For Portuguese Speakers TUC - (Portuguese Workers’ Project) Tel: 0207 467 1256 (to leave a message) E-mail: ctp@tuc.org.uk
TUC Portuguese Workers’ Project, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B3LS
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Monday, 26 March 2007
THE MOVEMENT IN BRISTOL TO ABOLISH SLAVE TRADE
"The absence of conflict is not evidence of the presence of peace." The report of Marvin Rees from Bristol
FEMINIZATION OF WORKING POVERTY
More women then ever before are in work, but a persistent gap in status, job security, wages and education between women and men is contributing to the "feminization of working poverty", according to a new report by the International Labour Office (ILO): Global Employment Trends for Women Brief - 2007
THE REPORT OF THE WORLD COMMISSION
There is an urgent need to rethink current institutions of global economic governance, whose rules and policies it says are largely shaped by powerful countries and powerful players. The unfairness of key rules of trade and finance reflect a serious "democratic deficit" at the heart of the system. The failure of policies, it argues, is due to the fact that market-opening measures and financial and economic considerations have consistently predominated over social ones, including measures compatible with the prerogatives of international human rights law and the principles of international solidarity. Says the Report of the World Commission on the Social dimension of Globalization
FORCED LABOUR: DECEPTION OR FALSE PROMISES ABOUT TYPES AND TERMS OF WORK
The International Labour Organization - ILO- defines deception or false promises about types and terms of work as being forced labour
FORCED LABOUR IN EUROPE
EuropeTrafficking appears to be the main route into forced labour in Europe. While much of the attention has been focused on victims of sexual exploitation, there is growing evidence that many are being trafficked for forced labour in agriculture, domestic service, construction work and sweatshops. Victims of forced labour in Europe come mainly from Asia, former Soviet republics, Eastern Europe and Africa.
Go to the European Industrial Relations Observatory
Go to the European Industrial Relations Observatory
THE WORLD OF MODERN CHILD SLAVERY
When it is mentioned we tend to think of people, almost always black people; degraded, abused and bound in chains, and we tend to think of such images, and the word slavery itself, as belonging to another era.
We do not see slavery as belonging to our world, not as something which is still happening today.
Reports Rageh Omar
We do not see slavery as belonging to our world, not as something which is still happening today.
Reports Rageh Omar
TOMATO PICKING IN NORTH AMERICA
Guadalupe Gonzalez, 37, is one of the thousands of mainly-Hispanic migrants who work as tomato-pickers in the fields of Immokalee, southern Florida.
Friday, 16 March 2007
TIGHTER SANCTIONS FOR BREACHING HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS
Following events at Bernard Matthews Hungary legislates. At cee-foodindustry.com
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
LIDL SUPERMARKETS AND EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE
"Ver.di, a huge German trade union with 2.5 million members, published a book called Das Schwarz-Buch Lidl Europa (The Black Book on Lidl in Europe). This was based on more than 3,500 accounts submitted by past and present employees. An updated 144-page English translation came out last year, detailing complaints from some of Lidl's 170,000-plus staff working in 23 European countries". Read the newspaper
EMPLOYMENT IN EAST ANGLIA AND BERNARD MATTHEWS
“There have been quite a few redundancies in the area recently, including the huge job loses at the Bernard Matthews factory, which has impacted upon the local labour market". Says the Manpower's operations manager for East Anglia
Monday, 12 March 2007
BIRD FLU MEASURES LIFTED
The last restrictions on the Bernard Matthews plant in Suffolk - the centre of last month's bird flu outbreak - have been lifted. BBC
BERNARD MATTHEWS ADVERT
Reports of the advert
"Some experts though do not understand the plan as many believe that the money should be put towards the workers who are being laid off." reports e-Canada now
"Some experts though do not understand the plan as many believe that the money should be put towards the workers who are being laid off." reports e-Canada now
BRITISH MEPs PUZZLED WITH BERNARD MATTHEWS PLANS AND CONCERNED WITH HUMAN COST TO WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
As reported in Norwish Evening news 24
Richard Howitt MEP said today: “The human cost of these lay-offs is deeply distressing for many families in the county. We need to provide all the help and assistance they need.“It seems shocking it is announcing multi-million pound market plans and receiving about £1m of public funds from Europe for compensation. Workers are being treated in an appalling way.”
Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson said: “This plan seems incongruous to me. I would like to know what this strategy is all about because I cannot understand why the company is doing this when staff are being laid off.”
Richard Howitt MEP said today: “The human cost of these lay-offs is deeply distressing for many families in the county. We need to provide all the help and assistance they need.“It seems shocking it is announcing multi-million pound market plans and receiving about £1m of public funds from Europe for compensation. Workers are being treated in an appalling way.”
Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson said: “This plan seems incongruous to me. I would like to know what this strategy is all about because I cannot understand why the company is doing this when staff are being laid off.”
Friday, 9 March 2007
SEVEN WORKERS WENT BACK TO WORK?
The company announced this week it had to temporarily lay off an additional 26 workers following the outbreak and subsequent drop in sales. A total of 183 staff had been temporarily laid off although seven had been re-engaged on March 5, she said.
This week was all launched the one-page advert. BBC
This week was all launched the one-page advert. BBC
BERNARD MATTHEWS: COMPENSATION AND INVESTIGATION
POULTRY giant Bernard Matthews is to receive around £600,000 in compensation for the healthy birds culled following the H5N1 outbreak at its Holton plant last month.
This is despite the fact Defra confirmed this week that the investigation into the outbreak at the site – and whether or not the company was to blame – was still ongoing. Says Farmers Guardian
This is despite the fact Defra confirmed this week that the investigation into the outbreak at the site – and whether or not the company was to blame – was still ongoing. Says Farmers Guardian
WHY DID BERNARD MATTHEWS RECRUIT PORTUGUESE WORKERS?
“We weren’t going to get the people locally . . . young people just don’t see the food industry as sexy.” The Times
WORKING AT BERNARD MATTHEWS
"You can imagine working in that kind of environment on a long-term basis. It must be really quite awful."
The solicitor defending Palmer and Allan, Simon Nicholls, described the conditions in the unit as "appalling". BBC
The solicitor defending Palmer and Allan, Simon Nicholls, described the conditions in the unit as "appalling". BBC
Thursday, 8 March 2007
POULTRY PROCESSED IN INFECTED PLANT
A Labour Euro MP said many members of the public would have assumed that the plant had shut down completely during the outbreak and would be surprised by the revelation. ITV news
Hundreds of tons of poultry passed through the Bernard Matthews plant and entered the food chain during the bird flu outbreak, the government has said. . BBC
What did the Secretary of State for Health say?
Also reported at Food Production Daily.com
More reports
Hundreds of tons of poultry passed through the Bernard Matthews plant and entered the food chain during the bird flu outbreak, the government has said. . BBC
What did the Secretary of State for Health say?
Also reported at Food Production Daily.com
More reports
WHAT IS BERNARD MATTHEWS SPENDING £7 MILLION ON?
Farmers Weekly Interactive says that Bernard Matthews plans to spend £7m on a “refreshment plan” and has yet to confirm how much will be allocated for the “recovery plan”.
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
DTI: BERNARD MATTHEWS "BEST PRACTICE EMPLOYER"
The systems it now has in place led the DTI to describe Bernard Matthews as "a best practice employer"
NORFOLK NEWS IN PORTUGUESE
“as notÃcias” (The News), a newspaper for Portuguese nationals based in the UK
The “as notÃcias” team consists of an editor and several professional journalists, many of whom are UK correspondents for several different media in Portugal. Its main editorial office will be based in Thetford, with a team of journalists and correspondents located in London and other Portuguese communities.
The newspaper developed from ideas by the Multilingual and European Thetford Association (META), a project managed by Keystone Development Trust, in Thetford. META offers information and advice to Migrant workers based in Norfolk and works with local statutory bodies to encourage community integration. READ ALL ABOUT IT – UK-Portuguese newspaper launched in Thetford, Norfolk
The “as notÃcias” team consists of an editor and several professional journalists, many of whom are UK correspondents for several different media in Portugal. Its main editorial office will be based in Thetford, with a team of journalists and correspondents located in London and other Portuguese communities.
The newspaper developed from ideas by the Multilingual and European Thetford Association (META), a project managed by Keystone Development Trust, in Thetford. META offers information and advice to Migrant workers based in Norfolk and works with local statutory bodies to encourage community integration. READ ALL ABOUT IT – UK-Portuguese newspaper launched in Thetford, Norfolk
HEALTH PROTECTION AGENCY ON BERNARD MATTHEWS WORKERS
A small number of workers who are involved in the cleaning and decontamination process are continuing to take antiviral medications. HPA
"NEARLY 200 LAID OFF" AT BERNARD MATTHEWS
nearly 200 people have been laid off since the outbreak of H5N1 strain of the virus at the company's factory in Holton, near Halesworth. Reports the local paper
CGTP INVITED TO THE UK
Support for workers from the Portuguese trade union confederation. In the news
MORE LAYOFFS AT BERNARD MATTHEWS ?
Bernard Matthews, is going to keep 116 portuguese workers in layoff and might layoff more workers. Read the news about CGTP's delegation in the UK
Tuesday, 6 March 2007
THEY DO NOT KNOW IF THEY WILL HAVE JOBS TO RETURN TO
Some 165 staff have been laid off by the company in the past fortnight, mostly from its Great Witchingham units.
Now, a European-funded programme called Response to Redundancy is being put in place to help them with advice, training, CVs and job applications. A task force from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is likely to be set up specifically to deal with the layoffs at Bernard Matthews. Reports the local paper
What will the E. Commission say?
Now, a European-funded programme called Response to Redundancy is being put in place to help them with advice, training, CVs and job applications. A task force from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is likely to be set up specifically to deal with the layoffs at Bernard Matthews. Reports the local paper
What will the E. Commission say?
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
The interim report into the outbreak of the deadly H5N1 virus shines a light on the horrifying reality of factory farming in Britain.
The investigation has involved officials from the Government's food and farming department Defra, the State Veterinary Service, the Food Standards Agency, the Health Protection Agency and the Meat Hygiene Service.
It is understood the MHS warned Bernard Matthews on several occasions about leaving the processing plant waste bins open.
The investigation has involved officials from the Government's food and farming department Defra, the State Veterinary Service, the Food Standards Agency, the Health Protection Agency and the Meat Hygiene Service.
It is understood the MHS warned Bernard Matthews on several occasions about leaving the processing plant waste bins open.
BERNARD MATTHEWS CORPORATE LIABILITY
The poultry firm Bernard Matthews could be prosecuted under food safety laws after government inspectors reported a series of biosecurity failings at a plant in Suffolk that saw the UK's first major outbreak of H5N1 bird flu. Times online
BERNARD MATTHEWS AND THE UK EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME
6000 companies with Climate Change Agreements. These negotiated agreements between business and Government set energy-related targets. Companies meeting their targets receive an 80% discount from the Climate Change Levy, a tax on the business use of energy. These companies can use the scheme either to buy allowances to meet their targets, or to sell any over-achievement of these targets. Anyone can open an account on the registry to buy and sell allowances.
BERNARD MATTHEWS PRODUCTS AND THE GROWTH IN ORGANIC SALES
"High profile scares such as the avian influenza outbreak, have contributed to consumer confidence levels. The growth in sales of organic, free range and higher welfare food is partly a response to this change in confidence. THE REPORT BY THE INSTITUTE OF GROCERY DISTRIBUTION
MEP RICHARD HOWITT SAID
Labour MEP Richard Howitt said a task force will be set up in a European redundancy initiative to assist the Suffolk workers with re-training and advice. Reports the local paper
BERNARD MATTHEWS: MORE LAY OFFS?
A company spokesperson said: “It is too early say how many more staff will have to be laid off but we are continuing to work with the relevant unions and inform staff of any updates on the situation. Reports the local paper
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