Privatisation free essay sample

Privatisation is the act of reducing the role of government or increasing the role of the private institutions of society in satisfying people’s needs (Shehnaz, 2010). Government take privatization stance to reduce its burden in terms of underutilization of resources, over and redundant employment, fiscal burden, financial crisis, heavy losses and subsidies in order to improve and strengthen competition, public finances, funding to infrastructure and quality and quantity of services in terms of management (Kouser, Azid Ali, 2011). Privatisation was incorporated in Brunei Darussalam in the Fifth National Development Plan (1986-1990) undertaken by Islam Bank Brunei Berhad, promotes saving and productive uses of capital ((brunei company laws and regulation handbook). Other than giving opportunities for private companies sector to grow, privatisation is being pursued for its contribution to many other policy objectives (Hjh Zainab, 2001). As to the acting director-general of the department of economic planning and development (JPKE), â€Å"privatisation is recognised as an important strategy particularly as the private sector has been perceived as the engine of growth for further development of the sultanate† (Suhaimi, 2009). We will write a custom essay sample on Privatisation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This essay will explain further why privatisation is a good policy in Brunei Darussalam. Firstly, it helps to boost the economy in Brunei Darussalam as it reduces the spending and improves efficiency in public services. The Minister of Development said during the opening two-day seminar on privatisation in June â€Å"Through privatisation, government could optimize spending in providing services to the public† (Hjh Zainab, 2001) Secondly, private investment will relieve government burden in terms of administrative and financial cost in Brunei Darussalam. Therefore, through this government will be in a better position to manage its resources for the development of other strategically important sectors to help diversify the economy. Lastly, the process of employments could be done a bit faster and the number of unemployment could be decrease with the increased growing rate of the economy as a result of the gains of efficiency on a smaller level and increased stability on bigger level. â€Å"The privatization can have contradictory short and long term effects† (Masalkovska, 2010) On the other hand, privatization was not a good policy when it deals with public interest such as health care, education and public transport. For example, health care, there might be a greater priority is given to profit rather than patient care. â€Å"when doctors treat patients they are unlikely to try harder if they get a bonus† (Pettinger, 2011) Another example is the tap water. â€Å"tap water has very significant fixed costs, therefore there is no scope for having competition amongst several firms. Therefore, in this case, privatization would just create a private monopoly which might seek to set higher prices which exploit consumers. Therefore it is better to have a public monopoly rather than a private monopoly which can exploit the consumer† (Pettinger, 2011) â€Å"Although privatization is an essential instrument for transforming government-controlled economies into market-oriented systems and for making established market economies more efficient, it is neither a panacea for all governments ill nor sufficient to ensure economic progress. Privatization is most effective when it is part of a broader programme of economic policy reforms and institutional development† (Rondinelli, 1996) From my opinion, although privatisationit is still quite new in Brunei Darussalam, but it is a good policy and there is no doubt that it will change the economic conditions by increasing the number of private sector in Brunei Darussalam. As mention in Brunei times articles â€Å"privatisation will be key to improving the efficiency of public services in the sultanate† (Too, 2009)

Scenarios of Labor Relations in Bangladesh free essay sample

In the context of Bangladesh, one can say that the country is not too poorly served by labour laws and their regulations on the employers. Trade union practices providing collective bargaining of workers with their employers are generally allowed in the industries and services here. Labour courts in Bangladesh promote and protect workers rights and enforce laws such as compensation to be paid to workers by employers for the breach of labour laws on their part. Bangladesh is a signatory nation associated to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and remains committed on the whole to ILO policies. However, trade union practices in Bangladesh seem to be in existence in the countrys older industries and services with new ones-particularly the export oriented garments industries-remaining largely unserved by trade unions. But there are also powerful arguments in favour of such exemptions. The garments industries could never have come to their present number or employ the record number of workers as they do, if they were burdened by demands from workers and lost their competitiveness as a result. We will write a custom essay sample on Scenarios of Labor Relations in Bangladesh or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The example of the garments industries also demonstrates that it should be a prudent course for eligible workers in this country to first find employment in sectors like the garments industries than to restrict the flourishment of such emerging work opportunities by attempting to introduce trade unions in them too early in the day (The New Nation, 2004). It should be advantageous for workers to put less emphasis first on orthodox trade union practices and accept less regulation on the employers so that they feel encouraged to expand business activities. This should maximise employment creation which should go in the favour of unemployed workers when unemployment is a huge problem in Bangladesh. More employment and some income should be a better choice for the countrys workforce with its vast number of unemployed than no employment and no income from too much of trade unionism. Thus, there is a need for responsible trade unionism in the country if there exists a genuine interest among workers leaders to best advance the longer term interests of their followers. Of course, it is not meant that pressure for better looking after the welfare needs of workers ught not to be there when the new enterprises graduate into stronger entities and, thus, become able to smoothly accommodate reasonable demands from their workers (The New Nation, 2004). Many of the countrys garments industries, for instance, would not lose their competitiveness or experience any major reduction in their profits or the control over their workers by allowing the worke rs certain basic rights, such as a weekly holiday, casual leave, a bearable increase in their wages and safe conditions of work in the factories (The New Nation, 2004). From the governments side, the role expected most is imparting of training and education free of cost to workers. The same should increase their productivity and skills which would be invaluable assets in the work places. Governments in many countries play the desired role of training and educating as many workers as possible and look upon government spending on these areas as long term investment on economic growth. The Government in Bangladesh needs to adopt and pursue vigorously similar policies (The New Nation, 2004). . 2. Trade union rights in law: 2. 2. 1. Many restrictions: The Constitution provides for the right to form or join unions. There are many restrictions, however. Before a union can be registered, 30 per cent of workers in an enterprise have to be members and the union can be dissolved if its membership falls below this level. The ILO has informed the government that this is a clear barrier to freedom of association and recommended the law be amended, but that advice has been continuously ignored. Unions must have government approval to be registered, and no trade union action can be taken prior to registration. Unions can only be formed at the factory/establishment level, with some exceptions (such as private road transport, private inland river transport, tea, jute bailing, bidi production) where union formation can take place based on geographic area. There can be no more than three registered trade unions in any establishment. Membership in a union is restricted only to workers currently working at an establishment, meaning that severance from employment also results in the end of a worker’s membership in the union. Candidates for union office have to be current or former employees of an establishment or group of establishments. The Registrar of Trade Unions has wide powers to interfere in internal union affairs. He can enter union premises and inspect documents. The registrar may also cancel the registration of a union, with Labour Court approval (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). . 2. 2. Exclusions from union membership: Under the Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO), workers in the public sector and state enterprises may not belong to a trade union, with the exception of railway, postal and telecommunications workers. Members of the security forces are also denied the right to form unions. Teachers are also forbidden to form trade unions, in either the public or private sector. Managerial and administrative employees can form welfare associations, but they are denied the right to join a union (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). . 2. 3. Right to strike not recognized: The right to strike is not specifically recognised in law. Three quarters of a union’s members must agree to a strike before it can go ahead. The government can ban any strike if it continues beyond 30 days (in which case it is referred to the Labour Court for adjudication), if it involves a public service covered by the Essential Services Ordinance or if it is considered a threat to the national interest. In this last case, the 1974 Special Powers Act can be used to detain trade unionists without charge. The government may ban strikes for renewable periods of three months. Sentences of up to 14 years’ forced labour can be passed for offences such as obstruction of transport. Strikes are not allowed in new establishments either owned by foreign investors or established as joint-ventures in collaboration with foreign investors for a period of three years from the date the establishment begins commercial production (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 4. Compulsory conciliation and court referral procedures: The labour law requires that parties to an industrial dispute must follow procedures (such as request conciliation, serve notice of a strike or lock-out, or refer the dispute to the Labour Court for settlement) within a specified period or the labour dispute will be considered legally terminated. The issue or subject of an industrial dispute which is terminated in this manner cannot be raised for a calendar year after such termination (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). . 2. 5. Collective bargaining limited: Only registered unions can engage in collective bargaining, and each union must nominate representatives to a Collective Bargaining Authority committee, which is subject to approval by the Registrar of Trade Unions. The National Pay and Wages Commission, whose recommendations are binding, sets public sector workers’ pay levels and other benefits (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: B angladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 6. EPZ Law – significant restrictions continue: The EPZ Trade Union and Industrial Relations Bill 2004 provided for the formation of trade unions in EPZs from 1 November 2006. The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association recommended numerous amendments to the law to bring it into compliance with Conventions no. 87 and 98 which Bangladesh has ratified. The government of Bangladesh has fundamentally failed to take any appreciable steps to comply with the ILO CFA’s ruling. The law foresees the phased introduction of freedom of association, providing for a different type of workers’ organisation at each stage. However, the law does not go so far as to say that trade unions with full associational rights will be allowed to exist in EPZs after the last stage outlined, which will be after 1 November 2008 (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 6. Stage one – worker representation and welfare committees: Until the end of October, workers in Bangladesh’s EPZs were still operating under the first stage of the law. They were only allowed to set up Worker Representation and Welfare Committees (WRWC). The law requires all enterprises in the EPZ to have one WRWC, whose elected representatives have the power to negotiate and sign collective agreements on a limited set of topics but not to strike or organise demonstrations. However, workers and labour activists in Bangladesh reported that in 2006 employers generally refused to enter negotiations or sign an agreement with a WRWC. Under the law, all WRWCs were supposed to cease to exist on 31 October 2006, unless he employer gave an explicit agreement that the WRWC should continue (which they would in practice only do in the case of compliant WRWCs). (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 7. Stage two – workers’ associations: The second stage of the law provides that a trade union, referred to as a Workers’ Association (WA) in the law, can be organised provided over 30 per cent of the workforce reque sts that the association should be set up. More than 50 per cent of the workers in the factory must vote affirmatively for the WA to be formed. This was scheduled to start on 1 November 2006 but in practice there were significantly delays, notably because the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) did not provide the necessary forms for applying to set up WAs. In new enterprises that start operations after 1 November 2006, workers are not permitted to form an association for the first three months after the commencement of commercial activities. Only one federation can be formed per EPZ, and over 50 per cent of the registered WA in the zone must vote to affiliate before a federation can be formed. The BEPZA Executive Chairman also has almost unlimited authority to deregister a Workers’ Association, should he determine that the WA has committed an unfair practice, contravened any part of the WA’s own constitution, violated any aspect of the EPZ Law, or failed to submit a report to him. Essentially, the law has made illegal the right of workers to talk about unions in their workplaces or to engage in pressure tactics to persuade recalcitrant employers to sign a collective agreement. Finally, the law explicitly forbids any strikes in the EPZs until 31 October 2008. (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 8. Frequent bans on assembly: The law allows the government to ban any public gathering of more than four people, ostensibly only in cases where public order or public health are at risk. In fact, the government applied this banning power much more indiscriminately. (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 9. Labour appellate tribunal created: The new labour law created an avenue for all the judgements, awards and sentences of the Labour Court to be appealed to a Labour Appellate Tribunal. Previously all such appeals had to be taken up by the Supreme Court, resulting in significant delays in reaching a final legal verdict for labour cases (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. Trade union rights in practice: The trade union movement is relatively weak in Bangladesh. This is partly owing to the multiplicity of trade unions and partly owing to the considerable intimidation imposed in practice, especially workers’ fear of losing their jobs should they show any sign of union activity. The right to freedom of association and to collective bargaining at the workplace is not respected in the garment sector or on the tea estates. Where unions do file applications for recognition, their registration is often delayed long beyond the 60 days foreseen by law. 2. 3. 1. Strike bans: The government makes regular use of the Essential Services Ordinance in order to ban strikes. The government’s use of this order was continuously applied over the past four years to the Power Development Board, the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority, the Chittagong Port Authority, Biman Airlines, and the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 2. Restrictions on bargaining and union meetings: Since 2003, the government has banned any collective bargaining in jute mills during production time. Only pro-government supporters are allowed to hold meetings during work time and unions not affiliated with the government’s labour grouping are not allowed to hold protests even on their day off (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 3. Employers take advantage of legal loopholes: Private sector workers are discouraged from undertaking any union activity. The Industrial Relations Ordinance gives considerable leeway for discrimination against union members and organisers by employers. Workers who try to create a trade union are not protected before registration and are therefore often persecuted by their employers, sometimes by violent means or with the help of the police. The names of workers who apply for union registration are frequently passed on to employers who promptly transfer or dismiss them, particularly in the textile sector. Even after registration, workers suspected of carrying out trade union activities are regularly harassed. One popular ploy is to dismiss a worker for misconduct, as they are then no longer entitled to become a trade union officer. A complaint to the Labour Court is of little use given the underlying corruption and serious backlog of cases which, in some instances, can stretch back more than several years (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 4. Export processing zones – anti-union employers: Employers in the EPZs have been consistently hostile towards trade unions, claiming that many of the companies would be ruined and jobs would be lost if they had to have unions. Some employers in the zones take advantage of the absence of trade unions to commit violations of international labour standards, such as sexual harassment, physical violence, unpaid overtime, child labour, non-compliance with minimum wage regulations and deplorable safety conditions. Despite protections for WRWC committee members provided by the EPZ Law, discrimination against leaders of active WRWCs was reported in 2006, and an undetermined yet significant number of these leaders and activist members have been terminated with permission from the BEPZA in processes that workers claimed were biased and unfair. Since there is no dispute resolution mechanism or tribunal for workers, except to appeal to the BEPZA, workers in the EPZs had few other options but to protest. After 1 November 2006, those factories with WRWCs turned their attention to frustrating efforts of the workers to form Workers Associations, again employing a series of tactics including harassment, intimidation, and termination of leaders (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 5. Failure to set up industrial dispute resolution mechanisms in EPZs: Although the EPZ law provides for the establishment of an EPZ Labour Tribunal and an EPZ Labour Appellate Tribunal, a full two years after the passage of the EPZ law, these two tribunals have yet to be established (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 6. Garment industry anti-union: Textile workers outside the zones fare no better. An estimated two million women workers toil for 3,300 employers to make clothes for export in Bangladesh. Workers are regularly sacked, beaten or subjected to false charges by the police for being active in unions. The General Secretary of the United Federation of Garment Workers (UGFW) has been arrested more than a dozen times. Meanwhile, the country’s garment workers are among the lowest paid in the world. They work long hours with very little leave, and face physical, verbal and sexual abuse (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 7. Employer negligence and government indifference kills hundreds of workers: Negligence by employers and the authorities have had appalling consequences that a strong, vigilant trade union could help to avoid. Based on its analysis of publicly available sources, the respected Bangladesh Institute for Labour Studies found that in 2006 there were 845 workers killed and 3018 injured by occupational accidents. The ready-made garment sector led the way in its toll on workers, with 141 killed, and 1578 hurt or maimed (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 8. Ship recycling industry effectively prohibits unions: The Bangladeshi ship recycling industry is based at Chittagong Port. Workers are employed on an as-needs basis, have no contracts and do not sign any documents which could link them to a specific yard. Thus workers have no legal recourse in the event of a dispute. Largely owing to the fear instilled in them – through violence and the precariousness of their employment situation workers have no way of standing up for their rights or even claiming their dues. Any claim would provoke instant dismissal. Unions are de facto forbidden on the sites and union organisers find it very difficult to gain access. Scenarios of Labor Relations in Bangladesh free essay sample In the context of Bangladesh, one can say that the country is not too poorly served by labour laws and their regulations on the employers. Trade union practices providing collective bargaining of workers with their employers are generally allowed in the industries and services here. Labour courts in Bangladesh promote and protect workers rights and enforce laws such as compensation to be paid to workers by employers for the breach of labour laws on their part. Bangladesh is a signatory nation associated to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and remains committed on the whole to ILO policies. However, trade union practices in Bangladesh seem to be in existence in the countrys older industries and services with new ones-particularly the export oriented garments industries-remaining largely unserved by trade unions. But there are also powerful arguments in favour of such exemptions. The garments industries could never have come to their present number or employ the record number of workers as they do, if they were burdened by demands from workers and lost their competitiveness as a result. We will write a custom essay sample on Scenarios of Labor Relations in Bangladesh or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The example of the garments industries also demonstrates that it should be a prudent course for eligible workers in this country to first find employment in sectors like the garments industries than to restrict the flourishment of such emerging work opportunities by attempting to introduce trade unions in them too early in the day (The New Nation, 2004). It should be advantageous for workers to put less emphasis first on orthodox trade union practices and accept less regulation on the employers so that they feel encouraged to expand business activities. This should maximise employment creation which should go in the favour of unemployed workers when unemployment is a huge problem in Bangladesh. More employment and some income should be a better choice for the countrys workforce with its vast number of unemployed than no employment and no income from too much of trade unionism. Thus, there is a need for responsible trade unionism in the country if there exists a genuine interest among workers leaders to best advance the longer term interests of their followers. Of course, it is not meant that pressure for better looking after the welfare needs of workers ught not to be there when the new enterprises graduate into stronger entities and, thus, become able to smoothly accommodate reasonable demands from their workers (The New Nation, 2004). Many of the countrys garments industries, for instance, would not lose their competitiveness or experience any major reduction in their profits or the control over their workers by allowing the worke rs certain basic rights, such as a weekly holiday, casual leave, a bearable increase in their wages and safe conditions of work in the factories (The New Nation, 2004). From the governments side, the role expected most is imparting of training and education free of cost to workers. The same should increase their productivity and skills which would be invaluable assets in the work places. Governments in many countries play the desired role of training and educating as many workers as possible and look upon government spending on these areas as long term investment on economic growth. The Government in Bangladesh needs to adopt and pursue vigorously similar policies (The New Nation, 2004). . 2. Trade union rights in law: 2. 2. 1. Many restrictions: The Constitution provides for the right to form or join unions. There are many restrictions, however. Before a union can be registered, 30 per cent of workers in an enterprise have to be members and the union can be dissolved if its membership falls below this level. The ILO has informed the government that this is a clear barrier to freedom of association and recommended the law be amended, but that advice has been continuously ignored. Unions must have government approval to be registered, and no trade union action can be taken prior to registration. Unions can only be formed at the factory/establishment level, with some exceptions (such as private road transport, private inland river transport, tea, jute bailing, bidi production) where union formation can take place based on geographic area. There can be no more than three registered trade unions in any establishment. Membership in a union is restricted only to workers currently working at an establishment, meaning that severance from employment also results in the end of a worker’s membership in the union. Candidates for union office have to be current or former employees of an establishment or group of establishments. The Registrar of Trade Unions has wide powers to interfere in internal union affairs. He can enter union premises and inspect documents. The registrar may also cancel the registration of a union, with Labour Court approval (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). . 2. 2. Exclusions from union membership: Under the Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO), workers in the public sector and state enterprises may not belong to a trade union, with the exception of railway, postal and telecommunications workers. Members of the security forces are also denied the right to form unions. Teachers are also forbidden to form trade unions, in either the public or priva te sector. Managerial and administrative employees can form welfare associations, but they are denied the right to join a union (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). . 2. 3. Right to strike not recognized: The right to strike is not specifically recognised in law. Three quarters of a union’s members must agree to a strike before it can go ahead. The government can ban any strike if it continues beyond 30 days (in which case it is referred to the Labour Court for adjudication), if it involves a public service covered by the Essential Services Ordinance or if it is considered a threat to the national interest. In this last case, the 1974 Special Powers Act can be used to detain trade unionists without charge. The government may ban strikes for renewable periods of three months. Sentences of up to 14 years’ forced labour can be passed for offences such as obstruction of transport. Strikes are not allowed in new establishments either owned by foreign investors or established as joint-ventures in collaboration with foreign investors for a period of three years from the date the establishment begins commercial production (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 4. Compulsory conciliation and court referral procedures: The labour law requires that parties to an industrial dispute must follow procedures (such as request conciliation, serve notice of a strike or lock-out, or refer the dispute to the Labour Court for settlement) within a specified period or the labour dispute will be considered legally terminated. The issue or subject of an industrial dispute which is terminated in this manner cannot be raised for a calendar year after such termination (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). . 2. 5. Collective bargaining limited: Only registered unions can engage in collective bargaining, and each union must nominate representatives to a Collective Bargaining Authority committee, which is subject to approval by the Registrar of Trade Unions. The National Pay and Wages Commission, whose recommendations are binding, sets public sector workers’ pay levels and other benefits (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: B angladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 6. EPZ Law – significant restrictions continue: The EPZ Trade Union and Industrial Relations Bill 2004 provided for the formation of trade unions in EPZs from 1 November 2006. The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association recommended numerous amendments to the law to bring it into compliance with Conventions no. 87 and 98 which Bangladesh has ratified. The government of Bangladesh has fundamentally failed to take any appreciable steps to comply with the ILO CFA’s ruling. The law foresees the phased introduction of freedom of association, providing for a different type of workers’ organisation at each stage. However, the law does not go so far as to say that trade unions with full associational rights will be allowed to exist in EPZs after the last stage outlined, which will be after 1 November 2008 (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 6. Stage one – worker representation and welfare committees: Until the end of October, workers in Bangladesh’s EPZs were still operating under the first stage of the law. They were only allowed to set up Worker Representation and Welfare Committees (WRWC). The law requires all enterprises in the EPZ to have one WRWC, whose elected representatives have the power to negotiate and sign collective agreements on a limited set of topics but not to strike or organise demonstrations. However, workers and labour activists in Bangladesh reported that in 2006 employers generally refused to enter negotiations or sign an agreement with a WRWC. Under the law, all WRWCs were supposed to cease to exist on 31 October 2006, unless he employer gave an explicit agreement that the WRWC should continue (which they would in practice only do in the case of compliant WRWCs). (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 7. Stage two – workers’ associations: The second stage of the law provides that a trade union, referred to as a Workers’ Association (WA) in the law, can be organised provided over 30 per cent of the workforce reque sts that the association should be set up. More than 50 per cent of the workers in the factory must vote affirmatively for the WA to be formed. This was scheduled to start on 1 November 2006 but in practice there were significantly delays, notably because the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) did not provide the necessary forms for applying to set up WAs. In new enterprises that start operations after 1 November 2006, workers are not permitted to form an association for the first three months after the commencement of commercial activities. Only one federation can be formed per EPZ, and over 50 per cent of the registered WA in the zone must vote to affiliate before a federation can be formed. The BEPZA Executive Chairman also has almost unlimited authority to deregister a Workers’ Association, should he determine that the WA has committed an unfair practice, contravened any part of the WA’s own constitution, violated any aspect of the EPZ Law, or failed to submit a report to him. Essentially, the law has made illegal the right of workers to talk about unions in their workplaces or to engage in pressure tactics to persuade recalcitrant employers to sign a collective agreement. Finally, the law explicitly forbids any strikes in the EPZs until 31 October 2008. (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 8. Frequent bans on assembly: The law allows the government to ban any public gathering of more than four people, ostensibly only in cases where public order or public health are at risk. In fact, the government applied this banning power much more indiscriminately. (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 2. 9. Labour appellate tribunal created: The new labour law created an avenue for all the judgements, awards and sentences of the Labour Court to be appealed to a Labour Appellate Tribunal. Previously all such appeals had to be taken up by the Supreme Court, resulting in significant delays in reaching a final legal verdict for labour cases (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. Trade union rights in practice: The trade union movement is relatively weak in Bangladesh. This is partly owing to the multiplicity of trade unions and partly owing to the considerable intimidation imposed in practice, especially workers’ fear of losing their jobs should they show any sign of union activity. The right to freedom of association and to collective bargaining at the workplace is not respected in the garment sector or on the tea estates. Where unions do file applications for recognition, their registration is often delayed long beyond the 60 days foreseen by law. 2. 3. 1. Strike bans: The government makes regular use of the Essential Services Ordinance in order to ban strikes. The government’s use of this order was continuously applied over the past four years to the Power Development Board, the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority, the Chittagong Port Authority, Biman Airlines, and the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 2. Restrictions on bargaining and union meetings: Since 2003, the government has banned any collective bargaining in jute mills during production time. Only pro-government supporters are allowed to hold meetings during work time and unions not affiliated with the government’s labour grouping are not allowed to hold protests even on their day off (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 3. Employers take advantage of legal loopholes: Private sector workers are discouraged from undertaking any union activity. The Industrial Relations Ordinance gives considerable leeway for discrimination against union members and organisers by employers. Workers who try to create a trade union are not protected before registration and are therefore often persecuted by their employers, sometimes by violent means or with the help of the police. The names of workers who apply for union registration are frequently passed on to employers who promptly transfer or dismiss them, particularly in the textile sector. Even after registration, workers suspected of carrying out trade union activities are regularly harassed. One popular ploy is to dismiss a worker for misconduct, as they are then no longer entitled to become a trade union officer. A complaint to the Labour Court is of little use given the underlying corruption and serious backlog of cases which, in some instances, can stretch back more than several years (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 4. Export processing zones – anti-union employers: Employers in the EPZs have been consistently hostile towards trade unions, claiming that many of the companies would be ruined and jobs would be lost if they had to have unions. Some employers in the zones take advantage of the absence of trade unions to commit violations of international labour standards, such as sexual harassment, physical violence, unpaid overtime, child labour, non-compliance with minimum wage regulations and deplorable safety conditions. Despite protections for WRWC committee members provided by the EPZ Law, discrimination against leaders of active WRWCs was reported in 2006, and an undetermined yet significant number of these leaders and activist members have been terminated with permission from the BEPZA in processes that workers claimed were biased and unfair. Since there is no dispute resolution mechanism or tribunal for workers, except to appeal to the BEPZA, workers in the EPZs had few other options but to protest. After 1 November 2006, those factories with WRWCs turned their attention to frustrating efforts of the workers to form Workers Associations, again employing a series of tactics including harassment, intimidation, and termination of leaders (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 5. Failure to set up industrial dispute resolution mechanisms in EPZs: Although the EPZ law provides for the establishment of an EPZ Labour Tribunal and an EPZ Labour Appellate Tribunal, a full two years after the passage of the EPZ law, these two tribunals have yet to be established (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 6. Garment industry anti-union: Textile workers outside the zones fare no better. An estimated two million women workers toil for 3,300 employers to make clothes for export in Bangladesh. Workers are regularly sacked, beaten or subjected to false charges by the police for being active in unions. The General Secretary of the United Federation of Garment Workers (UGFW) has been arrested more than a dozen times. Meanwhile, the country’s garment workers are among the lowest paid in the world. They work long hours with very little leave, and face physical, verbal and sexual abuse (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 7. Employer negligence and government indifference kills hundreds of workers: Negligence by employers and the authorities have had appalling consequences that a strong, vigilant trade union could help to avoid. Based on its analysis of publicly available sources, the respected Bangladesh Institute for Labour Studies found that in 2006 there were 845 workers killed and 3018 injured by occupational accidents. The ready-made garment sector led the way in its toll on workers, with 141 killed, and 1578 hurt or maimed (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007). 2. 3. 8. Ship recycling industry effectively prohibits unions: The Bangladeshi ship recycling industry is based at Chittagong Port. Workers are employed on an as-needs basis, have no contracts and do not sign any documents which could link them to a specific yard. Thus workers have no legal recourse in the event of a dispute. Largely owing to the fear instilled in them – through violence and the precariousness of their employment situation workers have no way of standing up for their rights or even claiming their dues. Any claim would provoke instant dismissal. Unions are de facto forbidden on the sites and union organisers find it very difficult to gain access (Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union: Bangladesh, 2007).

5 Ways to Eliminate Deadwood for Direct and Concise Writing

5 Ways to Eliminate Deadwood for Direct and Concise Writing I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil, Truman Capote once said. In other words, what we cut out of our writing is sometimes more important than what we put in. So lets continue to cut the clutter. How do we stop wasting words and get to the point? Here are five more strategies to apply when revising and editing essays, memos, and reports. Use Active Verbs Whenever possible, make the subject of a sentence do something. Wordy: The grant proposals were reviewed by the students.Revised: The students reviewed the grant proposals. Dont Try to Show Off As Leonardo da Vinci observed, Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Dont presume that big words or lengthy phrases will impress your readers: often the simplest word is the best. Wordy: At this moment in time, students who are matriculating through high school should be empowered to participate in the voting process.Revised: High school students should have the right to vote. Cut Empty Phrases Some of the most common phrases mean little, if anything, and should be cut from our writing: all things being equalall things consideredas a matter of factas far as I am concernedat the end of the dayat the present timedue to the fact thatfor all intents and purposesfor the most partfor the purpose ofin a manner of speakingin my opinionin the event ofin the final analysisit seems thatthe point that I am trying to maketype ofwhat I am trying to saywhat I want to make clear Wordy: All things being equal, what I am trying to say is that in my opinion all students should, in the final analysis, have the right to vote for all intents and purposes.Revised: Students should have the right to vote. Avoid Using Noun Forms of Verbs The fancy name for this process is excessive nominalization. Our advice is simple: give verbs a chance. Wordy: The presentation of the arguments by the students was convincing.Revised: The students presented their arguments convincingly. Or . . .The students argued convincingly. Replace Vague Nouns Replace vague nouns (such as area, aspect, case, factor, manner, situation, something, thing, type, and way) with more specific words- or eliminate them altogether. Wordy: After reading several things in the area of psychology-type subjects, I decided to put myself in a situation where I might change my major.Revised: After reading several psychology books, I decided to change my major.

Savage Wars Of Peace review essays

Savage Wars Of Peace review essays Max Boots book, The Savage Wars of Peace, is researched and written very well. He brings a new light and importance to the small wars or low intensity conflicts that in time, helped America become a world power. He began writing the book because he wanted to provide a concise history of Americas small wars abroad that...relate[s] the past to problems confronting the United States today. In the end he realized that not only did he write a book about small wars that could relate to present problems, but also a book that shows how the United States has always found itself being drawn into the savage wars of peace. The main theme of this book is that in America's history, war in some variety is the rule and not the exception. Dissimilar to the accepted myth, the United States military has fought several small wars to support the country's interests overseas, often times without a preceding announcement of war. Boot skillfully explains how the country started out as a commercial po wer before becoming a great power in the 1890s and then, finally, a superpower in 1941. Boots book is an informational read providing useful information on small wars, while including a great base for the science, as well as the art, of waging small wars. Along with all the different areas he touches in his book, most importantly Boot's novel contains some very important lessons that may prove to be very useful to the duty-bound Coalition completing its task in Iraq. The book provides information and facts that is not always well known. He mentions many actions, conflicts, and moments in history that are not always mentioned in many of the text books read today. Boots writing is not dry, or uninteresting. On the contrary, he is able to hold interest with his creative titles, and subtitles, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, of different sections within the book, al...

Health care Capstone Discussions week 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health care Capstone Discussions week 4 - Essay Example How important is it for human resource to address training and development needs within the workplace? Evaluate and discuss two situations from a health care setting in which one method would be more appropriate vs. the other method. Question 1: Analyze the overall concept of leadership as reflected in the activities of those who may be referred to as â€Å"managers,† â€Å"supervisors,† or others who direct the efforts of people. How do you believe leadership relates to the concepts of authority, power, and influence? In your discussion post, provide examples of leaders from real life to clarify/support your ideas. As reflected in the activities of those who may be referred to as â€Å"managers† and â€Å"supervisors†, the concept of leadership varies among others who direct the efforts of people. Being a manager or supervisor gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization but not the power of being a leader. Managers or supervisors get assigned leadership by position, making them the â€Å"boss† and not the leader who take a lead to influence others in achieving great things. Based upon the reflection, one can see the relevance of leadership to authority, power and influence. Leadership can be formal or informal and is defined as the ability to influence others towards the attainment of a goal (Marshall, 2011, 62); thus, one must have the skill of influencing other to take the role of leadership. Authority is derived from a formal position or endowed ability, accountability, or right to act and make decisions in an organization which extract obedience from others (Marshall, 2011, 62). Having authority corresponds to assigned leadership by position and does not guarantee that influence towards other members despite obedience. On the other hand, power is the ability to exert influence and the key to leadership (Marshall, 2011, 62). Effective leadership comes with power. In general, one must have the

Argue for Johnny F.Sale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Argue for Johnny F.Sale - Essay Example In order to claim his benefits, Sale should work hard to progress from an amateur level to professional level. As such Sale would take advantage of his pictures, jerseys, videos and other promotional items that would generate him individual revenue. Briefly, NCAA is a none-profit organization that generates its revenues from television contracts, game events and so forth. Research shows that, NCAA primary source of revenue is television contracts. For example, in fiscal year 2006 – 2007, television and marketing revenue accounted for approximately 81.9 percent of the NCAA’s total revenue. This statement indicates that NCAA receives a lot of money from revenue generated from selling of player’s pictures, jerseys and other promotional items. Though making a lot of profit, players are not shareholders or beneficially. NCAA incurs its expenses through its operation activities that include staff wages, events organization just to mention but a few. NCAA has set forth rules for protecting its revenue. However, this paper presents a case where an Amateur player â€Å"Johnny F. Sale† demands a share of the revenue generated from his pictures, jerseys that contain his name, videos and so forth. According to NCAA rules, Sale being an amateur does not qualify to enjoy any share or revenue generated by NCAA. Such privileges are for professional players. NCAA rule state that for a player to qualify to professional level, he needs to do two of the following: (1) Try playing for a professional team and one is responsible for his expenses. Contrary, for expenses in a period of up to 48 hours, one can receive a reimbursement. (2) One may also look for a job at a hockey school. The wages for teaching are not a violation of NCAA rules. The two rules simply mean a student is not a beneficiary of the revenue generated from promotional items bearing his name, picture or video clip. Sale felt that he had the potential to benefiting from revenue generated f rom the selling of his name, pictures and video clips on NCAA website despite being a student. As a result of restrictive NCAA law, the organization has faced numerous cases in court for not complying with a player grievance. Summary of Facts In fact, NCAA benefits from the players’ names, pictures, videos clips and other promotional items. On the other hand, players do not benefit, and NCAA has put in place rules that restrain the players from benefiting until they attain professional status. This clearly shows a violation of their right to earn a living from their sporting activities while still under training. As a result, Sale would like to sell his own pictures, name, video clips and likeness. However, as per the existing rules, should he choose to do so, he will be violating NCAA rules hence becomes ineligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics. His long-term focus is to continue playing under amateur level. Moreover, he was intending to benefit from pictures of hi s own and other promotional items that concern him. Sports being in the business industry like any other business should earn the participants income from the activities they carry out while in that industry. Therefore, there are Sports law set forth to provide policies for players, sponsors and training institutions. Policies that concern players are in three categories namely; amateur, professional and international sports policies. There is

To what extent are a company's annual report and accounts useful in Essay - 1

To what extent are a company's annual report and accounts useful in understanding and analysing its market, productive and fi - Essay Example Other than the owners, there are other internal and external parties who need to study final reports and accounts of a business like the management body, investors, creditors, government agencies, labour unions and tax authorities. This paper discusses the usefulness of annual reports in understanding a company’s market, production and financial performances. Rules of accounts The final reports and accounts of a business enterprise are prepared by the directors whose primary responsibility is to provide a â€Å"true and fair view of the state of the company’s financial position and results†2 at the end of a financial year. In every country there is the Companies Act that provides directions, rules and regulations regarding the format and content of the final accounts that need to be strictly followed. The final reports and accounts are comprised of profit and loss account, balance sheet, cash flow statement, statement of total recognised profit and loss, note on historical cost profit and losses, activities done with funds of the shareholders, notes to the accounts.3 Together these form the financial statements of a business enterprise and they reflect the strength of market relationship, productivity and financial position of the business, and whether it has the ability to sustain and develop in the competitive market in the long run. The profit and loss account which is also known as the income statement provides a summary of the activities of a business and the financial achievements in a particular financial year. It provides information about the â€Å"sales or turnover, operating expenses, exceptional items, interest payments, taxation charges and dividends paid and proposed.†4 Although the profit and loss is prepared in a prescribed format, it is designed in a manner that meets the information needs of the management.5 An example of a published profit and loss account of Pickers PLC is shown in Fig.1. Fig.1: Profit and loss ac count for the year ended 31 March 2003 ?000s ?000s Turnover 20,300 Cost of sales (13,850) Gross profit (or loss) 6,450 Distribution costs (2,314) Administration expenses (1,424) (3,738) Operating profit 2,712 Income from other fixed asset assessment investments 125 2,837 Interest payable and similar charges (813) Profit (or loss) on ordinary activities before taxation 2,024 Users of accounts The main purpose of financial statements is to â€Å"reveal the results and financial position of the business.† For this purpose in every business organization final accounts are prepared at the end of every financial year.6 In a business enterprise, it is not only the owners, shareholders or the management body who need to study the final reports and accounts but there are other internal and external parties who have equal rights to know about the financial condition and stability of the company for variable reasons. These parties are investors, employees, lenders, suppliers and other c reditors, customers, government and their agencies, and the public. Investors are those people or organizations that take risks by investing their monies to buy shares of a company. In