Infozone: the briefing – 22/10/10

PRIVATE SECTOR FEARS STRIKES

Nearly two-thirds of private sector employers fear that industrial action by public sector workers - sparked by Government spending cuts - will have a detrimental impact on their business, research has revealed.

In a survey of 500 UK business leaders from the public and private sectors, released by law firm DLA Piper on the eve of the Comprehensive Spending Review, 88% anticipate increased industrial action in the coming months. Two-thirds of the 350 respondents from the private sector predict that strikes will damage their business.

Union calls for "coordinated action" by public sector workers are a significant threat to business, according to more than a quarter of the 300 larger private companies with annual turnovers in excess of £250m questioned.

ONLINE JOB APPLICATIONS HIT HIGH

Online jobseekers are facing the highest level of competition for vacancies in almost two years, according to research released today. Recruitment website totaljobs.com has recorded application figures for vacancies posted on the site and found that during the third quarter of 2010, jobs on the site received an average of 18 applications.

The website has gathered "supply and demand" job data for the past 22 months and releases quarterly "Totaljobs Barometer" reports based on the findings. This is the highest average application rate recorded during that time.

PAY AND RECRUITMENT FREEZES FALL

The number of companies operating recruitment freezes dropped by 54% and pay freezes fell by 41% as businesses started to recover from the recession.

A survey, Gearing up for Growth, by the CBI and recruitment consultancy Harvey Nash, found that just 7% of employers halted recruitment this autumn, compared to 61% in spring 2009.

Similarly, the amount of companies operating pay freezes fell to 14% from 55% last year.