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Volkswagen scraps plans to close German factories
Volkswagen has reversed its plans to close German factories, responding to union pressure and reaching a wage agreement that prevents redundancies until 2030. The deal allows for the socially responsible shedding of over 35,000 jobs, and aims for wage savings exceeding €15bn. Thorsten Groeger, negotiator for the IG Metall union, said that employees made “painful…
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China’s food delivery platforms begin to enforce rider breaks
Meituan and Ele.me, China’s two major on-demand delivery service providers, have introduced new features that alert or forcibly log out couriers who work excessively long hours, in a bid to prevent rider fatigue. Meituan’s system detects prolonged working hours through the courier app, prompting riders to take a break after a certain amount of time,…
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Amazon workers go on strike in U.S.
The Teamsters union has announced that around 10,000 Amazon workers in New York City, Atlanta, California and Illinois have authorized a strike to begin this morning, as they seek better pay, safer conditions and longer breaks. The union had given Amazon a deadline of Sunday to begin negotiations, and workers at facilities voted recently to…
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‘Love Is Blind’ cast are employees, labor board says
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has found that the producers of the Netflix reality series Love Is Blind – which sees singles match up after days of dating while separated by a wall – had misclassified the contestants as “participants,” and calls for them to be reclassified as employees and receive back pay for…
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FAA enforces drug testing overseas
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalized rules mandating drug and alcohol testing for employees at foreign aviation-repair stations performing safety-sensitive maintenance for U.S. airlines. The regulation, effective by December 2027, will affect approximately 977 repair stations across 65 countries. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker explained: “This rule will ensure these employees are held to the…
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Disneyland workers force settlement in wage theft lawsuit
Walt Disney Co. has agreed to a $233m settlement in a wage theft class-action lawsuit brought by Disneyland workers, marking what is believed to be the largest wage and hour class settlement in California history. Randy Renick, the attorney for the workers, said: “What we believe is the largest wage and hour class settlement in…
