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Strategies & Market Trends : Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mishedlo who wrote (48822)	3/28/2006 3:26:16 PM
From: patron_anejo_por_favor	Respond to of 116555

>>Hundreds of thousands of protesters packed the streets of French cities and stalled the transportation system Tuesday, protesting a controversial labor law that would allow employers to more easily hire and fire young workers<< Sounds like a great way to meet chicks.

To: mishedlo who wrote (48822)	3/28/2006 3:29:58 PM
From: Bucky Katt	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

Great Britain is shut down>>Tuesday's action, by 11 unions, was the biggest stoppage in the UK since the 1926 General Strike, they say. Ministers are facing a long dispute with council staff over their pension scheme, unions have warned as a 24-hour strike draws to a close. Union officials say the UK-wide strike was joined by more than 1m workers, closing many council-run facilities. Employers estimated 400,000 workers in England had joined the strike. Ministers hope talks on Wednesday could break the deadlock in the row over the scrapping of a rule allowing some people to retire on full pension at 60. The government argues the current rule is discriminatory against those who do not qualify and hopes that an alternative solution can be found. Employers and unions will join Wednesday's talks. But Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, warned that unions were digging in for a long dispute. 'Burning resentment' Addressing a London rally attended by hundreds of striking workers on Tuesday, Mr Prentis said there was a "burning resentment" against the government and the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents employers, over the issue. Metro on Tyneside at a standstill Impact across the UK "[The workers] are understandably angry at being treated like second-class citizens, ignored by the government," he said. The government had been elected to work for the underdog and was now "kicking us in the teeth", he added. At the centre of the dispute is the so-called Rule of 85 - which allows council employees to retire on full pensions at 60, provided their age and years of service add up to 85. Local Government Minister Phil Woolas said it was illegal under European age-discrimination legislation, but he hoped an alternative solution could be found. He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One: "The age of retirement for local government workers is already 65. 'Viable scheme' "It is not a question of increasing the retirement age. It is a question of how is it possible within a viable funded scheme ... to provide the benefits for people that they would have otherwise got and is that affordable?" Unions have warned of possible further action in the run-up to the local council elections in May. All bus and rail services were at a standstill in Northern Ireland, and the Mersey Tunnels in Liverpool, the Metro on Tyneside and Glasgow's subway network all closed. news.bbc.co.uk