News | Page 43

Latest government figures show almost half a million children regularly skipped schools in England over the past year. There was a small rise in the number of pupils not attending school without permission, but a drop in overall absence rates.

Teachers went on a one-day strike today (Wednesday) in protest at cuts to teachers’ and lecturers’ pensions.

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, condemned a report written by a Conservative Party donor which urged that unproductive workers should lose their right to claim unfair dismissal.

A report by England’s children’s commissioner says some schools in England are illegally excluding pupils.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber commented about there being no minimum wage rise for workers aged under 21: “It is wrong to deny young people an increase this year, as there is no evidence

A leading nurse has expressed reservations about proposed changes to shift patterns.

The pressure is on Chancellor George Osborne to promote job boosting measures in the forthcoming Budget after the unemployment total increased to a near 17-year high.

A firm which works with disabled people is facing wholesale job losses. Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller said 36 out of 54 Remploy sites around the nation could be shut by the end of the year as they were not financially viable.

Business secretary Vince Cable is “positive” that owner General Motors (GM) will keep open one of its UK factories.

Union leader Len McCluskey faced criticism from across the political spectrum yesterday (Wednesday) for advocating strikes during this year’s Olympics.

Today (Friday 24) has been designated Work Your Proper Hours Day. It follows the revelation that one in five workers puts in an average of more than seven hours of unpaid overtime every week.

The wallets of UK council workers are continuing to feel the pressure as they will have their pay frozen for a third successive year.