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October 1998

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American economy strong during the third quarter (Saturday, 10/31/98)
The American economy expanded at an annual rate of 3.3 percent during the third quarter. Here's more from Sylva Nasa of the New York Times. However, experts expect that this pace will not be maintained during the current quarter. There are cracks in its foundation," says one economist.

Russia officially retreats from free markets, at least for now (Saturday, 10/31/98)
The International Monetary Fund has rejected Russia's plan, but the Russian government has approved it anyway. Prime Minister Primakov says that it represents a necessary role for government in an emergency situation and does not really mean rejection of a market economy in the long-run.

Brazil as an international test case (Saturday, 10/31/98)
Tracey Ober reports that Brazil is on the home stretch in its effort to obtain IMF loans. The problem is the country's huge budget deficit, and the international effort to help Brazil head off the sort of financial disintegration that has occurred across Asia is seen as a test case for a broader plan to bring stability to the world economy and help other countries that are teetering. Paul Blustein of the Washington Post reports that G7 leaders seem more hopeful now that the worst is over.

U.S. Surgical applies scalpel to jobs (Saturday, 10/31/98)
U.S. Surgical Corporation plans to cut 12 percent of its work force, which amounts to 775 jobs. The company recently was acquired by Tyco International Ltd.

Here's a terminator who doesn't look like Arnold Schwarzenegger (Saturday, 10/31/98)
If you want to save yourself unpleasantness, here's a man who will do the deed for you. He'll fire people and remove them from the premises for a fee.

Another ratification at Northwest (Saturday, 10/31/98)
Tony Kennedy reports that Aircraft Technical Support Association members have ratified a new contract with Northwest Airlines. Also, here's word of another ratification at another airline. In this case, it's pilots at a regional unit of Continental Airlines.

What to do if your boss doesn't like something about your private life? (Saturday, 10/31/98)
Noted career columnist Carol Kleiman says that you can be fired, but you do have recourse. Also, Ms. Kleiman discusses personal assistants for busy workers in another of her nationally syndicated columns.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Health Care Recruitment Online (Saturday, 10/31/98)
There are a great number of web sites than intend to help get job-seekers and employers together. Health Care Recruitment Online may be of particular interest if you are a physician, nurse, or other health care worker.

U.S. gets G7 support for its plan (Friday, 10/30/98)
Randall Mikkelsen reports that American President Clinton has called for support from the other major industrial countries for a U.S. plan for dealing with the global financial crisis. The latest news is that the President will get the support and cooperation that he has requested.

What it will take to attract women and minorities to hi-tech (Friday, 10/30/98)
Malcolm Maclachlan of TechWeb reports that a number of groups don't expect President Clinton's panel to be effective. A different focus will be required, they say.

Workers die in construction fire (Friday, 10/30/98)
Twenty-seven persons are dead in a construction site fire in Pusan, South Korea.

Northwest's flight attendants threaten to strike (Friday, 10/30/98)
Tony Kennedy reports on a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Why labor costs are rising (Friday, 10/30/98)
There was a dramatic increase in pay and benefits during the third quarter in the United States. One reason: upward pressure from a continuing worker shortage. However, the current picture is a bit more mixed. The Conference Board reports that help-wanted advertising has declined a bit.

Brazilian Congress to decide on austerity plan (Friday, 10/30/98)
The Brazilian government is pushing a $84 billion plan to address the country's economic financial problems and qualify for IMF assistance, but it's got to get through the Brazilian parliament first, and there is resistance. Here's additional perspective from Howard LaFranchi of the Christian Science Monitor on Brazilian efforts to tighten its belt. Incidentally, the IMF is helping out elsewhere as well. a $78 million loan has been approved for the Ukraine.

The hard road ahead for the new German government (Friday, 10/30/98)
Roland Eggleston of Radio Free Europe discusses the challenges facing the new government in Germany, not the least of which is dealing with high unemployment.

Federal workers pull retirement money out of stock market (Friday, 10/30/98)
More than $400 million in federal workers' retirement funds was moved out of the stock market and into safer investments last month, according to Jerry Knight of the Washington Post. Also in the Post today, Takashi Imai has some thoughts about what it will take to get the Japanese economy back on track.

Women make less, pay more (Friday, 10/30/98)
There is still a significant gender gap when it comes to pay, and, while a California law was supposed to have eliminated gender discrimination in pricing, women are still paying more for basic services, according to one group.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: BranchOut (Friday, 10/30/98)
Here's help with your network. Interpersonal, not computer. BranchOut claims to be useful in helping you to make contacts, locate old school friends, and more. Job-seekers and people running businesses may be particularly interested.

Good news about wages in the United States (Thursday, 10/29/98)
A new Labor Department report says that American workers received an average increase in wages and benefits of 3.7 percent over the past year, the best in six years. Here's that story from the Nando Times and the New York Times. And how about the future? Economists are saying not to expect continuing good news, because the American economy will weaken.

Yeltsin no longer in "day-to-day" control (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Russian President Yeltsin slips more into the shadows, and it's becoming official. Martin Nesirky reports from Moscow.

Did you know that there are 1.5 million seasonal farm workers in the U.S.? (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Most Americans don't think much about them, because, as Daniel Rothenberg says in his book, they aren't easy to see. The book is With These Hands: The Hidden World of Migrant Farmworkers Today, and here's more about it from the Christian Science Monitor.

More details on Brazil's fixit plan (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Diana Jean Schemo tells about the Brazilian government 3-year austerity plan for getting its economy under control and qualifying for IMF help. Michael Weinstein claims that the costly program won't do the job. Both stories are from today's New York Times.

"Living wage" policy not being enforced, some say (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Kevin Duchschere of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that members of a political action group and others are asking why some companies receiving funds from the city of St. Paul are not paying a living wage as they're supposed to be doing.

Major league baseball players win a round (Thursday, 10/29/98)
A new law overturns part of major league baseball's antitrust exemption which had lasted for 70 years. President Clinton signed the bill Tuesday.

Help with your "emotional competence" (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Columnist Kate Cannon tells about consultant Kate Cannon and her work in convincing employers how important it is to get good at respecting employee emotions.

Incident supports striking workers' claims about safety (Thursday, 10/29/98)
An Air Canada jet backed into a food truck in Toronto, which is leading some striking workers to say "we told you so."

Quinn says to think again about privatizing Social Security (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Will private accounts really work? Nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn offers some considerations.

Many complaints about health coverage involve mental health issues (Thursday, 10/29/98)
The Texas Medical Foundation reports that mental health and substance abuse cases account for a quarter of all formal complaints in Texas. Here's the story from Sarah Lunday of the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Ms. Lunday also reports on a new plan for compensating Texas physicians.

Really cool workplaces (Thursday, 10/29/98)
The current edition of Business Week reports on the second annual architecture awards for the design of the best new workplaces.

Less unemployment means lower unemployment tax in Ohio (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Ohio's nemployment tax will go down for the third time in three years. A strong economy and robust job market is the reason, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Work-place horror stories, some funny, some not (Thursday, 10/29/98)
Daniel Levine has expanded from the web to a new paperback book. The San Francisco Examiner has more on being "disgruntled" at work.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Industry Based Skill Standards (Thursday, 10/29/98)
United States departments of Education and Labor are working with private sector organizations in order to establish skill standards across a variety of industries. Here's the Industry Based Skill Standards site on the web.

Schroeder era begins in Germany (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
Gerhard Schroeder went to work yesterday for the first time as Germany's chancellor. Robert Cohen of the New York Times has some thoughts about the onset of the new era with a new generation in charge. William Drozdiak of the Washington Post writes that Chancellor Schroeder is indicating that modernization of the world's third-largest economy will be priority one.

End of Yeltsin era in Russia? (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
Russian President Yeltsin has entered a sanatorium, indicating that his health problems persist, and that he is retreating from center stage in his country's politics, which means an increasing shift of attention and power to Prime Minister Primakov. In fact, Yeltsin's Deputy Chief of Staff has said that the President is no longer in charge of the Russian economy. In other news, Doug Palmer reports that Russia has requested food aid from the United States. The amount of grain and other foodstuffs that Russia will need is expected to be very large, but, so far, the news hasn't helped grain prices in the U.S., where farmers are struggling to stay in business.

Brazil announces its plan (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
Brazil's newly re-elected President government has outlined its austerity plan for getting its national economic house in order, and the President has appealed for support during what will be a painful time for many.

More signs that global economic turmoil is beginning settle a bit (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
James Tyson of the Christian Science Monitor has been looking for some encouraging signs, and he thinks he sees some. Also in the Monitor today, Ron Scherer reports that a lot of laid off brokers are pounding a particularly well-known street looking for work, and David Francis reports that new United Nations forecasts indicate a slowing of global population growth. There are a number of reasons, but one big one is AIDS, according to Joby Warrick of the Washington Post.

Viagra can impair pilots on the job (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
The FAA is saying that airline pilots should wait at least six hours after taking Viagra before they fly because the popular new impotence drug can impair their color perception. Some airlines are requiring pilots to wait more than six hours. For instance, Northwest Airlines says pilots must not take to the air until at least 24 hours after taking the drug.

Most jobs require a degree or training in Sweden (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
Svenska Dagbladet reports that a new study conducted by the Labor market Board indicates that 9 out of 10 jobs listings at the government employment agency require some type of university education or training.

The story of child migrants (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
Ruth Walker reports from Melbourne, Australia on the deportation of children. No, this is not a "misprint."

FedEx pilots say they might shift to a lower gear (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
Frank Swoboda reports on a possible slowdown in the contract dispute between FedEx and its pilots.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Kiplinger TaxCut (Wednesday, 10/28/98)
This is the time of year that many people use the latest versions of tax preparation software to do "what if" analyses in order to see if there's something that can be done during the remaining months of the year to minimize the tax bill next April 15. We pointed to a web site relating to one of the leading tax prep packages on October 19. Now, here's another one. It's Kiplinger TaxCut from the Kiplinger organization and H&R Block.

The difference that being an "independent contractor" makes (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Employers generally prefer to have "independent contractors" than "employees." Why? It all has to do with the cost of benefits. Time Warner is in hot water over this issue. The United States Department of Labor has filed suit against the huge media company alleging that it has been illegally denying employees benefits by choosing not to call them employees. Time Warner denies the charges.

Japanese unemployment holds at record high (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
The unemployment rate in Japan remains at 4.3 percent, a post-war high. Here's the story from Amy Shiratori of Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun. If that sounds good compared to many countries in the West, it's important to keep in mind that there is no standard way of measuring unemployment. If you work only an hour per month, you're counted among the employed in Japan. There will be quite a lot more people without jobs too, because Fuji Bank is preparing to cut 1,200 workers, but it won't be done all at once.

A cultural reason for Japan's current struggles (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times explains Japan's cultural conflict between maximizing efficient operations and retaining egalitarianism. How this conflict is resolved may determine Japan's future in the new global economy.

Rockwell International sued over "predictive diagnostics" (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Rockwell International because of a procedure that attempts to control health care costs by predicting which job applicants are likely to develop ailments later, and, then, turning them away.

Students are defaulting less on their loans (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
President Clinton sees major progress during his administration in reducing the number of student loan defaults. The rate is the lowest it's been in 10 years, he says.

Tight labor market encourages hiring of illegals (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Louisiana's Sun Herald reports on the labor shortage on the Gulf Coast and how it offers temptation for employers to hire illegal immigrants.

Workers can choose any plan, so long as it's the one that's offered (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Most U.S. workers don't have a choice, when it comes to health coverage through their work, according to a survey conducted by RAND and the Research Triangle Institute.

Higher ed changes called for in Japan (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
For years, getting into a Japanese university has been an excruciating experience, but, once admitted, getting through and graduating hasn't been all that difficult. An advisory panel thinks it should be the other way around--easier to get in, harder to get through. Here's that story from Asahi Shimbun.

Many children injured in Australian workplaces (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Gary Hughes and Gerard Ryle write in Melbourne's The Age report that at least 1600 children are injured each year, but that's probably an underestimate because of under-reporting.

Last minute legislation will affect some workers (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Stephen Barr of the Washington Post describes legislation that got in under the wire which will affect federal workers.

A new role for community colleges (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Years ago, they were called "junior colleges," meaning that they were mostly in the business of providing the first two years of conventional college for those intending to complete a four-year degree at another institution. Then, they became "community colleges" with a broader community commitment to serve people of all ages and with a variety of purposes. Now, as Suzi Parker of the Christian Science Monitor reports, community colleges are carving out an important new niche in the new economy. Speaking of higher education, Ethan Mitkowski describes the used textbook market and why so many students have a pained look on their faces after selling back their almost-new texts so that they can be recycled.

Meteorologists approve new contract with Northwest Airlines (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Tony Kennedy reports from the city in which the America's fourth-largest airline has its headquarters.

What has led to the new fortunes in China, really? (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Renee Schoof writes from Shenzhen, China about the impact of economist He Qinglian's book, The Pitfalls of Modernization. Corruption may have more to do with some of the new fortunes in China's evolving market economy than hard work, she says.

Asia's economic tsunami washes up on the California shore in the vicinity of Silicon Valley (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Andrew Pollack of the New York Times describes how the Asian economic crisis is affecting a region on the North American continent that probably has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies per square foot in the known universe.

Workers with disabilities find a place in the new economy (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
Here's Gary Pakulski's Toledo Blade story about how employers are finding that the retarded can be great employees. Similarly, persons with disabilities are seeking training and employment in greater numbers across the Atlantic. Here's that story from the Irish Times.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Adam Smith Institute (Tuesday, 10/27/98)
The man who was pondering the reasons for "the wealth of nations" at about the time the American Revolution was getting underway has his own web site. Or, at least, an institute founded in his name has one. The Adam Smith Institute has been in operation for more then 20 years and its web site comes to you from the United Kingdom.

End of an era in Germany (Monday, 10/26/98)
Today is Chancellor Kohl's last day at work. Erik Kirschbaum of Reuters has the story about the man who has presided over German reunification as well as Europe's largest economy for 16 years. Deidre Berger of the Christian Science Monitor also has some thoughts.

More reason to wonder about Yeltsin's well-being (Monday, 10/26/98)
A Russian-European Union summit will be held in Vienna tomorrow, which one might think will be an important meeting. However, Russian President Yeltsin won't be attending. Meanwhile, Fred Hiatt of the Washington Post says that, while Prime Minster Primakov doesn't seem to have the really good ideas for dealing with Russia's economic problems, there are others who may. Also, Sharon LaFraniere writes about the consequences of capitalism in Russia so far, and why many Russians are having difficulty understanding how things haven't been working well so far.

Credit tightens around the world, and it worries the IMF (Monday, 10/26/98)
Emerging economies need capital to help them really emerge. Officials of the International Monetary Fund are worried about current credit trends. Meanwhile, quite a lot of top financial officers in American corporations seem to think that the probability of a recession in the United States has increased lately, while the Christian Science Monitor's James Tyson discusses "letting the air out of the American economy." Knut Engelmann says that the global financial crisis is far from over, and that the world's economy still faces an uphill struggle.

Better higher ed for higher tech (Monday, 10/26/98)
Leaders in the American hi-tech industry see better higher education as the long-term solution to the problem of technically trained worker shortages. The current edition of the EE Times has the story.

The concept of "citizenship" may be blurring a little (Monday, 10/26/98)
We've been speculating about the future of the "nation state" in a world where geography seems to be getting increasingly irrelevant. People on different sides of the globe may have more continuous interaction and contact than people next door. What will it mean for personal and national identities? Abraham McLaughlin of the Christian Science Monitor writes about one community that is considering allowing non-citizens to vote n local elections. Also in the Monitor today, Howard LaFranchi explains why a rescue of Brazil is so important to the U.S., and Stephan Schmidheiny discusses the ways in which capitalism is far from perfect and how it can be made better.

The case for diversity as good business (Monday, 10/26/98)
Gus Blanchard explains why business should actively support increased diversity in the workplace.

How early is too early for career planning? (Monday, 10/26/98)
St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Amy Lindgren describes "lifework planning" and why some think that children should get to thinking about such issues early.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Business@Home (Monday, 10/26/98)
As they say, Business@Home is for people who are interested in "making a life while making a living." This site is for those who have a lot of home work to do, but who aren't students.

Primakov still promising plan (Sunday, 10/25/98)
As we've reported, Russia's immediate economic situation is so severe with its winter approaching, that much energy has to go into short-term coping efforts. The Russian government's long-term plan is still brewing, apparently. Prime Minister Primakov meets with his top advisors again tomorrow, and promises to release the long-awaited long-term plan soon. .

Clinton attempts to persuade Congress on Social Security (Sunday, 10/25/98)
President Clinton would like Congress to put Social Security up very near the top of its agenda next year. Use the surplus to fix the system, he urges.

What on earth is "feng shui," and why should you care? (Sunday, 10/25/98)
Washington Post columnist Amy Joyce tells how your office may soon be reorganized according to ancient Chinese principles.

U.S. gets its checkbook out to help Brazil (Sunday, 10/25/98)
Brazil has the ninth largest economy in the world and the largest, by far, in Latin America. If it's drawn into the swirling financial black hole that has been sucking the life out of many Asian economies, the implications could be serious for a lot of people besides the Brazilians. The United States is preparing to contribute a big share of the money for loans to Brazil to help build a barrier against the "Asian flu." However, gubernatorial elections today may determine whether Brazil's president can put a needed austerity program into effect, and the loans will be tied to that program. Incidentally, if you're an American, do you really care about the rest of the world's economic problems? If you don't, you should, and Robert White explains why.

Can Republican candidates attract organized labor? (Sunday, 10/25/98)
Well, once upon a time, a man named Reagan did fairly well among many union members. Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times tells about three Long Island Republicans who are getting labor support. Also in the Times today, James Schembari tells what it takes to retire early, and Michelle Cottle attempts to reassure a student who fears prospective employers will see a bit too much variety and too little commitment. Finally, Amanda Hesser reports on a booming restaurant industry and its need for quality workers.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Newsletter Library (Sunday, 10/25/98)
Would you like to receive a free newsletter? Would you like to receive 11,000 of them? The Newsletter Library can help, however specialized your need for news.

Japan's ambassador to the U.S. says they "get it" (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Here's Eric Wieffering's report on Ambassador Saito's remarks about the extent to which his government understands the seriousness of Japan's economic situation, the implications for the rest of Asia, and the aggressive commitment required to fix things. Moreover, what a difference a few years can make. Not so long ago, American leaders were in Japan trying to learn how to pull off something resembling the "Japanese miracle" in the U.S. Now, the Japanese are trying to learn from the Americans. Meanwhile, Chisaki Watanabe writes from Tokyo about one of the consequences of Japan's economic downturn: less elaborate weddings.

What's ahead for Canada's job market? (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Jay Bryan of the Montreal Gazette says that plans to lay off 3,000 workers at Canadian National Railways may mark a turning point, but don't expect disaster.

Rubber glove workers hit with rubber bullets (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Police have broken up a strike in Medan, Indonesia. Strikers have been protesting in support of a wage increase and also want colleagues fired for participating in earlier protests to be re-hired.

General Motors wants better relations with its unions (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Michael Ellis reports that GM may be preparing to appoint a new head of labor relations in North America. As an example of what concerns the company, workers have voted to authorize a strike at a GM plant in Kansas City.

Suds flow again in St. Louis (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Workers were on strike at Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, but it lasted only one day. Talks are starting up again. In other labor news, Hannelore Sudermann of Spokane's Spokesman-Review reports that striking Kaiser steelworkers won't receive unemployment benefits.

What's a biz plan? Ah, well, you may need a little preparation before becoming an entrepreneur (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Some experts offer advice about changing your business plan and also how often it should be done.

Health risks at Amoco's research center (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Brain cancer has been occurring at a rate too high to attribute to chance at Amoco's research center near Chicago. Researchers from the University of Alabama think they've traced the problem to chemicals in use at the center.

Forget the "big bang" (Saturday, 10/24/98)
No, not the theory of how the universe started. Instead, we're talking about Germany's plans for easing the euro into circulation rather than bringing it in all at once. It's scheduled to happen in 2002.

Postal Service hiring today in Columbus, Ohio (Saturday, 10/24/98)
The Columbus Dispatch reports that the U.S. Postal Service will 900 extra workers for the holidays in Columbus, and a hiring fair is going on today.

Why business has a stake in the problem of domestic violence (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Columnist Amy Gage of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that a quarter of women on the job are likely to be experiencing abuse at home. She discusses what employers can do about it and why they should try.

Working their way out of prison (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Here's a report from Thak Sina Khaikaew who writes from Bangkok about food shortages in Thailand and how prison inmates are helping out while also helping themselves get out.

How the World Bank intends to help Brazil (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Higher interest rates will help. Here's an explanation from today's St. Paul Pioneer Press.

First strike on the Internet (Saturday, 10/24/98)
It's all about information technology workers in Germany who want higher wages. This may require a little explanation, and the Detroit News provides it.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Cultural Factors in Business (Saturday, 10/24/98)
Interested in studying a culture with quaint rites, rituals, and native dances? Forget trying to find one isolated since the dim days of prehistory. You can carry your canoe 1,500 miles through the jungle, and, by the time you arrive, the objects of your intended study will be watching Laverne & Shirley re-runs. The world has become too much a global village for that. Instead, for really quaint, take a look at the biz culture, and Professor J. N. Hooker of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh can help. Here's Professor Hooker's Cultural Factors in Business: An Incomplete Anthropological Bibliography.

Jobless claims at 3-month high (Friday, 10/23/98)
First-time jobless claims last week were at their highest in three months, according to today's Wall Street Journal.

Yeltsin upbeat about Russia's road to recovery (Friday, 10/23/98)
The Russian president says his country's economy is already on that road, but others disagree. Of course, part of the job of any country's president is to talk optimism, with the hope that it can be self-fulfilling. Meanwhile, Paul Blustein of the Washington Post thinks that there are growing signs that the worst may be over in the larger global financial crisis.

Stress costs when it comes to health care (Friday, 10/23/98)
New research reported in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine indicates that medical expenses are higher for workers who are stressed or depressed on the job. A lot higher.

Pay raise for public employees in Lebanon (Friday, 10/23/98)
A bill to cover a pay raise for public employees amounting to US$245 million will be included in the 1999 budget bill, according to An-Nahar. President-elect Lahoud will be sworn in on November 24. He expects expenses to exceed revenue by 31 percent in the new budget. Plans for financing the pay increase are under discussion.

Consequences of an aging population (Friday, 10/23/98)
America is getting older, and so is Japan. As a larger proportion of the population reaches retirement, there is a smaller proportion still working, and this is causing some adjustments in Japan's pension system. Here's the story from Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun.

Plant in Ghana halts production because of wage dispute (Friday, 10/23/98)
Amesterdam's Financieele Dagblad reports that a Lever Brothers soap and toothpaste plant near the capital of Ghana has stopped production because of a conflict over wages. Workers want a 50 percent increase, while the company is offering 25 percent. Lever Brothers is a subsidiary of Unilever, which is a Dutch-British company.

Two many jobs pay too little, according to new report (Friday, 10/23/98)
A study released by the JOBS NOW Coalition of Minnesota indicates that about a third of the jobs in the state don't pay well enough to support a family of four, according to Jean Hopfensperger's report. Also in the Minneapolis Star Tribune today, Tony Kennedy reports that Northwest Airlines has reached agreement with another of its unions. In other airline labor news, pilots at Federal Express have decided to refuse overtime during the holidays. Their union is presently in the process of conducting a strike authorization vote. Anheuser-Busch also has some labor troubles. A small group of Teamsters have gone on strike in St. Louis, but hundreds of workers are refusing to cross the picket line.

Danish industrial group says higher wages have reduced competitiveness (Friday, 10/23/98)
According to the Danish Confederation of Industries, Danish industry has lost 9 percent of its market share in exports and 15 percent of its domestic market share due to higher wages. Berlingske Tidende has the story today.

More trouble at Wendy's (Friday, 10/23/98)
Wendy's has been sued for discrimination before by its customers. Now, one of its franchise owners has filed a $150 million suit against the restaurant chain, saying that racism is the company's "dirty little secret."

Advice on retirement investments (Friday, 10/23/98)
Columnist Eric Tyson advises a correspondent on the best way to make that nest egg grow. Also, another St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist says it's time to sign up for those FSAs. Here's Gary Klott's explanation.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: FinancialWeb (Friday, 10/23/98)
There is no shortage of financial information on the web. FinancialWeb may provide more than most people want to know about stocks and other financial issues, but not necessarily more than they should know.

Job cuts at Canadian National Railways (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Canadian National Railways plan to eliminate 3,000 jobs through the end of next year, according to the Montreal Gazette's Sheila McGovern.

Clinton signs on dotted lines (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Yesterday, American President Clinton signed into law the $500 billion dollar spending bill, as well as a bill that will give the IMF $18 billion in additional funding.

BMW to cut jobs at Rover plant (Thursday, 10/22/98)
BMW plans to cut 2,400 jobs at its Rover plant in Longbridge, Birmingham. Britain's Conservative Party leader is holding the Blair government responsible because of its policies, according to London papers this morning. Also in the U.K., Eddie George, Bank of England Governor, is at the center of a storm because of remarks reported in a regional newspaper that job losses in northern England are an acceptable price to pay for keeping inflation under control in the southern part of the country. Governor George says he was misquoted, and Prime Minister Blair is defending him.

Trade unions critical of Indian government plan to amend labor laws (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Here's the story from New Delhi coming to you from The Hindu.

Russia to pay some of its bills by printing more money (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Sharon LaFraniere of the Washington Post reports that the Russian government intends to print $1.2 billion worth of rubles by the end of 1998.

A third of Lebanese live below the poverty line (Thursday, 10/22/98)
The Daily Star reports on a new United Nations study that estimates that one in three people in Lebanon lives in poverty. There are about 3.1 million people in the country.

Boycotts and strikes in education (Thursday, 10/22/98)
University classrooms are likely to be fairly empty in Israel today, as 71,000 students boycott their classes in order to protest high tuition rates. The Jerusalem Post has that story today. Meanwhile, Peter Ford of the Christian Science Monitor reports that high school students are striking in France, and that discontent is spreading across the country. Among the things students want is better teaching. It remains to be seen whether there will soon be similar protests in parts of the U.S., but Kim Schneider reports that a shortage of teachers is putting an increasing number of people without full preparation into American classrooms. There's bad news for many university students in South Africa, as the University of Western Cape shuts down temporarily in response to a growing mess there. In what may turn out to be long-term good news in American, a new study finds more families are beginning to save and invest for college tuition earlier.

The labor shortage is bad news and good news (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Bad news for day care, good news for relationships among workers and their bosses. Sue Shellenbarger reports on the first story in the Arizona Republic, and Amy Joyce of the Washington Post reports in the San Jose Mercury News on the second.

Big gains recognized for women in the workplace (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Here's that story from the Philadelphia Inquirer as the 9 to 5 organization celebrates its 25th anniversary. Meanwhile, newspaper editors don't expect racial parity on newspaper staffs until the year 2025.

Few new jobs because of shorter work week, according to study (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Sweden's Finanstidningen reports that a National Institute of Economic Research study forecasts little or no increase in job creation would result from a shortening of the work week in that country. Other European countries have also been attracted to the idea of reducing the work week, most notably France.

What Americans think of proposed Medicare changes (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Here are some results from a new study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health.

Brazilian Prez gets vote of confidence (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Brazil's President Cardoso has been provided with a voter mandate to move ahead with market reforms, according to Peter Hakim of the Christian Science Monitor. Meanwhile, Diana Jean Schemo writes from Sao Paulo for the New York Times that some Brazilian workers may have to take part of their salary in goods rather than money, as the Brazilian economy attempts to get itself under control. Finally, Business Week reports on a new generation of business leaders across Latin America.

Will Japan's bank rescue plan do the job? (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Michael Weinstein of the New York Times says that, at first glance, it would appear not, because there are lots of problems with the new law recently passed by the Japanese parliament. Not so fast, he says. Maybe things will be okay from now on after all.

Stock dip affects retirement plans (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Back in mid-July, many retirees and soon-to-be-retirees had more to retire with. Maggie Jackson reports on how the decline of the stock market is impacting on retirement and changing a lot of plans. Also, many workers have been finding that fees and expenses associated with their 401(k) plans have been increasing, and workers are paying more of these themselves.

Communism and capitalism seem the strangest of bedfellows (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Business Week reports on the costly capitalism learning curve for officials in China.

What misinformation is readily available about you? (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Susan Wells explains why you didn't get that job you applied for, and you may be surprised.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Economic History Association (Thursday, 10/22/98)
Sometimes, if you're trying to look ahead, it helps to look back first. History isn't dead, because we respond to things in terms of how they look to us, and context helps determine how they look. Historical context can be particularly important. The Economic History Association has been helping to preserve this context for nearly 60 years.

Will there be a strike at FedEx? (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
The union is seeking authorization, and talks have broken off, so stay tuned.

Russia thinks it's best not to reorganize the fire department while the house is on fire (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
Russia's emergency is so severe, that a long-term fix to their economy is not of highest priority, according to reports. They're emphasizing short-term measures in order to get through the usually brutal Russian winter.

A different kind of child labor (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
Anthony Goodman writes that a United Nations study finds 300,000 children serving as soldiers around the world. About 2 million child combatants have been killed over the past decade.

Workplace drug testing may be coming to the UK (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
London's Guardian reports that the UK's anti-drugs coordinator favors random workplace drug tests, not to find people to fire, but in order to find people to help. The government estimates that drug use is costing the British economy US$6.8 billion.

Job cuts at Raytheon and Dana (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
Raytheon is cutting 16 percent of its workforce by the end of next year, which will mean the loss of about 14,000 jobs. Meanwhile, big auto parts supplier Dana Corporation is closing 15 plants and cutting 3,500 jobs.

The 35-hour work week and job creation (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
The 35-hour work week combined with early retirement is expected to create 50,000 jobs in France by the year 2003, according to the Association of French Banks. La Tribune has the story today.

Euro to cost hundreds of thousands of jobs, according to labor organization study (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
Sweden's FinansTidningen reports that a study by FIET predicts that as many as a half-million European financial sector jobs will vanish with the adoption of the euro. Sweden will lose several thousand itself, according to the report, even though it isn't joining in at the beginning. Also, Dagens Industri reports that layoffs in Swedish industry were 25 percent higher in October than a year earlier.

More on the mass exodus of physicians from HMOs (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
Doctors are quitting HMOs in many states. Here's that story from today's Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: USADATA (Wednesday, 10/21/98)
If you are in need of demographic data to support marketing or other business decisions, you may be happy to find USADATA.com, which has tons of it. This is a business, so they charge for their services, but it may be worthwhile to take a look at their site, nonetheless.

If you can think of anything not covered in the budget bill, raise your hand (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
The new budget bill is "kitchen sink" legislation, and Jackie Frank reports that the House is getting set to pass it before members run home to campaign. George Hager and Juliet Eilperin of the Washington Post report that some last-minute fine tuning of the fine print is going on. A lot of military people may be raising their hands, because, as Bradley Graham writes, one thing not included this time is a boost in military pensions. Finally, the Post editorializes about how, despite all his problems, President Clinton has managed to dance around the Republicans in the budget negotiations with great finesse.

Sick days end for Yeltsin; PM brings him up to date (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Gareth Jones reports that Russian Prime Minister Primakov is briefing President Yeltsin on the economy today, now that the prez is back at work. There's no truth to the rumor that Primakov began by saying, "It's the economy, stupid." Meanwhile, the European Union and the United States are discussing how food assistance to hungry Russians might be handled. Recent studies indicate that more Russians than previously thought are living under poverty conditions, in many cases, living on little more than the equivalent of US$ 1 dollar per day.

Want to be Germany's economics minister? (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Gerhard Schroeder's first choice has turned down the job. Also from Germany, the New York Times' Edmund Andrews reports that the Chancellor-elect is working on a plan for compensating people forced into slave labor under the Hitler regime during the bad old days.

Metalworkers in Austria get a raise (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Wiener Zeitung reports this morning that more than 150,000 metal industry workers will get a 2.7 to 3.7 percent wage increase, according to a new agreement in Austria.

Hi-tech helps workers with disabilities (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Jack Sirard of the Sacramento Bee reports on a fair sponsored by California's Department of Rehabilitation.

Computer skills necessary, but not sufficient for best jobs (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
U.S. News takes a look at the best jobs, and finds that, to top-paying employers, computer skills are just the beginning.

Swedish company to tie some pay to performance (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Ericsson AB will start a plan whereby bonuses as high as 20 percent of a worker's salary will be paid to encourage top performance. Poor performers could also be docked 10 percent, according to Dagens Industri. Ericsson is one of the world's largest manufacturer of cellular telephones.

Family farms threatened by change (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
No, we're not talking about family farms in the U.S., but in Poland. Peter Finn tells about how membership in the European Union is forcing a fundamental transformation down on the farm.

Illegal immigration targeted in Florida (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Here's news about a pioneering agreement between the federal government and the state of Florida.

One reason skill requirements are escalating in the U.S. (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
An increasing number of U.S. workers will need higher-level skills from now on, and, as Howard LaFranchi reports for the Christian Science Monitor, NAFTA is one reason. Also in the Monitor today, an editorial argues that political freedom and economic freedom are inextricably linked, despite what some totalitarians would have you believe, and Lawrence Goodrich makes the case for HMOs combined with greater choice, not greater regulation. Meanwhile, Peter Kilborn of the New York Times reports that another physician revolt is going on, this time in Dallas, and it involves 400 doctors.

Former FBI employees allege whistleblowers not protected (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Michael Grunwald reports on the lawsuit being filed against the federal government.

Info revolution hits university libraries (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
Anthony Lonetree reports for the Minneapolis Star Tribune that an increasing number of university students are doing their research with a mouse, rather than in the stacks. Computer mouse, that is. Also in the Strib today, a program for helping inner-city entrepreneurs get things off the ground, and officials from Northern Ireland hope for a major peace dividend: jobs.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: U.S. News 1999 Career Guide (Tuesday, 10/20/98)
U.S. News is one of the world's great news magazines. It also publishes an annual career guide that is eagerly awaited by millions of people throughout North America. Just released, the U.S. News 1999 Career Guide is hot off the press and hot on the web.

Does technology now benefit only skilled workers? (Monday, 10/19/98)
Here's St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Dave Beal's comments about economist Lee Ohanian's thesis that hi-tech is to blame for the growing wage gap.

Wanna know more about the new econ Nobel Laureate? (Monday, 10/19/98)
Robert Marquand of the Christian Science Monitor provides some background on Professor Amartya Sen, first of India, then of Harvard, now of Cambridge University. Experiencing poverty and famine first hand inspired his ground-breaking research.

Why Japanese officials are feeling the pressure, even from those outside Japan (Monday, 10/19/98)
James Tyson writes about the key role that the Japanese economy will play in determining whether there will be a world-wide recession.

Ethical dilemmas in biz may not be so common as many believe (Monday, 10/19/98)
The New York Times' Patrick Lyons tells about a new Yankelovich survey that finds that the great majority of workers report that they have never been faced with an ethical dilemma on the job.

If you're looking for clarity and simplicity, don't look to Medicare (Monday, 10/19/98)
Robert Pear reports on the tens of thousands of Medicare recipients who are suddenly faced with a bewildering blizzard of contradictory information about where they stand, now that they're being dropped from HMOs.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Quicken.com: Taxes (Monday, 10/19/98)
Quicken is the name of widely used financial software, and it is produced by the same company that produces Turbotax and Macintax, the Windows and Macintosh versions, respectively, of tax preparation software used by millions of persons. The same folks offer a great deal of information and advice on their Quicken.com: Taxes web site.

Japan is key, Clinton says (Sunday, 10/18/98)
As Japan's economy goes, so goes the world, according to President Clinton. The world's financial well-being depends on Japan's getting its house in order. However, American Treasury Secretary Rubin says not to expect a quick fix. Richard Waddington reports on the big Latin American summit which is supposed to focus on what can be done to head of financial turmoil in the region, but attendees are distracted by Pinochet's arrest, at the moment. Anthony Faiola has more on how Brazil's situation is affecting individuals and families in that country.

How investors try to cope with the realities of a global economy (Sunday, 10/18/98)
Albert Crenshaw of the Washington Post discusses the consequences for Americans of the greater interconnectedness of the world's economy. Also in the Post today, Martha Hamilton reports on how the wind may be changing direction in the American economy, as evidenced by increased layoffs. Also, columnist Kirstin Downey Grimsley responds to a correspondent's inquiry about hiring bonuses, Albert Crenshaw has some ideas about how parents can deal with rising college costs, and Jane Bryant Quinn tells how to evaluate various long-term care policies. Finally, Amy Joyce wonders if you missed National Boss Day.

Don't underestimate the importance of references, columnist says (Sunday, 10/18/98)
Amy Lindgren of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has advice on how to handle your references, and why they are important.

Women make progress in police departments (Sunday, 10/18/98)
Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman reports that there are more women police officers now, but more than 9/10 are still men.

Some differences between principle and practice in Wisconsin's welfare-to-work plan (Sunday, 10/18/98)
Jason DeParle of the New York Times examines one of the most visible welfare-to-work plans and the flaws that are beginning to show up.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: National Association for the Self-Employed (Sunday, 10/18/98)
If you're your own boss, is there an organization for people like you? There is indeed. It's the National Association for the Self-Employed.

Bank bailout plan approved in Japan (Saturday, 10/17/98)
The Japanese parliament yesterday passed new laws that will result in $517 billion for ailing banks. Japan has been experiencing its most severe recession since the Second World War, and one reason is that there has been a severe shortage of capital for business. It is hoped that the new plan will ease the credit crunch and fuel growth in the Japanese economy. Here's more from Sheryl WuDunn of the New York Times.

Brazil gets ready for some austerity (Saturday, 10/17/98)
The Brazilian government, in an effort to avoid becoming the latest casualty in the international financial mess, is finalizing its plan to raise taxes and cut its budget in order to get its financial house in order. The plan is intended to raise $20 billion in new revenues.

Experts still interpreting the Greenspan surprise (Saturday, 10/17/98)
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan demonstrated Thursday that he can still surprise even highly sophisticated members of the financial community. The Washington Post's John Berry tells about rumors that were circulating following the Fed's lowering of short-term interest rates for the second time in less than three weeks. However, experts seem to have decided that the action resulted from a general concern shared by many others worldwide. Now, many are wondering if the Fed will get help from other countries. Europe is particularly on the minds of many experts.

Gingrich saw little choice but to re-fund the IMF (Saturday, 10/17/98)
Adam Entous writes about why Congressional Republicans changed direction on the $18 billion replenishment of International Monetary Fund reserves. The Speaker of the House says it's not a good time to gamble with the world economy.

Not enough for all those teachers (Saturday, 10/17/98)
Linda Perlstein reports that the $1.2 billion for teachers in the new budget will be enough to hire 30,000, not the 100,000 teachers that President Clinton has been talking about. Another $11 billion will be required to hire the other 70,000 plus to keep paying the original 30,000.

Work issues and the Minnesota gubernatorial race (Saturday, 10/17/98)
Minnesota is among the states that will elect in new governor in a couple of weeks. Dane Smith of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that the candidates are debating job creation and livable wages, two issues of importance to Minnesotans who live outside the metropolitan Twin Cities area.

Consider alternatives to personal bankruptcy (Saturday, 10/17/98)
Financial experts say that filing for personal bankruptcy should be your very last resort. You may have other options, they say.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: WORKink (Saturday, 10/17/98)
WORKink is advice and help to make the job-search process easier, including on-line career counseling. It all comes to you from the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work.

Rate cut! Markets surge (Friday, 10/16/98)
The American Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the second time in less than three weeks. Markets around the world strengthen as a consequence. In the U.S., the Dow sails upward by 331 points in the final hours of trading. However, Neal St. Anthony writes in the Minneapolis Star Tribune that another cut may be required.

All eyes on Brazil (Friday, 10/16/98)
Howard LaFranchi writes that the world is watching Brazil, which could be next in line for financial chaos. If Brazil joins the global financial crisis, it's likely to affect all of Latin America. Brazil has been on most people's lists of "emerging economies" for the 21st century. Their economy is ninth-largest in the world now.

Jobs cut at ARCO (Friday, 10/16/98)
Atlantic Richfield intends to cut 4.5 percent of its workforce, which will amount to 900 jobs.

Washington State to test affirmative action at the ballot box (Friday, 10/16/98)
First, California's Proposition 209. Now, an initiative in Washington State. The Christian Science Monitor's Brad Knickerbocker provides details. Meanwhile, Paul Duggan of the Washington Post reports that there is a movement in Texas to increase diversity on that state's college campuses, two years after affirmative action was ended at state-supported schools.

Nonprofits employ a lot of people in Minnesota (Friday, 10/16/98)
More than 200,000 persons, in fact, and employment in the nonprofit sector has been growing twice as fast as job growth overall. Here's the story from Robert Franklin of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Also in the Strib today, Maggie Jackson says you can expect as many women as men on corporate boards...in 2064.

Your Social Security check will be a tiny bit bigger (Friday, 10/16/98)
The cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits will be the smallest in nine years. Why? Well, because it's intended to offset the effect of inflation on recipients' buying power, and inflation has been low to non-existent in the American economy lately.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: No Sweat (Friday, 10/16/98)
No Sweat comes from the United States Department of Labor as part of their effort to stamp out sweat shops. Much information is presented, including suggestions on how to shop in a way that does not provide support for sweat shop exploitation.

World trade to slow this year and next (Thursday, 10/15/98)
World trade is still on the increase, but the World Trade Organization expects the increase this year to be half of its rate of increase last year. Further declines are expected in 1999, additional evidence that the global financial crisis is having a greater effect on the overall economy than many expected only a short time ago.

Finally, Russia's plan (Thursday, 10/15/98)
Russian Prime Minister Primakov has released details of his government's plan for dealing with the ailing Russian economy.

New econ Nobel laureate probably will keep the prize (Thursday, 10/15/98)
Amartya Sen is delighted to be the newest recipient of the Nobel Prize in economics, as one might expect. Here's Sylvia Nasar's New York Times story with more information on his work. Stockholm's Svenska Dagbladet describes Professor Sen's welfare index, or HDI index, as an example of his work. The United Nations uses the HID index to measure education, life expectancy, health, and other quality of life conditions, as opposed to measures of a country's gross national product, which reflects the overall level of economic activity, including the costs of dealing with social problems such as crime, poor health, and so on .

High unemployment among the young in Greece (Thursday, 10/15/98)
According to Kathimerini this morning, Greece is fourth in the European Union in its level of youth unemployment.

Okay, IMF, the check's in the mail...soon (Thursday, 10/15/98)
President Clinton has gotten his way on replenishing the International Monetary Fund. Congress agrees to provide the $18 billion that the White House wanted, but with strings attached.

More on the argument over the hi-tech worker shortage (Thursday, 10/15/98)
Is there really a shortage? Many technology companies say yes, while critics say no. Mike Meyers examines the issue in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune. In the New York Times today, Jeri Clausing has more on the revival of the hi-tech visa bill that seems on its way to passage.

Changes coming to home health care under Medicare (Thursday, 10/15/98)
If you're planning on being in the Capitol building in Washington, be careful that you're not run over by a Member of Congress, because there's a lot of last-minute rushing around. One of the reasons is an effort to complete work on a bill that would change the way Medicare handles home health care, something that both Democrats and Republicans seem to think is necessary.

A change of mind on pension premiums in Japan (Thursday, 10/15/98)
Not wanting to discourage consumer spending, advisors to Japanese Prime Minister Obuchi say that pension premiums should not be increased, as was planned. Here's the story from Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun. Also in Japan, the Japan Times on the record number of business failures in the last half year.

Designer salaries (Thursday, 10/15/98)
Jennifer Steinhauer of the New York Times reports that the heads of the big-time apparel companies earn big-time salaries.

Ireland gains EU approval on its jobs plan (Thursday, 10/15/98)
However, the European Commission has some further suggestions too. Here's Patrick Smyth reporting from Brussels for the Irish Times.

Job cuts at NordicTrack (Thursday, 10/15/98)
About 300 jobs will go as a consequence of the company's restructuring. NordicTrack makes exercise equipment.

OCD in the workplace (Thursday, 10/15/98)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder affects about 2 percent of the U.S. population. Sandra Baker reports on what it means for the workplace.

Planning to quit your job and start a business? (Thursday, 10/15/98)
Here's some advice from a well-known financial planner. Want more advice? Here's Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman for women who would like flexibility in a part-time job, while St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Amy Lindgren advises those who are facing a telephone interview.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Exe-U-Net (Thursday, 10/15/98)
If you're a senior executive and would like to know what other executives are making, Exe-U-Net might be just the thing.

Econ prize awarded to poverty expert (Wednesday, 10/14/98)
The 1998 Nobel Prize in economics has gone to Amartya Sen, who was born in India, once was a Harvard professor, and now heads Trinity College, Cambridge. He's one of the world's leading experts on famine and poverty. In a somewhat related story, Dirk Johnson of the New York Times writes about how the increasing number of people with filled three-car garages and a whole lot more in the U.S. is exacerbating the have vs. have-not gap.

Agreement on farm assistance seems near (Wednesday, 10/14/98)
President Clinton vetoed a Republican-crafted $4.2 billion farm-aid bill because he wants a bigger package. It appears that he may get what he wants. Charles Abbott reports that a $7 billion deal seems to be in the works. Todd Nelson of the Christian Science Monitor gets a little nostalgic about the family farm, but, given the aid that seems to be coming, maybe it's premature to expect that family farms are about to disappear altogether. Despite the well-known scandal involving the President, his job approval ratings remain very high, while public approval of the Congress has decreased. As a consequence, the President seems to retain considerable political clout, despite himself and everything else. He's holding out for a big money for education in the new budget too. It remains to be seen whether he will get what he wants in that area. Incidentally, speaking of the budget negotiations, it appears that the hi-tech visa bill has been resurrected, despite its appearing to be a dead deal so recently, so Republicans--and many American high-technology firms--may get what they want in that area after all.

Pilots reach a deal with Air France (Wednesday, 10/14/98)
Air France pilots will accept lower salaries in exchange for shares in the company. The agreement also insures that there will be no strikes for at least three years. Air France is Europe's third-largest airline. Les Echos has the story today.

Corporate sabbaticals on the decline (Wednesday, 10/14/98)
Fads come and go in corporate life, as in the rest of life. Not long ago, sabbaticals seemed like a good investment. Now, an increasing number of companies aren't so sure. Here's the story from the San Jose Mercury News.

Russian situation affects Dutch firm and its workers (Wednesday, 10/14/98)
Algemeen Dagblad reports this morning that Royal Philips Electronics NV is responding to slowing demand from Russia by cutting 192 jobs at its Hoogeveen plant.

Being your own boss (Wednesday, 10/14/98)
Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman examines the strong entrepreneurial trend among American women.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Women.com (Wednesday, 10/14/98)
Women who run their own businesses, or would like to, should find quite a lot of interest on Women.com.

Final approval on bank restoration deal in Japan (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
Yoko Nishikawa reports from Tokyo that the Japanese government has finalized plans to pump up its banking sector, a first and necessary step toward getting the world's second-largest economy, which is in recession, going again. Meanwhile, economic and business experts meet in Singapore to discuss the Asian crisis, but reach no agreement on what should be done about it. Finally, the Christian Science Monitor says that the economic crisis and the market crisis are different things, but they've been interacting.

American health care will be transformed from the local level, says Harvard expert (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
Expect health care reform from the bottom up, rather than from the top down, says Harvard's Dr. Arnold Relman.

Holland's Delft Instruments reorganizes, cuts jobs (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
Financieele Dagblad reports that Delft Instruments plans to cut 140 of its 1,200 jobs in a reorganization move. The company lost 4.3 million guilders during the first half of the year. Delft manufactures precision instruments for use in medical, scientific, and military settings. Northwest Airlines also has job cuts planned. As many as 194 ground workers will be cut from the airline's Los Angeles operations. Finally, Merrill Lynch announces that it will lay off about 5 percent of its workforce, following its first quarterly loss in nearly a decade. Three-thousand-four-hundred jobs will go, 400 more than previously reported by a London newspaper.

Netanyahu wants waiver of pay increase for senior civil servants (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
Evelyn Gordon offers opinions for the Jeruselum Post. Is it all just a PR gimmick?

More on the end of that hi-tech immigration bill (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
The bill that would have allowed more technically-trained people to enter the U.S. in order to work has died in the U.S. Senate.

Danish construction worker wages rising (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
Wage increases for construction workers in Denmark are approaching 6 percent, according to the Danish Masterbuilding Organization, and threaten profitability in the construction industry. Borsen has the story today.

Child labor alleged in Turkey (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
Children as young as nine may be working in a Turkish textile manufacturing plant that has been supplying Benetton's in Rome.

The world's first mass upper class (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
The comfortable but not rich are increasing in number and are likely to be a permanent demographic category in the U.S.

Thousands of applicants, but only 65 jobs (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
A new cinema complex in Salisbury will hire 65 people. When the word got out, 2,300 people showed up to apply, according to the Austrailian News Network.

Starting over, voluntarily (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
Shelley Donald Coolidge tells about the growing number of people who are leaving their old careers behind and starting anew. Career changing is hard work, though.

Strike at Fedders (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
About 1,100 members of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers went out on strike Monday at the Fedders air conditioner plant.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Job Corps (Tuesday, 10/13/98)
The United States Department of Labor has been administering the Job Corps in partnership with many private companies since 1964. So far, the program has helped 1.7 million at-risk youth acquire the education, training, and social skills necessary for success in the work world.

Tokyo pushes ahead on fixing its afflicted banks (Monday, 10/12/98)
The Asian economy probably can't recover unless the Japanese economy begins growing again, and that can't happen without major repairs to the Japanese banking sector. Real progress seems to be occurring along those lines. New laws have been passed by the Japanese parliament with the help of opposition politicians. As a consequence, Asian stocks strengthened, and as a consequence of that, European stocks strengthened too.

Deal reached on IMF funding (Monday, 10/12/98)
A tentative agreement has been reached between Congressional Republicans and the White House which should free up $18 billion for the International Monetary Fund.

Austrian tax reform won't affect bonuses (Monday, 10/12/98)
Kurier reports this morning that the Austrian economics minister is saying that tax reform will not affect Christmas and summer bonuses, which are taxed at a lower rate than other income.

Resistance to mandatory overtime increasing in the U.S. (Monday, 10/12/98)
Melanie Payne of the Akron Beacon Journal reports that many American workers are saying their time is more important than the extra money. A tight labor market seems to be driving more mandatory overtime, and many workers don't like it. In Austria, Salzburger Nachrichten reports that workers are putting in more overtime too, and as many as 7 percent of employers don't pay extra for it at all.

Yeltsin ill again (Monday, 10/12/98)
Doctors have told Russian President Boris Yeltsin to return home and rest. He has been visiting Central Asia. Meanwhile, back home, the economic problems continue, and the government still seems to be struggling to come up with an effective plan for dealing with them. Timothy O'Brien tells about the plight of Russian factories in the current climate.

Many Wall Street firms likely to cut jobs (Monday, 10/12/98)
Jack Reerink reports that New York investment houses are among those American companies expecting disappointing earnings for the third quarter, results which will be announced this week. As a consequence, he says, many firms are likely to cut jobs. London's Daily Telegraph is reporting this morning that Merrill Lynch & Company will cut 3,000 jobs worldwide, 400 of them in its London offices.

Tax cuts coming to Germany (Monday, 10/12/98)
Here's Richard Meares' story about what Germany's new government has planned to stimulate the nation's economy and make it more competitive.

On the consequences of too little information during the information age (Monday, 10/12/98)
The World Bank says that a lack of transparency was largely responsible for setting off the Asian financial crisis. Too few people had access to too little quality information.

Entrepreneurs support each other (Monday, 10/12/98)
Support groups have worked well in many walks of life. Why not for entrepreneurs? Shannon Henry reports on entrepreneurs who get together regularly to lend each other advice or a helping hand. Also in today's Washington Post, an editorial on how unfair life has been lately for Brazil, which has been an innocent victim of other people's economic troubles, according to the Post.

Singapore's unemployment expected to skyrocket (Monday, 10/12/98)
The number of unemployed in Singapore could triple next year, according to reports.

Australian employers want to pay the young less (Monday, 10/12/98)
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants to continue with junior wage rates, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

A Philadelphia temp firm heads for the stratosphere (Monday, 10/12/98)
Rosland Briggs of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports on how a hot market for temporary workers has affected one Pennsylvania firm.

Econ prize will be announced this week (Monday, 10/12/98)
'Tis the season of the Nobels, and an American is expected to receive the big economics prize.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Dismal Scientist (Monday, 10/12/98)
They call their site the "best free lunch on the web." This is an inside joke, because, as everybody knows, economists are well-known for their sense of humor. The Dismal Scientist is an excellent site, however, containing much information and many thoughts and ideas from leading economists, as well as summaries of current statistics. Incidentally, would NASA say "there's no free launch?"

Official expects Japanese economy to recede more next fiscal year (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Japan's fiscal year begins April 1, and a top government official fears that the Japanese economy will continue to shrink through the first quarter of the year 2000.

IMF may get its money soon (Sunday, 10/11/98)
The Clinton administration and Congressional Republicans have been arguing over an $18 billion refunding of the International Monetary Fund. A compromise deal may be near, according to Republican leaders.

Make sure your surgeon has had some sleep (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Researchers in the UK have reached a conclusion that may surprise exactly nobody. Sleep deprivation affects the performance of surgeons.

Psychological concerns lead to dismissal of Russian nuclear personnel (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Twenty Russian soldiers with access to nuclear weapons have been dismissed over the past two years because of concerns about psychological problems.

What it takes to become a telecommuter (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Columnist Kirstin Downey Grimsley advises a correspondent who would like to "phone it in" from now on.

Need a personal assistant? (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Amy Joyce reports that a growing number of people are working so much that they can't find the time to take care of a lot of personal matters. It all provides an opportunity for concierge rental firms.

Black pensions, white pensions (Sunday, 10/11/98)
David Cay Johnston of the New York Times examines a residual "separate-but-equal" issue relating to retiring police officers in Alabama. Speaking of pensions, a Washington Post editorial today calls attention to a last-minute effort in Congress to roll back Reagan-era changes in the military retirement system. Finally, how have retirement portfolios been doing lately? You might not want to ask until you've taken a couple of aspirin. Carole Gould has news about five of them.

Prevention easier than cure (Sunday, 10/11/98)
David Sanger of the New York Times says it's easier to head off a financial panic than to fix it once it's underway. Richard Stevenson recalls Chairman Alan Greenspan's lament some months ago about "irrational exuberance." Large numbers of investors are still being irrational, he says, but now it's all about pessimism that isn't quite justified by the facts. When it comes right down to it, something is worth what somebody is willing to pay for it, though, so perception is nearly everything, and self-fulfilling.

HMO complaints on the increase and also more fundamental (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Health insurance regulators at the state level report that more people are filing complaints against HMOs, and they're more likely to be about whether services will be provided now than about who will pay.

Welfare-to-work hiring getting harder for employers (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Sandra Jones reports in the Chicago Sun-Times that a large proportion of the most employable persons coming off welfare have already been hired. Things will get more difficult from now on, because of many of the remaining welfare recipients trying to move to the work world lack skills and work experience.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Black Enterprise (Sunday, 10/11/98)
Black Enterprise magazine has been a leading source of information for African American entrepreneurs and business leaders for years. Now, it's on the web as well.

Hi-tech immigration bill dead in the Senate (Saturday, 10/10/98)
There will be no increase in the number of visas for foreign high-technology workers this year. A bill supported by many American technology companies has died in the United States Senate. Meanwhile, Chris Stamper of ABC News reports that a new study conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas finds that U.S. companies have been laying off hi-tech workers at an increasing rate during the past several months.

No "patients' bill of rights" this year (Saturday, 10/10/98)
A patients' rights bill dies in the Senate. New attempts may be made in 1999.

Russia needs food and other assistance (Saturday, 10/10/98)
A terrible harvest has compounded Russia's problems during a period of tough economic times generally, and the country is requesting humanitarian aid from the European Union.

Today's U.S. job losses (Saturday, 10/10/98)
Matthew Lewis reports that Pratt & Whitney will slice 2,000 jobs in the United States, while Paul Thomasch says that Shell Oil will cut 20 percent of its U.S. exploration and production workforce. Also, an Air Force base closing in California will result in the loss of 1,600 jobs.

Class action suit against USDA can go ahead (Saturday, 10/10/98)
A federal judge has ruled that 2,500 African American farmers can proceed with their class action discrimination suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

China's economy not among those in recession in Asia, delegation says (Saturday, 10/10/98)
Mike Meyers of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that a delegation from the People's Republic of China has told U.S. executives that China is still a good place to invest and that their economy is still growing.

Worker shortages in U.S. restaurants (Saturday, 10/10/98)
Restaurants in the United States have been adopting a variety of incentive programs to attract the workers they need, but many are still experiencing a shortage.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: European Work and Technology Consortium (Saturday, 10/10/98)
The European Work and Technology Consortium was formed by a number of key organizations across several European countries in order to study and advise on work, work organization, and other issues, and to increase European competitiveness in the new economy.

U.S. dollar's decline continues (Friday, 10/9/98)
Kenneth Gilpin of the New York Times has the story about the biggest dip of the dollar against the Japanese yen in a quarter century. Also, Andrew Morse reports that Japan's Nikkei average slipped to a 13-year low.

U.S. mortgage rates continue to fall (Friday, 10/9/98)
The average 6.49 percent rate is the lowest in 30 years.

Clinton vetoes farm bill as expected (Friday, 10/9/98)
Clinton wants more than the $4.2 billion bailout offered by Republicans. Democrats expect Clinton to get what he wants, suggesting that his political clout has not quite evaporated because of the scandal and impeachment inquiry. The contest over assistance for struggling American farmers as well as the impeachment inquiry itself are mostly being driven by the upcoming election at the moment. Speaking of farming, Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith of the Washington Post describe recent Senate action on a bill for labor market reform in agriculture.

Primakov begins second month as Russia's PM (Friday, 10/9/98)
No plan in place yet for dealing with Russia's economic crisis which always threatens to boil into a serious political crisis, though. According to reports, at least one more week will be required.

Big job cuts at Packard Bell (Friday, 10/9/98)
The personal computer maker will cut 20 percent of its U.S. workforce. The weakness in the computer industry is also stimulating major job cuts at Ziff-Davis. Another major media organization is cutting jobs too. CBS News will cut about 7 percent of its workforce, which means about 120 people. Dan Rather won't be among them. Cuts will be confined mostly to administrative and support people.

French PM promises to crack down on violence in transport system, but strike continues (Friday, 10/9/98)
In fact, the strike of transport workers has spread to another region. Incidentally, Prime Minister Jospin is also optimistic that the French economy's growth rate for 1998 will not fall below 2.7 percent, according to Les Echos today.

Some major demographic trends in Germany (Friday, 10/9/98)
Germany's Federal Statistics Office expects the Germany population to decrease as well as age considerably over the decades ahead. Die Welt and other German papers have that story today. This is a trend also common to various other countries, including the United States. In the U.S., for example, blacks and whites are no longer replacing themselves, as the fertility rate declines. Also, as in Germany, the U.S. population, as well as its workforce, will continue to age on the average.

Multinationals discover the perils of globalization (Friday, 10/9/98)
In retrospect, things always seem obvious. For instance, why would anyone have assumed such a short time ago that globalization could only produce benefits for multinational corporations, never costs or risks? Tim Smart reports on the painful process of sobering up in the context of global financial crisis, and how many big corporations are retreating for the time being. Also in the Washington Post today, columnist William Raspberry discusses the difference between appearances and reality with respect to the homelessness crisis. It's not over, he says.

The effect of military cutbacks in the San Antonio region (Friday, 10/9/98)
The San Antonio Express-News reports on the large displacement of workers that has resulted in its area because of shifting U.S. military priorities.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: CollegeLink (Friday, 10/9/98)
Want to apply to a college? Want to do it online? Want to apply to several in one swell foop? CollegeLink is one of the sites that can enable you to do that.

Alan Greenspan changes his mind (Thursday, 10/8/98)
Actually, it doesn't reflect any necessary indecision on the part of the Fed head. Conditions have deteriorated considerably during the past four months, a fact that has not been lost on the great Dr. Greenspan. He sees a credit crunch on the horizon and slowed growth in the U.S. because of the surrounding sea of financial uncertainty and pessimism. Other experts are getting concerned too, but, even though it may be hard to believe, they don't all agree on everything. Some are even uttering that dirty nine-letter word that starts with "r," but not in mixed company, of course. Some other countries are already in recession, if not depression. For example, Cameron Barr of the Christian Science Monitor reports on the rising tide of poverty in Indonesia. Anthony Faiola of the Washington Post reports that newly re-elected President Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil is trying to soften the bad news about austerity and hard times, as his country attempts to head off more serious economic difficulties.

Paris transport workers strike (Thursday, 10/8/98)
No, they're not striking for higher wages or ordinary things like that. They're concerned about their safety and want a crackdown on juvenile delinquents who have been making their lives miserable.

Paper chastises Republicans on IMF funding (Thursday, 10/8/98)
The Minneapolis Star Tribune editorializes today that time is running out on providing the money that the International Monetary Fund needs to deal with the most serious global economic crisis since the infamous 1930s. Also, the paper reports that IMF officials will need some time to consider President Clinton's proposals for changing the way assistance would be provided to countries with economies in jeopardy. Meanwhile, a top Russian official says that the IMF is withholding additional loans pending implementation of a reform program.

College gets more affordable. Well...maybe (Thursday, 10/8/98)
President Clinton has signed a bill that will make student loans less expensive, but, with rising costs, they'll have to borrow more money. Also, expect big changes in how textbooks are sold. Reason: high costs, of course.

Stock slide encourages mass pilot retirements at American Airlines (Thursday, 10/8/98)
Yesterday's Wall Street Journal reports that the big airline fears a shortage of pilots as a consequence.

Powerful changes in the German power industry (Thursday, 10/8/98)
Boersen-Zeitung reports that Bayernwerk AG expects an opening up of Germany's power market to result in lower electricity prices and up to 2,000 jobs cut over the next five years. The utility will cut 800 jobs this year.

Jobless claims up last week in the U.S. (Thursday, 10/8/98)
Just a bit, though. Employment is still strong in the United States.

Global slowdown expected to raise unemployment in Denmark (Thursday, 10/8/98)
Two major employer organizations in Denmark--the Confederation of Danish Industries and the Danish Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises--expect rising unemployment because of a weakening global economy. Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten has the story today.

House and Senate Republicans get together on bankruptcy bill (Thursday, 10/8/98)
A compromise has been worked out on a bill that would make it harder to declare personal bankruptcy in the United States. Democrats are digging in, though, including one who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

OECD has advice for Belgium (Thursday, 10/8/98)
According to a story in Le Soir today, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development says Belgium can stimulate its economy by lowering it minimum wage, raising its retirement age, reducing unemployment payments, and cutting back on its health care system.

Big job cuts at Raytheon (Thursday, 10/8/98)
The big defense contractor will cut more jobs than originally expected. About 14,000 jobs will go by the end of next year. Here's the story from Reuters and the Washington Post .

After 50 years, maternity leave insurance may be coming to Switzerland (Thursday, 10/8/98)
The Swiss do not have a reputation for being rash and impulsive. Maternity leave insurance has been brewing in that country for a half century, but, uncertainty about who would pay for it has held it up. Now the National Council has voted in favor of the idea. The National Council is Switzerland's lower house of parliament.

Clinton wants government to help elderly who are losing their HMOs (Thursday, 10/8/98)
Large numbers of HMOs are abandoning Medicare. Amy Goldstein reports on what the Clinton administration intends to do to help affected persons survive the drop. Meanwhile, in today's Wall Street Journal, Michael Moss writes about the hazards of paying for "continuing care." What happens if the company goes bust, for instance? Well, you can probably guess. Home, sweet, no home, he says.

Postal system wants to stamp out workplace violence (Thursday, 10/8/98)
An independent commission is being created by the U.S. Postal Service to study the problem.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: GAIN (Thursday, 10/8/98)
American farmers are learning first-hand what it's like to participate in a free-wheeling global economy without the familiar protections. As Congress and the White House argue over the size and nature of government assistance to help thousands of farmers stay in business this fall, the world is glutted with agricultural products, prices are greatly depressed, and, because of financial troubles in Asia and elsewhere, exports are waaaay down. For up-to-the-minute information on the global food industry, try GAIN, which stands for the Global Agribusiness Information Network.

A largely ho-hum protest march in Russia (Wednesday, 10/7/98)
Russians took to the streets yesterday to protest the fact that many haven't been paid, but there were thousands of them, not the millions that some expected. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mikhail Zadornov says that Russia will be able to pay its 1998 foreign debt.

So far, good intentions with respect to Brazil (Wednesday, 10/7/98)
They may be what the road to hell is paved with, but, at least, there seems to be little resistance to assisting Brazil in order to help them head off a currency devaluation. No practical plan has emerged yet, though. While Japan certainly is the key to Asia and may be the key to avoiding global recession, all of Latin America depends on what happens to Brazil. Claus Hulverscheidt reports on the gloomier mood among IMF officials, and the Washington Post's John Harris and Helen Dewar write about U.S. President Clinton's ideas for a "New Deal" for the world. Nationally syndicated columnist Robert Samuelson is struggling to keep the Great Depression out of his mind, and William Greider says that a hard dose of reality seems to be setting in for those who believe that unregulated markets are a panacea.

We believe that market competition really is a "Good Thing" under the right circumstances, but how well it works depends on necessary preconditions, and relatively little attention has been given to determining what soil conditions are required before we can expect a free-market garden to grow. Moreover, maybe the new economy is even newer than we've thought, and maybe we really don't understand how it works. Paul Blustein reports that the head of the World Bank yesterday offered criticism of the IMF's austerity policies and reminded his audience about the effect of the financial crisis on people. It's a global "human crisis," he said. Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan offer an example: three friends commit suicide together in Japan. Incidentally, Adam Entous reports that the long fight between the White House and Republicans in Congress over whether the IMF should be refunded may be near an end. A compromise seems near, he says.

Agreement reached on jobs issue (Wednesday, 10/7/98)
According to South Africa's Business Report, Alec Erwin, Minister of Trade and Industry, is saying that agreements on how to deal with unemployment will be announced at a presidential summit on unemployment on October 30.

Farm aid bill passed in the Senate (Wednesday, 10/7/98)
President Clinton is likely to veto it, though, because he wants a bigger one. Also from Reuters today, passive smoking in the workplace found to be hazardous, but there's an ironic twist in the study's overall results. Also, CBS will cut 300 jobs, and church-going elderly tend to live longer.

More workplace flexibility on several fronts (Wednesday, 10/7/98)
Columnist Carol Kleiman discusses alternative work arrangements.

Ever thought about actually quitting a job? (Wednesday, 10/7/98)
Dave Murphy of the San Francisco Examiner says that deliberately taking the leap into unemployment can be a good choice under some conditions.

The Supreme Court will decide a disability discrimination case (Wednesday, 10/7/98)
The Court's decision will determine how easily an employer can be sued for discrimination once an employee has been seeking or has accepted Social Security disability benefits. Incidentally, what is a "disability?" Ilana DeBare of