In June 2008 the Institute held the first of a series of conferences organised in Liverpool - the European City of Culture. Entitled The Quality of Working Life: Promoting a Healthy Agenda, the conference set the scene for the promotion of a radical approach to the Labour movement's problems over health and safety.

In this report, Chris Ingram from Oasis Health and Safety provides a personal overview of the conference presentations and discussions.

This edited collection of essays was published in 2006 so as to commemorate the adoption of the Trade Disputes Act 1906. It does so by providing detailed historical analysis of the context in which this legislation was introduced, alongside discussion of the ways in which these statutory provisions have been applied and modified subsequently. The over-arching concern is that expressed by Jim Mortimer in the Foreward: ‘[t]he law in Britain on trade disputes is today more restrictive on trade unions than it was 100 years ago after the passing of the Trade Disputes Act 1906’ (p.viii).

In May 2007 Gregor Gall spoke on behalf of the Institute of Employment Rights, to the PCS public sector group annual conference in Brighton on the Trade Union Freedom Bill. Gregor kindly submitted this report on his presentation.

Achieving Equality at Work

Achieving equality at work edited by Professor Aileen McColgan

CONTENTS

• Foreword Professor Barry Fitzpatrick
• Chapter 1 Equality and diversity: a new framework? Aileen McColgan
• Chapter 2 Race and work Karon Monaghan
• Chapter 3 Towards sexual orientation diversity at work Sarah Hannett
• Chapter 4 Diversity of religion and belief at work - the new legal framework Mark Bell
• Chapter 5 Eradicating disability discrimination at work *Mary Stacey

Real and lasting equality at work is achieved by collective organisation. The Equal Pay Act in 1975 was the product of women machinists industrial action at Fords. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 is a tribute to the sweat and tears of the Lawrence family following the bloody murder of their son Stephen. Understanding the legal framework is an excellent step towards effective workplace organisation capable of delivering equality and diversity.
Gail Cartmail, National Secretary, AMICUS

In 2003 the Institute gathered together a small Working Group of equlaity experts to assess the European Framework Directive on Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupatioin 2000 and its likely impact on UK law. From that Group,the Institute published a major report which covered all strands of discrimination - including the then new strands of sexual orientation, age and religion and belief.

To accompany the report, the Institute also published a 4 page Briefing - as attached.