'What has the Union ever done for me?'

Law in the Workplace [The period 1960-79] is indeed remarkable for the extent to which successive governments became involved in legislating and regulating terms and conditions of employment. In 1963, under the Conservative government of Harold Macmillan, the Contracts of Employment Act was passed, requiring employers to give workers a minimum period of notice when terminating their contracts and to give written particulars of any verbal contract when a written contract was not provided. One of the first pieces of legislation enacted by Harold Wilson's 1964-70 Labour government was the Redundancy Payments Act 1965, requiring employers to consult unions at the workplace in advance of decisions to terminate workers' contracts on account of redundancy. Employees were also given a statutory right to both notice of redundancy and substantial financial compensation. The Labour government also fulfilled the long-standing ambition of the trade union movement by enacting the Equal Pay Act 1970, requiring employers to pay women the same wage as men for the same work. Though more narrowly drawn than many trade unionists had lobbied for, the Act nevertheless established an important principle, which was supplemented and broadened through collective bargaining and strike action in which women proved notably determined and were well supported by their male colleagues and union officials, e.g. the strikes of women sewing machinists at Ford's Dagenham and of workers at Trico's windscreen wiper factory in West London. This Act, together with the Race Relations Act 1968 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, provided the foundation of positive rights for women (and men) workers of all ethnic origins to be treated equally at work, both by employers and their fellow workers. Read more From TUC History Online

'Helping Victims of Hate Crime' app for smartphone

Have you downloaded the latest tool for reporting hate crimes and hate incidents in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight? The 'Helping Victims of Hate Crime' app was developed for Hampshire Constabulary and went live in 2013. It's designed to give people more information in one handy place about hate crimes and hate incidents and encourage communities to come forward and report them. It was developed by C5 Consultancy from the design for a booklet previously created for the Hampshire Police Authority and successfully piloted in the Western Policing Area of the constabulary. Contents The app includes a definition of hate crime as well as more detailed information about crimes targeting a victim's: Race Sexual orientation Transgender identity Disability Religion Age ·        Refugee or asylum status How can I download the app? The app is available for both iPhones and Android phones. Just click on the links above and install. The app is free. Abused, threatened, intimidated because of who you are? Click here to find out more about hate crime and hate incidents and what Hampshire Constabulary does to investigate them and support victims. http://www.hampshire.police.uk/internet/advice-and-information/abuse-against-the-person/helping-victims-of-hate-crime-app-for-smartphones