Britain closes on deal in EU talks over 48-hour week

Britain is set to secure a permanent opt-out from the European Union's mandatory 48-hour working week. As talks dragged on a deal was said to be in sight after years of deadlock on the EU working time directive, which sets down legal maximum employment hours and is being discussed in tandem with the EU's rules for agency employees... read more

Source The Times

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More safeguards needed in temp worker directive to protect jobs

The REC (Recruitment & Employment Confederation) has responded to this month’s agreement on the Agency Workers Agreement saying it marks a significant change for the UK temping industry.

Kevin Green, the REC's Chief Executive commented: “It’s all very well the CBI and TUC forming a deal on behalf of employers and workers but this directive will have the biggest impact on recruiters who will have to make it work for all in practice... read more

Source REC

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Make way for Norbert

The former Wincanton Argos Site in Telford, Shropshire is to be home to Norbert Dentressangle as a central operation for one of their most prestigious clients with a new contract beginning this month. Norbert Dentressangle have recently purchased well known logistics company Christian Salvesson.

Encore will be supplying the bulk of warehouse staff from the Industrial division in Telford. Encore has also selected shift supervisors for Norbert Dentressangle to interview through their Senior Appointments division headed up by Sarah Smith.

“Encore have responded very quickly to meet our requirements and have put forward a high calibre of candidates for the key roles in the new operation” said Paul Charlton, General Manager, Norbert Dentressangle Logistics UK... read more

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Operation Ajax sweeps up rogue gangmasters

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has launched an 18-month campaign to crackdown on worker abuse.

Operation Ajax will comprise 20 to 30 surprise raids on unscrupulous gangmasters across the UK... read more

Source The Recruiter

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"You're Hired" Lying on your CV's

Any avid viewer of the BBC’s Apprentice will know that the fourth series was recently won by Recruitment sales manager Lee McQueen, despite having been caught lying on his CV in an earlier episode.

The success of Mr McQueen may encourage other job seekers to embellish their CV’s in the hope of getting their dream job. Whilst “stretching the truth” is not uncommon applicant’s should realise that outright lying could leave them with the words “you’re fired” ringing in their ears... read more

Source Linex Legal

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Worker illness

Around 1.3m workers will suffer a hay fever hangover at work this summer, according to a new poll.

The poll, from online chemist Lloyds pharmacy, found that 1.3m workers will experience the symptoms of a hangover due to hay fever. The symptoms include: feeling sluggish, sleepy and experiencing headaches... read more

Source The Recruiter

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Football personalities

Are you the Patrick Vieira or the Cristiano Ronaldo of your office? This is the question posed by a new survey.

The survey, from office and secretarial recruiters Office Angels, found that 47% of respondents thought that they were good multi-taskers with great organisational skills, traits associated with Vieira... read more

Source The Recruiter

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Long-hours culture is returning, warns TUC

The harsh economic climate is forcing many more employees to work excessive hours, research for the Trades Union Congress revealed this month.

It found the number of people working over 48 hours a week increased by 180,000 in the first quarter of 2008. "This is due to the challenging economic climate, which has made employers more reluctant to recruit new staff and instead work existing employees harder," the TUC said... read more

Source The Guardian

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Workplace wellness: Healthy staff, healthy business

Ensuring your staff are healthy and well is key to employee morale and productivity, as well as helping to tackle absenteeism.

Read on to find out how to successfully implement workplace wellness strategies in your organisation... read more

Source HR Zone

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Issue 49 – June 2008

Welcome to the June 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

Freescale is considering plans to close its semiconductor factory in East Kilbride early next year with the loss of 800 jobs, having failed to find a buyer.

05-Jun-2008

Freescale Semiconductor, Colvilles Rd, East Kilbride, G75 0TG

Tel: 01296 380456

www.freescale.com

Siemens has sold Napier Turbochargers of Lincoln to Primary Capital for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 160 jobs.

06-Jun-2008

Siemens, Siemens House, Oldbury, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8FZ

Tel: 01344 396000

www.siemens.co.uk

Rolls-Royce is to invest a further £12m in the expansion of its Patchway factory near Bristol, in order to support the RB282 aircraft engine development programme.

06-Jun-2008

Rolls-Royce, 65 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AT

Tel: 020 72229020

www.rolls-royce.com

Leicester Engineering Services has gone into administrative receivership through Begbies Traynor, with the loss of 60 jobs at its Leicester-based automotive components factory.

05-Jun-2008

Leicester Engineering Services, Scudamore Road, Leicester, LE3 1UQ

Tel: n/a

www.leicesterengineering.co.uk

Sleepdown, the Manchester-based bedding supplier with 117 staff, has gone into administration through Ernst & Young.

05-Jun-2008

Sleepdown, Sleepdown Hs, Bower St, Newton Heath, Manchester, M40 2BH

Tel: n/a

www.sleepdown.co.uk

Princess Yachts International, the Plymouth-based boat builder with 1,900 staff, is to be acquired by Groupe Arnault of France for about £200m.

04-Jun-2008

Princess Yachts, Newport St, Plymouth, PL1 3QG

Tel: 01752 203888

www.princess-yachts.com

Ricoh is planning to expand its office equipment factory in Telford, with the creation of 200 jobs by August.

02-Jun-2008

Ricoh, Ricoh House, 1 Plane Tree Crescent, Feltham, Middx, TW13 7HG

Tel: 020 82614000

www.ricoh.co.uk

Lloyd Maunder is to create 100 production jobs at its meat processing factory in Mid Devon this summer.

03-Jun-2008

Lloyd Maunder, Willand, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 2PJ

Tel: 01884 820534

www.lloydmaunder.co.uk

Cranswick Convenience Foods is to shed 70 of the 400 jobs at its Brookfield Foods cooked meats factory on the Deeside Industrial Park in Flintshire in August.

04-Jun-2008

Cranswick, 74 Helsinki Road, Sutton Fields, Hull, HU7 0YW

Tel: 01482 372000

www.cranswick.co.uk

Associated British Foods is to merge its Ryvita crispbread business with W Jordan & Sons, the Bedfordshire-based cereals manufacturer with 350 staff, which should lead to savings in back-office costs.

03-Jun-2008

Associated British Foods, Weston, 10 Grosvenor St, London, W1K 4QY

Tel: n/a

www.abf.co.uk

Sunseeker International has won approval for the £8m expansion of its yacht building operation at Osprey Quay in Portland, which will create 350 jobs.

02-Jun-2008

Sunseeker International, 27-31 West Quay Rd, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HX

Tel: 01202 381111

www.sunseeker.com

Nissan has secured a £6.2m government grant to go towards a £55m investment in a new compact car that will be built at its Sunderland plant from 2010, securing the future of 1,200 jobs.

04-Jun-2008

Nissan, Washington Road, Sunderland, SR5 3NS

Tel: n/a

www.nissan.co.uk

Warburtons is to invest £45m in a new bakery at the Western Approach Distribution Park in Bristol, with the creation of 450 jobs.

30-May-2008

Warburtons, Hereford St, Bolton, BL1 8JB

Tel: n/a

www.warburtons.co.uk

Northern Foods is to invest £3m in new production machinery at its Fox's Biscuits factory at Kirkham in Lancashire, but there will be no change to the 500-strong workforce.

30-May-2008

Northern Foods, 2180 Century Way, Thorpe Park, Leeds, LS15 8ZB

Tel: 0113 3900110

www.northern-foods.co.uk

Arla Foods is to close its dairy and milk distribution centre in Wythenshawe by January 2009, with the loss of 300 jobs, in order to transfer production to sites in Ashby, Stourton and Hatfield Peverel.

27-May-2008

Arla Foods, 4 Savannah Way, Leeds Valley Park, Leeds, LS10 1AB

Tel: 0113 2440141

www.arlafoods.com

Johnson Matthey is to create 300 new jobs in Royston due to rising demand for vehicle emission control products, and recruitment will start later this year.

26-May-2008

Johnson Matthey, 2 Cockspur St, Trafalgar Square, London, SW1Y 5BQ

Tel: 020 72698400

www.matthey.com

Asda is considering plans to close its clothing distribution centre at Ince in Wigan in October, with the loss of up to 450 jobs.

29-May-2008

Asda, Asda House, Southbank, Great Wilson Street, Leeds, LS11 5AD

Tel: 0500 100055

www.asda.co.uk

Musgrave Retail Partners GB is to invest £33m in the expansion of the supply chain for its Budgens convenience stores franchise, including £10m at its Wellingborough depot and £5m at Andover.

27-May-2008

Musgrave GB, Widewater Place, Moorhall Rd, Harefield, Middx, UB9 6PE

Tel: 0870 0500158

www.musgrave.ie

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