Canadians are concerned about what they see as a growing gap between the rich and the poor and are willing to consider tax increases to create a more equal society, according to a new poll conducted for a think-tank founded by former NDP leader Ed Broadbent.

The Environics Research survey looked at attitudes toward income disparities in the months after the Occupy movement took over public spaces around the world and as some politicians, including U.S. President Barack Obama, propose taxes on the wealthiest members of society to fight burgeoning deficits.

Here in Canada, talk of raising taxes has been considered political suicide for more than a decade. But the survey commissioned by the Broadbent Institute suggests that most Canadians would not be opposed to paying a little more to preserve social programs and prevent the poor from falling even further behind.

“Individuals from all walks of life indicate they are willing to do their part through fair and equitable taxation to protect our public programs, but they want corporations to do their part too,” said the report of the Institute released Tuesday to accompany the poll.

Loe edasi: theglobeandmail

Washington, D.C.— Officially, the Great Recession ended almost three years ago. Unfortunately for many, the improvements in the economics of higher education are barely noticeable. This academic year is the third in a historic low period for full-time faculty salaries, which failed to meet the rate of inflation again this year. Some who work in part-time faculty positions have justifiably criticized the lack of information about their situation, even as they have become the majority within the faculty. Our students are facing escalating tuition bills and student loan debt, and wondering what’s driving those increases. And the “Occupy” movement has drawn a new level of attention to the issue of income inequality, an issue the AAUP’s annual economic status report has taken up for many years in the context of colleges and universities.

A Very Slow Recovery: The Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession, 2011–12, released today, is now available. The AAUP’s annual report has been an authoritative source of data on faculty salaries and compensation for decades.

In addition to listing average salary by faculty rank and gender at 1,250 colleges and universities, the report provides an important perspective on the economic challenges facing higher education.

Here are some highlights:

The overall average salary for full-time faculty members rose 1.8 percent from 2010–11, falling well short of the increase in the cost of living during the year. At 2.9 percent, the average salary increase for faculty members who remained employed at the same institution barely kept pace with inflation. And as has been the case for many years, salaries in the private sector generally rose faster than those at public colleges and universities.

Loe edasi: AAUP

Soome ametiühingud tahavad piirata tööalast elektronposti, et see ei toimiks väljaspool tööaega, nagu on juba teinud Saksamaa kontsern VolksWagen.

Volkswagen on oma töötajatega kokku leppinud, et elektronpost toimib töömobiilides ainult tööajal, et tööaeg ja vaba aeg selgelt lahus pidada, vahendas YLE uudisteportaal.

Mõned inimesed peavad oma kohuseks avada ja lugeda töömeile ka vabal ajal. Soome erasektori spetsialiste ja teenindajaid koondava ametiühinguliidu ERTO esimehe Juri Aaltose sõnul ei peaks see nii olema.

"See on üks neid eksiarvamusi, mis on kerged tekkima, et kui sinu tööandaja võimaldab lugeda elektronposti väljaspool tööaega, siis peab seda lugema. Ei ole see nii," ütles Aaltonen.

Loe edasi: ERR