Contents

2 NEWSROUND

General.Union matters.Law matters.Money matters... Green and safety

matters.Equality matters...European matters

MINIMUM WAGE

11 UNIONS RING CALL-CENTRE CHANGES

The hazards of call-centre working are being effectively tackled in centres with union organisation.

13 HOW EUROPE RAISES ITS RATES

Unlike in the UK, European governments are tied into specific mechanisms for uprating their minimum wage.

15 INDUSTRY FEARS UNFOUNDED

Employer concerns over massive job losses and price rises have not

materialised in the first year of the UK's national minimum wage.

17 WHAT TORY SPOKESPEOPLE DO ALL DAY

No wonder the Opposition seems ineffective. They've all got their own businesses to mind.

19 FAMILIES CHEER BUT OLD LOSE OUT

While child benefit will go up significantly this month, inflation-linked state benefits like the state pension will rise by one of the smallest margins ever.

22 BACK-UP

Budget 2000.How local government pay compares. Workers' Memorial Day. Sex discrimination net widens

27 REVIEWS 28 THE ECONOMY THIS MONTH