THE HOT STORY

UK cash boost for youth jobs

Companies in the UK are to be paid grants to hire more young people under new government proposals to tackle youth unemployment. Ministers want to create 200,000 jobs and are pledging £1bn (€1.16bn) in funding for several initiatives. Businesses will receive £3,000 (€3,480) for every person between the ages 18 and 24 that they employ who has been searching for a job for six months or more, while small and medium firms will be paid £2,000 for every new apprentice they take on. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden is set to announce the Youth Jobs Grant today. Some 60,000 people are expected to be supported by the proposals. McFadden said the new measures would giving "life-changing opportunities to young people" that will "significantly reverse the increase we inherited in those not in education, employment or training."

Financial Times

BBC News

City AM

The Guardian

The Sun

WORKFORCE

SNCF's dress code sparks outrage

French rail unions have been angered by a dress code from national rail operator SNCF which advises employees on dressing with "French elegance." The 40-page guide, which SNCF has said is now withdrawn, suggested ways to enhance body shapes while in uniform, including specific clothing recommendations for different body types. The Sud Rail union condemned the guide, saying it imposed unnecessary aesthetic standards and had no professional basis. SNCF acknowledged the document was shared without approval and is investigating its distribution. "The company has no right to judge its employees' bodies," the union said.

The Local

HIRING

Luxembourg's industrial companies plan to hire 3,000 workers over next two years

Luxembourg's industrial sector plans to recruit over 3,000 workers in the next two years, according to a survey by industry federation Fedil. This marks a significant increase from the previous estimate of 1,970 hires. Of the projected positions, 1,715 will be newly created roles, while 1,312 will replace departing workers. Industrial and process-related jobs will dominate recruitment, with 1,518 expected hires. Notably, bachelor's degree holders will make up 34.6% of future hires, a shift from previous trends where vocational diplomas were more sought after.

Luxembourg Times

LEGAL

New wave of trade unions in UK could seek access to workplaces

There could be a surge in trade unions in the UK as reforms set out in the Employment Rights Act take effect. Research shows that 17 new unions have been set up in the past six years and law firm Littler predicts that even more will be on the way. From April 6th, unions will need only 2% of employees for recognition, down from 10% previously. They will also gain rights to access workplaces for recruitment. Philip Cameron, a partner at Littler, said bosses should prepare for "more complex industrial relations," even in sectors where there has been little organised labour activity until now. He said: "As the Employment Rights Act reforms come into force, pressure on employers is already increasing. Strengthening engagement strategies, updating internal processes and investing in management training and capability will be necessary to navigate this new industrial relations landscape."

Daily Mail

TECHNOLOGY

AI is making workloads more intense

AI is increasing the speed, density and complexity of work rather than reducing it, according to an analysis of 164,000 workers’ digital work activity by workforce analytics and productivity-tracking software company ActivTrak. The data covers more than 443 million hours of work across 1,111 employers, making it one of the biggest studies of AI’s effects on work habits to date, the Wall Street Journal reports. “It’s not that AI doesn’t create efficiency,” observed Gabriela Mauch, ActivTrak’s chief customer officer. “It’s that the capacity it frees up immediately gets repurposed into doing other work, and that’s where the creep is likely to happen.”

Wall Street Journal

Microsoft adds Anthropic's AI technology to its Copilot service

Microsoft is bringing Anthropic's Claude Cowork to its Microsoft 365 Copilot AI platform. The Copilot Cowork service, which the tech giant said it developed in close collaboration with Anthropic, can handle long-running, multistep tasks such as preparing for a customer meeting by assembling a presentation, pulling together financials, emailing the team, and scheduling prep time. “We really believe right now is an inflection point,” Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s chief marketing officer for AI at Work, told Fortune. “The inflection point for us is Copilot taking on these agentic capabilities and going from assistance to real doing.”

INTERNATIONAL

Mercedes-Benz settles alleged union-busting case

Mercedes-Benz has reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board, agreeing not to make anti-union threats following the UAW's unsuccessful attempt to organise at its Vance, Alabama plant. The settlement requires Mercedes to inform employees of their union organising rights. A notice to be distributed states: “WE WILL NOT threaten you with the closure and/or relocation of the facility to a non-union location, like Mexico, or anywhere else, if you choose to be represented by a union.” The UAW alleged that the company violated labour law by retaliating against union supporters. Additionally, Mercedes will revoke disciplinary actions against one employee and will not threaten employees with loss of benefits for unionising. However, the UAW criticised the terms as insufficient, suggesting that management should read the notice aloud to employees, a request the agency deemed unnecessary.

Al.com

Korean unions threaten strikes as ‘yellow envelope law' comes into force

Subcontracted workers in South Korea are escalating demands for direct negotiations with parent companies following the implementation of the "yellow envelope law." This law expands the definition of an employer to include firms that that exercise significant control over working conditions, even without a direct employment contract with subcontracted workers. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) anticipates a surge in bargaining requests from over 140,000 subcontracted workers. KCTU officials said: "The real employer must come forward and sit down to talk with subcontracted workers." Protests are planned if companies refuse to engage in discussions.

The Korea Times

Thai government officials told to work from home to save fuel

Thailand's cabinet is telling most government agencies to adopt full work-from-home arrangements to curb energy demand. Ministers have also called on government officials to suspend non-essential overseas travel, and are seeking voluntary cooperation from the private sector to promote energy conservation. Thailand relies heavily on imported crude, particularly from the Middle East. Mandatory steps for the private sector are possible if the situation in the Gulf further deteriorates. The Philippines has also mandated a four-day work week for government offices in an attempt to save on energy.

Bloomberg

OTHER

Poland to build EU’s first anti-drone shield

Poland is building what it bills as Europe’s most advanced anti-drone system following Russia’s recent airspace violations against NATO members. The system, dubbed San, is being developed by Polish-Norwegian consortium.

Financial Times

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