In one seminal study in 2005, the University of California at Irvine informatics professor Gloria Mark found that information workers on average switch tasks every three minutes.

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When the plans were first announced in November, Mr Hammond suggested firms who released workers for reserve duty could be awarded a badge similar to the kite mark in recognition of their efforts.

BBC: Philip Hammond with soldiers

Workers at all 21 delivery depots across Liverpool walked out, with CWU branch representative Mark Walsh saying staff felt they were being "being bullied into having their contract changed".

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But I believed that if each of us were willing to work and sacrifice in the short term -- workers, management, creditors, shareholders, retirees, communities -- it could mark a new beginning for a great American industry.

WHITEHOUSE: Fighting for American Auto Workers

Like other rescue workers whose job it is to venture underground, Angeli and Steelman spray orange paint to mark the places they have searched.

CNN: workers

For one thing, it's grown so big, so quickly--it now has 16, 800 workers worldwide--that it's getting harder for employees to a make a mark.

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Mark Sanford, a Republican member of the House from South Carolina, would allow today's workers to remain in the present system if they wished, but would require those who enter the workforce in 2000 or later to set up individual accounts from which no withdrawals could be made until they reached the age of 62.

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Craig Becker and Mark Pearce were nominated to serve on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which protects American workers from unfair labor practices.

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