A round-up in brief of HR related news stories collected from the main news sources on the web. Where possible links to the original stories have been included, but please note that maintenance of these sites is with the news source and links cannot be guaranteed

31 January 2001

Blair backs fight for plant jobs

The Prime Minister has pledged to support the campaign to reverse the decision to end car assembly at a Vauxhall plant.

For more, visit Ananova

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31 January 2001

Competition aims to find e-commerce stars

A university has launched a competition to uncover the e-commerce stars of tomorrow.

For more, visit Ananova

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31 January 2001

‘Lost 75,000’ boost New Deal jobs success

More young people have found work thanks to the Government’s flagship New Deal jobs scheme, a new report shows.

For more, visit Ananova

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31 January 2001

Blair appoints new e-commerce expert

Tony Blair has appointed Andrew Pinder as the government’s new adviser on e-commerce.

For more, visit Ananova

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31 January 2001

Economists predict lower rates in the US and UK

Economists in the UK are predicting that there will be a cut in US interest rates tonight and that UK rates will follow next week.

For more, visit Ananova

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31 January 2001

Aerospace centre to create 7,000 jobs

A new aerospace research centre is expected to create 7,000 new jobs over the next five years in South Yorkshire.

For more, visit Ananova

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31 January 2001

9,000 jobs to go if Lloyds TSB snaps up Abbey National

Lloyds TSB says 9,000 jobs will be lost over four years if it succeeds in taking over Abbey National.

For more, visit Ananova

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30 January 2001

Students go online for career fair

An education and recruitment website says it had 6,000 hits within an hour of launching a virtual job fair.

For more, visit Ananova

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30 January 2001

Hospital jobs lost in cost-cutting drive

Around 100 jobs are to be shed at three Edinburgh hospitals in a bid to cut costs.

For more, visit Ananova

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30 January 2001

Police recruit civilians to interview suspects

A police force is set to use civilians to interview suspects to allow officers to spend more time on the beat and to make the legal system more efficient.

For more, visit Ananova

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30 January 2001

Union makes last appeal to Vauxhall workers

Union leaders are addressing Vauxhall workers in the last mass meeting urging them to take industrial action against the closure of the Luton plant.

For more, visit Anaova

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30 January 2001

ING to cut 500 jobs in city

Dutch banking and insurance group ING is to cut 500 jobs in the City of London.

For more, visit Ananova

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29 January 2001

Chancellor examines tax cuts for high jobless areas

Gordon Brown has signalled he will use what will almost certainly be his final Budget before the General Election to deliver tax cuts to help unemployment blackspots.

For more, visit Ananova

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26 January 2001

Economists say European rates will change before summer

Researchers have found economists believe interest rates in Europe will remain unchanged next week but there will be a cut in rates before June.

For more, visit Ananova

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26 January 2001

Axe hangs over Pierre Victoire jobs

Around 150 catering-based jobs are under threat as restaurant chain Pierre Victoire has been placed in the hands of receivers.

For more, visit Ananova

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26 January 2001

Figures boost hopes of interest rate cut

Hopes of an interest rate cut next month were given a boost today after official figures showed economic growth was at its slowest for two years.

For more, visit <a href=at http://www.ananova.com/business/story/sm_186827.html target=_blank>Ananova

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25 January 2001

New Deal ‘helped more than a million’

The Government’s flagship New Deal scheme is said to have helped more than a million people improve their employment prospects and stay in work.

For more, visit Ananova

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25 January 2001

Electronics giant sheds 80 jobs

Electronics company, Philips is set to shed half the workforce at one of its UK plants.

For more, visit Ananova

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24 January

Gossard to shed 160 jobs

Gossard has confirmed it is closing a factory with the loss of 162 jobs.

For more, visit Ananova

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23 January 2001

Jobcentre boards to be replaced by hi-tech screens

Jobcentre boards displaying vacancies are to be replaced by electronic touch-screen terminals.

For more, visit Ananova

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23 January 2001

Cruise ship contract cancelled

The future of a leading shipyard is in doubt after the cancellation of a multi-million pound contract to increase the length of an Italian cruise ship.

For more, visit Ananova

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23 January 2001

Lecturer sues over bulldozed office

A psychology lecturer who returned from sick leave to find his office reduced to rubble by a bulldozer yesterday launched a claim for £350,000 damages.

For more, visit The Telegraph

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22 January 2001

BA pilot in bomb scare row unfairly sacked

A British Airways pilot who was sacked for shouting at a hysterical female passenger when she sparked a bomb alert on his plane was unfairly dismissed.

For more, visit Ananova

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22 January 2001

Council faces bill of £300,000 over fired race adviser

A labour council is to pay out almost £300,000 after sacking a race adviser who refused to fabricate figures to suggest that racial harassment had soared by 150 per cent.

For more, visit The Telegraph

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22 January 2001

Asda to create 870 jobs

Asda is to create 870 jobs by providing photo, optician and pharmacy services at dozens more of its stores.

For more, visit Ananova

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21 January 2001

Thousands await decision on jobs future

Car and steel workers are braced for crucial decisions which could lead to thousands of job losses and spark a debate about the state of the economy.

For more, visit Ananova

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19 January 2001

Council pays £160,000 over claim of racism

A black council engineer described his employers as “institutionally racist” yesterday after being awarded £160,000 in an out of court settlement.

For more, visit The Telegraph

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20 January

Car workers rally to save Vauxhall plant

Thousands of people are expected to join a huge march and rally in protest at the decision to end car production at one of Vauxhall’s UK plants.

For more, visit Ananova

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19 January 2001

Ford workers in US to receive £4,567 bonuses

Some 79,000 US Ford workers will receive profit sharing cheques averaging $6,700 (£4,567) – the second-highest amount in the car maker’s history despite weaker North American vehicle sales.

For more, visit Ananova

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19 January 2001

Fears for 5,000 steel jobs in Corus shake-up

An announcement by the steelmaker Corus, involving thousands of job losses, will be made next Wednesday, ministers have been told.

For more, visit The Telegraph

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18 January 2001

Courtaulds to cut 250 textile jobs

More than 250 textile workers in Northern Ireland and the North West of England are to be made redundant.

For more, visit Ananova

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18 January 2001

170 jobs go as e-business stops trading

The E-beon e-business infrastructure company stopped trading tonight with the loss of 170 jobs in Dublin, London and the United States.

For more, visit Ananova

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18 January 2001

College ‘threatening third of lecturers with sack’

A third of the lecturers at a further education college are said to be facing the sack over their refusal to sign new contracts.

For more, visit Ananova

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18 January 2001

Labour MP criticises Byers over Ford job losses

Stephen Byers has come under stinging attack from a Labour MP over job losses at Ford’s Dagenham plant.

For more, visitAnanova

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18 January 2001

‘Coronation Street’ closes

A Coronation Street tourist attraction is to close in Manchester.

For more, visit Ananova

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17 January 2001

TUC and CBI call for cut in interest rates

The CBI and the TUC called for a cut in interest rates after new figures showed a levelling off of employment growth and stable earnings rises.

For more, visit Ananova

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17 January 2001

£10,000 for woman made redundant after miscarriage

A woman made redundant a few months after having a miscarriage has received £10,000 compensation in an out-of-court settlement.

For more, visit Ananova

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17 January 2001

Council accused of institutional racism

A black council worker awarded £160,000 in an out-of-court settlement has described his employers as “institutionally racist”.

For more, visit Ananova

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17 January 2001

UK provides £1bn for US fighter project

The Government has staked more than £1 billion towards a United States programme to develop supersonic fighter jets.

For more, visit Ananova

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17 January 2001

Small firms offered cash to recruit unemployed

Small firms are to be given up to £2,300 to recruit long-term unemployed people from deprived communities.

For more, visit Ananova

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17 January 2001

Yard says sorry over ethnic job numbers

Scotland Yard apologised last night for distorted manpower figures which inflated the number of black and Asian police officers serving in the Metropolitan Police.

For more, visit The Times

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17 January 2001

Aid buoys Sunderland’s Micra hopes

An aid package that may improve the chances of a new car being built at the UK factory of Japanese motor giant Nissan was approved today by the European Commission.

For more, visit The Times

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17 January 2001

Scottish and Newcastle to axe 1,300 jobs

Pub and brewing group Scottish & Newcastle is axe 1,300 jobs as it shakes up its business over the next four years.

For more, visit ntlworld

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17 January 2001

Jobless rate falls to 25-year low

The number of people out of work and claiming benefit has fallen to its lowest rate for 25 years, although employment growth has levelled off.

For more, visit Ananova

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17 January 2001

Scots employment highest for 40 years

Employment is at a 40-year high in Scotland, with the number of people claiming unemployment benefit remaining at a 25-year low.

For more, visit Ananova

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16 January 2001

Falling petrol price pushes down inflation

Falling petrol prices helped to push down inflation to a nine-month low last month.

For more, visit Ananova

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16 January 2001

Inflation rate fell during December

The headline rate of inflation fell to 2.9% in December, compared with 3.2% the previous month.

For more, visit Ananova

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16 January 2001

Vauxhall workers to ballot on strike action

Vauxhall workers are holding a series of mass meetings to prepare for industrial action ballots in protest at the ending of car production in Luton.

For more, visit Ananova

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15 January 2001

Vauxhall unions threaten strike over factory closure

Union leaders say they are ready to call for strikes at Vauxhall after they failed to secure a reprieve for a factory threatened with closure.

For more, visit Ananova

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13 January 2001

Cowley workers reject BMW pay offer

Car workers at BMW’s Cowley plant have rejected a two-year pay offer after several rounds of negotiations.

For more, visit Ananova

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13 January 2001

Jobless charity cuts jobs

A Glasgow group set up to help the long-term unemployed back to work has made 80 workers redundant.

For more, visit Ananova

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12 January 2001

250 jobs to go at Dundee battery factory

Up to 250 workers at a Dundee battery factory are to lose their jobs.

For more, visit Ananova

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12 January 2001

Factory sacks mother over holiday win

A factory worker who won a holiday in a live radio competition has been sacked for phoning the station during work hours.

For more, visit Ananova

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11 January 2001

Union wants £1,000 pay rise for 30,000 council staff

A union representing 30,000 council workers in Scotland wants a pay rise of £1,000 for all its members.

For more, visit Ananova

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11 January 2001

British workers need protection, says Vauxhall union

Union officials have called for new measures to make it difficult for big companies to make workers redundant.

For more, visit Ananova

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11 January 2001

Docks scheme to create 100 jobs

One hundred construction jobs are to be created in Liverpool to build a new terminal for Irish Sea ferries.

For more, visit Ananova

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11 January 2001

Staff suspended over rude Bart e-mail keep jobs

Nearly 70 staff suspended over lewd e-mail featuring Bart Simpson involved in sex acts have been told their jobs are safe.

For more, visitAnanova

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11 January 2001

Talking sheepdogs to round up Government campaign

Talking sheepdogs are set to feature in a £6.5 million Government advertising campaign aimed at getting more people to make extra provision for retirement.

For more, visit Ananova

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11 January 2001

Unions demand General Motors’ top man

Union leaders are demanding that General Motors Global Chief Executive Rick Wagoner appears before MPs to justify his decision to axe 2,000 jobs at Vauxhall’s Luton plant.

For more, visit Ananova

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10 January 2001

Blair vows to try to save Rolls-Royce jobs

Tony Blair has promised the Government will do everything it possibly can to safeguard the jobs of Rolls-Royce workers in Coventry.

For more, visit Ananova

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10 January 2001

£17,000 for woman ‘treated with contempt’ by boss

A woman who had to leave the room when her boss told dirty jokes has won more than £17,000 after winning a case of sex discrimination.

For more, visit Ananova

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10 January 2001

‘Fat cats’ accused of threatening jobs at steel firm

Industry “fat cats” have been accused by an MP of lining their pockets instead of safeguarding the future of steel production in Britain.

For more, visit Ananova

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10 January 2001

2,000 jobs could go at aerospace firm

Unions fear up to 2,000 jobs could be axed from aerospace giant BAE Systems after the group announced cuts in its defence division.

For more, visit Ananova

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10 January 2001

500 jobs lost as chicken plant closes

A chicken processing factory is to close with the loss of 500 jobs.

For more, visit Ananova

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10 January 2001

Row over advert’s bare cheek

An advertising agency is under fire for asking job applicants to send a topless photograph with their CV.

Senior staff at AD78 of Morpeth, Tyneside, claim the request was intended to test whether candidates were prepared to “go the extra yard”. But a spokesman for the TUC said: “It is not funny and topless photographs do not relate in any way to the job being advertised.” So far only one candidate has inquired about the post of account holder. She enclosed the photograph as requested but AD78 has yet to interview her.

Extracted from The Telegraph

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10 January 2001

High pound ‘putting 100,000 jobs at risk’

A union has warned that more than 100,000 jobs will be axed this year unless moves are made to reduce the value of the pound.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January

The election countdown begins

There was only one thing on MPs minds as they returned to Westminster – the date of the next General Election.

Most observers now expect it to be in May, after the Prime Minister highlighted the economy as the key campaign issue.

For more, visit ITN News

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09 January 2001

Bank should not cut interest rates, say company directors

The UK Institute of Directors said there is no need for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to cut interest rates at its meeting on Thursday.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January 2001

Steelworkers may strike over job cuts

More steelworkers could be balloted on industrial action in an escalating dispute over compulsory job losses.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January 2001

Steelworkers may be balloted over lost jobs

More steelworkers could be balloted on industrial action in an escalating dispute over compulsory job losses.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January 2001

248 jobs to go at steel production firms

Swedish engineering group Sandvik is to close two UK steel production plants with the loss of 248 jobs.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January 2001

Textile jobs to go after contract lost

A Scottish textiles company is to shed one third of its manufacturing workforce after it lost a contract with Marks & Spencer.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January 2001

Black traffic warden ‘endured years of racist abuse’

A black traffic warden has told an industrial tribunal she endured years of racist abuse, harassment and victimisation from colleagues.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January 2001

Textile jobs to go after contract lost

A Scottish textiles company is to shed one third of its manufacturing workforce after it lost a contract with Marks & Spencer.

For more, visit Ananova

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09 January 2001

CBI poised for cheaper money call to the Bank

THE Confederation of British Industry will today put pressure on the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee to cut interest rates by 0.25 point to 5.75pc after its meeting this week.

For more, visit The Telegraph

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09 January 2001

Corus starts talks with unions over job cuts

CORUS, the beleaguered Anglo-Dutch steel-maker, meets union leaders today for talks on compulsory redundancies as the Government presses for more details of plans that could involve the closure of two large plants with the loss of 8,000 to 10,000 jobs.

For more, visit The Telegraph

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09 January 2001

GM to decide on Vectra plant within month

A decision on whether Britain will build the new Vauxhall Vectra is expected within four weeks, according to Vauxhall chairman Nick Reilly.

For more, visit The Telegraph

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08 January 2001

Bank staff vote over revamp plan

A strike by staff at one of Ireland’s leading banks moved a step closer after an overwhelmingly vote for industrial action.

For more, visit Ananova

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08 January 2001

Head teachers go down under to top up staff

Teachers recruited by two school heads during a trip to New Zealand and Australia to beat staff shortages in the UK have just taken up their posts as the new term begins.

For more, see Ananova

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08 January 2001

Sir Edward urged to cut interest rates

Business leaders have joined forces to urge the Bank of England to follow the lead of the US Federal Reserve and cut interest rates when it meets this week.

For more, visit Ananova

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08 January 2001

Recruits wanted for 2001 census

Thousands of recruits are being sought to help with the 2001 national census.

For more, visit Ananova

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06 January 2001

65,000 lone parents find New Deal jobs

Latest figures for the Government’s New Deal for Lone Parents scheme have shown that thousands of single mothers and fathers have found jobs through the initiative.

For more, visit Ananova

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05 January 2001

Pay of NHS lab staff to rise by up to 13%

NHS laboratory staff have been offered inflation-busting pay rises in a bid to tackle staff shortages.

For more, visit Ananova

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05 January 2001

110 jobs may go at internet firm

More than 100 UK jobs are hanging in the balance after it emerged that French-based internet firm LibertySurf is considering closing down its overseas operations.

For more, visit Ananova

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04 January 2001

Skills shortage could hit transport network

Researchers have concluded the modernisation of Britain’s roads and railways could be jeopardised because of difficulties in recruiting skilled engineers.

For more, visit Ananova

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04 January 2001

Mother to sue bank over lost job

A Scottish manager who returned to work after maternity leave to find her job no longer existed is suing her former firm for £60,000.

For more, visit Ananova

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04 January 2001

TUC calls for interest rate cut

The TUC is calling for a cut in interest rates to take “enormous pressure” off manufacturing firms.

For more, visit Ananova

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03 January 2001

Government fair to highlight mothers’ career choices

Women wanting to return to work after having children or those keen to find a new career will be offered help and advice at the first ever Government-led jobs “fair” this year.

For more, visit Ananova

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02 January 2001

Met may recruit Irish officers

The Metropolitan Police may recruit officers from Ireland because of a manpower shortage.

For more, visit Ananova

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02 January 2001

Shipyard to axe 189 more jobs

Merseyside Ship repair workers have returned from their festive break to hear the grim news that another 189 jobs are to be lost at their yard.

For more, visit Ananova

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02 January 2001

Ports group announces 300 new jobs

A ports group has announced two projects which will create more than 300 jobs.

For more, visit Ananova

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02 January 2001

New deal ‘helps 500,000 into jobs’

A report by the TUC into the the New Deal employment programme says that more than half a million people will have been helped into jobs by late spring.

For more, visit Ananova

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