This week’s news in brief
Dismissal claim fails
A senior personnel manager at Manpower who lost his job after making an
inappropriate sexual comment about a colleague has had his claim of unfair
dismissal turned down by an employment tribunal. John Crook was dismissed in
July 2000 after he sent an e-mail to his manager. A Manpower spokesman said the tribunal result vindicated its
action in dismissing Crook. www.manpower.co.uk
Eurotunnel equality
Same-sex partners of Eurotunnel workers will be entitled to the same
concessionary travel as heterosexual partners. Until now only staff and their
spouses or common-law partners have been entitled to the £1 price of a single
crossing between Folkestone and Calais. The T&G union, which represents
1,300 staff at Eurotunnel, negotiated the rights. www.tgwu.org.uk
CEOs need clear pay
Chief executive pay needs to be more transparent to satisfy employees and
maintain a positive external image of the company, according to a report by FT
Dynamo and Suntop Media. The report
shows that many chief executives earn high sums even when their company is
performing poorly and suggests there is a need for greater accountability. www.ftdynamo.com
Getting the message
Communication from senior level is seen by personnel managers as the least
effective way of getting messages to the workforce, according to CIPD research.
The survey of 1,300 personnel managers, called Employers’ Perceptions of the
Psychological Contract, also shows that mission statements are only moderately
effective, and one in three say good communication between staff and managers
is vital. www.cipd.co.uk
More hits for job sites
The number of hits on recruitment websites is rising but it has not led to
more online applications, according to research. More than 60 per cent of UK
staff look for jobs on recruitment websites, compared with 14 per cent using
newspapers. But only 10 per cent apply for jobs online, claims the study by
Forrester Research. Two hundred employers and 7,000 Internet users were
questioned. www.forrester.com
