A recent factsheet from personnel professionals’ body CIPD (but written by Acas) explains what mediation is, how it works and looks at factors to consider when implementing mediation in an organisation, www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/mediation.htm This is a summary of a more detailed guide, mentioned in earlier news item,  at http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1364

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18 November 2008
© VoluntaryNews

Significant job creation is being generated by the drive to harvest energy from the seas around Scotland. As developers get closer to producing commercial-scale power from waves and tidal currents, their efforts are already benefiting coastal communities in the Highlands and Islands. Orkney-based Scotrenewables has a 19-strong team involved in a range of renewables projects - including the development of a free-floating, twin-rotor tidal turbine for deployment in the waters around the islands. Marine renewables pioneer Barry Johnston, who created the company six years ago, is currently looking for two more people to join a team he describes as “young, talented and fizzing with ideas”. His company, now one of the biggest employers in Stromness, has attracted international investment for its tidal power project from French oil giant Total and shipping magnate Fred Olsen. Fred Olsen Renewables, one of a portfolio of international businesses owned by Mr Olsen’s Norwegian family, is offering backing worth £6.2 million. “It’s the biggest single investment ever made in a Scottish tidal energy company,” said Mr Johnston. “With this level of support, we are in a really strong position to make a success of our tidal energy device.” A fifth-scale version weighing two tonnes is under construction ready for testing this winter, with the first full-size prototype scheduled to undergo trials at the Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre in 2010. “The challenges are enormous,” he said. “We are developing complex technology for a hostile environment – but we are all determined to make it work.” One challenge has been less of a problem than he expected. “Based in a community some might regard as remote, I thought it might be difficult to attract staff. But the opposite is true and today, as well as employing 10 from Orkney itself, we have people from Germany, Ireland and France, as well as elsewhere in the UK.”

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12 November 2008
© HIE

Longer term unemployment among young and older workers is growing sharply, according to a detailed analysis unemployment figures today (Wednesday) by the TUC. The TUC analysis shows that it is increasingly difficult for the under 24s and over 50s to find work once they lose their jobs. Key findings include: The numbers of young people aged 18-24 unemployed for up to 6 months, and for 6-12 months, are rising more sharply than for the general population. There was a 12.8 per cent quarterly increase in the number of young people unemployed for up to 6 months (390,000 young workers), and a 6 per cent increase in the number of young people unemployed for 6-12 months (80,000 young workers). There are also signs of likely increases in long-term unemployment among older workers, with a quarterly increase of 29.7 per cent in the number of workers over 50 who are unemployed for 6-12 months. The biggest regional increase in unemployment is in Wales (1.7 per cent).
There has been a 22.6 per cent quarterly increase in redundancies, with 156,000 posts being made redundant during the quarter to September 2008. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘These are dire figures. High unemployment is going to be with us for some time now. It is not just an economic problem, but a social problem too. The rise in long-term youth unemployment is particularly worrying.

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11 November 2008
© TUC

The newly unemployed face a bigger cut in their living standards in this recession than those who lost their jobs under the previous government, the TUC says today (Wednesday) in a call to the Government to increase unemployment benefits in next week’s Pre-Budget Report. The TUC believes that increasing Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) would prevent hardship and provide an effective boost to the economy alongside tax cuts. JSA for a newly unemployed single person over 25 is just £60.50 a week. The gap between earnings and JSA has increased over the last 30 years because JSA has increased each year in line with price inflation, not earnings. This means that the newly unemployed will face a bigger drop in their income than in the recessions of the 1980s and 1990s. If JSA had been increased in line with earnings over the last thirty years, the rate for a single person over twenty-five would now be more than £100 a week. Increasing it in line with earnings since 1997 would give it a value of £75 a week - £15 more than its current level. This means that the gap between benefit and earnings has grown by 20 per cent since the Government came to power.

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11 November 2008
© TUC

A flagship employment scheme is facing a severe funding cut due to changes announced this week in the way the working neighbourhoods fund (WNF) is calculated. Brent was chosen as a beacon council for its pioneering approach to worklessness in the London borough via the Brentin2Work scheme, but the initiative could be in jeopardy if the shake-up goes ahead. DCLG this week said it planned to tighten up the third eligibility criteria for WNF to ensure it is targeted where it is needed most. The changes could also signal a shift in emphasis, from worklessness back to unemployment. WNF will now be based on new population data from the 2007 census, which is measured against the employment rate. Revised data will ensure the most up to date information is used and will widen the range of councils which now qualify.Those councils entitled to full funding will receive extra money and two councils currently receiving transitional funds – Enfield and Lewisham – will now receive full funding. However, two authorities – Brent and West Somerset – will no longer be eligible. Andy Donald, assistant director of regeneration at Brent Council, said: ‘Our ratio of employed people is now too high. We have deep concentrations of worklessness but we now just miss out on the fund. Our regeneration is predicated on employment. We spend £3-4m each year on employment.’ The changes will not affect funding for the 2008-9 period, but will come into force in 2009-10. Brent will see its WNF fall from £2.8m to £1.4m in 2009-10, while its third year funding – almost £3m – will be cut to just £500,000.

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6 November 2008
© NewStart

New research shows vocational qualifications are a route to higher wages. A radical new advisory service, which will combine skills and training advice with practical guidance for people on how to overcome the barriers they face in getting on in life, has been announced by Skills Secretary John Denham. For the first time, the adult advancement and careers service (aacs) will provide a one-stop-shop for those seeking training and help into work but who also face problems in areas like childcare, money matters, housing and disability issues.
 
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30 October 2008
© Learning and Skills Council

Today marks the end of Incapacity Benefit for new claimants and the era of writing people off and marks the dawn of a new benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, designed to give people the support they need to improve their health, their skills and look for work. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is tailor made for disabled people and people with ill-health and is part of the Government’s radical welfare reforms, which aim to get 1 million people off incapacity benefits by 2015. From today new claimants who cannot work due to ill-health or disability will be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Within weeks of making a claim, customers will have their capability assessed by an expert health professional through the new Work Capability Assessment. The new assessment is designed to look at what people can do rather than what they can’t - and will ensure that those who can work are given the help and support they need to get back to work and will make sure that no-one is written off and consigned to a life on benefits. People who are assessed as having the severest disabilities or health conditions will go into the ’support group’ and get more money - the poorest of receiving a minimum of £102.10 per week. Everyone else will go into the ‘work group.’ Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell said: “In the 1990s people were written off on Incapacity benefit with no help to overcome their problems or support to get them into work. It is even more important during an economic downturn that we increase support for people not take it away. The introduction of Employment and Support Allowance, which marks a significant landmark for the delivery of our welfare reforms, will offer the help and support disabled people and people with ill health are telling us they want in order for them to get back to work.” Employment and Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support on the grounds of incapacity for new claimants only. Incapacity Benefit and Income Support continue in payment for existing customers.

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27 October 2008
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)

The TUC has slammed Government proposals for workfare that force unemployed people to work on community service schemes in return for their benefits in its submission to the welfare reform Green Paper today (Wednesday). TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘Proposals that force unemployed people to work or lose their benefits are a mistake. There are already more than adequate sanctions to deal with benefit claimants who are cheating the system, and the majority of people on low incomes want decent work but are struggling, particularly in the current economic climate. People who lose their jobs need help in getting new skills and new paying jobs, not schemes that provide no pay, no prospects and no time to search for a new job. Workfare policies do nothing to benefit wider society. The economy needs more people in real jobs with real wages to spend, boosting the economy and creating more jobs. And workers in low paid jobs could well be replaced by workfare claimants leading them to lose their jobs in turn.’ The TUC also criticises Government plans to contract out Job Centre Plus services to the private and voluntary sectors.

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22 October 2008
© TUC

As the UK stands up to the challenges of the global economic climate James Purnell and John Denham have joined forces to announce a massive cash injection of £100m over the next three years to give much needed help to people who lose their jobs. The extra cash will be available for people who are currently facing redundancy and those looking for work to help them retrain and develop their skills so that they can quickly move back into sustainable employment, either in their existing sector or a brand new one. The additional money will come from the European Social Fund and funding from DIUS. This money will enable people to choose exactly what they need from a range of approved training providers. It’s about making sure everyone gets the personal support they need to give them that crucial edge in getting their next job. The money will be used to pay for anything from new skills or qualifications to get people ready for work, to on-the-job training in an entirely different field. The money will be carefully targeted to help, for example, people from sectors experiencing significant job losses and people who need support to move back to work.

 
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15 October 2008
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)

Three towns in rural Northumberland are to test innovative ways of helping people back into work and to start their own business - thanks to new funding from One North East via Northumberland Strategic Partnership. Wooler, Seahouses and Rothbury will try out practical solutions to challenges facing people in rural areas when it comes to finding jobs or changing to a different career, with help from the £600,000 investment.
 
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14 October 2008
© One Northeast