Memorandum to Canada's National Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Memorandum to Canada's National Leader - Essay Example It is recommended that mediation, negotiations and dialogue in addition to the application of the law be applied in the mitigation of the various security challenges which are facing the contemporary Nigerian society. National security challenge in Nigeria There is a lot of insecurity in Nigeria which manifests itself in different forms in various parts of the nation. In South West Nigeria there are many incidences of armed robbery (Eme and Anthony 172). The Northern part of the state on the other hand is characterized by operations of cross-border bandits. The south is full of kidnapping incidences which are reported on daily basis. It is notable that no citizen is spared. Children, the aged, government officials, professionals, titled men, professionals and women have not been spared at all from the security threats which are currently Nigeria’s talk of the day (Enu and Ude 254). The security challenge that the various parts of Nigeria are experiencing demonstrate how nation al insecurity in such a significant scare within the contemporary Nigerian society. Insecurity is so rampant in Nigeria that it is becoming a norm. The common wave of crime in Nigeria and the current use of explosives and other terrorist instruments further reveal how such crimes are a threat to the national security (Omede 90). The lawlessness which characterizes the modern Nigeria is attributed to the criminality which is ever becoming common within the state (Hills 92). It is notable that the response of the governing authorities to incidences of insecurity is very inadequate. Investigations are called after major security threats but they never lead to substantive mitigation of the security problem. On daily basis Nigerians face the fate of criminal activity which has led to many killings without the killers being arrested. As a result, there is little fear among the criminals within the country because they know that in one way or another they are likely to escape the long arm of the law. The social and economic insecurity in Nigeria which is perpetuated by the state of lawlessness in the country has led to misery within the society and threats to the well being of the citizens (Ayodele 301). The root causes of insecurity in Nigeria have been theorized. The armed robbery theory stipulates that the major cause of incidences of insecurity within the country is the increasing incidents of armed robbery. This theory recognizes that there exist groups in Nigeria with the intent for armed criminal activity. Moreover, the armed robbery theory explains the armed nature of Nigerian politics where elections are characterized by violence as the electoral tool (Omede 101). However what makes the insecurity problem in Nigeria worse is the fact that the modern armed groups within the country are more trained, sophisticated and armed than in the past which poses a challenge to the governing authorities and police departments. The wobble economic theory on the other hand describes the cause of the increasing insecurity within Nigeria as an adjunct of the ever growing number of youths who are scrambling for the labor market without success. Failure to acquire jobs makes the young people to indulge in criminal activities. The wobble economic theory further illustrates that the high level of poverty within the Nigerian society is the cause of people’s attraction to violence. The ruling opposition party theory has also been linked to the causes of Nigeria’

Emerging possibilities and ongoing reforms Essay Example for Free

Emerging possibilities and ongoing reforms Essay In 21st century, nations are increasingly becoming diverse, globalised, and complex and media structured. This rapidly changing world filled with fantastic new tribulations needs to be addressed using exciting new emerging possibilities. To adopt new possibilities, modern education reforms are progressively driven by a growing understanding of what works in education and how to go about productively improving teaching and learning in schools. This essay will focus on emerging possibilities and ongoing reform in primary education that are necessary for 21st century learning and hence need to be embraced both locally and globally. This essay will include the elaboration on emerging technologies that are being utilized with the purpose of meeting the global and local requirements and ongoing reforms on education such as Gonski for better schools, Melbourne declaration that acknowledges major changes in the world that are placing new demands on Australian education and globalization. People around the world are taking their education out of school into homes, libraries, internet cafes and workplaces, where they can decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn and how they want to learn. (Colin, Allan et.al, 2009, p3). This new learning model uses technologies to enable people of all ages to pursue learning on their own terms. Traditional class room based, single teachers as instructor model of education has now been replaced by emerging technologies that are being developed constantly in today’s fast moving digital world. It is an innovative technology that is reshaping the nature of education. Computer and network based technologies now hold great potential for increasing the access to information as well as a means of promote learning. (schoolcomputing.wikia.com/wiki/Emerging_Technologies). It redefines the way educators teach and the role of sole source of information to being a guide, facilitator and coach in the learning process. The major emerging technologies for primary education can be interactive whiteboard, I pads and cloud computing. Interactive whiteboard is designed to help students learn variety of ways and for teachers to teach in a range of ways with the ability of using online resources and fun presentation. It is an emerging technology in Australia but globally like UK it has been found to be successful and effective in teaching primary students (Torff Toritta, 2010). Now what is the rationale for using interactive whiteboard in primary classroom? It increases motivation and performance of student as teachers  can integrate flexibly a variety of pedagogical approaches and the power to efficiently deliver multimedia or multimodal presentation with a touch sensitive screen. It can also increase the student and teacher interaction and can make the teachers teaching process smoother and effective. An interesting element of interactive whiteboard is it allows students from different classroom around country and globally to interact through programs such as Skype or YouTube. This allows for an expansive online classroom, broadening the students own community of practice. Another form of emerging technology is the use of Ipad in the classroom, which is a creative, hands-on device which allows students through educational applications, eBooks and iTunes to engage with content interactively and instantly obtain information moving away from the industrial era model where the classroom is the central learning place. Why do teachers might use Ipad in primary classroom? There are number of reasons why Ipad can be very beneficial emerging technology but one of the most useful features is its sharing information, receiving updates and conducting research hence helpful in communicating and collaborating with the world outside the classroom. Ipad can be very useful tool to interact with others around the world so it connects and create extended learning. Final emerging new technology for 21st century learner is cloud computing. It refers to as the future of education and storing and accessing of applications and computer data often through web browser rather than running installed software on personal computer. (www.cloudcomputingdefined.com). It is an interactive tool where student and teacher can instantaneously collaborate both in and out of the classroom and learn in real time with instant feedback. Cloud computing provides transparency for teachers and their student; collectively they are able to communicate with each other. What is the rational for cloud computing being a useful emerging technology for 21st century learner? One of the reasons it can be useful is its versatility as it can be accessed from home or school therefore great for collaborative assessments or group based projects. This new technology will encourage students to develop and maintain ICT skills (http://cloud-computing3100.wikispaces.com/Rationale+for+cloud+computing). The driving force behind educational reform comes from new technologies that greatly enhance educational opportunities. These new emerging technologies  allow the improved pedagogy that will revolutionize learning. ( Molebash, 1999). In 21st century, ubiquitous availability of ICT had significant implications on education. A significant reform is needed in education, world-wide, to respond to shape global trends. Systematic education reform is needed that include curriculum like National education agreement, pedagogy, teacher training and school organization like GONSKI reform. (Mcgaw, 2009, p1). Earlier this year, Skidmore and Carmicheal mentioned in The Telegraph UK that â€Å"reform is not only necessary, it is essential if we are to ensure that pupils are equipped with the knowledge and skills for the twenty first century.’(Skidmore and Carmicheal, 2013). Being able to do my practical placement at Garfield Barwick School managed by Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC), I realized that there is a huge requirement of special education teachers not only in Australia but globally. In England, an education reform is passed where parents are given control over their children’s special education needs (SEN) budgets, allowing them to choose expert support rather than local authorities being the sole provider. (Quinn and Malik, 2012). This is described as being the biggest reform of SEN for 30 years. However, while this reform offer hope, it create anxiety among parents too, as it divides children into two groups School Action and School Action plus. Lorraine Peterson, chief executive officer of the Nation Association of SEN, fears teachers could be left with endless lists of pupils and too little expertise as to how to deal with them (Shepherd, 2012). Furthermore ,there is also a concern in relate to this reform that what impact it will have of forward planning and co-ordination of putting budgets in the hands of many individuals and families, keeping in mind that not all parents are best advocates of their children’s needs hence will not be able to provide the best expert assistance for their children. (Shepherd, 2012). This is one of the drawbacks of SEN reform in England. In comparison to that, Australian government has deferred this reform since 2009 in order to allow more time for further consultation. (Special education reform put on hold ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 2009). An article by Philip Garner and Fiona Forbes in 2012 mentioned that Australia is appeared to slow down in some areas of special education and appearing to adopt wait and see approach. (Garner and Forbes, 2012, P 62). Currently Australia is investing $550 million in Improving Teacher Quality National  Partnership, in this reform agenda, priority and highest status should be given to inclusive environment to ensure that schools are given best possible teachers to be inclusive for the special need education. (Garner and Forbes, 2012, P 65). Special education need reform is not particularly focused locally but globally like UK it is getting implemented. The core principal behind this reform is proper funding to school and teacher training to allow every child to receive world class education and Australia is endeavoring to establish a reform around SEN. Gonski reform can correlate to SEN reform as it focuses on the funding of schools to support their student and help teachers to receive additional training and support, from pre-service teachers to principals. Under Better School Plans commencement in 2014, it is a plan to improve results of all schools and students by introducing education reforms that evidently improves results. This plan is based on five core areas; 1.Quality teaching 2.Quality learning 3.Empowered school leadership 4.Meeting student need 5.Greater transparency and accountability This plan aims to take Australian schools into top five by 2025 (What is the Better Schools Plan?, n.d. ). Therefore why do we need this plan? This plan is mandatory to meet the international standard as it has been revealed that even though Australian schools are good, our performance is declining and a greater gap has developed between highest and lowest performing students. The recent review of funding of schooling stumbled on current school funding do not fulfill the requirements necessary to meet the educational needs of all students (What is the Better Schools Plan?, n.d. ). In my point of view, Melbourne Declaration on education goals for Young Australians can articulate better school plans core reforms by overarching two goals for schooling in Australia where one goal promote equity and excellence in schools and secondly making creative individuals and active and informed citizen. Under this declaration, local education goals can collaborate with global education goals. The Melbourne Declaration supports National Education Agreement which articulates the commitment of Australian government to ensure that all Australian school students acquire the  knowledge and skills to participate effectively in society and employment in a globalised economy. (Educational goals | ACARA, 2009). This National Education Agreement (NEA) has been made between the Commonwealth of Australia and all State and territories. The key objective of this agreement is to enable Australian students to compete with world and participate effectively. Under this agreement, the state wise curriculum is abandoned and standardized curriculum is introduced which is called national curriculum. It is ongoing reform and changes to curriculum is commencing from next year starting from English then moving into Mathematics and Science. Consequently, all of these reforms are in cooperating emerging possibilities to meet the local and global requirement. (National Education Agreement, 2012). To meet the pace and acceleration of 21st century, these emerging technologies need to be embraced and in doing so reforms need to be constructed, this way we will achieve success both locally and globally. In conclusion, education is transformed by emerging possibilities and in this technology rich environment, one must remember that educational focus is on learning and instructional goal instead of technology itself, because technologies are merely tools or vehicles to deliver instruction and are just driving force for education reform. These emerging technologies shift the local education scale to global and hence promote to develop reform around these new emerging possibilities so we can meet the global standard. Thus, for successful 21st century learner, emerging possibilities and ongoing reforms are necessary and need to be embraced both locally and globally. References Cloud Computing Defined. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2013, from http://www.cloudcomputingdefined.com Educational goals | ACARA. (2009). Retrieved from ACARA website: http://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national_report_on_schooling_2009/national_policy_context/educational_goals.html Educational goals | ACARA. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2013, from http://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national_report_on_schooling_2009/national_policy_context/educational_goals.html Garner, P., Forbes, F. (2012). Disposable assets. Are special education teachers still needed in 21st

Challenges For British Trade Unions Commerce Essay

Challenges For British Trade Unions Commerce Essay What will be the key challenges for British Trade unions in the next decade? Using materials from across the course identify these challenges and make your predictions about the size, nature and influence of unions throughout the forthcoming decade. INTRODUCTION Industrial Relations in Britain have been at the centre of attention and analysis for many years. There has been a concern on its substance and its future. Its development is associated with the rise and growth of trade unionism. Since the 18th century, it has been a system that relies on voluntary arrangements for negotiation and consultations. Today, industrial relations in the UK has suffered harsh strains and pressure. This is largely attributed to factors such as the change in employment pattern, the growth in scale of industrial organisations amongst others. Also, stories of strikes, wage demands and industrial disturbance constantly hit the news. However, Industrial relations today is very much different from what it used to be. So many things are happening; from the recent recession, to the decline of union membership and the economic changes taking place. Hence, for the purpose of this essay, I shall be examining the trade unions and the possible future challenges they might encounter. Furthermore, it is important to note that one cannot look into the future of trade unions without going on a journey to the history of how they emerged, the present state of these trade unions and then predict what their future might turn out to be. History of British Trade unions The Early years up to 1979 British Trade unions had their origin in the mediaeval craft society which was established to control access to crafts, ensure that craftsmen were not engulfed by numbers and also monitor the degree of price control. In a nut shell, they controlled the market. The society set down rates and gave its members benefits particularly in cases of sickness, accidents and retirements. By the 18th century, when the markets began to expand, there was the need for more people to be employed. This brought about the emergence of craftsman organisation whose aim was to provide joint aid, support and assist a number of people that were facing difficult times. During this period, a number of strikes took place in localities with regards to increase in pay and reductions in working hours and this put so much pressure on employers to ban what was referred to as combinations. Pieces of legislations aimed at banning combinations within 1720 and 1799 led to the emergence of two important combination acts in 1799 and 1990 that prohibited combinations and strikes in Britain. However just before the end of the 18th century, the craftsman societies had developed into trade unions. This period observed growth in the factory system, speedy social change and social disorder. The combination act still didnt do much and was revoked in 1824. By 1825, a new measure emerged which confined combination only to specific actions over hours and wages and new offences were introduced such as molestation and intimidation of workers. Furthermore, an attempt to set up a Grand National Consolidated Trades union in 1834 to bring all union together was never supported. Prior to 1850, unions were just local events (except miners), but by the middle of the century, a number of union mergers began to spring forth and this was as a result of the growth of railway which ensured easy communication. The first was the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE) established in 1850. It was a friendly society that catered for unemployment, sickness, etc. Then, there was the emergence of the Trade union act in 1871 directed towards protecting the union funds. Other mergers following the footstep of ASE included wood work and tailoring. It is essential to note that jobs in this period were restricted to men even though women had begun to gain entrance into the labour market. With the development of national unions came trade councils from 1858 in main cities and towns. The first meeting of what was to be called a trade union was organised in Manchester in 1868 and thereafter in Birmingham in 1869. By 1870, TUC had a general secretary and in 1895, the representation at TUC was restricted only to unions thereby excluding trade councils to avoid dual representation. This period also characterized endless industrial disputes which were due to the change in work practice and the technologies. In addition, the strikes during this period were concerns relating to how work should be done and the kind of people employed to do particular tasks. The Late 1880s saw the emergence of what was called a new unionism. This was the beginning of large scale organisation of unskilled workers, all fighting for better wages through hard fought strikes at the national level. An example was the popular London dock strikes in1889 and the seamens strike also in the same year. The period between 1896 to1914 witnessed very high costs of living and falling wages and as a result led to strengthening of the newly emerged labour party which allowed for more people to join the trade union. The First World War during this period had tremendous effects on industrial relations. By 1919, unions became militant and required long term benefits in negotiation almost immediately after the war when labour was scarce. There were several amalgamations of unions like the Transport and General workers union and the union for Building and Trade workers. Subsequently, small local unions that could not compete soon faded out. By the end of the 1920s, there was a rise in unemployment and trade unions decided to protect jobs rather than increase wages (Tyson, 2006). There was also the emergence of the triple alliance between the transport workers, railway workers and miners which was to reinforce mutual support in times of difficulty and confrontation. The Second World War brought about co-operation between unions and government. Between 1939 and 1951 there was shift in growth of manual labour workers. Also during the wars (first and second world wars), institutions of negotiation were established to prevent strikes, although a number of strikes still occurred. Trade union membership grew mostly in the white collar jobs in the late 1950s and 1960s. However their density did not increase until the 1970s. The change in occupational structures brought about more white collar jobs and allowed more women to join unions. Trade unions from 1979-2000 During this period, there was a dramatic decline in trade union membership in the UK. Four notable features were responsible for this decline which the British trade union had little control of. They were the changes in employment, the growth of individualism, managements human resource strategies and a very hostile government (Stirling, 2005). The changes in employment led to closures of factories and a huge number of redundancies in manufacturing sector, expansion of private sectors and growth of part time jobs. Also in many cases, the HR strategies were often devised to circumvent union organisation. Furthermore, the hostile government inherent in both employment legislation and the process of privatisation was also responsible for the decline. Lastly, individualism was inherent in workplace, where rewards and benefits were tied to individual appraisal and performance related pay rather than on collective agreements. It is worthy to note that trade unions were able to respond to these changes in various ways. The first was their move towards organisational restructuring by adopting new systems of internal management (Brewster Allen, 1998). They also adopted the new realism which was effectively a give in to employers strategies. They countered derecognition by focusing on single union agreements and high profile no strike agreements (Bassett, 1986). In addition, trade unions were committed to recruiting new members as they also wanted to be more organisational friendly, include part-time workers, women and those from minority ethnic groups. Lastly there was the development of a consumer trade unionism where members were seen as consumers and offered individual services and benefits (Bassett Cave, 1993). By the mid 1990s, the TUC and unions decided to change their approach when they realised that relying on political change, waiting for economic improvement , spending so much on consumer service and the struggle for members were results that didnt work. The year 1997 saw several changes with labour returning to government. This brought about the employment relation Act of 1999 which helped unions claim recognition. Also in recent years there have been several changes such as National Minimum Wage, rights to maternity leave and rights of part time workers. KEY FACTS TO NOTE In 2007, TUC had 66 allied unions compared to 109 in 1979 There was a decline of TUC membership at around six and a half million since the mid-nineties. Emphasis on Trade union has changed. There has been rapid growth of legal advice and representation of members at tribunals The importance of training has also been emphasised with government funding a scheme where workplace learning representatives have been developed. Lastly over the years, unions have come to embrace the agenda on equality and diversity. Having looked at the history of the British trade union, lets take a look at where they are presently. Present State of British Trade Unions There are quite a number of trade unions in Britain today. These unions look after the welfare of their members. They also help their members deal with issues of pay, job cuts and pensions in the workplace. Thus, they represent their members in pay negotiations, grievance procedures and also protect their members against clients and the state (Bryson, 2007). Little wonder when employees are asked the question as to why they join unions, they give answers like they join unions for protection, political belief, solidarity, traditions, pay conditions and so on. Recently there has been quite a number of strikes in Britain, all centred on pay cuts, work-life balance, redundancies amongst others. For example, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in 2009 engaged in a bitter dispute with the Royal mail over pay, job losses and modernisation which led to a series of nationwide postal strike. Also bus drivers and bin men decided to stage 24 hours walkout in some parts of the country in 2009. In addition, unions intended to ballot staff at British Airways and Network Rail. However by January 2010, Unite and British Airways embarked on fresh talks. Furthermore, workers at the Fijitsu electronic company started their first of six nationwide strikes on dispute over pay, pension and jobs in December. Trade unions today are in crisis. They do not only face internal difficulties but also have to cope with external, economic and political change. One central problem they might face is that they may be too weak to make a difference. But with the current recession and globalisation, we just cannot tell what they can do. However, a surprising reality is that the rate of union membership (union density) of employees is swiftly declining. In 1979, 13.3million people were members of trade unions and the proportion of employees who were union members stood at 55%. By 2003, union membership as estimated by the labour survey had dropped to 7.42million with the proportion of members at 29.1% and in 2005 to 29%. By the end of 2006, the rate of union membership fell to 28.4%. This subsequently declined to 28% in 2007. As at 2008, the union membership cut down by 27.4%. Furthermore, the density in private sector fell by 0.6% to 15.5% while public sector fell 1.9% to 57.1%, both in 2008. (SOURCE: Labour Force survey, Office for national statistics, department of employment (1892-1974); certification office (1974-2006). Against this background, it is imperative to understand the reason for the decline in union membership and the challenges unions encounter. Current Challenges for British Trade Unions British trade unions have gotten to a point where they need to sit and rethink their strategies. These unions are faced with various challenges ranging from political, economic, to financial that if not resolved soon might pose a major challenge for them in the future. A lot of scholars have tried to identify the challenges that British trade unions face. According to Mcllroy (2008), British trade unions today are faced with challenging conditions such as globalisation, neo-liberal politics, recession and a host of other issues. To Frege Kelly (2003), trade unions are facing challenging conditions in representing their members, they face crisis of membership density, the wearing out of structures of interest representation and declining mobilisation capacity. They stated that a reason for the decline in density has been as a result of the changing structure of employment, the decline of employment in traditional manufacturing industries and the increased employment in service industries They identify several factors that have and would continue to pose a challenge to unions. I find these factors really interesting and they include: Economic and social change (the trends in labour market) The Institutional environment (for example the structure of collective bargaining, legal and arbitration procedures and political system) the state and the employers strategies The structure of the union itself such as union leadership, relationships, networks and organisation of movements. As it has been noted already, Britain currently faces economic crisis which is attributed to the recent recession. In these difficult economic times, when there is a high level of unemployment and drastic cuts in wages and benefits, unions would find it almost impossible to please their members. Borrowing the words of Koelble, (1988) it is worthy to note that the more brutal these economic crisis are the more problems union leaders have to face. Today, unions also face the risk of extinction if they do not progress. A major challenge unions have is in their structure and policies. They need to balance relationship between their members and the employers by showing that they can get through to workers without sidelining employers and deliver to employers while also looking out for the interest of their workers. In some of the articles I read, research carried out shows that so many workers are of the belief that unions need to work more with employers so as to increase productivity which is as important as any action taken on pay, impartiality and fairness. Also, unions like every other voluntary organisation have to provide incentives whether positive or negative so as to attract prospective members. Having attracted membership, they are then faced with the problem of maintaining these members so as to ensure the union survival. Significantly, economic growth has been seen as a requirement for the provision of positive incentives by unions; therefore, in periods of economic growth, it is easy for trade unions to squeeze out some compromise from employers and the state. On the other hand, when there is a decline or stagnation in economic growth, it reduces the ability of unions to provide more benefits (Koelbe, 1988). It might be wrong for me to say that unions are not recognised in some organisations. However, according to Guest who was cited in Storey (2007), he stated that traditional unions may only be tolerated in some business not because they are special but because they have always been in existence and also because they do not incur any unwarranted cost. Some organisations today have the tendency of abandoning collective bargaining without formally derecognising the unions. The presence of HRM in workplaces has further reduced the roles of trade unions and if some organisations could do without them, they would not hesitate. The result of all these is that unions have some members that are not covered by collective bargaining and thus face the difficult duty of convincing such members to remain in the union. They also have to convince employers that they can be trusted. What about the financial crisis these unions face and might continue to face if they lose more members? Unions are facing some financial crisis. This is not surprising though as they rely heavily on membership subscriptions as the primary source of income. Consequently, if membership density continues to drops, their income would drop as well unless they decide to increase subscription fees of members or get their revenue from other means. The question unions should ask themselves is if they can help their existing members without relying so much on voluntary activities. Also, unions organising potential is badly damaged. Trade unions are now confronted with issues such as their inability to organise new workplaces and new workers as they used to. As a result of this a number of workers have never been a member of any trade union. In addition, some relatively new organisations hardly ever recognise unions for pay bargaining. If they cant sort this out, it is definitely going to be a big challenge they would face in the coming decade. It is also important to add that in the case of tight finance; unions might not want to gamble by spending money on organising new workplaces unless they are partially sure of success. It is imperative to state that we currently live in an era of global economic and industrial restructuring. Globalisation has prompted the urge for the development of world economy. It involves several issues like deregulation of the labour market, liberalisation and privatisation, development of communication network technology, the internalisation of financial markets amongst others (Akteruzzaman, 2006). All these issues have posed a challenge to workers and their trade union. Today, unions have a feel of globalisation as there has been a lot of job loss, decline in wages etc. Workers have become one of the many victims of globalisation. Thus globalisation is seen as a threat to trade unions. Still, there is the impact of the current recession of the labour market which has increased tremendously the unemployment rate in the last 20months. Labour market report states that the unemployment rate has risen by 1.3% to reach 7.1% since the third quarter of 2008. In a recent Cipd article (January 2010), it is postulated that unemployment would hit a high rate of 2.8 million by summer 2010 with job markets only slowly recovering in the second half of 2010. As a result of this, the redundancy level has increased. In the recession, the private sector would continue the trends of having lower levels of industrial actions as this is caused by the change in staff attitudes and the increasing need to sustain competitive advantage on the global scale. However, it has been predicted that there would be more strike actions in the public sectors (CIPD, November 2009). As a result of this, unions need to fight for their members in public sectors since strikes might be inevitable. According to Amble (2005), for unions to increase in size again, they need to drop their militant and confrontational attitude and be more dependent and co-operative. He argues that some potential members may be put off by unions style of struggle, strife and strikes which has very little appeal to employees who care more about getting on rather than getting even. Lastly, unions have a problem with their strategy. What appealed to yesterdays workers might not be attractive to todays labour force. They need to set new agendas around so many issues they currently face such as low pay, work-life balance and equality. Although the future challenges of British trade union cannot really be determined by present occurrences, one can however predict what these unions are likely to face in the future. Having looked at the current challenges British trade unions face, unions need to ask themselves some questions: do they have the ability to meet the challenge of an aspirational agenda Are their thoughts channelled to what they want to do or rather how they do it? Can unions achieve the objective of servicing, partnership and organising? How flexible would their role be in meeting the demands and need of members in the next decade? Would they be able to contain different strategies for different employment relations environment? If unions cannot provide answers to these questions, then this might be some of the future challenges they would encounter. The Future of British Trade Unions A lot has been said and predictions have been made with regards to the future of trade unions. Several scholars have come up with predictions and possible solutions to the challenges unions face currently and possibly in the future. There has been the question of what unions can do to achieve membership. According to Metcalf (2005), unions are faced with two potential ways for revival. First, it is either employment in unionized sectors of the economy grows in relations to non union employment or secondly, unions must employ more rigorous means of organising activity with the aim of enhancing their appeal to both employers and potential members. He further goes on to states that unions should invest more in organising and servicing so as to produce significant returns. Furthermore, even if unions are able to put a stop to the decline in membership, there might be a problem with achieving steady growth. Unions need to break more into the contemporary service sector economy. Although there have been a lot of jobs in the public sector, the actual employment growth might come from organisations where trade unions have not been so successful at organising. Thus trade unions might be faced with the challenge of changing themselves even further to remain relevant to certain groups. There is also the need for trade unions to develop better political relationship with the government and other parties. They must learn to abandon the pattern of making unrealistic demands and realise that not all their demands can be met since the government must also govern in the interest of the country in general. In addition, Partnership needs to be encouraged. Unions need to adopt a better process of engagement. They should learn to appeal to employers making them see that effective co-operation helps a great deal in the improvement of performance in organisations. Also, the financial state of unions could have a lasting effect. Unions need to re-evaluate and ask themselves if they can provide for their members without depending on voluntary endeavours. Many scholars are of the belief that unions will be successful only if they align themselves with the new realities of the labour market and can also plead to both the top and bottom of the economy. Unions need to broaden their horizon by aiming at new or previously neglected class of workers into membership and extend organisation and representation towards the low waged employees (Lucas, 2009; Oxenbridge, 1997; Heery, 2002). Several strategies have been identified by scholar as ways of generating renewal for trade unions such as servicing, organising and partnership approach (Heery, 2002). However, some scholars argue that all these strategies can be used together and are well matched. A very brilliant way to address the problems of trade union in Britain is giving by Frege Kelly (2003) who came up with six strategies: organising (gaining of membership) partnership (working together with employers, employees and trade unions would bring about motivated trust and benefits) organisational reforms (such as mergers and internal reorganisation) political action (Lobbying with a focus on legislation and labour market regulations policies) coalition building with other social movements Lastly, possess strong international links to exchange and share information. In my opinion if these strategies are put in place; trade unions would survive extinction and disappearance and remain relevant in the future. CONCLUSION There is so much uncertainty as to what the future of British trade unions would be. These trade unions have come a long way, through thick and thin and their ability to survive the test of time depends on the strategy they employ. One fact is clear though that although there has been a modest amount of industrial disputes in recent times, Britain is not likely to face a repeat of the wide spread strikes that was present in 1979. In conclusion therefore, unions should not be relegated to the background. Employers need to communicate with their employees, the government would need views from workplace and above all, the employees need a collective voice which makes the unions very important.

Panama History and Culture Essays -- Panama Historical Cultural Essays

Panama History and Culture The culture and political structures of Panama as we know it today has evolved from an incredibly diverse and interesting history. Geographically, Panama lies on an isthmus, a strip of land that essentially connects the greater landmasses of North and South America. It is believed that volcanic activity in the late Pliocene era closed the former Central American Seaway that had separated the two continents. The climatic implications of this landform are incredible, allowing for the redistribution of oceanic currents and the formation of the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic of today. The native populations of Panama include the Chibchan, Chocoan, and Cueva communities, and like the fates of many indigenous populations in a period of European colonization, they were dealt a poor hand. In the early 1500s, Rodrigo de Bastidas from Spain became the first European to officially explore the Isthmus. Alonso de Ojeda and Diego de Nicuesa were granted permission to begin colonization shortly after, in 1509. Thus the first European colonies in Panama emerged, and the Spanish-influenced culture of Panama began to unfold. Many of the native populations chose to relocate to the surrounding islands, away from Spanish influence. Panama remained under Spanish control until the 1800s. In 1801, the Panamanian communities began the move toward independence. In November of 1821, General Josà © de Fà ¡brega met with the separatists in the Capitol, and the group called for a national assembly, in which representatives from every region in Panama came to convene on November 10th. At this assembly it was officially declared that Panama was severing its ties to the Spanish, and ... ... Health Perspectives, Vol. 109, Supplement 2. (May, 2001), pp. 191-198. Mà ©ndez, J. Ignacio. â€Å"Azul y Rojo: Panama's Independence in 1840.† The Hispanic American Historical Review, Vol. 60, No. 2. (May, 1980), pp. 269-293. Moreno, Stanley Heckadon. â€Å"Impact of Development on the Panama Canal Environment.† Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, Vol. 35, No. 3, Special Issue: The Future of Panama and the Canal. (Autumn, 1993), pp. 129-149. Russell, Graham. â€Å"Hurricane Mitch and Human Rights†. Development and Practice, Vol. 9, No. 3. (May, 1999), pp.322-325. Weeks, John; Zimbalist, Andrew. â€Å"The Failure of Intervention in Panama: Humiliation in the Backyard.† Third World Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 1. (Jan., 1989), pp. 1-27. www.cnn.com (CNN Website) www.history.com (History Channel)

Cyber Crimes

Businesses are becoming more and more reliant on the Internet in modern society and it is important to study the crimes that are committed electronically. There are criminals on the Internet just as there are criminals on the street, the Internet has several common crimes that businesses need to understand. Users on the Internet have rights and violating these rights are the same as violating rights in person. The Internet has laws. That means that people need to be aware of cyber laws and illegal cyber activity. Torts made on the Internet are referred to as cyber torts. Torts are simply violated someone.To start, there are several instances where a person is violated on the Internet. The primary example of being violated in cyber space is defamation. Defamation is essentially any type of slander against someone on the Internet. Whether it is through a blog post, video post, chat room, or message board, attempting to harm someone’s reputation is against the law. The person com mitting the crime of defamation can be sued for libel. It is wrong to try and ruin someone’s reputation and businesses need to realize that even if they are just joking around, saying derogatory things about someone is against the law.However, the Internet Service Provider cannot be held accountable for someone committing defamation. The Internet is a place of freedom but abusing that freedom cannot be the fault of the service provider. The Federal Communications Decency Act was created to protect these ISP’s and remind users to be decent on the Internet. Several laws have been created due to people abusing the Internet and the service providers are not to be blamed. To continue on the topic of cyber crimes, spam e-mails are constantly being thrown around but only some are actually legal.If a user is sending so much spam e-mail that it slows down the use of the computer or disrupts the Internet Service Provider, then it is a crime. The trespass of chattels is interferi ng with a person’s use of the Internet. All the junk e-mails and pop-ups are annoying for user’s and is considered a violation. However, the use of these spam type e-mails for commercial use is allowed. The Internet is a great way to advertise so companies are allowed to send bulk e-mail all around the Internet to hope generate some business. It is definitely important for businesses to understand how to properly use spam e-mails.Also, financial crimes are beginning to become more common on the Internet. So much banking and paying bills is done electronically now and it has is pros and cons. Being able to use the Internet for tedious activities like banking is great. However, all of a person’s information is now on the Internet, a very public place. Identity theft is a serious offense committed in cyber space. A person can find all of the information needed such as social security numbers, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, and all kinds of information about a person that would lead to identity theft.Users need to be extremely careful when entering any financial information on the Internet because it can lead to crimes like identity theft. Businesses need to be extremely careful when putting anything on the Internet. It can destroy a business if someone can access all of the company’s records and private information. These crimes are very serious and the culprits face serious consequences. Overall, all of these types of cyber crimes are important for businesses to understand because so much business is done on the Internet nowadays.Companies are taking more and more precautions to avoid all kinds of cyber crimes. Violating someone on the Internet is the same as violating someone in person. There are now cyber laws and breaking these laws has real consequences. From spam e-mails to defamation to identity theft, businesses need to understand all of the dangers that exist out there in cyber space. Knowing the laws will protect businesses and guide employees to stay within the boundaries of the law and keep the company strong. Cyber Crimes Businesses are becoming more and more reliant on the Internet in modern society and it is important to study the crimes that are committed electronically. There are criminals on the Internet just as there are criminals on the street, the Internet has several common crimes that businesses need to understand. Users on the Internet have rights and violating these rights are the same as violating rights in person. The Internet has laws. That means that people need to be aware of cyber laws and illegal cyber activity. Torts made on the Internet are referred to as cyber torts. Torts are simply violated someone.To start, there are several instances where a person is violated on the Internet. The primary example of being violated in cyber space is defamation. Defamation is essentially any type of slander against someone on the Internet. Whether it is through a blog post, video post, chat room, or message board, attempting to harm someone’s reputation is against the law. The person com mitting the crime of defamation can be sued for libel. It is wrong to try and ruin someone’s reputation and businesses need to realize that even if they are just joking around, saying derogatory things about someone is against the law.However, the Internet Service Provider cannot be held accountable for someone committing defamation. The Internet is a place of freedom but abusing that freedom cannot be the fault of the service provider. The Federal Communications Decency Act was created to protect these ISP’s and remind users to be decent on the Internet. Several laws have been created due to people abusing the Internet and the service providers are not to be blamed. To continue on the topic of cyber crimes, spam e-mails are constantly being thrown around but only some are actually legal.If a user is sending so much spam e-mail that it slows down the use of the computer or disrupts the Internet Service Provider, then it is a crime. The trespass of chattels is interferi ng with a person’s use of the Internet. All the junk e-mails and pop-ups are annoying for user’s and is considered a violation. However, the use of these spam type e-mails for commercial use is allowed. The Internet is a great way to advertise so companies are allowed to send bulk e-mail all around the Internet to hope generate some business. It is definitely important for businesses to understand how to properly use spam e-mails.Also, financial crimes are beginning to become more common on the Internet. So much banking and paying bills is done electronically now and it has is pros and cons. Being able to use the Internet for tedious activities like banking is great. However, all of a person’s information is now on the Internet, a very public place. Identity theft is a serious offense committed in cyber space. A person can find all of the information needed such as social security numbers, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, and all kinds of information about a person that would lead to identity theft.Users need to be extremely careful when entering any financial information on the Internet because it can lead to crimes like identity theft. Businesses need to be extremely careful when putting anything on the Internet. It can destroy a business if someone can access all of the company’s records and private information. These crimes are very serious and the culprits face serious consequences. Overall, all of these types of cyber crimes are important for businesses to understand because so much business is done on the Internet nowadays.Companies are taking more and more precautions to avoid all kinds of cyber crimes. Violating someone on the Internet is the same as violating someone in person. There are now cyber laws and breaking these laws has real consequences. From spam e-mails to defamation to identity theft, businesses need to understand all of the dangers that exist out there in cyber space. Knowing the laws will protect businesses and guide employees to stay within the boundaries of the law and keep the company strong.

Growing Up African American Essay

I am a member of the African American group and I would like to tell you a bit about the group of when I am a part of. Let me start by saying that my African American group originated from Africa and growing up in America can be tough for people of my race, the African Americans. My group’s history is wide ranging spanning for many years and varying from region to region within the United States. I remember when I was young I use to talk to my mother a lot and asked her many questions like â€Å"Why am I called an African American? † She went on to explain that our race originally comes from Africa and we were part of a slave trade. From my mother I learned that we were slaves until a law was passed to give us freedom. I use to wonder when I was young if there were other people similar to me all over America. I also remember something my father told me once that African Americans live all over the country. My father told stories of how he used to go to an all black school could vote or sit in the front of buses. Being African Americans have faced several kinds of creation and consequence situations in the years they have been a part of the United States. In some places cheaper labor, longer work hours and terrible living conditions. Many people of the United States have made it almost impossible for groups of another race or Ethnicity to strive and live full happy lives. I have seen over the year’s situations of extermination in some parts, as well segregation, and expulsion. In school from some of my teachers, in social interactions like just walking through a store, and especially in the work place when they’ll even give me the chance to work because it doesn’t matter I go to get a job out here. There are some racist, even the Uncle Tom’s. I’ve done everything they ask and still I either get denied the job or they hire me and treat me like Growing up African American 3 trash until I quit, or they try to find a reason to get rid of me. Since, I don’t give them much reason to get rid of me due to my strong work ethic and performance; they usually try to break me down. Education plays an important role for most African Americans; however we are still way behind when compared to the White American which probably has a lot to do with the way some of us was brought up or our background. Regardless of the contributions made by the forefathers of black people, there is a hesitation of acceptance of the race that has been a focus of many groups the strive for freedom and justice for all, that has not yet been rectified. The same group of people was good enough to built the country is not always seen as good enough to live in the house next door. I believe because this country is made up of many different races and ethnic groups that are steadily growing in numbers. If different races are toco exist peacefully in the U. S. , it is vital that we all become educated on the history and culture of different races and ethnicities. According to the 2000 Census data for Lexington, MS the total population for 2000 were 2,025 male 965 and female 1,060 square miles 2. 45. Race: white (635); black or African American (1,362); American Indian and Alaska Native (1); Asian (13); and two or more races (14); and Hispanic or Latino (of any race) (40) (Fact finder Census 2000). Birthplace facts from the 2000 census data in Lexington born in the same state (1,706); born in another state (269); born outside the US (0); naturalized citizen (14); and foreign born, not US citizen (10). Some more 2000 census data in educational attainment population 25 and older was 1,206 in Lexington: high school graduates (299); some college, or associate’s degree (349); bachelor’s degree (111); and master’s, professional or doctorate degree (60). Some enrollment population 3 years and over Growing up African American 4 enrolled in school was 627: preschool and kindergarten (83); grades 1-12 (446); and college (98) (2000 census data). Growing up African American 5 References Factfinder Census 2000 Census data for Lexington, MS My mother and father.