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Back bites - Talking heads
00:00 07 Jun 2000
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Concrete moves
Diversity - the latest buzzword for sexism or feminism - is definitely on the move.
For the first time ever, the Concrete Society has voted for a lady (sorry!) woman president who will take office in July 2001. Congratulations to Kathy Calverley of Blue Circle Cement who has just been voted president designate for the learned society.
Maybe she will be able to modernise the society and inject a new progressive phase into its prestigious image, despite the traditional professors.
As Socrates said, some 2,500 years ago: "Once made equal to man, woman becomes superior".
Labour pains
A builder's lot is not a happy one - certainly not if you happen to be trying to make a buck in London. One London contractor tells CJ that getting labour is a nightmare. It seems that the only readily available labour is from east European countries. "I have had to learn to swear in 10 different languages - Kosovan, Romanian, etc, just to get them to do any work", says our informant.
Killarney clues
This week's UCATT delegate conference in Killarney promises to be a quieter affair than some of the union's past events, which have been marked by exceptionally bitter infighting. That doesn't mean that there is no scope for a bit of political manoeuvring this time. General secretary George Brumwell still has five years in post before retirement. But the conference may offer an opportunity for potential successors to show their paces. Hats aren't in the ring as yet but insiders suggest that four regional secretaries can be reckoned as the current leading contenders. They are Alan Ritchie (Scotland), Derek Johnson (North east), George Guy (North west), and Trevor Vernon (Midlands). The book will open in earnest at the next conference in two years' time. "Having thought about the quality and skill of the French, Germans and the English teams with star players such as Henry, Bierhoff and Beckham, I feel that it boils down to one thing and one thing only. It has to be a team full of ability and a proven football heritage, a team with three World Cups behind them - the Italians. Forza Azzurri!" Joe Giordano
management consultant
Gardiner & Theobald "There is no clear favourite, although co-hosts Holland will see anything less than a place in the final as a failure. Much to everyone's joy, Germany does not seem the team it was, while Italy will flatter to deceive, but at least be theatrical about it. France will be there in the later stages, so too will Spain who I think will finally come good in a big tournament. England, with a bit of luck and 11 players on the field, should see a semi-final place as realistic, as long as the forwards score when the few opportunities arise. My choice for the winners? England, but then I'm biased." Andrew Geldard
head of corporate communications Laing
Diversity - the latest buzzword for sexism or feminism - is definitely on the move.
For the first time ever, the Concrete Society has voted for a lady (sorry!) woman president who will take office in July 2001. Congratulations to Kathy Calverley of Blue Circle Cement who has just been voted president designate for the learned society.
Maybe she will be able to modernise the society and inject a new progressive phase into its prestigious image, despite the traditional professors.
As Socrates said, some 2,500 years ago: "Once made equal to man, woman becomes superior".
Labour pains
A builder's lot is not a happy one - certainly not if you happen to be trying to make a buck in London. One London contractor tells CJ that getting labour is a nightmare. It seems that the only readily available labour is from east European countries. "I have had to learn to swear in 10 different languages - Kosovan, Romanian, etc, just to get them to do any work", says our informant.
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Killarney clues
This week's UCATT delegate conference in Killarney promises to be a quieter affair than some of the union's past events, which have been marked by exceptionally bitter infighting. That doesn't mean that there is no scope for a bit of political manoeuvring this time. General secretary George Brumwell still has five years in post before retirement. But the conference may offer an opportunity for potential successors to show their paces. Hats aren't in the ring as yet but insiders suggest that four regional secretaries can be reckoned as the current leading contenders. They are Alan Ritchie (Scotland), Derek Johnson (North east), George Guy (North west), and Trevor Vernon (Midlands). The book will open in earnest at the next conference in two years' time. "Having thought about the quality and skill of the French, Germans and the English teams with star players such as Henry, Bierhoff and Beckham, I feel that it boils down to one thing and one thing only. It has to be a team full of ability and a proven football heritage, a team with three World Cups behind them - the Italians. Forza Azzurri!" Joe Giordano
management consultant
Gardiner & Theobald "There is no clear favourite, although co-hosts Holland will see anything less than a place in the final as a failure. Much to everyone's joy, Germany does not seem the team it was, while Italy will flatter to deceive, but at least be theatrical about it. France will be there in the later stages, so too will Spain who I think will finally come good in a big tournament. England, with a bit of luck and 11 players on the field, should see a semi-final place as realistic, as long as the forwards score when the few opportunities arise. My choice for the winners? England, but then I'm biased." Andrew Geldard
head of corporate communications Laing
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