Topic
workers
Trade Canada Vows to Protect Workers After Trump Imposes 50% Tariffs on Select Canadian Goods, Calling It a 'Direct Violation' of CUSMA
Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned President Trump's new 50% tariffs on select Canadian goods as a direct violation of CUSMA. The tariffs target motor vehicles, dairy, and alcoholic beverages, set to take effect in 30 days, with exemptions for energy, potash, fish, and critical minerals. Canada pledges to support workers and remains open to negotiations.
Logistics Strike Threat Delivers Bigger Pay Deal for Neo Next Offshore Workers in North Sea
Around 50 offshore workers at Neo Next+ Energy's Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms have accepted an enhanced pay deal after threatening strike action. The one-year deal lifts pay by over £4,000, a 75% improvement over the initial offer, averting planned strikes set for July 22. The resolution removes a potential disruption to North Sea oil production, indirectly supporting stable fuel supply chains for shipping.
Commodities UK North Sea Offshore Workers Reject Pay Offer and Back Strikes at Neo Next+ Energy Platforms
Offshore workers at Neo Next+ Energy's Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms have rejected pay offers of less than 3% and voted for strike action, with the first 24-hour stoppage scheduled for July 22. The dispute involves around 50 Unite union members in key operational roles, and further walkouts are planned on July 29 and August 5, 12, and 19. Unite leadership has called the pay offers "pitiful" and warned the company to resolve the issue before disruptions begin.
Commodities Last-Minute Pay Deal Averts Norwegian Rig Workers' Strike, Affecting Key Offshore Assets
Norwegian unions representing workers on drilling rigs and floating production platforms have reached a last-minute wage deal with employers, averting a strike that would have affected over 600 workers on key offshore assets including the Transocean Encourage rig and Equinor's Gullfaks B platform. The deal includes a 5.2% general wage increase, but a separate strike by oil service workers continues to widen.
Technology Amazon Drops OpenAI Film, Data Center Workers Rebel, Meta Leaks Employee Data
This week's Uncanny Valley podcast covers three major stories: Amazon MGM Studios drops a film about OpenAI's Sam Altman; data center workers, including electricians and Amazon employees, push back against construction and working conditions; and Meta pauses an employee-tracking program after an internal data leak. The stories highlight growing tensions in AI, labor, and corporate surveillance.
Algorithmic Management in India's Gig Economy: The Case for a Hybrid Human-AI Governance Model
A new study by Kumar, Omir, Narayanan, and Krishnan examines the impact of AI and digital technologies on India's blue-collar gig economy. Through interviews with 16 gig workers and 21 stakeholders, the research uncovers opaque algorithmic systems that produce inequitable outcomes and fail to reward additional labor proportionately. The authors propose an 'Algorithmic-Human Manager' framework that combines technological efficiency with human accountability.
Technology Workers Spend Hours 'Botsitting' AI Each Week, Undermining Productivity Gains
New research from workplace AI firm Glean reveals that UK digital workers spend an average of 6.3 hours per week 'botsitting' – supervising AI outputs – negating half of the 12 hours they save through automation. While 78% of workers say AI makes them personally more productive, only 18% believe it significantly improves organisational performance. The report warns that traditional AI adoption metrics like seat count and prompt volume mask a growing quality-control problem, with over a third of AI sessions failing entirely.
Technology Half of workers worry AI will still take their job as agent usage soars 90% in a year
New data from GMB Union reveals nearly half of UK workers worry AI will take their job, amid a 90% year-over-year increase in AI agent usage reported by Stack Overflow. Despite growing adoption, most organisations still require human oversight for autonomous agents, and concerns about accuracy and security persist.
Business Majority of Workers Face Pension Shortfall, Report Warns
A report by Pensions UK reveals that 75% of workers are not on track to achieve a moderate pension income, highlighting a significant retirement savings gap. Rising living costs are exacerbating the issue, prompting calls for increased savings efforts.
Commodities North Sea Oil Strike Threatens Ithaca Energy Operations
Workers on Ithaca Energy's North Sea assets are set to strike over pay disputes, potentially disrupting oil production. The industrial action involves Bilfinger employees on the Alba FSU and FPF1 facilities.
Logistics Yellow Corp. Workers Await Payment Resolution
Former Yellow Corp. employees are closer to receiving overdue payments as bankruptcy proceedings progress. The final liquidation plan, approved by a Delaware court, faces hurdles including claim valuation disagreements and appeals.