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Middle East Edition
25th April 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Israel labour union chief threatens general strike
Arnon Bar-David, the head of Israel's Histadrut Labor Federation, has issued a stark warning about a potential nationwide strike, citing threats to democracy due to the actions of the government. The union has previously organised strikes in response to political events, including the dismissal of defence minister Yoav Gallant and protests against the handling of hostages in Gaza. “Democracy is still in danger and under attack every day, and the justice system and the security establishment are those who suffer the blows,” Bar-David said in an interview with the Maariv daily, referring to government clashes with the Shin Bet security service and with prosecutors and Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara. “My red line is failure to comply with court rulings,” he said. “If this happens, we will head toward anarchy. If needed - I won't hesitate to announce a strike.”
HIRING
UAE employers prioritise efficiency over hiring
According to the Gulf Employment Index report by Cooper Fitch, many employers in the UAE are prioritising efficiency over headcount, opting to meet demand with existing staff rather than hiring new employees. Dr Trefor Murphy, chief executive of Cooper Fitch, observed: “As the UAE transitions from a developed to a highly developed economy, this shift brings natural changes in hiring behaviour.” The report highlights a 1.25% increase in hiring activity in early 2025, particularly in trade, technology, and real estate, despite a general trend of hiring freezes. Ongoing global trade tensions may also impact the job market, with potential effects on sectors like energy and logistics. The study emphasises the need for economic diversification and workforce resilience in the region.
STRATEGY
Intel staff in Israel staff could face another wave of layoffs
Intel, the US chipmaker which is one of Israel's largest employers, is reportedly planning to lay off over 1,800 employees in Israel as part of a global workforce reduction of more than 20%. Currently, Intel employs 9,350 people in Israel, down from nearly 12,000. Yael Belgrai Cohen, head of high-tech at Dun & Bradstreet Israel, said: “Israeli high-tech has been in much uncertainty during the last two years,” as he highlighted ongoing restructuring in the industry. Despite the layoffs, experts believe that the shortage of engineers in Israel may enable affected employees to find new opportunities quickly.
LEGAL
Saudi HR Ministry announces its package of services for Haj 2025
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is preparing for the Hajj season 2025 by launching various initiatives to enhance the pilgrim experience. Key measures include streamlining temporary work permits through the "Ajeer" portal and issuing Hajj and Umrah work visas to assist businesses employing seasonal workers. The ministry also plans to increase inspection visits to ensure compliance with Labour Law regulations. Additionally, social services will provide family counselling, social support, and children's hospitality centres staffed by qualified personnel. The ministry encourages volunteer work to assist pilgrims at border crossings and in holy sites, saying: "efforts will be made to increase inspection visits to ensure compliance with the Labour Law and its regulations."
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Earlier and more sleep linked to better test performance
Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK and Fudan University in Shanghai have found that young people who go to sleep earlier, and who sleep for longer, tend to have better brain functions and perform better in cognitive tests. The study, which tracked the sleep patterns of more than 3,000 adolescents, found that the 37% of young people who tended to go to bed and fall asleep earliest performed best in tests involving vocabulary, reading, problem solving and focus. Cambridge professor Barbara Sahakian said: "Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small, at just over a quarter-of-an-hour between the best and worst sleepers, we could still see differences in brain structure and activity and in how well they did at tasks."
Pandemic agreement reached by WHO after years of talks
After over three years of negotiations, countries have finalised a draft global pandemic agreement under the World Health Organization which is set for review at the World Health Assembly in May 2025 and aims at enhancing international cooperation and equity in pandemic preparedness. The agreement promotes a “One Health” approach, strengthens national health systems, and establishes a coordinated financial and supply chain network, while explicitly respecting national sovereignty in public health decisions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the consensus as a historic achievement, saying: “It reflects . . .  resilience, unity and unwavering commitment to the health and wellbeing of people everywhere.”
INTERNATIONAL
Boeing seek to set new values following ‘brutal' employee feedback
Boeing employees have significant distrust in their senior leadership, according to an internal survey shared by chief executive Kelly Ortberg. Only 27% of participants said they would recommend Boeing as a workplace, and the survey, with an 82% participation rate, showed a decline in company pride, dropping from 91% in 2013 to 67% this year. Employees trust their direct managers more than senior leaders, with less than half saying they were confident in leadership's decision-making abilities. “I look at this as an opportunity for us to really understand what it is we need to do . . . to improve the culture of the company,” Ortberg told managers. “When we (improve the culture), people are going to be more motivated,” he continued. “Good things happen. People enjoy coming to work. And so as leaders of the company, it's really up to us to make that happen, enable that in the organisation.” A California-based engineer who asked to remain anonymous to protect their job said: “We hear the same message all the time (but) it's all different between what you say you're going to do and what the actual action is.”
Rome conference trip cancelled by Tesla exec amid security concerns
A senior Tesla executive has cancelled her attendance at a conference in Rome over fears of protests surrounding the carmaker. Tesla cars, infrastructure and offices have recently become targets of vandalism in several countries, including Italy, in response to chief executive Elon Musk's right-wing activism. "Given the recent protests and violence against Tesla, and now in Rome, I've been asked to hold my external presence and travel . . . I won't be able to attend," Samantha Harris, Tesla's Global Sustainability Lead, explained in an email to the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability (EIIS). She had been due to speak at Regenerative Futures, a conference planned in Rome for May 16-17 by the EIIS.
Undocumented construction workers in Paris are still waiting for papers
In Paris, undocumented construction workers are still awaiting promised residency permits and health insurance over a year after a wildcat strike at the city's Adidas Arena. The CNT-SO union's Rafika Rahmani suspects the delays are a form of retaliation for the strike, which highlighted poor working conditions. “It's like being in prison in France,” said Adama, a builder who has struggled to find comfortable housing. He sleeps in a room with 11 other people in the eastern suburb of Montreuil. “It's like if you don't have papers in this county, you don't have any value.”
India's TCS faces EEOC discrimination probe
India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is currently under investigation by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for multiple allegations of discrimination against American workers, particularly those over 40. Many claim they were unfairly laid off while Indian colleagues were retained. TCS has dismissed the allegations as "meritless and misleading," and asserted its commitment to being an equal opportunity employer. U.S. Representative Seth Moulton has urged the EEOC to investigate potential discriminatory patterns. The scrutiny follows previous claims in the UK and a 2020 EEOC investigation into Cognizant Technology Solutions, which found discrimination against non-Indian employees.
 


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