Employment law stories in the news – 17.04.2017 to 23.04.2017

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news, we take a look at seven employment law stories that have made headlines between 17 April 2017 and 23 April 2017

  1. Woolwich Ferry strike over secretary’s ‘sexual harassment ordeal’ suspended – A strike by Woolwich ferry workers in response to an alleged four-year campaign of sexual harassment against a secretary has been suspended after “positive progress” (The Evening Standard)
  2. Food company fined after worker suffers crushed hand – Beckett’s Foods Limited has been fined after a worker’s hand was crushed in a meat separating machine at the company’s Moat House base in Coventry. Coventry Magistrates’ Court heard that on 11 May 2016 the 22-year-old worker was loading meat into the machine, when he fell and his hand entered the machine (HSE)
  3. Union hit squad targets bogus construction self employment – Construction union Unite has set-up a team to target bogus self-employment in the industry. The new Strategic Case Unit has taken on its first project and has launched a legal appeal case at the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) (The Construction Enquirer)
  4. Sack Barclays boss for trying to unmask whisteblower, demands former HBOS risk boss Paul Moore – Barclays chief executive Jes Staley should be sacked for his ‘outrageous’ attempt to try to unmask a whistleblower, the former HBOS risk boss Paul Moore said this weekend. Moore was dismissed from HBOS in the run-up to the financial crisis in 2004 for warning that the bank was running risks it did not understand (This is Money)
  5. Food manufacturer fined after worker suffers hand injuries – SCLA Limited has been fined after a worker suffered life changing hand injuries while operating machinery. Westminster Magistrates Court heard how on 17 December 2015 the worker was working to clear a blockage on one of the noodle production lines when his index and middle fingers on his right hand were severed by the machine (HSE)
  6. 1,300 officers backed by PFNI to sue for holiday money – More than 1,000 police officers are taking legal action to recoup overtime pay dating back almost 20 years. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers’ claim follows a landmark court ruling on UK holiday pay rules in 2014 (Police Professional)
  7. Lancaster law firm wins £1m for former BHS employees – A Lancaster-based law firm has won £1m worth of compensation for 112 former employees of BHS at an employment tribunal in London. JWK Solicitors Employment Law Department last week successfully represented the group and the workers were awarded 90 days’ pay each (In The Bay)