THE HOT STORY

Rail workers' unions in Spain end strike

A three-day rail union national strike in Spain over safety concerns which was set to last until Wednesday has now been called off after authorities agreed to boost investments and reinforce staffing following a number of high-profile train accidents. The government will invest €1.8bn ($2.15bn) in railroad maintenance until 2030 and will hire 3,650 additional workers for the public-funded rail administrator and operator, Spain's Transport Ministry said.

Euronews

Reuters

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WORKPLACE

Amazon logistical centres in Italy are inspected

The Italian Data Protection Authority and the National Labour Inspectorate have launched a joint oversight initiative targeting Amazon logistical centres. "The activity," a statement explains, "arises from technical investigations initiated in response to press reports that highlighted potential critical issues in the acquisition and processing of workers' personal data and the use of video surveillance systems in the absence of the guarantees required by the Workers' Statute. The intervention concerns the main logistics hubs, specifically the Passo Corese and Castel San Giovanni centres."

ANSA.it

STRATEGY

Ocado could cut up to 1,000 jobs

Ocado is planning a major round of redundancies, with up to 1,000 roles - around 5% of its global workforce - potentially affected, mainly in its UK head office across technology, legal, finance, and HR teams. The move follows a challenging year for its automated warehouse business, compounded by closures of customer fulfilment centres (CFCs) by North American clients Kroger and Sobeys, which cited cost and market issues.

The Times

LEGAL

Julius Baer CEO urges Swiss public register of rogue bankers

The director of Zurich‑based private bank Julius Baer has said Switzerland should maintain a public register of bankers who have violated their professional duties. "Registering financial market participants has clear advantages," Stefan Bollinger told Neue Zürcher Zeitung. "This prevents bad actors from simply crossing to the other side of the street and carrying on as if nothing had happened."

Reuters

REMOTE WORKING

JPMorgan employees rebel against office mandate

JPMorgan Chase employees are pushing back against CEO Jamie Dimon's five-day return-to-office mandate, with around 2,000 of the bank's 300,000-plus global employees signing a petition for its reversal. Many workers fear repercussions for opposing the policy, with one saying that signing the petition could be "career suicide." Employees have expressed confusion over the insistence on in-office work, especially given the bank's global operations. A London banker noted that senior management seems to undervalue remote work despite the bank's record profits during the pandemic.

The Independent UK

ECONOMY

UK business confidence dips

UK company directors began 2026 with diminished confidence, according to a KPMG survey. Only 30% of the 1,500 surveyed expressed optimism about the economy, a drop from 42% in late 2024. Concerns over cost pressures and tax policy changes have increased, with 38% citing tax as a worry. Despite this, 87% remain optimistic about their company's prospects, though this is down from 92% the previous year. Euan West, head of regions at KPMG UK, noted that uncertainty has led to a reassessment of expectations, saying: "Resilience is the watchword." The survey aligns with findings from the Bank of England.

The Times

Italian olive oil farmers say flood of imports is causing price collapse

Italian olive oil producers say a surge of cheap Tunisian imports has triggered a collapse in prices, increasing tensions between growers and the country’s powerful bottling industry.

Financial Times

INTERNATIONAL

FAA to probe air traffic controller staffing

The US Transportation Department Office of Inspector General is to launch an investigation into high failure rates among air traffic control trainees amid a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers. "Attrition, retirements, and program washouts are severely impacting the overall success of increasing the number of certified controllers," the inspector general said. "The training academy is facing considerable challenges with training, including a shortage of qualified instructors, training capacity limitations, an outdated curriculum, and high training failure rates." The Federal Aviation Administration is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels. Many are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks.

Reuters

Sun Art says it has lost contact with newly-appointed CEO

Sun Art Retail Group, one of China’s largest hypermarket operators, has said it has been unable to contact its chief executive, Li Weiping, just two months after her appointment, with the company’s chairman stepping in to oversee daily operations. The group told investors that the situation is not related to its business and that operations remain normal, although reports in Chinese media suggested Li may be assisting in a police investigation, which the company denied as false. The incident has revived investor concerns over executive disappearances amid China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

Bloomberg

Reuters

Malaysia plans new insurance scheme for Singapore cross-border workers

The Malaysian government is introducing an insurance scheme for workers commuting to Singapore, as it seeks to address safety concerns for these workers during their cross-border daily journeys. Information technology engineer K. Prabakaran said: “This is very beneficial as most of us travel by bike and the road conditions and surroundings make the journey risky . . . The situation on the road is getting worse nowadays so I strongly agree that this scheme should be implemented.” Prabakaran has been working in Singapore for more than five years and commutes across the border daily.

Straits Times

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