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08 Mar 2010 - Asda suppliers reach deal over agency workers

6,000 agency staff will be paid the same rate as other workers at Asda's meat and poultry suppliers, in a “groundbreaking” deal said the union Unite.

The government has been consulting on ways to offer greater working rights to the estimated 1.3 million agency workers in the UK

Due to the result, staff at Asda’s suppliers will be treated equally to permanent staff.

A spokesman for Unite said “the pioneering initiative sends a clear message that one of Britain's biggest supermarkets is determined to put ethical principles into practice." He added that “supermarkets have driven down costs along their supply chain meaning that workers pay the price with discriminatory and unfair practices.”

An Asda spokesman said: "We are committed to ensuring all the workers in our supply chain are treated fairly and ethically.”

New plans for agency workers will mean that they will be given equal rights after 12 weeks.

Other benefits that will be offered from the first day of employment include information about job vacancies where they are working, equal access to facilities such as childcare and transport, and rights for working mothers, such as time to attend ante-natal appointments and parent-friendly working hours.

The move comes after the EU agreed the Agency Workers Directive at a meeting in Luxembourg in 2008

01 March 2010 - Social care law needs simplifying, says Law Commission

Experts say that the law and duties covering social care provided by councils in England and Wales need simplifying. The Law Commission said the current system, incorporating 39 different acts, was confusing, and wants to see a streamlined series of duties covering issues such as assessments, investigations and decision-making. All three main parties have put forward schemes to overhaul the funding system, as social care has risen to the top of the political agenda.

Many campaigners and social care chiefs back the government’s controversial proposal to introduce a compulsory charge of up to £20,000 on people. The Law Commission plan is nothing to do with funding; it focuses on how councils, which run social care, operate their services.

The advisory body said there were too many different laws and pieces of guidance governing the system. It wants to see these absorbed into a more simplified set of duties. There are a clear set of principles to steer decisions, a duty to assess the needs of any carer and an obligation to investigate when abuse or neglect is suspected. These are already part of the system, but are covered by so many acts; the Law Commission felt more clarity was needed for both councils and the public.

22 Feb 2010 - BA cabin crew lose high court battle to prevent airline cuts

British Airways cabin crew lost their high court battle for a permanent ban stopping the airline from imposing cost cutting proposals. BA bosses who argued they were entitled to reduce cabin crew numbers on board flights as these are not terms of individual cabin crew members’ contracts, were delighted with the verdict

The Union Unite said the airline was in breach of contract by enforcing the changes. Unite had agreed “unwillingly” to work the new schedules pending today’s ruling. It is reballoting its 12,000 member of BA cabin crew for industrial action, with the result due on Monday. Counsel for Unite has said the changes would “materially and detrimentally affect the health and wellbeing of staff and passengers”.

BA maintained that although there would be an increase in work for the cabin crew, there was no safety or security risk whatsoever, and said the new crew levels bought BA in line with what its competitors were providing, and what the airline had introduced, with union agreement, at Gatwick airport. BA said it was "extremely pleased" with today's ruling.

Judge Sir Christopher Holland said he accepted evidence from the union that the changes could put a strain on staff and make it difficult for them to deliver a satisfactory service. He granted permission to appeal.