Manufacturing

Belfast shipbuilding firm Harland and Wolff has announced that around 600 jobs are to go in a restructuring of operations. Fiurther jobs may be threatened without further orders. Brighter news comes from the possibility of Ministry of Defence contracts for upto six roro vessels.

Public Sector

Nursing

Nursing unions are demanding pay rises to match recruiting incomes for nursing staff with those for new recruits to the police.

Teaching

The government has welcomed the launch of the 'General Teaching Council (GTC)' which it says will put teachers on a similar professional standing to doctors, solicitors and accountants.

The Chairman of the GTC, Lord David Putnam said that upto 10,000 teachers could be incompetent and should be taken out of the classroom.

The National Association of Headteachers has recommended that headteachers salaries are brought into line with private sector salaries.

Secretary of State at the Department of Education and Employment David Blunkett, has agreed that teacher shortages are running at around the same level as last year, but denies the situation represents a crisis.

Grievances

A Bristol police officer has been suspended after pornographic materials were allegedly found on his home computer

Another police officer from London is reported to be under investigation after telling racist jokes whilst on a trip to South Africa.

Pensions clerk, Emma Iles, was allegedly sacked after organising a trip to Amsterdam for work colleagues from Britannic Assurance and behaviour leading to complaints about activities on the bus. Miss Iles is claiming unfair dismissal.

Legislation

A survey of directors of major companies has suggested that a quarter of businesses have insufficient knowledge of how the forthcoming Human Rights Act will affect them.

The communication Workers Union has attacked the government for failure to protect the position of the post office from EU legislation which if enacted could threaten upto 50,000 postal jobs and see the deregulation of the postal service for letters.

Trade Unions

The MSF Union is reported to be facing cuts of upto £3 million following overspending and large staff payouts. The union is also believed to be out of favour with Labour leader Tony Blair, who has intimated that General Secretary Roger Lyons should not hold a senior post if the proposed merger with the AEEU goes ahead.