Employment

Who's interviewing whom? Employers are forced to compete for talented recruits

Cadbury in list of top three preferred employers

By Mike Stones

Cadbury and Marks & Spencer feature in the list of the top three firms nearly 8,000 job seekers would most like to work for, according to recruitment and HR services firm Randstad.

Meat hygiene workers and vets will campaign outside the FSA headquarters today

Meat hygiene workers stage FSA no pay protest

By Dan Colombini

Meat hygiene workers who carried out work for the Food Standards Agency will protest outside the organisation’s headquarters this afternoon after its poor handling of a contract resulted in £500,000 of unpaid wages, Unison has claimed.

The HSE accused Thorntons of putting its staff at risk

Thorntons fined £20,000 after worker injury

By Tom Chandler

Chocolate retailer Thorntons has been accused of putting its staff at risk and fined £20,000, after a worker's finger was dragged into a wrapping machine at its Derbyshire site.

Warburtons' job cuts were

Warburtons' 73 job cuts 'had to be made': union

By Tom Chandler

Bakery firm Warburtons' move to axe 73 jobs at its Oldham site was a “difficult decision that had to be made”, according to the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU).

Young's plans to cut 555 jobs at Cumbrian Seafoods

Young’s to axe 555 jobs at Cumbrian Seafoods

By Mike Stones

“Bitterly disappointing", is how Labour MP for Easington, Grahame Morris summed up his reaction to the news that Young’s Seafood is to axe 550 jobs at Cumbrian Seafoods.

Kerry Foods wins training award

Kerry Foods wins training award

By Freddie Dawson

Fresh and convenience food producer Kerry Foods has won an award for the language training it offers employees at its Attleborough site in Norfolk.

Switch on to the latest advice about complying with the new agency worker regulations, and a host of other business topics, by attending the SME Business Leaders' Round Table. This free-to-attend event will be held at legal specialist Eversheds’ Leeds office on November 29. For more details, telephone 01293 610231 or email foodmanevents@wrbm.com

New agency workers law highlights need for TLC

By Mike Stones

Food and beverage manufacturers risk claims of discrimination unless agency workers receive equal treatment to full-time employees, warns legal specialist Eversheds.

BFAWU is to ballot its members on strike action

Park Cakes workers may strike over ‘slave labour’

By Loretta Flockhart

Employees of Park Cakes in Bolton and Oldham are considering industrial action after the introduction of new employment contracts which one union official described as tantamount to ‘slave labour.’

Close in for the s-kill

Close in for the s-kill

By Freddie Dawson

With an image problem and an ageing workforce, how can the food and drink sector resolve its impending skills crisis?

ALP urges food firms to gear up for Agency Worker Regulations

ALP urges food firms to gear up for Agency Worker Regulations

By Rick Pendrous

The Association of Labour Providers (ALP), which represents agencies providing labour in the UK, is urging food companies using agency workers to partner agencies in preparation for the Agency Worker Regulations (ALR).

Longbenton Foods' Tyneside site in happier days

Administrator seeks Longbenton Foods sale

By Ben Bouckley

Grant Thornton says it is seeking to sell Longbenton Foods as a going concern, after the Newcastle firm entered administration last Friday.

Goldenfry Foods wins trade secrets case

Goldenfry Foods wins trade secrets case

By Ben Bouckley

Goldenfry Foods has a won a legal judgement against three former employees who misused trade secrets to establish a breakaway company and appropriate a £5m supermarket contract for gravy granules.

United Biscuits announces McVitie’s job losses

United Biscuits announces McVitie’s job losses

By Ben Bouckley

United Biscuits (UB) has announced plans to shed around 85 jobs at its McVitie's biscuit factory in Glasgow, and has begun a consultation with staff and unions in a bid to ensure voluntary rather than compulsory redundancies.

Goodbye, flexible trend

Goodbye, flexible trend

The EU’s forthcoming Agency Workers Directive will have a major impact on employers of temporary staff, says Frederick Dawson

Joe Street

Fine Lady gears up for October launch of new bakery

By Elaine Watson

Fine Lady Bakeries is working with urban regeneration organisation New East Manchester (NEM) and JobCentre Plus to equip local people with the skills to work in its £20m new bakery in Newton Heath.

CBI joins calls to simplify agency workers legislation

CBI joins calls to simplify agency workers legislation

By Elaine Watson

Aspects of the EU agency workers’ Directive still need further clarification and simplification to help make it easier for employers to navigate, according to the CBI (Confederation of British Industry).

Fit answer for sick staff

Fit answer for sick staff

By Rod Addy

Bosses must steer a middle course between catching the skivers and dealing fairly with legitimate sickness absences, reports Rod Addy

Covering all the bases

Covering all the bases

By Rod Addy

Migrant workers are a real asset, so long as companies are aware of all the issues, reports Rod Addy

Interims mean business

Interims mean business

People become interim managers for a variety of reasons.Some fall into it through job loss and others, like me, make a positive career decision.To be...

Get motivated

Get motivated

Food and drink employers need to focus on staff retention and motivation techniques, not recruitment, if the industry is to tackle falling employment levels. Rebecca Green reports

Time to get in on the Act

Time to get in on the Act

The Gangmasters Licensing Act comes into force later this year, but employers and agencies need to start preparing now if they are to avoid falling foul of the new regulations. Rebecca Green looks at what the changes will mean for the food industry

Dawning of a new age

Dawning of a new age

Finding the right person for the job has never been easy, but new age discrimination laws coming into force this autumn could bring a whole new set of difficulties to the recruitment process, says Rebecca Green

Hidden dangers

Hidden dangers

Fall foul of the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations or Health and Safety at Work Regulations and you could face unlimited fines or even corporate manslaughter charges, says Andrew Litchfield