Manufacturers see 'healthy trade'
 More UK manufacturing companies are seeing a rise in output and orders than at any time in 11 years, according to the EEF manufacturing group. The balance of firms seeing a rise in orders and output for April, May and June of this year was +23%, with companies enjoying "healthy trading", the balance was at its highest level since 1996, the EEF said.
However, the group warned that the high value of the pound had become a concern for some companies. It said this was evident by the fact that the balance of export orders for the second quarter of this year had dropped from +16% to +10%. "Manufacturers are continuing to enjoy healthy trading conditions at home and abroad and this is being translated into better prospects for investment and employment," said EEF chief economist Steve Radley. "However, we may be seeing the first impact of the strength of the pound against the dollar and this is affecting expectations for the rest of the year." The EEF - which surveyed 900 companies - added that the manufacturing sector should continue expand both this year and in 2008.
Source BBC
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Cameron pledges to extend flexible working
 All parents will be given the right to request flexible working if the Conservatives are returned to power, David Cameron promised yesterday.
The Tory leader denied that flexible working was a "soft or fluffy issue" and urged bosses to place more emphasis on quality of life. His promise to extend the right to flexible working came as the Equal Opportunities Commission claimed that the UK was lagging behind its European competitors on this issue. It said too many employees were stuck in a culture of long hours and "presenteeism" - hanging around in the office but not doing much. Most people still had fixed hours of work despite the benefits reported by "trailblazing employers" who offered flexible working patterns. Only one in five firms allowed staff to work away from the office, half as many as in Germany, Sweden and Denmark, while flexi-time was available in 90 per cent of companies in some European countries compared to 48 per cent in the UK, the Commission said.
To read this article in full click here
Source: The Telegraph
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Encore Expands into Nottingham
 July sees the launch of recruitment specialist Encore Personnel’s Nottingham Branch.
The latest edition to the Encore family, the Nottingham branch will offer Industrial, Technical and Driving staffing solutions to businesses throughout the county. Encore employs over 1,200 temporary staff each week through its existing four locations and 12 divisions, adding Nottingham to the portfolio will continue to build on their reputation as one of the country’s leading recruitment consultants.
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100 Days of Change
 Gordon Brown plans to set a blistering pace of initiatives in his first 100 days despite his arrival in No 10 being overshadowed by the car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.
After months of political limbo during Tony Blair's farewell, Mr Brown wants to demonstrate that a "new" Government has set to work, addressing his key priorities of education, the health service and housing - as well as protecting the nation. His first 100 days will culminate with the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth at the end of September. By then he hopes to have shown the voters that there has been a "change" of Government with a series of initiatives intended to show he is full of ideas for the future read more
Source The Telegraph
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Majority of workers steal from employers
 Over 70 per cent of UK workers admit to stealing from their employer more than once, a new survey has found. Research by employment law consultancy Peninsula has discovered that, even though 81 per cent of those who have stolen believe that stealing is morally wrong, the problem is still commonplace.
The survey found that employees are prepared to steal anything from stationery items to computer programmes and equipment. Peninsula's managing director, Peter Done, warned that the problem of workplace theft is often underestimated. Commenting on the survey of 2,062 office workers, Mr Done said "We appear to be becoming a culture where it is deemed evermore acceptable and commonplace to steal from your employer." The managing director pointed out that success in stealing small items could tempt employees to attempt larger and more expensive items, which could prove costly for companies. "Workers need to realise that they simply cannot continually get away with stealing from their employer, it is an illegal act and criminal prosecutions can be brought against them for doing so" he insisted. Mr Done recommends that employers stress the consequences for stealing in employees' contracts.
Source HR Review
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FPB Employment Guide
 The FPB's Employment Guide gives you the help you need to implement the law in your workplace.
Produced in conjunction with the TUC, the Guide gives you all the information you need, from recruitment through to dismissal, to help you avoid industrial tribunals and unfair dismissal claims, and maintain positive workplace relations. FPB members can download a selection of templates from the acclaimed Guide free of charge, while associates and non-members can download the templates at £3.99 a time..read more
Source Employment Law Monitor
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TUC on extra annual leave announcement
Commenting on the announcement in June that the Government is to increase the UK's minimum annual leave entitlement, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said "This is another important milestone on the road to giving workers in the UK the same holiday rights as those enjoyed by their colleagues in the rest of Europe - a real victory for union campaigning. "While many will be disappointed that, as a result of employer lobbying, the extra leave will be phased in, the Government is still on course to meet its manifesto commitment."
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New EU states migration limit could be lifted
 Ministers are to consider lifting the restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians coming to work in Britain on the basis of evidence from the new "migration impacts forum", which started work in June.
Home Office ministers are also to ask the official advisory committee, which includes experts from local government, health, education, the police, unions and employers, to examine whether skill shortage lists should be drawn up on a regional basis and migrants encouraged to go to particular parts of the country..read more
Source The Guardian
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Under your skin
 Having a tattoo is no longer a great act of rebellion - so why can your employer still demand that you cover it up?
Eyndia Gopal has nine tattoos and one piercing. Three of his tattoos - two on his forearms and one on the back of his neck - are visible when he is dressed in his normal workday attire and his piercing, a nipple ring, can often be seen through his clothes. "I've got nine tattoos, including two on my forearms. They are what I would consider nice tattoos, including my mother's name in a nice font," he says. "I also have tattoos on my shoulders, one on the back of my leg and one on my bicep. They all mean something to me. It's a timeline of different things that have happened in my life, which is why I'm proud of them all. They are not mistakes I made when I was drunk". In the past Gopal, who works for the PR firm Eulogy!, had to ensure his tattoos were not on display at work. For employers, the question of control over employees' appearance is becoming more of an issue as body art becomes more mainstream, says Karen Black, head of employment at the law firm Boodle Hatfield. "This kind of thing isn't just for leather-clad bikers any more, so you are seeing it in workplaces much more frequently," she says. "Employers are facing a dilemma over what they should allow. They are free to impose dress codes or appearance policies, and limit personal expression on the job providing there is no infringement of civil liberty." …read more
Source The Guardian
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Fruit picker confronts Tesco over breadline pay
 A fruit-picker from South Africa condemned Tesco's labour practices in person at the company's AGM yesterday, claiming that workers such as herself were receiving "breadline" wages.
Gertruida Baartman attended the annual meeting of Britain's biggest retailer as a shareholder after the charity ActionAid bought her a single share and flew her to London. Ms Baartman, who is paid 38p an hour to pick apples, pears and peaches in Western Cape, protested about pay and conditions at the meeting last year. But she said yesterday that after speaking out then, she lost her job and was only re-hired after union intervention, despite assurances from Tesco that she would be protected from victimisation. At the Queen Elizabeth II centre in Westminster, she told investors: "It would take me four hours to earn enough money to buy a bag of Tesco pears that sell in the UK for £1.39 and I am not alone. Across the world many thousands of women and men work in similar conditions to me for breadline wages. Change only comes by speaking out against injustice." read more
Source The Independent
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Issue 39 - July 2007
Welcome to the July issue of Encore enews bringing together recent news items relating to the world of work – a magazine read by 5000 recruiters every single month!
This month’s Business Round-Up
Ideal Standard is to close its Excelsior sanitary ware factory in Stoke-on-Trent by the end of the year, but some of the 137 staff will transfer to sites in Middlewich and Rugeley. 20-Jul-2007 Ideal Standard, The Bathroom Works, National Avenue, Hull, HU5 4HS
Tel: 01482 346461
www.ideal-standard.co.uk
Interplan, the Leicester-based furniture manufacturer with 30 staff, has been bought out of administration by a new company called STCS Design for undisclosed terms. 19-Jul-2007 Interplan, 7 Craven Street, Leicester, LE1 4BX
Tel: 0116 2516969
www.interplan.co.uk
Syen is to expand the workforce at its Welshpool-based engineering services business from 14 to 50 over the next 18 months. 19-Jul-2007 Syen, Unit 9, Enterprise Park, Llanfyllin, Powys, SY22 5DD
Tel: 01691 649169
www.syen.co.uk
Leicestershire County Council is looking into the possibility of building two GBP 100m waste incinerators, but has not yet found any suitable sites. 19-Jul-2007 Leicestershire County Council, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA
Tel: 0116 2323232
www.leics.gov.uk
Premier Foods is looking to sell its RHM frozen foods business, including factories in Gillingham, Bexhill, Flint and Doncaster. 19-Jul-2007 Premier Foods, Premier House, Griffiths Way, St Albans, AL1 2RE
Tel: n/a
www.premierfoods.co.uk
Interplan, the Leicester-based furniture manufacturer with 30 staff, has been bought out of administration by a new company called STCS Design for undisclosed terms. 19-Jul-2007 Interplan, 7 Craven Street, Leicester, LE1 4BX
Tel: 0116 2516969
www.interplan.co.uk
Syen is to expand the workforce at its Welshpool-based engineering services business from 14 to 50 over the next 18 months. 19-Jul-2007 Syen, Unit 9, Enterprise Park, Llanfyllin, Powys, SY22 5DD
Tel: 01691 649169
www.syen.co.uk
Heinz is considering plans to sell its frozen desserts business, including 700 staff at sites in Okehampton and Leamington Spa. 19-Jul-2007 Heinz, Hayes Park, Hayes, Middlesex, UB4 8AL
Tel: n/a
www.heinz.co.uk
KL Automotive, the Ripley-based manufacturer of vehicle air conditioning systems, has been acquired by Tamworth-based Elite Automotive Systems for undisclosed terms. 19-Jul-2007 KL Automotive, Denby Works, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 8JH
Tel: n/a
www.klautomotive.co.uk
Wilkinson is planning to expand its chain of 280 hardware stores to 500 by 2012, including its first stores in Scotland. 16-Jul-2007 Wilkinson Hardware Stores, JK House, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 3YY
Tel: n/a
www.wilko.co.uk
Pork Farms is to close its Bowyers pork pie factory in Trowbridge by April 2008 with the loss of 400 jobs, in order to transfer production to Nottingham. 16-Jul-2007 Pork Farms, 55 Stallard St, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8HH
Tel: 01225 777367
Muller is to submit plans to expand its dairy operations in Market Drayton with new manufacturing, storage and distribution facilities, which could create up to 300 jobs. 16-Jul-2007 Muller, Shrewsbury Road, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 3SQ
Tel: 01630 692000
www.muller.co.uk
Tesco and Wincanton are planning to close their dry groceries distribution centre in Middleton in November with the loss of about 400 jobs, in order to transfer the work to Livingston and Lichfield. 13-Jul-2007 Tesco, New Tesco House, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9SL
Tel: 01992 632222
www.tesco.com
Calor is to close part of its gas distribution centre in Ellesmere Port this summer with the loss of 25 jobs, in order to transfer cylinder filling and customer service to other sites. 12-Jul-2007 Calor, Athena Drive, Techbrook Park, Wawrwick, CC34 6RL
Tel: 0800 626626
www.calor.co.uk
Twycross Zoo is seeking funding to build a GBP 10m 300-seater restaurant complex at its zoo near Atherstone. 11-Jul-2007 Twycross Zoo, Burton Road, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 3PX
Tel: 01827 880250
www.twycrosszoo.com
Aga has put its commercial foodservice division up for sale, with an estimated valuation of up to GBP 300m, in order to focus on the manufacture of equipment for consumers. 09-Jul-2007 Aga Foodservice, 4 Arleston Way, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4LH
Tel: 0121 7116000
www.agafoodservice.com
Greenvale has acquired Swancote Foods, the Telford-based potato processing company with 50 staff. 09-Jul-2007 Greenvale, Warrant Rd, Stoke Heath, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 2JJ
Tel: 01630 638584
www.greenvale.co.uk
Antalis is to acquire Map Merchant Group for GBP 258m, creating a combined paper merchant group with 8,400 staff in 44 countries. 09-Jul-2007 Antalis, Gateway Hse, Interlink Way West, Coalville, Leics, LE67 1LE
Tel: 01530 505099
www.antalis.co.uk
Jessops is to close 81 of its 315 photographic stores over the next few months, with the loss of 550 jobs. 22-Jun-2007 Jessops, Jessop House, Scudamore Road, Leicester, LE3 1TZ
Tel: n/a
www.jessops.com
Nottingham Forest has unveiled plans to build a 50,000-capacity football stadium near Clifton, as part of the redevelopment of a 300-acre site that would also include a hotel, leisure facilities, housing and industrial units. 21-Jun-2007 Nottingham Forest, The City Ground, Nottingham, NG2 5FJ
Tel: 0115 9824444
www.nottinghamforest.co.uk
Cadbury Schweppes is planning to close about ten unspecified factories worldwide by 2011, with the loss of 7,800 jobs, as part of a restructuring programme that will also involve the sale or demerger of its Schweppes drinks business. 20-Jun-2007 Cadbury Schweppes, 25 Berkeley Square, London, W1X 6HT
Tel: 020 74091313
www.cadburyschweppes.com
Veetee Rice is looking to expand the workforce at its factory in Strood from 200 to more than 400, if demand for its rice-based ready meals meets expectations. 19-Jun-2007 Veetee Rice, Neptune Close, Medway City Est, Rochester, Kent, ME2 4LT
Tel: 01634 290092
www.veetee.com
Wrekin Construction, the Shropshire-based building company with 600 staff and seven depots, has been acquired by London & Middle Eastern Group for undisclosed terms. 19-Jun-2007 Wrekin Construction, Lamledge Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire, TF11 8BE
Tel: 01952 468000
www.wrekin.co.uk
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