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Middle East Edition
29th April 2024
 
THE HOT STORY
The 50th Arab Labor Conference convenes in Baghdad
Saudi Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, Abdullah bin Nasser Abu Thanin, led the Saudi delegation at the 50th session of the Arab Labor Conference in Baghdad. The conference was attended by labour ministers, employers' organisations, and labour unions from 21 Arab countries, along with representatives from the Arab League and other international organisations. Abu Thanin emphasized the importance of early qualification and training to meet the labour market's needs, highlighting the Kingdom's commitment to investing in and developing human resources through Vision 2030 programs. He also mentioned the ministry's initiative in holding the Global Labor Market Conference in partnership with the International Labor Organization and the World Bank. The conference participants are expected to discuss various issues and reports, including the upcoming International Labor Conference organised by the International Labor Organization. The Arab Labor Organization, established in 1965, was the first specialised Arab organisation concerned with labour and workers' affairs in the Arab world.
HEALTH & SAFETY
World Day for Safety and Health at Work promotes occupational health
The international community observed World Day for Safety and Health at Work on Sunday to raise awareness of occupational health and safety issues. Work-related diseases and injuries caused 1.88 million deaths in 2016, with the South-East Asia Region facing a particularly high burden of work-related mortality. Climate change and mental health issues in the workplace were also highlighted as concerns. Salma Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, emphasized the need for partnerships and collaboration to ensure better occupational health and safety.
LEGAL
Google fires more employees over Nimbus contract
Google has fired more activist employees following the termination of workers who occupied company offices to protest a contract with the Israeli government. The second round of terminations came after Google struggled to identify employees who concealed their identity. No Tech for Apartheid claimed that a total of 50 workers had been fired. Google confirmed that every terminated employee was involved in disruptive activity. No Tech for Apartheid said it will continue organising against the Nimbus contract. Google had previously stated that the protests were part of a campaign by organisations and people who largely don't work at Google.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Solidarity Bahrain promotes 33 employees in growth push
Solidarity Bahrain, the insurer that is a subsidiary of Solidarity Group Holding, has promoted 33 employees from various departments, ranging from junior employees to members of middle and executive management. The promotion is part of the company's ongoing efforts to support the professional development of its workforce.
WORKPLACE
London remains the world’s most desirable city for work
London has been named the world’s most desirable city for work for a tenth consecutive year. While London came out on top, Amsterdam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, New York, Berlin, Singapore, Barcelona, Tokyo and Sydney all made the top ten. The survey also saw the UK land fourth spot on a ranking of the most popular countries. Australia took the top spot, followed by the US and Canada. The Decoding Global Talent survey, which was conducted by Boston Consulting Group, The Network and The Stepstone Group, polled more than 150,000 workers from 188 countries.
RISK
US sanctions Iranian ships, people, and companies linked to drone program
The US has imposed sanctions on more than a dozen Iranian ships, people, and companies associated with the country's drone program. This move comes as a response to Iran's attack on Israel and its support for proxy militant groups in the Middle East. The Treasury Department has targeted Sahara Thunder, a front company for Iran's military that helps procure drones and other materials. The group is also active in Russia, where it assisted in establishing a drone factory. The US is also sanctioning UAE-based Safe Seas Management FZE, which is part of Sahara Thunder's global shipping network. Additionally, a vessel called La Pearl, involved in a ship-to-ship transfer of Iranian commodities, is also being sanctioned. The UK and Canada are also imposing sanctions on Iran's drone program. Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson stated that Iran has been using its drones to destabilize the region and the world. The EU is also considering sanctions on Russian shadow fleet vessels.
TAX
Billionaires should pay 2% wealth tax, G20 ministers say
The world's 3,000 billionaires should pay a minimum 2% tax on their fast-growing wealth to raise £250bn a year for the global fight against poverty, inequality, and global heating, according to ministers from Brazil, Germany, South Africa, and Spain. They argue that a 2% tax would reduce inequality and raise much-needed public funds after the economic shocks of the pandemic, climate change, and military conflicts. The ministers are calling for more countries to join their campaign and French economist Gabriel Zucman is working on the technical details of the plan, which will be discussed by the G20 in June. Mr Zucman commented: "Billionaires have the lowest effective tax rate. Having people with the highest ability to pay tax paying the least - I don't think anybody supports that."
INTERNATIONAL
Australian supermarket giant fined for underpaying workers' long service leave
Australia's largest supermarket chain, Woolworths, has been fined A$1.2m for failing to pay its Victorian employees their correct long service leave entitlements. The company pleaded guilty to 1227 charges of breaching the Long Service Leave Act. Woolworths attributed the issue to a "human error" during an 18-month period of updating its payroll systems. The underpayments, which affected thousands of current and former staff, were self-reported by Woolworths after an internal review. The court heard that 1227 former employees were underpaid between A$250 and A$12,000, and totaling over A$1m. Magistrate Nahrain Warda fined Woolworths A$1.207m and its subsidiary Woolstar A$36,000, emphasizing the importance of protecting employee entitlements. No conviction was recorded. Woolworths has apologised, implemented a repayment process with interest, and cooperated throughout the investigation.
DHL Express to pay $8.7m to settle discrimination lawsuit
DHL Express has agreed to pay $8.7m to settle a race discrimination lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The lawsuit accused DHL's US arm of assigning undesirable delivery routes and heavier lifting to Black employees. The settlement also requires DHL to review and revamp its work assignment policies and internal worker complaint procedures. The EEOC alleged that white drivers who objected to routes in high-crime neighborhoods were often replaced by Black employees, who were more likely to witness crimes. Additionally, Black workers were reportedly given more physically demanding tasks compared to their white counterparts. The settlement, the largest announced by the EEOC since March 2022, will benefit 83 Black workers who participated in the lawsuit. DHL denied any wrongdoing and stated that it does not tolerate discrimination. As part of the settlement, DHL will undergo monitoring by former EEOC commissioner Leslie Silverman for four years.
Half of Singapore workers would quit jobs requiring more office work, survey finds
Half of Singapore workers are willing to quit their jobs if they are required to work in the office more often, according to a survey by Randstad. The survey found that Gen Z employees were most likely to feel this way. The study also revealed that workers prioritise work-life balance over salaries, even amid concerns about inflation and the rising cost of living. The Singapore government has recently announced that all employers must have a process in place for workers to request flexible work arrangements. The survey also highlighted the importance of social and environmental issues in the workplace, with respondents expressing a desire to work for companies that are sustainable and promote diversity and inclusivity.
Indian IT companies expand into smaller cities to tap talent and cut costs
Indian IT companies are expanding into smaller cities in India to tap into talent and reduce costs. The trend has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with companies like Cognizant, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCLTech, and Wipro moving into tier 2 cities. The shift to smaller cities helps reduce attrition and cut costs, as salaries are lower and real estate rentals are cheaper compared to established tech hubs. The move is also supported by state governments which are offering concessions and benefits to attract jobs to smaller cities.
Europeans ‘less hard-working’ than Americans, says Norway oil fund boss
Nicolai Tangen, chief executive of Norway’s $1.6tn oil fund, says Europe is less hard-working, less ambitious, more regulated and more risk-averse than the US – and the gap is getting wider.
OTHER
World's first Sikh court launches in UK
The world’s first Sikh court has been launched in the UK amid claims that secular judges lack expertise to deal with the religion's sensitivities. Launched last weekend at a ceremony at the Old Hall at Lincoln's Inn in London, the court will operate as an alternative dispute resolution forum for British Sikhs caught in family and civil disputes. Although likely to reignite debate over religious courts, including sharia and Beth Din dispute resolution systems, which operate in the UK for Muslims and Jews, Baldip Singh, one of the court's founders, stressed that it was not a religious tribunal. Unlike Islam and Judaism, Sikhism does not have its own legal code. He said that its purpose will be "to assist Sikh families in their time of need when dealing with conflict and disputes in line with Sikh principles." The new court will operate remotely and in person, and will comprise 30 so-called magistrates and 15 judges, of whom most will be women. The magistrates will mediate between parties to negotiate a settlement, as well as directing them to a course to help them to work on specific issues.
 


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