January 2000. The government also says that social security tax
breaks will be provided to companies that reduce their work week.
* French employers swiftly have made their opposition to the
new measures known. The president of the French Employers
Confederation (CNPF) has resigned, saying that his post should be
taken over by a "combative" president. French media say that
there are risks that the new measures will be used by employers
to apply job flexibility and intensify the work routine, in an
attempt to claw back the cost to them of the reduction in the
working week.
The French measures however have already had an impact on
the labour movement internationally, giving rise to renewed
demands for cutting hours in a number of countries, particularly
in Italy.
COMMISSIONERS NOT APPOINTED UNTIL NEXT YEAR
* The Minister of Employment, Peter McCardle has confirmed to
The Jobs Letter that the new Employment Commissioners will not be
appointed this year. It will now be early 1998 before the network
of up to 19 Regional Commissioners is in place, and the transfer
of authority on employment and training initiatives to the
regions becomes a reality. The Commissioners will head up the
"one-stop" regional employment shops that seek to integrate the
different services dealing with job seekers (NZES, CEG and parts
of ETSA and Income Support).
* The official reason for the delay: "sorting through the
details of integrating the various services links closely with
the structural and management options of the Commissioners and
hence their finalisation has to be completed together."
Has the process been mired in departmental "patch-protection" ?
McCardle: "No, not at all. There are many models and options
being considered and it's about ensuring the best options are
chosen to deliver the outcomes. This involves detailed and
thorough consideration because this is a huge reform ..."
* The Minister has scotched rumours that the process of
"shoulder-tapping" has started for the Commissioners,. McCardle:
"Any rumours of shoulder-tapping are completely incorrect. The
positions will all be advertised widely, and I am adamant that we
get the best professionals for the job..."
What sort of people is McCardle looking for? He says he is not
making any judgements as to whether the people will come from
within current government bureaucracies, or from outside. The
skills needed: good community connections and networks; a
thorough knowledge of local labour market and economic
conditions; experience in managing substantial budgets; a proven
ability to manage staff functions, and to deliver on outcomes.
Look for advertisements for the Commissioner positions in the new
year.
* What will happen to the Local Employment Co-ordination
Groups (LECs) under the new regime. The Minister told The Jobs
Letter that it cannot be assumed that the LECs will automatically
be subsumed into the new structure.
McCardle: "These groups have a part to play in the transition to
the new Regional Committees. The rationale for setting up the
LECs in the first place was to get a greater level of
co-ordination amongst government agencies, and they were proposed
by the Employment Taskforce. The responsibilities of the
Regional Employment Committees will be much greater... they will
have a wider brief in terms of looking at the overall strategic
direction of employment- related activities and advising
Commissioners on the best use of their devolved resources..."
HIGHER TAXES LIMIT JOB CREATION
* A paper prepared for the Inland Revenue Department
shows that increasing levels of taxation adversely effects job
growth and raises the unemployment rate. The paper is part of a
series commissioned by the IRD to improve its understanding of
the effects of the tax system on taxpayers and the economy.
"Taxation and Employment in NZ" was written by University of
Texas professor Gerald Scully.
The paper shows some interesting figures: according to Scully, a
1% tax increase has the effect of cutting labour force
participation by 0.43% or 11,900 potential workers. He calculates
that the loss of these workers translates into a loss of $639.8m
in output, and $219m in taxes. The same 1% increase in tax lowers
employment growth by 2.6% or over 42,000 workers, and increases
the unemployment rate by 8.7% or about 15,900 people.
THE VALUE OF UNPAID WORK
* The government is to launch a national survey assessing the
contribution to the economy of unpaid work. Over $2m will be
spent over the next three years which will look at unpaid work,
including childcare, care for the elderly, household work and
voluntary community work. The idea for such a survey has long
been advocated by economic writers such as Marilyn Waring, whose
book Counting for Nothing criticises the 'unseen' nature of the
economic contribution of women.
A similar survey has just been completed by Britain's National
Statistics Office. The Office found that men and women spend
about 1½ times more of their day in unpaid work than paid work,
and that women carry out about 1½ times more unpaid work than
men.
The Statistics Office: " Everytime a person digs the garden or
goes to the supermarket or does the washing up, this is work,
just as surely as agricultural labouring, serving hamburgers or
working in a hotel. The difference is that people are not paid
for the first three ..."
The survey found that the "household sector" is bigger than any
industry in economic terms. If it were given a monetary value it
would be worth up to 120% of the gross national product.
RESTORING ECONOMICS TO ITS PLACE
Voice : "We need to dispense with economics and accountancy, or
rather restore them to their rightful place in the hierarchy of
organised thought which is for us, as it was for Aristotle, below
poetry, good conduct, politics and the management of the
household ..." -- from " Frozen Desire: An Enquiry into the
Meaning of Money" by James Buchan (Financial Times)
BEHAVIOUR-BASED JOB INTERVIEWING
* Trend. "Behaviour-based Interviews" are the latest job
interview technique being used by companies which are unsatisfied
with traditional methods. Job seekers are asked to talk in detail
about their work experience. "And talk. And talk," says Steven
Ginsberg of the Washington Post. "Gone are the days of simple,
rote answers and short confirmations of what's on the resume..."
Ginsberg says that attention in interviews is shifting away from
CV's or resumes. Behavior-based interviews try to elicit
examples of skills that are pertinent to openings. The candidates
are then asked to relate specific situations from their past work
experience. The theory is that when people give real examples,
the employer learns more about what the candidate is really
capable of doing.
For a job requiring a great deal of leadership, for example,
companies will ask candidates to talk about a time when they were
required to lead, and explain the results. Aside from providing a
telling self-portrait, the tactic can bring up questions or
points the interviewer would not have otherwise considered.
SURVIVING THE JOB INTERVIEW
* In "111 Dynamite Ways to Ace Your Job Interview," author
Richard Fein offers a couple of questions that might be asked in
a "behavior-based" interview: "Tell me about a time when you were
criticized. What was the issue involved, who made the criticism
and how did you handle it?" and "Tell me about a time when you
were under enormous pressure. What was the source of the pressure
and what did you do?"
Fein offers advice to a job candidate: "In examples such as
these, it is important to not blame the person or situation.
Criticism and pressure are inherent parts of the workplace and
the company you're interviewing with should understand that. The
best answer acknowledges these factors and shows that you learned
from the experience..."
* "A job interview is really a business meeting between two
equals." -- Richard Fein
M E E T I N G S
--------------------
SOCIAL CAPITAL 1-DAY WELLINGTON
* Wellington Nov one-day Conference. "Social Capital and
Strong Communities" is to be on Friday 14th November 10-4pm,
organised by the Capital City Forum. This conference will explore
the concept of social capital and examine the implications for
civic groups and voluntary agencies. The seminar is backed by the
public questions/social justice offices of the Anglican,
Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. It will be chaired
by Professor Jonathon Boston, of the Public Policy Department,
Victoria University. Costs $5-$15. Enquires to Capital City
Forum, P.O.Box 1937, Wellington.
JOHN PEARCE IN AUCKLAND
* Auckland Nov one-day conference. "Community Enterprise in
the UK and Europe" and "An Introduction to Social Auditing" are
the themes of a seminar to be given by internationally renowned
economic development worker John Pearce, at the People's Centre,
Auckland, Monday 17 November 1997, 9:30-3pm.
Pearce has been working in the field of Community Enterprise
since 1965, in the UK and overseas. He has developed a social
auditing methodology for community and co-operative enterprises
which has been used widely by local economic development
practitioners. This seminar is being run by COMMACT Aotearoa, a
local chapter of a Commonwealth-wide NGO working for local action
on economic development. Costs $15 (registration essential).
Enquiries to Box 423, Auckland or Sue and Bill Bradford
09-302-2496.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CONFERENCE
* Auckland Feb 98 four-day Conference. "Social
Responsibility: Whose Agenda? Choices for the Future" 12-15
February 1998 at Massey University, Albany. This is billed as a
follow-up conference to the popular and controversial "Beyond
Poverty" convened by the loose network of Auckland academics,
church and community activists at Massey Albany earlier this
year. The same group are planning this time to focus on the
issues of work, welfare and the role of "civil society".
They will look at the government's proposed Code of Social
Responsibility and related issues of workfare and welfare reform,
housing, health, unemployment and poverty in NZ. They expect to
provoke a high level of debate from both academic and
practitioner perspectives. Costs are on a sliding scale from $20
(unwaged/low income) to $130 (govt depts, private sector).
Enquiries: Social Responsibility Conference, P.O.Box 3813,
Auckland, or email at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
* Look for: A major conference from this same group on
"getting Employment back on the agenda"... probably also in
Auckland in August next year.
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME
* Wellington March 98 Conference. "Beyond Despondency -- The
UBI Alternative to the Welfare Meltdown" in Wellington, late
March 1998. This will be the second national conference on the
Universal Basic Income (UBI) ".an unconditional cash payment to
individuals sufficient to meet basic needs."
The conference will focus on the implementation of a Basic
Income for all citizens in New Zealand, and how the UBI concept
will encourage economic participation and be socially
sustainable. Expect also: debates about the future of welfare in
NZ; the coincident rise of over-employment and under-employment;
and the merits of targeting versus universality, rights and
responsibilities, higher versus lower taxes. Offers of papers and
workshops are being sought from community workers, researchers
and analysts. Contact: the Conference Organisers, UBINZ, c/-
Private Bag 11 042, Palmerston North, fax 06 350 6319, by 15
December 1997.
C R E D I T S
-------------------
Editor -- Vivian Hutchinson
Associates -- Ian Ritchie, Dave Owens and Jo Howard
ISSN No. 1172-6695
S U B S C R I P T I O N S
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