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The big idea: should we work less?
The big ideaBooksThe big idea: should we work less? A shorter working week could benefit society, the environment – even the economy. Is it time to reassess our relationship with our jobs? Sarah JaffeMon 11 Oct 2021 03.00 EDTLast modified on Mon 11 Oct 2021 03.48 EDTFor the last year and a half, most people have fallen into one of three categories: the unemployed, whose jobs disappeared during lockdown; the work from home brigade, who balanced family responsibilities or solo strain with a workday that extended even longer sans commute; and those who were still going to work but under hazardous, sometimes terrifying conditions, whether in healthcare or grocery stores or meatpacking plants. In so many of these cases, much of what made work enjoyable or at least tolerable was stripped away, and we were left with the unpleasant reality of what our jobs actually were: not a fun pastime, but something we have to do. As Amelia Horgan notes in her book Lost in Work, “We, almost always, need a job more than a job needs us. Our entrance into work is unfree, and while we’re there, our time is not our own.”Yet for all its misery, Covid-19 did show us that it was possible to radically change the way we live and work, and to do it quickly. And it’s worth remembering that working life pre-pandemic wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows for many people – a UK poll early …
As a whistleblower prepares to speak out, what can be done to rein in Facebook?
01/10/2021 Comments Off on As a whistleblower prepares to speak out, what can be done to rein in Facebook?FacebookAs a whistleblower prepares to speak out, what can be done to rein in Facebook?Pressure grows on social network after US senators challenge Instagram over impact of app on children’s mental health Dan Milmo Global technology editorSat 2 Oct 2021 01.00 EDTLast modified on Sat 2 Oct 2021 05.28 EDTUS lawmakers have left Facebook in no doubt this week that revelations about the impact of its Instagram app on teen mental health have further damaged the company’s reputation. The Democrat senator Richard Blumenthal said the social network was “indefensibly delinquent” in its behaviour and had “chosen growth over children’s mental health”, after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Facebook’s internal research had flagged concerns that its photo-sharing app was damaging the wellbeing of young users.The pressure on Facebook is likely to increase on Sunday when a whistleblower appears on US TV to claim that the company is lying to the public and investors about the effectiveness of its attempts to remove hate, violence and misinformation from its platforms.The whistleblower, who has submitted thousands of internal documents to the US financial regulator, will then appear at a Senate hearing on Tuesday.The WSJ report and the whistleblower’s appearance take place against a backdrop of active attempts to rein in the power of Facebook and other tech companies. Here are some of the proposals being considered for regulating Facebook.A break-upThe US competition watchdog, the Federal Trade Commission, has lodged a lawsuit demanding that …
Continue reading …UK cancels Covid vaccine deal with French firm Valneva
13/09/2021 Comments Off on UK cancels Covid vaccine deal with French firm ValnevaCoronavirusUK cancels Covid vaccine deal with French firm ValnevaGovernment serves notice to terminate contract over allegations of a ‘breach of obligations’ Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Jamie Grierson and Rob DaviesMon 13 Sep 2021 08.35 EDTFirst published on Mon 13 Sep 2021 03.07 EDTThe UK government is to pull out of a deal with the French pharmaceutical company Valneva to buy its Covid-19 vaccination, the company has said.The move will come as a blow to the vaccine manufacturing site in Livingston, west Scotland, which was visited by the prime minister, Boris Johnson, in January.About 100m doses of the yet-to-be-approved vaccine were put on order after the UK increased its request by 40m in February. But in a U-turn, the government has served notice to terminate the contract over allegations of a breach of the agreement.Scotland’s health secretary, Humza Yousaf, told BBC Good Morning Scotland: “This is a blow for the facility in Livingston. We are very keen and will be reaching out to the company to try to get security and secure a future for that facility in Livingston; we hope that would be with Valneva.“Clearly, when it comes to their supposed alleged failure to meet their contract obligations, we obviously are looking for more information from the UK government and would expect that shortly.”The Livingston MP Hannah Bardell said: “This has come as a huge blow to my constituency, in which the facility is …
Continue reading …Nike gives head office staff a week off for mental health break
30/08/2021 Comments Off on Nike gives head office staff a week off for mental health breakNike Nike gives head office staff a week off for mental health break Sportswear and sneaker brand joins dating app Bumble in offering extra time off in Covid pandemic Kalyeena Makortoff @kalyeena Tue 31 Aug 2021 03.21 EDT Last modified on Tue 31 Aug 2021 03.46 EDT Nike has given its head office employees in […]
Continue reading …Tobacco firm Philip Morris calls for ban on cigarettes within decade
25/07/2021 Comments Off on Tobacco firm Philip Morris calls for ban on cigarettes within decadePhilip Morris International Tobacco firm Philip Morris calls for ban on cigarettes within decade CEO Jacek Olczak says product should be treated like petrol cars, which will be outlawed from 2030 Zoe Wood @zoewoodguardian Sun 25 Jul 2021 11.51 EDT Last modified on Mon 26 Jul 2021 00.13 EDT The chief executive of tobacco business […]
Continue reading …How can companies cut the UK's class pay gap?
26/04/2017 Comments Off on How can companies cut the UK's class pay gap?Social impactGuardian sustainable businessHow can companies cut the UK’s class pay gap?Professionals from poorer families earn almost £7,000 less per year than those from wealthier ones, despite businesses claiming to act on social mobility Martin Williams@
Continue reading …- Celebrating the Resilience of Low-Income Women
- CEOs Get to Retire Comfortably. Workers Like Me Deserve the Same.
- Jobs Increased 339,000 In May, Unemployment Up 0.3% To 3.7%
- The decline of job creation at new establishments
- Contractor faces 2 serious citations after US Department of Labor finds safety failures led to welder’s death at Bonner Bridge demolition project
- Investigation into worker’s severe arm injury finds Cusseta auto parts manufacturer, supplier willfully ignored safety precautions
- ‘It’s a sweat factory’: Instacart workers ready to strike for pay and conditions
- Ships backed up outside US ports pumping out pollutants as they idle
- Privacy fears as Moscow metro rolls out facial recognition pay system
- ‘We are not machines’: Hollywood workers poised to strike for better conditions
- Boeing pilot indicted for allegedly deceiving US regulators over 737 Max
- Ipswich apprentice butcher encourages others to consider industry
- Ipswich apprentice butcher encourages others to consider industry
- Over 10,000 John Deere workers strike over ‘years’ of poor treatment
- Corporations are pledging to be ‘water positive’. What does that mean?
- US Department of Labor investigation of crane collapse, double fatality on Interstate 10 finds Lufkin company failed to assemble crane properly
- For the 6th time in 7 years, federal inspectors find Illinois contractor putting construction workers at risk of industry’s deadliest hazard
- US Department of Labor proposes $83K in fines to healthcare facility for failing to protect workers from coronavirus hazards
- Facebook says it will do more to prevent online hate, harassment
- As U.S. prepares to reopen border, some urge Canada to relax testing requirement
- Biden orders companies to ease supply chain bottlenecks or he’ll ‘call them out’
- What is the ‘new model’ the EU is proposing for Northern Ireland?
- Apple to make 10 million fewer iPhones due to microchip shortage
- US Department of Labor, Mexican Consulate in Boston enter alliance to promote workplace safety, health among New England’s workers
- US Department of Labor sues Austin luxury car dealer that retaliated against employee who raised concerns of coronavirus hazards
- Vaccine hesitant New Yorkers consider leaving the city as mandates take effect
- Carbon emissions ‘will drop just 40% by 2050 with countries’ current pledges’
- House passes bill to raise US debt ceiling through early December
- ‘The stakes couldn’t be higher’: GE urged to invest in green US jobs
- Zellers returns — kind of — but the lowest price isn't quite the law
- Cement makers across world pledge large cut in emissions by 2030
- India faces electricity crisis as coal supplies run critically low
- California justice department to investigate enormous oil spill