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By wire services
Published December 11, 2005

THE LABOR UNIONS that broke away from the AFL-CIO may emerge bigger, better organized and wearing white collars, Kiplinger's Personal Finance says. The magazine says unions that remained with the AFL-CIO, like those that left, want to recruit computer programmers, engineers, scientists and health care workers because shortages make companies eager to please these groups. "Unions are pushing issues that white-collar workers care about," Kiplinger's says, such as "eligibility for overtime and protection from outsourcing."

THIS YEAR'S SOARING GAS PRICES pushed droves of drivers to part ways with premium. Nationwide, daily volume of high-octane gasoline sold in the first nine months of this year fell 6.4 percent from the same period last year, while purchases of mid-grade gasoline dropped 3.6 percent, according to the Energy Information Administration, an arm of the Energy Department. The volume of regular gas sold rose 4.3 percent.

THE EXPLOSION OF UNREST among the immigrant community in France revealed a long-stewing culture of economic discontent. Should Americans worry about the same thing happening? The good news, BusinessWeek says, is that the American melting pot still seems to work. "The latest data show big gains since the mid 1990s for immigrants on the key measures of economic performance: education, poverty, homeownership and unemployment," the magazine says. Even among Latin American immigrants, more than half of whom have not graduated from high school, poverty has plunged while homeownership rates have topped 40 percent.

ARE THE WRONG PEOPLE becoming CEOs? Presumably, the person who makes it to the top of a corporation is a rock of emotional insight. Think again, Harvard Business Review says. Based on tests of "emotional intelligence" - self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, ability to manage relationships - CEOs tend to rank at the bottom of the scale, behind other senior executives and lower-level managers. That's the finding of San Diego researchers Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, who measured executives, including 1,000 CEOs, over a five-year period.

THIS IS A PARTY SEASON, so why not use it as an opportunity to advance your career while having a good time? Working Mother says parties are perfect for making connections. "Whether you're looking to make new friends or just expand your employment contacts, you'll do your best networking if you arrive at a party early," the magazine advises. Also, introduce yourself by name, not by your title; don't get too chummy; and don't drink too much. However, the magazine doesn't say how you can do all this and still have fun.

Compiled from Times wires and Web sites.

[Last modified December 9, 2005, 20:59:02]