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European Edition
29th August 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Greece's public sector strikes against new law

Greece's public sector went on strike on Thursday against a proposed disciplinary law. The General Confederation of Greek Workers (ADEDY) led the protests, calling the bill “anti-worker.” The bill aims to criminalise trade union activities and remove worker representatives from disciplinary boards. ADEDY is demanding the bill's withdrawal. The Federation of Hospital Doctors' Unions of Greece (OENGE) and other unions have condemned the legislation, labelling it an “abomination.” They argue it suppresses union activities and threatens workers' rights. “The class struggle will not be stopped by laws or decrees,” said the Piraeus Teachers' Union (ELME).
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WORKFORCE

Stellantis extends reduced hours scheme at Turin plant

Stellantis has reached an agreement with labour unions to extend for five months a reduced working hours scheme for employees at its Mirafiori plant in northern Italy. The deal, which mirrors those signed for other Italian factories this month, allows the automaker to reduce labour costs as demand softens for vehicles it makes in Italy. Mirafiori is in Turin, the birthplace of Stellantis' Italian brand Fiat.

Novo Nordisk lays off newly hired staff

Novo Nordisk has terminated the employment of individuals who had not yet started their roles. This decision marks one of the first actions taken by the new CEO. Following anticipated layoffs by former CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, the company is now officially letting employees go. These firings affect those who were hired but had not begun work. A spokesperson said: "This is part of our strategic realignment."
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WORKPLACE

Bigger bonuses for Ryanair staff who spot oversized baggage

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has said bonuses are to increase for staff who spot oversized baggage. O'Leary said he made "absolutely no apology" for catching people who are "scamming the system." About 200,000 passengers per year are charged luggage fees at airport gates and Ryanair has "more work to do to get rid of them," he said. "I am still mystified by the number of people with rucksacks who still think they're going to get through the gate and we won't notice the rucksack", O'Leary added.
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STRATEGY

Lotus cuts 550 jobs

Lotus's UK operations are cutting up to 550 roles across the business. The move comes as the company looks to become more flexible to changing demand and use more resources from across its global business. A statement from Lotus read: "We believe this is necessary in order to secure a sustainable future for the company in today's rapidly evolving automotive environment, which is seeing uncertainty with rapid changes in global policies including tariffs."
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LEGAL

UK gender pay gap has been underestimated

Research published in the British Journal of Industrial Relations reveals that the UK's gender pay gap has been underestimated for over 20 years. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) failed to account for data from many small, newer, private-sector businesses when compiling the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, skewing results in favour of large businesses, where pay was higher and the difference in pay between men and women was generally smaller. This oversight led to a consistent underestimation of the gender pay gap by 1%, a rate the report describes as "small but noteworthy." Prof John Forth from Bayes Business School said: "It is crucial that the data is a true representation of wages and earnings in modern Britain."  
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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Employees struggle to disconnect on holiday

A study by Pluxee reveals that only 28% of employees in Romania say they can fully disconnect from work during holidays. Meanwhile, 60% of employees are entitled to 21-25 days of leave, yet only 8% had taken their full allowance by August 1, 2025. Many employees, 20%, had not taken any days off in the first eight months. The study highlights that company culture influences time off, with 38% citing heavy workloads as a barrier. The research surveyed 1,000 Romanian employees.
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TECHNOLOGY

UK conciliation body looks to AI to help settle workplace disputes

Chatbots could be called in to help settle disputes between workers and their employers, as UK state-funded conciliation body Acas seeks ways to meet rising demand for its services.
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INTERNATIONAL

ANZ staff accidentally learn of job cuts

Australian bank ANZ is offering psychological counselling to senior bankers who received an email sent in error instructing them to return their computers, ahead of news of their firing. The bank, one of Australia's largest lenders, has apologised to staff after mistakenly sending the automated emails about redundancies before informing employees. The bank's acting head of retail, Bruce Rush, acknowledged the error during a call with senior managers. The emails prompted confusion among employees, with many seeking clarification from Ganesh Chandrasekkar, ANZ's general manager for talent and culture. Chandrasekkar confirmed that those who received the emails would be let go. Rush expressed his regret, saying: "It was not our intention to share such sensitive news with you in this way." ANZ is undergoing a major restructure under new CEO Nuno Matos.

FEMA employees put on leave after criticizing Trump administration

Some employees at the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the US agency that responds to natural disasters, have been placed on administrative leave after signing an open letter expressing dissent about the agency's leadership. On Tuesday evening, FEMA's office of the administrator had sent several letters to people informing them that effective immediately, they were on an administrative leave, operating "in a non-duty status while continuing to receive pay and benefits." Dozens of current and former FEMA staff warned Congress in a letter on Monday that the inexperience of top appointees of President Donald Trump's administration could lead to a catastrophe on the level of Hurricane Katrina.

BHP union flags autonomous truck risks

Chile’s Escondida mine workers’ union has raised alarms after two autonomous truck accidents - one involving a collision with shovel machinery and another overturning. No injuries were reported, but union leader Patricio Tapia emphasized nearby workers still face risks. BHP, which recently completed a five-year automation rollout involving 33 trucks and eight drills, said one incident occurred in March and confirmed no personnel were exposed. The union criticised BHP's safety claims, warning that "the reality is revealing a huge risk." Escondida is the world’s largest copper mine, producing 1.28m tonnes in 2024.
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OTHER

Nike's ‘walking encyclopedia' of company culture to retire

Nelson Farris, Nike's longest-tenured employee, is to retire after a 52-year career. Farris played a pivotal role in Nike's growth, leading marketing efforts during the 1984 Olympics and launching the company's European headquarters. Farris's adaptability and ability to navigate corporate challenges were seen as key to his success; he held 16 different roles. Recently, he has served as a culture and heritage ambassador, sharing Nike's rich history. “Nelson pretty much did it all,” Nike CEO Elliott Hill wrote in an email to Nike employees last week. “Nelson has always been larger than life, and he's the living embodiment of joy and love for Nike. There's no one like Nelson, and there will never be another Nelson.”
 
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