BBC unions call offer insulting, arguing pay has fallen 8% behind inflation but corporation says 5.9% demand is unrealistic Unions representing staff at the BBC today reacted angrily to a 1% pay offer, saying it was “completely unacceptable”. Technical and administration staff and journalists will now be consulted, with unions expecting “strong opposition”, adding that [...]

Employment minister says scheme works enormously well and is entirely voluntary, after protest at Tesco store Critics of the government’s work experience scheme are “job snobs”, the employment minister has said. Chris Grayling defended the project after a Tesco store was forced to close on Saturday when it was invaded by protesters angered by a [...]

Westminster Bridge Road store forced to close as demonstrators stage sit-in over job advert for unpaid permanent staff Demonstrators brought a branch of Tesco to a standstill on Saturday in protest against the company’s low wages. Police were called when a dozen protesters sat down or stood by the tills at the Tesco branch on [...]

Opponents of new national agreement stop traffic as they picket building industry black tie dinner in West End of London Electricians and other construction workers blocked Park Lane in central London in an escalating dispute over changes to pay and conditions on building sites across the country. About 200 protesters gathered outside the Grosvenor House [...]

The gang discuss the challenges faced by corporate bosses when the economy tanks

Waterstones stops using unpaid jobseekers, as government rejects claim scheme is contrary to Human Rights Act The high street book store Waterstones has pulled out of a government scheme that employed unpaid jobseekers in its stores after a Guardian investigation uncovered the practice at one of its outlets. Nearly a dozen other high street chains [...]