Labour Research Department Booklets
These booklets are held in the union office and may be borrowed by any member.
Please contact the secretary with the title(s) you require.
Mar 2003 Working Parents Explains the improvements to maternity leave and pay, the new rights to paternity and adoption leave, and the right to request to work flexibly. It also advises on negotiating improvements and covers parental and dependency leave and childcare provision.
Feb 2003 Hazardous Substances at Work Looks at the main hazards, their effects and union action to deal with them. It also explains the law on hazardous substances, covering all the new and updated regulations that came into force last year.
Nov 2002 Tackling Stress at Work Shows what reps can do in the workplace. It explains the legal position, including a recent ruling from the Court of Appeal, and sets out advice from unions and the HSE
Oct 2002 Temporary Workers Explains how the new Fixed-Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 will protect the 1.5 million workers on temporary contracts.
Sep 2002 Pensions under Threat Explains the UK pension system, looks at action by unions to defend their pension schemes, and describes proposals for change.
Aug 2002 Rehabilitation Looks at the latest research on what makes for effective rehabilitation, and advises union reps on developing successful rehabilitation programmes in the workplace.
Jun 2002 Health and Safety Law 2002 Provides a comprehensive outline of health and safety law, and has been fully updated to include recent changes in case law, as well as proposals from the Health and Safety Commission and from Europe. It will help safety reps to take effective action to ensure the health and safety of members in the workplace.
May 2002 Law at Work Fully updated to include the forthcoming Employment Act 2002, and the new rights for temporary workers. It explains all the major employment legislation, and will help trade unionists to decide whether there are grounds for taking a claim to a tribunal or the courts.
Apr 2002 State Benefits Up to date guide to the full range of state benefits for both claimants and lay advisors. For each benefit it sets out who is eligible, gives details of how to claim and sets out the rates effective from April 2002
Mar 2002 Winning Equal Pay Provides advice for union negotiators on achieving equal pay in the workplace, and explains how to conduct an equal pay review. It also includes comprehensive legal advice on taking an equal pay case.
Feb 2002 Redundancy Law Updated guide to redundancy law, explaining employers' duties to consult union reps and individuals, selection procedures, offers of alternative work and redundancy pay.
Nov 2001 Bullying and Harassment at Work Detailed guidance, from an equality and health and safety perspective, on how to tackle this difficult issue. It aims to assist union reps, safety reps and individuals.
Oct 2001 Work - Life Balance Examines the options available to secure improvements in work-life balance. It includes important information on negotiating leave and reducing hours to accommodate the variety of caring responsibilities, learning, leisure and other activities workers today are involved in.
Sep 2001 Dismissal Explains the law on both "fair" and "unfair" dismissals, as well as wrongful and constructive dismissal. It also describes the new arbitration scheme giving people an alternative to going to an employment tribunal.
Jul 2001 Violence at Work Outlines the law, considers those workers most at risk and provides advice and guidance from unions and the Health and Safety Executive.
Jun 2001 Learning at Work Looks at how trade unions now play a central role in helping to deliver the governments idea of a "learning society". It looks at the Union Learning Fund, workplace learning centres, training partnerships and union learning reps.
Mar 2001 Finding out about your pension Covers the various different types of pensions now available, including stakeholder pensions, and explains the pitfalls and advantages of each type to help trade unionists decide on what is the most appropriate pension provision for them and where to find out more information.
Dec 2000 The Working Time Regulations Explains the regulations' provisions on the maximum working week, paid holidays, night work, rest periods and breaks. It also sets out official guidance from the DTI as well as advice from trade unions.
Oct 2000 Tackling Workplace Stress Outlines the law and explains how it can be used to protect workers. Most importantly, it provides advice on avoiding and tackling occupational stress and gives examples of best practice from workplaces.
Sep 2000 Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures Explains how the law will operate and looks in detail at what the law and best practice have to say on the content of disciplinary and grievance procedures.
Aug 2000 European Works Councils Sets out the UK regulations on works councils and examines their relationship to the European legislation. It also provides examples of good practice from existing works council agreements and looks at how works councils can be made to work for employees.
Jul 2000 Part-time workers Lays out the provisions of the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 and explains how, along with pre-existing law, they can be used to enforce part timers rights. It also highlights key bargaining issues in areas such as pensions, holidays and redundancy.
May 2000 Tackling disability discrimination Sets out the legal obligations on both employers and trade unions in respect of disabled workers and members. It looks at initiatives to tackle discrimination in the workplace and at how unions can make themselves more accessible to disabled members.
Feb 2000 RSI - a trade unionists' guide Looks at the symptoms, causes and cost of RSI and which workers are most at risk. It stresses the importance of prevention and describes what trade union and safety reps can do in the workplace to prevent RSI becoming a problem. It also has a section on dealing with RSI if it does develop, including advice on getting treatment and claiming compensation.
Jan 2000 Parental and dependency leave Explains the new rights, highlighting key issues for trade union negotiators. It also provides examples of best practice already negotiated at workplace level.
Nov 1999 The Employment Relations Act 1999 Explains the law in full and how it can be used to the maximum benefit of trade unionists and workers.
Oct 1999 Watch your back Aims to provide workers and their trade union and safety reps with the information they need to ensure that employers are doing everything they should to prevent back pain and injury at work
Feb 1999 The Employment Relations Bill Looks at the government's proposals for legislation on union recognition, parental leave, unfair dismissal and part-time workers. The bill also introduces new protective legislation for trade union activists and for strikers.
Sep 1998 Safety Reps in Action Explains employers legal duties in respect of health and safety at work, describes the role and rights of union safety reps and safety committees and provides advice on how to tackle health and safety problems, with examples of good practice by safety reps in specific workplaces.
The Labour Research Department (LRD) is an independent, trade union based research organisation. Through its publications and enquiry and research services, LRD provides the trade union and labour movement with information on:
pay and conditions
the profits of individual companies
European Union developments
equal opportunities
health and safety at work
the economy
the law at work
privatisation
and many topics in the economic, political and industrial fields.
For full details of all LRD services, prices, subscriptions, order forms or free sample copies of regular publications, contact the Secretary, LRD, 78 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HF. Tel:020 7928 3649 Fax: 020 7928 0621 e mail: info@lrd.org.uk
Website: http://www.lrd.org.uk/
