Latest news with #unionisation
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Angela Rayner to put 'BANTER POLICE' in your office: Watch what you say by the water cooler! Workers' rights Bill pressures firms to spy on 'inappropriate' conversations
has been accused of plotting to censor workplace banter by deploying a network of spies in businesses across the country. Under new laws drawn up by the Deputy Prime Minister, firms will be pressured into bankrolling 'diversity officers', whose jobs would include protecting staff from the content of overheard conversations. Last night, the Tories warned that the so-called 'banter police' would have a 'chilling effect' on businesses already struggling under the weight of high taxes and excess regulation under Labour. Under Ms Rayner's Employment Rights Bill, employers must try to protect their staff from harassment by third parties. It means, for example, that a worker could take an employer to tribunal if they feel jokes or banter they overhear was offensive on grounds such as race, sex or religion if their bosses didn't do 'all they could' to prevent it. That is likely to lead to firms taking on more diversity officers to monitor what people are saying to help them prove they had taken sufficient steps to protect their workers. The Bill fails to stipulate any ring fence allowing the expression of opinions on political, moral, religious or social matters – which the Tories said they would have insisted upon. Ms Rayner's legislation also paves the way to greater unionisation in the workplace, which companies fear will take Britain back to the dark days of the 1970s, making it more burdensome to employ workers and leaving the firms vulnerable to ruinous strikes. The Bill requires bosses to give trade union representatives time off for matters 'relating to equality in the workplace' – further adding to costs, and to the number of potential busybodies monitoring speech. Ms Rayner's political opponents point out that she has received thousands of pounds in donations from unions which will benefit from the legislation. Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said: 'Employers are already bleeding out because of Labour's war on business, and this will make matters much worse. Pressuring private firms to hire diversity officers to pursue woke agendas has so far gone under the radar – but it will be the final nail in the coffin for many. 'Innocent office banter will be spied on by wokerati thought police. These banter tsars will have a chilling effect in workplaces. 'We can already see in Rayner's own Whitehall department how taxpayers are footing the bill for this divisive political agenda. With her personally bankrolled by the unions, this is clearly a grubby deal that feathers both nests.' The number of employment tribunal claims relating to 'banter' in the workplace rose by 45 per cent in 2021 alone, and bosses fear the new legislations will cause this to spiral even faster. The changes would be a boon for outfits such as Inclusive Employers, which offers 'banter workplace training'. It states: 'Banter, when unchecked, can escalate into harmful behaviour, including bullying, harassment, and discrimination... Harmless banter can quickly cross the line and lead to more serious issues.' The new laws will also roll back moves by the last Conservative government to stop Whitehall spending taxpayers' money on 'diversity, equality and inclusion' initiatives. Central to the plans are the repeal of Tory trade union laws which will reduce the threshold for strike action and make union funding of the Labour Party automatic. It will also end zero-hours contracts, strengthen redundancy and flexible working rights and allow companies to be taken to employment tribunals even if the employees concerned do not want to sue. The laws will make it far easier for unions to infiltrate workplaces and to operate even if just 2 per cent of the staff join. The Bill says: 'Introducing explicit protections from third-party harassment will ensure that victims can be confident that they have recourse to legal redress if their employer has not taken all reasonable steps to protect them'. A government spokesman said: 'The Employment Rights Bill will not affect anyone's right to lawful free speech, which this Government stands firmly behind. 'Upsetting remarks do not fall within the definition of harassment. 'We are strengthening workplace protections to tackle harassment and protect employees from intimidating and hostile abuse as well as sexual harassment.' A government source added: 'Courts and tribunals will continue to be required to balance rights on the facts of each case, including the rights to free expression.'
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Politico's UK newsroom to unionise as Trump pressures media
Journalists at online media outlet Politico are preparing to unionise as Donald Trump puts its parent company in his sights. Staff in Politico's UK newsroom have submitted a formal request for union recognition to the company, which is owned by German media giant Axel Springer. Insiders said morale at the publication had slumped, with staff unhappy about pay and benefits. It comes amid a chilling of relations between the Trump administration and Axel Springer, which is run by media tycoon Mathias Döpfner. Mr Döpfner, whose empire also includes Business Insider and newspaper titles Die Welt and Bild, has previously been sympathetic to Mr Trump's politics and arranged for Elon Musk to write an opinion piece expressing his support for Germany's far-right AfD in one of his papers. However, he has since distanced himself from Mr Trump over the US president's treatment of Ukraine in its war against Russia. Politico has found itself in the spotlight after Mr Trump repeated false claims that the outlet had received millions of dollars in funding from the US Agency for International Development. The payments were in fact subscription fees for the news outlet for US government departments. Relations soured further last month after Business Insider published a story scrutinising Donald Trump Jr's business dealings and comparing him to Hunter Biden. The story reportedly sparked anger in the White House, fuelling speculation that Mr Trump could seek to retaliate against Axel Springer through a potential federal investigation. Politico also came under scrutiny from one pro-Trump Axel Springer board member, who branded journalists 'woke' in a row over the outlet's coverage of the war in Gaza. Martin Varsavsky, a Spain-based entrepreneur, accused Politico of 'one-sided Hamas support'. He parted ways with the Axel Springer board just a week later. The union plans come amid unrest in Politico's US newsroom about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver summaries of major political news stories. US staff, who are represented by the PEN Guild union, have complained that the rollout of the new technology violates an agreement that states bosses must give 60 days' notice. Increased use of AI has also stirred tensions at Business Insider, which this week sparked fury and a union backlash after it announced plans to lay off more than 20pc of staff. In the same memo bosses declared the outlet was going 'all-in' on AI. Leaders of the nascent UK union are set to survey members about their concerns ahead of negotiations over a house agreement, with guarantees around AI likely to be included. Staff have also raised concerns about a leadership vacuum in the newsroom. Politico, which publishes the popular Westminster newsletter Playbook, has been without a UK editor since Jack Blanchard relocated to Washington DC. Nevertheless, sources close to the union insisted discussions with the company had so far been amicable and that they were aiming to develop positive relations. A member of the Politico NUJ Chapel said: 'Members of the Politico UK newsroom are seeking recognition through the National Union of Journalists. 'The chapel looks forward to fruitful negotiations with the company and on working together for Politico's continuing success.' Politico was founded in 2007 by media executive Robert Allbritton with the aim of capitalising on the rapid growth of online news. It focuses on politics and policy in the US and internationally, while it also hosts a number of live events. The website was snapped up by Axel Springer in 2021 in a deal worth more than $1bn (£743m). Politico and the NUJ have been contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
01-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Politico's UK newsroom to unionise as Trump pressures media
Journalists at online media outlet Politico are preparing to unionise as Donald Trump puts its parent company in his sights. Staff in Politico's UK newsroom have submitted a formal request for union recognition to the company, which is owned by German media giant Axel Springer. Insiders said morale at the publication had slumped, with staff unhappy about pay and benefits. It comes amid a chilling of relations between the Trump administration and Axel Springer, which is run by media tycoon Mathias Döpfner. Mr Döpfner, whose empire also includes Business Insider and newspaper titles Die Welt and Bild, has previously been sympathetic to Mr Trump's politics and arranged for Elon Musk to write an opinion piece expressing his support for Germany's far-right AfD in one of his papers. However, he has since distanced himself from Mr Trump over the US president's treatment of Ukraine in its war against Russia. Politico has found itself in the spotlight after Mr Trump repeated false claims that the outlet had received millions of dollars in funding from the US Agency for International Development. The payments were in fact subscription fees for the news outlet for US government departments. Relations soured further last month after Business Insider published a story scrutinising Donald Trump Jr's business dealings and comparing him to Hunter Biden. The story reportedly sparked anger in the White House, fuelling speculation that Mr Trump could seek to retaliate against Axel Springer through a potential federal investigation. Politico also came under scrutiny from one pro-Trump Axel Springer board member, who branded journalists 'woke' in a row over the outlet's coverage of the war in Gaza. Martin Varsavsky, a Spain-based entrepreneur, accused Politico of 'one-sided Hamas support'. He parted ways with the Axel Springer board just a week later. Unrest in US newsroom about use of AI The union plans come amid unrest in Politico's US newsroom about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver summaries of major political news stories. US staff, who are represented by the PEN Guild union, have complained that the rollout of the new technology violates an agreement that states bosses must give 60 days' notice. Increased use of AI has also stirred tensions at Business Insider, which this week sparked fury and a union backlash after it announced plans to lay off more than 20pc of staff. In the same memo bosses declared the outlet was going 'all-in' on AI. Leaders of the nascent UK union are set to survey members about their concerns ahead of negotiations over a house agreement, with guarantees around AI likely to be included. Staff have also raised concerns about a leadership vacuum in the newsroom. Politico, which publishes the popular Westminster newsletter Playbook, has been without a UK editor since Jack Blanchard relocated to Washington DC. Nevertheless, sources close to the union insisted discussions with the company had so far been amicable and that they were aiming to develop positive relations. A member of the Politico NUJ Chapel said: 'Members of the Politico UK newsroom are seeking recognition through the National Union of Journalists. 'The chapel looks forward to fruitful negotiations with the company and on working together for Politico's continuing success.' Politico was founded in 2007 by media executive Robert Allbritton with the aim of capitalising on the rapid growth of online news. It focuses on politics and policy in the US and internationally, while it also hosts a number of live events. The website was snapped up by Axel Springer in 2021 in a deal worth more than $1bn (£743m).
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Politico's UK newsroom to unionise as Trump pressures media
Journalists at online media outlet Politico are preparing to unionise as Donald Trump puts its parent company in his sights. Staff in Politico's UK newsroom have submitted a formal request for union recognition to the company, which is owned by German media giant Axel Springer. Insiders said morale at the publication had slumped, with staff unhappy about pay and benefits. It comes amid a chilling of relations between the Trump administration and Axel Springer, which is run by media tycoon Mathias Döpfner. Mr Döpfner, whose empire also includes Business Insider and newspaper titles Die Welt and Bild, has previously been sympathetic to Mr Trump's politics and arranged for Elon Musk to write an opinion piece expressing his support for Germany's far-right AfD in one of his papers. However, he has since distanced himself from Mr Trump over the US president's treatment of Ukraine in its war against Russia. Politico has found itself in the spotlight after Mr Trump repeated false claims that the outlet had received millions of dollars in funding from the US Agency for International Development. The payments were in fact subscription fees for the news outlet for US government departments. Relations soured further last month after Business Insider published a story scrutinising Donald Trump Jr's business dealings and comparing him to Hunter Biden. The story reportedly sparked anger in the White House, fuelling speculation that Mr Trump could seek to retaliate against Axel Springer through a potential federal investigation. Politico also came under scrutiny from one pro-Trump Axel Springer board member, who branded journalists 'woke' in a row over the outlet's coverage of the war in Gaza. Martin Varsavsky, a Spain-based entrepreneur, accused Politico of 'one-sided Hamas support'. He parted ways with the Axel Springer board just a week later. The union plans come amid unrest in Politico's US newsroom about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver summaries of major political news stories. US staff, who are represented by the PEN Guild union, have complained that the rollout of the new technology violates an agreement that states bosses must give 60 days' notice. Increased use of AI has also stirred tensions at Business Insider, which this week sparked fury and a union backlash after it announced plans to lay off more than 20pc of staff. In the same memo bosses declared the outlet was going 'all-in' on AI. Leaders of the nascent UK union are set to survey members about their concerns ahead of negotiations over a house agreement, with guarantees around AI likely to be included. Staff have also raised concerns about a leadership vacuum in the newsroom. Politico, which publishes the popular Westminster newsletter Playbook, has been without a UK editor since Jack Blanchard relocated to Washington DC. Nevertheless, sources close to the union insisted discussions with the company had so far been amicable and that they were aiming to develop positive relations. A member of the Politico NUJ Chapel said: 'Members of the Politico UK newsroom are seeking recognition through the National Union of Journalists. 'The chapel looks forward to fruitful negotiations with the company and on working together for Politico's continuing success.' Politico was founded in 2007 by media executive Robert Allbritton with the aim of capitalising on the rapid growth of online news. It focuses on politics and policy in the US and internationally, while it also hosts a number of live events. The website was snapped up by Axel Springer in 2021 in a deal worth more than $1bn (£743m). Politico and the NUJ have been contacted for comment. Sign in to access your portfolio
