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Recent Editions
Human Times
North America
Google employees in two different U.S. offices protested the company’s work with the Israeli government on Tuesday, objecting to a $1.2bn contract it signed with the U.S. ally three years ago. Dozens of employees began occupying company offices in New York City and Sunnyvale, California. The contract, known as Nimbus, that Google shares with Amazon provides cloud computing services to the Israeli government. The contract has faced backlash from employees and activists since it was signed in 2021, but the objections have grown amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. “I would not like to lose my job,” explained Google Software engineer Emaan Haseem. “But I think that it is impossible for me to continue coming into work every week without acknowledging and loudly condemning Project Nimbus and any support for the Israeli government.”
Full IssueHuman Times
UK
The TUC has warned that Britain is failing to keep up with the regulation of AI in the workplace, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination. It has proposed a legal blueprint for regulating AI, including a legal duty for employers to consult trade unions on the use of high-risk and intrusive forms of the technology. Other countries such as the US, China, and Canada are already implementing new laws for the use of AI. TUC assistant general secretary Kate Bell said: “UK employment law is simply failing to keep pace with the rapid speed of technological change. We are losing the race to regulate AI in the workplace. AI is already making life-changing calls in the workplace, including how people are hired, performance managed and fired. We urgently need to put new guardrails in place to protect workers from exploitation and discrimination. This should be a national priority. Other countries are regulating workplace AI – so that staff and employers know where they stand. The UK can't afford to drag its feet and become an international outlier.”
Full IssueHuman Times
Europe
The Supreme Court has ruled that the UK trade union law breaches the country’s duty to protect the right to take part in lawful strikes. The ruling came in the case of Fiona Mercer, a care worker who was suspended by her employer after participating in a planned strike. Lady Simler, who delivered the judgment, stated that if employees can only take strike action by exposing themselves to detrimental treatment, the right dissolves. The Unison union's general secretary Christina McAnea described the ruling as "a victory for every employee who might one day want to challenge something bad or unfair their employer has done," adding: "The government must now close this loophole promptly. It won't cost any money and isn't difficult to do." A spokesperson for Britain's Department of Business and Trade was equivocal on whether the law would be amended, saying "the government will consider the judgment carefully before responding."
Full IssueHuman Times
Middle East
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink is actively seeking investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia, aiming to expand the asset management giant's presence in the country. Despite concerns over the regime's human rights record and the region's volatility, BlackRock sees an opportunity to shape Saudi Arabia's markets and connect the country with the rest of the world. The kingdom's state-owned Public Investment Fund controls $925bn, making it an attractive source of fresh capital. BlackRock is also looking to compete with rivals in the private asset and infrastructure investing space. The company has already made moves in the country, including leasing rights to Saudi Aramco's natural gas pipelines. BlackRock's focus on private and illiquid assets aligns with its goal of doubling revenue from private markets in the next five years. The company is embedding itself in Saudi Arabia's institutions and capital markets, and is also working with the Saudi central bank on stress tests and the creation of a national infrastructure fund. BlackRock faces competition from other asset managers, but believes there are attractive opportunities in the region.
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