Prospect National Library of Scotland

News

Make poverty history
The MAKE POVERTY HISTORY rally in Edinburgh on 2 July may be over, but the main aims of the campaign carry on. Find out more on the main website.
Link to the main Make Poverty History website below.
www.makepovertyhistory.org



Part-timers undervalued ---

More than half the UK's part-time workers are in jobs that fail to capitalise on their qualifications, skills and previous management experience. Working part-time in low-paid jobs can 'scar' their income, earnings potential and promotion prospects for life while the economy loses essential skills, according to a new Equal Opportunities Commission report.
www.eoc.org.uk/cseng/news/14_feb_flexwork.asp





NLS has been a Branch of Prospect in its own right (as opposed to a section of Scottish Branch)since 2003. Copies of the Branch rules and the names of office bearers and Branch Executive Committee members are available on the Members' Only pages.

Nationally, 1 in 5 Prospect members say they do not have sufficient training and development opportunities at work. At NLS this was 40% of respondents in the recent survey. Other results from NLS are available on the Members'Only Pages.




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The group also welcomes corresponding members who receive papers and join in discussions electronically.
For more information contact:
Suzanne Burge, Group Chair, Library and Information Service, Ombudsman's Office, 15th Floor, Millbank Tower, London, SW1P 4OP. Tel: 020-7217-4102. e-mail Suzanne [email protected]













NEWS FROM THE TUC:

Union Learning Representatives are playing an increasingly important role in delivering Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) services in the workplace by signposting employees to the most appropriate learning opportunity for them.

Good quality IAG is absolutely central to the development of trade union workplace learning projects and that is why so many of them are aiming to achieve the matrix Quality Standard for IAG.

The dozen case studies in the report - Right Directions - benefited from the help of TUC Learning Services through its national IAG project, which receives funding from the Learning and Skills Council.

A full copy of the report is available at:

http://www.learningservices.org.uk/extras/publications/RIGHT-DIR.pdf

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The TUC welcomed new laws which give greater protection from October 1, 2002 to temporary workers on fixed contracts, but still urges the government to come to the aid of agency workers, who are still in need of better rights at work.
The European Directive on Fixed Term Work has passed into UK law; now employees on fixed term contracts have the right to be treated the same as their permanent colleagues, to be paid the same and have the same access to company pensions schemes.

The Directive also makes it much more difficult for employers to continue offering people a succession of fixed term contracts, instead of giving them permanent contracts.

But the TUC is concerned that agency workers remain without proper protection at work, especially as the employer lobby is currently trying hard to get the Agency Workers Directive, under discussion at the moment in Europe, significantly watered down.

Commenting on the new rights for temporary workers, the then TUC General Secretary, John Monks said: 'The new laws are welcome, sensible and fair, giving temporary workers improved job security. They will make temporary work a much more attractive option for a wider range of workers, and provide employers with improved flexibility.

'But unions are concerned about the continued exclusion of agency workers. Some employers, keen to get around the new fixed term laws, are dismissing permanent and temporary staff and replacing them with agency workers. These workers have less employment protection, no access to unfair dismissal protection and no redundancy rights. Unless new protection for agency workers is introduced soon, more and more employers will plump for agency workers as a way of getting jobs done on the cheap.'

The EU Directive on Fixed Term Work originated through negotiations between the social partners in Europe. The Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 gives effect to the Directive in UK law."

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