China free trade agreement: Andrew Robb open to constructive talks with Labor
Options for a breakthrough appear limited however after trade minister says legal text of the treaty has been signed off ‘and it will not be reopened’ The trade minister, Andrew Robb, has opened the door to “constructive” talks with Labor in a bid to salvage the China-Australia free trade agreement, which has been at the […]
China’s slumping economy a bigger threat to Australia than its plunging stock market
The impact of the Chinese stock market on Australia will not be great, but its slowing economy and demand for goods will continue to be a drag on our growth This week the Chinese stock market has plunged more than 17% in three days. While its value still remains higher than it was a year […]
Denmark reveals €800m tax fraud – the country's biggest
Tax authority alerts police amid suspicion that foreign companies have defrauded its system over past three years Denmark’s tax authority said on Wednesday that it had alerted police after foreign companies appeared to have drained more than 800m euros from the system in what would be the country’s biggest tax fraud. “Over the summer we […]
Sainsbury's shopfloor staff to receive 4% pay rise
Hourly pay to go up from £7.08 an hour to £7.36 an hour for workers aged over 18, but 24,000 non-store staff and store managers not included Sainsbury’s is to give 137,000 shopfloor staff a 4% pay rise, their biggest increase in a decade, after pressure from low pay campaigners. The supermarket said its standard […]
Estimated 4.5m Britons plan bank holiday trips within UK
Nearly 9% to have a ‘staycation’, while almost two million will head abroad, according to national tourist board The bank holiday is set to be a bumper weekend for tourism, with millions packing their bags for trips within the UK and abroad. An estimated 4.5 million Britons are planning an overnight break in England, according […]
Walmart to stop selling AR-15 rifles due to 'decreased demand'
Retailer says decision was made because of lack of demand from customers, not because of political pressure in the wake of shootings where AR-15 was used Walmart will no longer stock AR-15 rifles and other semi-automatic weapons, saying the decision is because of less demand from customers and not continued political pressure in the wake […]
The world’s worst airline: fasten your seatbelts (if you can) for a flight on Air Koryo
The North Korean carrier has come bottom of an annual league table for world airlines for the fourth time. No wonder it’s banned in the EU Name: Air Koryo. Age: Pensionable – the airline is 65 years old this year. Continue reading… Source: The Guardian Circular Economy RSS
McDonald's UK boss defends company's use of zero-hours contracts for staff
Paul Pomroy says workers love the flexibility of their contracts, as the company says 80% of more than 100,000 UK employees are on zero-hours terms The boss of McDonald’s in the UK has defended the company’s continued use of zero-hours contracts for about 80,000 employees in its British restaurants. Paul Pomroy, who took over the […]
Is a chief happiness officer really the best way to increase workplace happiness?
While the trend of chief happiness officers might not have spread like wildfire, companies are increasingly finding ways to make workplace happiness a priority Happiness in the workplace has become such a hot button conversation topic, some companies have created a job specifically dedicated to it. The remit of a chief happiness officer (CHO) is […]
Paddy Power and Betfair merger may mean more offensive adverts to come
Paddy Power has become notorious for its controversial advertising, and Betfair is not beyond raising an eyebrow or two with its campaigns Paddy Power and Betfair say their merger will bring together two distinct but complementary brands that have both used eye-catching advertising to lure punters. Paddy Power has muscled its way into the public […]