German automaker Volkswagen, made an important announcement that has sent ripples through the automotive industry and labour relations in Germany. On Tuesday, the company declared its intention to abandon a series of long-standing labour agreements, including a crucial provision that guaranteed job security until 2029 at six of its German manufacturing facilities. This bold move opens the door to potential layoffs beginning as early as next year, a prospect that has already met with fierce opposition from employee representatives.

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This decision comes as part of a broader cost-reduction strategy that Volkswagen is implementing in response to mounting pressure from more competitively priced Asian competitors. The company's struggle to maintain its competitive edge in the global market has led to this dramatic confrontation with its workforce, marking a significant shift in the traditionally collaborative relationship between management and labor in Germany.

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The gravity of Volkswagen's situation was highlighted by its recent suggestion that it might, for the first time in its 87-year history, consider closing plants on German soil. This unprecedented threat has not only alarmed the global automotive sector but has also drawn the attention and concern of high-ranking German government officials.

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Gunnar Kilian, Volkswagen's Labour Director, explained the company's position, stating, "We must enable Volkswagen AG to reduce costs in Germany to a competitive level in order to invest in our own resources into new technologies and new products." This statement highlights the company's belief that drastic measures are necessary to secure its future in an increasingly competitive and technologically advancing industry.

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In an attempt to address the uncertainty surrounding labour agreements, Volkswagen has proposed accelerating wage negotiations. These talks were originally scheduled to commence in mid to late October, with the possibility of strikes looming by the end of November. However, the company's works council has called for these discussions to begin even sooner, within the current month.

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The head of Volkswagen's works council has vowed to mount a strong resistance against any attempts at layoffs or factory closures. They place the blame for Volkswagen's current predicament squarely on the shoulders of management. As an alternative to closures, the IG Metall union has suggested the possibility of transitioning to a four-day work week, reminiscent of a cost-cutting measure employed in the 1990s.

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Volkswagen's challenges are set against a backdrop of broader economic uncertainty in Germany. The country is grappling with weak growth, elevated energy costs, and questions surrounding its trade relationships with the crucial Chinese market. These factors are putting strain on Germany's traditionally consensus-driven model of industrial relations.

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If the two parties fail to reach an agreement by June of next year, labor agreements predating 1994 will come into effect. Daniela Cavallo, the works council chief, described this potential outcome as having a "crazy-sounding consequence" – it would actually result in a pay increase for employees at the six affected plants. The pre-1994 labour agreement included additional pay components such as Christmas bonuses, extra holiday pay, and higher compensation for overtime work.

&nbsp;

However, this scenario would also make layoffs for operational reasons possible for the first time in decades, marking a significant shift in the company's labour practices.

&nbsp;

The works council emphasised the need for a negotiated compromise, stating, "A negotiated compromise is actually needed. Otherwise, VW will be able to push ahead with forced redundancies from summer 2025, but at the same time would immediately face enormous cost increases for all those who remain." This statement underscores the complex balancing act that both parties must navigate in the coming months.

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As negotiations unfold, the outcome of this labour dispute at Volkswagen will likely have far-reaching implications not only for the company and its employees but also for the broader landscape of industrial relations in Germany and the global automotive industry. &nbsp;

German automaker Volkswagen, made an important announcement that has sent ripples through the automotive industry and labour relations in Germany. On Tuesday, the company declared its intention to abandon a series of long-standing labour agreements, including a crucial provision that guaranteed job security until 2029 at six of its German manufacturing facilities.

German automaker Volkswagen, made an important announcement that has sent ripples through the automotive industry and labour relations in Germany. On Tuesday, the company declared its intention to abandon a series of long-standing labour agreements, including a crucial provision that guaranteed job security until 2029 at six of its German manufacturing facilities. This bold move opens the door to potential layoffs beginning as early as next year, a prospect that has already met with fierce opposition from employee representatives. This decision comes as part of a broader cost-reduction strategy that Volkswagen is implementing in response to mounting pressure from more competitively priced Asian competitors. The company's struggle to maintain its competitive edge in the global market has led to this dramatic confrontation with its workforce, marking a significant shift in the traditionally collaborative relationship between management and labor in Germany. The gravity of Volkswagen's situation was highlighted by its recent suggestion that it might, for the first time in its 87-year history, consider closing plants on German soil. This unprecedented threat has not only alarmed the global automotive sector but has also drawn the attention and concern of high-ranking German government officials. Gunnar Kilian, Volkswagen's Labour Director, explained the company's position, stating, "We must enable Volkswagen AG to reduce costs in Germany to a competitive level in order to invest in our own resources into new technologies and new products." This statement highlights the company's belief that drastic measures are necessary to secure its future in an increasingly competitive and technologically advancing industry. In an attempt to address the uncertainty surrounding labour agreements, Volkswagen has proposed accelerating wage negotiations. These talks were originally scheduled to commence in mid to late October, with the possibility of strikes looming by the end of November. However, the company's works council has called for these discussions to begin even sooner, within the current month. The head of Volkswagen's works council has vowed to mount a strong resistance against any attempts at layoffs or factory closures. They place the blame for Volkswagen's current predicament squarely on the shoulders of management. As an alternative to closures, the IG Metall union has suggested the possibility of transitioning to a four-day work week, reminiscent of a cost-cutting measure employed in the 1990s. Volkswagen's challenges are set against a backdrop of broader economic uncertainty in Germany. The country is grappling with weak growth, elevated energy costs, and questions surrounding its trade relationships with the crucial Chinese market. These factors are putting strain on Germany's traditionally consensus-driven model of industrial relations. If the two parties fail to reach an agreement by June of next year, labor agreements predating 1994 will come into effect. Daniela Cavallo, the works council chief, described this potential outcome as having a "crazy-sounding consequence" – it would actually result in a pay increase for employees at the six affected plants. The pre-1994 labour agreement included additional pay components such as Christmas bonuses, extra holiday pay, and higher compensation for overtime work. However, this scenario would also make layoffs for operational reasons possible for the first time in decades, marking a significant shift in the company's labour practices. The works council emphasised the need for a negotiated compromise, stating, "A negotiated compromise is actually needed. Otherwise, VW will be able to push ahead with forced redundancies from summer 2025, but at the same time would immediately face enormous cost increases for all those who remain." This statement underscores the complex balancing act that both parties must navigate in the coming months. As negotiations unfold, the outcome of this labour dispute at Volkswagen will likely have far-reaching implications not only for the company and its employees but also for the broader landscape of industrial relations in Germany and the global automotive industry.

Volkswagen abandons job security provision: promised German's jobs till 2029

Soon, tourists will have the option of choosing a hotel in Spain not only based on the hotel view&nbsp;or size of the pool, but also the working conditions of the employees.

Las&nbsp;Kellys, the tireless chambermaids' organisation in Spain, is setting up its own booking platform after failing to convince Booking.com and TripAdvisor to include working conditions alongside hotel ratings.

As of last week, the crowdfunding campaign had reached its minimum goal of €60,000 and is on track to reach the maximum of €90,000.

Las Kellys spokesperson Vania Arana says they want to usher in a new era of tourism that puts humanity above economic interests.

The organisation's criteria for a quality hotel include adhering to health and safety regulations, having an equal pay policy, employing vulnerable people, and employing chambermaids in-house.

The movement was sparked when Hotels, particularly the major chains, increasingly began outsourcing their staff to agencies.&nbsp;Under national pay agreements, these agencies employ people as cleaners, a job that pays less than chambermaids.

Earlier, hotel chambermaids were considered staff and were protected by an agreement guaranteeing&nbsp;a monthly wage of €1,200 (£1,025) for a 40-hour week, as well as sick leave and maternity benefits.

While outsourced contracts have the appearance of offering the same wages and conditions, they also contain terms and conditions like how many rooms need to be finished within a six-hour shift, typically between 25 and 30, which is humanly impossible.

In the event that workers do not meet their quotas, they get fired. So, in order to meet their quotas, the workers&nbsp;take on unpaid overtime, resulting in an hourly wage of €3 or €4 that is far below the minimum wage.

This pandemic, which forced hotels to close, highlighted the precarious working conditions of these women. Many of the agencies that handled outsourced work simply closed the company without applying for the furlough scheme, said Arana.

It was only through food bank donations and the generosity of churches and community groups that the women survived.

When people are looking for hotels, Arana says they should look for one where there are good working conditions and exploitation is not an issue. She adds that the only effect of outsourcing is sickness, an enormous amount of work, and, ultimately, poverty.

Soon, tourists will have the option of choosing a hotel in Spain not only based on the hotel view or size of the pool, but also the working conditions of the employees.

Soon, tourists will have the option of choosing a hotel in Spain not only based on the hotel view or size of the pool, but also the working conditions of the employees. Las Kellys, the tireless chambermaids' organisation in Spain, is setting up its own booking platform after failing to convince Booking.com and TripAdvisor to include working conditions alongside hotel ratings. As of last week, the crowdfunding campaign had reached its minimum goal of €60,000 and is on track to reach the maximum of €90,000. Las Kellys spokesperson Vania Arana says they want to usher in a new era of tourism that puts humanity above economic interests. The organisation's criteria for a quality hotel include adhering to health and safety regulations, having an equal pay policy, employing vulnerable people, and employing chambermaids in-house. The movement was sparked when Hotels, particularly the major chains, increasingly began outsourcing their staff to agencies. Under national pay agreements, these agencies employ people as cleaners, a job that pays less than chambermaids. Earlier, hotel chambermaids were considered staff and were protected by an agreement guaranteeing a monthly wage of €1,200 (£1,025) for a 40-hour week, as well as sick leave and maternity benefits. While outsourced contracts have the appearance of offering the same wages and conditions, they also contain terms and conditions like how many rooms need to be finished within a six-hour shift, typically between 25 and 30, which is humanly impossible. In the event that workers do not meet their quotas, they get fired. So, in order to meet their quotas, the workers take on unpaid overtime, resulting in an hourly wage of €3 or €4 that is far below the minimum wage. This pandemic, which forced hotels to close, highlighted the precarious working conditions of these women. Many of the agencies that handled outsourced work simply closed the company without applying for the furlough scheme, said Arana. It was only through food bank donations and the generosity of churches and community groups that the women survived. When people are looking for hotels, Arana says they should look for one where there are good working conditions and exploitation is not an issue. She adds that the only effect of outsourcing is sickness, an enormous amount of work, and, ultimately, poverty.

Against exploitation; Hotel booking app in Spain will show staff working conditions

After announcing the next-generation Snapdragon 845 SoC at the Snapdragon Tech Summit 2017 in Maui, Hawaii, Qualcomm&nbsp;has today detailed the features of the new mobile platform. The new chipset is based on the 10nm FinFET process with big.LITTLE architecture. Qualcomm has already mentioned that the new chipsets will be manufactured by Samsung Foundry. Here are the changes that the new chipset brings over last year&rsquo;s Snapdragon 835 SoC.

Kryo 385 CPU

The key enhancements over Snapdragon 835 comes in the form of better battery life and faster performance. The chipset is manufactured using Samsung&rsquo;s second-gen 10nm LPP FinFET process. The Kryo CPU architecture includes four performance cores (Cortex A75) clocked up to 2.8GHz with up to 30 percent performance improvement over Snapdragon 835. These performance cores are paired with four efficiency cores (Cortex A55) clocked at 1.8GHz, which Qualcomm says is 30 percent more energy efficient compared to its predecessor.

The Snapdragon 845 SoC comes with Quick Charge 4 support, which Qualcomm claims can take the battery from empty to 50 percent in 15 minutes. Also, on full charge, the chipmaker says that smartphones powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC can offer around four hours of Ultra HD 4K video playback, up to three hours of immersive unwired VR usage, and talk time of up to two days on VoLTE.

Adreno 630 GPU

The Snapdragon 845 SoC is paired with the Adreno 630 GPU, which Qualcomm says is faster and more efficient in processing. The new GPU is designed to offer 30 percent faster graphics, 30 percent improved energy efficiency and 2.5 times faster display throughput. It will also support 2K + 2K 120fps XR for virtual and augmented reality devices.

X20 LTE modem

The X20 is Qualcomm&rsquo;s second-generation Gigabit LTE modem with TrueWireless connectivity. It is designed to over 20 percent improvement over X16 modem on the Snapdragon 835 SoC. The X20 modem can offer maximum speeds of up to 1.2Gbps over 12 streams. It comes with 5 carrier aggregation with 4&times;4 MIMO technology. So, what do these specifications mean? Well, it can offer faster upload and download data speeds on upcoming 5G networks.

It also supports multi-Gigabit Wi-Fi with 60GHz range with ad baseband. The modem also supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac for 16 times faster connection setup and 30 percent efficiency. The X20 modem on the Snapdragon 845 SoC now supports dual-SIM 4G connectivity and Dual-VoLTE on both SIMs. It also comes with advanced Bluetooth capabilities to broadcast HD quality music or live audio to connect to multiple devices. Also, the modem is designed to consume 50 percent less power when using wireless earbuds.

Camera

The Snapdragon 845 SoC comes with Hexagon 685 DSP and Spectra 280 ISP (Image Signal Processing) for improved photography. The smartphone camera will also support capturing Ultra HD Premium videos at 60fps. Qualcomm has also made improvements to the ISP to correct the color gamut, color depth and luminance to make your captured photos look more lifelike.

It basically helps to correct the color volume, dynamic range and improve the banding. The new chipset will also support slow-motion video capture at 720p in HDR10 format, with a frame rate of 480fps. The chipset will also consume 30 percent less power when recording videos.

Most smartphones today come with dual-camera setups and they allow capturing photos with DSLR-like bokeh effects. The new Snapdragon chipset comes with &lsquo;Computer Vision&rsquo; for depth mapping and to add the depth-of-field effects even when using a single camera. It also supports Face scanning for biometric authentication and security.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (ML) is everywhere today, right from finance to healthcare, entertainment, insurance, and transportation. The Snapdragon 845 SoC is the third generation mobile AI platform from Qualcomm. With the new chipset, Qualcomm is moving intelligence from cloud to edge to improve low latency, privacy and reliability.

With AI integration, Qualcomm wants to offer richer and more personalized experiences. It works with multiple platforms, such as Android, Linux and Windows, and Qualcomm is working with a number of partners such as Facebook, Google, Amazon Alexa, Baidu, and more for improved experiences.

AI on Snapdragon 845 comes with features such as speech recognition, object detection, face recognition, single camera bokeh effects to your camera photos, landmark detection, malware detection and more.

Security

The security architecture on the Snapdragon 845 SoC comes with a secure vault. It is hardware based and comes with its own Secure Processing Unit to keep your photos, videos, content and other details safe and secure. We have moved from typing passwords to fingerprint scanning, iris scanning and face scanning biometric authentication systems. And because biometrics is important to us from a privacy viewpoint, the data is encrypted and validated in the secure processing unit, thus keeping it secure. Also, with mobile payments becoming increasingly mainstream, the integration of secure vault in the chipset will enable higher level of security of your biometrics.

Disclaimer: The correspondent Ritesh Bendre is in Maui, Hawaii on Qualcomm&rsquo;s invite. Qualcomm paid for his travel and accommodation in Hawaii. The article was originally published in BGR.in, <a href="http://www.bgr.in/features/qualcomm-snapdragon-845-soc-with-kryo-385-cpu-x20-lte-modem-ai-capabilities-launched/">click here</a> to read it.

Gujarat tops the list with more than three-fourths of its working population in the informal sector being blatantly vulnerable

After announcing the next-generation Snapdragon 845 SoC at the Snapdragon Tech Summit 2017 in Maui, Hawaii, Qualcomm has today detailed the features of the new mobile platform. The new chipset is based on the 10nm FinFET process with big.LITTLE architecture. Qualcomm has already mentioned that the new chipsets will be manufactured by Samsung Foundry. Here are the changes that the new chipset brings over last year’s Snapdragon 835 SoC. Kryo 385 CPU The key enhancements over Snapdragon 835 comes in the form of better battery life and faster performance. The chipset is manufactured using Samsung’s second-gen 10nm LPP FinFET process. The Kryo CPU architecture includes four performance cores (Cortex A75) clocked up to 2.8GHz with up to 30 percent performance improvement over Snapdragon 835. These performance cores are paired with four efficiency cores (Cortex A55) clocked at 1.8GHz, which Qualcomm says is 30 percent more energy efficient compared to its predecessor. The Snapdragon 845 SoC comes with Quick Charge 4 support, which Qualcomm claims can take the battery from empty to 50 percent in 15 minutes. Also, on full charge, the chipmaker says that smartphones powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC can offer around four hours of Ultra HD 4K video playback, up to three hours of immersive unwired VR usage, and talk time of up to two days on VoLTE. Adreno 630 GPU The Snapdragon 845 SoC is paired with the Adreno 630 GPU, which Qualcomm says is faster and more efficient in processing. The new GPU is designed to offer 30 percent faster graphics, 30 percent improved energy efficiency and 2.5 times faster display throughput. It will also support 2K + 2K 120fps XR for virtual and augmented reality devices. X20 LTE modem The X20 is Qualcomm’s second-generation Gigabit LTE modem with TrueWireless connectivity. It is designed to over 20 percent improvement over X16 modem on the Snapdragon 835 SoC. The X20 modem can offer maximum speeds of up to 1.2Gbps over 12 streams. It comes with 5 carrier aggregation with 4×4 MIMO technology. So, what do these specifications mean? Well, it can offer faster upload and download data speeds on upcoming 5G networks. It also supports multi-Gigabit Wi-Fi with 60GHz range with ad baseband. The modem also supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac for 16 times faster connection setup and 30 percent efficiency. The X20 modem on the Snapdragon 845 SoC now supports dual-SIM 4G connectivity and Dual-VoLTE on both SIMs. It also comes with advanced Bluetooth capabilities to broadcast HD quality music or live audio to connect to multiple devices. Also, the modem is designed to consume 50 percent less power when using wireless earbuds. Camera The Snapdragon 845 SoC comes with Hexagon 685 DSP and Spectra 280 ISP (Image Signal Processing) for improved photography. The smartphone camera will also support capturing Ultra HD Premium videos at 60fps. Qualcomm has also made improvements to the ISP to correct the color gamut, color depth and luminance to make your captured photos look more lifelike. It basically helps to correct the color volume, dynamic range and improve the banding. The new chipset will also support slow-motion video capture at 720p in HDR10 format, with a frame rate of 480fps. The chipset will also consume 30 percent less power when recording videos. Most smartphones today come with dual-camera setups and they allow capturing photos with DSLR-like bokeh effects. The new Snapdragon chipset comes with ‘Computer Vision’ for depth mapping and to add the depth-of-field effects even when using a single camera. It also supports Face scanning for biometric authentication and security. Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (ML) is everywhere today, right from finance to healthcare, entertainment, insurance, and transportation. The Snapdragon 845 SoC is the third generation mobile AI platform from Qualcomm. With the new chipset, Qualcomm is moving intelligence from cloud to edge to improve low latency, privacy and reliability. With AI integration, Qualcomm wants to offer richer and more personalized experiences. It works with multiple platforms, such as Android, Linux and Windows, and Qualcomm is working with a number of partners such as Facebook, Google, Amazon Alexa, Baidu, and more for improved experiences. AI on Snapdragon 845 comes with features such as speech recognition, object detection, face recognition, single camera bokeh effects to your camera photos, landmark detection, malware detection and more. Security The security architecture on the Snapdragon 845 SoC comes with a secure vault. It is hardware based and comes with its own Secure Processing Unit to keep your photos, videos, content and other details safe and secure. We have moved from typing passwords to fingerprint scanning, iris scanning and face scanning biometric authentication systems. And because biometrics is important to us from a privacy viewpoint, the data is encrypted and validated in the secure processing unit, thus keeping it secure. Also, with mobile payments becoming increasingly mainstream, the integration of secure vault in the chipset will enable higher level of security of your biometrics. Disclaimer: The correspondent Ritesh Bendre is in Maui, Hawaii on Qualcomm’s invite. Qualcomm paid for his travel and accommodation in Hawaii. The article was originally published in BGR.in, click here to read it.

Opinion: Gujarat is prosperous, but where is the job security

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