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UK Edition
2nd October 2024
 
THE HOT STORY
Why organisations might want to let staff work four days a week
The Associated Press speaks with Dale Whelehan, CEO of 4 Day Week Global, which coaches companies through the months-long process of shortening their employees’ work hours, about the reasons why organisations might want to let staff work four days a week to reduce job burnout and retain talent seeking a better work-life balance. He says the trend is gaining popularity in Australia and Europe, and Japan launched a campaign in August encouraging local employers to reduce their work schedules to four days. American companies haven’t adopted four-day weeks as broadly, but that could change, Whelehan says. Whelehan talks about why organisations should switch to a four-day workweek,  the enduring prevalence of the 40-hour workweek, how companies can increase revenue while employees work fewer hours, how a four-day workweek can support equity, and what kinds of work could potentially be dropped to increase productivity.
LEGAL
Prison officers fight for strike rights
The Prison Officers' Association (POA) is challenging the government's ban on strike action for prison officers, seeking to repeal the 1994 law that removed their rights. Mark Fairhurst, the POA's general secretary, said Labour’s manifesto pledged to repeal anti-trade union legislation, but the party has failed to address this issue in their plans for workers' rights. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has accepted the POA's appeal and urged the government to negotiate a compromise before the case is heard. Despite a recent 5% pay increase, the POA argues that this does little to alleviate the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis in the prison service. The Ministry of Justice has confirmed there are “no plans to review this legislation,” leaving the POA to consider further action if necessary.
Court interpreters protest over pay and conditions
Court interpreters and translators have withdrawn services at a court in a protest over freelance working conditions, with one claiming her peers live "pretty much on the poverty line." Interpreters outside Chelmsford Crown Court said the introduction of a booking app by contractor thebigword (TBW) has led to problems with invoicing and payments. The services - which help witnesses and defendants understand court procedures and language - were outsourced by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in 2012. A spokesperson for His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service said it was aware of walkouts "at a small number of criminal courts" but measures were in place to minimise disruption.
Nearly 300 women claim abuse by Al Fayed
Justice for Harrods Survivors has reported a significant increase in women feeling safe to come forward regarding allegations against the late Mohamed Al Fayed. The group now represents 71 clients and is processing an additional 220 inquiries. Fayed, who passed away last year, faces multiple accusations, including five counts of rape.
REMUNERATION
Pay rises remain at 4%
The median pay award in the private sector fell from 4.4% in the three months to July to a two-year low of 4.1% in the three months to August, according to new figures from Incomes Data Research. In the three months to August, the public sector experienced deals worth slightly more than those in the private sector, with a median rise of 4.5%. IDR senior researcher Zoe Woolacott said: “The differing outcomes in the private and public sectors reflect the cycle of pay between the two, with the public sector currently in the ‘catching-up’ phase, after a lengthy period in which pay awards lagged behind those in the private sector.”
CORPORATE
Smaller audit firms eat into Big Four’s lunch
The five largest firms outside the Big Four audit companies - Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC - have seen a significant increase in their market share, according to a key facts and trends report from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). In 2023, these firms audited 11.6% (29) of FTSE 250 companies, up from 28 in 2022. Additionally, smaller firms outside the Big Four audited 4% (10) of FTSE 250 companies, a rise from 2.4% the previous year. While the Big Four still dominate, their share of FTSE 250 clients dropped to 84.4%, down from 86.4%. Non-Big Four firms also experienced a higher percentage increase in fee income, with a growth of 13.2% compared to 11.1% for the Big Four.
CYBERSECURITY
Cyber incidents are a major worry for UK CEOs
According to a report by FGS Global, British business leaders are increasingly concerned about the impact of cyber-attacks, with 85% of firms experiencing a crisis in the past year. The survey, which included over 500 senior leaders from companies like EY and JD Sports, revealed that 36% faced cyber incidents. Jenny Davey, a partner at FGS Global, said: “The consensus from our in-depth interviews is that crises are becoming more prevalent, but also more unpredictable.” Additionally, over half of the respondents expressed fear of ransomware attacks, yet only 36% felt “highly prepared” to handle such incidents.
INTERNATIONAL
ABC boss apologises to staff after review finds systemic racism
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s managing director, David Anderson, has apologised to staff who experienced racism at the public broadcaster after “disturbing” details of their treatment were revealed by a review into racism. He has committed the broadcaster to accept in principle all 15 recommendations made in the Listen Loudly, Act Strongly review, which was led by Indigenous lawyer Dr Terri Janke. Janke’s team spoke with 120 current and former ABC employees to hear their experiences of racism at work. Only one participant said they had not personally experienced racism within the organisation. The review was precipitated in part by racist treatment of broadcaster Stan Grant on social media. “On behalf of everyone at the ABC, I am sorry for any and all racist behaviour and past harms experienced by our Indigenous and Cald [Culturally and Linguistically Diverse] employees, either currently or formerly employed,” the outgoing managing director said. “We all need to do better for our colleagues by preventing or acting on behaviour that seeks to discriminate against, bully or demean them. We all need to do better for our colleagues by remaining vigilant against racism or discrimination of any kind in our workplace.”
Russia weighs law to ban the defence of a child-free lifestyle
The Russian State Duma is considering legislation that could impose fines of up to $55,580 for individuals and organisations supporting the decision not to have children. The proposed crackdown on the so-called "child-free" movement is part of a broader effort to promote so-called traditional family values. “We have started considering a bill banning propaganda of a conscious refusal to have children,” parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel. “Groups and communities on social networks often show disrespect for motherhood and fatherhood and aggression towards pregnant women and children and members of large families,” added the politician. The proposed law allows only limited exceptions for religious, medical, or sexual assault-related reasons. The Kremlin's push to increase birth rates comes amid a demographic crisis: 1.26 million births were recorded last year, the lowest since the USSR's fall. The government is also considering further restrictions on abortion, in an indication of a tightening grip on personal freedoms in Russia.
Former Malaysian gloves plant workers sue Kimberly-Clark
Former employees of a Malaysian latex gloves supplier for Kimberly-Clark claim they were trafficked, abused, and given unsanitary company housing and barely edible food. The former employees who spoke with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel are now among 13 plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the company. A Malaysian government official said that at one location, hundreds of workers were housed in what appeared to be shipping containers, describing the conditions as a form of modern slavery. The lawsuit filed in August 2022 in federal court in Washington, D.C., and amended earlier this year, alleges that Kimberly-Clark and Ansell Ltd., an Australian firm with a U.S. presence, profited from human trafficking and forced labour at their Malaysian gloves supplier, Brightway Group. Kimberly-Clark said it believes the lawsuit to be "entirely unfounded" and has asked that it be dismissed by the court. “Kimberly-Clark believes that all workers should be treated with respect and in accordance with our workplace and human rights standards," a statement from the company said. "We strive to foster a culture of integrity that supports our employees and those of our suppliers in living out these values."
Hong Kong employers urged to tailor workplace to staff with dementia
Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission has released a guide titled “How to Support Employees with Dementia at Work – A Practical Guide for Employers” to assist local employers in accommodating staff with dementia. The guide recommends measures such as minimising noise distractions, providing clear signage, and breaking down tasks into smaller steps. Henry Shie Wai-hung, a commission member, explained: “The purpose of this guide is to promote a better understanding of dementia and the working population with the condition.” With projections indicating that over 330,000 individuals in Hong Kong may suffer from dementia by 2039, the guide also emphasises the need for support for carers, including flexible working arrangements and educational training to reduce stigma.
OTHER
Bournemouth pupils triumph in robotics contest
Five pupils from Bournemouth School for Girls have become the first UK team to win an individual team award at the FIRST Global Challenge international robotics competition, and the first all-girl UK team to compete. The team picked up the Katherine Johnson Award for Engineering Documentation at the event in Athens, where teams from more than 190 countries took part. Dani, one of the team members, said: "I think it was nine weeks of building, prototyping, designing and then computing, it was a very jam packed schedule, so we're really happy to have come home with an award."
 


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