Freedom ( CTUF ) is holding a rally at the Durham Miners ' Gala this summer . Read more ...
IER responds to Whistleblowing Commission : " Strengthening law and policy "
21 June 2013 The IER has responded to the Whistleblowing Commission of charity Public Concern at Work ( PCAW ) advocating changes in policy and law to encourage people to come forward about matter of public interest . Read more ...
Class Launch Liverpool schedule announced
21 June 2013 The schedule for think tank Class ' s launch in Liverpool - at which Director of the IER Carolyn Jones will Chair and speak - has been announced . Read more
Widespread ' compromise agreements ' in the NHS could be gagging whistleblowers
21 June 2013 A report by the National Audit Office has found that compromise agreements - in which an employee is paid money to leave their role and may vow not to disclose certain information - are widespread in the NHS and civil service and may be gagging whistleblowers . Read more
We hope to see you there tomorrow
Important dates announced ...
25 June : Changes to whistleblowing legislation brought in through ERRA come into force 25 June : Qualifying period removed for unfair dismissal claims based on political opinion 18 July : Alemo-Herron v . Parkwood Court of Justice decision on TUPE Regulations to be announced
In the news this week ...
Public Sector Councils have warned the government they cannot take further cuts without frontline services suffering or being lost .
More than 150 local authorities - some of which are Tory-run - have signed a letter to the Observer warning libraries , sports clubs and children ' s centres may be forced to close if Chancellor George Osborne swings the axe once more in the forthcoming spending review . Read more
The National Audit Office has also warned that pay cuts to civil servants will lead to a brain drain in the public sector , strengthening the view that public spending cuts are hurting rather than helping the country . Read more
Pay Inequality The Scottish Trades Union Council has released new figures showing wages in Scotland have fallen substantially as a result of the recession and the financial crisis . " Our study confirms a number of dangerous trends : rising underemployment , loss of fulltime jobs and the rapid decline in real wages ," STUC economist Stephen Boyd said . Read more
Elsewhere , Labour MP Hazel Blears called for unpaid intern work to be made illegal . Read more
In brighter news , a BIS Committee has called for large private sector companies to undergo equal pay audits . Read more