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In this issue:
- IRANIAN UNION LEADER MANSOOR OSANLOO
- CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER LAW
- ROYAL MAIL ACTION
- GENDER EQUALITY
- UNEMPLOYMENT
- THE ECONOMY GROWS
- FORECASTS FOR THE ECONOMY
- INFLATION
- AVERAGE EARNINGS
- PRIVATE EQUITY COMPANY ACCUSED ON SACKING OF WORKERS BEFORE TAKEOVER
- REMPLOY ACTION
- RECOGNITION CLAIMS
- MANUFACTURING CAMPAIGN
- NHS TRUST JOB CUTS
- BACKING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONS

IRANIAN UNION LEADER MANSOOR OSANLOO
The TUC has joined in protests from around the world calling for the release of Iranian bus workers' union leader Mansoor Osanloo who was kidnapped and detained by Iranian security forces following his return to the country after a recent visit to Britain.

A petition to President Ahmadjinejad for his release is being collected by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF).

TUC: http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-13523-f0.cfm

ITF: http://www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/osanloo2.cfm

CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER LAW
Unions and safety campaigners have welcomed the new corporate killing law, but warned that more is needed to secure corporate accountability.

The new law will enable companies to be prosecuted for deaths at work by removing the need to identify an individual — in legal terms, the 'controlling mind' — who was grossly negligent.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'We are pleased that a sensible decision has been taken and the bill will now become law. Even though unions wanted the bill to make individual directors personally liable for safety breaches and penalties against employers committing safety crimes to be tougher, we hope it will mean the start of a change in the safety culture at the top of the UK's companies and organisations.

TUC: http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-13544-f0.cfm

Centre for Corporate Accountability: http://www.corporateaccountability.org/manslaughter/reformprops/main.htm

ROYAL MAIL ACTION
Two weeks of postal strikes began with night shift Mail Centre workers across the UK on 25 July.

Strike action again is being strongly supported with over 98% of Mail Centre workers across the UK taking part in strike action.

The TUC General Council, after hearing a report from Deputy General Secretary of the Communication Workers' Union Dave Ward, expressed full support for the CWU in its dispute with the Royal Mail.

Communication Workers Union: http://www.cwu.org.uk/news.asp?step=3&NID=1764

TUC: http://www.tuc.org.uk/newsroom/tuc-13547-f0.cfm

GENDER EQUALITY
Gender equality is still generations away and calls for urgent action across all aspects of life to close the stubborn gaps within ten years, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

Completing the Revolution , the EOC's final report before it is absorbed into the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) on 1 October, sets out the most comprehensive ever measure of gender equality in Britain. It looks for the first time, not just at pay and power, but also support for families and access to public services, justice and safety.

Equal Opportunities Commission: http://www.eoc.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=20519

UNEMPLOYMENT
Unemployment has fallen on both official counts. Under the Labour Force Survey (LFS) count it was down by 35,000 to 1.66 million in the three months to May compared with the previous quarter.

Unemployment under the claimant count, which only includes those drawing Jobseeker's Allowance, fell to 864,100 in June — a 13,800 fall on the revised figure for May.

Office for National Statistics: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/lmsuk0707.pdf

THE ECONOMY GROWS
The economy continued to grow in the second quarter of 2007. Gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.8% in the second quarter on the previous quarter and was 3.0% higher than the same quarter of 2006.

Manufacturing output rose by 0.6% in the second quarter on the previous quarter and was 1.0% higher than a year ago.

Output of the service industries was 0.8% higher in the second quarter on the previous quarter and was 3.6% higher than the same quarter of 2006.

Office for National Statistics: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/gdp0707.pdf

FORECASTS FOR THE ECONOMY
The economy is expected to grow by between 2.3% and 3.1% in 2007, according to estimates for GDP from around 40 forecasters collated by the Treasury this month. The average (median) for GDP forecasts is 2.8%.

Inflation forecasts, as measured by the Retail Prices Index, range from rises of 2.9% to 4.5%, with an average of 3.8% for the fourth quarter 2007.

Forecasts for average earnings growth range from 3.5% up to 5.0%, with an average of 4.4% in the fourth quarter of the year.

HM Treasury: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/2/F/forecast_200707.pdf

INFLATION
Higher mortgage interest payments pushed inflation higher. In June, the Retail Prices Index (RPI) rose by 4.4%; up from 4.3% the previous month.

Inflation under the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which excludes housing costs and is the government's preferred measure, fell to 2.4% in June; down from 2.5% in May.

Office for National Statistics: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/cpi0707.pdf

AVERAGE EARNINGS
Average earnings for the whole economy rose by a provisional 3.5% in the year to May; down on the revised April figure of 3.4%.

Headline earnings growth (the latest three-month average) was down to 3.5% in the three months to May from 4.1% the previous month. The rise in inflation which was 4.3% in May continues to outstrip the growth in earnings, cutting living standards.

Office for National Statistics: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/lmsuk0707.pdf

PRIVATE EQUITY COMPANY ACCUSED ON SACKING OF WORKERS BEFORE TAKEOVER
Unite "the union" Britain's biggest union, believes the sacking of workers in First Data International in Essex; just weeks before they are to be taken over by private equity group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is not coincidental.

First Data, which is being taken over by the private equity group has made 70 of its Basildon staff redundant without prior warning or consultation. The staff received no notice of the meetings where they were declared redundant and most were escorted off the premises immediately after the meetings had been concluded.

Unite: http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=6848

REMPLOY ACTION
The Remploy Consortium of Trades Unions have agreed the timetable of events that will form the Remploy Crusade, a national march of disabled Remploy workers, which will visit all the 43 Remploy factories under the threat of closure and many of the others.

The Remploy Crusade will travel throughout Scotland, England and Wales, gathering public and political support from towns along the way from its launch in Aberdeen on Tuesday 28th August to its arrival, during the Labour Party conference, in Bournemouth on Monday 24th September where a major rally will be held.

GMB: http://www.gmb.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=95812

UNITE: RECOGNITION CLAIMS

The number of statutory recognition claims has risen slightly over the last year, according to the 2006-07 annual report of the Central Arbitration Committee, which is responsible for the process.

After two years of falling applications, the number rose to 64 from 58 in 2005-06. While the figure suggests the downward trend has been arrested, the view of CAC chair Sir Michael Burton was that 'broadly speaking the number of applications has reached equilibrium for the time being.'

Central Arbitration Committee:
http://www.cac.gov.uk/cac_2_annual_report/Reports/CAC%20Annual%20Report%202006-07.pdf

MANUFACTURING CAMPAIGN
Unite has called on MPs to back their Manufacturing Matters campaign and for stronger government support for the sector.

Their call came as official figures showed that manufacturing lost 46,000 jobs in the three months to May on a year earlier, and employment in the sector was down to a record low of 2.96 million.

Unite: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/lmsuk0707.pdf

NHS TRUST JOB CUTS
Health workers at Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Trust are reeling in shock at discovering that more than 600 of them will lose their jobs - a third of the entire workforce. Managers are attempting to claw their way back from a £27 million budget blowout.

Unite (Amicus Section) has expressed outrage as two new senior and highly paid management jobs were advertised by the Trust, just days after it announced the job cuts and three ward closures.

UNISON: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=3529

Unite: http://www.amicustheunion.org/Default.aspx?page=6921

Backing for local government pensions
UNISON members have overwhelmingly backed a new and improved local government pension scheme in England and Wales.
They voted by a massive 97.1% to support the improved scheme, which will come into effect on 1 April next year.

UNISON: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=3538