Some have more equality than others….
A new TUC petition campaign calls for lesbian and gay people to receive the same discrimination protections as women and ethnic minorities, with delegates signing at the TUC’s Lesbian and Gay conference on July 5-6.
A woman’s place is in the office
Research shows men are significantly more likely to work from home or remotely than women, with one-third of male managers already doing so compared to nearly half of female managers being office-bound. Women cite social interaction and career advancement concerns as reasons for preferring traditional office environments.
The Snippet Archive
A collection of thought-provoking quotes and snippets on learning, personal growth, achievement, and self-improvement. Explore wisdom from figures like Aristotle, B.B. King, and Yoda to inspire change and success in your life.
Online resource library of the history of working people to come from £175,000 grant
The University of North London has received a £175,000 grant to create TUC History On-line, a digital resource library documenting working people and the trade union movement from 1860-2000. The project will digitize documents, images, and video clips from the TUC Library Collections, including the General Strike Collection and the Matchgirls’ Strike Register, making them freely accessible to the public online.
Stress mail? How about the rest of the junk?
Email overload causes stress for many users. Learn how to combat unwanted messages using junk mail filters and preference services for postal mail and telemarketing calls.
What’s happening with the Women’s Unit and Equality?
The Government’s Women’s Unit is being rebranded as the Women and Equality Unit under new leadership from Sally Morgan, shifting focus toward broader equality issues. The reorganization has sparked concern among women’s groups about whether gender-specific issues will be deprioritized despite retaining “women” in the official title.
Morris: More money for IT in FE
The Education and Skills Secretary announced £84 million in funding to improve IT infrastructure in Further Education colleges, with plans to reduce the PC-to-student ratio to 1:5 by 2002 and provide internet-connected computers for teaching staff.
Role-playing turned man into a nervous wreck
A 40-year-old former Walkers Crisps worker claims constructive dismissal and disability discrimination after being forced to participate in role-playing exercises despite his stammer. Kevin Alderson, who worked at the factory for 23 years, says the experience severely affected his mental health and led to his resignation.
Heads we win, Tails you lose.
Marconi faces criticism for its plan to re-price employee stock options after market decline, allowing staff whose options are deeply underwater to buy shares at lower prices while the board that led the company’s decline would also benefit.
GMB calls on government to end “disgraceful situation”
The GMB union is calling on the government to end a “disgraceful situation” where term-time only workers, such as school dinner ladies and cleaners, cannot claim jobseeker’s allowance during unpaid periods. Following a House of Lords decision, the union demands flexible welfare legislation to protect these workers.
DTI announces Work and Parents taskforce
The DTI has established a Work and Parents Taskforce chaired by Professor Sir George Bain to examine how flexible working practices can be introduced in a business-friendly way. The taskforce will develop legislation giving working parents of young children the legal right to request flexible hours and have their requests seriously considered by employers.
Minister welcomes New Deal figures
Minister Nick Brown welcomes New Deal figures showing 299,150 young people have moved off benefit into work, with long-term youth unemployment down 75% since 1997. The government plans to expand employer-focused initiatives to key economic sectors.
David Lammy appointed as PPS to Estelle Morris
David Lammy has been appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Estelle Morris, joining the Department for Education and Skills team. The Tottenham MP will support efforts to deliver higher education standards and increase diversity in schools, colleges, and universities.
Child benefit to be run by the Tax Man
The Inland Revenue will take over administration of Child Benefit from the dedicated centre in Washington, consolidating the service with the new tax credit for families launching in 2003. This change aims to streamline support for the 7 million families receiving Child Benefit by allowing them to access both benefits through a single department.
£1.8 million aid package for steelworkers
The UK government has awarded £1.8 million from the European Social Fund to help redundant Corus steelworkers find new employment through job advice, skills training, and retraining programmes. The funding, matched by government and Corus contributions, will support nearly 2,500 workers across England.
The value of ONE
Two Department for Work and Pensions reports examine employer attitudes toward recruiting benefit claimants and the impact of the ONE service on clients’ work-related behavior. Findings from 1,200 employer interviews and 106 client depth interviews show that employers recruit based on job suitability and skills, with 41% having hired from ONE-relevant groups in the past three years.
The ONE Service
ONE is an integrated benefit service combining the Employment Service, Benefits Agency, and Local Authorities to provide a single entry point for working-age claimants. Launched in 12 pilot areas from June 1999, it assigns Personal Advisers to offer work-focused support tailored to individual needs, with three delivery models being tested across Great Britain.
Minister McCartney: When I’m 64!
Pensions Minister Ian McCartney committed to tackling age discrimination and championing better services for over-50s, highlighting that older workers offer significant benefits including high retention rates, lower absenteeism, and strong productivity. He pledged to shift workplace culture to value experience and experience-based skills.
Diversity best practice? Ask the civil service!
The UK Civil Service leads other employers in diversity and equality practices, according to independent research showing staff perceptions of fairness and equal opportunities. The survey reveals the Civil Service scores above average on equality compared to public, private, and voluntary sector employers, though gaps remain in supporting alternative work patterns and underrepresented groups.
Morris: End the culture of leaving education at 16
Education and Skills Secretary Estelle Morris proposed a new award recognizing young people’s achievements by age 19, combining academic and vocational qualifications without requiring additional exams. The initiative aims to end the culture of leaving education at 16 and give equal value to non-academic learning pathways.
