News | Page 42

UK unemployment has fallen for the first time since last spring. Official figures say the total number of jobless has gone down by 35,000 to 2.65 million over the December to February period.

This week hundreds of train drivers have taken part in the first of many strikes organised for this month.

In one of the biggest shareholder rebellions of recent history the voting at Barclays showed 32 per cent of shareholders (including those abstaining) refused to back the firm’s remuneration report.

The UK Supreme Court has made a judgment that appears to confirm the powers that employers have to force workers to retire. The court unanimously dismissed an appeal by a 65-year-old solicitor who was told to retire by a law firm.

Talks between unions and bosses have come to nothing concerning a deal on fuel drivers’ working conditions. There has been no agreement on issues such as sub-contracting between management and Unite.

Union Unite said it expected to learn more about job losses at electronics giant Sony next week. The firm is cutting 10,000 jobs in a revamp, which amounts to 6 per cent of the global workforce, over the next 12 months.

A government document says teachers should get tougher on truancy, saying fines should be recovered directly from child-benefit payments. Education Secretary Michael Gove has looked at the issue of school attendance in the wake of widespread UK riots last September.

Members of Unite, Unison and GMB are striking over what they say are “savage cuts”.

A leader of a think tank says the effect of bank holidays on the UK economy is a system of checks and balances.

One analyst thinks the Barclays chief executive has put in a less than sparkling corporate performance.

Lower pay will not be forced on public sector workers in the regions, it was confirmed. The UK government would not do this, said Liberal Democrat cabinet minister Vince Cable who was in Cardiff on Wednesday. Mr Cable was campaigning on behalf of his party for next month’s local council elections.

The news that over 2,000 jobs are now secured in the defence industry has been applauded.