The Benefits of Joining a Trade Union

By Jack Harrison

Whats in it for me?, people would inquire. There are a few people who consider fighting for a cause to be unnecessary. They are usually just content to sit around and allow other people to fight for the causes that are crucial for the betterment of the lives of people. This kind of behavior is downright unethical. Indifference is not a thing to be admired. In fact, many great men have said that being a fence sitter is the most grievous crime. Each person owes it to himself and to others to at least make a stand.

One way to make a stand would be to join a trade union. In today turbulent economic climate, these trade unions could use all the aid they can get. So many people are at risk of being fired because companies are attempting to cut costs. And each signature on a petition would certainly help a lot. But really, lets be realistic. Lets go back to the first question, what is, indeed, in it for you?

Ensuring your Job Security

Difficult times are upon us these days, and nobody is free from the risk of losing his job because this is an ever-present threat. Sometimes, its all a person can do to wait and hope for the best. But there are some actions you can do to lessen the risk. If you join a trade union, they can take measures in order to ensure that you and your fellow members are not laid off unjustly. But in the event where getting fired is inevitable, unions can at least ensure that its members get a nice pension.

Free Legal Advice

If you are ever in a scenario where you feel that you have been unjustly treated, you can rely on the trade unions to give you appropriate legal advice. You wont have to pay an unimaginable amount of money just to get advice from a lawyer. In fact, the trade union can even give you the representation you possibly might need.

Increased Pay and Working Conditions

The main purpose of Trade Unions is to act as advocates for the employees. They continually campaign for change, for improvement. And if you support your trade union, then you would have a bigger chance at getting a salary increase and better bonuses. - 29942

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Green Businesses Using Online Faxing

By R. Michael Richmond

Companies can say they are Green all they want to the public, but the truth is most Green Businesses don't have truthfully Green practices. Authentic Green Businesses do whatever they can to reduce paper, water, air pollution, and energy. The real reason people take such an initiative to have a Green Business is because they save thousands of dollars and they feel good about what they are doing. Big and small businesses need to understand that reducing paper can cut costs instantly.

If you're company starts using efax you can see immediate effects because your Green Business will be more resourceful and dependable. Your company saves money because you don't have to buy ink, fax machines, and paper which are all dangerous to our environment. Internet faxing provides a user-friendly interface that makes efaxing easy to learn and operate. Still, people who have been using traditional fax machines for long period of time will find it difficult to switch to online faxing.

Since online faxing can be integrated with emails, it enables paperless communication. Moreover, the Internet facilitates a speedier communication. The speed and bandwidth of the Internet allows the users to store, send, and receive multiple faxes simultaneously. However, the storage periods differ with service packages. Some Internet fax users are allowed to store the faxes online for 6 months, while some have a storage period of about 8-12 months.

Internet faxing does not need a dedicated telephone line. Communication takes place over the existing Internet connection line. No extra phone line is needed, and online faxing results in a significant decrease in communication costs. Users of efax only have to pay a low fixed Internet connection fee no matter the amount of line usage.

Fax machines are on their way out, as companies like www.efax.com and ww.fax.com take a bigger share of this market. As you might already know, fax machines are costly to buy and operate, not to mention the amount of machines we toss out after to few years. Fax machines and paper makes landfill crisis worse; when, in fact, a simple-to-install email exchange system literally works a hundred times better.

Efax.com is an innovative web service that offers a fax number and free usage of that number to individuals, so they can send and receive private faxes on their own email account. Efax.com is for home office workers, millions of mobile professionals, and small business users who are currently seeking faster, more sustainable, and more reliable ways to overcome the difficulties of trying to receive paper documents remotely.

While many people in the industry predicted the Internet would render fax machines obsolete, fax traffic is growing by 20 percent annually, and is expected to exceed 500 billion pages next year. That's half a trillion pages that will be faxed around the world in the year 2010 as fax continues to be the easiest and most well know form of document communication. Efax.com is the first company to provide free, unlimited Internet service, setting a new standard with its simple-to-use, proprietary fax-to-email delivery technology.

Efax is a good push in the right direction for "Going Green." Almost any company can better themselves on how to have Green practices and be a Green business, but the progress can't all be done at one time because it can become exhausting and costly. That's why it makes sense for companies to be Green one step at a time, because then they will see the results they are searching for. - 29942

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Trade Unions

By Jack Harrison

Exploitation - it's something that we all must defend ourselves from. If we let it to happen, we could possibly be causing our demise, and in effect, that of the society. Any society where the gulf between rich and poor is so large that it's almost hopeless is bound to meet its fall eventually. A society cannot exist on an impoverished working class and an obscenely rich aristocracy. If there's anything that history tells us, it's that. It's a wonderful thing, then, that trade unions exist. Trade unions are here to ensure that the gulf between rich and poor never becomes too large. Trade Unions defend the workers from exploitation.

What do Trade Unions Stand For?

Trade unions are there to protect the rights and ensure the privileges of the working class. They act as a mediator for the workers and their employers, negotiating salaries, benefits, and other concerns. When the employers resist and continue exploiting their employees, trade unions move in and organize rallies, demonstrations, and strikes.

They also give assistance to workers who have problems with the law and have no money for hiring barristers. Moreover, trade unions educate the workers about their labor code, allowing them to understand when they are being exploited and when they should stand up and protest. Trade Unions also protect the marginalized employees in the working force from discrimination, ensuring that they receive equal treatment.

How can you Join Trade Unions?

Joining a trade union is pretty easy. The best option would obviously be to pick a trade union that your employer acknowledges. There's a bigger chance of the union reaching its aims, and subsequently bettering your life, if the companies recognize it. If there isn't any, however, you can always ask around and find out which trade unions your fellow workers joined.

Just make sure that the Trade Union you will join is approved by the TUC or the Trade Unions Congress. After all, if there's something that a trade union needs in order to be really heard by the employers, it's credibility. Note though that joining a Trade Union is never ever mandatory. You always have the right to choose so don't allow anyone to think that they can force you into joining. But truly, the advantages of joining far outweigh the disadvantages. - 29942

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The Function of Trade Unions in the Financial Recession

By Benjamin Baker

Because of today economic recession, many people are ending up in grave situations. Some are lucky, and have only to suffer a few minor inconveniences. The most they have to do in order to cope would be to cut costs. But others are not so fortunate. Some people will actually be jobless tomorrow or maybe next week.

There is almost never any certainty that you can keep your job. And with today economic climate, new jobs are even more difficult to find. Indeed, today, one should be very grateful if he is employed and should do all in his ability in order to keep that job. However, this does not mean that you should forsake your rights. Be careful, because when people are desperate for jobs, it becomes easy to maltreat them.

Consequences of an Economic Recession

Economic Recessions are hard for everyone. Nobody is exempted. Even multimillionaires need to cut costs during recessions. That is why its not rare to see employees getting laid off by the hundreds during a recession. Sometimes, it really is inevitable. But there are times when some employers would take advantage of the situation. They would keep salaries at the barest minimum, an amount that would probably be inappropriate for the amount of work being demanded. Some employers would even keep some workers as contractual workers when they should be promoted as regulars.

And because times are hard and looking for work would be difficult, if not impossible, then some employees would settle for such bad working conditions. After all, if they speak up, then its highly likely that one more desperate for a job would be available, and the employer would sooner sack them than give concessions. Its a good thing, then, that there are groups such as trade unions that are dedicated to protecting employees from maltreatment.

Role of Trade Unions

Trade unions are organizations composed of employees who work together for a common cause: better working conditions. Trade unions ensure that workers will not be fired needlessly and unfairly. In fact, trade unions would ensure that the salaries the workers get would be adequate and appropriate for the amount of work done. They also ensure that the employees receive bonuses and benefits that they are entitled to. Trade unions act as negotiators for employees and employers. Alone, one worker would not have a voice. But with a trade union, he is certain to be heard. - 29942

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Use An Internet Payroll Service To Pay Your Employees

By Caressa Waechter

If you are running a business, you know that cutting down expenses is the best way to help improve your profitability. But you may be unsure what areas you can cut back or outsource in order to keep your business running efficiently. One area where you can save money is to use Internet payroll services.

Internet payroll services involve sending payroll information to an outside party in order to have them calculate employee pay and issue paychecks. This can be helpful since you are no longer using up your accounting department's time calculating what the different rates of pay will be. If you have a number of employees that all work different numbers of hours you may find it easier to send out the information and have someone else deal with the calculations.

Another reason that an Internet payroll service can help you is that they are able to stay constantly up to date on requirements for deductions such as pension and income tax. There can be a large number of adjustments that may change from year to year and keeping your accounting department up to date on the different rules and regulations can be time consuming. Your accounting department will need to balance continuing education with their other duties and it can make that department less than totally efficient.

Since shared costs are always lower than those assumed by one company alone, using an outsource provider should make financial sense to you. You will not be the only company paying the wages of the people performing this function so you can often lower your overall costs by outsourcing payroll.

If you look on the Internet you will find a number of dedicated Internet payroll services to choose from. Other sources include an outsourcing website which lists companies who perform outsourcing functions. They can be excellent choices since you are able to read reviews of the individual service providers and there are also dispute resolution services available as well.

Internet payroll services can be a valuable tool to help you maintain the services you can offer while keeping your costs under control. By doing some research you can find the company which best suits your companies needs and begin saving money almost immediately. - 29942

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Comprehending Trade Unions

By Benjamin Baker

Every person, no matter how great or rich, is entitled to his rights as a human being. However, protecting ones rights is not exactly the easiest thing as there are people who are more than willing to trample on them when given the opportunity. Thankfully, there are groups that are dedicated to defending the rights of people, especially those who are in need. A group that is specialized for concerns regarding the labor law and the defense of employees rights is termed a Trade Union.

What are Trade Unions?

Trade Unions specialize in helping workers assert their rights. It is crucial for all workers to sign up for a trade union that is acknowledged in their state so that they may be protected from abuse.

Trade unions are most commonly known for being behind some of the uprisings and protests that their members go on whenever there is a big disagreement between them and their employers. Because of this, opinions about Trade Unions vary among the people. Some members may view them merely as disturbers of tranquility. But in reality, trade unions do much more help than harm.

What Do They Do?

Protests and rallies arent the only actions that trade union can do. In fact, in reality, these upheavals are used only when there is no other choice. Other ways of negotiation are exhausted before doing something extreme. They only do this so that the working conditions of their members would become favorable. Other things they do include handing out free legal advice to their members.

Nowadays, where all things have a price, and just good legal advice from a lawyer could already cost a lot of money, trade unions really do help. The leaders and management of trade unions know the labor codes ins and outs and can therefore give invaluable advice. Also, when a member of the trade union has some problems with the law in something related to to his job, then the trade union could also provide help, most especially in cases when the worker cannot afford to pay for his own lawyer. The trade union would make sure that their member is properly represented and has a chance at defending his rights. Truly, it would be very beneficial to any employee to join a Trade Union. - 29942

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Making Businesses Greener With Green Officer Training

By R. Michael Richmond

Green OfficerTraining is perfect for businesses that are looking for ways to become environmentally healthy. We offer a well rounded training program into two and a half, knowledge packed days, and show any business how to install an eco-friendly program that anyone can see importance in. For a long time, the Green transition for businesses has been left to the best efforts of a group of people within an organization who had no formal training in environmental education.

For people who attend the Green OfficerTraining, they will be provided with a heavy introduction to the Greening process. They will be shown how to install a program that deserves respect and will actually cut company costs. Green is also about efficiencies, and we know how to make Green pay in the short and long run. The final project at the Green Officer Training is to prepare a Green program for your business that fits the needs of your company and allows your team to control the utilization of the program. You will leave with the knowledge, the ability, and skill to plan an Authentically Green Program in your company.

It is hard to imagine that the confusing issues of environmental duties could be so well organized that a two-day session will produce such outstanding results, but it will. In clear cut material, the Green Officer Training will provide a wonderful education on all the most important issues. In fact, the last segment provides a Green program that will allow any business to Go Green regardless of size or type. This section alone is worth more than the price of the training.

What you may not realize is something that businesses are only now realizing. "Going Green can save your company thousands of dollars in lost revenue!" Most businesses see the Greening process as a flat out expenditure that is good for the earth, but not so good for the bank account. That is changing, and the savings realized by companies that fully engage in the Greening process is far more valuable than ever imagined.

You must realize that your cost of daily operation is sure to go up in the near future. The Cap and Trade legislation will add a hidden cost to everything we use. The cost of energy alone is predicted to go up by 200-300%. Your carbon output may even be taxed. In the past, businesses hired sustainability experts to speed up their procedures, reduce waste, and increase profits. Green officers are the modern version of sustainability experts. When it comes to a sustainable issue, there are areas of waste that will greatly affect your company's profits for the years to come.

Greenwashing is something that every business must keep away from because it will mostly likely come back as very bad press. It is not credible enough to talk or promote your company as Green by good worth of some Green adjustments to your operation. To be Green Business Certified, your company will want to be validated by a true independent third party like the Green Business League, Inc. This is awarded when a company is able to acquire enough points for already having Green practices.

Green Officer Training offers a remarkable edge for any business. Stop wasting time "trying to be Green, but doing a poor job of it," when actually installing a Green program will give your business the only Green Business certification worth earning. Discover how Going Green can save your business a great deal of money each year, and benefit from the impressive marketing value of an authentically Green certification.

Look three to five years down the road and ask yourself whether being a Green business will be necessary. Obama's must read books during his Martha's Vineyard vacation was "Hot, Flat, and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman. He has appointed a Green Czar with sweeping powers to push a Green agenda across our country. Climate change, population growth, and the need to heal our world will hurt any company that does not have Green practices or programs. - 29942

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Small Business Payroll Service Outsourcing Is Highly Common

By Caressa Waechter

Accounting can be daunting if you are considering starting up a small business. You need to know at least a little bit about the accounting process or you will be sorry in the very near future. For people who have all the ability to start a viable business but lack accounting skill, then there is the small business payroll service for you to consider.

In the meantime, take some evening courses on accounting so that you can fully understand what is going on within your organization. Most neighborhood colleges provide little classes that are fairly cheap and of the utmost importance for you to take.

Look for things in your community like, "small business accounting practices" or "basic financial reporting" and things of that nature. You may have it all together when it comes to business ideas but you must learn about filing, records keeping, tracking information and such things. This is imperative to be in place as soon as you come up with the small business idea so that you don't end up being out of control of your accounting.

You can easily avoid this by hiring a small business payroll service, which generally will help sort out all the accounting processes and ensure you stay in control. There can be knowledgeable staff that can run powerful computer programs that will manage the whole company's accounting and payroll process.

Trust me, you will not be disappointed outsourcing this if you really don't have the accounting department understanding that you should have. There are so many facets to consider, for employees payroll is a great day, but it can be a headache to a small business owner. It is concentrated work requiring hours of reporting, calculating, filing taxes writing checks, etc.

While searching for an online small business payroll service find those that boast simplicity and fast results, these will streamline your operations. Many provide income tax reporting to the IRS in the event your business gets audited. Get online today, start outsourcing your businesses payroll, and get on track getting your paperwork organized. - 29942

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The Myth Of Generational Differences In The Workplace

By Amy Nutt

Despite all we've heard recently about the differences between the four generations in the workplace, a new book flies in the face of the conventional wisdom on the subject. Jennifer Deal's research shows that regardless of age, we all want the same things: respect, trustworthy leaders, and opportunities to grow. (And nobody likes change.)...

The conventional wisdom about generational differences in the workplace is mostly wrong, according to a new book by Jennifer J. Deal, a research scientist with the Center for Creative Leadership.

The shorthand used to describe the four generations that now make up our nation's workforce goes something like this:

The Silent Generation (born before 1946) values hard work Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) value loyalty Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1980) value work-life balance Generation Y (the generation just entering the workforce, also known as Millennials) values innovation and change.

Or, in terms of negative stereotypes, the Silents are fossilized, the Boomers are narcissistic, the Gen Xers are slackers, and the Gen Yers/Millennials are even more narcissistic than the Boomers.

Not so, says Deal. She argues that the generations now of working age value essentially the same things. Her findings, based on seven years of research in which she surveyed more than 3,000 corporate leaders, are presented in her new book, Retiring the Generation Gap: How Employees Young & Old Can Find Common Ground (Jossey-Bass).

"Our research shows that when you hold the stereotypes up to the light, they don't cast much of a shadow," says Deal. "Everyone wants to be able to trust their supervisors, no one really likes change, we all like feedback, and the number of hours you put in at work depends more on your level in the organization than on your age."

Clearly, people of different ages see the world in different ways. But Deal says that's not the primary reason for generational conflict. The conflict has less to do with age or generational differences than it does with clout-who has it and who wants it. "The so-called generation gap is, in large part, the result of miscommunication and misunderstanding, fueled by common insecurities and the desire for clout," says Deal.

Summary of Deal's Findings

All generations have similar values. For example, family tops the list for all of the generations. The most striking result of the research, Deal says, is how similar the generations are in the values that matter most.

Everyone wants respect. Everyone wants respect, but the generations don't define it in the same way. In the study, older individuals talked about respect in terms of "giving my opinions the weight I believe they deserve," while younger respondents characterized respect as "listen to me, pay attention to what I have to say."

Leaders must be trustworthy. Different generations do not have notably different expectations of their leaders. Above all else, people of all generations want leaders they can trust.

Nobody likes change. The stereotype is that older people resist change while younger people embrace it. These assumptions don't stand up under the research, which found that people from all generations are uncomfortable with change. Resistance to change has nothing to do with age; it has to do with how much you stand to gain or lose as a result of the change.

Loyalty depends on context. It is said that younger generations are not as loyal to their organizations as older workers. But the research shows, for example, that the amount of time a worker puts in each day has more to do with his or her level in the organization than with age. The higher the level, the more hours worked.

Everyone wants to learn. Learning and development were among the issues brought up most frequently by people of all generations. Everyone wants to learn and to ensure they have the training to do their job well. Everyone likes feedback. According to the research, everyone wants to know how they are doing and to learn how they can do better.

For additional information, visit the Center for Creative Leadership Website at www.ccl.org - 29942

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Online Payroll Services - Smart Way To Save Money

By Caressa Waechter

Online payroll services are more popular than ever in today's economic climate. Many types of work are being outsourced to save money on monthly payroll costs, be it marketing, accounting or human resources.

However, if you have been in the unfortunate position of having to make reductions in your company, you'll soon find that you can't do everything by yourself. Filling in tax forms and getting everything right is a major headache, and one that can be alleviated by using online payroll services.

All the experts tell us that through good times and bad, the one thing you should be doing is focusing. Focusing on maintaining and growing the business, through innovation and hard work. That's hard to do with a desk 2-foot high in paper.

Using online payroll services cannot only save you time, it may also help you avoid paying penalties to tax authorities for untimely or incorrect filings. This is a problem that causes four out of ten small business to pay an average $845 in penalties per year. With all the changes in laws and regulations, it's easy to overlook something.

Not only that, but there are some states that actually impose a large fine if you cannot produce a historical payroll record for an employee in a timely manner.

Even if we ignore the facts about penalties, think what you could do with those hours spent dealing with the paperwork. You could be out clinching an important deal, creating new ideas for business, or more importantly, living your life outside of work.

So it's time to think about online payroll services. What could be easier than sending the OK for the payroll software to automatically calculate wages, send the bank transfer request, send off tax forms, and print out pay slips? - 29942

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Guidelines for Starting a Lawn Mowing Business

By Tony Randle

It is a somewhat straightforward task to start a lawn care business. You must settle on what kind of lawn care service you want to offer to your customers. There are quite a few lawn mowing and maintenance services that a lawn care company can offer. This will be your decision to make. Don't forget that when you are first starting out you may want to limit your new business to basic services only until you get a better understanding of your new occupation.

Does my company name really matter? Some may debate this question. To put it simply, yes it does matter. You will definitely want your company name to mention something about the services you offer. Good examples of lawn mowing business names are 'Loyalty Lawn Care Service' and 'Scott's Yard Care'. Notice that they both contain something about lawn mowing and maintenance.

Do I need to employ employees? If you are looking to start a small business and you don't have your clientle established yet then you should not really need any help at the first. However, having one extra set of hands is a big help when it comes to starting a new company.

How do I find clients? This can be difficult at first. You will be new to the industry and competing with companies in your area that have been well-known for many years. You could start off by offering services to family and associates and ask if they would be willing to mention your services to other people. Advertise in your local paper as this can get your name out to many people quickly.

How much money should you charge for lawn services? You need to factor in what the competition are charging in your neighborhood. There really isn't any set rules to follow for pricing a lawn. However, for the most part lawn care services charge around 25 dollars to cut a medium sized lawn.

What kind of equipment will I require? At first get your basics; lawn mower, trimmers, and a blower. This is just the basic lawn care equipment that you should strongly consider buying. This gear is a necessity for your business and the only way you can offer good quality service to clients is if you own the proper gear. You don't have to buy the best equipment at first, but you don't want to buy the cheapest tools available either. Low quality equipment will not be durable enough to handle servicing yard after yard so start out with decent equipment and it will bring you benefits in the long run.

How should I invoice my customers? There are a number of approaches you can take for invoicing. invoicing software can help keep track of your billing cycles, accounts payable, and receivable. Using software could help keep all of your finances in track and allow you to quickly make business decisions based on the data that you have access to.

You can start a lawn care business any time you like for barely any startup cost which makes it a low risk business. It doesn't have much of a startup cost, but it does take time and effort on your part. The more you work the more you will be rewarded. - 29942

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