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October 1999

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Millions of Americans are actually choosing not to be insured (Sunday, 10/31/99)
"Subjective probabilities" aren't probabilities at all, and usually have little to do with the realities that actually affect us. They really have to do with our tremendous capacity for self-deception. On the one hand, bad car accidents, heart attacks, and cancer are all things that happen to somebody else. On the other hand, I do expect to win the lottery. We've reported during recent days about the tremendous number of Americans who actually believe that their best chance for getting ready for retirement is to buy lottery tickets. Now, nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn how many of the Americans who lack health insurance coverage actually have it available through their employers, and the numbers may surprise you. Well, maybe not.

The new circuit rider (Sunday, 10/31/99)
In the 19th century, traveling preachers used to serve rural people thinly scattered over a huge area. Now, as Susan Hogan reports, it's a professional therapist who makes yard calls, and struggling farmers and their families could use a lot more of them.

Warfare between American Airlines and its pilots finally ends (Sunday, 10/31/99)
Dan Reed reports in today's Fort Worth Star Telegram that the eight-month battle that has damaged American Airlines, its pilots, and some members of the flying public has ended in an agreement. In other airline industry news, Japan Air System Corporation plans to cut a thousand jobs as part of its struggle to stop the financial bleeding and resume profitability.

What's that big country north of the American border? Ah, now, no, don't tell me. It's ah... (Sunday, 10/31/99)
What most Americans know about Canada might fit in a thimble, according to this Christian Science Monitor report. Not surprising, though. A national poll some years ago found that 1 out of 7 or 8 American adults were unable to locate the United States on a world map, so many Americans don't know where on earth they are either.

Finding the workers you need isn't your only problem (Sunday, 10/31/99)
Hanging on to them is another. Diane Lewis of the Boston Globe tells about the problems of retention in a new economy in which more and more people are learning how to be free agents.

How it is to be available...always (Sunday, 10/31/99)
Hi-tech is making it more and more possible to call people rather than places. Eric Quinones discusses the implications for work in the new economy.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: EconLIT (Sunday, 10/31/99)
EconLIT is an economics literature bibliography from the American Economics Association.

Sweeney displeases some labor people (Saturday, 10/30/99)
The president of the AFL-CIO has endorsed President Clinton's free-trade objectives for the WTO meeting at the end of November, but some other labor leaders are skeptical. Meanwhile, votes are expected in the United States Senate next week on liberalizing trade with African and Caribbean countries as well as on the minimum wage bill. Helen Dewar has more on the budgetary wrestling match going on in Washington.

Sides may get closer together on slave labor reparations issue (Saturday, 10/30/99)
German companies have offered $3.2 billion to compensate people who were forced to work as slaves during the infamous Nazi era, but representatives of those people say it isn't nearly enough. Now, the German government is hoping to encourage agreement by urging an increase in the offer.

A new kind of partnership (Saturday, 10/30/99)
Telecommunications giant Bell Atlantic is asking the U.S. Department of Labor to help in filling 2,000 entry level jobs.

Organizing Overnite isn't happening overnight (Saturday, 10/30/99)
Here's Diane Lewis' report on Teamsters efforts on the part of the Teamsters to organize Overnite Transportation Corporation, and why it's a high-stakes conflict. In other labor news, a strike has been averted at Raytheon's Arizona missile plant.

Downsizing soon to reach point of irreversibility, according to some observers (Saturday, 10/30/99)
Job slashing is new to Japan, where job security used to be a defining attribute of the Japanese economy. Downsizing will soon reach "critical mass," says one economist.

How to write an employer-pleasing resume (Saturday, 10/30/99)
A new report from Morris Associates says that an effective resume today has many of the same attributes as an effective resume yesterday. Here's more on what employers want to see in a resume.

Why you might choose not to go out for lunch (Saturday, 10/30/99)
Pam Slater writes that the on-site cafeteria may be one of the best places in town to eat.

Not everyone is worrying about the population explosion (Saturday, 10/30/99)
The fact that there are six times as many people on earth as there were only about 150 years ago doesn't particularly concern this writer from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, although many continue to see excess population as one of the root causes of growing environmental problems. It does appear to be true that global population growth is beginning to level off, though.

Job cuts at StorageTek (Saturday, 10/30/99)
StorageTek will cut its workforce by 20 percent worldwide.

Changing the engineering stereotype (Saturday, 10/30/99)
Mark Clayton writes that some engineering schools are introducing courses and procedures intended to make engineers more well-rounded, assuming that this is needed.

In search of a legal definition of "reasonable" (Saturday, 10/30/99)
Scott Carlson writes about a lawsuit that may help determine what "reasonable accommodations" are required of employers in order to meet the needs of workers with disabilities.

Deciding when to leave a lousy job (Saturday, 10/30/99)
There's no formula, but columnist Amy Lindgren may be able to help you decide what's right for you. Meanwhile, nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist explains why you might find that really good job you want in Canadian small business. Some women, on the other hand, have found a place at the top of Canadian major business. James Brooke writes from Toronto on the changes that have been occurring during very recent years.

A difference that may not make a difference for Pakistan's poor (Saturday, 10/30/99)
The New York Times' Celia Dugger explains why many of the poorest Pakistanis weren't all that sad to see their nation's democracy crushed by the military.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Eurostat: Statistical Office of the European Communities (Saturday, 10/30/99)
Where do members of the European Union get their statistics? Eurostat: Statistical Office of the European Communities compiles, consolidates, and organizes data from the fifteen member states in order to provide a "big-picture" perspective.

Again, Alan is impressed but concerned (Friday, 10/29/99)
The chairman of the Federal Reserve spoke to top business leaders in Florida yesterday and indicated that he's impressed with the American economy's performance, labor productivity levels, and the role of technology in making all this happen. However, he's still concerned that the economy is growing too fast, particularly given third-quarter numbers that are pleasing a lot of other people.

Unemployment down a bit more in Japan (Friday, 10/29/99)
The unemployment rate in Japan declined again in September, as Yoko Nishikawa reports from Tokyo. Here's more on the 4.5 percent rate from Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan's leading English-language newspapers.

Sweeney signs on to America's WTO plans (Friday, 10/29/99)
The head of the AFL-CIO has told President Clinton that he supports what the U.S. will be promoting at the big World Trade Organization meeting coming up in Seattle at the end of November, but would like to see labor have a say in what happens, as representatives try to work out new rules governing international trade.

Here's a man who isn't satisfied with the have vs. have not gap (Friday, 10/29/99)
Inequality has existed for about as long as people have, but got somewhat better for a while. Despite its early abuses and ongoing complaints about the Industrial Revolution and its aftermath, industrialization resulted in the improvement of a great many lives. Very recently, though, inequality has been on the increase again in many regions, and Pope John Paul II thinks it's "scandalous." Incidentally, while the Pope deserves credit for helping to bring down European communism, he has been a leading critic of the industrial democracies as well.

The long line for official entry into the U.S. has gotten a bit shorter (Friday, 10/29/99)
The Immigration and Naturalization Service says it has managed to cut the huge backlog in citizenship applications by about twenty-five percent. Incidentally, if you've seen anti-immigration billboards around New York City, you may be interested to know that the man behind some of them has admitted that he has employed illegal immigrants, suggesting that consistency is not his principal virtue.

Another reason Americans should learn some basic math (Friday, 10/29/99)
Would you be willing to bet your future on the lottery? According to a new survey, about twenty-five percent of Americans seem to think that winning the lottery offers their best chance of getting ready for retirement. Honest. Americans haven't been among the world's major savers, and this may help explain it. Tony Pugh and Janet Fix of the Detroit Free Press offer some additional perspective on how half of U.S. workers are missing the boat when it comes to saving for retirement.

The IRS tips the balance over tips (Friday, 10/29/99)
When it comes to unreported tips income, restaurant owners can relax a bit, but restaurant workers had better pay attention.

American Airlines pilots say "Let's make a deal" (Friday, 10/29/99)
The pilots' union ended up with a $45.5 million court-imposed debt as a consequence of its actions against American Airlines. Now, they're trying to make a deal with the company which may involve some contract concessions.

Would you pay $110 for an entirely non-functional piece of cloth to tie around your neck? (Friday, 10/29/99)
Many people do, according to a marketing research firm's survey, but neck tie sales are way down overall, because of more casual dress in North American work settings. It may simply be a sign of lessened conformity that comes with an increased emphasis on diversity of all kinds.

A look at science and technology over the past 1,000 years (Friday, 10/29/99)
Gail Russell Chaddock offers some perspective on the current technology revolution in this major Christian Science Monitor end-of-millennium report. During the very latest moments of the nearly expiring current millennium, the Internet has been changing everything, and here's more on that University of Texas study about the tremendous growth in this new economic sector.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Home Office Association of America (Friday, 10/29/99)
In addition to its brutality and irrationality about a lot of things, one factor that helped doom the old Soviet Union was that it was a TOTALitarian society, with the emphasis on "total." The state allowed no social organization which it did not control and interpreted any effort to organize outside of state control as a challenge to governmental authority. Among other things, this meant that some few people had to think that they were smart enough to plan and manage every aspect of a huge society, which, if it were not so serious, would be hilarious. In actual fact, complex societies largely "run themselves," and, in fact, this is the only way they can operate successfully in the long-run. The market system, controlled by Adam Smith's "invisible hand," is part of this, but complex modern societies include a tremendous number of organizations of all types. There are organizations covering every imaginable interest. So, for instance, is there an organization of people interested in operating home offices? Need you ask? It is the Home Office Association of America, and the government hasn't a single thing to do with it.

The Internet economy is hot, very hot (Thursday, 10/28/99)
Researchers at the University of Texas say that the Internet economy grew by 68 percent over a twelve-month period and is now larger than the airline industry. Overall, the American economy did quite well last quarter, growing at an annual rate of 4.8 percent, which is stronger than had been expected, although labor costs increased only moderately. Chairman Greenspan is expected to discuss technology and the economy in a speech today in Florida. Incidentally, how have things been going in the post-Cold War world? Eric Black contrasts the economies of Russia, the Czech Republic, and the United States. The Russian economy has shrunk almost by half during the past ten years, which brings to mind America in the 1930s when things were very bad, but still not as bad as the recent Russian experience. And, in turn, this brings to mind an anniversary that will be noted but not celebrated tomorrow. It will be the 70th anniversary of Black Tuesday when the American stock market crashed.

Decision delayed on redefining minority-owned businesses (Thursday, 10/28/99)
Representatives from dozens of Fortune 500 companies may decide to loosen the definition of "minority-owned business," but they've decided not to decide for a while. Here's more from Jane Larson of the Arizona Republic.

Labor Secretary wants labor on WTO agenda (Thursday, 10/28/99)
Alexis Herman would like the big World Trade Organization meeting coming up next month in Seattle to take up labor issues.

Helping women improve their networking skills (Thursday, 10/28/99)
Reed Abelson of the New York Times writes about a woman who feels that men typically have more opportunities to sharpen their networking skills and has decided to do something to help women improve their networking in the corporate world.

Humanizing the hi-tech work routine (Thursday, 10/28/99)
Some who have been euphoric about work on the front lines of the hi-tech revolution feel they're ready for some changes. Lisa Belkin also reports on the growing need to find balance between work and family.

Twenty persons die in factory fire (Thursday, 10/28/99)
A fire in a leather factory has claimed 20 lives in southern China.

Workers' comp fraud (Thursday, 10/28/99)
Seven federal workers are accused of defrauding workers' compensation by filing phony claims. Here's the story from David Phelps of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The International Council on Social Welfare (Thursday, 10/28/99)
The International Council on Social Welfare works closely with various UN agencies in 70 countries and has been in existence since 1928.

Ratification at Ford (Wednesday, 10/27/99)
A new four-year contract has been approved by members of the UAW at Ford Motor Company.

In order to count, you've got to be counted (Wednesday, 10/27/99)
The national census which, by law, must be conducted every ten years in the United States affects many practical things, including the definition of Congressional Districts and how Americans are represented in Congress. The U.S. Census Bureau doesn't want to miss you this time around, so it's going to try to get the word out with a very big-time advertising campaign.

By definition, a "census" means trying to count everybody, while a "sample" means selecting a smaller group of people intended to represent everybody. So, is a census more accurate than sampling?

Not necessarily, but the framers of the Constitution knew nothing whatever about modern statistics, and, besides, the total U.S. population at the time was about equivalent to the current population of Minnesota.

At the dawn of the 21st century, a national census will be conducted, not because it is the most accurate way of learning about the total American population, but because the Constitution says it has to be conducted. It's one of many examples of how the past casts a long shadow into the future, whether or not it's helpful, and the law is more about invention than discovery.

Given the enormous number of lawyers in the United States, as well as their great influence on how nearly everything gets done, it may be time to add a fourth year to the law curriculum in order to give all new lawyers an opportunity to learn something about the radically changed context in which legal and governmental institutions operate. Much of legal and governmental thinking comes from a time when our remote ancestors didn't even know that the blood circulates or what the heart is for, and Americans can become lawyers now by spending less time in school than persons in most other professions.

Florida legislator pleads guilty to conspiracy (Wednesday, 10/27/99)
He admits being part of the largest Medicare fraud conspiracies so far. Meanwhile, in other news about people who do things they shouldn't, a new study finds corruption on the increase in Poland, while Scandinavians are least likely to offer or accept bribes.

Many Australian companies expect to add workers (Wednesday, 10/27/99)
Helen Trinca of the Sydney Morning Herald writes that a new survey indicates that 40 percent of employers in New South Wales expect to be hiring during the next quarter.

Employment worker, help thyself (Wednesday, 10/27/99)
About 1,800 people who have been used to helping the unemployed with their claims and job searches are going to be laid off themselves. Here's that story from Mike Meyers in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: EduPoint.com (Wednesday, 10/27/99)
EduPoint.com can help you find courses and educational programs in your region which may be of special interest to working adults.

Clinton attempts to encourage Congressional Republicans on budget issue (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
In an effort to de-escalate his confrontation with the Republican-controlled congress over the budget, President Clinton has signed A $267 billion defense bill into law. Meanwhile, one major newspaper editorializes about Clinton's move in a sort of Republican direction on Medicare.

Teamsters strike spreads (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
The Teamsters union is trying to organize workers at Overnite Transportation. Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times reports on the spread of a strike that started in Memphis, but the company claims that it hasn't been affected much. Meanwhile, Teamsters in Chicago have filed a racketeering lawsuit over a pension issue. Meanwhile, as Ross Kerber of the Boston Globe reports, machinists at a Raytheon missile plant in Arizona are threatening to strike over pay and HMO choice.

Israeli Interior Minister wants to make illegal workers legal (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
Haim Shapiro has this story in today's Jersuselum Post. The New York Times' Deborah Sontag tells how people from Gaza are now able to seek employment on the West Bank.

Some of today's job cuts (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
NCR is giving up on computer hardware in favor of the software market and will cut 1,500 jobs as part of its reorganization. Meanwhile, a number of Japanese corporations continue to cut jobs. Mitsubishi plans to cut more than 12,000 jobs during the next five years.

Microsoft attempts to take the lead in the hiring of persons with disabilities (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
The world's most influential software company will make a special effort to hire the disabled and also encourage other companies to follow suit. Tyrone Beason has more from Microsoft's home town newspaper.

More visas needed, say tech companies (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
The American hi-tech industry is able to absorb as many higher skilled technical workers as it can find and would like to be able to bring more from other countries or keep them here after they finish school. Michael Towle writes in today's Fort Worth Star Telegram that many from the industry as well as in the Congress would like to see another increase in the number of available visas.

Are you executive material? Does your boss know? (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
Mary Kane reports that an increasing number of companies are seeking outside help in identifying potential executive talent among their own employees.

The effect of Hurricane Mitch on banana workers (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
Chiquita laid off 5,500 workers immediately after Hurricane Mitch roared through Honduras. Today's Houston Chronicle reports on how those people are attempting to cope.

Internet company investors may be in competition with workers (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
What do you do if you have little capital and want to start a company? If many industries, you may have to forget it or delay your plans until you can find more up-front money. However, if you're starting an Internet company, recent highly publicized successes and growth rates may help you attract workers willing to work for little pay plus a piece of the action. This USA Today story coming to you via the San Jose Mercury News tells why stockholders may have reason to be concerned.

End of world may not happen for a while after all (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
Y2K is unlikely to bring the surging American economy to a screeching halt, say economists. Here's more from Anick Jesdaniun.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: A Guide to Effective Resume Writing (Tuesday, 10/26/99)
A Guide to Effective Resume Writing is what it says it is.

Landslide in Argentina (Monday, 10/25/99)
Fernando de la Rua will be Argentina's new president, and he vows to bring about "moral change" in his country. He's talking about corruption and the plight of the poor, in case you're wondering, so the Argentine economy is on his mind.

Strike at Overnite Transportation (Monday, 10/25/99)
Andrea Shalal-Esa reports on the strike called by the Teamsters yesterday. Union officials are saying that it could spread to all of the company's 166 terminals by the end of the day today.

The ships will continue docking in Hawaii (Monday, 10/25/99)
A dockworkers' strike has been averted, to the relief of nearly everyone who lives in the Hawaiian Islands. In other labor news, Boeing begins negotiating with many of its technical workers today.

Agreement at Britain's largest Ford plant (Monday, 10/25/99)
Talks had been postponed a bit because of a delayed flight from the states, but Ford Motor Company and unions representing workers at the east London plant quickly reached agreement on what to do about racism and bullying at that plant and others in Britain. Speaking of worker rights of all kinds, the American Secretary of Labor says the world needs to do a lot better.

Has managed care made liars of many American physicians? (Monday, 10/25/99)
An AMA survey indicates many physicians would be prepared to lie in order to obtain what they regard as needed treatments for their patients.

Accusations fly from one end of Pennsylvania Avenue to another (Monday, 10/25/99)
What the White House and the Congress are trying to do is work out a budget compromise. Casual observers might be forgiven for mistaking it for a food fight. Eddie Evans reports on what the Clinton administration is saying about Congressional Republicans, and Randall Mikkelsen reports on what the Republicans are saying about the Administration.

Japan's high rate of suicide (Monday, 10/25/99)
Economic hard times have contributed to a dramatic rise in the suicide rate in Japan, and as Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun reports, 12,000 children lost one or both parents last year as a consequence. Quite a lot more people are set to feel the pressures of unemployment as Nippon Telegraph and Telephone prepares to cut 20,000 jobs.

Corporate spirituality (Monday, 10/25/99)
Here's Business Week's report on the surge of religion in American corporations, but the concept of "religion" is defined in a variety of ways as American and the American workplace become more diverse and come to more accurately reflect global cultural realities.

Most Americans like where they are (Monday, 10/25/99)
A new survey shows a high degree of contentment with homes and neighborhoods..

Congress would like you to have more information about your pension (Monday, 10/25/99)
New legislation appears to be on the horizon that would give you 45 days advance notice before your employer could change your pension. Columnist Susan Tompor of the Detroit Free Press says you really do need to make yourself informed about such things.

If you mountain of debt has you flattened, a counselor might be able to help (Monday, 10/25/99)
Graydon Royce tells how many Americans have gotten themselves into a tight fix and how they're working their way out of it.

America has produced a bumper crop of billionaires, and poor people (Monday, 10/25/99)
Lester Thurow says that levels of inequality are nearing the levels found in the 1890s when some people were fabulously rich and untaxed, while others felt they had little to lose by trying to find gold in Alaska, where many ended up losing their lives. How many billionaires are there in the U.S. now compared to ten years ago? Here's Professor Thurow's answer. Today's Washington Post editorializes on how alleviating child poverty in the U.S., of which there is a lot, has suddenly become a major campaign issue. Most managers aren't billionaires, of course, but some are pretty well off, and, as Bill Barnhart reports, are trying to find ways to cut their tax bill. Lorene Yue writes in the Detroit Free Press that this is a good time for you to get ready for the next tax deadline too. Finally, Gary Klott reports in the Houston Chronicle that the IRS has provide an early Christmas gift to some taxpayers.

How much is information worth? (Monday, 10/25/99)
The American information economy, very narrowly defined, is worth $623 billion yearly now, according to Census Bureau figures. Of course, this includes just those companies that are specifically in the business of selling information, including broadcasting and entertainment. It doesn't refer to the overall impact on an economy that is becoming ever more information oriented in total.

What sort of work do you want to do after you retire? (Monday, 10/25/99)
Shelley Donald Coolidge of the Christian Science Monitor writes that retirement doesn't mean what it used to for many people, and a hot job market is providing a lot of opportunities for people who want to continue productive activities into the later years.

First a course, then a major? (Monday, 10/25/99)
Some students at the University of Denver have enrolled in a course in how to have fun. It seems to be one of the latest attempts to convince people that business isn't necessarily the opposite of, well, fun. Also in Colorado, Andrew Backover reports that technical training is hot, hot, hot, and, of course, that's not the only place where this is the case. But, what if it's an MBA you would like, and you would also like your employer to help pay for it? Timing may be everything, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press' answer to a correspondent.

Where will America get all those teachers, and will they be well-trained? (Monday, 10/25/99)
Kenneth Cooper reports that the U.S. will need about as many new teachers in the next ten years or so as some countries have total population. But, quality, as well as quantity, will be important.

Harvard's impact on its neighborhood (Monday, 10/25/99)
Harvard University is one of the highest concentrations of smart people on the planet and is used to influencing much of the world through its research and scholarship. However, as Pamela Ferdinand reports, its economic impact on the Boston area is not inconsiderable.

What Republicans will charge Democrats for a minimum wage increase (Monday, 10/25/99)
The Republicans probably won't be able to block a new minimum wage increase, but they may get a major tax cut in return for letting it happen.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: A Career Planning Center for Beginning Scientists and Engineers (Monday, 10/25/99)
If you're an engineer, the principal non-technical skill you need right now may simply be to run fast enough to keep from being trampled by employers wanting to hire you. If you're a scientist, the ease with which you can find a suitable job will depend on a variety of factors, including your field of specialty. The National Academy of Sciences, with financial help from the Sloan Foundation, offers both scientists and engineers a one-stop service. Here's A Career Planning Center for Beginning Scientists and Engineers.

Clinton moves to seek compromise on Social Security, sort of (Sunday, 10/24/99)
In an apparent effort to gain some movement on budget issues, President Clinton has dropped his plan to invest some Social Security funds in the stock market. However, he would like to use surpluses to pay down the national debt. The Social Security program is taking in more than it is paying out at the moment, but that won't be the case later when the heavily populated generation of which the President is a part reach retirement age. Maria Melken Malooly says that politicians who are inclined to raise the retirement age as a way of fixing Social Security should also plan to make tax adjustments.

Summers in China for talks (Sunday, 10/24/99)
The American Treasury Secretary is meeting with the Chinese premier on economic issues. China says it won't falter in its move to implement economic reforms, despite the pain caused to millions of individuals and the social--and possibly political--unrest that could result.

Scholarships really aren't a secret (Sunday, 10/24/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn says that if you're offered an opportunity to attend a scholarship seminar in order to learn "inside secrets," you can safely decline the opportunity, and probably save yourself some money in the process.

Hemorrhaging at the med school (Sunday, 10/24/99)
It's not loss of blood, but loss of medical faculty that is concerning officials at the University of Minnesota.

Negotiations resume on the docks in Hawaii (Sunday, 10/24/99)
Hawaii is very dependent on shipping for nearly everything it needs, so a dockworkers' strike hurts. Talks have started up again in an effort to avoid a crippling walkout. Many thousands of miles away, talks have been postponed because of a delayed flight carrying Ford Motor Company official Jac Nasser. There have been complaints of racism at Britain's largest Ford plant.

Same-sex partners to get health benefits at Boeing (Sunday, 10/24/99)
However, the new policy, announced Friday, applies only to salaried non-union employees.

Networking that becomes second-nature (Sunday, 10/24/99)
Marvin Walberg says that networking has become so routine that he's even dreaming about it.

The needs of Canadian universities in the new economy (Sunday, 10/24/99)
Toronto Star columnist David Crane writes about the great challenges faced by universities in his country, and why universities are so important in the new economy.

Some advice to Senator Grams on sweatshops (Sunday, 10/24/99)
Larry Weiss says that the Senator from Minnesota has a second chance redeem himself on the sweatshop issue. Here's Mr. Weiss' commentary in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Is fun in the workplace in an employer's enlightened self-interest? (Sunday, 10/24/99)
The Raleigh News & Observer's Sabrina Jones writes about fun and games at work have become a matter of policy in some companies.

Where to find that computer skills training you need (Sunday, 10/24/99)
Juliet Brudney writes in today's Boston Globe about the need for computer skills that go beyond the basics and how older workers can get the training they need for today's entry-level positions.

Some answers to your cash-balance pension questions (Sunday, 10/24/99)
If you're not clear on how cash-balance pensions differ from the traditional kind, Richard Oppel can help clear things up.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: CareerBookstore.com (Sunday, 10/24/99)
There is no shortage of places to buy books, including books about careers and career planning. However, CareerBookstore.com is one online bookstore that specializes in this genre.

Farm assistance bill becomes law (Saturday, 10/23/99)
President Clinton has signed the bill that will provide $8.7 billion in assistance for some American farmers, saying that it points out the flaws in the 1996 farm bill that was supposed to make American farmers independent of ongoing subsidies. The new funds will go to some of the wrong people, according to the President, and, while needed, the new law doesn't address the fundamental problem. In one major farm state, harvests are good this year, but many farmers will go out of business anyway, according to Ryan Bakken and Lee Egerstrom in Thompson, North Dakota. The overall reality seems to be that many American farmers will have to seek careers elsewhere over the years ahead, but that's been happening in other sectors of the economy too. Here's John Hendren's report on how the revolutionary new economy has reached into America's heartland and is changing lives for persons who used to be part of the old industrial economy.

Doing what new presidents often do (Saturday, 10/23/99)
Indonesia's economy was hit hard by the "Asian contagion," in part because of its own special mix or economic and political problems which have kept the country in great turmoil. Now, Indonesia has a new democratically elected president, the first in its history, and, as the New York Times' Mark Landler reports, he's trying to move ahead quickly on his country's deep economic problems.

Walkout at Howard University Hospital (Saturday, 10/23/99)
Howard University is one of a number of major universities in the Washington, D.C. area and includes a medical school and hospital. At the moment, though, the hospital isn't functioning well, because nurses and other staff have walked off the job, protesting that there are too many patients for too few nurses. Picketing has begun. Meanwhile, the University of Pennsylvania Health System plans to cut 1,700 jobs by next June as part of a broad-based "financial recovery plan." In other labor news, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal has reached agreement with editors and reporters over retirement benefits.

Gore finds opposition in unfamiliar territory (Saturday, 10/23/99)
The National Organization for Women has some concerns about Vice President Al Gore's plan for helping children out of poverty. NOW fears that it could result in a shifting of money away from custodial parents. Here's Ceci Connolly's report from today's Washington Post.

The aging of Japan (Saturday, 10/23/99)
As in the United States, the median age has been rising in Japan. Kathryn Tolbert reports from Tokyo on how Japan is coping with an ever-larger population of elderly persons.

Job seekers and Australian social security (Saturday, 10/23/99)
Toni O'Loughlin writes in the Sydney Morning Herald that job seekers in Australia will have to meet new requirements in order to keep their unemployment benefits.

White House holds conference on philanthropy (Saturday, 10/23/99)
President and Mrs. Clinton hosted a conference on giving at the White House yesterday where people gathered to discuss changes in American philanthropy as we enter a new century. Here's the story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the New York Times.

Will the all-volunteer military be priced out of the market? (Saturday, 10/23/99)
The American military has been having a hard time attracting and holding the kinds of people it needs to function effectively, particularly during a time of a strong civilian economy with many career options for qualified persons. Moreover, a new report indicates that the cost of military recruiting has gone through the roof too. Here's the story from USA Today.

Behind the official numbers from China (Saturday, 10/23/99)
The Chinese government has been trying its best to put an attractive face on the country's economic condition, but many experts say that the official statistics conceal as much as they reveal. Despite major growth and partial movement to a market system, the Chinese economy suffers major weaknesses and is quite vulnerable, according to experts. Here's that story from Michael Dorgan in today's Detroit Free Press.

Economist expects interest rates to go up, the DJIA to go down (Saturday, 10/23/99)
Economist David Jones, speaking at the University of Kansas yesterday, said he expects the Federal Reserve to keep raising interest rates and that the Dow Jones Industrial Average will be in the 9,000 range by early 2000.

Writer has a suggestion for health care financing (Saturday, 10/23/99)
It's time to remove the tax-exempt status of all employer-provided benefits, including health care coverage, according to Edward Lotterman in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (Saturday, 10/23/99)
Among other things, workforce development professionals have had to cope with the changes brought on by the Workforce Investment Act. The Association of Workforce Development Professionals provides a voice for workers in the field and is also an instrument through which they support and assist each other.

Bradley outlines his anti-poverty plan (Friday, 10/22/99)
If presidential candidate Bill Bradley has his way, no American child will be living below the poverty line by 2009. Through much of Western history, children were regarded mostly as just small adults until Sigmund Freud and others pointed out the special vulnerabilities and possibilities provided by the early years and how those years shape the remainder of the lifespan. More recently, research has shown early environmental influences extend far beyond nutrition and learning, even to the point of influencing neural development. In related news, Martha Waggoner reports that a new study finds that quality child care predicts success later. Here's more on that research from H.J. Cummins in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

More on those deaths in the Hebron cigarette lighter factory (Friday, 10/22/99)
The death count in that factory fire is 16 now, and Ben Lynfield reports in the Jeruselum Post that the factory was illegal.

Economic issues will be central in Sunday's presidential election (Friday, 10/22/99)
Guillermo Haskel writes from Buenos Aires about the upcoming election in Argentina.

Northwest's flight attendants get ready to try again (Friday, 10/22/99)
Flight attendants at Northwest Airlines failed to ratify a tentative new contract a while back. Tony Kennedy reports that organizers are trying to build unity once again for another try.

Why are Hawaiians rushing to the stores? (Friday, 10/22/99)
The chance of a dockworkers strike on Kauai, Maui and Hawaii is looking increasingly likely, so, as Jean Christensen reports from Waipahu, Hawaiians are stocking up in preparation.

New visa proposed to help in shortage of tech workers (Friday, 10/22/99)
Senator Charles Robb is proposing a new kind of visa to help relieve the shortage of technically-trained workers in the American hi-tech industry. It would apply to recent recipients of graduate degrees in the U.S. who would like to stay and work. Among those regions experiencing shortages is Maryland. Here's more from Peter Behr of the Washington Post. Finally, Jane Black writes from London that elements of the Silicon Valley work culture seem to be crossing the Atlantic, and it's worrying some Europeans.

Medicine's changing role (Friday, 10/22/99)
Many people have been staying healthier, in part because of the increasing emphasis on prevention. David Brown writes about this, as well as the economic implications. Meanwhile, the University of Pennsylvania Health System is preparing to cut 1,700 jobs, but not because everybody has suddenly gotten healthy. Instead, they're hoping to improve the financial health of their organization.

Australian union head forced out (Friday, 10/22/99)
Brad Norington of the Sydney Morning Herald tells about the power struggle that has led to the resignation of Paul Matters. Also in the Herald, Helen Trinca writes that, despite small increases this time around, union membership still provides an overall economic benefit.

How were things the last time we moved into a new century? (Friday, 10/22/99)
If you're looking back at the start of the 20th century as the "good old days," think again, says David Peterson. Despite present problems, it's not difficult to see that a lot of Americans have things better on the threshold of the 21st century.

Management and labor leaders will investigate racism claims (Friday, 10/22/99)
Minority workers at the largest Ford plant in the UK have claimed racist treatment. Management and labor are getting together to look into the situation.

Unemployment in Texas (Friday, 10/22/99)
It increased a bit last month, but it's still the lowest its been since Jimmy Carter was in the White House. Here's more from the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Former Ceridian employees win on appeal (Friday, 10/22/99)
An appeals court agrees that their disability benefits were wrongfully cut. Ceridian is much of what is left of what used to be called Control Data Corporation.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Campus International (Friday, 10/22/99)
Campus International helps students find internships throughout much of the world and also helps organizations that need interns.

Twelve die in factory fire on the West Bank (Thursday, 10/21/99)
The factory produces cigarette lighters and one of them exploded.

Ireland's nation-wide nurses' strike continues (Thursday, 10/21/99)
Shawn Pogatchnik writes from Dublin that the strike has divided the country, even families.

Why productivity is important (Thursday, 10/21/99)
In the long-run, and it doesn't have to so terribly long, productivity levels determine a nation's overall standard of living. A Toronto Star columnist explains how this applies to Canada.

The economy had better stand up straight and salute (Thursday, 10/21/99)
The recent coup in Pakistan means that the military is now in charge of everything, including that country's struggling economy. What will it mean? If brute force could make a country rich, the Soviet Union would still exist and be the wealthiest nation in history. Robert Marquand writes from Islamabad for the Christian Science Monitor that Pakistan's new boss may really be a sensitive guy. Speaking of the economic vs. political freedom paradox, China has been trying to have one without the other for sometime now, and, as Michael Dorgan writes from Beijing, a "house of cards" has been developing. Stand back, because if it comes tumbling down, it should produce a crash that will be heard around the world.

Americorps is five years old (Thursday, 10/21/99)
President Clinton headed a gaggle of dignitaries who celebrated the fifth anniversary yesterday of the public service program born during the first Clinton administration.

Gore and Bradley have plans for alleviating poverty (Thursday, 10/21/99)
The Vice President managed to get his plan out a day before former Senator Bill Bradley's scheduled speech on poverty issues. Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans are entering the competition too by indicating a willingness to free up billions of dollars for social programs. Eric Pianin and Juliet Eilperin of the Washington Post says it's an effort to outmaneuver President Clinton.

Is 45 too old if you're a woman? (Thursday, 10/21/99)
Helen Trinca of the Sydney Morning Herald writes that a 45-year-old woman who has been chosen to head the ACTU has her critics, presumably because of her "advanced" age.

Forty hours in an elevator! (Thursday, 10/21/99)
A man who works for Business Week spent 40 hours stuck in an elevator in New York City before being noticed and rescued.

How power has been concentrating in agriculture (Thursday, 10/21/99)
American farmers seem to be getting the attention of many persons in Congress. They're angry about agribusiness getting bigger and increasing the gap between retail food prices and what farmers can get for their products

First-time jobless claims up last week (Thursday, 10/21/99)
Here's USA Today's report on the latest data from the United States Department of Labor.

An example of paying more for less in health care (Thursday, 10/21/99)
For a time, managed care organizations seemed to slow the increase in health care costs, but they've been starting to go up again. Sarah Lunday writes in today's Fort Worth Star Telegram that employers and employees in north Texas can expect to pay more for health care as benefits diminish.

Somebody out there still cares (Thursday, 10/21/99)
Encyclopedia Britannica is one of the best-known and most trusted brand names in modern history, but they've been struggling for survival during the past few years. At first, they resisted putting their great reference resource on CD-ROM, then, when they finally did so, they priced it up in the stratosphere and found few takers. They cut the price of the CD version in half, and, still, few were interested. Meanwhile, the market for the expensive print version plummeted. Recently, they've been on the web for a subscription fee, but still, revenues have stagnated and they've had to cut most of their workforce of ten years ago.

Finally, they've decided to allow the public to access their entire resource free on the web, with the hope that they will be able to generate major revenues through advertising. Almost immediately, ten times as many people tried to visit the site as they had expected, crashing their server. It means that you may have difficulty using the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica during the next few days, but it also means that this great resource is likely to continue to be available over the years ahead and will not depart from the earth after more than two centuries, as so many have feared.

More generally, but along similar lines, Oracle is one of the leading software companies, and they've been pointing out that "the Internet changes everything." John Cunniff can testify to that.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration (Thursday, 10/21/99)
Among many other things, the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration offers an international MBA in English.

Agreement at GM Canada (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
The Canadian Auto Workers have reached a tentative agreement with General Motors on a new three-year contract.

Gore gets endorsement from United Steelworkers (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
The American steel industry has had some hard times, and its workers hope that a President Gore could help safeguard their jobs, so three-quarters of a million of them are throwing their support in the Vice President's direction.

House passes bill that could improve the employment prospects of persons with disabilities (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
If something like the House bill becomes law, persons with disabilities would be able to earn more and still retain their federal health benefits. Here's more from John Harris of the Washington Post.

Unemployment hits record low in the Netherlands (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Dutch unemployment hit 3.1 percent during the third quarter of 1999, according to the Paris-based International Herald Tribune. It's the lowest rate in at least 18 years.

Another Japanese company cuts jobs (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
This time, it's Pioneer Electronic Corporation, which will cut 10 percent of its workforce over the next three years. Meanwhile, Stephanie Strom of the New York Times tells about the heat that Nissan management is taking in Japan following its announcement of big job cuts.

One way pilots may be able to settle their dispute with American Airlines (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
The Allied Pilots Association may try to buy a controlling interest in the second-largest U.S. airline.

Your Social Security check will be bigger in January (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
It's the largest cost-of-living increase in three years and will make your benefit check 2.4 percent larger. Why? The Consumer Price Index was up 0.4 percent last month, which is the greatest increase in quite a while. However, economists say it doesn't represent an overall upward trend. Most of the increase was a consequence of specific factors for specific one-time reasons. For the most part, inflation is still absent in the American economy. Incidentally, Peter Grier writes in today's Christian Science Monitor that there may be less than meets the eye in the current argument over the Social Security surplus that's going on in Washington at the moment.

Employers increasingly want sophisticated computer skills (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Many employers believe that last year's computer skills are about as useful to them as last decade's computer. Leslie Eaton reports that simply being generally familiar with computers and their use probably won't be enough in the new economy from now on.

What will it mean for social life once everything is connected to everything else? (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
John Gartner writes in Wired magazine about the social impact of connectivity and what the CEO of the company that has given the world the Palm Pilot fears about what is happening. .

How long before the Internet becomes a major economic influence? (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Well, how about a week from Tuesday or sooner? Dean Visser writes from Singapore where experts are discussing the Internet's potentially disruptive influence at the East Asia Economic summit.

A dress code dispute in London (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Two female security guards have gotten into trouble because they wore pants to work instead of skirts They say they got permission ahead of time.

An economists recommendation for raising Canadian living standards (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Montreal professor Pierre Fortin is used to having people pay attention when he has something to say, and, at the moment, he's talking about what's gone wrong during the 1990s and how things can be improved for Canadians during the new century.

Students step up anti-sweatshop movement (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Most colleges and universities sell sweatshirts and other apparel bearing their logos. Students from 100 American institutions are insisting that these articles of clothing not be produced under sweatshop conditions. Here's more from Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times.

An occupational hazard if you're an aerospace worker (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Exposure to rocket fuel can put you at greater risk for some types of cancer, according to research at the University of California.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Encyclopedia Britannica (Wednesday, 10/20/99)
Thomas Jefferson was still in his twenties when the Encyclopedia Britannica started. It still makes most other encyclopedias seem like toys, but the market for very expensive sets of bound volumes has softened considerably during recent years as a consequence of the information revolution. The fact that the Encyclopedia Britannica is now available free online may or may not turn out to be good news for its publisher, but it's certainly good news for everybody else.

Public workers in Germany take to the streets (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
The German government's austerity plans do not please the tens of thousands of public workers who are marching in protest in Berlin. Who do you call if things get out of hand, considering that police are among the marchers?

Prices inch upward in the U.S. (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Inflation was up a bit in September, but not enough to surprise forecasters. One consequence: Social Security recipients will get a raise.

Congressman says employer-sponsored insurance should end (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Among the many things wrong with the American health care system is that fewer Americans are insured through their employers, in part because of the changing nature of employment. California Congressman Bill Thomas last week told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last week that the system is fatally flawed and should be replaced.

Working women achieve more secure footing (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Research conducted by University of California professor Carol Frey shows that an increasing number of women are wearing healthier shoes to work.

Japan's very quiet revolution (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Is Japan becoming a different kind of place, at least economically? Here's an analysis from the current edition of Business Week.

Nurses in short supply in Minnesota (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
There is a growing shorage of registered nurses in Minnesota, according to Glenn Howatt in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune. The Minnesota Nurses Association is holding its annual convention and says something must be done quickly.

The growing obsolescence of the all-encompassing IQ scale, and why workers should care (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Not so long ago, because of a shortage of systematic information at the time, psychologists naively thought it made sense to line up all the members of the human race on a single scale from high to low, and call this scale "general intelligence." In recent years, research conducted by Howard Gardner and others has indicated that there are multiple ways of being smart, and that people differ enormously on them all. Diane Stafford writes in the Kansas City Star about "emotional intelligence" and the difference it makes in the work world. Also in Kansas City today, Julius Karash reports on more health-related job cuts. Speaking of cuts, Ben Dobbin reports that Kodak's profits are up, but they're intending to cut another 1,000 jobs anyway. Finally, Stephanie Strom writes that most experts are not surprised that Nissan is cutting jobs, but the announced cuts go deeper than expected.

Mexican workers helped by inflation controls (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Monica Gutschi writes in the Arizona Republic that the Bank of Mexico has had some success in controlling inflation lately, and this has helped workers' real income in that country. Next year, though...well, stay tuned.

A caravan will soon be on its way to Seattle (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
A number of people from various countries who are opposed to the World Trade Organization will make their way across the United States to Seattle to make their feelings known at the big WTO meeting there scheduled for late November. The trip will take a month.

How to get all that money out of Russia (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Timothy O'Brien and Lowell Bergman have an interesting story to tell in the New York Times today. It's a special report on people who found a way to help Russians get their money out of the country.

Clinton wants to attract discounters to the Medicare system (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
If President Clinton has his way, Medicare patients would be directed toward medical providers who offer services at a discount. The Congress will have to go along with the idea, of course.

Why Britannica employs a lot fewer people now (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
The Encyclopedia Britannica started before the American Revolution and has had one of the best reputations of any product in the world over most of the years since. However, it's hard to make a living selling very expensive printed encyclopedias when your competitors are selling them for a few dollars on CD-ROM or if consumers get them free when they buy a computer. Britannica employed 2,300 people only ten years ago, but employs only 350 now. The great information source is still available in printed form as well as on CD-ROM, but, for a few years, has also been available for a subscription fee on their web site. Starting today, though, access to all that knowledge is free on the Internet. Here's the whole story from the Los Angeles Times.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Companies Online (Tuesday, 10/19/99)
Companies Online provides information about more than 100,000 private and public companies in the United States.

Big restructuring at Nissan (Monday, 10/18/99)
Nissan Motors is both a Japanese company and a global company, and this means that the 21,000 job cuts will be distributed over much of the world, as five plants are shut down.

Some good news about Africa for a change (Monday, 10/18/99)
Is Africa the "dark" continent after all? Is it all overpopulation, poverty, and HIV? Just "primitive" and illiterate, and all that? It may be past time for a reality check about African history, and Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. will help set the record straight in his six-hour documentary series coming to PBS soon. It's called Wonders of the African World, and should not be missed. You'll find that much of what you've believed about Africa all along is simply wrong. Now, back to the present: U.S. Secretary of State Albright is beginning a 10-day tour of Africa today. Lara Santoro writes in the Christian Science Monitor about the reasons for optimism.

Hoffa arrives in Boston on peace mission (Monday, 10/18/99)
The second Teamsters president named James Hoffa wants to get Teamsters members in Boston singing off the same page, but it will be a challenge.

Immigrants, not always illegal, want to stay (Monday, 10/18/99)
People from other countries who did not originally come to Japan illegally are now in the country outside the law because their visas have expired. Some of these persons have been there for a long time and would like to stay. They are appealing to the Ministry of Justice for an extension.

When are you at home and when are you at work? (Monday, 10/18/99)
Maggie Jackson writes about a boundary that has blurred to nothingness in the new economy where you may be able to do most of your work at nearly any location on the planet. Well...

Aren't living in poverty yet? Soon, you may be, without a change in your income (Monday, 10/18/99)
The United States Census Bureau is considering a redefinition of the concept of "poverty" in the United States. If they follow through, millions of people will suddenly move below the poverty line. Incidentally, the concept of "millionaire" has undergone quite a bit of change recently too. As Scott Burns writes in the Houston Chronicle, if your net worth is "only" between $1 million and $10 million, you're only "semi-affluent" now. Honest.

Labor shortages drive up pay for temp workers (Monday, 10/18/99)
A survey conducted by the American Staffing Association finds that hourly rates for temporary workers have increased about five percent, on average, during the past six months. Here's a little more from today's Detroit Free Press.

Want to live a long time? Can you afford it? (Monday, 10/18/99)
What if you live so long that you end up spending forty percent of your life retired? That will cost you, even if you never need long-term care. But, if you do, whew! Mary Vanac writes about the need for long-term financial planning in today's Arizona Republic.

How's your health? How's the health of the health care system? (Monday, 10/18/99)
You might want to check the Wall Street Journal for a look at health in the United States from a variety of perspectives. The Journal is running one of its special reports, and that means many high-quality articles, all very much worth reading. Good thing it takes you only about a minute and a half to read NewWork News each day. It leaves you time for the details on the web and elsewhere.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Smithsonian: Engineering and Industry (Monday, 10/18/99)
"America's attic" can offer some perspective on the history of technology and its commercial development on the Smithsonian's Engineering and Industry site. Incidentally, science came first, then technology, right? No, technology is many thousands of years older than science. Modern humans began using their knowledge of nature as a basis for building useful devices tens of thousands of years ago, and, despite its Classical Greek roots, modern science goes back only a few hundred years. The difference is that during most of mankind's history, technology has been based on nature as understood from the limited perspective of daily life and what appeared to be "common sense" on how nature works. But, nature doesn't care about common sense, and an understanding of its more subtle aspects is not available from the limited perspective of daily life. The technology revolutions of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries have arisen from the much deeper understanding of natural process that can come from controlled experimentation.

Outsourcing plans could lead to a strike at GM Canada (Sunday, 10/17/99)
The Canadian Auto Workers are adamant that they will not accept General Motors' plan to outsource production at three Canadian plants.

Don't throw away that statement from the Social Security Administration (Sunday, 10/17/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn says that the statement you will receive about your Social Security benefits will be worth a look. However, it will require proper interpretation.

Japanese government official says it's possible to get too optimistic at the present time (Sunday, 10/17/99)
A recent drop in Japan's unemployment rate shouldn't be interpreted to mean that the country's overall employment situation is getting better, according to the director of the Economic Planning Agency.

What if he really ends up in charge? (Sunday, 10/17/99)
What does Al Gore say to organized labor if he's the one they want to be the next president? A half-million manufacturing jobs have disappeared in the U.S. during the past year and a half. What does he intend to do to make labor feel better? Bringing manufacturing jobs back would be nice, but can he do that? Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times writes from Los Angeles and provides an analysis.

How long will the boom last? (Sunday, 10/17/99)
Tom Redburn examines a book by an author who expects the economic expansion to exceed nearly everybody's expectations.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: UMUC's Distance Learning (Sunday, 10/17/99)
Look who's offering full undergraduate and post-graduate programs on the Internet now. It's the University of Maryland's famed University College, and they've been sending itinerant professors to Americans over much of the globe for a half century.

Clinton to open up federal jobs for persons with disabilities (Saturday, 10/16/99)
We've reported on a movement in Congress as well as in the Clinton administration to remove a major barrier to employment for persons with disabilities, namely a move to enable those persons to earn more than $700 per month and still retain their federal medical benefits. Now, President Clinton goes a step further by taking steps to employ more disabled persons within the federal government, hoping that the private sector will follow the government's lead. The federal government is the largest employer in the Untied States.

The Greenspan-Social Security connection (Saturday, 10/16/99)
Columnist Edward Lotterman writes that Alan Greenspan played a role in setting up the Social Security Trust Funds years ago, and his earlier actions don't seem entirely consistent with current remarks.

Competing with suburban parking (Saturday, 10/16/99)
Columnist Amy Gage says some downtown employers are subsidizing worker bus passes in order to compete with employers in the suburbs.

Volunteer work is work, after all, and sometimes leads to gainful employment (Saturday, 10/16/99)
Many persons find jobs through personal contacts, rather than from applying to ads. Doing some volunteer work for a while may provide the contacts that you need.

When you can take your clothes off (Saturday, 10/16/99)
Off your taxes, that is. Gary Klott says that the IRS does allow you to deduct the cost of your work clothes under some conditions, but those conditions are fairly restrictive.

More on the grand migration (Saturday, 10/16/99)
In the new economy, large numbers of persons are moving from where they are to someplace else in an effort to escape poverty or seek opportunity. You've heard a lot about this during recent years, but here's part of the story you may not be aware of. Many South Americans have Japanese ancestry and some are returning to their ancestral homeland. Simon Romero reports from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Academy for Chief Executives (Saturday, 10/16/99)
Top executives can learn from each other through the Academy for Chief Executives.

General strike in Peru (Friday, 10/15/99)
President Alberto Fujimori's economic policies are unpopular with many persons who are making their feelings known in a 24-hour strike.

Pending legislation may help persons with disabilities maintain employment (Friday, 10/15/99)
The bill would enable persons with disabilities to keep their federal benefits while earning more than $700 per month.

Dole signs on to the spirit of Proposition 187 (Friday, 10/15/99)
Presidential candidate Elizabeth Dole would deny illegal immigrants all services except emergency medical care. Meanwhile, immigrants seem less interested in becoming American citizens. Here are details from a new study from the U. S. Census Bureau.

C'mon in, prez sez (Friday, 10/15/99)
President Clinton thanks that demonstrators who intend to show up at WTO talks in Seattle in November may have something useful to contribute on labor and environmental issues, and, as James Grimaldi of the Seattle Times reports, should be offered a seat at the table during the negotiations. Speaking of environmental concerns, Stacy Teicher of the Christian Science Monitor writes that college students are taking advantage of a tight labor market to make their attitudes known toward environmentally unfriendly companies through an unusual type of boycott. Many are saying they won't apply to some companies until they clean up their act.

What AFL-CIO endorsement means to Gore (Friday, 10/15/99)
The Washington Post's E. J. Dionne has some thoughts about why the Vice President so eagerly courted AFL-CIO support. Meanwhile, engineers and other technical workers at Boeing have agreed to allow their union to affiliate with the AFL-CIO.

Workers' compensation claim because of suicide? (Friday, 10/15/99)
Tony Kennedy of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that the wife of a man who committed suicide may be able to claim workers' compensation benefits if she can demonstrate that her husband's suicide was due to job stress.

High labor force participation in Minnesota (Friday, 10/15/99)
At various times, Minnesotans have been accused of being slightly smug about their quality of life, the unpolluted lakes and good fishing even within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and their governor. Ah, well, maybe. Now, Labor Department statistics show that Minnesotans can begin bragging again about how hard they work too.

Hunger in the world's richest nation (Friday, 10/15/99)
The United States Secretary of Agriculture says there is hunger in 10 percent of American households. Speaking of agriculture, the United States Senate has approved that big $8.7 billion farm assistance bill. It doesn't solve the fundamental long-term problems of American agriculture, but it should help some American farmers stay in business for at least another year. Meanwhile, U.S. and EU officials are arguing over European agricultural policy.

Is the Asian contagion a miniseries? (Friday, 10/15/99)
Reginald Dale of the Paris-based International Herald Tribune tells why Part II of the Asian crisis may be developing, and it may not be for reasons you would suspect.

Fine not so fine (Friday, 10/15/99)
The Mount Auburn Cambridge Independent Practice Association had intended to fine physicians $250 per day if they send patients to the hospital when it doesn't seem necessary to the company's administrators. Alex Pham of the Boston Globe says there was an audible collective explosion from doctors throughout the region, so the company has backtracked, deciding that it's not a good idea after all. Many doctors can remember a time not so long ago when physicians ran the medical profession. Mr. and Mrs. Clinton of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. got nowhere early this decade when they wanted to rebuild the American health care system from the ground up. However, with more and more Americans falling through the cracks and nearly everybody mad at HMOs, Hillary Rodham Clinton thinks it's time to bring up the issue again, and presidential candidate Bill Bradley is also calling for some ambitious changes in a system that no longer seems to be working properly.

You could be trampled, not by Christmas shoppers this year, but by employers wanting to hire you (Friday, 10/15/99)
If you think you would like to work part-time during the holiday shopping season, you should have plenty of choices, according to columnist Amy Lindgren.

Blair wants to build bridges to the continent (Friday, 10/15/99)
Since at least the time of William the Conqueror, the English have been suspicious of that very large continent only a few miles away from their island. In fact, many still distinguish between Britain, on the one hand, and Europe on the other. France is part of Europe, Germany is part of Europe, Italy is part of Europe, but Britain, not necessarily. Warren Hoge of the New York Times writes that Prime Minister Blair would like to see the British economy integrated to a greater extent with that of the continent, but he may have an uphill battle.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: World Trade Organization (Friday, 10/15/99)
The World Trade Organization is in the news a lot. If you would like to know more about the international organization through which rules for trade among nations are established, here's your chance.

Ratification at GM (Thursday, 10/14/99)
Members of the United Auto Workers at General Motors have approved a new four-year contract.

Gore receives a squatting ovation from the AFL-CIO (Thursday, 10/14/99)
More than 13 million people belong to the AFL-CIO, so the big labor federation's endorsement will be appreciated by Vice-President Gore in his quest for the presidency. However, the decision by the Teamsters and the UAW to sit this one out, at least for the time being, takes some of the shine off it. The Washington Post has some editorial thoughts about what it all means and labor's growing importance as a political force, despite its diminished share of the American workforce, compared to more than 40 years ago.

IMF head may be on his way out (Thursday, 10/14/99)
International Monetary Fund Director General Michel Camdessus is indicating that he may not complete his present term.

WTO increasingly under fire (Thursday, 10/14/99)
John Burgess has more on activist concerns about the World Trade Organization's impact on environmental, health and safety laws. Mr. Burgess also reports that the U.S. will focus on open markets at trade negotiations beginning in November.

Lock up your retail workers (Thursday, 10/14/99)
Ah, well, no, better not, but be advised that your competitors may be planning raids in advance of the Christmas shopping splurge.

What you need in order to be an effective telecommuter (Thursday, 10/14/99)
John Breeden of Government Computer News pretended to be a home worker for a week in order to gain a sense of what tools are necessary.

Supremes hear discrimination case (Thursday, 10/14/99)
A case involving some Florida professors could have wide implications. The issue is whether public employees will be able to sue the states for violations of federal discrimination law.

Tyson Foods fined for child labor law violations (Thursday, 10/14/99)
The action arises from two cases in which young workers were severely injured.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: No Sweat (Thursday, 10/14/99)
No Sweat is a program from the United States Department of Labor intending to help eliminate sweatshop conditions for American workers.

Latest Nobel Prize in economics goes to a Canadian (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
Robert Mundell is the latest recipient of the big prize in economics. He is a professor at Columbia University in New York City and also a native of Canada.

Whoops--too many visas (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
The American hi-tech industry has been trying to persuade the U.S. government to allow more technically-skilled foreigners into the country to work. Now, the INS finds that it mistakenly issued more of those visas than it intended, and not everybody in Congress is happy about it. Here's the story from the San Jose Mercury News.

Teamsters dissents (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
The AFL-CIO has indicated it will throw its support behind Al Gore's candidacy for president, but Teamsters President James Hoffa says it's too early for organized labor to decide whom to support. Speaking of labor, Frank Swoboda of the Washington Post reports that the WTO's ministerial meeting in Seattle in November will be met with thousands of protesters who will be insisting that labor have a seat at the bargaining table. The WTO has a very well-known critic too, as Martin Crutsinger reports. His name is Ralph Nader.

The cost of working on the road (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
Kirstin Downey Grimsley responds to a correspondent's concerns about inadequate reimbursement for the use of a personal car for work.

Britain's unemployment still at 4.2 percent in September (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
That's the lowest rate in 19 years for the second month in a row.

Sun Country must look elsewhere for training now (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
Northwest Airlines had been selling parts and training to Sun Country Airlines, but they've stopped doing both.

There are not only virtual campuses, but also virtual visits to real campuses (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
Nick Goldin of the New York Times reports that competition among colleges and universities is heating up. Many are after some of the same students, and some academic battles have shifted to cyberspace.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The National Association of Industrial and Technical Teacher Educators (Wednesday, 10/13/99)
Who teaches the teachers? Some of them are members of the National Association of Industrial and Technical Teacher Educators, an organization that has been in existence for more than 60 years.

Has it seemed more crowded lately? (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
It's official: there are now more than 6 billion people on the earth. The Minneapolis Star Tribune editorializes today about where that 6 billionth person is most likely to be located, despite that little ceremony in Sarajevo, and what kind of life this person is likely to have. World population is increasing at a slower rate now, but Mother Earth is already gasping under the overload. There were only about 1 billion persons on earth as recently as 150 years ago.

Required nurse-to-patient ratios from now on in California (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
The California governor has signed the bill into law, and, by so doing, has not pleased that state's health care industry. California often leads the nation, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, people have been testifying in Congress about their experiences with HMOs, and there are lots of scary stories just in time for Halloween. Other persons might be hoping for equal time, though. In a somewhat related story, an explanation of why a growing number of HMOs are dropping Medicare and what it means for many older people.

Guess who's healthier but more heavily taxed (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Overall, Canada is a healthier society but pays higher taxes than the U.S. This Toronto Star story provides details and also explains the Americanization of Canadian youth.

Chefs have a fling (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
They've been throwing eggs at police in Paris, who retaliated by firing back tear gas. Honest, this is a story about French chefs. I think we'd better have Charles Trueheart explain this one.

Your web use at work may be under surveillance (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Companies are becoming increased concerned about how employees use company computers, and, in many settings, policies are getting more restrictive. Jube Shiver's Los Angeles Times story comes to you today via the San Jose Mercury News.

Organized labor has regained some momentum, but... (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
...It has a long way to go before it's back to where in was at mid-century. Frank Swoboda reports that private sector union membership peaked way back in 1955.

Where do you live if you're among America's poor? (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Available housing is getting tighter and more expensive, as Michael Grunwald reports from St. Louis.

Jobs cuts at AlliedSignal (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Shame on you--you haven't been buying enough commercial aircraft. Orders are down at Boeing, and that produces a ripple effect. For instance, AlliedSignal is cutting 400 jobs in Phoenix.

Win-win all around? (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Negotiations between the United Auto Workers and three big car companies seemed to involve a minimum of genuine acrimony this year, and both sides seem to like how things came out. Justin Hyde on the three new agreements and why there seems to be plenty of happiness to go around.

What's another name for the famous Beltway that D. C. reporters are always talking about? (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Perhaps it could be called the Information Superhighway, or, at least, it's in that vicinity. Suddenly, suburban areas of Maryland and Virginia have become one of America's leading hi-tech centers. Joel Brinkley has more in today's New York Times.

What's wrong with this picture? (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Absolutely nothing, but many Los Angeles students are surprised that the president of prestigious Smith College has dark skin like their own and she's also a woman. President Simmons is doing her best to help minority students get into the nation's leading colleges and aim for the top in American society. Meanwhile, Steven Holmes reports on the controversy over the criteria for defining a minority-owned business and why the issue makes a difference.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Lifelong Learning (Tuesday, 10/12/99)
Lifelong Learning is a service of the lifelong learning project that focuses on the Asia Pacific region. The site comes from Ontario.

Sweeney indicates that Gore will get AFL-CIO endorsement (Monday, 10/11/99)
It appears that the huge labor federation soon will officially indicate that it prefers Al Gore to Bill Bradley as the next Democratic presidential nominee. Meanwhile, Paul Chevez reports from Los Angeles that the AFL-CIO will begin using the Internet to keep in touch with itself.

Kroger narrowly averts strike (Monday, 10/11/99)
A federal mediator helped in producing a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract affecting 8,500 workers in the big food store chain. In other labor news, the CAW's membership overwhelmingly ratified the new three-year contract with DaimlerChrysler Canada.

Jordan close to membership in the WTO (Monday, 10/11/99)
Suleiman al-Khalidi writes from Amman that the American Commerce Secretary believes that IMF-inspired reforms are bring Jordan close to achieving membership in the World Trade Organization.

Leadership training for top execs (Monday, 10/11/99)
Those corporate equivalents of general officers in the military can benefit from special leadership training, and it's worth the considerable investment, according to many who have been there. Here's more from the current edition of Business Week.

Whatever happened to Chainsaw Al? (Monday, 10/11/99)
For a time, Al Dunlap's "slash and burn" approach to saving sick corporations seemed to be just the thing, and he was among the most visible business personalities in the United States. Sunbeam was indeed a sick company, so they called in Al. Later, though, he was unceremoniously ejected. A new book tells the unpleasant story, and here are some excerpts about the man who once seemed proud of cutting more jobs than nearly anybody else.

The Congressional controversy over helping higher-income people improve their pension situations (Monday, 10/11/99)
The New York Times' David Johnston reports that, despite growing momentum, critics of the Portman-Cardin Pension Reform Plan say it's just an attempt to give the rich another tax break.

The high cost of AIDS in Africa (Monday, 10/11/99)
The human cost of AIDS in Africa is enormous, but so is the economic cost, according to a new World Bank study. AIDS has become a principal reason for the growth slowdown over vast regions on the continent.

Is Europe where less is more? (Monday, 10/11/99)
Bruce Stanley reports on a gathering boom across much of Europe at the same time that the movement to cut back on work hours has been gathering momentum in many regions as well.

Who is responsible for your career? (Monday, 10/11/99)
Look in the mirror. Carol Hymowitz of the Wall Street Journal says being aggressive and entrepreneurial helps careers. Among other things, refuse to be defined by others, she says. Meanwhile, Tara Parker-Pope and Kyle Pope examines different workaholic styles and find that the ability to achieve balance in work and life isn't mostly determined by external obstacles and pressures. Again, look in the mirror.

If you're an employer, get set to pay more for health insurance (Monday, 10/11/99)
The cost of health care is on its way up again, despite HMOs and all their problems, showing that, while Americans used to pay more for quality health care, it does seem possible to pay more for inadequate care as well. Robert Schwab of the Denver Post reports on the latest trend in employer-sponsored health insurance.

Is drug testing worth the cost and trouble? (Monday, 10/11/99)
The Washington Times' Tim Burn says that many business people think it is. For instance, communication giant Gannett doesn't want anyone who tests positive on any drug to any extent to work for them, and they want to know who you are before they mistakenly let you into the company.

Washington needs a more congenial biz climate, a Boeing exec says (Monday, 10/11/99)
Washington state, that is. Debby Hopkins asserts that Washington is in danger of driving jobs away. She's chief financial officer of the state's largest employer.

Balancing the cost of being a student and retiree (Monday, 10/11/99)
Will you finish paying off your student loans by the time you retire? Kenneth Hooker advises a 49-year-old correspondent who owes more than $20,000 in student loans what to do with an inheritance.

Canadian entrepreneurs gather to discuss the perils and opportunities of the 21st century (Monday, 10/11/99)
Diana Cawfield of the Toronto Star reports on a big conference where entrepreneurs consider what it will take to survive and thrive in the new century just ahead.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Workforce Online (Monday, 10/11/99)
Workforce Online offers tons of news and information for professionals in the human resources field.

Agreement at Ford (Sunday, 10/10/99)
Negotiators managed to overcome the sticky issue of the Visteon parts division and reach tentative agreement on a new four-year contract. It's been a good year for the UAW. Here's more on the settlement at Ford from today's New York Times.

Economic ministers meet and seem pleased about Asia (Sunday, 10/10/99)
Economic ministers from two of the world's major economic regions got together yesterday in advance of global trade negotiations. The 25 ministers seem to like what has been happening recently in Asia following more than two years of trouble. Meanwhile, representatives of the European Union have resumed talks with China over that country's possible membership in the World Trade Organization.

A brief history of managed care's loss of public support (Sunday, 10/10/99)
Some years ago, the quality of medical service in the United States seemed to be as good as any in the world. What the country had was not so much a health care crisis as a health care cost crisis, and managed care gained prominence as a means of getting costs under control. For a time, the familiar yearly double-digit cost increases subsided, although the number of Americans without coverage continued to increase. Now, many persons believe that the quality of care for those who have access is diminishing too, and costs are beginning to rise again, giving America a glimpse of the worst of all possible health care worlds which may be in its not-so-distant future. Amy Goldstein of the Washington Post tells how HMOs became everybody's favorite enemy in such a brief period of time.

Reality check on Social Security (Sunday, 10/10/99)
George Hager writes that many economists feel that Congress has created an artificial crisis on Social Security that has little to do with the economic realities of the aging safety net for the elderly.

Will negotiations over compensation for Nazi-era slaves break off? (Sunday, 10/10/99)
German industry has offered $3.3 billion, and says that's as high as they will go. Representatives of the former slave laborers say that's far too low.

How high can the Dow go? (Sunday, 10/10/99)
The Dow Jones industrial average has been slipping a bit recently, but one Yale University professor can imagine a Dow at more than 120,000 within about a quarter century. No, that's not a "misprint." Even the non-elderly will remember when the Dow hit 1,000 and it was considered a very big deal.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: National Geographic Society (Sunday, 10/10/99)
Homo sapiens sapiens have spent most of the past 40,000 years or so in relatively small groups mostly isolated from one another. Now, though, with jet travel, relatively inexpensive international telephone service, and, most of all, the Internet, the world has become a very small place, in effect, and most of us will be living in the whole thing every day, rather than our own tiny piece of it, during the 21st century. Under these circumstances, it should be harder to be provincial and bigoted, although it's easy to underestimate human capacity for these things. Still, globalization is a fact, in life as well as in work, and we may as well familiarize ourselves with regions far from where we were born. The National Geographic Society's web site is a good place to begin. Careful, though. You can easily get sucked in and end up neglecting nearly everything else. If you need more, the complete contents of more than a hundred years of National Geographic magazine is available on CD-ROM.

UAW and Ford still talking (Saturday, 10/9/99)
The United Auto Workers' strike deadline passed at midnight without a strike. Negotiators remained at the table. The old contract was extended for 24 hours. Whoops--Ford workers in St. Paul, Minnesota walked off the job, but it was a mistake.

HMOs make another effort to avoid what they feel might be a flood of lawsuits involving sympathetic juries (Saturday, 10/9/99)
Apparently getting the message that HMOs have few friends among doctors, patients, or even members of Congress when a great number of House Republicans crossed over and voted for the bill that's closer to what Bill wants, HMOs are changing their strategy. Now, they're going to urge that Congress pass a law enabling patients to appeal to an independent panel, rather than hitting the courts. Incidentally, who will pay for the big jury awards that might come from lawsuits if aggrieved patients are allowed to sue? Everybody who pays for health coverage, of course.

Is the American economy losing momentum? (Saturday, 10/9/99)
It's still the envy of the world, but, as Louis Uchitelle reports, experts are seeing signs of slowing all around.

What will it take to repeal Moore's Law? (Saturday, 10/9/99)
Maybe it's about to happen. The New York Times' John Markoff reports that some experts believe that we're nearing the upper end on the number of transistors that can fit on a chip, and this could have profound implications for how the new economy will develop from now on, and, of course, how fast. The number of angels that can sit on the head of a pin is expected to remain unaffected, however.

The great Mr. Drucker gives consideration to the info revolution (Saturday, 10/9/99)
What's really new about it and what isn't? Peter Drucker looks beyond the information revolution in the new edition of the Atlantic Monthly. Few persons have had more influence on how work has been conducted during the 20th century than Peter Drucker. It's been