It's official: temps are second class citizens

Unions fury at temp staff retreat - Unions have condemned a European Commission plan to shelve a draft directive granting temporary staff the same rights a permanent workers. The draft Agency Workers Directive (AWD) would have ensured that temporary workers enjoying the same conditions as permanent staff (BBC News).

Half of employers don't know staff should have a contract - A survey of almost 2,000 UK employers by law firm Peninsula found that 52% couldn’t be certain that all their employees had contracts of employment (Michael Miller, Personnel Today).

Attendants call for film boycott - Flight attendant unions in the US have asked members to boycott new thriller Flightplan, saying it depicts in-flight personnel as "unhelpful and uncaring" (BBC News).

Bored at work

UK workers put boredom as prime motivator for jumping ship - Recent research reveals more than a third of the UK workforce is disgruntled and unhappy in their jobs. The survey, commissioned by online recruiter Jobsite, reveals that 37% of workers do not enjoy their time at work and almost half would be interested in working in a different industry (Mike Berry, Personnel Today).

Gate Gourmet strikes peace deal - Hundreds of workers at caterer Gate Gourmet have voted to accept a deal to end the long-running industrial dispute at Heathrow Airport (BBC News).

7m days unpaid overtime worked in local government - Local government employees worked the equivalent of 7 million days overtime last year for no pay or time off in lieu, UNISON has calculated. The survey of almost 4,000 UNISON members working in local government conducted by MORI, found that 33% say they work unpaid overtime each week – an average of 4.6 hours (UNISON).

NHS could save millions by tackling workplace bullying - Cutting the level of bullying and harassment in the NHS by just 1% would save the health service £9m annually, according to internal health service estimates due to be published next month (Personnel Today).

Employment rights at the top of the political agenda?

Employer issues dominate Labour Party conference - Employer issues top the agenda at this year's Labour Party conference for the first time in years, i.e. pensions, secondary industrial action and privatisation of public sector employment (Personnel Today).

After coming across a new police blog the other day, it dawned on me that there are currently quite a few police officers in the UK blogging about their day-to-day experiences. I have listed twelve that I am aware of. Certainly worth a browse if you fancy a career with the police, in the UK, or if you are curious of police work in any way.

200 weeks: Not long now... - a police officer counting down the weeks until retirement from the force.
Another constable - life through the eyes of a brand new British Bobby.
Another day at the office - a little look at the workings of the mytown police force from a special perspective.
Blues and twos - an amalgamation of thoughts, feelings and observations on news, current affairs and UK policing in general.
Brian's brief encounters - an unofficial Metropolitan Police fanzine brought to you from a small corner of the Throbbing Metropolis.
Cat amongst the pidgeons - musings of an ex squaddie, ex Policeman and currently depressed git suffering from obstructive sleep apnioa.

Cerberus says...

MagicMan

The Policeman's blog - a journey into the mad, mad world of the British underclass and the Public sector, where nothing is too insane for it to be written down and copied in triplicate.
Sod's law - commenting on experiences at work and of the everyday emotions of life.
The thin blue line - the wild eye adventures of a new police officer, coming from the sticks to the big smoke to see if he can realy be all he can be.

The thoughts and going-ons of PM85

In blogs we trust

Shoppers use blogs for bargains - Consumers are starting to use weblogs, or blogs, as guides to what they should and shouldn't buy, finds a survey (BBC News). The main point is that 77 per cent of people believed that regularly up-dated blogs were a useful way to get insights into the products or services they should buy. The survey also suggests that blogs could soon rival other media as sources of trustworthy information about products and services. Perhaps this may be another reason why employers fear work-related blogs so much. Having said that, seven out of ten people in the UK have never heard of a blog. See Blogging v dogging (BBC News)

So what's the point of blogging? - Alan Connor explores on behalf of the BBC why people blog for no money and not much of an audience. The previous article helps answer this question.

Where does privacy begin and end in the workplace?

Welcome to the world of work where employers are free to invade our privacy at will and where each email we compose, website we visit and fag we smoke is recorded. And with every monitored keystroke, the bond of trust between employer and employee is weakened. In Crisis of faith, Ian Wylie of The Guardian considers what has happened to trust between employer and employee.

Record-breaking equal pay claim begins - The UK’s biggest ever equal pay case for female county council workers is due to start today in Carlisle. Two unions – Unison and GMB – have lodged claims for about 2,300 women after it emerged that male road workers formerly employed by Cumbria County Council were paid more for what lawyers say was comparable work (Mike Berry, Personnel Today).

Another report, this time by the National Association of Pension Funds, suggests Britons would not be able to pick up their pensions until the age of 67 by 2030, rising to 69 years of age by 2040 (BBC News). See the public response at should pensionable age be raised?

Handbook for bloggers

I know I mentioned this in yesterday's blog, but I believe this is too an important document to end up lower down the pecking order than a fairly humerous article on Britney Spears! I realise that nearly everyone who probably reads my blog and is blogrolled on it are unlikely to call themselves 'cyber-dissidents', but most blog anonymously and all are probably painfully aware of how employers can treat employees bloggers: see for example, Digital Citizens: The blogger . The main thing is if you believe in freedom of expression and a commitment to objectivity then this is for YOU. See Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents by Reporters Without Borders.

One more work-related blog to add: Blues and twos - police and law blog - a range of police employees (UK). Other work-related articles...

Bad manners with mobiles winds up work colleagues - A survey of more than 5,000 workers, carried out by YouGov and commissioned by T-Mobile, reveals that 61% of respondents admitted to practising bad “mobile manners” such as leaving phones switched on and answering calls in meetings (Dan Thomas, Personnel Today).

Sick leave shame of one in five employees - More than one in five UK employees who took sick leave in the past year admit they could have gone into work if they had really wanted or needed to (Dan Thomas, Personnel Today).

'Toxic' workplaces on the increase

Britney -' you're toxic, I'm slipping under' - Spears has topped a chart of the most irritating singer for shop workers to listen to while at work - Britney 'drives shop staff crazy' (BBC News).

Blog censorship handbook released - A handbook that offers advice to bloggers who want to protect themselves from recrimination and censors has been released by Reporters Without Borders. Read more about Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-dissidents here. Download direct HERE (note: 1.6MB).

Staff working in the NHS in Wales are subjected to an average of 22 cases of violent or aggressive behaviour every day, according to a study - Violence on NHS staff 'costs £6m' (BBC News).

France plans to pay cash for more babies - Middle-class mothers in France could be paid up to €1,000 (£675) a month - almost the minimum wage - to stop work for a year and have a third child under a government scheme to boost the birthrate, already among the highest in Europe (Jon Henley, The Guardian).

Four new blogs to add: Bitter girl bartender, Can you hear me now - retail worker, Digital doorway - nurse, and, In search of intelligent life... - retail worker (actually a comic and worth a look!).

Employers want it both ways

Here are two contrasting articles that defies belief - one that says workers commonly work through their lunch breaks for no extra reward to keep the business going (and keep customers happy, etc.), and another that suggests workers should be penalised for taking 'fake sickies'. See lunch hour is a myth for travel agent staff (Dan Thomas, Personnel Today) and employers favour pay cuts to weed out 'sickie' fakers (Personnel Today). It seems that employers openly encourage working beyond contract, which is often to the detriment of the employee's health, yet protest when workers take a day off sick for anything other than a life-threatening ailment.

What not to wear (at work)

Cracking the dress code at the office - An article that discusses whether we are seeing the beginning of a return to smarter work attire, reverting away from casual dressing (Miranda Fettes, The Scotsman)?

Toilet-break blunder causes a stink at BSkyB call centre - A broadcaster (BSkyB based in Livingston, Scotland) has apologised after employees received a note telling them to limit their toilet breaks to eight minutes a day (Personnel Today).

Flexible working: how it can be a rigid barrier to the best jobs - It was supposed to provide the answer to the work-life dilemma faced by the new generation of working parents. But instead of freeing them from the shackles of presenteeism and the threat of burn-out, part-time working could be holding back their careers (Alexandra Frean, The Times).

Hard work never killed anybody...

Work-related deaths on the rise (BBC News) - The UN body said the global death toll from work-related incidents and disease was an estimated 2.2 million a year, 10% higher than three years ago.

Women managers promoted faster but salaries still fall short of male counterparts, says survey (John Carvel, The Guardian) - Women are breaking through the glass ceiling to achieve leadership positions in British business organisations at a younger age than men, says a report published today. But the study, from the Chartered Management Institute, says they are still paid less than men in equivalent positions and are more likely to be discontented enough to resign their jobs.

Bullying amongst managers rockets as organisations fail to take action (CMI) - Bullying is rife across UK organisations according to research published today by the Chartered Management Institute.

In sympathy with strikers (Roy Hattersley, The Guardian) - A case is made for the return to legalisation of 'secondary action'. Hattersely argues that the 'real complaint against secondary action is easily explaine. It is hated because it works'.

Blog all about it!

Another article that suggests one of the main bastions of media - the daily newspaper - may be under threat from new forms of communication, i.e. blogs, etc. A reasonable slant for once as one of the most telling quotes suggests:

'...blogs offer a more personalised and off-beat take on news events'.

Makes good sense to me, although I see blogs complimenting traditional media rather than replacing them. See What will newspapers look like in 20 years? (BBC News) for more details and the chance to offer your opinion on the matter.

The world's best video diarists (Tomas Rawlings, The Independent) - Bloggers have moved into a new dimension - streaming video. See Amanda Congdon's Rocketboom for example.

Censors block the cult of girl too sexy for her blog (Jane McCartney, The Times) - how a self-proclaimed beauty found fame in cyberspace, but then China’s propaganda chiefs reacted.

The hard sell and call centres

Gas pressure hits danger level (Miles Brignall, The Guardian) - lifting the lid on British Gas call centres. It exposes how staff previously taken on to sort out customer service problems have been put under intense pressure to sell products instead, and how time allowed to resolve customer problems has been slashed.

Drive to protect working students (BBC News) - The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has launched a pilot scheme to give students working part-time in Edinburgh support and advice.

The Secret Life of an Office Cleaner (BBC 2 - Monday 19/9/05) at 9 p.m. - The cleaning industry is one of the largest employers in Britain, worth 9 billion pounds a year. This film looks at London's invisible army of cleaners, many of whom are illegal immigrants.

The future of British trade unionism

Highway to hell (David Metcalf and Brendan Barber, People Management) - With dwindling membership, unions in the private sector could be on the road to perdition. That’s the bleak prediction of David Metcalf, professor of industrial relations at the London School of Economics. Here, he debates the issue with Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, who admits there is no room for complacency but insists that the unions can look forward to a bright future.

The realities of part-time work

Part-timers in workplace 'ghetto' (BBC News) - Poor flexible working arrangements mean millions of workers are forced to take part-time jobs which do not use all their skills, a new report has said. This is despite the fact that the CIPD disputes CBI claim that flexible working harms business (Michael Miller, Personnel Today).

Men hit harder by 'status drops' (BBC News) - Men who fail to progress up the career ladder take the blow much harder than women, research suggests.

People who suffer from depression or stress should perhaps read this article - Action to tackle work 'distress' - a £5m pilot project has been launched to help people who suffer stress and depression keep their job.

Two new blogs to add - The Librarydude!, and, The BotanicalGirl. Also, Google has launched a new blog-based search engine - see this article for more details - Google unveils blog search site (BBC News). I think the same search engine can be accessed from Blogger Blog Search.

Employer guidelines on blogs

As most bloggers know, blogging about work can be a risky business - e.g. you only need consider the Diary of a fired flight attendant example and how the former Delta employee is now seeking legal action as result of being fired for blogging about her work (USA Today). So, those who blog about their work and do not have a policy provided by their employer should seriously think about consulting one or more of the following links. By reading these documents it may also help bloggers find ways of saying what needs to be said, but staying out of trouble at the same time ;-)

IMB blogging policy and guidelines
Yahoo personal blog guidelines
Sun Microsystems - policy on public disclosure
Weblogs at Harvard Law School
Marketing Technology - Blogging policies and guidelines
Groove Technology - Weblog policy
Plaxo - communication (blogging) policy

Note: most of these links were attained from Talking from the inside out: The rise of employee bloggers by Edelman and Intelliseek • Fall 2005.

Also consider - Blogging: Bubble or Big Deal? (registration required for full PDF file) - a report that looks at, amongst many other things, 'best practice' for blogs that are related to work (by Charlene Li, Josh Bernoff and Tenley McHarg for Forrester). And, As blogging grows, companies eye legal pitfalls (by Martha Graybow, Yahoo! News).

Employers and domestic violence

Employers fight domestic violence - Top employers including the NHS, BBC, and the Body Shop have set up a support scheme to fight domestic violence (BBC News).

Architects of their own downfall in the office - Businesses which try to save money by stinting on their staff's working environment will come to regret it, as employees reduce their output - or even quit (Sean Coughlan, The Guardian).

Women are 'put off' hi-tech jobs - The UK's technology industry must do more to keep women within its folds if it wants long-term success, according to a report by Intellect (BBC News).

Working with an eye on the wicket - an article about sporting distactions at work and a chance to offer your opinion on this matter (BBC News).

One new blog to add - Are we there yet? - tales of a nurse who appears to be contemplating a career change.

Employers and employee health

Shocking death stats spur BT to put heart into health drive - British Telecommunications (BT) is to launch the UK's biggest workplace health programme after it emerged that the company loses one employee every two weeks to a heart-related illness (Mike Berry, Personnel Today).

Heightism in the workplace

When being tall is a 'disability' - An employment tribunal has upheld the decision to withdraw an air traffic control job offer to a graduate because of his 6ft 10in (2.08m) height.

The Gate Gourmet appears to coming to an end as lay-off plans attract 700 applicants.

TUC ready to challenge ministers - The TUC conference in Brighton is set to focus on leaders issuing warnings over pensions and what they see as restrictive trade union laws.

Union fights for free home care - Trade unionists who won compensation for thousands of miners are going to court again - fighting for the right to free nursing care at home.

The end of the Internet?

Access denied - this is the golden age of the internet, a time of glorious anarchy where information is free and anyone, rich or poor, can blog about their views to the world. But government and big business are moving in - the clampdown has begun.

A really good article that may have an unrealistic element, but is convincing nevertheless. The idea from what I can gather is that even liberal governments are seriously interested in technology that can allow almost any 'click of the mouse' to be monitored - especially at a time of heightened terrorism. Big Business is also increasingly peeved by a 'DIY army of online publishers and broadcasters'. The main point is that how can capitalism continue to triumph when there is this mischevious 'parallel society' that is strikingly collectivist and based on principles of trust and common ownership? It's almost capitalism versus communism, but within national boundaries and not between super-powers.

I also liked how the article quotes Noam Chomsky, linguist and media commentator, who suggests this about the Internet in general:

Major efforts are being made by the corporate owners and advertisers to shape the internet so that it will be mostly used for commerce, diversion and so on. Then those who wish to use it for information, political organising and other such political activities will have a harder time.

To be honest I'm a bit of an optimist when it comes to claims that Big Business and Big Government are on the verge of creating a society like in George Orwell's 1984. People are incredibly creative in such situations and most of all, Big Business and Big Government may have the potential to do this that and the other, but they rarely achieve this for any number of reasons.

Teachers to be fired on demand by parents

Classroom purge on failing teachers - Parents are to be given powers to identify weak teachers and seek their removal from schools after critics said a series of initiatives had failed to break the cycle of failing schools. The basis for requesting the removale of certain staff will be by new 'micro-level' performance data - part of continuing efforts to raise standards in under-performing schools. A response from teaching unions suggests teachers ratings will be 'bad for morale'.

The cost of online anonymity - An interesting article that suggests anonymizing software is becoming more and more popular in the West. It goes on to discuss how far we should be able to anonymous our use of the Internet.

A more militant future for the British trade union movement?

Plan to form super-union no threat to us, says TUC chief - some have speculated that a new super-union (formed from AMICUS, GMB, and TGWU unions), which is due to be formed in January 2007, could walk away from the TUC — especially if it considers the umbrella organisation to be too tame. Could we be seeing a split in the British labour movement that emulates in many ways how some US unions are preparing to break away from their national movement?

Want some help setting up a union-based website for your workplace, or just a means to exchange views on work-related matters? Then visit the E-unions website.

View the New Statesman's 2006 Trade Union Guide.

Want some dignity at work? - a visually entertaining, yet poignant way of highlighting the problems with achieving an acceptable level of dignity at work.

Workers' strain injuries 'rising' - The number of people suffering from work-related repetitive strain injuries is increasing, according to research.

A little late on this story - Union stages Ashes demonstration - A protest at the treatment of security staff has been held outside the Oval cricket ground to coincide with the last Ashes test. The GMB union accuses Recruit Event Services, which supplies stewards and guards for major sporting events, of bullying and harassing workers.

The rise of employee blogs

I came across a business website the other day called Intelliseek who have available a number of 'white papers' for downloading. Two refer directly to blogging:

How real people are finally being heard - the main premise is that blogging, in a very short period of time, has drastically altered the landscape and challenged traditional tenets about the control of messaging, the media, the government, marketers and company stakeholders.

Taking from the inside out: The rise of employee bloggers - obviously this paper is of great interest to me, but it should make compulsory reading for anyone who blogs about their work, whether they are encouraged to or not by their employer.

Both, to me anyway, are based around how organizations can wrestle back a degree of control from bloggers, which I find quite sad, but it keeps helps people pay the mortgage and their holidays. Once blogs are institutionalised and commercialised their days are numbered.

Also see: Managing employee blogging by Employee Thinking

If you are nervous about blogging about your work and fear being caught one day then you want to follow this link to get an idea about how employers can monitor blogs that mentions their companies: Crossroads dispatches - Business Blogging: Staying on Top of the Buzz. A blooger with half-a-brain would not use the name of their employers unless they are seriously aggrieved with them in some way.

Vloggers get political in Norway - A video-blogger from Bergen in Norway is turning his camcorder on politicians, ahead of Norwegian parliamentary elections on Monday. See DLTQ.

Work-life balance survey

Please take the time to take part in a survey that is to draw up a general picture of what is happening at work today and what could be done about any problems revealed. It has been commissioned by the Work Life Balance Centre and is open to all nationalities. Access the brief questionnaire at: TWENTY4 - SEVEN SURVEY.

Meanwhile, the Gate Gourmet dispute continues even though it's been out of the news for a few days now. To keep up-to-date with what is going and on and perhaps offer your support then visit Sacked by Gate Gourmet support group for more details.

Bloggers keep the media honest, so wade in - Another article about how certain types of blogging may influence the media by offering first hand accounts of events that journalists can't possibly turn around as quick as bloggers can, e.g. what's just happened in New Orleans, the London bombings, etc. What I like best is how bloggers are referred to as

'a ready-made army of eye witnesses'.

I think that's a fair analogy, but for the vast majority of bloggers we are really talking about first hand reports of the humdrum of day-to-day life - something that most journalists stay well clear of, mostly for commercial and perhaps career-related reasons. Blogging, amongst many other things, to me anyway, fills a colossal gap where journalist fear to tread. Perhaps one day soon we will see the mundane become mainstream and about time to!

It's just not cricket

Let staff follow Ashes, TUC says - Employers are being urged to allow workers to follow the final cricket match in the Ashes series between England and Australia.

Retail workers' children lobby for flexible working - Children of retail workers from across the UK have lobbied the minister for children to extend the right to request flexible working for their parents.

McDonald's serves up world-class people policy - Fast food giant McDonald's has become the first UK organisation to go through a new gold standard profiling model from Investors in People. Hmmm!?

If you are paramedic consider visiting a Podcast for your eyes only - EMSlive online radio show.

Are you a teacher? Wanting to teach in a less than main stream way? Feel that the teaching profession is compromised by politics? Then try Radical teacher - a magazine that focuses on critical teaching practice, the political economy of education, and institutional struggles.

More work-related blogs to add: Becoming a nurse, Cold hands, cold feet (new graduate nurse), DT's EMT, Hell on white clogs' (nurse), Mad hatter (history teacher), The travel nurse, Jen, SN (nurse), Learning curves (school teacher), Livin' large (nurse), PixelRN (nurse), and, Things that make you go blah (paramedic).

End of summertime blues

No happy holidays as work piles up while Brits take a break - Nearly half of British workers return from their summer holiday to a mountain of work, according to research by recruitment company Manpower.

Cocktail effect of doctors' hours - A US study has shown how important the reduction of junior doctors' hours has been, equating the effect of long shifts to drinking a few cocktails.

Companies failing to help staff up the career ladder - Employees without clear idea of how they can progress 'are more likely to leave'.

First Bus workers strike over pay - Bus travel in the east of Scotland will be disrupted on Wednesday because of a one-day strike by First Bus drivers.

24-7 Survey - Browse a report that contains a fascinating look at attitudes to work, its effects on family life and individual heath. From September 8 you can take part in a new survey.

One work-related blog to add - Manila office life - ever wondered what it's like to be an office manager in the Philippines?

Work longer not smarter

Work smarter not longer, says government - The ever-present jacket on the back of the office chair should be taken home, the government will urge today in a call for an end to Britain's long hours working culture. The Labour government may say a lot about work-life balance, but is really terrified of how employers will react to its proposals. Not only that, to get workers to work 'smarter' requires a considerable level of input from employees in how work is organized. Sadly, Britain is just not ready for widespread democracy in workplaces because of how trade unions are viewed by every government since 1979. Also see Smarter working 'can cut hours'.

Health workers’ holiday row - NHS TAYSIDE have been accused of discrimination by rewarding staff with children two extra weeks’ paid holiday.

Ten teacher blogs to add: A teacher's world, A type writer and a hammer, Ruminating dude, I am a Japanese school teacher, Polski3's view from here, Raise your hand if you're absent, School of blog, Tangential thoughts, What it's like on the inside, and, What's up, Mz. Smlph?.

Blogs versus company spin and a reluctant media

Big business battles to keep up with the bloggers - The rise of blogs - journals on the internet - has created a problem, and opportunity, for companies, reports James Hall of the Telegraph.

"....blogs give employees and customers a dedicated forum in which to vent their concerns and anger - an open invitation for bad PR. Furthermore, blogs can undermine the carefully controlled release of information from a company. A careless entry from an employee can be particularly dangerous for a publicly listed company intent on keeping market-sensitive information out of the public domain".

Examples in article include: Supermarket-sweep-up - presents a bigger picture of what Tescos are doing, and their effects on our society. And, 173 Drury Lane - a critique of Sainsbury's supermarket. Also see Tescopoly - every little hurts, SchNEWS - a direct action protest page.

Having said that read (but not with reference to above) - When fake blogs attack - which considers the immediacy of a first-hand accounts.

Employer group breaks rank on pension policy

Company pensions must be compulsory, say manufacturers - The manufacturers' organisation, the EEF, has broken ranks with other employer groups by coming out in favour of forcing companies and workers to pay into pensions.

More blogs about work in general

Today I've listed some more blogs about work in general, i.e. most are forums of some sort where people can deal in a way with the problems they face at work. It's an extension (as the title suggests) of a previous blog listing many more blogs about work in general. They are NOT blogs by individuals who blog about their particular work-related experiences.

Ambulance999 - a one-stop place for ambulance discussion.
Anonymous work blogs - a blogring for people who post anonymously about their jobs - join up the club if you blog about work, but keep certain details to yourself!

Labour behind the label - support garments workers worldwide in their efforts to improve their working conditions through awareness raising, information provision and encouraging international solidarity between workers and consumers.
Frustrated at work: We care when they don't - bringing you stories from the front lines, as well as a fresh perspective on what to do.
Ryan be fair - giving Ryanair employees a collective voice. Particularly interesting if your work in the airline industry and not being heard by your employer.
The future of work weblog - the official blog for the Future of Work community.
Have-a-rant - a UK-based forum for whatever gets up your nose!
Your democracy - varied political forum from Australia with a section set aside for industrial relations.

Employee thinking - Christopher Hannigan blogs about getting the best from employees

Gautam Ghosh on Management - Gautam's thoughts on organizations, work, people, strategy, learning, knowledge, innovation and high performance. Focussed on India, but spanning the globe.

Blog stuff in general:
Progress reports - an assessment of emerging communication technologies such as blogging, podcasting, VoIP, etc.
Search engines take on talk - Spencer Kelly reports on the move into messaging, photo-sharing and centralisation of information (includes use of blogs for photo sharing, etc.).

Women, fear and pay

Fear factor means equal pay for women is still just a dream - One reason why women get paid less is that they are more afraid to ask for a pay rise. Two-thirds of women claimed they were too scared to ask for more money, compared with just a quarter of men. Suggests to me that the workplaces are still places where you fear speaking out about simple and ongoing injustices.

The most marginalised people remain unemployable - More than 60% of employers say they would exclude anyone with a criminal record, a history of drug or alcohol problems or a history of long-term sickness/incapacity from the recruitment process. A role for government of would it be more 'red tape' for employers?

Employers warned to watch out for bogus job applicants - a growing number of 'serial saboteur' job applicants are said to be making multiple applications for an advertised position under different identities, in an attempt to prove that an employer discriminates against applicants of a particular race, gender or disability. Would they be saboteurs if they uncovered illicit practices? Are employers transparent as they could be with recruitment and selection procedures?

Unions to call for UK workplace rights to mirror European - the TUC conference next week may be used to discuss the claim that unions were "conned" by the government with the so-called 'Warwick Agreement' on workers' rights, reached before the general election. And not for the first time...!

Hurricane Katrina

Here's How You Can Help Victims of Hurricane Katrina - Hurricane Katrina has left hundreds of thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama homeless and in need of food, clean drinking water and other basic necessities: make a donation via a series of links found on this web-site.

Also see - Katrina's wrath - for bloggers caught up in the devastation. Some examples: Humid City, katrinacane's Friends, Metroblogging, and, Savage Stories.

Getting that work-life balance just right

Meet the couple choosing family and work … by sharing both - read about a couple who not only split their domestic responsibilities down the middle; they actually share their job as well!

Barclays forecloses on dress-down bankers - In sharp contrast to the dress-down spirit of the age, workers have been told that wearing the wrong clothes could affect the financial performance of one of Britain’s oldest banks and that they could be ordered down the high street to buy an instant costume-change at their own expense.

Jobs are cut at Manchester United - 'backroom' staff over players' wages feel the pinch as MUFC receive less cash from TV and Premiership deals than in previous years.

Four new work-related blogs (all paramedics or EMTs): Nee Naw, Paramedic blog, Street watch: Notes of a paramedic, and, The adventures of MidwestMedic.