Employment law stories in the news – 12.12.2016 to 18.12.2016

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news, we take a look at nine employment law stories that have made headlines between 12 December 2016 and 18 December 2016

  1. Uber appeals against ruling that its UK drivers are workers – Uber has launched an appeal against a landmark employment tribunal ruling that its minicab drivers should be classed as workers with access to the minimum wage, sick pay and paid holidays (The Guardian)
  2. B – A ban on all-out strikes and the break-up of the country’s biggest train operator are among reforms to the railways being considered by ministers, The Times has learnt (The Times)
  3. Staffordshire Logistics Company fined over safety failings – A Logistics company based in Staffordshire has been fined after two employees were injured in two days. Oxford Crown Court heard how a 39 year old male employee sustained crush injuries to his left foot when he was hit by a forklift truck (FLT) at the Oxford Mini plant on 6 October 2014 (HSE)
  4. Bullied, victimised, terrorised and then stiffed for £115k compensation payment – and they say they’re an anti-abuse charity – A woman who was subjected to a bullying campaign by an anti-abuse charity boss has revealed she hasn’t received a penny of the £115,000 damages awarded to her. Scottish Government-backed Roshni and their co-founder Ali Khan were ordered to pay the victim £74,647 and a further £2600 for psychological treatment (The Daily Record)
  5. Millions of British workers denied basic employment rights as ‘gig economy’ doubles in size, says TUC – The number of workers denied basic employment protection has doubled in the past decade after an explosion in the gig economy, a new study has revealed. The Trades Union Congress found that 3 million people are in precarious jobs, often living without benefits such as redundancy pay and protection from unfair dismissal (The Independent)
  6. More than 2,500 BA cabin crew could go on strike over Christmas – More than 2,000 British Airways cabin crew based at Heathrow could go on strike over Christmas after voting overwhelmingly in favour of walkouts in a dispute over pay (The Guardian)
  7. Michel Roux Jr apologises for paying chefs less than minimum wage – Former BBC1 MasterChef host and Michelin-starred, Le Gavroche restaurant owner Michel Roux Jr has spoken out for the first time since it was revealed he was paying chefs below the minimum wage, saying: “I am embarrassed and I am sorry.” (The Guardian)
  8. Woman wins £75,000 over Network Rail equal pay – A woman has been awarded £75,000 after successfully representing herself in an equal pay dispute against Network Rail. Tracey Myers, 50, from Warrington, took the company to an employment tribunal in Manchester on grounds of unfair dismissal, harassment and over equal pay (BBC)
  9. Builder prosecuted for worker’s fall – A builder from Surrey has been prosecuted for the fall of a worker. Redhill Magistrates heard how the worker fell 3.2 m through an opening in a roof onto a concrete floor. He survived the fall but was left with broken ribs, swelling to his brain and nerve damage