It has not been easy for trade unions to secure pay rises for their members this year, as IRS pay statistics show. Our feature on trade unions' bargaining agendas suggests that they will be looking to recover lost ground next year.

Also in this issue, trade union Unison recounts its own story of harmonising five different sets of terms and conditions and implementing a new pay and grading structure based on job evaluation.

Unison has been one of the main partners in delivering Agenda for Change - the ambitious overhaul of pay and conditions for the majority of NHS staff, which was introduced almost five years ago. Our third feature is a case study of one of the first NHS Trusts to pilot Agenda for Change. Next month we will look at one of the trusts that has opted out of the national scheme.

We also report the findings of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's inquiry into the gender pay gap in the finance sector, salary surveys covering management accountants and IT workers, plus the usual reports on the latest pay deals.

Our next issue will be devoted to our annual round-up of pay awards, including employers' pay predictions for 2010.

Sarah Welfare
Editor,
Pay and Benefits Bulletin

Pay reports recently added to the site:

Department for Work and Pensions: 3.6% paybill increase

Schoolteachers, England and Wales: 2.3% pay increase confirmed

Demolition industry: final year of three-year deal worth 4.25%

Pay review update: 9 October 2009

The latest pay review update table contains pay awards at Alliance & Leicester, Penguin Books, Guildford Borough Council and some major construction industry settlements.

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Statistics and forecasts

The datafile contains the most recent inflation, earnings and labour market statistics, pay settlement data and inflation and earnings forecasts. Our panel of City and academic forecasters expects retail prices index (RPI) inflation to average -0.9% in the final quarter of 2009 but bounce back to 1.6% by the first quarter of 2010. Earnings growth is expected to run at 1.2% over 2009 as a whole, but is predicted to recover in the first quarter of 2010 to 2.7%.

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From the blog

Launched and run by the editorial team that produces XpertHR and the IRS e-journals, the Employment Intelligence blog is regularly updated with news, comment and links to the latest employment developments. Recent posts include:

• Pay awards will play a key role in UK economic recovery in 2010
• A new Conservative Government: what could this mean for employment law?
• National minimum wage: BRC calls for nil to 1% rise for 2010/11

Today's tip: take part in salary surveys

Reliable pay data is essential to any organisation seeking to manage its reward strategy effectively. By taking part in XpertHR Job Pricing salary surveys powered by CELRE, you can be confident that jobs in your organisation are accurately matched against similar roles elsewhere. This short video explains the benefits of participation and what is involved.

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