Industry/research news updates

In the wake of the Bangladeshi disasters, Sarah Page blogs about the value of UK safety regulation.

Prospect has backed the decision by Flybe to outsource the maintenance of its aircraft and logistic operations at Birmingham and Manchester airports.

Prospect members at the Intellectual Property Office are to take industrial action in February after a ballot of members voted with a huge majority in favour. In a turnout of 65%, 88% voted in favour of strike action and 90% for action short of a strike.

The revolution will not be televised – and nor will the Conservative party conference debate on science and innovation – because there isn't one.

Prospect says the Public Accounts Committtee report into managing change in the defence workforce painted a bleak picture of skills loss, rock bottom morale and a lack of understanding over what skills it will need in the future.

Prospect says the Public Accounts Committtee report into managing change in the defence workforce painted a bleak picture of skills loss, rock bottom morale and a lack of understanding over what skills it will need in the future.

Prospect has warned that the government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review is in shreds.

Prospect has welcomed the surge of support across political parties for a House of Commons Early Day Motion, which calls on defence contractor QinetiQ to step back from its intention to de-recognise unions at the company. The motion now has 37 signatories from MPs across four parties, including both coalition partners.

Prospect is carrying out a survey into the experiences of women working in scientific roles in England, Scotland and Wales.

Prospect has criticised the decision by the Ministry of Defence to award Serco a contract worth around £36 million to run the Defence Business Services (DBS), which includes HR, finance and security vetting functions.

Responding to the news that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has appointed John Clarke as its new chief executive, Prospect national secretary Mike Graham said: “While he faces a challenging agenda we recognise that Clarke brings to the position a lifetime of experience in the nuclear sector.

Unions at QinetiQ, the privatised company providing technical support to the Ministry of Defence, say the company hired a City public relations firm to assist in its union busting campaign.

Prospect has challenged a CentreForum report which says the government should look at whether more of its laboratories could be privatised or operated by contractor organisations.

QinetiQ, the privatised company that provides scientific and technical backup to the Ministry of Defence, has been accused of union-busting, after announcing today that it is terminating recognition with all its trade unions with effect from 31 March. 

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Prospect says the Public Accounts Committee report into the Ministry of Defence’s major projects confirmed union fears that the department’s decisions since the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010 were seriously flawed.

Prospect has urged the Ministry of Defence to pause and take stock of its swingeing programme of cuts after a National Audit Office report into how MOD is managing the process warned it was cutting too fast, without knowing what skills it was losing or what skills it would need in the future.

Prospect, the union for 300 workers at Highlands&Islands Airports says its members at Dundee airport are balloting on industrial action over a 2011 pay offer and harmonisation with colleagues at other Scottish airports.

Prospect says the government’s decision not to sustain deep technical expertise in the Ministry of Defence is nothing short of dangerous.

Prospect has warned that the Ministry of Defence’s White Paper: National Security Through Technology peddles the myth that cuts to the public sector will generate economic growth in the private sector.