Friday, April 29, 2005

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[IWS] Hearing: PRESERVING RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS, EMPLOYEE CHALLENGES [28 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Committee on Education and the Workforce
Hearings
Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations
Hearing on
"Challenges to Employee Efforts to Preserve Retiree Health Care Benefits"
April 28, 2005
http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/109th/eer/health042805/wl042805.htm


WITNESS LIST
Witnesses testify before the Subcommittee

The Honorable Leslie Silverman, Esq.
http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/109th/eer/health042805/silverman.htm
Commissioner
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Washington, DC

Douglas Greenfield, Esq.
http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/109th/eer/health042805/greenfield.htm
Attorney
Bredhoff & Kaiser, P.L.L.C.
Washington, DC
Testifying on behalf of the National Education Association

Mr. Fred Dochat
http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/109th/eer/health042805/dochat.htm
Member
AARP
Lancaster, PA

Steven Spencer, Esq. (pdf)
http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/109th/eer/health042805/spencer.pdf
Partner
Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius, LLP
Philadelphia, PA
Testifying on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] BEA: PERSONAL INCOME AND OUTLAYS: MARCH 2005 [29 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

PERSONAL INCOME AND OUTLAYS: MARCH 2005 [29 April 2005]
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/pi0305.htm
or
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/pi0305.pdf
[full-text, 12 pages]
or
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/pi0305.xls
[spreadsheet]
and
Highlights
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/pi0305_fax.pdf


Personal income increased $48.0 billion, or 0.5 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI)
increased $41.9 billion, or 0.5 percent, in March, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $51.1 billion, or 0.6 percent.  In February, personal
income increased $41.4 billion, or 0.4 percent, DPI increased $35.5 billion, or 0.4 percent, and PCE
increased $57.3 billion, or 0.7 percent, based on revised estimates.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....


_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] BLS: EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX-MARCH 2005 [29 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX-MARCH 2005 [29 April 2005]
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/eci.nr0.htm
or
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/eci.pdf
[full-text, 18 pages]
and
Supplemental Files Table of Contents
http://www.bls.gov/web/eci.supp.toc.htm

    Total compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.7 percent
 from December 2004 to March 2005, seasonally adjusted, virtually unchanged
 from the 0.8 percent gain from September to December 2004, the Bureau of
 Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  Benefit
 costs rose 1.2 percent, outpacing the gain for wages and salaries of 0.6
 percent.  The Employment Cost Index (ECI), a component of the National
 Compensation Survey, measures quarterly changes in compensation costs,
 which include wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits
 for civilian workers (nonfarm private and State and local government).

     Rises in benefit costs accounted for nearly 60 percent of the increase
 in compensation costs for civilian workers from December 2004 to March
 2005.  Among private industry workers, benefit costs contributed
 approximately 60 percent of compensation gains during the quarter, with
 health insurance costs and nonproduction bonuses accounting for nearly one-
 third of the gain in compensation costs.  Among State and local government
 workers, benefit costs comprised a little over half of compensation cost
 gains during the December to March period, with health insurance costs
 accounting for one-fourth of the gain in compensation costs.


AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES...

_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


Thursday, April 28, 2005

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[IWS] CANADA: THE PAINS OF PRIVATIZATION: How Contracting Out Hurts Health Support Workers, Their Families, and Health Care [26 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)

The Pains of Privatization
How Contracting Out Hurts Health Support Workers, Their Families, and Health Care
by Jane Stinson, Nancy Pollak & Marcy Cohen
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/index.cfm?act=news&do=Article&call=1088&pA=BB736455&type=5
or
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/documents/BC_Office_Pubs/bc_2005/pains_privatization.pdf
[full-text, 53 pages]

SUMMARY
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/documents/BC_Office_Pubs/bc_2005/pains_priv_summary.pdf
[full-text, 5 pages]

Appendix 2
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/documents/BC_Office_Pubs/bc_2005/pains_priv_app2.pdf
[full-text, 13 pages]

[excerpt]
This study investigates the experiences of 24 of these workers using qualitative, interview-based methods.
The workers are employed in housekeeping and food service jobs in the Greater Vancouver area and
represent the demographics of the workforce.

This study raises pointed questions about privatization: What does a society give up ­ and take on ­
when cleaning, laundry, food, and security services in health care facilities are outsourced to transnational
corporations? What are the implications for the individual workers and their families? Are there
hidden costs for patients, workers, and communities? If so, what are these costs, and where and how
are they likely to surface?

The study concludes that conditions of work for these privatized workers are unacceptably harsh. In
most cases, income from the job leaves families living below the poverty line. Contracting out not only
endangers the health of these workers, but the well-being of their families and the patients they serve.

Press Release 26 April 2005
Wage cuts and contracting out of health support jobs harming workers and health care system: reports
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/index.cfm?act=news&call=1087&pa=BB736455&do=Article

[excerpt]
The Pains of Privatization: How Contracting Out Hurts Health Support Workers, their Families, and Health Care, by Jane Stinson, Nancy Pollak and Marcy Cohen, follows up on the contracting out of approximately 8,500 health support jobs and the resulting pay cut of more than 40%. It used in-depth interviews with 24 workers (cleaning and food preparation staff) now employed by private firms but working in public hospitals and long-term care facilities.

This study finds their working conditions to be unacceptably harsh and sub-standard in all respects: low pay, meagre benefits, heavy workloads, poor training, and no job security. Among the key findings:

   * A privatized health support job in BC is virtually synonymous with poverty. More than three-quarters of those surveyed and all those with children have incomes below Statistics Canadas Low Income Cut-Off.
   * Most of the people in this sample are immigrant women, the majority of whom (71%) have post-secondary educational credentials that would qualify them for better-paying jobs if not for the barriers that limit opportunities for internationally-trained professionals.
   * Over 40% have at least one other job to help make ends meet.
   * Understaffing, poor supervision and management policies result in nearly all participants describing their workload as hectic, exhausting and stressful. They often feel too rushed to work safely. Over four-fifths of participants report that their physical health is negatively affected by the job.
   * Quality of care is being compromised. Participants in the study detail examples of inadequate training and supervision, and improper cleaning (including of rooms with antibiotic-resistant infections). Participants report that excessive workloads have eliminated time for contact with patients/residents, and in some facilities, the company prohibits talking with patients.

Good quality care depends on a well-trained and well-supported staff,says Marcy Cohen. Contracting-out is jeopardizing the health and well-being of workers, their families, and patients and residents in BC facilities.

Wage cuts and contracting out impact a group of peoplemainly womenwho are already economically vulnerable,says Marc Lee. Why do we require these workers to support families on less than $16 an hour, when the government itself admits that a higher wage is needed to provide a decent income in BC?

_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] BEA: GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: FIRST QUARTER 2005 (ADVANCE) [28 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________


GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT:  FIRST QUARTER 2005 (ADVANCE) [28 April 2005]
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/gdpnewsrelease.htm
or
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/gdp105a.pdf
[full-text, 13 pages]
or
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/gdp105a.xls
[spreadsheet]
and
Highlights
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/gdp105a_fax.pdf

Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property
located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2005,
according to advance estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  In the fourth quarter, real
GDP increased 3.8 percent.

    The Bureau emphasized that the first-quarter "advance" estimates are based on source data that are
incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency (see the box on page 3).  The first-quarter
"preliminary" estimates, based on more comprehensive data, will be released on May 26, 2005.

    The major contributors to the increase in real GDP in the first quarter were personal consumption
expenditures (PCE), private inventory investment, exports, equipment and software, and residential
fixed investment.  Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.

    The deceleration in real GDP growth in the first quarter primarily reflected a deceleration in
equipment and software, an acceleration in imports, and a deceleration in PCE that were partly offset by
accelerations in private inventory investment and in exports.

    Final sales of computers contributed 0.56 percentage point to the first-quarter change in real GDP,
the same contribution as to the fourth-quarter change.  Motor vehicle output contributed 0.17 percentage
point to the first-quarter change in real GDP after contributing 0.86 percentage point to the fourth-
quarter change.

    The price index for gross domestic purchases, which measures prices paid by U.S. residents,
increased 3.0 percent in the first quarter, compared with an increase of 2.9 percent in the fourth.
Excluding food and energy prices, the price index for gross domestic purchases increased 3.1 percent in
the first quarter, compared with an increase of 2.0 percent in the fourth.  About 0.2 percentage point of
the first-quarter increase in the index was accounted for by the pay raise for federal civilian and military
personnel, which is treated as an increase in the price index of employee services purchased by the
federal government.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....


_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] ECJ: GERMANY FAILS EU RACE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW [28 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Court of Justice (ECJ)

Germany has failed to implement EU race anti-discrimination law [28 April 2005]
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/news/2005/apr/courtruling_en.html
or
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/502&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Brussels 29/04/2005. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) today ruled that Germany had breached EU law by failing to transpose fully a European Directive prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic origin (Directive 2000/43/EC). The deadline for EU Member States to transpose this Directive was 19 July 2003 except for the 10 new Member States, who had to ensure that their legislation complied with the Directives by their accession to the EU on 1 May 2004.

Commenting on the ECJ ruling, European Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Commissioner, Vladimir Spidla, said: "This Directive was agreed unanimously by the Member States and adopted in 2000. Member States have now had five years to put this EU law into their national legislation. I urge Germany to move quickly to meet their obligations in this area, which is vital for the protection of fundamental rights in the EU".

The 'Racial Equality Directive' prohibits direct and indirect discrimination in a wide range of areas including employment, vocational training, education, social security and healthcare, access to goods and services and housing. It also requires Member States to designate a body to promote equal treatment and provide practical and independent support to victims of racial discrimination.

Draft legislation to implement the Directive is being discussed by the German Parliament, but has not yet been adopted.

See also--

http://www.stop-discrimination.info/index.php?english

http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/fundamental_rights/index_en.htm
_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


Wednesday, April 27, 2005

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[IWS] Census: STATE GOVERNMENT TAX COLLECTIONS 2004 [27 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

2004 State Government Tax Collections [27 April 2005]
http://www.census.gov/govs/www/statetax.html

The State Government Tax Collections (STC) report provides a summary of taxes collected by state for up to 25 tax categories.  These tables and data files present the details on tax collections by type of tax imposed and collected by state governments.


See Press Release [27 April 2005]
State Government Tax Collections Up 8.1 Percent in 2004;
All 50 States Show Increases From 2003
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/economic_surveys/004738.html

     Tax collections by state governments grew 8.1 percent, to $593 billion, in fiscal year 2004 a $44 billion increase from 2003, the U.S. Census Bureau said today. All 50 states experienced an increase.

     According to data from the <http://www.census.gov/govs/www/statetax.html>2004 Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections, general sales taxes were up 7.5 percent to $198 billion, and taxes on individual income were up 8.5 percent to $197 billion. These taxes made up more than two-thirds of all state tax collections.

     Among other major taxes, documentary and stock transfer taxes increased 26 percent, followed by severance taxes (18 percent) and occupational and business license taxes (16 percent).

     Nationally, per capita taxes collected by states averaged $2,024. Among individual states, per capita taxes were highest in Hawaii, $3,048; Wyoming, $2,968; Connecticut, $2,937; Minnesota, $2,889; and Delaware, $2,862. The lowest per capita tax collections were in Texas, $1,367; South Dakota, $1,378; Colorado, $1,533; New Hampshire, $1,543; and Alabama, $1,549.

_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] ILO: PREVENTION: A GLOBAL STRATEGY (Report) for WORLD DAY for SAFETY & HEALTH [27 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

International Labour Organization (ILO)

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work
28 APRIL 2005
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/worldday/index.htm


Prevention: A global strategy
Promoting Safety and Health at Work
The ILO Report for World Day for Safety and Health at Work
Geneva, 2005
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/worldday/products05/report05_en.pdf
[full-text, 20 pages]


This year's report, entitled "Prevention: A global strategy" provides background information about the Day as well as technical information about a preventive safety and health culture and the subthemes chosen this year: the construction sector and occupational safety and health for younger and older workers.


Contents
Page
Prevention: a global strategy ........................................................................................................... 1
World Day for Safety and Health at Work, 28 April 2005.............................................................. 3
The construction industry................................................................................................................ 4
Safety and health risks for construction workers .................................................................. 5
Management, planning and coordination through social dialogue ....................................... 6
ILO standards and guidance.................................................................................................. 7
Prevention programmes for the construction industry .......................................................... 7
Younger and older workers ............................................................................................................. 9
Safety and health issues for younger workers....................................................................... 9
Safety and health issues for older workers.......................................................................... 10
ILO standards and guidance................................................................................................ 11
Prevention programmes for younger and older workers..................................................... 12
Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 13
Useful references.......................................................................................................................... 14
_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] WORK ACTIVITY OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: DATA FROM THE NATIONAL LONGITUDINAL SURVEY OF YOUTH 1997 [27 April 2004]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

WORK ACTIVITY OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:  DATA FROM THE NATIONAL LONGITUDINAL SURVEY OF YOUTH 1997 [27 April 2004]
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/nlsyth.nr0.htm
or
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/nlsyth.pdf
[full-text, 11 pages]


  Based upon the recurring interviews of a panel of young people conducted
over the 1997-2003 period, work activity for high school students varied
substantially depending upon the specific grade they were attending.  For
example, 23 percent of high school freshmen worked during the school year,
while nearly 75 percent of high school seniors worked at some time during
the school year.  Many students who eventually graduated from high school
worked long hours during the school year; about a quarter of working fresh-
men averaged 21 or more hours of work per week, as did 56 percent of working
seniors.

   These findings are from the first six annual rounds of the National
Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, which is sponsored by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.  The survey provides
information on the employment experiences, schooling, family background,
social behavior, and other characteristics of youths.  The survey includes
a nationally representative sample of about 9,000 young men and women who
were born during the years 1980 to 1984.  These respondents were ages 12 to
17 when first interviewed in 1997, and ages 18 to 23 when interviewed for a
sixth time in 2002-03.  For this release, respondents born in 1984 were
excluded from the analysis because many had not yet completed high school.
The remaining respondents, born in the years 1980-83, attended high school
during the years 1994 to 2002.

   This release focuses on the employment experiences of these youths while
in high school.  The release examines only "employee jobs," also known as
wage and salary jobs, in which youths have an ongoing formal relationship
with a particular employer.  "Freelance jobs," such as babysitting or lawn
care, in which youths are more casually involved in the labor market are
not examined.  Highlights from the longitudinal survey include:

     --Forty-one percent of high school freshmen worked during the school
       year or following summer, compared with 87 percent of seniors.

     --Year-round attachment to the formal labor market forms early while
       in high school.  Nearly 18 percent of freshmen worked during both
       the school year and the following summer.  By sophomore year, the
       percent of students who worked during both school and summer doubled
       to 39 percent.  By senior year, two-thirds of students worked during
       both the school year and summer.

     --Working students who eventually graduated often worked 21 or more
       hours per week.  Nearly 24 percent of working freshmen worked 21 or
       more hours per week during the school year, as did 56 percent of
       working seniors.

     --Of the 75 percent of seniors who worked during the school year, over
       three-fourths worked more than 50 percent of school weeks.  About 1
       in 5 employed seniors worked more than 50 percent of school weeks and
       averaged 31 or more hours of work per week


AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] ILO: TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT DIGEST

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

International Labour Organization (ILO)
Social Dialogue, Labour Law and Labour Administration Department (DIALOGUE)

Termination of Employment Digest
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/publ/publ_emp.htm
or
http://www-ilo-mirror.cornell.edu/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/publ/publ_emp.htm


Revised Chapters:
Argentina
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/downloads/term/arg_r.pdf
[full-text, 7 pages]

Australia
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/downloads/term/aus_r.pdf
[full-text, 4 pages]

Chile
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/downloads/term/chil_r.pdf
[full-text, 4 pages]

Germany
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/downloads/term/ger_r.pdf
[full-text, 7 pages]

Sri Lanka
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/downloads/term/sri_r.pdf
[full-text, 2 pages

_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] BEA: METROPOLITAN AREA PERSONAL AND PER CAPITA INCOME IN 2003 [27 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

METROPOLITAN AREA PERSONAL AND PER CAPITA INCOME IN 2003 [27 April 2005]
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/mpi0405.htm
or
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/mpi0405.pdf
[full-text, 6 pages]
or
http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2005/mpi0405.xls
[spreadsheet]


Personal income increased in all but two of the nation's metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) from 2002 to 2003, according to newly available estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. This is an improvement over the previous two years when more than twenty metropolitan areas saw their personal income decline. Per capita personal income increased in all but five MSAs from 2002 to 2003, in contrast to the previous two years when that income declined in as many as sixty MSAs.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES, CHART....
_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] BLS: Compensation and Working Conditions Online [25 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Compensation and Working Conditions Online [25 April 2005]
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/home.htm


Fatal Occupational Injuries to Members of the Resident Military, 1992-2003 (04/25/2005)
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/sh20050421ar01p1.htm

Fatal work injuries among members of the military stationed in the United States accounted for 2 percent of all fatal work injuries in the Nation over the period from 1992 to 2003. Compared with other fatally injured workers, those in the resident military were more likely to be male, young, and non-Hispanic white, and they were more likely to be fatally injured in aircraft incidents and suicides. More.


Chart: Percent of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by hours on the job before event occurred, 2003 (04/25/2005)
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/sh20050420ch01.htm


_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


Tuesday, April 26, 2005

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[IWS] Hearing: SMALL BUSINESS & HEALTH INSURANCE: Easing Costs & Expanding Access [21 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

SENATE HEARING:
Small Businesses and Health Insurance: Easing Costs and Expanding Access
http://help.senate.gov/bills/hlh_77_bill.html

Hearing Date: April 21, 2005, 10:00 am
Location: SD430

Witness:
Mr. Mitchell Blake
Ward & Blake Architects, Jackson, WY
Testimony
http://help.senate.gov/testimony/t261_tes.html


Witness:
Mr. Joseph Rossmann
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Arlington, Virginia.
Vice President for Fringe Benefits
Testimony
http://help.senate.gov/files/Testimony--Rossmann.pdf


Witness:
Ms. Karen Ignagni
Washington, DC
President and CEO, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)
http://help.senate.gov/testimony/t263_tes.html


Witness:
Ms. Sandy Praeger
Topeka, KS
Insurance Commissioner, State of Kansas, on behalf of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
Testimony
http://help.senate.gov/testimony/t264_tes.html

_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] WIC in the States: Thirty-One Years of Building a Healthier America [22 April 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

The Food Research and Action Center

WIC in the States: Thirty-One Years of Building a Healthier America [22 April 2005]
http://www.frac.org/WIC/2004_Report/index.html
or
http://www.frac.org/WIC/2004_Report/Full_Report.pdf
[full-text, 185 pages]

[excerpt]
Introduction
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
(WIC)
is 31 years old in 2005. This report reviews WIC’s achievements in its 31
year history and its importance to women, infants and children, and documents the
growth in WIC participation nationally and in each state.
The creation of WIC was one response to the realization that hunger and poverty
were widespread in this country and that inadequate nutrition poses real dangers
to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children. Congress created WIC as
a preventive program, providing low-income pregnant women, new mothers,
infants and children with nutritious foods, nutrition education, and improved access
to health care in order to prevent nutrition-related health problems in pregnancy,
infancy and early childhood.

In 1974, the first WIC clinic opened in Pineville, Kentucky. The first participant
certified there was a young child named Robert Martin Holland. WIC had been
authorized as a pilot program in 1972, but didn’t open its doors until two years later.
Vermont implemented the first statewide WIC program in 1974. Thirty-one years
later, an average of 8 million women, infants and children are participating in WIC
each month. WIC now serves almost half of all infants and one-quarter of all
children 1 to 5 years of age in the United States.

Growth alone is not, of course, cause for celebration. What is cause for celebration
is WIC’s extraordinary record of accomplishments for the nutrition and health of the
nation’s children, and that record has grown as the program has grown.
Just a few of the many positive findings about WIC in its 31 years highlight its
contributions to saving children’s lives, to improving maternal and child health, and
to establishing benchmarks for the ways in which wise investments can improve
both the nation’s health and its economic strength.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture studies have shown that WIC saves lives. For
example, WIC dramatically lowers infant mortality, by approximately onequarter
to two-thirds, among the Medicaid beneficiaries who participate in
WIC, compared to Medicaid beneficiaries who do not participate in WIC.1
USDA has estimated that 113,000 children and young adults are alive today
who would have died without WIC intervention.2 WIC’s greatest effect in
lowering infant mortality has been in the reduction in neonatal mortality -- the
death rate for infants during the first 28 days after birth.

• University of California and Rand Corporation researchers recently
confirmed once again what USDA and other studies have shown, that WIC
participation is associated with improved birth outcomes: WIC reduces the
probability that an infant is low birth weight by 29 percent, and very low birth
weight by more than half.3 Researchers citied WIC’s positive impact in
reducing the heartbreak, struggle and social costs related to infant mortality
and infants being born with permanent disabilities. Tragically, low birth
weight increases the risk of death, and is associated with a range of
negative outcomes for surviving infants including lower earnings, education
and employment rates as adults.

• The Institute for Research on Poverty recently published an analysis
showing that WIC is successfully preventing overweight in young children,
which is likely to have implications for their future risk of contracting obesityrelated
diseases.4 The researchers concluded that this is an important
measure of the success of the WIC program because of the importance of
obesity as a public health threat, and because of the importance of
establishing healthy eating habits early in life.

• The Children’s Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program has recently
confirmed once again that WIC benefits are associated with improved infant
health and growth: protecting against infant underweight and undernutrition.5
Researchers estimate that each year WIC plays a key role in preventing
underweight among at least 75,000 infants less than one year of age.
Gains like these have been hard won. They are the victory of WIC workers,
nutritionists, doctors, nurses, and paraprofessionals in thousands of clinics in
hundreds of communities; of hundreds of advocates in Washington and the states
who have fought for 31 years to nurture the program and help it to succeed and
grow; and of the members of Congress from both


_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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[IWS] (FAMILY FRIENDLY) WIN-WIN WORKPLACE PRACTICES

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Report to U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau
Win-Win Workplace Practices: Improved Organizational Results and Improved Quality of Life (September 2004)
Patricia S. Reed, Shirley M. Clark
http://www.choose2lead.org/Publications/Study%20on%20Win-Win%20Workplace%20Practices.pdf
[full-text, 40 pages]

This paper seeks to provide to the public
an understanding of the type of workplace
that improves the employer's bottom line
and the employee's quality of life. This
study was conducted by identifying and
synthesizing existing information on
family-friendly practices in the United
States in a variety of sectors of the
economy, including large corporations,
small and medium businesses,
government, nonprofit and
nongovernmental organizations, and
academic institutions. Supplemental
interviews gave clear perspective to many
of the issues and concerns in the
workplace.

Finding the solutions that create a winwin
for employer and employee is
challenging. Given the diverse nature of
the workforce, there is not a one-size-fits all
solution. How does an employer
develop successful programs and benefits
when there are so many factors to
consider? While answers to this question
remain at the heart of this report, the
following is a summary of findings:

Summary of Findings
1) Workplace practices that include support for "family-friendly" benefits produce solid economic results, including higher profits, higher productivity, and lower attrition.
2) The key barriers to successful implementation and utilization of "family friendly" policies are management and staff resistance, lack of training, and the employee's (often justified) fear of being marginalized. Conversely, there is a strong correlation between organizations that embrace a culture of family friendly policies, and the overall productivity and loyalty of its employees.
3) The organizations that produce the greatest results in meeting the needs of the changing workforce tend to recognize and treat their human resources as capital investments and demonstrate an employee-focused philosophy through strong leadership, vision, strategic planning, and communication.
4) There is a direct correlation between employees that have access to and take advantage of benefits deemed to be "family-friendly," and their reported quality of life and job satisfaction.
5) There is an alarming disparity in the types of benefits offered to employees, depending upon their position and the size and function of their organization.

These findings demonstrate that--despite the challenges-- corporations of all sizes, academia, and governmental and non-profit entities can adopt win-win solutions that deliver improved organizational results as well as enhanced quality of life for employees.

Table of Contents Page
Executive Summary
Section 1 Introduction 1
1.1 Purpose of Paper 1
1.2 Methodology 1
1.3 Background 1
1.4 Exploring "Family-Friendly" Benefits 2
1.5 Employee Benefits and Job Satisfaction 5
1.6 The Business Case 6
Section 2 Case Studies 11
Section 3 Analysis and Recommendations 26
3.1 Summary of Findings 26
3.2 The Equilibrium Benchmark 33
3.3 Recommendations 35
Tables and Figures
Figure 1: Job Satisfaction and Employee Retention 6
Figure 2: Turnover at Best Places to Work vs. Industry Averages 9
Figure 3: Employer Benefits from Best Practices 28
Figure 4: Employee Benefits from Best Practices 32
Figure 5: A Benchmark to Meet Needs of Organizations
and Employees 34


_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************


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