PRESS DIGEST - British Business Press - May 20

The Times

UNITE TAKES ON M&S OVER DISCRIMINATION

Britain's largest trade union, Unite, is calling for a shareholder vote at M&S (MKS.L) to address a "structural pattern of discrimination" in the high street retailer's British supply chain. The union is canvassing investors to support the call for a special resolution at the retailer's annual meeting in July. Tony Woodley, Unite's joint general secretary, said: "We have raised this issue time and again with M&S, but they are failing to take effective action. We are calling for an urgent meeting with Sir Stuart Rose to discuss the union's concerns."

CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY

Britain's biggest industrial property developer, Segro(SGRO.L), announced that its vacancy rate in continental Europe at the end of April remained unchanged from the end of December at 5.9 percent. However, the company also said its UK vacancy rate increased from 10.8 percent to 11.8 percent. It said that weakness in the credit markets have pressured property values.

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