By permission to Futurework - see subscription info at the end >Comments: Authenticated sender is <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "vivian Hutchinson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "The Jobs Letter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "The Jobs Letter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "The Jobs Letter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 11:15:37 +0000 >X-Distribution: Moderate >MIME-Version: 1.0 >Subject: The Jobs Letter No 97 (26 March 1999) >Reply-to: "The Jobs Letter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Priority: normal > >T H E J O B S L E T T E R 0 9 7 >------------------------------------- >a subscriber-based letter >published in New Zealand 26 March 1999 > >edited by Vivian Hutchinson for the Jobs Research Trust >P.O.Box 428, New Plymouth, New Zealand >phone 06-753-4434 fax 06-759-4648 >Internet address -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >T H E J O B S L E T T E R >an essential information and media watch >on jobs, employment, unemployment, the future of work, >and related economic and education issues. > >Kia taea ai te tangata te whiwhi mahi >ahakoa ki whea, ahakoa ko wai. >Our objective is that every New Zealander will have the >opportunity to be in paid work. > >The Jobs Research Trust -- a not-for-profit Charitable Trust >constituted in 1994 to develop and distribute information that will >help our communities create more jobs and reduce unemployment and >poverty in New Zealand. > >OSCAR'S EXIT >* The surprise resignation of the German finance minister, >Oscar Lafontaine, has been greeted with some relief by financial >markets in the European Union. In his drive for tax and economic >reforms, the socialist Lafontaine often argued with the German >Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (leader of the "red/green" German >coalition government). Lafontaine's rebellious reputation was starting >to effect the credibility of the new euro currency - which had fallen >steadily while he was in power, and rose sharply as soon as he >resigned. > >Dubbed "the most dangerous man in Europe" by Rupert >Murdoch's British newspapers, and "Red Oskar" by his critics in >Germany, Lafontaine was considered by many as one of the most >gifted politicians of his generation. The Guardian last week said that >he was perhaps the only leader left in Europe who was committed to and >capable of restoring a Keynesian economic framework with its emphasis >on cutting unemployment. The challenge for the six-month old German >government now is to forge new economic policies in the face of a >continuing rise in joblessness. > >JOBS THROUGH CUTTING WORK TIME -- FRANCE >* France's electricity and gas utilities will introduce a 35-hour >week under a new agreement with unions in the sector. At the same >time, the utilities have committed themselves to take on an extra >20,000 young workers over the next three years. (Since about 15,000 of >the French utilities 142,000 employees are due to retire during the >next three years, the new agreement means a net gain of around 5,000 >jobs.) > >The strong emphasis in the agreement on shorter hours is due >to the bargaining policies of the local unions, who have been calling >for employers to reduce work times while simultaneously boosting >employment. > >Even more cuts in working hours are on the cards, as the new >agreement also provides for voluntary moves to a 32-hour, four-day >week. It is up to each work unit to decide whether they want this and, >if so, how they will put it into practice. > >Those who opt for the 32-hour week will receive 97% of full pay >(with 99% for the lower-wage workers). The new measures are to be >financed partly from union's resources, partly through state schemes >and partly through restraint in wage increases. > >The local union FCE-CFDT is arguing strongly in favour of the >32-hour option: "This is because the employment effects are greater. >It is an opportunity for everyone to organise their work on the basis >of a four-day week. A 32-hour week is also the best route to an >innovative work organisation that reconciles individual aspirations >with the requirements of public service, in the context of the opening >up to competition ..." > > >V O I C E S >--------------- >C R E D I T S >------------------- > >Editor -- Vivian Hutchinson >Associates - Rodger Smith, Dave Owens and Jo Howard >Secretary - Shirley Vickery > >ISSN No. 1172-6695 > >S U B S C R I P T I O N S >---------------------------------- >(annual, for 22 letters ... prices include GST) > >(a) posted, paper edition (4-6 pages) $79 >this sub also includes a free email edition on request > >(b) emailed MS-Word edition $66 >formatted for onscreen reading or printing, >with hypertext links > >(c) emailed edition, raw text only $55 > >Bulk rates for all editions are available, contact us for details. > >An e-mail version of this letter is available to international >friends and colleagues on an "exchange of information" basis >and on the understanding that the Letter is not re-posted >to New Zealand... this is because we need the paid >subscriptions from our New Zealand colleagues >in order to pay our way. >Thanks. > >Subscription Enquiries -- >Jobs Research Trust, P.O.Box 428, >New Plymouth, New Zealand >phone 06-753-4434 fax 06-759-4648 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >J O B S R E S E A R C H W E B S I T E >---------------------------------- > >We also maintain an internet website with >our back issues and key papers, >and hotlinks to other internet resources. >This can be visited at > > http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/ > >Our website resources are available freely to anyone >with access to the internet. >The most recent three months of Jobs Letter issues, >however, will only be available to subscribers. > > >M I S C E L L A N E O U S >-------------------------- >This is a subscriber-based publication -- >... which is how we pay our bills and keep going. > >If you are receiving this letter on a regular basis >please subscribe. > >A Word on Spreading the Word -- > >We'd like you to let others know about the Jobs Letter >and the work of the Jobs Research Trust. >A personal note to friends and colleagues is the best. > >If you decide to post this entire Letter to a mailing list, >newsgroup, message forum, computer conference etc., >please reference it as a personal recommendation. >And thanks for your help with networking! > >Thanks. > >ends >------ > >The Jobs Letter >essential information on an essential issue >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >phone 06-753-4434 fax 06-759-4648 >P.O.Box 428 >New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand > >visit The Jobs Research Website at >http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/ >
