Day 180 - 31 Oct 95 - Page 03
1 Councils: one called LR, which is the Licensed Residential
2 Establishments Wages Council, and UPR, which is the
3 Unlicensed Places of Refreshment Wages Council. Both those
4 Wages Councils cover the two key catering Wage Councils,
5 and they cover approximately, together, nearly one million
6 employees who were covered by minimum wage protection
7 during that period. Of course, the Wages Councils began to
8 lose their influence from 1986.
9
10 Beyond the T&G and into other areas of work, my expertise
11 really focuses at the Low Pay Unit and at the Pay Equity
12 Project.
13
14 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can you tell me what the Low Pay Unit is or
15 was?
16 A. Yes, my Lord. The Low Pay Unit still is a national
17 campaign organisation concerning itself with low and --
18 particularly with low pay; that is the focus of its
19 interests. It is one of five organisations nationwide that
20 deal with the low pay issue. The other organisations are
21 based out in cities such as Manchester and elsewhere.
22
23 Q. Who set it up? How long has it been in existence?
24 A. The Low Pay Unit has been in existence since the
25 mid-70s. It is a registered charity, and it depends on,
26 essentially, charitable income for its activities. It is a
27 pressure group, and acts as a pressure group upon trade
28 unions, upon government, upon the wider community, for, if
29 you like, a single, primary purpose of concern over low
30 pay. Therefore, the future of the Wages Council and,
31 indeed, statutory improvements to Wages Councils were
32 always a central feature of the work of that organisation;
33 and that continues to be one of its primary focal points.
34 So, yes, it is an interest group.
35
36 Then, working beyond the Low Pay Unit into industrial
37 relations services, where I currently am employed, this is
38 a private limited company. It is a major publishing house
39 in the employment field. I am sure many of those present
40 in the court today will be familiar with at least one, if
41 not a number, of the journals that stem from this
42 publishing house.
43
44 The one I work on specifically is called the Pay and
45 Benefits Bulletin, but there are many other very well
46 respected journals coming out of IRS, including the
47 Industrial Relations Law Reports, the Equal Opportunities
48 Review, and other publications.
49
50 My specific interest is on the Pay and Benefits Bulletin,
51 which appears fortnightly and is a cross-industry bulletin
52 focusing on pay and working conditions.
53
54 In regard specifically to the hotel and catering industry.
55 I could deal with that more fully.
56
57 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I suggest you just pause there, because you
58 can be cross-examined, if need be, about your
59 qualifications and experience.
60
