With almost one in five (19.3 per cent) young people now out of work in some parts of the UK, record high youth unemployment will be top of the agenda at the TUC Young Members' Conference which begins today (Saturday).
Commenting on the age-related tax allowances announced in the Budget today (Wednesday) TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“The Chancellor's decision to raise more than a billion extra pounds in tax from pensioners by freezing age-allowances will come back to haunt him. It's already being dubbed ‘the granny tax'.
Reacting to plans announced in the Budget today (Wednesday) that the government is to introduce local pay rates for public sector workers, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
Responding to the Budget today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“We needed a Budget that looked to the future and made jobs – particularly for young people – the national priority. Instead we have got a Budget for the rich by the rich.
Commenting on the announcement today (Tuesday) that the government is to launch a credit-easing scheme for small businesses, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
Local or regional public sector pay could drive down wages in the poorest areas of the country, take billions out of local economies and accelerate the growing north-south divide, says a TUC report published today (Tuesday).
The TUC has today (Tuesday) welcomed the government's consultation on giving lesbian and gay partners the same right to civil marriage as heterosexual couples.
Responding to the announcement by the government today (Monday) that it has accepted the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to freeze the rate of the minimum wage (NMW) for young people from October, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“The LPC should have been bolder in its recommendations. Even in the current economic climate there was room for an increase in the minimum wage that at the very least kept pace with inflation and earnings.
Commenting on the latest results of the government's incapacity benefit re-assessment tests for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) published today (Thursday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
Responding to a government call for evidence published today (Thursday) which says that unfair dismissal laws are preventing small companies from taking on staff and could be replaced by “no fault compensated dismissal”, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“Scrapping protection against unfair dismissal, even for people who have given years of loyal service, will do absolutely nothing to boost the economy. If people are constantly in fear of losing their jobs it will lead to even less consumer spending.