The new edition of IMPACT members’ magazine Work & Life looks at the emerging ‘sharing economy’ and assesses its potential impact on living standards and workers’ rights. The magazine is now on its way to workplaces and postal subscribers.

As websites and apps like Airbnb, Taskrabbit and Uber offer endless lines of products and services for rent, LUGHAN DEANE asks whether this high-tech menu is the key to a brave new world or just old fashioned exploitation. With workers encouraged to see themselves as independent service providers, and even sites offering friends for rent, he reckons it’s a good idea to read the small print.

Also in this edition of Work & Life, we take a look at the career cost of taking maternity leave and explore gender discrimination in workplace dress codes. And we talk to IMPACT’s new president Pat Fallon, branch activists in the IAESA aviation branch, and staff at the probation service community return programme.

DANIEL DEVERY talks about barbecues (in between those summer showers). And there’s the usual mix of music, movies, books, travel, news and competitions to while away the summertime tea break.