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August 1996

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Northern Virginia generating jobs (Saturday, 8/31/96)
Northern Virginia continues to be a good place to find a job, according to today's Washington Post.

Delphi makes cuts (Saturday, 8/31/96)
Reuters reports that Delphi Information Systems is continuing its restructuring and jobs will go.

Automated gas stations (Saturday, 8/31/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on gas stations without attendants. Also, here's an opinon piece by Jim Scheibel supporting Americorps.

Immigrants concerned their children can't speak native language (Saturday, 8/31/96)
Here's a story relating to the "official language" issue from today's New York Times. The Times also reports on the life of a labor reform leader, and on labor problems and the price of copper.

Clinton off and running, but could trip on advisor scandal (Friday, 8/30/96)
A sex scandal involving his chief campaign advisor hit at the worst possible time for President Clinton's campaign, but his acceptance speech didn't betray concern. He urged business people to stop complaining about welfare, because the old system's gone, and start hiring people who are coming off of it, according to Reuters. Today's Wall Street Journal says that Clinton regards Gingrich, Perot, and the economy to be key assets his campaign. The Journal also says that recapturing Congress may not be so easy.

New economic reports (Friday, 8/30/96)
Reuters reports on the latest government data showing consumer spending and incomes are up, as well as unemployment claims, and there are new concerns about interest rates. Today's Christian Science Monitor says that, despite consumer confidence, a new study from the Economic Policy Institute shows how family incomes have been declining.

Opponent of organized labor launches information campaign (Friday, 8/30/96)
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is trying to tell union members that they can object to the use of dues for political purposes.

Justice Department settles discrimination cases (Friday, 8/30/96)
Today's Washington Post reports that Justice has settled two discrimination complaints.

Sexual exploitation of children not just somebody's else's problem (Friday, 8/30/96)
The Christian Science Monitor reports that the international sex trade exploiting children is active in North America. This article is part of the Monitor's major series on "Safeguarding the Children," which has been running coincident with the international conference in Stockholm. Here are more articles.

Teachers unions changing minds, slightly (Friday, 8/30/96)
The Christian Science Monitor reports that the major teachers unions aren't quite so opposed to "school choice" anymore. Today's Monitor also has stories on California's use of welfare reform in combatting illegal immigration, on the decline of organized labor's influence and the international arguments among unions, and Claudia Wayne and Marcy Whitebook write about the coming child-care debacle.

New York judge says be more careful about the homeless (Friday, 8/30/96)
New York State Supreme Court Justice Helen E. Freedman isn't happy with the way the big city is handling the homeless issue, according to today's New York Times.

Japanese union wants to settle 10-year dispute (Friday, 8/30/96)
Today's Japan Times reports on the long railway labor conflict, and also reports today that Japanese unemployment has eased a bit.

French farmers blockade roads in beef protest (Thursday, 8/29/96)
Farmers in France are bothered by falling beef prices and the government's austerity attitude. Here's the story this morning from Reuters, which also reports that the French government has deported 15 Africans involved in the recent occupation and hunger strike in a Paris church, despite widespread protests. Also in France today, La Tribune Desfosses reports that Prime Minister Alain Juppe has said the government has not met its targets for reducing unemployment and doesn't see much improvement in the jobs picture anytime soon. He says that the government will speed up negotiations with labor unions and employers on reducing the work week in order to address the high unemployment rate by "job sharing," an approach that has received more attention in Europe than in the United States. However, Europe has a much more serious unemployment problem at the moment. The U.S. economy is generating a lot of jobs, but the more fundamental structural changes are of greater concern. Many of the new jobs are relatively low pay.

Want a job? (Thursday, 8/29/96)
More than 18,000 firefighters are battling dozens of blazes in the West, but far more are needed. Firefighters, that is.

Longer shopping hours in Zurich getting resistance (Thursday, 8/29/96)
Swiss labor unions are resisting Zurich's plans to lengthen shopping hours because store employees wouldn't receive extra pay for the longer hours. Today's Tages Anzeiger reports. Several European countries are trying to keep stores open longer in order to stimulate their economies. There has been considerable labor conflict over the issue in Germany, which has had the most restrictive retail hours in Europe for about forty years.

Austrian utility to cut between 400 and 500 jobs (Thursday, 8/29/96)
Verbundgesellschaft AG is Austria's largest utility and has indicated that it will continue to cut costs by cutting jobs. Kurier reports that the company intends to cut between 400 and 500 jobs of its 4,520 jobs by 1998.

Meetings in Italy on public works plan (Thursday, 8/29/96)
Italian papers are reporting today that Italian government officials have been meeting with union and industry representatives over major investments in the Italian infrastructure that should result in a considerable number of jobs. The railroad and water distribution systems will be affected, and government offices throughout the country will be linked by a computer network.

Spanish budget talks hit health care obstacle (Thursday, 8/29/96)
La Expansion reports that Spanish government officials and their Catalan parliamentary allies are disagreeing over health care cuts in the new budget. The government wants overall health care spending reduced and wants to tax prescription medications. The Catalans are in opposition.

Australian government warns health funds (Thursday, 8/29/96)
Australian Prime Minister John Howard says that private health funds should be careful not to undermine the government's plan to offer tax rebates to those who take out private health insurance by increasing premiums, according to The Australian. The new conservative government has instituted an austerity plan which has included cuts in most public sectors. Our correspondent in Australia, Jock McCardell, reports that cuts in higher education have not been as great as expected. He says that it's widely believed that the government originally announced deeper cuts than were actually planned in order to make the actual cuts seem more acceptable to institutions affected.

U.S. government restrictions affecting physicians eased (Thursday, 8/29/96)
There may be more bands of physicians now, but not necessarily making music. Stuart Auerbach of the Washington Post writes that the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice have reduced restrictions on physicians organizing to counter managed care institutions.

Minnesota gains population, jobs, income (Thursday, 8/29/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Minnesota has done well during the first half of the 1990s.

Human exploitation huge part of the new economy (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
The international conference on the sexual exploitation of children is underway in Stockholm, and Carol Bellamy, Executive director of UNICEF, reports that the commercial sexual exploitation of children now extends worldwide and is a multi-billion dollar industry. There has also been a tremendous increase in the international trafficking of women, as sexual slavery increases throughout much of the world as well. These phenomena have existed throughout history, and we probably won't get very far trying to explain why something exists at all. However, we do need to explain the "variance." That is, how can we account for increases or decreases over time or variability across different regions? Among other things, there are growing signs that human life is regarded by an increasing number of people as having little value, a condition that may be exacerbated by the population explosion combined with the growing gap between rich and poor, not only within nations, but also across nations and regions.

Political impact of recent hunger strike continues to spread (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
There is continuing evidence of conflict within the French Cabinet over the recent hunger strike and occupation of a Paris church by illegal African immigrants. In addition, fallout from the occupation and subsequent police action is now influencing relations between France and other countries. Here's the Reuters story this morning.

Caterpillar threatens unilateral action (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
Caterpillar says it is at impasse with the United Auto Workers and will impose employment terms beginning October 1. The strike at Caterpillar has continued for 17 months.

New interactive CD-ROMs for girls (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
Many girls resist becoming involved with computers, just as many women avoid mathematics or technical school subjects, despite evidence that men are not inherently better suited for these pursuits. In the new economy, persons who resist learning computer skills or who rule out technical subjects will be at a fundamental disadvantage and perhaps more likely to end up in dead-end careers. Business Wire reports that Simon & Schuster Interactive is releasing Let's Talk About ME!, one of the first CD-ROM's created exclusively for preteen and teen girls, developed in conjunction with Girl Games Inc., pioneers of interactive software for the female audience. The programs are based on extensive research, as well as on interviews with a number of successful women, and are intended to help girls explore their relationships, self-image, personality and potential, while also becoming more comfortable with computers.

Slightly more women serving on boards (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
PRNewswire reports on a national survey conducted by Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. showing that 10 percent of board members are now women, an increase of two or three percent over recent years. The survey found that 94 percent of board members in the companies polled are Caucasian, four percent African-American, and Hispanic and Asian, one percent each.

Another miner killed (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
Another miner has been killed at a gold mine southwest of Johannesburg, according to a Reuters report. South Africa's mining industry has been plagued with violence.

More on American middle-class nervousness (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
The September/October edition of The Humanist contains an article by Charles Whalen called "The Anxious Society: Middle Class Insecurity and the Crisis of the American Dream." In the same edition, Ernest Stableford writes on downsizing and "newspeak," in which companies talk about "empowerment," but practice the opposite.

Student uprising (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
Check the August edition of Inc. magazine for a story telling about how students are starting their own businesses in record numbers. A major reason: poor job prospects.

20th anniversary celebrated (Wednesday, 8/28/96)
Working Woman magazine is 20 years old. See the September edition, which, among many other things, contains an article by leading financial expert Jane Bryant Quinn on the occasion of the magazine's 20th anniversary.

Democrats meet for second day, inefficiently (Tuesday, 8/27/96)
The Republican National Convention went off like a well-oiled machine, but the Democrats, true to their reputation of greater indiscipline, are mixing it up a bit more chaotically, bringing to mind Will Rogers' remark of not belonging to any organized political party, meaning that he was a Democrat. Trying to guard against over-confidence, some are nonetheless talking openly of a "three-run homer" that would not only re-elect President Clinton, but also restore Democratic control of both houses of Congress only two years after the historic Republican sweep. A week can be an eternity in politics, so stay tuned. Like Dole and Kemp, Clinton will have to exercise genuine leadership and resist the urges of many delegates in order to appeal to the mood of the country and maximize the likelihood of a win. Economic issues are likely to remain central in the campaign. Evidence of this is President Clinton's announcement of a major jobs program to help people coming off welfare.

Conference on sexual exploitation of children begins in Stockholm (Tuesday, 8/27/96)
Reuters reports on the opening of the international conference at a time when a scandal unfolds in Belgium.

Court prevents expulsion of some former hunger strikers (Tuesday, 8/27/96)
A French court has barred expulsion of three of the ten immigrants. The case has divided the French government and continues to produce political reverberations.

More on American automotive industry negotiations (Tuesday, 8/27/96)
Reuters reports on the New York Times story.

Reich may return to Harvard (Tuesday, 8/27/96)
The September 2 edition of Business Week speculates on the composition of Clinton's cabinet during a second administration. U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is expected to return to Harvard, but several other economic advisers may stay in the administration, although there may be some shuffling of chairs. Of course, Clinton has to win the election first.

How some companies are managing diversity (Tuesday, 8/27/96)
The September 9 edition of Fortune magazine contains a story on why some companies' diversity training programs have been useless and even abusive, and how some companies are getting smarter about diversity. Also, check the same edition for a review of John Kao's Jamming: the Road to Creativity. A free-flowing, creative workplace can emulate late-night jazz sessions, he says. Wait a minute. This isn't a new idea. Alvin Toffler, in his 1990 book, Power Shift, talks about the "jazz combo" form of work organization.

Making it in the 21st century (Tuesday, 8/27/96)
Check the July/August edition of The Futurist for an article describing what students must know to succeed in the next century, with the emphasis on "must."

Democratic convention opens in Chicago (Monday, 8/26/96)
The polls are showing a widening Clinton lead again, after a period when the gap between the two candidates closed following the Republican National Convention in San Diego. Now, it's the Democrats' turn, and, as usual, we can expect their convention to provide a boost similar to the one the Republicans received. The Democrats will emphasize the strength of the economy according to conventional indicators, while the Republicans will try to tap middle-class anxieties arising from the more fundamental structural changes that are occurring. For the time being, we can expect Dole to continue emphasizing his proposed across-the-board tax cut, unless or until the polls clearly show that people don't believe it or don't think it will work.

Interestingly, in addition to being relatively close ideologically, something that both will try to obscure during the campaign, Clinton and Dole face a similar problem at their conventions. On average, the Republican delegates were more "conservative" than Dole, and the Democratic delegates are more "liberal" than Clinton. Every news service in the United States will be filled with convention stories, but we're linking to one from Reuters this morning. Incidentally, surely of interest to campaign strategists in both camps, a new Manpower, Inc. survey indicates that job prospects will get even better during the 4th quarter.

UAW and auto companies talk about lengthening the cycle (Monday, 8/26/96)
Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, and Reuters are reporting today that the American automobile industry's "big three" and the United Auto Workers union are discussing the possibility of longer contracts which could double the time between negotiations.

Political impact of recent hunger strike continues in France (Monday, 8/26/96)
Today's Christian Science Monitor reports on the growing political storm in France. Today's Monitor also reports on immigrant movement into the suburbs of Chicago.

More of American pension fund to be invested in South Korea (Monday, 8/26/96)
A California official has announced in Seoul that the state wants to invest its pension funds more heavily in the Korean market, according to today's Korea Herald.

Judge overrules jury in sexual harassment case (Monday, 8/26/96)
Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal report that a judge has overruled a jury and has thrown out a jury verdict against Brinker International Inc., a Dallas restaurant chain. The jury had awarded a former employee nearly $5 million in damages.

Chances for agreement in retail wage talks improving (Monday, 8/26/96)
Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports that union leaders see the possibility of a breakthrough in talks affecting retail workers in North Rhine-Westphalia. For the first time since the 1950's, retail trade hours will be extended in Germany in November. At issue is whether workers will receive extra pay for working during the extended hours.

Philippine government fines securities firm (Monday, 8/26/96)
Philippine papers are reporting that the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission has fined I.B. Gimenez Securities Inc. 76,000 pesos for using unlicensed sales people.

New entrepreneurial classes scheduled in New Jersey (Monday, 8/26/96)
Business Wire says that the successful Entrepreneurial Training Institute has scheduled additional classes beginning in September in Atlantic City, Trenton, New Brunswick, and Jersey City. The program consists of an introductory workshop, and, for those who qualify, a seven-session course. Successful graduates may be able to receive financing from a consortium of private and public organizations. For more information, contact Rose M. Smith at (609) 292-0359.

Coalition offers kit for business leaders (Monday, 8/26/96)
The Business Coalition for Education Reform, a collaboration of 12 national business organizations, intends to support and expand business involvement in education at the national, state and local levels. Persons interested in helping to support academic standards in their communities can order the Coalition's Standards Mean Business Leadership Kit by calling (800) 787-2848. The kit costs $50.00 plus postage and handling.

More sale of financial products in work settings (Monday, 8/26/96)
The June 1996 edition of Best's Review reports that the workplace is becoming an increasingly favored setting for the sale of insurance and other financial products. Employers are interested in making benefits available to employees while controlling costs, while many workers seem to like purchasing financial products at work.

Large union presence expected in Chicago (Sunday, 8/25/96)
President Clinton has been looking too much like a Republican to some union members, so they want to do what they can to keep their party from leaving them. Reuters reports that unions will be out in force in Chicago next week.

New debate on measuring worth in corporations (Sunday, 8/25/96)
Mark Landler, writing in today's New York Times, tells about the broader implications of Alex Mandl's $20 million signing bonus. No, he's not an athlete. Here's the story. Also, Peter Passell tells about Asia's approach to promoting greater economic equality, and Miki Tanikawa writes that foreign workers now can sometimes find lifetime employment in Japan. However, the weakening of the Japanese economy in recent years has brought changes in the country's employment situation overall.

Resources for older job seekers (Sunday, 8/25/96)
People over 50 who are seeking employment are offered help and advice in the New York Times Job Market section today. Also, the Times reports that authorities are saying that it will be nearly impossible to find sufficient jobs for people coming off of welfare in New York, as controversy over the implications of the new welfare law heats up. Also, here's a story about very young CEOs and what determines their success versus failure.

Minnesota work force helps retain companies (Sunday, 8/25/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that, while surrounding states are offering powerful incentives for companies to relocate, many firms are electing to remain in Minnesota because of its work force. Also, in an opinion piece today, Robert White explains why welfare reform's motto is "Get Shorty".

Clinton moves to soften impact of welfare reform for some (Saturday, 8/24/96)
President Clinton, who is dissatisfied with some of the provisions of the new welfare reform law but signed it anyway, has issued directives to help legal immigrants who will be affected by the new law. Here's the Reuters story, and also a story about a young mother who has been trying to get off welfare all along and hopes to do so before the cuts begin to influence her family.

Baseball owners committee fails to reach consensus (Saturday, 8/24/96)
Bloomberg reports this morning that the American baseball owners labor policy committee failed to reach agreement on what their next step will be in a conference call yesterday. They reportedly understand that players will not accept any deal that doesn't include full service time. Talks with player representatives are scheduled to start up again on Monday.

Mexico's war on bad cops (Saturday, 8/24/96)
Today's Christian Science Monitor reports that Mexico's firing of more than 700 police may result in some becoming criminals, although it appears that it has been difficult to tell the difference between some of the police and the criminals all along. The Monitor also continues its series of reports on the sexual exploitation of young people with a story by Mark Clayton about the prostitution circuit in North America.

Massive food poisoning of plant employees (Saturday, 8/24/96)
Apparently, tainted seafood has resulted in the food poisoning of about 100 employees of the Kohap Ltd. plant in the Uiwang, Kyonggi Province, South Korea, according to today's Korea Herald.

Kleiman recommends Mother Jones article (Saturday, 8/24/96)
Carol Kleiman, of the Chicago Tribune, says that the Mother Jones article on downsizing in the magazine's August edition provides a good explanation of downsizing and what it means. What's it's really all about is driving down wages and benefits, says the article's author, industrial psychologist Alan Downs. Kleiman writes a nationally syndicated column from Chicago.

Youth@Work helps on-line (Saturday, 8/24/96)
Business Wire reports that Youth@Work, an on-line community service, was launched yesterday to help employers and young people in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties get together. The service is a joint project of Smart Valley, Inc. and the Private Industry Councils in the counties involved. Young people between the ages of 14 and 23 who are seeking work are targeted by the service, and it is expected that 5,000 will make use of it during its first year.

Aircraft maintenance declines with layoffs, according to FAA (Saturday, 8/24/96)
The Federal Aviation Administration says that maintenance has suffered because of efforts to cut costs and a reduction in maintenance staff at America West Airlines. However, federal inspectors have found improvements in flight operations compared to a year ago. David Foster writes for the The Arizona Republic.

London's underground won't be shut down after all (Saturday, 8/24/96)
Reuters reports that the 24-hour strikes scheduled for Friday and next Tuesday on London's underground will not go on as scheduled, but the 24-hour Friday walkout against several train companies across the country was still on at last report. Representatives of London's underground drivers have accepted a pay package. In other industrial news, British postal workers have staged the sixth of several one-day strikes, but hopes for settlement seem to be increasing.

French police move in on hunger strikers (Friday, 8/23/96)
Approximately 300 African migrants and sympathizers are removed from a Paris church by force. About a third of the demonstrators may be able to stay in France, according to Reuters.

Historic change in American welfare system made official (Friday, 8/23/96)
President Clinton has signed the welfare reform bill, bringing about the biggest changes in the American welfare system in 60 years. Some are happy, many are not, and Clinton is ambivalent. Expect attempts to fine tune the new legislation if the President is re-elected.

Israeli minister urges that foreign workers be expelled (Friday, 8/23/96)
Israel's Labour and Welfare Minister Eli Ishai wants the government to take steps to reduce Israel's dependence on foreign workers.

Worker displacement declines in the United States (Friday, 8/23/96)
The United States Department of Labor reports that Americans have been less likely to be displaced lately and more likely to find new jobs.

Strike target choice delayed (Friday, 8/23/96)
Reuters reports that the United Auto Workers has delayed its choice of which American automobile company it will target for a strike, and, instead, will try to negotiate with all of the Big Three at once. This represents something new in UAW strategy.

Conference on sexual exploitation of children to begin in Sweden (Friday, 8/23/96)
The five-day conference will begin on August 27 in Stockholm and the United States will send representatives.

Swiss unions want wage increases to match inflation (Friday, 8/23/96)
Tages Anzeiger reports that Switzerland's principal labor unions are calling on companies to raise salaries at least enough next year to match inflation. They're calling for increases of at least 1.5%, but the Swiss Employers' Association says increases across all companies would be unrealistic.

Today's big bill signing scheduled (Thursday, 8/22/96)
It seems that President Clinton has had a big bill a day to sign lately. Following his signing of the minimum wage increase and the health care bill into law, he's scheduled to sign the welfare reform bill today, despite his misgivings. In fact, in his book, he says that some parts of it are just "plain wrong." Many other Democrats seem to agree, and the President has some political fence-mending to do going into the Democratic National Convention. Observers might suspect that he's mostly concerned, not only with winning the presidential election, but also with the possibility of regaining control of one or both houses of Congress. If that should happen, the Democrats might be able to fix what they don't like about the new welfare system a bit later. Incidentally, the Administration is being accused of granting last-minute waivers to several states in order to "undermine" provisions of the new bill. The New York Times says complications for the states haven't started to begin to get started yet.

French government softens stand (Thursday, 8/22/96)
The long hunger strike in France has resulted in a change of policy on the part of the French government, according to the Reuters.

Another kind of car talk (Thursday, 8/22/96)
Negotiations are accelerating, and Reuters says Chrysler may be the strike target this year.

Layoffs at National Semiconductor (Thursday, 8/22/96)
Reuters reports that 170 workers will lose their jobs. Reuters also has a story today about the return of union members to the Democratic party, according to a recent poll. Also, union leaders are focusing on the Democratic National Convention in pursuit of their own legislative agendas.

Price controls could lead to job losses in the UK (Thursday, 8/22/96)
Today's Financial Times reports that British Gas says that as many as 8,000 to 10,000 workers could lose their jobs at its pipeline unit if price controls proposed by gas regulator Clare Spottiswoode were put into effect.

German retail workers and employers getting closer (Thursday, 8/22/96)
The dispute over extra pay for evening and Saturday work continues in Germany. Store hours will be extended in November. Unions representing retail workers in Bavaria and Saarland are getting closer to agreement with employers, according to Frankfurter Rundschau.

Researchers worry about budget cuts (Thursday, 8/22/96)
Funds for research at many major universities may be cut back significantly, some fear. An example is the University of Minnesota, and here's that story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

New minimum wage law contains many provisions (Thursday, 8/22/96)
The new minimum wage contains provisions to help workers and employers, according to the New York Times.

Monitor focuses on exploitation of children (Thursday, 8/22/96)
Today's Christian Science Monitor contains several articles on the sexual slavery involving children which seems to be an increasingly malignant feature of the new world economy. Here are stories about increasing attention from activists and others, traffickers in Asia, and efforts to keep girls out of the sex trade in Thailand. Today's Monitor also contains an unrelated story by Frank Doyle and Hilary Pennington about how job turnover can be turned into a career asset.

Minimum wage increase is law (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
President Clinton signed the minimum wage bill yesterday, which may mean higher prices in some areas of the economy, and will sign the health care bill today, according to Reuters and nearly all other American news services. The Christian Science Monitor says that, while far more limited than the Clinton universal heath plan of two years ago, it represents the sort of incremental approach that may eventually result in major changes overall. The current bill makes health care coverage more portable in a new economy in which a greater number of persons will be highly mobile occupationally. There is also a movement to make pensions similarly portable.

Clinton will offer incentives to business to assist in welfare changes (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Reuters reports that President Clinton will offer targeted tax cuts to businesses in exchange for hiring people off welfare. Among other things, his plan is intended to counter the across-the-board tax cut proposed by his rival in the presidential campaign, former Senator Robert Dole. Reuters also reports that California expects major losses because of welfare reform.

French hunger strike influencing government (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
The ruling coalition in France has become divided over the hunger strike by immigrants fighting deportation. Reuters has this story, as well as a story today about losses and job cuts at CompuServe. The Internet has impacted greatly on the commercial online services generally, with some suggesting that they may all either disappear or that there will be room for only one or two. With very aggressive marketing, America Online recently displaced CompuServe as the largest commercial service.

Teamsters strike in Chicago (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Shortly before the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the Teamsters have struck the Hertz rental car agency, Reuters reports.

UAW unhappy about Chrysler's investment plans (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal report that Chrysler Corporation has announced plans to invest a total of $315 million in automotive plants in Brazil and Argentina. United Auto Workers representatives have walked out of negotiations in protest.

Computer glitches allow illegal workers in (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Today'sJerusalem Post reports that Israel is having difficulty controlling the entry of illegal workers into the country, and one of the reasons is inadequate memory in Border Control computers.

Cabin staff at KLM threatens to disrupt flight schedule (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Trouw reports that the union representing KLM Royal Dutch Airlines cabin staff broke off talks with the airline's management.

Labor law referendum may be postponed (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
The Swiss government is hinting that a planned referendum on controversial changes in the labor law may be postponed until sometime after the December 1 target date. Tages-Anzeiger reports that there are disagreement among government officials and lawmakers.

Growth in severance payments in Spain (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
La Expansion reports that severance payments to dismissed workers were up 5.3 percent during the first four months of this year compared to a year earlier.

French company to cut thousands of jobs (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Pechiney SA is an aluminum and packaging company and may cut between 3,000 and 3,500 jobs by the end of 1998 in order to cut costs. Le Figaro reports today.

Union split in Germany (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
A union representing banking and insurance workers has split with a union representing retail workers and has walked out of wage talks in North Rhine-Westphalia, according to Frankfurter Rundschau.

Dole won't cut veteran benefits, he says (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Presidential candidate Robert Doles tells veterans that their benefits won't be a casualty of his tax cut plan, according to today's Washington Post. The Post also reports on the rights of pregnant workers on the Mexican border.

It's easy to be against sweatshops, but... (Wednesday, 8/21/96)
Paul Kennel writes in today's Christian Science Monitor about the "sweatshop dilemma".

Minimum wage increase to become law today (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
President Clinton will sign the minimum wage bill today. Here's the story from Reuters. The Christian Science Monitor tells how the new law will encourage retirement plans. Clinton intends to sign both the welfare and insurance bills this week as well.

Fed meets today about interest rates (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
The American Federal Reserve is mulling over the future of interest rates today. Wall Street is pausing to listen, according to Reuters. Interest rates have a significant effect on economic activity, including the growth of jobs. Reuters also reports on a second day of violent protests in Australia.

Union wants McDonnell Douglas audited (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
The labor conflict at McDonnell Douglas goes on. The Machinists Union has asked President Clinton to order the Defense Department to audit the cost and quality of work performed by replacement workers. They want expenses beyond normal operating costs to be disallowed. McDonnell Douglas denies that the use of replacement workers has resulted in additional training costs. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg report.

Military pension obligations in Israel up 9.6 percent in 1995 (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
Ha'aretz reports that the 1995 increase is less than that in 1994, however. Also in Israel, the Jerusalem Post reports that Accent Software will fire 11% of its staff. Accent is based in Jerusalem and specializes in multilingual software. The company reports "disappointing" second-quarter results.

Job growth in genetic engineering expected (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
There could be as many as 42,000 jobs in the Swiss genetic engineering industry by 2005, according to a new Federal Institute of Technology study. Neue Zuercher Zeitung and other papers have the story this morning.

Italian unions oppose Communist position on sale (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
La Repubblica reports that Communist leader Fausto Bertinotti has threatened to block the sale of telecommunications company Stet SpA to private investors. The country's largest unions disagree. Also in Italy, Corriere della Sera reports that the Minister of Public Administration rules that civil servants cannot hold two jobs.

Unemployment down in Hong King (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
The Hong Kong Economic Times reports that unemployment fell to 2.9 percent between May and July, the lowest level in 14 months.

Pension tension in law firms (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
Today's Washington Post contains a story on the growing generation gap when it comes to retirement in law firms. Also, the Post's Spencer Rich tells about how there is a need for common definitions and methodology in the effort to hold down health care costs.

Doctors get organized (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
Today's Christian Science Monitor reports on the unionization of physicians and also on the long, difficult road to parity among people in eastern Germany. For a variety of reasons, the former German economic powerhouse has been weakened, and this helps slow the process. The Monitor also has a story about how a college degree is as much a gamble now as an investment.

Regents agonizing over tenure (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
Academic tenure will seem to be a peculiar institution to many persons, but traditionally has been regarded as a necessity in the academic community, given the sometimes politically sensitive nature of the pursuit of truth. However, changes may be in the wind. At the University of Minnesota, tenure has become a hot issue at the very time that the future role of the university is being debated. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports this morning. Look for fundamental changes in the way that higher educational services are distributed as we begin the new millennium. Many traditional institutions are likely to be transformed, with their roles diminished, if they are not closed altogether.

Overcrowding at center for the homeless (Tuesday, 8/20/96)
Today's New York Times reports that a New York state Supreme Court judge has criticized officials in the Bronx.

Riots over labor reforms in Australia (Monday, 8/19/96)
Hundreds attack Australian Parliament. Reuters reports this story and also has more this morning on the hunger strike in Paris.

Cost-of-living increase in Israel (Monday, 8/19/96)
Yediot Achronot reports that the 3.2% increase will be reflected in September paychecks for state and private-sector workers. The increase is linked to the consumer price index. Also, the New York Times reports on Israel's new poor: its foreign workers.

Tension in Dutch cabinet (Monday, 8/19/96)
Not all is going smoothly in Dutch cabinet meetings over the budget and cost cut proposals, according to Het Financieele Dagblad. The budget will be presented in September.

Guest worker reductions in Austria (Monday, 8/19/96)
New restrictions in Austria resulted in a 4 percent decrease in the number of guest workers from the former Yugoslavia and Turkey in July compared to a year earlier. Der Standard reports today.

More paying bills late in Switzerland (Monday, 8/19/96)
Tages-Anzeiger reports today on a survey indicates that 3.2 percent of private households are not paying their bills on time, compared to 2 percent in a previous survey.

Is the downsizing phenomenon slowing? (Monday, 8/19/96)
The Washington Post reports this morning on a study indicating that downsizing may be on the decline. Also here's a Q&A piece to clarify the new health bill.

Colleges beginning to listen to employers (Monday, 8/19/96)
More colleges are changing their majors in an effort to relate to the needs of the new economy, according to a story in today's Christian Science Monitor.

Nurses laid off in New York (Monday, 8/19/96)
Nursing jobs are going in New York hospitals in an effort to cut costs, according to the New York Times. Today's Times also contains a commentary by Joyce Purnick suggesting that the new welfare law is an effort to legislate morality, as well as a story comparing jobless rates in the U.S. with those in other countries. In short, they've declined in the U.S. and gone up in many other places.

Lots of women lawyers now, but discrimination hasn't gone away (Monday, 8/19/96)
Whether or not women have achieved equality under the law, they have not yet achieved it working in the law, according to a USA Today story. The paper also reports on welfare waivers granted to four states and that President Clinton will take maximum political advantage of the upcoming bill signings.

Early retirements at Pioneer (Monday, 8/19/96)
Today's Japan Times reports that Pioneer Electronics is offering 650 workers early retirement in response to competitive pressures.

Accident statistics mixed in Korean construction industry (Monday, 8/19/96)
South Korea's construction industry compares both favorably and unfavorably with other industrial countries when it comes to accidents. They have fewer, but more of them are fatal, according to the Korea Herald.

Police psychologists stressed out in Hong Kong (Monday, 8/19/96)
Caseloads are too high for police psychologists, according to the Hong Kong Standard, which also reports today that there may be more consultation before changing student loan policy, about feelings of insecurity among workers, according to a new survey, as well as a story about how changing times have influenced one worker, and about how Chinese peasants are about to become a minority, despite Mao Zedong's ideology.

New study on management effectiveness (Sunday, 8/18/96)
Today's Washington Post reports on a study showing that managers are more effective if they consult with those who are influenced by their decisions.

Clergy and labor unions renew ties to work together (Sunday, 8/18/96)
Union and religious leaders have worked together in the past, but they drifted apart. Now, they're renewing contact and stepping up activism, according to today's New York Times. The Times also has stories today about the growing overtime vs. time off controversy, the problem of retirement in small business, and the use of networking in finding a job in a work world where most good jobs are not advertised.

Korea spends less on health care (Sunday, 8/18/96)
Today's Korea Herald tells about a new report that shows that South Korea spends proportionately far less on health care than other industrial countries.

Young generation doing better than elders in Singapore (Sunday, 8/18/96)
At a time when America's youth worries that it may be the first American generation not to do better than its parents, young people in Singapore seem to be moving ahead faster, according to the Singapore Business Times. The Times also reports today on Vietnam's move to speed privatization, and how the American economy looks from the other side of the world.

Does journalism school really make a difference? (Sunday, 8/18/96)
Want to be a journalist? Will journalism school help? U.S. News examines the issue at a time when similar questions are being asked about a wide range of university programs in the United States and Americans are becoming somewhat less gullible about degrees and "prestige" schools.

Fortune examines retirement options (Sunday, 8/18/96)
The current edition of Fortune magazine has a big cover section on retirement. Worth examining, and it's on the web.

Free access to Wall Street Journal Interactive, for now (Sunday, 8/18/96)
The Wall Street Journal's relatively new web site is a major addition to the web, but carries a subscription fee. However, through the end of the year, Microsoft will pick up the tab for you if you access the Journal's site with Microsoft Internet Explorer. It's the latest round in the battle between Microsoft and Netscape for web hegemony.

New Fed decision to come this week (Sunday, 8/18/96)
Will it or won't it? Will the Federal Reserve raise interest rates? Many experts are saying that they probably won't, but, then again....

Real wages plunge in Hungary (Saturday, 8/17/96)
The Hungary Report says that the nation's Central Statistics Office has announced that real wages declined 7.7% in the first half compared to the same period last year, while consumer prices rose by 25.8%.

Weyerhaeuser dispute enters federal mediation (Saturday, 8/17/96)
Contract talks at Weyerhaeuser are in mediation, according to Reuters, which also reports that talks have broken down at McDonnell Douglas. Reuters also has a story today on a report indicating that American teens are skeptical about the "American dream."

Sex discrimination law applies in same-sex cases, court rules (Saturday, 8/17/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on a court ruling involving same-sex harassment.

Downsizing at the UN (Saturday, 8/17/96)
The United Nations plans 30 percent staff cuts, according to the New York Times today. The Times also reports on major dismissals from the Mexican police force, but not for budgetary reasons, as well as the growing discontent of black Peruvians with their "decorative" role in Peruvian society, and on a new program requiring New York's homeless to work in exchange for welfare benefits.

California business camp for teens (Saturday, 8/17/96)
Today's Los Angeles Times reports on a camp to help young entrepreneurs. The paper also reports that the state has gained jobs and cut unemployment to 7.1%. On the other side of the country, the Boston Globe reports that Massachusetts unemployment is down to 4.5%, a 7-year low. Today's Globe also reports on efforts to unionize workers at merged Boston hospitals.

Chicago firefighter sues city in relation to harassment issue (Saturday, 8/17/96)
Today's Chicago Sun-Times reports that a female firefighter claims city officials did nothing in response to her complaints.

Republican convention ends emphasizing economics, values (Friday, 8/16/96)
Dole and Kemp have spoken, and the race is on. The Republican National Convention closed in San Diego last night with speeches by the presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Dole mentioned the word "abortion" only once in his speech, and seemed to try to move on quickly. The Pat Buchanan group and others would like the abortion issue to become a central feature of the campaign, but Dole and Kemp have been equally committed to de-emphasizing it, and they're in charge now. Both are widely perceived by supporters and opponents alike as traditionally family-oriented "good guys," so they should be able to promote "family values" without sounding hypocritical, while leaving plenty of time to emphasize economic growth issues and jobs. If this were the old economy, they might largely abandon those issues to the Democrats, because, ordinarily, a relatively strong economy favors the incumbent in a presidential campaign.

However, Republican strategists are well-aware that the more fundamental structural changes that are going on are causing deep anxieties on the part of many Americans, and they will attempt to tap into those. It will be a new campaign for a new economy. Polls show that Clinton's lead has been cut following the Republican convention and the candidates' speeches, but the Democratic convention is coming up, and the Democrats can expect at least a temporary "bump" in their ratings from that too. National conventions typically stimulate awareness among many persons who haven't been thinking much about the election previously. The real story will come during the weeks following both conventions as the campaign heats up and the airwaves become saturated with ads and news stories. Both sides expect the Clinton lead to tighten, but, at this point, the election's probably still Clinton's to lose. However, even though the President hasn't been implicated in anything, the Republicans want to be in position in case a legal or public relations "time bomb" in relation to the Whitewater affair blows sky high about Nobember 1.

Zelnick book blasts affirmative action (Friday, 8/16/96)
ABC News correspondent Bob Zelnick appeared on Public Television's TechnoPolitics last night to discuss his new book, Back Fire: A Reporter Looks at Affirmative Action. He says government-mandated affirmative action programs have been a complete failure, not only in the U.S., but also in other countries. Washington Post writer James Glassman hosts TechnoPolitics.

What you need to become a telecommuter (Friday, 8/16/96)
The current edition of MacWorld contains a major article on "telecommuting," and it's on the web.

Violence in Australian strikes (Friday, 8/16/96)
Reuters reports on major strikes in Australia. Also, the Sydney Herald reports that thousands of jobs may be lost as federal budget cuts end the Commonwealth Employment Service and shifts its functions. Also, today's Herald says that the Australian government makes major changes in its Medicare system.

Cuts may have been too deep in American steel industry (Friday, 8/16/96)
Reuters reports that steel companies are wondering where the new leaders will come from.

Spat between employers and Dutch health minister (Friday, 8/16/96)
The largest employers federation in the Netherlands, VNO/NCW, says that the country's health minister isn't taking seriously its demands that employees have priority on waiting lists for medical service. Minister Borst, on the other hand, is investigating to see if some hospitals have been breaking the law through the use of "company policies."

Switzerland considering VAT increase, spending cuts (Friday, 8/16/96)
Neue Zuercher Zeitung reports that the Swiss government's efforts to cut the country's budget deficit include a reduction in unemployment insurance and freezing state pensions.

Italian mechanics may strike this fall (Friday, 8/16/96)
Corriere della Sera says that union contracts will soon expire and mechanics unions are insisting that their workers will not accept pay increases that don't match the country's inflation rate.

German unions respond in anger in retailing controversy (Friday, 8/16/96)
The Federal Association of German Employers in Germany has announced that it will try to block an agreement that would provide additional pay to retail workers for working on Saturdays. German labor unions angrily point out that workers already receive Saturday premium pay in other countries such as Switzerland and Austria as well as in Germany's banking industry. Frankfurter Rundschau and other papers have the story this morning.

Managers shouldn't expect international experience to help careers (Friday, 8/16/96)
New York Times writer Judith Dobrzynski tells about a new study that says taking a job overseas may mean you'll be "out of sight, out of mind."

Unemployment up a bit in South Korea (Friday, 8/16/96)
Today's Korea Herald reports on the new unemployment figures in South Korea, and also tells about a new program for continuing education while employed.

Unions begin to get ready for handover in Hong Kong (Friday, 8/16/96)
With the return of Hong Kong to Chinese political control less than a year away, the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Unions has moved out ahead of the pro-Beijing Federation of Trade Unions, according to today's Hong Kong Standard.

Republican coalition sorts things out for campaign (Thursday, 8/15/96)
In a free society, political parties, almost by definition, are complex coalitions containing persons whose attitudes and interests vary greatly with respect to a multiplicity of issues. Remarkably, in most cases, this heterogeneity coalesces around a single candidate in American presidential campaigns in a way that eventually offers voters a simple choice by election day. Of course, appearances are almost never the same as underlying realities, and the factors determining political perceptions and attitudes are particularly interesting, as are the deliberate efforts to manipulate them.

In order to clarify things for voters, at least for the moment, Jack Kemp has changed his positions on affirmative action and immigration in order to bring them in line with those of Robert Dole, who formally won the Republican presidential nomination last night in San Diego. The Washington Post reports that the Republican stance on immigration is presently at odds with the party's platform, and that, while there is plenty of variability in relation to attitudes towards things like abortion, immigration, and affirmative action, the party isn't as ethnically diverse as it likes to appear. Incidentally, the majority of black Americans voted Republican until Franklin Roosevelt came along in the 1930's. Since then, the "party of Lincoln" has not done well with ethnic minorities. Finally, the Christian Science Monitor says today that Republican moderates are on the move now after a period of success by Republican conservatives.

Once a leader, Software Publishing troubled now, cuts jobs (Thursday, 8/15/96)
Reuters reports that the company's CEO is resigning, and more than 40% of the workforce will be cut.

Israel's largest labor federation behind on its payments (Thursday, 8/15/96)
The Histadrut hasn't forwarded about US$6.4 in training and pension funds collected from workers and employers, according to papers today.

Unemployment decline probably means no further interest rate cut in UK (Thursday, 8/15/96)
London's Financial Times reports that strong earnings growth and a 5-year low in unemployment will limit interest rate cuts for the moment.

State-owned Swiss railway still supports wage cut (Thursday, 8/15/96)
Neue Zuercher Zeitung reports that across-the-board wage cuts of 2 percent have been proposed by the Swiss Railway Board as part of a plan for restoring profitability. Union resistance is increasing.

Retailing strikes spread in Germany (Thursday, 8/15/96)
An agreement has been reached in the Rhineland-Palatinate to give retail workers extra pay for Saturday work, but the Federal Association of German Employers will try to block it, according to Frankfurter Rundschau.

'Snitch Line' used to combat welfare fraud in England (Thursday, 8/15/96)
Today's Christian Science Monitor reports that a highly publicized toll free hot line encourages people to report cheats. Also, the Monitor tells about people who are pursuing advanced education in order to improve their job chances. Along similar lines, the London Times reports that there is a scramble to get into British universities and that the examination system may need reform.

Large school layoffs feared in Minnesota (Thursday, 8/15/96)
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that money shortages in school districts are leading to fears of large layoffs this fall. The Strib also reports on arguments over wage increases at Northwest Airlines, and here's an opinion piece by Minnesota's governor on the changes in the welfare system. Governor Arne Carlson is regarded as a Republican moderate on most issues, and some expect that he could be offered a cabinet position in a Dole administration.

New York plan on Medicaid gains momentum (Thursday, 8/15/96)
Elisabeth Rosenthal writes in the New York Times today that many would like to move Medicaid recipients into managed care. About 3.5 million persons would be affected.

Republicans try to narrow gender gap (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
The polls are showing that women are more likely to lean toward the Democrats in this year's campaign, and Republicans want to do something about that. For instance, the Republican National Convention's keynote speaker, Representative Susan Molinari, tries to appeal to working mothers.

Some reservists double dipping, Schroeder says (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
Representative Pat Schroeder of Colorado says a General Accounting Office study shows that some military reservists are collecting both unemployment benefits and military pay. Here's the story from Reuters.

Drop in chip prices leads to job cuts (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
Applied Materials Inc. will cut its work force by about 7 percent, according to a Reuters story. Reuters also reports on progress in the McDonnell Douglas talks.

Negotiations frustrate Israeli bank workers (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
Ha'aretz reports that bank workers in Israel are angry about how long negotiations over the length of the work week have been taking. The country's largest labor federation is considering unilaterally cutting to a five-day work week at banks.

Dutch unions told to stay away from Indonesia (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
Indonesian diplomats have told Dutch trade union leaders to stay out of domestic Indonesian political affairs. Unionists expressed their concern about the arrest of Indonesian union leader Pakpahan. In the Netherlands itself, today's Telegraaf reports that the government has decided to close between 80 and 162 post offices during the next two years.

Few new jobs being created in France (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
La Tribune reports that job creation in the French economy is stagnant. Only 400 new jobs were created during the second quarter in companies employing 10 or more workers.

Hong Kong civil servants union critical of government policy on post-handover leaders (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
Government guidelines prohibit 28,000 senior civil servants from serving on the committee being formed to choose post-handover leaders. Possible conflict of interest is cited by the government. Union leaders say the ban is too broad, according to today's South China Morning Post. Hong Kong returns to Chinese control next July.

Justice Department sues Waukegan, Illinois for discrimination (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
Housing ordinance discriminates against Hispanic families, according to U.S. Department of Justice, as reported by the Washington Post.

More on the hunger strike in France (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
Here's a story by Gail Russell Chaddock of the Christian Science Monitor.

Violations increase expected with minimum wage increase (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
The Minneapolis Star Tribune says that many low-wage earners will probably have to file complaints in order to get their money after the minimum wage increase goes into effect.

Japanese nursing schools discriminate, according to student (Wednesday, 8/14/96)
A Korean student tells a UN subcommission about alleged discrimination in Japan.

Powell reaffirms affirmative action (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
Retired General Colin Powell stirred the Republican National Convention in San Diego last night with a speech that called for the party to be inclusive, tolerant, and civil, and in which he reaffirmed his own support of affirmative action. Michael Frisby, in today's Wall Street Journal says that it deepens divisions among black Republicans. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Alfonse D'Amato seemed to offer the Democrats ammunition by saying on a radio talk show that Robert Dole's proposed tax cuts could increase the deficit and lead to cuts in Medicare.

Almost 1 in 9 unemployed in Hungary (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
According to the Hungary Report, unemployment was up again last month, and the national average now stands at 10.8%, but with considerable variation in different regions of the country. Real wages have also declined by 5% in the past year, and the Labor Ministry is proposing simplifying the current two-stage unemployment benefit system. Incidentally, former American President Jimmy Carter is in Hungary building houses as part of the Habitat for Humanity program.

Digital Equipment decides not to cut bonuses (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
The Boston Herald reports that Digital Equipment Corporation has reversed its policy of cutting bonuses paid to workers in its network products unit. The original decision to cut bonuses in the profitable division was made two weeks ago.

Worldwide demand for paper down; Austrian workers affected (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
According to Salzburger Nachrichten this morning, workers at Hallein Papier will work longer and lose overtime pay in a company effort to save money. The company is owned by German and Swedish paper makers.

Unions to merge in the Netherlands (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
Unions representing the services industry and industrial workers, respectively, will merge, creating a union with 345,000 members. FNV Dienstenbond and FNV Industriebond are the unions involved.

Spanish utility to adopt variable salary plan (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
La Expansion reports that Spain's largest private utility, Iberdrola SA, will try to lower personnel costs by adopting a plan whereby employees would receive a basic salary for a set group of tasks plus additional payments for additional related tasks.

German retail workers to strike (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
Talks have broken down, so retail workers unions in Hessen will go out on strike, according to Frankfurter Rundschau. Tensions between retail workers unions and employers in other parts of Germany are also increasing.

Auto production resuming in India as strike winds down (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
According to papers in India today, Fiat SpA's partner, Premier Automobiles Ltd., is resuming production of Padmini diesel automobiles as some striking workers return in the Bombay plant. More than 3,000 workers have been on strike for two months because of company plans to increase productivity.

Strike planned in the Philippines (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
The Philippine government intends to stop setting fuel prices. Price controls have held prices artificially low in the country, in relation to the global market. The government's action is part of its overall effort to deregulate the oil industry. Labor unions plan a nationwide strike to protest beginning August 23.

Baseball disputants "within kissing distance" (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
Agreement may be at hand in the long American baseball labor conflict, according to a New York Times story today.

French police attempt to end hunger strike (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
Illegal immigrants in France have been occupying a church. The police have moved in, but with uneven results, according to stories from the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Good ideas from workers (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
Today's Wall Street Journal tells about workers with ideas in Kentucky, efforts to fix troubled pension plans, people who are getting busier with parallel careers, and an austerity program to cut the budget deficit in Argentina.

New York preparing for big jobs program (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
The changes in welfare at the federal level is causing a frenzy of activity at state and local levels. The New York Times tells about what's happening in its home region.

Job-related education for adults needs emphasis, according to Korean commission (Tuesday, 8/13/96)
Too much emphasis on "school education" for young people, according to a South Korean official. A new emphasis is needed for the new economy. The Korea Herald reports.

Conventions open, economic issues highlighted (Monday, 8/12/96)
The Republican National Convention opens in San Diego today, and we can expect much talk about the economic anxiety of Americans, despite a strong economy by conventional indicators, for which Democratic President Bill Clinton will surely try to take credit during the campaign. Republican Bob Dole's choice for Vice President, Jack Kemp, is a former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development with a reputation as a "supply sider" in economics as well as a leader open to experiment in dealing with the conditions of America's poor. He calls himself a "bleeding-heart conservative," and, while generally regarded as more "conservative" than Bob Dole, with whom he has been at odds at various times for years, he seems more "liberal" on some issues.

Also, at a California rally last night, former Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan also emphasized economic issues and the flight of jobs, as did Reform Party founder Ross Perot at that party's convention in Long Beach. Buchanan has called a "temporary truce" with the Republican Party, he says, encouraging his followers, at least for the moment, to remain Republican and, apparently, to support the presumed Republican nominee, Robert Dole. Traditional labels are getting confused, though. Reform Party candidate Richard Lamm is a former Democrat, while his running mate is a former Republican. Moreover, Ross Perot has recently co-authored a book with retiring Democratic U. S. Senator Paul Simon. Got all that? Incidentally, Paul Simon doesn't really look like he sounds on his records. Tee-hee.

Affirmative action to be debated on Firing Line (Monday, 8/12/96)
PBS has long been accused of a liberal bias by American conservatives, but William Buckley's Firing Squad, er, Firing Line is one of the longest running programs on American public television. Buckley has been an influential conservative intellectual leader for more than forty years, helping to forge the conservative orientation of the Republican Party during recent years. Unlike more recent media figures, such as the wildly popular but far less sophisticated Rush Limbaugh, Buckley does not deliberately caricature opposing points of view or engage in the sort of selectivity that scientists know they cannot tolerate if they want to be able to trust their conclusions. Someone once said on television that Buckley was not the brightest person at Yale University at the time he was a student there, which may be hard to believe.

Nonetheless, among the things he may like even more than conservative political ideology are smart repartee and vigorous debate in which opposing points of view are presented in their strongest forms. Now and then, he uses his television program to present some of the best debate in the media, and he doesn't hesitate to invite the smartest, best informed, and most articulate representatives on all sides of important issues. Moreover, he is known to have cordial personal relationships with many leaders with whom he disagrees ideologically and with whom he likes to argue. Tonight, check your local listings for a special two-hour Firing Line dealing with the affirmative action issue.

French computer company under investigation (Monday, 8/12/96)
Bloomberg and the Boston Herald are reporting today that France's largest computer company, Groupe Bull, is being investigated by federal and Massachusetts authorities in relation to possible violations of the Older Worker Benefit Protection Act. It is alleged that the company may have engaged in an illegal severance plan in which it failed to provide older workers with benefits in exchange for signing an agreement not to sue the company.

Israeli pension funds running deficit (Monday, 8/12/96)
Yediot Achronot reports that Histadrut, Israel's largest labor organization has seven pension funds covering 500,000 people that are running deficits totaling US$14 billion, up 5.2 percent over last year. Also in Israel today, the Jerusalem Post says that U.S. Deputy Commerce Secretary Stuart Eizenstat has asked the Israeli Prime Minister to expel 100,000 illegal foreign workers to make room for Palestinians. Palestinian workers had been barred from coming into Israel after terrorist bombings.

French government ends one incentive program, cuts back another (Monday, 8/12/96)
The French government has been offering cash incentives to companies willing to hire first-time job seekers and the long-term unemployed. Now, in order to save money, various programs have been either ended or cut back, according to Les Echos. Also in France today, La Tribune Defosses reports that workers at Myrys, Moulinex, Giat Industries and Credit Foncier have gone on strike, breaking with a tradition of non-action during the country's August holiday. The strikers are protesting corporate restructuring. Additional strikes are planned for next month in response to the French government's announcement that 6,500 to 7,000 civil service jobs will be eliminated in 1997.

Successful entrepreneur not traditional (Monday, 8/12/96)
We reported yesterday on the New York Times story about how the Internet is giving new tools to persons with disabilities. Here's a story from today's Washington Post about a successful Internet entrepreneur. Today's Post also contains a story by William Claiborne about Hispanic concerns with Republican immigration policy as the national convention opens in San Diego. In somewhat related news, the Christian Science Monitor reports on an cross-national economic integration experiment involving San Diego and nearby Tijuana. Incidentally, part of the southwestern United States once was part of Mexico. The U.S. mostly just, well, took it. In the long-run, expect creative nontraditional ways of solving this ongoing regional problem, and San Diego's effort to become the 21st century's first "megacity" may be an example.

Union jet setters (Monday, 8/12/96)
The global economy means an expanded orientation for unions as well as corporations. Here's a story from the Christian Science Monitor.

Democracy at work a nice idea, but... (Monday, 8/12/96)
Marjorie Kelly writes in the Minneapolis Star Tribune why democratizing the workplace isn't easy.

Florida already moving welfare recipients toward work (Monday, 8/12/96)
Mireya Navarro writes in the New York Times about Florida as an example of states that are pulling out ahead on the welfare issue.

Wage agreement at Korean engineering firm (Monday, 8/12/96)
Labor and management have reached agreement at Halla Engineering, reports the Korea Herald.

Detention camp to close, staff seeking work (Monday, 8/12/96)
The Hong Kong Standard reports that 120 staff people will be unemployed when the detention camp closes next month. Also, here's a story about a new cooperative organization in Hong Kong to help middle-aged women find work.

New Jersey welfare law upheld (Sunday, 8/11/96)
The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a challenge to a New Jersey law that denies increases in welfare benefits for children born while the mother is receiving assistance. Reuters reports.

American factory workers barely keeping pace with inflation (Sunday, 8/11/96)
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, American factory workers' pay has been increasing more slowly than that of factory workers in a number of other countries, although some might see this as an indication of the relative strength of the American economy. For example, in Germany, pay has been increasing considerably faster than inflation, while, at the same time, the German economy has been trying to retreat from the traditionally high cost of a benefit system that seems out of sync with current productivity levels. Meanwhile, American Labor Secretary Reich says that the American standard of living is still the highest in the world, on the average, but wealth and income are more unevenly distributed in the U.S. than in other industrial countries. We're reminded of the old thing about how, with your head in the refrigerator and your feet in the oven, on the average, you'll be quite comfortable.

More students head overseas (Sunday, 8/11/96)
Here's a story from the Washington Post about the "junior year abroad" for many American college students.

Help for workers whose children are ill (Sunday, 8/11/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune tells about company programs for children of working parents.

Struggle over immigration in France (Sunday, 8/11/96)
Relatively massive migrations are occurring in many parts of the world as people from poor areas seek work in more affluent countries. This is causing social and political tensions, particularly in those countries experiencing their own problems with employment. In Paris, the conflict has centered on a church, according to today's New York Times story. The Times also reports that the chances of finding low-income delegates at either major American political convention will not be great, but will be somewhat better when the Democrats get together. Also, here's a story about how the World Wide Web is helping to level the playing field for workers with disabilities.

Want a good paying job in South Korea? (Sunday, 8/11/96)
The Korean Herald reports that, for whatever reason, politicians continue to be among the wealthiest people in South Korea. The Herald also reports today that there is continuing prejudice against people with disabilities in Korean society, and also that the South Korean air force will increase manpower by nearly 3,000 later this year.

Modest progress in McDonnell Douglas talks (Saturday, 8/10/96)
Negotiations will resume on August 13, according to Reuters this morning. Also, here's a story about someone who has received 40,000 tickets to a petting farm as severance. Honest.

Adoptions to be encouraged by minimum wage change (Saturday, 8/10/96)
Spencer Rich of the Washinton Post writes that the new minimum wage bill includes tax credits for people who adopt children.

More on welfare law's impact on legal immigrants (Saturday, 8/10/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune describes the hardships facing legal immigrants now that an historic change will take place in America's welfare system. President Clinton has hinted about future fixes, and may be waiting until after the election. In a second term, campaign issues will no longer be important for Clinton, who probably won't run for public office again. He may also be hoping for restored Democratic control of one or both houses of Congress. To be entirely unoriginal, the fat lady hasn't sung yet. We hate cliches. We avoid 'em like the plague.

Injured California worker awarded $22.5 million (Saturday, 8/10/96)
Today's Los Angeles Times reports that a man injured while working to help repair the L. A. Coliseum following earthquake damage is entitled to a huge award because of his employer's negligence. Kenneth Reich tells the story. Also, the Times contains a strong opinion piece by Bobbi Murray on the illegal immigrant issue in California.

Career web, not ladder (Saturday, 8/10/96)
Nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman says you should forget about trying to climb the career ladder. Take Secretary Reich's advice and use the web instead, and she's not talking about the World Wide Web.

Job-related deaths decline (Friday, 8/9/96)
The United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has issued a report indicating that fewer people died on the job last year, but homicides still account for a major proportion of the fatalities. The Washington Post has the story, among others. In addition, Reuters reports that the Labor Department says that one of the most dangerous places to work, so far as injuries are concerned, is in nursing homes.

New unemployment claims up last week (Friday, 8/9/96)
There are various indications that the American economy might be slowing slightly, and the slight increase in new claims for unemployment benefits last week are among them. However, it may be just ripples, not waves or tides. Here's the story from Reuters.

Mutual funds could benefit from minimum wage increase (Friday, 8/9/96)
Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal report that the minimum wage bill passed by the U. S. House of Representatives and Senate contains a provision that could direct billions of dollars into bank-run mutual funds. Money people keep at banks for children's education and some other purposes could be converted to mutual fund shares without a capital gains tax when the money is switched. Also today, both news services report that Amtrak will reduce its staff by 400 as they make changes in some routes.

Swiss rail employees march in Bern (Friday, 8/9/96)
Unionized employees of the Swiss Federal Railways are protesting plans to cut wages by 2%. No immediate strike action is planned, but it isn't ruled out, according to Neue Zuercher Zeitung.

You may be able to shop later in Austria (Friday, 8/9/96)
The Austrian economics minister reached agreement yesterday with business and union representatives, and this could result in shops staying open longer as early as November. A new law is likely to take effect on November 1, when a similar law is implemented in Germany. The governments of both countries have wanted to increase store hours in order to stimulate their economies, but unions have resisted. Stores in both Germany and Austria have had some of the most restrictive hours in Europe for many years. Kurier reports this morning.

Top executives doing well in the UK (Friday, 8/9/96)
London's Financial Times reports that the pay of top executives in 100 large companies in Britain rose twice as fast as the inflation rate last year.

Scientologists can't have government jobs in Bavaria (Friday, 8/9/96)
The southern German state of Bavaria will prohibit members of the Church of Scientology from holding state jobs beginning November 1, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine.

Small business lobby experiences unusual defeat (Friday, 8/9/96)
The NFIB usually gets what it wants, according to a Washington Post story today, but the minimum wage increase is an exception. The Post also reports that the Clinton administration is pushing a computerized system for checking on the employment eligibility of immigrants seeking work in the U.S.

Minnesota health care provider closes hospital, vows support for employees (Friday, 8/9/96)
HealthEast says they're still committed to their employees, despite a major restructuring, including the closing of a Twin Cities hospital. Here's the story from this morning's Minneapolis Star Tribune.

More on Indonesian workers at the Nike plant (Friday, 8/9/96)
Seth Mydans of the New York Times reports on life in the Nike plant in Angerang, Indonesia, while the paper's Steven Greenhouse tells about students learning the art of union organizing.

Vietnamese migrant runs to freedom during ceremony (Friday, 8/9/96)
Today's Hong Kong Standard reports on a repatriation ceremony and one that got away.

Argentine pilgrimage, prayer for work (Thursday, 8/8/96)
Hundreds of thousands of Argentines seek help from the patron saint of work. Here's the story from Reuters.

Labor Department cracks down on pension fraud (Thursday, 8/8/96)
Companies will have to deposit pension funds more quickly now following a new U.S. Department of labor rule, according to Reuters this morning. Reuters also reports today on the big increase in job cuts during the month of July.

Unions oppose cost-cutting plan in Belgium (Thursday, 8/8/96)
La Libre Belgique reports on union opposition to a plan to cut costs at Sabena airlines.

Retail wage agreement may not set trend (Thursday, 8/8/96)
Frankfurter Rundschau says that a retail wage agreement reached in Germany's Rhineland-Palatinate today probably won't act as a benchmark for the industry. The paper also reports today that the Federal Association of German Employers says it has failed to create 10 percent more training positions as promised because of the halt in economic growth.

Philippine opposition to retailing plan (Thursday, 8/8/96)
Shop owners and labor groups are opposing a Philippine government proposal that would open retailing to foreign companies in the country.

Culture conflict over dress code (Thursday, 8/8/96)
A Muslim organization and Penney's are in dispute over the company's dress code for workers, according to the Washington Post.

On-going skills-enhancement program at John Hancock (Thursday, 8/8/96)
Today's Christian Science Monitor tells about the need for continual upgrading of skills and what some companies are doing about it. Today's Monitor also has stories about an innovative program to assist the homeless, teens lending a helping hand, despite educational and career pressures, programs to help elders make transitions, and how women are beginning to make headway as filmmakers.

Legal immigrants well-prepared (Thursday, 8/8/96)
Many legal immigrants in the United States are better educated, more skilled than average Americans already here. The San Francisco Examiner reports. Speaking of immigration, the Honolulu Star Bulletin reports that Hawaii is among the most affected areas.

Nuclear power plant workers end sit-in (Thursday, 8/8/96)
The St. Petersburg Times has the story.

Brain gain in South Africa (Thursday, 8/8/96)
While some top brains are leaving the country, a lot of others are coming in, according to South Africa's Star & SA Times.

Hong Kong's transit system needs 5,000 workers (Thursday, 8/8/96)
The Mass Transit Railway Corporation wants more flexibility in hiring foreign workers, according to the Hong Kong Standard, which also has a story today about a criticism of age discrimination in the workplace.

Best careers for women (Thursday, 8/8/96)
The current edition of Working Woman magazine presents its most current list of the hottest 25 careers for women. The list is based on an ongoing project at the magazine. You'll find more information on their web site, but it does not duplicate the magazine's content.

Multiple perspectives on the world economy (Thursday, 8/8/96)
The August edition of Foreign Affairs includes an article called "Workers in the world economy," which is really a collection of brief statements by several leading figures, including former presidential candidate Forbes.

Martians may have been single-celled (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
The most suggestive evidence yet that earth may not have a monopoly on life has been announced by NASA scientists. The fact that this story is on the front page of nearly every major newspaper in the world this morning is encouraging, because it may turn out to be the most significant bit of news in several thousand years. We recognize that it is not directly related to the world of work, although it could mean that we will eventually have to change our descriptive phrase to "the universe of work." We respond to things in terms of how they look to us, and context and perspective help determine how they look. If the current findings are confirmed by the upcoming Mars exploration, we can expect the new context to fundamentally alter how we perceive ourselves, which, in turn, should eventually influence nearly everything we do, including how we organize our economic lives. However, at the moment, it's important to keep in mind that the reported findings are strongly suggestive, but not confirmatory. They are still subject to alternative interpretations, and science is about systematically ruling out alternative interpretations. Many scientists are skeptical, but others say they're not surprised. Stay tuned.

Work talk on Charlie Rose (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
Lawyer, North Carolina native son, TV producer, and talk show host Charlie Rose discussed the new work world on Rose's show last night with Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, CBS News correspondent Harry Smith, and Louis Uchitelle, a member of the New York Times team that developed the important 7-part series, The Downsizing of America. The Times series has been published in paperback, but is still available on the web, and should not be missed. Smith is heading up a scheduled CBS Reports on the topic this Thursday. However, it doesn't appear that the program will run on CBS television affiliates in all markets. Check your local listings. Incidentally, speaking of Secretary Reich, the Washington Post's Paul Blustein opines about a recent press briefing in which Reich called for workers to get a raise.

Managing attitude (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
Sabra Chartrand of the New York Times offers some practical advice for the job search when managing one's attitudes becomes as important as managing one's time.

Talks to resume today at McDonnell Douglas (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
Here's the latest on the machinists strike, as reported by Reuters, which also reports that a Cato Institute poll finds that most Americans would like to see their Social Security system privatized.

German jobless rise now official (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
The official government report wasn't out yet yesterday when "unnamed sources" were reporting an increase in unemployment during July, but now it's official, according to Frankfurter Rundschau and other German papers this morning. Reuters reports that it has strengthened the American currency a bit.

Conventions to spin economic picture (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
In the Christian Science Monitor today, David Francis discusses the complex American economic realities versus the interpretations that are likely to be offered at the major political conventions just ahead. The Monitor also reports that many Americans, for reasons of retirement or otherwise, are abandoning some of the busier parts of the country and moving off the beaten path.

Some opinions about Dole's tax plan, welfare reform, and AmeriCorps (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune contains opinion pieces saying that Dole's tax plan is unwise, why Clinton signed a bad welfare bill, and why AmeriCorps doesn't work, according to their authors.

Big decrease in industrial accidents expected (Wednesday, 8/7/96)
Today's Korea Herald reports that South Korea's Ministry of Labor Affairs expects that the country's industrial accident rate will be similar to that of advanced countries by the year 2000. Only a few years ago, South Korea was an "underdeveloped country," but has suddenly become one of the world's principal industrial powers with the 15th economy in the world. Priority has been given to growth and development, with other issues, including safety, infrastructure, and so on, taking second place. Now, though, with economic success and industrial power assured, attention is shifting to neglected issues.

Dole tax plan and middle-class anxiety (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
Blaine Harden of the Washington Post says American presidential candidate Robert Dole hopes to energize his campaign by appealing to middle-class economic insecurity, but Dan Balz of the Post says that his tax proposal and populism are going to be risky. Kurt Shillinger of the Christian Science Monitor asks if Dole's numbers all add up, while the Minneapolis Star Tribune editorializes that the whole thing is "Dole's voodoo".

Indicators strong (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
The Index of Leading Indicators were up in June for the fifth month in a row, suggesting strong economic activity ahead, Retuers reports. The Index is considered one of the best forecasters of economic activity six to nine months in the future. Reuters also reports today that Albert Shanker, newly re-elected president of the American Federation of Teachers, says he doesn't think that school vouchers will work as a campaign issue for Dole. Public school teachers unions have tended to be opposed to vouchers because they believe they would weaken public education.

Fidelity reconsidering new hires (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
The Wall Street Journal reports that Fidelity Investments is concerned with rising costs and has told its managers to reconsider the need to fill about 1,500 current job openings. Today's Journal also contains a story on the affirmative action debate and the fear of white backlash in Brazil, as well as a story about the growth of outsourcing in the public sector as taxpayers save but jobs are lost.

Use of foreign cabin crews questioned (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
Troubled Swiss airline Swissair's plan to increase the number of foreign cabin crew members on long flights is coming under investigation by the Federal Department for Industry, Commerce and Employment. They're not sure it can be done under Swiss labor law, according to Neue Zuercher Zeitung.

Largest Dutch union wants 3% increase (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
De Telegraaf reports that FNV, the largest union in the Netherlands, says it will demand a 3 percent pay raise for next year.

Letter service monopoly suspended in UK (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
The UK's postal service has temporarily lost its monopoly on the delivery of letters. Ian Lang, the British trade and industry secretary, suspended the monopoly in response to the Communication Workers' Union call for more 24-hour strikes. Today's Daily Telegraph and other papers report the story this morning.

German tiremaker to cut jobs in Austria (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
Der Standard reports that the Continental AG, the German tiremaker, will cut 900 jobs at its Semperit Reifen plan in Taiskirche, Austria. Some production will be moved to the Czech Republic. The announced cuts are fewer than expected. In Germany itself, Sueddeutsche Zeitung announces that unemployment rose in July. The information comes from unnamed sources. The official report has not yet been released by the Federal Labor Office.

More on GM/UAW negotiations (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune has another story on General Motors' demand for more flexibility in replacing retirees.

New health law may produce surge in job seekers (Tuesday, 8/6/96)
USA Today says that large numbers of people may choose to change jobs after the new health coverage law takes effect. The combination of a strong job market and being able to keep health benefits may make many people want to change. Also, here is a summary of the latest economic statistics from USA Today.

Travel agent job role may be in jeopardy (Monday, 8/5/96)
Russell Blinch, writing for Reuters, says that the travel agents may succumb to the Internet and join a long list of formerly popular occupations that have now receded into history.

Clothing workers strike ends (Monday, 8/5/96)
According to South Africa's Business Report, a week-long strike of clothing workers has ended after a compromise agreement on a 9 percent wage increase. More that 80,000 workers in 1,200 factories were affected.

Retail sales not greatly affected by strikes in Germany (Monday, 8/5/96)
Handelsblatt reports that strikes by retail workers unions in Germany have not greatly affected sales. Unions are protesting plans to extend legal store hours and also want more pay.

Pragmatism wins over gridlock, according to Monitor (Monday, 8/5/96)
In an opinion piece today, the Christian Science Monitor analyzes the resolution of the welfare and health care bill struggles that have been going on so long. Both bills are about to become law.

Men falling behind at home (Monday, 8/5/96)
Patricia Marks Greenfield, writing for the Los Angeles Times, says that while women's roles at work have been expanding, men's roles at home haven't kept up. Here article is distributed to many other papers around the country, including the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

States worry about finding sufficient jobs (Monday, 8/5/96)
Dana Milbank, writing in today's Wall Street Journal, says that the new welfare law's rules requiring work are worrying the states, where finding sufficient jobs may not be possible. The Journal also has a story today about Albania's attraction for foreign business. Inexpensive labor has something to with it.

Colleges restructure as budgets shrink (Monday, 8/5/96)
Here's today's USA Today story about the vast changes beginning on the nation's campuses.

More bills for President to sign (Saturday, 8/3/96)
After months of conflict and gridlock, the American Congress has brought several long-contested projects to completion. First, the welfare bill is sent to the President, who says he will sign it. Senator Moynihan objects vigorously, saying that it could resu