I agree with Dave up to a point.  Isn't the lack of "success" linked to the obsession that the only way to fight is to get something in law that will make 'bad' employers act like 'good' ones? Legislation for sure, but how to make it stick is in part dependent on the willingness of unions (in this case UNITE currently would have the most to gain) to actually take industrial and other kinds of action against recalcitrant employers.

Paul Stewart.
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From: To complement the journal 'Capital and Class' (ISSN 0 309 8786) [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of BYRNE D.S. [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 02 October 2009 15:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: On-line debate: The impact of recession

Loath as I am to defend UK unions, they have taken action on casualization and have tried to pressure New 'Labour' into doing something through legislation, without any success as I recall.

David Byrne

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From: To complement the journal 'Capital and Class' (ISSN 0 309 8786) on behalf of Lindsay, John M
Sent: Fri 10/2/2009 3:39 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: On-line debate: The impact of recession

interstingly, pour moi, at the meeting I did on agendas a week or so ago, a point was made unfortunately after the meeting by a young man that as a casual worker, the unions are not interested in him.


Casual, freelance, workers seem to have a worse deal than most - agencies and clients can cancel work at a moment's notice and you might have turned down other work because you thought you had a job lined up.  Putting pressure on unions and labour to improve the contract right of the casual and freelancer seems worth much more effort than chasing after the documentation of immigrants?


silver lining for who, whom as someone mght have remarked.



________________________________
From: To complement the journal 'Capital and Class' (ISSN 0 309 8786) [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lee, Frederic [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 02 October 2009 14:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [UMKCLEE-AHEUK] On-line debate: The impact of recession

The dark cloud of the recession – is there a silver lining?

Welcome to the Academy’s debate on the recession.

Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, has urged the housing and regeneration sector to maintain momentum during the recession by developing shared plans, building delivery capacity, sharing risk and exploring new delivery models. He said:

 “The economic landscape provides significant challenges, with the downturn expected to last into 2010. If the experience of the early 1990s is anything to go by, activity levels could take five years to recover fully. I expect to see the public-private sector balance alter, bringing a longer-term relationship and generally a more active public sector role with an increased reliance on upfront public sector investment to reduce scheme risk and create the conditions for growth and private sector involvement.”

Regeneration in a downturn: what needs to change? The Smith Institute, June 2009

So we’re looking for your ideas and views, particularly on:


 *   how leaders should respond to the needs of their local areas
 *   sharing risk and learning from experience
 *   the skills people need to remain in the labour market


To get the debate started, we’ve assembled some interesting resources, which can be accessed by the links of the right-hand side. These include four films we commissioned to get at the heart of this topic.


There are also case studies, research reports and publications. For example, the Work Foundation believes local leadership is calling for innovative leaders to engage with local stakeholders to mastermind coordinated projects. The OECD, meanwhile, would like to see more local authorities being guided by the proven Barcelona principles that focus on long term local economic strategies that consider future sources of jobs, enterprise and innovation.

What do you think? Let us know before the debate closes, on Friday 16 October 2009.

To join the debate click here<http://www.hcaacademy.co.uk/recession-debate>

We hope you enjoy the films, publications and the debate



--------------------------------------
Project Support Officer
HCA Academy
www.HCAacademy.co.uk<http://www.hcaacademy.co.uk/>
Lateral House
8 City Walk
Leeds
LS11 9AT
Main Switchboard: 0300 1234 500
Direct Line: 0113 394 9392
Mobile: 0750 005 0616
Sign up to our newsletter<http://www.hcaacademy.co.uk/newsletter>
We're part of the Homes and Communities Agency - www.homesandcommunities.co.uk<http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/>


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