1.   An employer has a right to give reasonable instructions to an employee and to have a job completed by the employee.

2.   Depending on your contract of employment, your employer probably has to hold your job open for you during your treatment.

3.   Employers do not have to provide smoking areas.

4.   Employers have a legal duty to ensure the safety of their workforce.

5.   Employers have an obligation to treat all employees equally.

6.   Employers have the clearest and most direct channels of communication to enormous numbers of people.

7.   However, when the unions proved reluctant to make concessions, the employers would have to contemplate the possibility of a lockout.

8.   In future, therefore, employers will have to pay much closer attention to the principle of non-discrimination against part-time employees.

9.   Skilled workers are few, and employers are having trouble filling vacancies.