Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

They include Anglian Water, which has operated a partnership approach in employment relations over the last five years. A new project seeks to extend current practice.

Recent growth of the company and the acquisition of a major construction company have led to a reorganisation of the group into four business activities.

Consolidating and extending partnership practice is viewed as essential to meet the emerging needs of the group.

Training objectives will focus on joint decision making techniques, consultation, presentation and communication to assist the restructuring and to address the representational needs of employees in the parts of the business where no unions are present.

An improving commitment to health & safety project being masterminded by May Gurney Construction in Norfolk is also backed by the Government.

It is a partnership between senior management and local trades union representatives to implement long-term solutions to H & S management.

The project will develop the current system of Health & Safety management by creating better access to and understanding of H & S policies, procedures and practice among managers and employees at all levels.

A partnership between GB Railfreight in Ipswich and ASLEF is also championed by Whitehall.

It has two main objectives - to review new methods of working recently introduced for train drivers and identify and implement relevant training, and to facilitate open communications between GBRf, its employees and ASLEF through the design and installation of an intranet facility.