Tag: workers

British Psychological Society launches homeworking guidance

In response to the huge change in working practices the British Psychological Society (BPS) has published guidance on how to create healthy sustainable homeworking conditions for both workers and their employers.

Working from home has become widespread since restrictions to control Covid-19 were introduced in the UK. This has meant a major shift for individuals and organisations.

The guidelines, ‘Working from home: Healthy sustainable working during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond’, outline the practical steps and considerations that can make homeworking a success and has advice for both workers and their employers.

Drawing on psychological expertise the guidelines advise workers to set appropriate boundaries between their work and personal life and encourage employers to recognise and address risks to physical and mental wellbeing involved in remote working. It also recommends that employers adopt a flexible approach because each individual’s situation will be different and may change rapidly without warning.

Professor Gail Kinman, joint author and member of the BPS Covid-19 Working Differently Group, said: “Working from home can work well, but under current conditions some people have struggled to adjust to new environments and working patterns.”

“Managing employees is different and what works in a traditional workplace may not apply when working remotely. It’s important to get the balance right when making arrangements that aim to meet everyone’s needs. Effective two-way communication is essential at every stage.”

“We hope our new guidance will help employers and employees work together to ensure successful and healthy homeworking.”

Working from home

 

Peoples Assembly Scotland: Zoom meeting tonight

Over the recent period the Peoples Assembly Scotland, along with trades unions and other progressive groups, have rightly focused on the absence of support  for NHS workers which, coupled with governments across this island’s unpreparedness, has worsened the extent of the Covid 19 crisis.
However they are not the only group of workers for whom the crisis is changing both the nature, and perhaps the future, of their industries.
At its most recent meeting it was agreed to sponsor a number of “public” meetings to hear from those in other sectors whose members are facing similar challenges but whose stories are rarely the focus of the main stream media.
The first of these addressing the plight facing those who work offshore will be TONIGHT (Tuesday 12th May) at 7pm, the invitation below will facilitate entry to the meeting.
We will be welcoming RMT officer Jake Molloy along with UNITE Regional Officer, John Boland, as Chair and Vice Chair of the Offshore Coordinating Group who will be talking about the crisis facing workers with thousand’s of job losses looming in the North Sea. 
Its a crisis not just for those directly employed in oil and gas but across the offshore sector, their supply chains including ferries. As it appears that the industry is heading into recession join the Peoples Assemblies meeting to hear those who represent those workers affected and how the unions must address not just their immediate concerns but the long term effects on our economy .
Attached is the most recent report of the Offshore Coordinating Group “Crisis behind the Crisis”.
Phil McGarry  (Chairperson) Keith Stoddart (Secretary), 
Peoples Assembly Scotland

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85108863460?pwd=SXlaVGx0cjYyVC83L2hrUzNFckZFQT09

Meeting ID: 851 0886 3460
Password: 562022

MAY DAY: Half of the world’s workers could see their livelihoods destroyed

“For millions of workers, no income means no food, no security and no future. Millions of businesses around the world are barely breathing. They have no savings or access to credit.”

The continued sharp decline in working hours globally due to the COVID-19 outbreak  means that 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy – that is nearly half of the global workforce – stand in immediate danger of having their livelihoods destroyed, warns the International Labour Organization.

According to the ILO Monitor third edition: COVID-19 and the world of work , the drop in working hours in the current (second) quarter of 2020 is expected to be significantly worse than previously estimated.

Compared to pre-crisis levels (Q4 2019), a 10.5 per cent deterioration is now expected, equivalent to 305 million full-time jobs (assuming a 48-hour working week). The previous estimate was for a 6.7 per cent drop, equivalent to 195 million full-time workers. This is due to the prolongation and extension of lockdown measures.

Regionally, the situation has worsened for all major regional groups. Estimates suggest a 12.4 per cent loss of working hours in Q2 for the Americas (compared to pre-crisis levels) and 11.8 per cent for Europe and Central Asia. The estimates for the rest of the regional groups follow closely and are all above 9.5 per cent.

Informal economy impact

As a result of the economic crisis created by the pandemic, almost 1.6 billion informal economy workers (representing the most vulnerable in the labour market), out of a worldwide total of two billion and a global workforce of 3.3 billion, have suffered massive damage to their capacity to earn a living. This is due to lockdown measures and/or because they work in the hardest-hit sectors.

The first month of the crisis is estimated to have resulted in a drop of 60 per cent in the income of informal workers globally. This translates into a drop of 81 per cent in Africa and the Americas, 21.6 per cent in Asia and the Pacific, and 70 per cent in Europe and Central Asia.

Without alternative income sources, these workers and their families will have no means to survive.

Enterprises at risk

The proportion of workers living in countries under recommended or required workplace closures has decreased from 81 to 68 per cent over the last two weeks. The decline from the previous estimate of 81 per cent in the second edition of the monitor  (published April 7) is primarily a result of changes in China; elsewhere workplace closure measures have increased.

Worldwide, more than 436 million enterprises face high risks of serious disruption. These enterprises are operating in the hardest-hit economic sectors, including some 232 million in wholesale and retail, 111 million in manufacturing, 51 million in accommodation and food services, and 42 million in real estate and other business activities.

Urgent policy measures needed

The ILO calls for urgent, targeted and flexible measures to support workers and businesses, particularly smaller enterprises, those in the informal economy and others who are vulnerable.

“For millions of workers, no income means no food, no security and no future. […] As the pandemic and the jobs crisis evolve, the need to protect the most vulnerable becomes even more urgent.”

Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General

Measures for economic reactivation should follow a job-rich approach, backed by stronger employment policies and institutions, better-resourced and comprehensive social protection systems. International co-ordination on stimulus packages and debt relief measures will also be critical to making recovery effective and sustainable. International labour standards, which already enjoy tripartite consensus, can provide a framework.

“As the pandemic and the jobs crisis evolve, the need to protect the most vulnerable becomes even more urgent,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.

“For millions of workers, no income means no food, no security and no future. Millions of businesses around the world are barely breathing. They have no savings or access to credit.

“These are the real faces of the world of work. If we don’t help them now, these enterprises will simply perish.”

STUC warns employers over contract and health and safety breaches

The STUC has issued a stark warning to employers following complaints from workers about companies keeping open for non-essential work and pressuring employees to present for work even while business was suspended.

It warned employers that they could find themselves in implied breach of contract and face future constructive dismissal claims if judged to be endangering workers. With Government advice making clear that only essential work should continue, the burden of proof would be on the employer to prove they had acted reasonably.

The STUC also said that employers have a statutory duty to risk assess for COVID-19, as it is a ‘substance hazardous to health’, and to put in place a safe system of work.

STUC General Secretary Designate, Rozanne Foyer said: “While many employers have acted swiftly and correctly too many have not. This has caused general confusion and real alarm. Union offices across Scotland have been inundated with calls from members. Meanwhile the STUC is fielding questions by the minute from worried workers.

“Our advice to workers is clear, contact your union for support, join a union and in the meantime contact the STUC for advice. Speak to other workers and make a joint demand of the employer to present clear justification of a decision to compel you to work.

“Contact your health and safety rep if available or otherwise insist on seeing the full risk assessment your employer is obliged to undertake.”

‘Don’t sack 12,000 Asda workers just before Christmas’

GMB, the union for Asda workers, has written to company bosses calling on them not to sack 12,000 workers just before Christmas.

In an open letter to senior vice president Hayley Tatum, GMB calls on the company to withdraw its threat to sack all workers who don’t sign the controversial Contract 6 on November 2.

Earlier this month Asda workers handed in a 23,000 strong petition opposing the contract to Asda HW during a mass protest in Leeds.

Hundreds of people from across the UK gathered in Leeds to voice their anger.

Asda workers have been told to sign the contracts – which will see them lose all their paid breaks and forced to work bank holidays – or be sacked on November 2 in the run up the Christmas.

Stand with Asda workers – sign our petition

Dr Who star Paul Mcgann, who also starred in cult hit Withnail and I and Aliens 3, and Rob Delaney, who appeared in Catastrophe and Deadpool 2, both lent their support to Asda workers.

Latest company accounts show directors trousered a whopping £12million last year – and profits rocketed more than £92 million – at the same time Asda slashed 5,000 jobs

Gary Carter, GMB National Officer, said: “If Asda is serious about not wanting to sack thousands its employees on the run up to Christmas, they need to withdraw the dismissal notices and sit down with GMB to resolve this dispute.

“Asda has served notice on up to 12,000 of its loyal employees – that can not be right.

“The onus is now on them to save people’s jobs with a better deal that their employees can sign up to.”

Every little helps? Asda urged to show respect to ‘dedicated staff’

Asda profits have rocketed more than £92 million with a healthy chunk paid to directors – but at the same time the supermarket giant is threatening staff with no sick pay and the sack if they don’t sign a controversial new contract. Continue reading Every little helps? Asda urged to show respect to ‘dedicated staff’

Rouse Ye Women! New Townsend Theatre production coming to North Edinburgh Arts

New Townsend Theatre production coming to North Edinburgh Arts

Townsend Theatre Productions is delighted to announce the world premiere of its new show “Rouse, Ye Women!” Continue reading Rouse Ye Women! New Townsend Theatre production coming to North Edinburgh Arts

Letter: A fair share for wealth creators

letter (2)

Dear Editor

Government money for investment is raised through taxes of all kinds on the people. Private investment comes from the rich and very well-off.

The biggest investment of all is the labour power supplied by working people every day of the working year, transforming money investments into products.

Both government and private investors, after costing materials and labour, keep the surplus – called ‘profit’.

Government profit should be ploughed back into society in the form of public services. Those who give their labour power – without which there would be no profit – do not receive any of those profits; they of course get wages of varying amounts for a year’s work … as opposed to the ‘efforts’ of the rich who in making one investment telephone call!

Private investors, as ever, look to maximise profit, keeping costs as low as possible, particularly wages and working conditions (zero hours contracts are the modern way): this is where trouble starts.

If wages are restricted by private industry or the government, the ability of the working people to buy what they have produced is cut. This eventually leads to private investors withdrawing and closing down companies – reducing further the ability of people to buy goods.

The situation is made worse if the government – like the present Tory/Lib Dem one – is dominated by and operates in favour of private investors, and not those who produce the wealth in the first place.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens