dedicated minister to champion over-60s at the highest level, a care home and retirement property provider has warned.  The call for change came after Anchor commissioned ICM to undertake a survey among 2,011 adults who were over 18. The research revealed […]

Cable criticises Cameron immigration targets

Expert opinion came down firmly on the side of Vince Cable yesterday after he criticised the “very unwise” targets set by the Prime Minister to cut non-EU immigration to “tens of thousands” a year.  The Liberal Democrat Business Secretary has repeatedly expressed fears that a permanent cap on immigration could damage UK economic competitiveness by […]

Over 20, 000 clinical NHS jobs to be cut

More than half of the 40,000 NHS jobs facing the axe over the next three years will be clinical posts, even though a majority of nurses are already struggling to cope due to inadequate staffing levels.  Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, warned at the nursing union’s […]

Regional financing to safeguard 127, 000 jobs

The coalition government has pledged that £450 million in financing for private sector businesses courtesy of its Regional Growth Fund will create or safeguard 127,000 jobs across the country.  It expects that the £1.4 billion Fund’s first investment round, which has provisionally been awarded to 50 bidders subject to due diligence, will directly create and […]

50p tax rate could be scrapped

Chancellor George Osborne is believed to want to scrap the 50p rate of tax in his 2013 Budget following claims that it does not make money for the Exchequer.       Although a review is just about to start into how much the higher rate – which came into force in April last year […]

Finding new roles for existing staff within your organisation

In spite of many economies being under pressure to grow and the problem of high unemployment levels, acquiring and retaining good people is a constant challenge. Simon North explains. Why is the issue of finding new roles for individuals who are already within your organisation worth discussing? Clearly the issue of keeping what we typically […]

Training budgets continue to be squeezed

The trend towards shifting increasing amounts of training provision in-house to cope with budget cuts seems unlikely to change over the year ahead, with two out of five organisations anticipating further squeezes.  According to a survey among 600 private and public sector organisations undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, some 43% saw […]

Vocational training scheme to help jobless

At the same time as the coalition government revealed that Jobseekers who fail to take up compulsory training will lose their benefits, the business community has warned against sidelining vocational education in favour of more academic subjects.  As part of the government’s new ‘claimant contract’, Employment Minister Chris Grayling indicated that people who were unable […]

Delayed Bribery act to be enforced despite scarce resources

Although the UK’s anti-corruption watchdog has branded official guidance to the Bribery Act as a “deplorable” handbook for evasion, the head of the Serious Fraud Office has pledged to take a tough stance on enforcement.  The Act, which passed into law last April, is now due to come into force in July. The delay of […]

‘Mansion tax’ to return?

The Deputy Prime Minister has intimated that plans to axe the 50p rate of income tax will be funded by a modified version of the Liberal Democrats’ controversial ‘mansion tax’.       Chancellor George Osborne had already made it clear that he intends to scrap the 50p top rate of income tax, which is […]

Report: Average take-home pay is lower than in 2004

The average UK worker has seen their salary drop in real-terms by an average of 5% compared to less than two years ago, with staff in the financial services and construction sectors hardest hit.       According to research for the BBC’s Panorama programme, which is due to be screened on BBC1 tonight, the […]

Chancellor’s windfall tax will cause tens of thousands to lose their jobs

Tens of thousands of oil workers will lose their jobs over the next few years as a result of the Chancellor’s £2bn windfall tax on North Sea producers, the industry has warned. The surprise levy, which was announced by George Osborne in Wednesday’s Budget, was designed to fund a fuel duty cut of one pence for […]

Budget 2011: Enterprise zones announced

As the deabte rages as to whether they will make any difference, the chancellor has revealed the locations of the first of 21 new enterprise zones to be set up. Delivering his 2011 Budget announcement Osborne said zones will be set up in Birmingham and Solihull, Bristol, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, Leeds, Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Sheffield, the […]

Budget 2011: Pensions reaction

The introduction of a flat pension has been welcomed by the industry. NAPF Chief Executive Joanne Segars said:"This is a turning point for pensions in the UK. Over half a million new pensioners a year will get a simpler and more generous state pension, and reliance on means-tested benefits will be slashed. “For too long […]

Budget 2011: George Osborne minds the skills gap

The 2011 budget, delivered by George Osborne on 23 March 2011, highlighted something familiar to all those who work in human resources, training and recruitment – a lack of skills is hampering our financial recovery, not helped by a lack of suitable jobs and an education system many believe is lacking to teach the workers […]

EHRC to focus on promoting and enforcing equality at work

The coalition government has launched a consultation on plans to restrict the equality regulator’s remit to core activities, which include promoting awareness of and enforcing anti-discrimination legislation in the workplace.  The Equality and Human Rights Commission was set up in October 2007 when it took over the work of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission […]