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Northern IrelandHealth and safetyLatest NewsHealth & Safety ExecutiveEconomics, government & business

HR news today: construction industry deaths; improving jobs market; Coffee Republic goes bust; Diageo jobs threat; talent map launched in Northern Ireland

by Helen Gilbert 8 Jul 2009
by Helen Gilbert 8 Jul 2009

This Personnel Today news round-up includes:

  • Construction industry deaths report delayed
  • Jobs market glimmer of hope
  • Coffee Republic goes bust
  • Diageo jobs threat could kill Scotch industry
  • Talent map launched to help employers in Northern Ireland

Construction industry deaths report delayed

A long-awaited report into deaths in the construction industry has been delayed at the 11th hour, according to construction union Ucatt.

The report for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), One Death Too Many, was due to be published yesterday afternoon.

Ucatt claims that the report will recommend the extension of the Gangmasters’ Licensing Act to cover construction, as well as the introduction of statutory directors’ duties, which would make company bosses responsible if a worker was killed as a result of safety breaches.

Despite Ucatt’s reports of a delay, the DWP itself insisted that the report’s publication was “imminent”.

Contract Journal


Jobs market glimmer of hope

The rate of decline in Britain’s jobs market continued to ease in June, with permanent placements falling at their slowest rate for more than a year, a survey has revealed.

The KPMG/Recruitment and Employment Confederation Report on Jobs showed an index reading of 48.6 in June for permanent placements, up from 41.7 in May and the highest in 13 months.

The index tracking placements of temporary staff rose 4.8 points to 44.9 in June – also a record jump and indicating the slowest pace of decline since September.

However, the report warned it was too early to talk of a recovery in the jobs market. One reason for improvement, it cited, could be that firms were asking staff to work shorter hours for less pay to safeguard their jobs.


Coffee Republic goes bust

British Coffee shop chain Coffee Republic has gone bust and administrators KPMG have warned there will be ‘inevitable job losses’ at the firm.

The Coffee Republic Plc holding company has not gone into administration, but its three subsidiaries, Coffee Republic, Coffee Republic Franchising Ltd and Goodbean Ltd have.

The group has 153 directly employed staff, with 127 at 20 group-operated outlets. There are 187 Coffee-Republic branded cafes in total in the UK and overseas, including 70 franchises, and a further 97 concessions in cinemas, retail outlets and hotels.

KMPG hopes to sell some of the company’s profitable franchises and outlets on.

The Times | BBC


Diageo jobs threat could kill Scotch industry

Scotland’s whisky industry could die if Diageo goes ahead with its plan to axe 900 Scots jobs, an MP has warned.

Des Browne, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, claimed yesterday that if the industry is allowed to “break the link between Johnnie Walker and its roots in Kilmarnock” he could “confidently predict that we will see within my lifetime the breaking of the link between Scotch whisky and Scotland itself”.

Senior politicians from the four main parties joined forces to step up the fight against the drinks giant’s plans.

Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael said the plans could be the “thin end of the wedge”.

Daily Record


Talent map launched to help employers in Northern Ireland

A new website has been launched that aims to give Northern Ireland employers a clear view of the entire education, employment and skills landscape.

The talent-map site and its associated online tools are designed to help employers navigate the maze of education, employment and skills programmes across the UK to find the publicly funded help and support they need.

The web tool searches education, employment and skills-related sites and returns the most relevant information to the user. It has been developed with employers for employers, supported by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and a coalition of partners including representatives from business organisations and government.

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Belfast Telegraph

Helen Gilbert

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UK jobs market shows early signs of recovery
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