On Black Friday (25 November), dozens of Amazon employees went on strike and gathered in front of the warehouse in the Parisian suburbs, demanding pay raises and improved working conditions.

It's part of a global effort to demand for higher compensation while criticising the online retailer on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Strikes are planned in more than 30 countries, including the United States, according to the Make Amazon Pay movement, which issued the call for them.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Workers at Amazon sites across the world were urged to strike on Black Friday, and Foxconn’s iPhone plant in China is set to see its November shipments reduced. These are some of the 5⃣ stories you need to know today <a href="https://t.co/57vZC1YcNY">pic.twitter.com/57vZC1YcNY</a>
— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1596131589519396864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Amazon France said there had been no sign of disruption to operations thus&nbsp;far. Two French union officials further added&nbsp;they were not expecting a big turnout because of the rising cost-of-living driving employees to seek overtime.

French unions demanded a higher cash bonus for the weeks leading up to Christmas when warehouse workers are required to put in extra hours.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

On Black Friday (25 November), dozens of Amazon employees went on strike and gathered in front of the warehouse in the Parisian suburbs, demanding pay raises and improved working conditions.

On Black Friday (25 November), dozens of Amazon employees went on strike and gathered in front of the warehouse in the Parisian suburbs, demanding pay raises and improved working conditions. It's part of a global effort to demand for higher compensation while criticising the online retailer on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Strikes are planned in more than 30 countries, including the United States, according to the Make Amazon Pay movement, which issued the call for them. Workers at Amazon sites across the world were urged to strike on Black Friday, and Foxconn’s iPhone plant in China is set to see its November shipments reduced. These are some of the 5⃣ stories you need to know today pic.twitter.com/57vZC1YcNY — Reuters (@Reuters) November 25, 2022 × Amazon France said there had been no sign of disruption to operations thus far. Two French union officials further added they were not expecting a big turnout because of the rising cost-of-living driving employees to seek overtime. French unions demanded a higher cash bonus for the weeks leading up to Christmas when warehouse workers are required to put in extra hours. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH: Amazon warehouse workers stage Black Friday strikes in France

Chinese workers at the largest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou fled the facility to escape a lockdown.

Gravitas: Chinese workers jump fences to escape lockdown

European countries are facing more strikes and protests due to rising cost of living. In France today, workers clashed with cops over their demand for higher wages.

Gravitas | France: Workers clash with cops during protest for better pay

According to the Russian emergency minister's announcement on Thursday, more than 9,000 first responders have been sent to the Ryazan region to put out forest fires that are already burning.

Thousands of emergency workers deployed to battle Russia wildfires

Bin strikes across 13 local authorities are underway in Scotland. Workers are demanding higher pay and the strike will last till 30th August in Edinburgh.

Scotland: Trade unions carry out bin strikes; workers demand higher pay

A Gallup survey has found that employees today are more stressed than ever before. 44% of workers experience stress at work daily, 60% feel emotionally detached at their jobs, 19% of workers are miserable. What is contributing to workplace stress? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Workers worldwide are more stressed than ever before

Over a thousand&nbsp;sacked&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;garment&nbsp;workers&nbsp;who made bras for a factory supplying lingerie giant&nbsp;Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;have received a landmark $8.3 million&nbsp;settlement, labour rights activists said Saturday.

Brilliant Alliance&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;closed down its Samut Prakan factory in March 2021 after going bankrupt.

But the 1250 laid-off&nbsp;workers&nbsp;-- many of whom had worked at the factory for over a decade -- did not receive severance payouts mandated under&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;law.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/covid-19-thailand-to-lift-curbs-on-nightlife-from-june-this-year-480729">COVID-19: Thailand to lift curbs on nightlife from June this year</a>

The factory also produced underwear for plus size American brands Lane Bryant and Torrid, owned by Sycamore Partners -- but only&nbsp;Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;contributed to the&nbsp;settlement&nbsp;via a loan arrangement with the factory's owners.

Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;confirmed in a statement that an agreement had been reached, but it did not mention the amount involved.

"Over several months we had been in active communication with the factory owners to facilitate a resolution," the company said.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Ground Report: Overtime is killing workers in Japan

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ground-report-overtime-is-killing-workers-in-japan-482468/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We regret they were not ultimately in a position to conclude this matter on their own so to ensure the&nbsp;workers&nbsp;received their full severance amounts owed,&nbsp;Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;agreed to advance the severance funds to the factory owners," it added.

Sycamore Partners did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.&nbsp;

The agreement is the largest-ever wage theft&nbsp;settlement&nbsp;at an individual garment factory, the international&nbsp;workers&nbsp;rights group Solidarity Centre said.

"I think it's extremely unprecedented and represents a new model -- the scale of severance and interest paid on it... as well as direct engagement by the brand," Solidarity Center Thailand country director David Welsh told AFP.

"It eliminates the fiction that multinational brands are passive investors," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-thailand-citizens-fume-against-massage-karaoke-bar-spa-room-in-parliament-482605">Thailand: Citizens fume against massage, karaoke bar, spa room in Parliament</a>

"We want more brands to do the same because sadly this will not be the last of its kind -- there will be many, many more cases."

For the past year,&nbsp;sacked&nbsp;workers&nbsp;and&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;union representatives have protested outside Government House in Bangkok calling for their pay.

Prasit Prasopsuk, president of the Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand said some protesting&nbsp;workers&nbsp;had been charged with criminal offences, including violating public gathering rules during the pandemic.

A Worker Rights Consortium report from April last year said it had documented similar wage theft cases at 31 garment factories in nine countries.

Worker Rights Consortium executive director Scott Nova said those cases were just the "tip of the iceberg" and that the issue of wage theft in the garment industry had exploded during the pandemic as clothing orders declined.

He estimated garment&nbsp;workers&nbsp;worldwide were owed $500 million as a result of factory closures and unpaid severance.

Some&nbsp;workers&nbsp;at the Samut Prakan factory had received the equivalent of more than four years' wages last week, he said.

"It's like the equivalent of a worker's life savings... and it's simply stolen. What it means to lose that and get it back is difficult to capture in words," Nova said.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Over a thousand sacked Thai garment workers who made bras for a factory supplying lingerie giant Victoria's Secret have received a landmark $8.3 million settlement, labour rights activists said Saturday.

Over a thousand sacked Thai garment workers who made bras for a factory supplying lingerie giant Victoria's Secret have received a landmark $8.3 million settlement, labour rights activists said Saturday. Brilliant Alliance Thai closed down its Samut Prakan factory in March 2021 after going bankrupt. But the 1250 laid-off workers -- many of whom had worked at the factory for over a decade -- did not receive severance payouts mandated under Thai law. Also read | COVID-19: Thailand to lift curbs on nightlife from June this year The factory also produced underwear for plus size American brands Lane Bryant and Torrid, owned by Sycamore Partners -- but only Victoria's Secret contributed to the settlement via a loan arrangement with the factory's owners. Victoria's Secret confirmed in a statement that an agreement had been reached, but it did not mention the amount involved. "Over several months we had been in active communication with the factory owners to facilitate a resolution," the company said. Watch | Gravitas: Ground Report: Overtime is killing workers in Japan "We regret they were not ultimately in a position to conclude this matter on their own so to ensure the workers received their full severance amounts owed, Victoria's Secret agreed to advance the severance funds to the factory owners," it added. Sycamore Partners did not respond to a request for comment from AFP. The agreement is the largest-ever wage theft settlement at an individual garment factory, the international workers rights group Solidarity Centre said. "I think it's extremely unprecedented and represents a new model -- the scale of severance and interest paid on it... as well as direct engagement by the brand," Solidarity Center Thailand country director David Welsh told AFP. "It eliminates the fiction that multinational brands are passive investors," he said. Also read | Thailand: Citizens fume against massage, karaoke bar, spa room in Parliament "We want more brands to do the same because sadly this will not be the last of its kind -- there will be many, many more cases." For the past year, sacked workers and Thai union representatives have protested outside Government House in Bangkok calling for their pay. Prasit Prasopsuk, president of the Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand said some protesting workers had been charged with criminal offences, including violating public gathering rules during the pandemic. A Worker Rights Consortium report from April last year said it had documented similar wage theft cases at 31 garment factories in nine countries. Worker Rights Consortium executive director Scott Nova said those cases were just the "tip of the iceberg" and that the issue of wage theft in the garment industry had exploded during the pandemic as clothing orders declined. He estimated garment workers worldwide were owed $500 million as a result of factory closures and unpaid severance. Some workers at the Samut Prakan factory had received the equivalent of more than four years' wages last week, he said. "It's like the equivalent of a worker's life savings... and it's simply stolen. What it means to lose that and get it back is difficult to capture in words," Nova said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Victoria's Secret pays $8.3m settlement to sacked Thai workers

When Adam Potash started driving for Lyft six months ago to help make ends meet, he was happy with the pay. The business was far from lucrative, but he was making about $200 a day before paying for costs like gas and car maintenance.

But as gas prices have risen in recent weeks, Potash has barely been breaking even. To compensate, he has focused on driving during peak customer hours and tried to fill up at cheaper gas stations in the area around San Francisco where he works. He has also reduced his driving time from about 45 hours each week to roughly 20 hours.

“It hurts. I don’t have money coming in,” Potash, 48, said of his reduced hours. “But I’m not willing to operate at a loss.”

Gig workers who drive for ride-hailing and delivery companies like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have been hit hard by rising gas prices because their ability to earn money is tied directly to driving hundreds of miles each week. And because the drivers are contract workers, the companies do not reimburse them for the cost of fueling up.

Some drivers say that they have had enough and that the added cost of gas is making an already difficult financial equation untenable. The national average price of a gallon of gas peaked at a record $4.33 last week, according to AAA. In California, where Potash lives, gas now averages $5.77 a gallon.

“High gas prices are the final nail in the coffin,” said Harry Campbell, who writes a blog called the Rideshare Guy and produces a podcast aimed at helping ride-hailing drivers. “Rising gas prices make a tough situation even tougher, and for a lot of drivers, it’s sort of the final straw that pushes them over the edge.”

In a survey last week of 325 drivers who follow his content, Campbell found that 38% were driving less because of high gas prices and 15% had quit driving altogether.

Some drivers around the country staged a boycott of ride-hailing apps Thursday, though it was difficult to say for certain how many participated. The effort, initially organized to raise awareness about driver safety, gave way to an outpouring of frustration about how high gas prices were making a tough business even tougher.

“We started organizing months ago about the poor safety, and when gas prices went through the roof, many drivers said, ‘We need to stand up and make the companies get involved in both,’” said Torsten Kunert, who gives advice to drivers on his YouTube channel, Rideshare Professor.

Uber, Lyft and DoorDash say overall driver numbers are not down. Uber said it has more active drivers now than it did in January. Both Uber and Lyft added small fees to the price of rides in most places for the next two months, a change they say will help compensate drivers.

“We know drivers and couriers are feeling the sting of record-high prices at the pump,” Liza Winship, Uber’s head of driver operations in the U.S. and Canada, said in a statement announcing the gas surcharge. Lyft echoed that sentiment in a blog post Monday.

DoorDash announced a gas rewards program Tuesday. Those who use a prepaid debit card designed for DoorDash workers will get 10% cash back at gas stations, the company said, and DoorDash is adding bonus payments depending on miles driven. Grubhub also said it would boost driver pay.

Both Uber and Lyft say that drivers have been making more money since lockdowns lifted than they did earlier in the pandemic or even pre-pandemic, even when accounting for rising gas prices. And both companies are touting a partnership with an app called GetUpside that offers some cash back rewards for getting gas.

Gridwise, an app that helps drivers track their earnings and tallies data, found that drivers’ earnings have risen nationally in recent months, from an average of $308 per week in early January to $426 in early March. But gas costs for ride-hailing drivers have also gone up, from $31 per transaction to nearly $39 in the same period.

Uber and Lyft say the entirety of their new gas fees — $0.35 to $0.55 per trip for Uber and $0.55 for Lyft — will go to the drivers. But some drivers say the action is inadequate. Gas prices, on average, have increased by 49% in the past year, according to AAA.

“That literally insulted every driver, and that was their first communication since gas prices were going up,” said Philippe Jean, an Uber and Lyft driver in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Montgomery, an UberEats driver in Las Vegas, where gas costs $5 per gallon, agreed that the gas fee “doesn’t even put a dent” in the cost of fuel, which for her has been at least $30 more each day since prices began to increase.

Montgomery, 40, said she was becoming disillusioned with the job and had begun looking for other work that did not require her to drive. She has cut her six-hour daily shifts in half because “it’s really not a profit anymore.”

“I don’t want to deliver anymore,” she said. “Especially when you have bills to pay and rising cost of rent and mortgage, groceries — it affects everything.”

Jean mostly drives for Uber and Lyft during the winter and spring, when his work as a handyman tends to slow down. He said he enjoys interacting with passengers and usually makes $300 to $400 per week, with about $60 of that going to filling his tank.

Lately, though, Jean has been paying twice that amount for gas and has had to cut back elsewhere to compensate — including by reducing his car insurance coverage.

“I’m driving Uber now hoping not to get in an accident, because if I do, I’m going to lose my car completely,” he said.

The gas price woes have actually caused Jean to drive more in the short term, because people with cars that get poor gas mileage have told him they have stopped driving. With his hybrid Toyota Prius, he figured he would be able to snap up some of their business and still be able to make some money. But Jean said he would likely give up Uber altogether later in the spring when his handyman work picks up again, because of the high gas prices.

He questioned whether he or other drivers were even profiting from the ride-sharing business at all, after all of the costs involved.

“I think personally if I sat down and did the numbers, it would be break-even,” Jean said. “I don’t think we’re making money on it anymore. I think I’m afraid to admit it to myself, because then I would definitely stop doing it.”

When Adam Potash started driving for Lyft six months ago to help make ends meet, he was happy with the pay. The business was far from lucrative, but he was making about $200 a day before paying for costs like gas and car maintenance.

When Adam Potash started driving for Lyft six months ago to help make ends meet, he was happy with the pay. The business was far from lucrative, but he was making about $200 a day before paying for costs like gas and car maintenance. But as gas prices have risen in recent weeks, Potash has barely been breaking even. To compensate, he has focused on driving during peak customer hours and tried to fill up at cheaper gas stations in the area around San Francisco where he works. He has also reduced his driving time from about 45 hours each week to roughly 20 hours. “It hurts. I don’t have money coming in,” Potash, 48, said of his reduced hours. “But I’m not willing to operate at a loss.” Gig workers who drive for ride-hailing and delivery companies like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have been hit hard by rising gas prices because their ability to earn money is tied directly to driving hundreds of miles each week. And because the drivers are contract workers, the companies do not reimburse them for the cost of fueling up. Some drivers say that they have had enough and that the added cost of gas is making an already difficult financial equation untenable. The national average price of a gallon of gas peaked at a record $4.33 last week, according to AAA. In California, where Potash lives, gas now averages $5.77 a gallon. “High gas prices are the final nail in the coffin,” said Harry Campbell, who writes a blog called the Rideshare Guy and produces a podcast aimed at helping ride-hailing drivers. “Rising gas prices make a tough situation even tougher, and for a lot of drivers, it’s sort of the final straw that pushes them over the edge.” In a survey last week of 325 drivers who follow his content, Campbell found that 38% were driving less because of high gas prices and 15% had quit driving altogether. Some drivers around the country staged a boycott of ride-hailing apps Thursday, though it was difficult to say for certain how many participated. The effort, initially organized to raise awareness about driver safety, gave way to an outpouring of frustration about how high gas prices were making a tough business even tougher. “We started organizing months ago about the poor safety, and when gas prices went through the roof, many drivers said, ‘We need to stand up and make the companies get involved in both,’” said Torsten Kunert, who gives advice to drivers on his YouTube channel, Rideshare Professor. Uber, Lyft and DoorDash say overall driver numbers are not down. Uber said it has more active drivers now than it did in January. Both Uber and Lyft added small fees to the price of rides in most places for the next two months, a change they say will help compensate drivers. “We know drivers and couriers are feeling the sting of record-high prices at the pump,” Liza Winship, Uber’s head of driver operations in the U.S. and Canada, said in a statement announcing the gas surcharge. Lyft echoed that sentiment in a blog post Monday. DoorDash announced a gas rewards program Tuesday. Those who use a prepaid debit card designed for DoorDash workers will get 10% cash back at gas stations, the company said, and DoorDash is adding bonus payments depending on miles driven. Grubhub also said it would boost driver pay. Both Uber and Lyft say that drivers have been making more money since lockdowns lifted than they did earlier in the pandemic or even pre-pandemic, even when accounting for rising gas prices. And both companies are touting a partnership with an app called GetUpside that offers some cash back rewards for getting gas. Gridwise, an app that helps drivers track their earnings and tallies data, found that drivers’ earnings have risen nationally in recent months, from an average of $308 per week in early January to $426 in early March. But gas costs for ride-hailing drivers have also gone up, from $31 per transaction to nearly $39 in the same period. Uber and Lyft say the entirety of their new gas fees — $0.35 to $0.55 per trip for Uber and $0.55 for Lyft — will go to the drivers. But some drivers say the action is inadequate. Gas prices, on average, have increased by 49% in the past year, according to AAA. “That literally insulted every driver, and that was their first communication since gas prices were going up,” said Philippe Jean, an Uber and Lyft driver in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. Jennifer Montgomery, an UberEats driver in Las Vegas, where gas costs $5 per gallon, agreed that the gas fee “doesn’t even put a dent” in the cost of fuel, which for her has been at least $30 more each day since prices began to increase. Montgomery, 40, said she was becoming disillusioned with the job and had begun looking for other work that did not require her to drive. She has cut her six-hour daily shifts in half because “it’s really not a profit anymore.” “I don’t want to deliver anymore,” she said. “Especially when you have bills to pay and rising cost of rent and mortgage, groceries — it affects everything.” Jean mostly drives for Uber and Lyft during the winter and spring, when his work as a handyman tends to slow down. He said he enjoys interacting with passengers and usually makes $300 to $400 per week, with about $60 of that going to filling his tank. Lately, though, Jean has been paying twice that amount for gas and has had to cut back elsewhere to compensate — including by reducing his car insurance coverage. “I’m driving Uber now hoping not to get in an accident, because if I do, I’m going to lose my car completely,” he said. The gas price woes have actually caused Jean to drive more in the short term, because people with cars that get poor gas mileage have told him they have stopped driving. With his hybrid Toyota Prius, he figured he would be able to snap up some of their business and still be able to make some money. But Jean said he would likely give up Uber altogether later in the spring when his handyman work picks up again, because of the high gas prices. He questioned whether he or other drivers were even profiting from the ride-sharing business at all, after all of the costs involved. “I think personally if I sat down and did the numbers, it would be break-even,” Jean said. “I don’t think we’re making money on it anymore. I think I’m afraid to admit it to myself, because then I would definitely stop doing it.”

Gig workers say high gas prices may be a breaking point

The Washington state Senate on Friday passed a bill granting gig drivers certain benefits and protections while preventing them from being classified as employees — a long-standing priority of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft.

Although the vote appears to pave the way for ultimate passage after a similar measure passed the state House of Representatives last week, the two bills would still have to be reconciled before being sent to the governor for approval. Gov. Jay Inslee has not said whether he intends to sign the legislation.

Mike Faulk, a spokesperson for Inslee, said Friday that the governor’s office usually did not “speculate on bill action,” adding, “Once legislators send it to our office, we’ll evaluate it.”

The Senate legislation — the result of a compromise between the companies and at least one prominent local union, the Teamsters — was approved 40-8.

In a statement, John Scearcy, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 117, said the union was “proud to stand in solidarity with Uber and Lyft drivers in winning their demands for pay raises” and other benefits.

Uber and Lyft have noted in regulatory filings that being required to classify drivers as employees would force changes to their business model and could leave them exposed financially. They have sought similar compromises in states including California and New York, but those efforts collapsed amid resistance from other unions and worker advocates, who argued that gig drivers should not have to settle for second-class status. Many of those advocates criticized the Washington bill as well.

“While the bill provides some benefits to drivers, it would permanently lock the door on drivers accessing their rights as employees,” said Brian Chen of the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group. “That is a misstep with serious ramifications, which is concerning given how fast this bill is moving through the legislature.”

Under the compromise, drivers would receive benefits such as paid sick leave and a minimum pay rate. The bill would also create a process for drivers to appeal so-called deactivations, which prevent them from finding work through the companies’ apps.

While the minimum pay rates apply only to the time that drivers spend with a passenger in the car, supporters of the bill say the rates have been set high enough to compensate drivers fairly for all of their work time after expenses. The rates will be adjusted over time to account for cost of living increases.

As with other contractors, drivers must cover all payroll taxes and cannot unionize under federal law.

The bill is largely silent on unemployment benefits, something that employees are entitled to, but Washington state has frequently found that gig drivers should receive those benefits already. The bill will create a task force to study what the gig companies’ contributions to an unemployment insurance trust fund should be, an issue that has been contentious in other states.

One especially controversial feature of the bill is that it would block local jurisdictions from regulating drivers’ rights. A similar feature helped ignite opposition that killed the prospects for such a bill in New York state last year.

In 2020, Seattle enacted a robust minimum wage law for gig drivers, which was intended to provide drivers with hourly pay of about $30 before expenses and was sharply criticized by gig companies. The statewide bill approved Friday preserved the current rates in Seattle, which will continue to be higher than the rest of the state, but would preempt similar legislation in the future.

Looming in the background of the legislative action in Washington state was the possibility of a ballot measure that could have locked in contractor status with weaker benefits for drivers. After California passed a law in 2019 that effectively classified gig workers as employees, Uber, Lyft and other gig companies spent roughly $200 million on a ballot measure, Proposition 22, that rolled back those protections. The legislation is still being litigated after a state judge deemed it unconstitutional.

Rep. Liz Berry, who introduced the Washington state bill, said the differences between it and Proposition 22 “couldn’t be more stark.”

“My focus has been: What do the workers want? What are the drivers asking for? And we deliver on every single thing they asked for,” Berry said in an interview, adding that in contrast to California’s law, “our bill has real benefits that employees in the state of Washington enjoy.”

Jen Hensley, Lyft’s head of government relations, said in a statement that the bill was “a solution that Washington state’s drivers overwhelmingly support. Not only does it deliver meaningful new benefits, it also expands important protections for them.” An Uber statement echoed those comments.

But some Washington legislators had doubts.

Ahead of the vote on Friday, Sen. Mike Padden, who opposed the bill, worried about the speed of the approval process. “I do have some concerns about the bill itself, but I also have some concerns about not really being able to check it out properly,” he said.

Rep. Debra Entenman, the only Democrat to vote against the bill in Washington’s House of Representatives, said in a statement after its Senate passage that “this bill requires too much from the state, delivers too little for drivers, and increases transportation costs for my constituents who often rely on rideshare companies because of inadequate public transportation options.”

Worker advocates worried that other states would try to replicate the legislation. “I hope Gov. Inslee seeks additional analysis of its potential impact,” said Terri Gerstein, a workers rights lawyer at Harvard Law School’s Labor and Worklife Program. “I would urge other states not to use this bill or cursory public process as a model.”

The Washington state Senate on Friday passed a bill granting gig drivers certain benefits and protections while preventing them from being classified as employees — a long-standing priority of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft.

The Washington state Senate on Friday passed a bill granting gig drivers certain benefits and protections while preventing them from being classified as employees — a long-standing priority of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft. Although the vote appears to pave the way for ultimate passage after a similar measure passed the state House of Representatives last week, the two bills would still have to be reconciled before being sent to the governor for approval. Gov. Jay Inslee has not said whether he intends to sign the legislation. Mike Faulk, a spokesperson for Inslee, said Friday that the governor’s office usually did not “speculate on bill action,” adding, “Once legislators send it to our office, we’ll evaluate it.” The Senate legislation — the result of a compromise between the companies and at least one prominent local union, the Teamsters — was approved 40-8. In a statement, John Scearcy, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 117, said the union was “proud to stand in solidarity with Uber and Lyft drivers in winning their demands for pay raises” and other benefits. Uber and Lyft have noted in regulatory filings that being required to classify drivers as employees would force changes to their business model and could leave them exposed financially. They have sought similar compromises in states including California and New York, but those efforts collapsed amid resistance from other unions and worker advocates, who argued that gig drivers should not have to settle for second-class status. Many of those advocates criticized the Washington bill as well. “While the bill provides some benefits to drivers, it would permanently lock the door on drivers accessing their rights as employees,” said Brian Chen of the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group. “That is a misstep with serious ramifications, which is concerning given how fast this bill is moving through the legislature.” Under the compromise, drivers would receive benefits such as paid sick leave and a minimum pay rate. The bill would also create a process for drivers to appeal so-called deactivations, which prevent them from finding work through the companies’ apps. While the minimum pay rates apply only to the time that drivers spend with a passenger in the car, supporters of the bill say the rates have been set high enough to compensate drivers fairly for all of their work time after expenses. The rates will be adjusted over time to account for cost of living increases. As with other contractors, drivers must cover all payroll taxes and cannot unionize under federal law. The bill is largely silent on unemployment benefits, something that employees are entitled to, but Washington state has frequently found that gig drivers should receive those benefits already. The bill will create a task force to study what the gig companies’ contributions to an unemployment insurance trust fund should be, an issue that has been contentious in other states. One especially controversial feature of the bill is that it would block local jurisdictions from regulating drivers’ rights. A similar feature helped ignite opposition that killed the prospects for such a bill in New York state last year. In 2020, Seattle enacted a robust minimum wage law for gig drivers, which was intended to provide drivers with hourly pay of about $30 before expenses and was sharply criticized by gig companies. The statewide bill approved Friday preserved the current rates in Seattle, which will continue to be higher than the rest of the state, but would preempt similar legislation in the future. Looming in the background of the legislative action in Washington state was the possibility of a ballot measure that could have locked in contractor status with weaker benefits for drivers. After California passed a law in 2019 that effectively classified gig workers as employees, Uber, Lyft and other gig companies spent roughly $200 million on a ballot measure, Proposition 22, that rolled back those protections. The legislation is still being litigated after a state judge deemed it unconstitutional. Rep. Liz Berry, who introduced the Washington state bill, said the differences between it and Proposition 22 “couldn’t be more stark.” “My focus has been: What do the workers want? What are the drivers asking for? And we deliver on every single thing they asked for,” Berry said in an interview, adding that in contrast to California’s law, “our bill has real benefits that employees in the state of Washington enjoy.” Jen Hensley, Lyft’s head of government relations, said in a statement that the bill was “a solution that Washington state’s drivers overwhelmingly support. Not only does it deliver meaningful new benefits, it also expands important protections for them.” An Uber statement echoed those comments. But some Washington legislators had doubts. Ahead of the vote on Friday, Sen. Mike Padden, who opposed the bill, worried about the speed of the approval process. “I do have some concerns about the bill itself, but I also have some concerns about not really being able to check it out properly,” he said. Rep. Debra Entenman, the only Democrat to vote against the bill in Washington’s House of Representatives, said in a statement after its Senate passage that “this bill requires too much from the state, delivers too little for drivers, and increases transportation costs for my constituents who often rely on rideshare companies because of inadequate public transportation options.” Worker advocates worried that other states would try to replicate the legislation. “I hope Gov. Inslee seeks additional analysis of its potential impact,” said Terri Gerstein, a workers rights lawyer at Harvard Law School’s Labor and Worklife Program. “I would urge other states not to use this bill or cursory public process as a model.”

Washington State advances landmark deal on gig drivers’ job status

One Journalist killed, two more injured as Haiti police open fire on protesters

In Haiti, garment workers protest to demand higher wages

Japan&nbsp;will ease its strict&nbsp;virus&nbsp;border rules to allow students and business people into the country from March, but tourists will still be barred, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday.

The move comes with growing pressure on&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;from the business community and academics to loosen the border restrictions, which are the toughest in the G7 but have broad support from Japanese voters.

Japan&nbsp;has barred tourists since the early days of the pandemic, and has in some cases prevented even existing foreign residents from entering the country.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-contrast-to-covids-59-million-deaths-this-malady-kills-more-than-9-million-people-every-year-453616">In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year</a>

Last November, the government slightly loosened the rules to allow some students and businesspeople to enter, but then quickly reversed the plan weeks later as the Omicron strain emerged.

After an Omicron-driven spike in infections, cases in&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;now appear to have peaked, experts say.

From March 1, Kishida said "we will allow new visitors, except those coming for tourism", adding that a cap on daily entrants will be raised to from the current 3,500 to 5,000.

More than 400,000 people whose visas have already been approved by authorities were waiting to enter&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;as of January 4, an immigration agency official told AFP.

More than 150,000 of those are students, with another 129,000 workers hired to take part in a technical training programme that is a key source of foreign labour for several industries in the country.

While&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;has not pursued a zero-Covid policy and has avoided strict lockdowns, it has made tough border measures a centrepiece of its pandemic response.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-japan-is-whipping-up-hysteria-in-kuril-islands-row-451707">Russia says Japan is whipping up ‘hysteria’ in Kuril Islands row</a>

Even citizens and returning residents able to enter have been subject to quarantines of up to two weeks, with testing before and after entering the country.

Kishida said quarantine requirements would now be eased, going from seven to three days, if arrivals test negative.

Quarantine will be removed altogether for those with three vaccines doses coming from countries judged low-risk, he added, without specifying particular nations.

Japan&nbsp;has recorded more than 20,950 deaths in the pandemic and polls show Japanese broadly favour the tough restrictions, with nearly 60 percent of respondents in a recent survey by public broadcaster NHK backing a continued ban on entry.

Davide Rossi, an Italian entrepreneur living in&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;who campaigns for students stuck outside the country, said the news was a light at the end of the tunnel, and many now hope they can enter&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;before the new semester in April.

Watch |&nbsp;Japan is set to announce easing of COVID-19 border curbs

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japan-is-set-to-announce-easing-of-covid-19-border-curbs-453934/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"There is a very high sense of urgency. People are really on the verge of quitting, but now, with this announcement, they have some hope," he told AFP.

But he recalled the way the border restrictions were tightened in November, just weeks after being eased.

"Hopefully this is a lesson, too, and the borders won't close again like they did in November, because that really hurt a lot of people so much. I hope things will get better from today."

Japan will ease its strict virus border rules to allow students and business people into the country from March, but tourists will still be barred, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday.

Japan will ease its strict virus border rules to allow students and business people into the country from March, but tourists will still be barred, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday. The move comes with growing pressure on Japan from the business community and academics to loosen the border restrictions, which are the toughest in the G7 but have broad support from Japanese voters. Japan has barred tourists since the early days of the pandemic, and has in some cases prevented even existing foreign residents from entering the country. Also read | In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year Last November, the government slightly loosened the rules to allow some students and businesspeople to enter, but then quickly reversed the plan weeks later as the Omicron strain emerged. After an Omicron-driven spike in infections, cases in Japan now appear to have peaked, experts say. From March 1, Kishida said "we will allow new visitors, except those coming for tourism", adding that a cap on daily entrants will be raised to from the current 3,500 to 5,000. More than 400,000 people whose visas have already been approved by authorities were waiting to enter Japan as of January 4, an immigration agency official told AFP. More than 150,000 of those are students, with another 129,000 workers hired to take part in a technical training programme that is a key source of foreign labour for several industries in the country. While Japan has not pursued a zero-Covid policy and has avoided strict lockdowns, it has made tough border measures a centrepiece of its pandemic response. Also read | Russia says Japan is whipping up ‘hysteria’ in Kuril Islands row Even citizens and returning residents able to enter have been subject to quarantines of up to two weeks, with testing before and after entering the country. Kishida said quarantine requirements would now be eased, going from seven to three days, if arrivals test negative. Quarantine will be removed altogether for those with three vaccines doses coming from countries judged low-risk, he added, without specifying particular nations. Japan has recorded more than 20,950 deaths in the pandemic and polls show Japanese broadly favour the tough restrictions, with nearly 60 percent of respondents in a recent survey by public broadcaster NHK backing a continued ban on entry. Davide Rossi, an Italian entrepreneur living in Japan who campaigns for students stuck outside the country, said the news was a light at the end of the tunnel, and many now hope they can enter Japan before the new semester in April. Watch | Japan is set to announce easing of COVID-19 border curbs "There is a very high sense of urgency. People are really on the verge of quitting, but now, with this announcement, they have some hope," he told AFP. But he recalled the way the border restrictions were tightened in November, just weeks after being eased. "Hopefully this is a lesson, too, and the borders won't close again like they did in November, because that really hurt a lot of people so much. I hope things will get better from today."

COVID-19: Japan eases virus border rules for workers and students but tourists will still be barred

Nurses and doctors in California are burned out.

Although COVID-19 hospitalisations appear to be peaking in California and remain substantially lower than during last winter’s surge, health care workers have been toiling in uncertain and stressful conditions for nearly two years.

Coronavirus cases surge, new variants appear and shortages of protective gear, medicines and staff continually emerge.

Still, a majority of health workers who wrote to us said that despite their frustrations, they did not plan to leave their jobs.

They do not want to let down their co-workers or abandon their patients. They want to combat misinformation, administer COVID-19 vaccines and, as much as possible, help others.

Here’s what they shared about how they are coping with this latest surge and why they keep showing up at work:

“As the daughter of an Army veteran, a sense of duty was instilled in me at a young age. I am a nurse and have worked in a hospital setting for over 20 years; I can’t leave health care during its greatest need.

"I love my co-workers. We’ve already been through three waves together — we will get through this one as well.” —&nbsp;Laura Maffeo, registered nurse, Anaheim

“My family is fully vaccinated and we no longer worry about getting seriously ill, especially with this recent variant. As long as schools are open and we have that support for our kids, we feel that we (my wife is also a physician) will get through this. We have to.”&nbsp;— Dr. George Spanos, radiologist, Los Angeles

“The only thing that keeps me going is the need. I am a retired pharmacist who went back to work just to increase the availability of vaccinations (of every sort).

"I spend time combating misinformation, making the vaccination experience comfortable and praising the recipients who join me in uplifting the community well-being.”—&nbsp;Sandra Bardas, clinical pharmacist, Menlo Park

“I have a mortgage payment, little kids in school and a husband who lost his job. I’m the financial backbone of my family, and I’m fortunate to make a salary that enables us to cover our bills. I really don’t know what else I would do, so I make the best of it.” —&nbsp;Jenny Burnett, registered nurse, Concord

“My co-workers and I keep each other going by supporting, finding humor in things, being good listeners. This is a job where you are always needed.” —&nbsp;Lindsey Stover, registered nurse, Los Angeles

“My hospital sees very underserved patients who have very little interaction with the health care systems, and these are the patients I’ve committed myself to serving.

"My colleagues and fellow staff keep me going each day. It’s always a great time being with them. Seeing how generous my co-workers are — watching them give so much of themselves for their work and their community — inspires me to keep going alongside them.” —&nbsp;Dr. Jessica Martin Moreno, emergency medicine resident, Fresno

“Our nurses need to not feel more abandoned than they already are. I see how hard they’re working, that they keep showing up, and it keeps me showing up.”&nbsp;— Joanna Mello, assistant nurse manager, Sacramento

“As an Indigenous woman, I’m just trying to do my best to help my people and others like us survive this pandemic. I’m doing good work in a community health center that tries to help the most vulnerable. And even if I get death threats or scorn and yelled at by those who misunderstand what we’re doing, my family sees me. And loves me.

"And I can come home every night knowing that in my last days, I’ll have done everything I could to keep my loved ones, and yours, safe.”—&nbsp;Dr. Kalamaoka’aina Niheu, family medicine, Albany

Nurses and doctors in California are burned out. Although COVID-19 hospitalisations appear to be peaking in California and remain substantially lower than during last winter’s surge, health care workers have been toiling in uncertain and stressful conditions for nearly two years.

Nurses and doctors in California are burned out. Although COVID-19 hospitalisations appear to be peaking in California and remain substantially lower than during last winter’s surge, health care workers have been toiling in uncertain and stressful conditions for nearly two years. Coronavirus cases surge, new variants appear and shortages of protective gear, medicines and staff continually emerge. Still, a majority of health workers who wrote to us said that despite their frustrations, they did not plan to leave their jobs. They do not want to let down their co-workers or abandon their patients. They want to combat misinformation, administer COVID-19 vaccines and, as much as possible, help others. Here’s what they shared about how they are coping with this latest surge and why they keep showing up at work: “As the daughter of an Army veteran, a sense of duty was instilled in me at a young age. I am a nurse and have worked in a hospital setting for over 20 years; I can’t leave health care during its greatest need. "I love my co-workers. We’ve already been through three waves together — we will get through this one as well.” — Laura Maffeo, registered nurse, Anaheim “My family is fully vaccinated and we no longer worry about getting seriously ill, especially with this recent variant. As long as schools are open and we have that support for our kids, we feel that we (my wife is also a physician) will get through this. We have to.” — Dr. George Spanos, radiologist, Los Angeles “The only thing that keeps me going is the need. I am a retired pharmacist who went back to work just to increase the availability of vaccinations (of every sort). "I spend time combating misinformation, making the vaccination experience comfortable and praising the recipients who join me in uplifting the community well-being.”— Sandra Bardas, clinical pharmacist, Menlo Park “I have a mortgage payment, little kids in school and a husband who lost his job. I’m the financial backbone of my family, and I’m fortunate to make a salary that enables us to cover our bills. I really don’t know what else I would do, so I make the best of it.” — Jenny Burnett, registered nurse, Concord “My co-workers and I keep each other going by supporting, finding humor in things, being good listeners. This is a job where you are always needed.” — Lindsey Stover, registered nurse, Los Angeles “My hospital sees very underserved patients who have very little interaction with the health care systems, and these are the patients I’ve committed myself to serving. "My colleagues and fellow staff keep me going each day. It’s always a great time being with them. Seeing how generous my co-workers are — watching them give so much of themselves for their work and their community — inspires me to keep going alongside them.” — Dr. Jessica Martin Moreno, emergency medicine resident, Fresno “Our nurses need to not feel more abandoned than they already are. I see how hard they’re working, that they keep showing up, and it keeps me showing up.” — Joanna Mello, assistant nurse manager, Sacramento “As an Indigenous woman, I’m just trying to do my best to help my people and others like us survive this pandemic. I’m doing good work in a community health center that tries to help the most vulnerable. And even if I get death threats or scorn and yelled at by those who misunderstand what we’re doing, my family sees me. And loves me. "And I can come home every night knowing that in my last days, I’ll have done everything I could to keep my loved ones, and yours, safe.”— Dr. Kalamaoka’aina Niheu, family medicine, Albany

Despite burnout, these California health care workers aren’t quitting

A war of words erupted between business mogul Warren Buffett and US Senator Bernie Sanders over a strike carried out by 450 steelworkers at a company owned by the billionaire.

The workers at Special Metals, an aviation parts plant owned by Precision Castparts, went on strike in October over issues such as health care and compensation.

Sanders wrote to Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, requesting him to intervene in a United Steelworkers union strike.

“At a time when this company and&nbsp;Berkshire Hathaway&nbsp;are both doing very well, there is no reason why workers employed by you should be worrying about whether they will be able to feed their children or have health care,” Sanders wrote.

"There is no reason why the standard of living of these hard-working Americans should decline. I know that you and Berkshire Hathaway can do better than that," he said.

But Buffett rebuffed Sanders saying that he would not involve himself in the ongoing negotiations.

The billionaire noted a longstanding policy that Berkshire Hathaway’s companies “deal individually with their own labour and personnel decisions”.

“I’m passing along your letter to the CEO of Precision Castparts but making no recommendation to him as to any action,” Buffett wrote&nbsp;in a letter to Sanders. “He is responsible for his business.”

Buffett asserted Berkshire has had extensive dealings with union employees and has “never purchased or sold a company because of its union or non-union status.”

According to reports, the labour negotiations between the steelworkers and Precision Castparts are expected to resume next week.

Buffett is one of the world’s richest individuals, with a personal net worth of more than $109 billion, according to Forbes.

(With inputs from agencies)

A war of words erupted between business mogul Warren Buffett and US Senator Bernie Sanders over a strike carried out by 450 steelworkers at a company owned by the billionaire.

A war of words erupted between business mogul Warren Buffett and US Senator Bernie Sanders over a strike carried out by 450 steelworkers at a company owned by the billionaire. The workers at Special Metals, an aviation parts plant owned by Precision Castparts, went on strike in October over issues such as health care and compensation. Sanders wrote to Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, requesting him to intervene in a United Steelworkers union strike. “At a time when this company and Berkshire Hathaway are both doing very well, there is no reason why workers employed by you should be worrying about whether they will be able to feed their children or have health care,” Sanders wrote. "There is no reason why the standard of living of these hard-working Americans should decline. I know that you and Berkshire Hathaway can do better than that," he said. But Buffett rebuffed Sanders saying that he would not involve himself in the ongoing negotiations. The billionaire noted a longstanding policy that Berkshire Hathaway’s companies “deal individually with their own labour and personnel decisions”. “I’m passing along your letter to the CEO of Precision Castparts but making no recommendation to him as to any action,” Buffett wrote in a letter to Sanders. “He is responsible for his business.” Buffett asserted Berkshire has had extensive dealings with union employees and has “never purchased or sold a company because of its union or non-union status.” According to reports, the labour negotiations between the steelworkers and Precision Castparts are expected to resume next week. Buffett is one of the world’s richest individuals, with a personal net worth of more than $109 billion, according to Forbes. (With inputs from agencies)

Buffet, Sanders spar over aiding US steelworkers to end strike

Apple&nbsp;delivered a message to employees on Friday that was striking given its reputation for secrecy: a reminder that&nbsp;workers&nbsp;may&nbsp;discuss&nbsp;wages, hours and&nbsp;working&nbsp;conditions.

The notice came as some employees&nbsp;have&nbsp;been pushing&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;to do more to ensure there are no unfair gaps in pay across the company.

In a post on an internal site,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said its policies do not preclude employees from "speaking freely" about&nbsp;working&nbsp;conditions, according to a copy of the message viewed by Reuters.

"We encourage any employee with concerns to raise them in the way they feel most comfortable, internally or externally," the post states.

A spokesperson for&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;declined to comment.

Apple's business conduct policy already included language stating that&nbsp;workers&nbsp;were not restricted in their ability to&nbsp;discuss&nbsp;wages, hours and&nbsp;working&nbsp;conditions, which is generally protected under US law.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-shares-perseverance-rovers-breathtaking-recording-of-ingenuity-flight-on-mars-430781">Also read |&nbsp;NASA shares Perseverance rover's breathtaking recording of Ingenuity flight on Mars</a>

But employees who&nbsp;have&nbsp;spoken out in recent months&nbsp;have&nbsp;faced resistance, said former&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;program manager Janneke Parrish.

Parrish, who was fired after playing a leading role in employee activism, said she is hopeful that&nbsp;Apple's message will ease the path for others.

"The first step is making sure people are aware of their&nbsp;rights," she said.

Apple&nbsp;has previously said it does not&nbsp;discuss&nbsp;specific employee matters and is "deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace."

The move comes amid a broader push by Silicon Valley&nbsp;workers&nbsp;to speak out about their&nbsp;working&nbsp;conditions&nbsp;and the impact of technology on society.

Earlier this week, another prominent activist,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;software engineer Cher Scarlett, wrote on Twitter that she is leaving the company.

Scarlett filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;halted&nbsp;discussions of pay among employees. Her lawyer, Aleksandr Felstiner, said the matter had been settled and the charge would be withdrawn. Scarlett said she could not comment.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-india-is-converting-the-kiran-mk-ii-into-an-unmanned-combat-aircraft-430699">Also read |&nbsp;How India is converting the Kiran MK-II into an unmanned combat aircraft</a>

Scarlett and Parrish worked together on "#AppleToo," a group through which current and former employees&nbsp;have&nbsp;been sharing stories of what they call harassment and discrimination.

Apple&nbsp;is known for its secretive culture, intended to keep details of new products under wraps. Employees sometimes are unaware of their&nbsp;right&nbsp;to speak about topics such as pay and&nbsp;working&nbsp;conditions, Parrish said.

Ashley Gjovik, a senior engineering program manager who was fired by&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;in September after raising concerns about harassment and workplace safety, has filed NLRB charges in which she alleges that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;policies violate the National Labor Relations Act.

Apple delivered a message to employees on Friday that was striking given its reputation for secrecy: a reminder that workers may discuss wages, hours and working conditions.

Apple delivered a message to employees on Friday that was striking given its reputation for secrecy: a reminder that workers may discuss wages, hours and working conditions. The notice came as some employees have been pushing Apple to do more to ensure there are no unfair gaps in pay across the company. In a post on an internal site, Apple said its policies do not preclude employees from "speaking freely" about working conditions, according to a copy of the message viewed by Reuters. "We encourage any employee with concerns to raise them in the way they feel most comfortable, internally or externally," the post states. A spokesperson for Apple declined to comment. Apple's business conduct policy already included language stating that workers were not restricted in their ability to discuss wages, hours and working conditions, which is generally protected under US law. Also read | NASA shares Perseverance rover's breathtaking recording of Ingenuity flight on Mars But employees who have spoken out in recent months have faced resistance, said former Apple program manager Janneke Parrish. Parrish, who was fired after playing a leading role in employee activism, said she is hopeful that Apple's message will ease the path for others. "The first step is making sure people are aware of their rights," she said. Apple has previously said it does not discuss specific employee matters and is "deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace." The move comes amid a broader push by Silicon Valley workers to speak out about their working conditions and the impact of technology on society. Earlier this week, another prominent activist, Apple software engineer Cher Scarlett, wrote on Twitter that she is leaving the company. Scarlett filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Apple halted discussions of pay among employees. Her lawyer, Aleksandr Felstiner, said the matter had been settled and the charge would be withdrawn. Scarlett said she could not comment. Also read | How India is converting the Kiran MK-II into an unmanned combat aircraft Scarlett and Parrish worked together on "#AppleToo," a group through which current and former employees have been sharing stories of what they call harassment and discrimination. Apple is known for its secretive culture, intended to keep details of new products under wraps. Employees sometimes are unaware of their right to speak about topics such as pay and working conditions, Parrish said. Ashley Gjovik, a senior engineering program manager who was fired by Apple in September after raising concerns about harassment and workplace safety, has filed NLRB charges in which she alleges that Apple policies violate the National Labor Relations Act.

Apple workers have right to discuss wages and working conditions

Greek&nbsp;public&nbsp;health&nbsp;sector&nbsp;workers&nbsp;protested in Athens on Monday&nbsp;as&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;have become overwhelmed by a&nbsp;new&nbsp;surge in&nbsp;COVID-19 cases and authorities consider further restrictions.

Workers&nbsp;said they are&nbsp;underpaid, overworked and&nbsp;understaffed in the midst of the pandemic. They called for more hirings, for the government to include them on a list of hazardous professions which receive hazard pay benefits, and for private doctors to be ordered to assist, adding that a decision by the government to suspend unvaccinated&nbsp;health&nbsp;sector&nbsp;workers&nbsp;increased staff shortages.

Greece made vaccinations mandatory for nursing home staff in July and&nbsp;healthcare&nbsp;workers&nbsp;in September.

Hospitals, particularly in northern Greece, are scrambling to treat patients, as daily cases reached&nbsp;new&nbsp;record highs this month averaging over six thousand, and wards are running out of space for patients.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop26-climate-summit-nearly-300-people-tested-positive-for-covid-19-after-event-429946">Also read |&nbsp;COP26 climate summit: Nearly 300 people tested positive for COVID-19 after event</a>

"The stretchers at the&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;on duty are increasing by the dozens,&nbsp;patients are being chosen for the intensive care units by priority, based on their ages," said president of the Public Hospital&nbsp;Workers&nbsp;Federation Michalis Giannakos. "Patients lives are in danger, and staff that have remained are like elastic bands stretched from clinic to clinic, from ward to ward."

Last week authorities announced&nbsp;new&nbsp;measures which require the unvaccinated to provide negative tests to enter cafes and restaurants, state services and banks. Employees in the public and private&nbsp;sector&nbsp;now also need to test twice a week to enter their workplace.

The government is trying to avoid another lockdown, but with only about 60 percent of the population of 11 million vaccinated, it is considering further restrictions, including possibly more mandatory vaccinations and testing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-positive-decision-new-zealand-includes-covishield-covaxin-in-list-of-recognised-vaccines-430229">Also read |&nbsp;A 'positive' decision: New Zealand includes Covishield, Covaxin in list of recognised vaccines</a>

Greek&nbsp;government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said on Monday the&nbsp;health&nbsp;system is&nbsp;under&nbsp;intense&nbsp;pressure, adding only one in ten being treated in intensive care units for coronavirus is fully vaccinated.

Eleven private clinics have volunteered to provide space for&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;patients, he said, while the government has asked for private doctors to volunteer their help, and could order them to provide their services if necessary.

Greek public health sector workers protested in Athens on Monday as hospitals have become overwhelmed by a new surge in COVID-19 cases and authorities consider further restrictions.

Greek public health sector workers protested in Athens on Monday as hospitals have become overwhelmed by a new surge in COVID-19 cases and authorities consider further restrictions. Workers said they are underpaid, overworked and understaffed in the midst of the pandemic. They called for more hirings, for the government to include them on a list of hazardous professions which receive hazard pay benefits, and for private doctors to be ordered to assist, adding that a decision by the government to suspend unvaccinated health sector workers increased staff shortages. Greece made vaccinations mandatory for nursing home staff in July and healthcare workers in September. Hospitals, particularly in northern Greece, are scrambling to treat patients, as daily cases reached new record highs this month averaging over six thousand, and wards are running out of space for patients. Also read | COP26 climate summit: Nearly 300 people tested positive for COVID-19 after event "The stretchers at the hospitals on duty are increasing by the dozens, patients are being chosen for the intensive care units by priority, based on their ages," said president of the Public Hospital Workers Federation Michalis Giannakos. "Patients lives are in danger, and staff that have remained are like elastic bands stretched from clinic to clinic, from ward to ward." Last week authorities announced new measures which require the unvaccinated to provide negative tests to enter cafes and restaurants, state services and banks. Employees in the public and private sector now also need to test twice a week to enter their workplace. The government is trying to avoid another lockdown, but with only about 60 percent of the population of 11 million vaccinated, it is considering further restrictions, including possibly more mandatory vaccinations and testing. Also read | A 'positive' decision: New Zealand includes Covishield, Covaxin in list of recognised vaccines Greek government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said on Monday the health system is under intense pressure, adding only one in ten being treated in intensive care units for coronavirus is fully vaccinated. Eleven private clinics have volunteered to provide space for COVID patients, he said, while the government has asked for private doctors to volunteer their help, and could order them to provide their services if necessary.

Greek health sector workers protest as hospitals buckle under covid pressure

Denmark&nbsp;on Friday proposed to fast-track legislation allowing workplaces to&nbsp;mandate&nbsp;a digital "corona&nbsp;pass" for employees in its latest measure to curb a third wave of infections.

Earlier in the week, the government ordered Danes to present a&nbsp;pass&nbsp;when they visit indoor bars, restaurants and other public places. Usually shown by a phone app, the&nbsp;pass&nbsp;verifies that the holder is vaccinated, has tested negative or has recently recovered from infection.

Under the proposed new legislation agreed on Friday in principle between the government, unions and employer associations,&nbsp;bosses can decide to&nbsp;mandate&nbsp;workers&nbsp;to show&nbsp;passes though the employers will not be obliged to do that.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-journalist-danny-fenster-detained-in-myanmar-now-jailed-for-11-years-428652">Also read |&nbsp;US journalist Danny Fenster, detained in Myanmar, now jailed for 11 years</a>

If the agreement comes into law as expected next week,&nbsp;Denmark&nbsp;will join a growing number of countries taking similar measures.

"We have made an agreement, which can provide greater security in the workplace and hopefully help&nbsp;Denmark&nbsp;get through the winter as well as possible," interim business minister Mattias Tesfaye said in a statement.

"We are doing this for the sake of the Danish economy and to keep the jobs going."

Daily infections in&nbsp;Denmark&nbsp;have risen steadily to between 2,000 and 3,000 in recent days from a low of just over 200 in mid-September. The rate of positive tests has also more than doubled in the past weeks to 2.5% in early November.

Denmark on Friday proposed to fast-track legislation allowing workplaces to mandate a digital "corona pass" for employees in its latest measure to curb a third wave of infections.

Denmark on Friday proposed to fast-track legislation allowing workplaces to mandate a digital "corona pass" for employees in its latest measure to curb a third wave of infections. Earlier in the week, the government ordered Danes to present a pass when they visit indoor bars, restaurants and other public places. Usually shown by a phone app, the pass verifies that the holder is vaccinated, has tested negative or has recently recovered from infection. Under the proposed new legislation agreed on Friday in principle between the government, unions and employer associations, bosses can decide to mandate workers to show passes though the employers will not be obliged to do that. Also read | US journalist Danny Fenster, detained in Myanmar, now jailed for 11 years If the agreement comes into law as expected next week, Denmark will join a growing number of countries taking similar measures. "We have made an agreement, which can provide greater security in the workplace and hopefully help Denmark get through the winter as well as possible," interim business minister Mattias Tesfaye said in a statement. "We are doing this for the sake of the Danish economy and to keep the jobs going." Daily infections in Denmark have risen steadily to between 2,000 and 3,000 in recent days from a low of just over 200 in mid-September. The rate of positive tests has also more than doubled in the past weeks to 2.5% in early November.

Denmark mandates a digital 'corona pass' for workers

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said that about 9,000 City municipal workers were put on unpaid leave for refusing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that took effect on Monday.

New York: 9,000 city workers on unpaid leave as vaccine mandate takes effect

As a growing number of states, cities and private companies start to enforce mandates for inoculation against COVID-19, thousands of unvaccinated workers across the United States are facing potential job losses.

US: Workers face job losses as vaccine mandates kick in

Health workers have a non-negotiable right to exercise conscientious objection by refusing to participate in an abortion, Pope Francis said on Thursday, calling the procedure "murder".

It was at least the third time in a month that the pope has spoken out strongly against abortion, which has become a major political issue in a number of countries, including the United States.

Last week a US&nbsp;appeals court temporarily reinstated Texas's restrictive abortion law, which bars the procedure as early as six weeks into pregnancy and outsources enforcement of the ban to ordinary citizens.

"Today it has become a bit fashionable to think that maybe it would be good to do away with conscientious objection (in the medical field)," he said to participants of a conference in Rome of hospital pharmacists.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/learn-to-switch-off-says-pope-francis-after-successful-surgery-398866">Also read |&nbsp;Learn to switch off, says Pope Francis after successful surgery</a>

"It (conscientious objection) should never be negotiated, it is the ultimate responsibility of heath professionals," he said, adding that it was particularly applicable to abortion.

"Know that on this I am very clear: It is murder and it is never licit to be an accomplice," he said.

Most countries have laws that provide for some form of conscientious objection by health professionals, but abortion rights activists say not all are fulfilling their duty to refer a woman to another doctor.

In some Scandinavian countries, doctors are barred from refusing to provide any medical care that is legal.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-coastline-to-be-dotted-with-wind-farms-says-biden-administration-420686">Also read |&nbsp;US coastline to be dotted with wind farms, says Biden administration</a>

Last month, Francis told reporters on the plane returning from Slovakia that abortion was "murder", even soon after conception, but appeared to criticise some US&nbsp;Catholic bishops for dealing with US&nbsp;President Joe Biden's pro-choice position in a political rather than pastoral way.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that life begins at the moment of conception.

In June a divided conference of US Roman Catholic bishops voted to draft a statement on communion that may admonish Catholic politicians, including Biden. They are due to take up the issue again next month.

Health workers have a non-negotiable right to exercise conscientious objection by refusing to participate in an abortion, Pope Francis said on Thursday, calling the procedure "murder".

Health workers have a non-negotiable right to exercise conscientious objection by refusing to participate in an abortion, Pope Francis said on Thursday, calling the procedure "murder". It was at least the third time in a month that the pope has spoken out strongly against abortion, which has become a major political issue in a number of countries, including the United States. Last week a US appeals court temporarily reinstated Texas's restrictive abortion law, which bars the procedure as early as six weeks into pregnancy and outsources enforcement of the ban to ordinary citizens. "Today it has become a bit fashionable to think that maybe it would be good to do away with conscientious objection (in the medical field)," he said to participants of a conference in Rome of hospital pharmacists. Also read | Learn to switch off, says Pope Francis after successful surgery "It (conscientious objection) should never be negotiated, it is the ultimate responsibility of heath professionals," he said, adding that it was particularly applicable to abortion. "Know that on this I am very clear: It is murder and it is never licit to be an accomplice," he said. Most countries have laws that provide for some form of conscientious objection by health professionals, but abortion rights activists say not all are fulfilling their duty to refer a woman to another doctor. In some Scandinavian countries, doctors are barred from refusing to provide any medical care that is legal. Also read | US coastline to be dotted with wind farms, says Biden administration Last month, Francis told reporters on the plane returning from Slovakia that abortion was "murder", even soon after conception, but appeared to criticise some US Catholic bishops for dealing with US President Joe Biden's pro-choice position in a political rather than pastoral way. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that life begins at the moment of conception. In June a divided conference of US Roman Catholic bishops voted to draft a statement on communion that may admonish Catholic politicians, including Biden. They are due to take up the issue again next month.

Pope says health workers' conscientious objection to abortion non-negotiable

Just a day after President Joe Biden visited Chicago to plead for vaccine mandates, saying they were the only way to defeat the coronavirus, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday that public workers could opt out of the city’s mandate until the end of the year by getting regularly tested.

The mayor announced the mandate for Chicago workers in August. But the proposal was met with immediate pushback from employees and labor groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the Chicago Federation of Labor.

Now, workers who are not fully vaccinated by Oct. 15, including those who have sought medical or religious exemptions, must get tested twice a week, separated by three to four days, at their own time and expense, the mayor’s office said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-at-it-again-addresses-woman-mayor-of-chicago-as-mr-mayor-419107">Also read |&nbsp;Biden at it again, addresses woman mayor of Chicago as 'Mr Mayor'</a>

Employees who fail to report their vaccination status by the Oct. 15 deadline will be placed on unpaid leave.

The test-out option will remain in place until Dec. 31, after which employees must be fully vaccinated unless they have received a medical or religious exemption. It was unclear what the consequences will be for those who refuse to comply.

Cities and states around the country have introduced vaccine mandates for their workers, and some have been met with legal challenges.

After being delayed by the courts, a vaccine mandate for educators and staff in New York City public schools was cleared to proceed after a ruling by a federal appeals panel last week. Though it faced opposition, the mandate pushed tens of thousands of Department of Education employees to get their shots.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-police-officer-dead-two-injured-in-chicago-shooting-404097">Also read |&nbsp;One police officer dead, two injured in Chicago shooting</a>

Municipal workers in Seattle and in Los Angeles are required to be fully inoculated against the virus by next week, though unlike Chicago’s policy, there is no test-out option. Both mandates allow for religious or medical accommodations.

Chicago had been negotiating with labor unions since the August announcement.

Just a day after President Joe Biden visited Chicago to plead for vaccine mandates, saying they were the only way to defeat the coronavirus, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday that public workers could opt out of the city’s mandate until the end of the year by getting regularly tested.

Just a day after President Joe Biden visited Chicago to plead for vaccine mandates, saying they were the only way to defeat the coronavirus, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday that public workers could opt out of the city’s mandate until the end of the year by getting regularly tested. The mayor announced the mandate for Chicago workers in August. But the proposal was met with immediate pushback from employees and labor groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the Chicago Federation of Labor. Now, workers who are not fully vaccinated by Oct. 15, including those who have sought medical or religious exemptions, must get tested twice a week, separated by three to four days, at their own time and expense, the mayor’s office said. Also read | Biden at it again, addresses woman mayor of Chicago as 'Mr Mayor' Employees who fail to report their vaccination status by the Oct. 15 deadline will be placed on unpaid leave. The test-out option will remain in place until Dec. 31, after which employees must be fully vaccinated unless they have received a medical or religious exemption. It was unclear what the consequences will be for those who refuse to comply. Cities and states around the country have introduced vaccine mandates for their workers, and some have been met with legal challenges. After being delayed by the courts, a vaccine mandate for educators and staff in New York City public schools was cleared to proceed after a ruling by a federal appeals panel last week. Though it faced opposition, the mandate pushed tens of thousands of Department of Education employees to get their shots. Also read | One police officer dead, two injured in Chicago shooting Municipal workers in Seattle and in Los Angeles are required to be fully inoculated against the virus by next week, though unlike Chicago’s policy, there is no test-out option. Both mandates allow for religious or medical accommodations. Chicago had been negotiating with labor unions since the August announcement.

Chicago’s mayor guts city’s vaccinate mandate for public workers

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Rochelle Walensky explained her decision to overrule the recommendation of the agency's outside advisory board and endorse COVID-19 booster shots for front-line workers.

In an interview with "Face the Nation," Walensky highlighted that there was a "scientific close call" over whether those who are high-risk of contracting COVID-19 should be eligible for a third dose of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-fda-authorises-third-dose-of-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-for-older-americans-415159">Also read |&nbsp;US FDA authorises third dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for older Americans</a>

She further said that the recommendations for boosters are for those people who spend most of their time with the population who might be unvaccinated. This includes teachers in the classroom with children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for COVID-19 shots.

"Our recommendation is for these limited people in the population, over 65, high-risk workers, high-risk community occupations, as well as high-risk by comorbidities," she said.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Rochelle Walensky explained her decision to overrule the recommendation of the agency's outside advisory board and endorse COVID-19 booster shots for front-line workers.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Rochelle Walensky explained her decision to overrule the recommendation of the agency's outside advisory board and endorse COVID-19 booster shots for front-line workers. In an interview with "Face the Nation," Walensky highlighted that there was a "scientific close call" over whether those who are high-risk of contracting COVID-19 should be eligible for a third dose of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech. Also read | US FDA authorises third dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for older Americans She further said that the recommendations for boosters are for those people who spend most of their time with the population who might be unvaccinated. This includes teachers in the classroom with children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for COVID-19 shots. "Our recommendation is for these limited people in the population, over 65, high-risk workers, high-risk community occupations, as well as high-risk by comorbidities," she said.

CDC director explains move to recommend booster shots for frontline workers

In Buffalo, New York, the Erie County Medical Center plans to suspend elective inpatient surgeries and not take intensive-care patients from other hospitals because it may soon fire about 400 employees who have chosen not to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Officials at Northwell Health, New York’s largest provider of health care, estimate that they might have to fire thousands of people who have refused to get vaccinated.

And while the vast majority of staff members at New York City’s largest private hospital network, NewYork-Presbyterian, had been vaccinated as of this week, more than 200 employees faced termination because they had not.

These are just a fraction of the workers at risk of losing their jobs or being put on unpaid leave after Monday, when a state directive requiring hospital and nursing home employees in the state to have received at least one shot of a virus vaccine takes effect.

As of Wednesday, state data shows, around 84% of New York’s 450,000 hospital workers and 83% of its 145,400 nursing home employees had been fully vaccinated. But tens of thousands of people are estimated not to have gotten a shot despite being threatened with losing their jobs. The holdouts say they fear potential side effects from the vaccines, have natural immunity or believe that the mandate violates their personal freedom.

On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the Monday deadline was firm and that her administration was developing emergency plans to cover for those who are laid off, going so far as to look into recruiting temporary workers from the Philippines or Ireland.

“What is looming for Monday is completely avoidable, and there’s no excuses,” Hochul said, pleading for those who have not done so to get vaccinated.

In New York City, health care workers are not the only ones who face an imminent deadline to be vaccinated or face termination. A requirement that virtually everyone working in the public schools — well over 150,000 people — be vaccinated takes effect at midnight Monday. Although about 90% of the system’s educators and 80% of support staff members have gotten at least one shot, thousands of workers have not. That could cause staff shortages in some schools.

Educators who choose not to get vaccinated will be allowed an unpaid one-year leave with their health insurance intact. But they will not be allowed to enter school buildings starting Tuesday. Unions that represent educators and other school staff members are warning of disruptions for students and have urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to delay enforcement of the mandate.

New York state’s vaccination requirement for health care workers is among the largest mandates of its kind that is set to take effect in the United States, with weekly virus testing not permitted as a substitute measure. How it goes — and whether it leaves hospitals understaffed — will be closely watched. California is requiring health care workers there to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30, and a similar mandate in Maine will not be enforced until Oct. 29. New York’s willingness to risk large-scale layoffs of health care workers comes amid a national nursing shortage, and the requirement is facing numerous legal challenges.

“We give patients a Bill of Rights, and they are able to choose what procedures or tests or medications they want to put in their system,” said Gregory Serafin, a registered nurse at the Erie County Medical Center and the lead plaintiff in a New York lawsuit that seeks to stop the mandate. “Health care workers deserve the same medical autonomy to make those decisions.”

Depending on how many health care workers are fired, the policy could also test the resiliency of New York’s health care system. Hospitals across the state are activating emergency staffing plans that they typically reserve for natural disasters or, more recently, surges in COVID-19 cases. Volunteers, students and retirees will fill vacancies, along with traveling nurses.

Northwell, which has 77,000 employees, believes it can weather any loss of employees without the care of patients being affected. The Erie County Medical Center is not as sure.

On Monday, the hospital had 553 inpatients, its busiest day on record. A big reason the hospital is so crowded is that it cannot discharge as many patients as usual to nursing or group homes, because they are also limiting admissions in anticipation of their own staff shortages because of the vaccine mandate.

“This is creating an unprecedented crisis for us,” said Tom Quatroche, the Erie County Medical Center Corp.’s president. “I think we need more time to comply, and I’ve asked for that. For all the right reasons, the vaccine mandate was put in place. But the reality is it is creating a public health crisis in hospitals, with nobody to care for patients.”

In New York City, more than 5,000 of the 42,000 employees of the public hospital system were unvaccinated as of Friday. They will be barred from hospitals starting Monday and from other care facilities beginning Oct. 7, and they will be placed on unpaid leave.

The hospital system anticipates the vaccine mandate could reduce the ranks of radiology technologists and phlebotomists, in particular, and some doctors have been urged to limit the amount of imaging and blood work they order next week, according to an internal message.

Firings under the new directive could prove particularly problematic for nursing homes, which are already facing staffing problems. The New York State Health Facilities Association, a trade group that represents about 250 nursing homes, has asked state officials to temporarily let unvaccinated nursing home workers keep working as long as they get tested regularly.

“While we are striving for 100%, we do not feel we will achieve that by Monday,” said Stephen Hanse, the association’s president.

The wider range of workers who must be vaccinated starting Oct. 7 includes those at diagnostic and treatment centers, adult care facilities, certified home health agencies and hospices.

Despite the potential staffing challenges, the Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents about 140 health systems and 55 nursing homes, supports the deadline.

“The mandate is the best way to ensure the safest possible patient care environment and protect the public’s health,” Kenneth E. Raske, the association’s president, said in a statement. “We will work with the state to address any staffing challenges that arise.”

The vaccination mandate for health care workers was issued Aug. 26 as an emergency order by the Health Department. It permits limited medical exemptions, which employers can determine, but does not currently allow religious exemptions.

The lack of religious exemptions has created some confusion, because an earlier order, issued Aug. 18 under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, allowed such exemptions, and some hospitals had granted them. NewYork-Presbyterian, for example, granted 129 religious exemptions but withdrew them after the state’s policy changed, court documents show.

The conflict over religious exemptions has prompted several lawsuits accusing New York of violating either the First Amendment or federal law prohibiting employers from discriminating on the basis of religion. Many of the suits’ plaintiffs argue that they do not want to get a COVID-19 vaccine because cell lines derived from fetuses aborted decades ago were used in the development or production or testing of the vaccines.

In legal papers, most of the plaintiffs, most of whom are identified as John or Jane Doe, insist that as opponents of abortion they must abstain from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

One plaintiff in a suit filed in Brooklyn, a NewYork-Presbyterian employee, is described in court papers as a Christian Scientist who opposes all vaccines and believes in the healing power of prayer.

For now, the fate of unvaccinated health care workers who have sought religious exemptions remains uncertain, and will not be decided for at least a few weeks. A federal judge in Utica has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state from enforcing the mandate on those seeking such exemptions until Oct. 12, when he will decide what to do.

In the meantime, the mandate can take effect for all other workers.

At Northwell, the vaccination rate reached 91% on Friday, rising steadily as the deadline approached. Of the employees who still were not vaccinated, about 2,000 had applied for religious or medical exemptions.

Only a small group of people are being approved for medical exemptions, including those who are allergic to vaccine components, Maxine Carrington, the company’s human resources chief, said. Being pregnant or breastfeeding does not qualify. Unvaccinated employees without exemptions that have been approved or are pending have until 11:59 p.m. Monday to get a shot or they will be let go Tuesday, she said.

NewYork-Presbyterian set an earlier deadline for its workers to get vaccinated — Sept. 22 — and officials there said Thursday that fewer than 250 employees would lose their jobs. Still hundreds of employees remain unvaccinated: Around 200 got medical exemptions; more than 500 had pending requests for religious exemptions, according to a court filing.

The state’s emergency order does not dictate exactly how hospitals or other health care employers should enforce the mandate, stating only that compliance is expected by Sept. 27.

Vaccination rates vary among hospital staffs.

John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in Erie County says that 100% of its employees have been fully vaccinated. At Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, 75% of the staff is fully vaccinated, according to state data; nearly 90% have received at least one dose, a spokeswoman said.

Some hospital executives said they did not anticipate that any terminations would have much effect on medical care at their institutions.

At St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, about 12% of the nearly 3,000 employees had not been vaccinated as of midday Friday, the chief medical officer, Eric Appelbaum, said in an interview.

The group included three doctors and a larger number of nurses, Appelbaum said. Most of the rest worked in nonmedical roles, including housekeeping and food services.

Appelbaum, noting that there had been a sharp uptick in vaccinations in the past 48 hours, said he was optimistic that a good number of unvaccinated staff members would soon get the shot. (There was a similar rush at the city’s public hospital system, officials said, with more than 2,000 employees getting vaccinated just this week.)

“Obviously,” Appelbaum said, “Monday’s getting close.”

In Buffalo, New York, the Erie County Medical Center plans to suspend elective inpatient surgeries and not take intensive-care patients from other hospitals because it may soon fire about 400 employees who have chosen not to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

In Buffalo, New York, the Erie County Medical Center plans to suspend elective inpatient surgeries and not take intensive-care patients from other hospitals because it may soon fire about 400 employees who have chosen not to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Officials at Northwell Health, New York’s largest provider of health care, estimate that they might have to fire thousands of people who have refused to get vaccinated. And while the vast majority of staff members at New York City’s largest private hospital network, NewYork-Presbyterian, had been vaccinated as of this week, more than 200 employees faced termination because they had not. These are just a fraction of the workers at risk of losing their jobs or being put on unpaid leave after Monday, when a state directive requiring hospital and nursing home employees in the state to have received at least one shot of a virus vaccine takes effect. As of Wednesday, state data shows, around 84% of New York’s 450,000 hospital workers and 83% of its 145,400 nursing home employees had been fully vaccinated. But tens of thousands of people are estimated not to have gotten a shot despite being threatened with losing their jobs. The holdouts say they fear potential side effects from the vaccines, have natural immunity or believe that the mandate violates their personal freedom. On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the Monday deadline was firm and that her administration was developing emergency plans to cover for those who are laid off, going so far as to look into recruiting temporary workers from the Philippines or Ireland. “What is looming for Monday is completely avoidable, and there’s no excuses,” Hochul said, pleading for those who have not done so to get vaccinated. In New York City, health care workers are not the only ones who face an imminent deadline to be vaccinated or face termination. A requirement that virtually everyone working in the public schools — well over 150,000 people — be vaccinated takes effect at midnight Monday. Although about 90% of the system’s educators and 80% of support staff members have gotten at least one shot, thousands of workers have not. That could cause staff shortages in some schools. Educators who choose not to get vaccinated will be allowed an unpaid one-year leave with their health insurance intact. But they will not be allowed to enter school buildings starting Tuesday. Unions that represent educators and other school staff members are warning of disruptions for students and have urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to delay enforcement of the mandate. New York state’s vaccination requirement for health care workers is among the largest mandates of its kind that is set to take effect in the United States, with weekly virus testing not permitted as a substitute measure. How it goes — and whether it leaves hospitals understaffed — will be closely watched. California is requiring health care workers there to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30, and a similar mandate in Maine will not be enforced until Oct. 29. New York’s willingness to risk large-scale layoffs of health care workers comes amid a national nursing shortage, and the requirement is facing numerous legal challenges. “We give patients a Bill of Rights, and they are able to choose what procedures or tests or medications they want to put in their system,” said Gregory Serafin, a registered nurse at the Erie County Medical Center and the lead plaintiff in a New York lawsuit that seeks to stop the mandate. “Health care workers deserve the same medical autonomy to make those decisions.” Depending on how many health care workers are fired, the policy could also test the resiliency of New York’s health care system. Hospitals across the state are activating emergency staffing plans that they typically reserve for natural disasters or, more recently, surges in COVID-19 cases. Volunteers, students and retirees will fill vacancies, along with traveling nurses. Northwell, which has 77,000 employees, believes it can weather any loss of employees without the care of patients being affected. The Erie County Medical Center is not as sure. On Monday, the hospital had 553 inpatients, its busiest day on record. A big reason the hospital is so crowded is that it cannot discharge as many patients as usual to nursing or group homes, because they are also limiting admissions in anticipation of their own staff shortages because of the vaccine mandate. “This is creating an unprecedented crisis for us,” said Tom Quatroche, the Erie County Medical Center Corp.’s president. “I think we need more time to comply, and I’ve asked for that. For all the right reasons, the vaccine mandate was put in place. But the reality is it is creating a public health crisis in hospitals, with nobody to care for patients.” In New York City, more than 5,000 of the 42,000 employees of the public hospital system were unvaccinated as of Friday. They will be barred from hospitals starting Monday and from other care facilities beginning Oct. 7, and they will be placed on unpaid leave. The hospital system anticipates the vaccine mandate could reduce the ranks of radiology technologists and phlebotomists, in particular, and some doctors have been urged to limit the amount of imaging and blood work they order next week, according to an internal message. Firings under the new directive could prove particularly problematic for nursing homes, which are already facing staffing problems. The New York State Health Facilities Association, a trade group that represents about 250 nursing homes, has asked state officials to temporarily let unvaccinated nursing home workers keep working as long as they get tested regularly. “While we are striving for 100%, we do not feel we will achieve that by Monday,” said Stephen Hanse, the association’s president. The wider range of workers who must be vaccinated starting Oct. 7 includes those at diagnostic and treatment centers, adult care facilities, certified home health agencies and hospices. Despite the potential staffing challenges, the Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents about 140 health systems and 55 nursing homes, supports the deadline. “The mandate is the best way to ensure the safest possible patient care environment and protect the public’s health,” Kenneth E. Raske, the association’s president, said in a statement. “We will work with the state to address any staffing challenges that arise.” The vaccination mandate for health care workers was issued Aug. 26 as an emergency order by the Health Department. It permits limited medical exemptions, which employers can determine, but does not currently allow religious exemptions. The lack of religious exemptions has created some confusion, because an earlier order, issued Aug. 18 under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, allowed such exemptions, and some hospitals had granted them. NewYork-Presbyterian, for example, granted 129 religious exemptions but withdrew them after the state’s policy changed, court documents show. The conflict over religious exemptions has prompted several lawsuits accusing New York of violating either the First Amendment or federal law prohibiting employers from discriminating on the basis of religion. Many of the suits’ plaintiffs argue that they do not want to get a COVID-19 vaccine because cell lines derived from fetuses aborted decades ago were used in the development or production or testing of the vaccines. In legal papers, most of the plaintiffs, most of whom are identified as John or Jane Doe, insist that as opponents of abortion they must abstain from getting vaccinated against COVID-19. One plaintiff in a suit filed in Brooklyn, a NewYork-Presbyterian employee, is described in court papers as a Christian Scientist who opposes all vaccines and believes in the healing power of prayer. For now, the fate of unvaccinated health care workers who have sought religious exemptions remains uncertain, and will not be decided for at least a few weeks. A federal judge in Utica has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state from enforcing the mandate on those seeking such exemptions until Oct. 12, when he will decide what to do. In the meantime, the mandate can take effect for all other workers. At Northwell, the vaccination rate reached 91% on Friday, rising steadily as the deadline approached. Of the employees who still were not vaccinated, about 2,000 had applied for religious or medical exemptions. Only a small group of people are being approved for medical exemptions, including those who are allergic to vaccine components, Maxine Carrington, the company’s human resources chief, said. Being pregnant or breastfeeding does not qualify. Unvaccinated employees without exemptions that have been approved or are pending have until 11:59 p.m. Monday to get a shot or they will be let go Tuesday, she said. NewYork-Presbyterian set an earlier deadline for its workers to get vaccinated — Sept. 22 — and officials there said Thursday that fewer than 250 employees would lose their jobs. Still hundreds of employees remain unvaccinated: Around 200 got medical exemptions; more than 500 had pending requests for religious exemptions, according to a court filing. The state’s emergency order does not dictate exactly how hospitals or other health care employers should enforce the mandate, stating only that compliance is expected by Sept. 27. Vaccination rates vary among hospital staffs. John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in Erie County says that 100% of its employees have been fully vaccinated. At Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, 75% of the staff is fully vaccinated, according to state data; nearly 90% have received at least one dose, a spokeswoman said. Some hospital executives said they did not anticipate that any terminations would have much effect on medical care at their institutions. At St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, about 12% of the nearly 3,000 employees had not been vaccinated as of midday Friday, the chief medical officer, Eric Appelbaum, said in an interview. The group included three doctors and a larger number of nurses, Appelbaum said. Most of the rest worked in nonmedical roles, including housekeeping and food services. Appelbaum, noting that there had been a sharp uptick in vaccinations in the past 48 hours, said he was optimistic that a good number of unvaccinated staff members would soon get the shot. (There was a similar rush at the city’s public hospital system, officials said, with more than 2,000 employees getting vaccinated just this week.) “Obviously,” Appelbaum said, “Monday’s getting close.”

New York hospitals face possible mass firings as workers spurn vaccines

The management of Ford India Private Ltd is yet to come out with their plans for the workers who will be affected by the closure of its three plants — two in the southern state of Tamil Nadu's Chennai and one in the western state of Gujarat's Sanand, said a union official.

On September 9, Ford India announced that it will wind down vehicle assembly in Sanand by the fourth quarter of 2021 and vehicle and engine manufacturing in Chennai by the second quarter of 2022.

Ford India has four plants in the country — vehicle and engine plants in Chennai and Sanand.

Ford India has decided to continue operating the engine plant in Sanand while closing down the other three.

“On Monday, the Sanand plant management had a discussion with us. They wanted to know whether we have any questions on the company’s decision to close down the plants,” Sanand workers’ union General Secretary Nayan Kateshiya told IANS.

“We had asked them about the future of the engine plant workers and how long it would be operational. We also asked them about the future of the plants that are to be closed, whether they would be sold/leased out,” Kateshiya added.

According to him, the management had no answer and said they would revert.

“Work on completing the assembly of the cars that are remaining on the production lines is being done. The engine plant is running.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ford-to-end-manufacturing-in-india-take-2-billion-hit-411902">Ford to end manufacturing in India, take $2 billion hit</a>

Meanwhile, the Chennai Ford Employees Union (CFEU) in a statement said it does not accept Ford India’s decision of closing down the plants.

The CFEU has requested the company management to ensure jobs for the workers at the Chennai plant with the proposed buyer of the factory.

The company management is having a meeting with CFEU officials on Tuesday.

Ford’s quit India decision will result in an uncertain future for about 5,300 employees – workers and staff, Union officials said.

According to Union officials, Ford India’s Chennai plant has about 2,700 associates (permanent workers) and about 600 staff.

“In Sanand, the number of workers will be about 2,000,” Kateshiya said.

Ford India had said more than 500 employees at the Sanand engine plant, which produces engines for export, and about 100 employees supporting parts distribution and customer service, also will continue to support Ford’s business in India.

According to Ford India, about 4,000 employees are expected to be affected by its decision.

The management of Ford India Private Ltd is yet to come out with their plans for the workers who will be affected by the closure of its three plants — two in the southern state of Tamil Nadu's Chennai and one in the western state of Gujarat's Sanand, said a union official.

The management of Ford India Private Ltd is yet to come out with their plans for the workers who will be affected by the closure of its three plants — two in the southern state of Tamil Nadu's Chennai and one in the western state of Gujarat's Sanand, said a union official. On September 9, Ford India announced that it will wind down vehicle assembly in Sanand by the fourth quarter of 2021 and vehicle and engine manufacturing in Chennai by the second quarter of 2022. Ford India has four plants in the country — vehicle and engine plants in Chennai and Sanand. Ford India has decided to continue operating the engine plant in Sanand while closing down the other three. “On Monday, the Sanand plant management had a discussion with us. They wanted to know whether we have any questions on the company’s decision to close down the plants,” Sanand workers’ union General Secretary Nayan Kateshiya told IANS. “We had asked them about the future of the engine plant workers and how long it would be operational. We also asked them about the future of the plants that are to be closed, whether they would be sold/leased out,” Kateshiya added. According to him, the management had no answer and said they would revert. “Work on completing the assembly of the cars that are remaining on the production lines is being done. The engine plant is running.” Also read | Ford to end manufacturing in India, take $2 billion hit Meanwhile, the Chennai Ford Employees Union (CFEU) in a statement said it does not accept Ford India’s decision of closing down the plants. The CFEU has requested the company management to ensure jobs for the workers at the Chennai plant with the proposed buyer of the factory. The company management is having a meeting with CFEU officials on Tuesday. Ford’s quit India decision will result in an uncertain future for about 5,300 employees – workers and staff, Union officials said. According to Union officials, Ford India’s Chennai plant has about 2,700 associates (permanent workers) and about 600 staff. “In Sanand, the number of workers will be about 2,000,” Kateshiya said. Ford India had said more than 500 employees at the Sanand engine plant, which produces engines for export, and about 100 employees supporting parts distribution and customer service, also will continue to support Ford’s business in India. According to Ford India, about 4,000 employees are expected to be affected by its decision.

Ford India yet to spell out plans for workers affected by closure

Vaccine mandates for two groups of workers in New York hit legal roadblocks Tuesday, as judges temporarily blocked the requirements from taking effect as scheduled later this month.

Late in the day, a state court judge in Manhattan, responding to a lawsuit filed last week by a group of labor unions representing public employees in New York City, issued a temporary restraining order covering Mayor Bill de Blasio’s requirement that all workers in the city’s schools get at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 27.

The judge, state Supreme Court Justice Laurence L. Love, scheduled a hearing in the matter for Sept. 22.

Earlier in the day, a federal judge in upstate New York, David Hurd, issued a similar ruling that temporarily blocks the state government from forcing medical workers, including those at hospitals and nursing homes, to be vaccinated by Sept. 27.

The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of health professionals, including doctors and nurses, who say the state requirement violates their constitutional rights because it does not allow for religious exemptions.

Bill Neidhardt, a spokesperson for de Blasio, said in a statement that the ruling on the requirement for school employees — including teachers, principals, custodians, school safety agents and central office staff members — would not keep it from being imposed as planned.

“New York City’s education worker vaccine mandate, which has been embraced by the White House, goes into effect on Sept. 27,” Neidhardt said.

Henry Garrido, executive director of one of the unions, District Council 37, welcomed the ruling.

“The fight is not over,” Garrido said in a statement. “But we are energized by this decision and ready to keep going on behalf of our members.”

In their suit, the unions say they “support vaccination and encourage all employees to vaccinate if they are able.” Nonetheless, they argue, the city’s requirement is “extremely coercive” because it forces workers to choose between their jobs and doing something that violates their “bodily integrity and right to refuse medical treatment.”

The roughly 148,000 employees of the Department of Education are the first group of municipal workers in New York City to face a full vaccine mandate. The city’s other public employees can choose to be tested weekly for the virus rather than being vaccinated.

Vaccine mandates for two groups of workers in New York hit legal roadblocks Tuesday, as judges temporarily blocked the requirements from taking effect as scheduled later this month.

Vaccine mandates for two groups of workers in New York hit legal roadblocks Tuesday, as judges temporarily blocked the requirements from taking effect as scheduled later this month. Late in the day, a state court judge in Manhattan, responding to a lawsuit filed last week by a group of labor unions representing public employees in New York City, issued a temporary restraining order covering Mayor Bill de Blasio’s requirement that all workers in the city’s schools get at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 27. The judge, state Supreme Court Justice Laurence L. Love, scheduled a hearing in the matter for Sept. 22. Earlier in the day, a federal judge in upstate New York, David Hurd, issued a similar ruling that temporarily blocks the state government from forcing medical workers, including those at hospitals and nursing homes, to be vaccinated by Sept. 27. The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of health professionals, including doctors and nurses, who say the state requirement violates their constitutional rights because it does not allow for religious exemptions. Bill Neidhardt, a spokesperson for de Blasio, said in a statement that the ruling on the requirement for school employees — including teachers, principals, custodians, school safety agents and central office staff members — would not keep it from being imposed as planned. “New York City’s education worker vaccine mandate, which has been embraced by the White House, goes into effect on Sept. 27,” Neidhardt said. Henry Garrido, executive director of one of the unions, District Council 37, welcomed the ruling. “The fight is not over,” Garrido said in a statement. “But we are energized by this decision and ready to keep going on behalf of our members.” In their suit, the unions say they “support vaccination and encourage all employees to vaccinate if they are able.” Nonetheless, they argue, the city’s requirement is “extremely coercive” because it forces workers to choose between their jobs and doing something that violates their “bodily integrity and right to refuse medical treatment.” The roughly 148,000 employees of the Department of Education are the first group of municipal workers in New York City to face a full vaccine mandate. The city’s other public employees can choose to be tested weekly for the virus rather than being vaccinated.

Judges temporarily block vaccine mandates for some New York workers

According to reports, Google underpaid thousands of international contract workers, violating pay-parity laws in several countries and delayed correcting the pay rates for more than two years as it attempted to cover up the problem.

The tech giant’s compliance department discovered that it had been underpaying workers in UK, Europe and Asia since May 2019, but chose not to immediately compensate the underpaid temporary staff.

Instead, they only corrected rates for new employees in the hopes of avoiding legal, financial, and reputational damage, the Guardian reported citing access to internal Google documents and emails.

According to the New York Times, Alan Barry, a Google manager based in Ireland, feared that the dramatic pay increase would cause employees to “connect the dots” and "give rise to a flurry of noise/frustration."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-google-and-a-deal-that-controls-the-internet-337885">Apple, Google and a deal that controls the internet</a>

“I'm also not keen to invite the charge that we've allowed this situation to persist for so long that the correction required is significant,” Barry wrote in an email, per the NYT.

Google admitted the failures and said it would conduct an investigation after being contacted by the Guardian.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-executives-see-cracks-in-their-companys-success-393029">Google executives see cracks in their company’s success</a>

“While the team hasn’t increased the comparator rate benchmarks for some years, actual pay rates for temporary staff have increased numerous times in that period,” said Spyro Karetsos, Google’s chief compliance officer, in a statement.

“Most temporary staff are paid significantly more than the comparator rates.

“Nevertheless, it’s clear that this process has not been handled consistent with the high standards to which we hold ourselves as a company. We’re doing a thorough review, and we’re committed to identifying and addressing any pay discrepancies that the team has not already addressed.

“And we’ll be conducting a review of our compliance practices in this area. In short, we’re going to figure out what went wrong here, why it happened, and we’re going to make it right.”

According to The Guardian, Google employs over 900 temporary workers throughout the UK, Ireland, India, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Poland - all of which enforce local pay-parity laws.

Meanwhile, a whistleblower represented by Whistleblower Aid has filed a complaint about the alleged violations with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

(With inputs from agencies)

According to reports, Google underpaid thousands of international contract workers, violating pay-parity laws in several countries and delayed correcting the pay rates for more than two years as it attempted to cover up the problem.

According to reports, Google underpaid thousands of international contract workers, violating pay-parity laws in several countries and delayed correcting the pay rates for more than two years as it attempted to cover up the problem. The tech giant’s compliance department discovered that it had been underpaying workers in UK, Europe and Asia since May 2019, but chose not to immediately compensate the underpaid temporary staff. Instead, they only corrected rates for new employees in the hopes of avoiding legal, financial, and reputational damage, the Guardian reported citing access to internal Google documents and emails. According to the New York Times, Alan Barry, a Google manager based in Ireland, feared that the dramatic pay increase would cause employees to “connect the dots” and "give rise to a flurry of noise/frustration." Also read | Apple, Google and a deal that controls the internet “I'm also not keen to invite the charge that we've allowed this situation to persist for so long that the correction required is significant,” Barry wrote in an email, per the NYT. Google admitted the failures and said it would conduct an investigation after being contacted by the Guardian. Also read | Google executives see cracks in their company’s success “While the team hasn’t increased the comparator rate benchmarks for some years, actual pay rates for temporary staff have increased numerous times in that period,” said Spyro Karetsos, Google’s chief compliance officer, in a statement. “Most temporary staff are paid significantly more than the comparator rates. “Nevertheless, it’s clear that this process has not been handled consistent with the high standards to which we hold ourselves as a company. We’re doing a thorough review, and we’re committed to identifying and addressing any pay discrepancies that the team has not already addressed. “And we’ll be conducting a review of our compliance practices in this area. In short, we’re going to figure out what went wrong here, why it happened, and we’re going to make it right.” According to The Guardian, Google employs over 900 temporary workers throughout the UK, Ireland, India, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Poland - all of which enforce local pay-parity laws. Meanwhile, a whistleblower represented by Whistleblower Aid has filed a complaint about the alleged violations with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. (With inputs from agencies)

Google underpaid thousands of contract workers across dozens of countries: Report

The Canadian government announced Friday it will require all federal workers and most commercial rail, air and ship passengers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, amid a surge in virus cases due to the Delta variant.

"We know that vaccines are the best way to end this pandemic," said Dominic LeBlanc, a government minister in charge of Canada's federal bureaucracy.

"We expect federal public servants to want to comply with this mandatory requirement," he added.

A deadline for inoculations for some 300,000 public servants will be announced in the coming weeks.

The federal government is Canada's largest employer and LeBlanc said the vaccine mandate is "aimed at helping Canada reach a minimum level of coverage needed to fully reopen the economy, and keep it open as well as to protect thousands of workers."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/canada-to-accept-20000-vulnerable-afghans-such-as-women-leaders-human-rights-workers-405268">Also read |&nbsp;Canada to accept 20,000 vulnerable Afghans such as women leaders, human rights workers</a>

The vaccination requirement for the transport sector should be applied by the end of October at the latest, LeBlanc said at a press briefing.

It includes all commercial air passengers, as well as people traveling by rail between provinces and on large vessels such as cruise ships, local media cited Transport Minister Omar Alghabra as saying.

The country's largest carrier, Air Canada, said mandatory vaccinations was "a welcome step forward in the evolving measures to protect the health and safety of airline employees, customers and all Canadians."

As of Friday, 71 percent of Canada's 38 million population had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while nearly 62 percent were fully vaccinated.

The announcement comes less than a month before the reopening of Canada's borders to vaccinated foreign travelers, scheduled for September 7, a year and a half after their closure due to the pandemic.

The Canadian government announced Friday it will require all federal workers and most commercial rail, air and ship passengers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, amid a surge in virus cases due to the Delta variant.

The Canadian government announced Friday it will require all federal workers and most commercial rail, air and ship passengers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, amid a surge in virus cases due to the Delta variant. "We know that vaccines are the best way to end this pandemic," said Dominic LeBlanc, a government minister in charge of Canada's federal bureaucracy. "We expect federal public servants to want to comply with this mandatory requirement," he added. A deadline for inoculations for some 300,000 public servants will be announced in the coming weeks. The federal government is Canada's largest employer and LeBlanc said the vaccine mandate is "aimed at helping Canada reach a minimum level of coverage needed to fully reopen the economy, and keep it open as well as to protect thousands of workers." Also read | Canada to accept 20,000 vulnerable Afghans such as women leaders, human rights workers The vaccination requirement for the transport sector should be applied by the end of October at the latest, LeBlanc said at a press briefing. It includes all commercial air passengers, as well as people traveling by rail between provinces and on large vessels such as cruise ships, local media cited Transport Minister Omar Alghabra as saying. The country's largest carrier, Air Canada, said mandatory vaccinations was "a welcome step forward in the evolving measures to protect the health and safety of airline employees, customers and all Canadians." As of Friday, 71 percent of Canada's 38 million population had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while nearly 62 percent were fully vaccinated. The announcement comes less than a month before the reopening of Canada's borders to vaccinated foreign travelers, scheduled for September 7, a year and a half after their closure due to the pandemic.

Canada to mandate COVID-19 vaccine for government workers

Saudi Arabia has begun compensating the families of health workers who died because of the coronavirus as the government announced last year that each will receive $133,000.

Saudi Arabia has begun compensating the families of health workers who died because of the coronavirus as the government announced last year that each will receive $133,000. The kingdom said in October it would distribute "500,000 Saudi riyals to the families of those who died as a result of COVID-19 working in the health sectors, be it government or private, civilian or military, Saudi or non-Saudi". The official Saudi Press Agency announced the start of the distribution of funds to the families of those who have died as a result of the pandemic. They "gave their lives in the fight against the pandemic to preserve the health and safety of citizens and residents in the kingdom", SPA said. Also, the government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive in order to tourism and other pandemic-hit sectors. Also read | Saudi Arabia to reopen to vaccinated tourists after 17-month COVID-19 closure As of now, more than 29 million does of vaccine have been administered in the country of 35 million people, the health ministry announced on Saturday. Saudi Arabia has registered nearly 533,000 coronavirus cases and more than 8,300 deaths. Also, the country has decided to reopen its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1," the Saudi Press Agency reported. It said travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs -- Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson -- will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period", provided they also have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities.

Saudi compensates families of COVID-19 health worker victims

Peruvian police said on Wednesday they had dismantled an alleged criminal ring that had charged as much $21,000 per bed for seriously ill COVID-19 patients in a state-run hospital, aggravating care in a country hit by one of the world's deadliest outbreaks of the virus.

Authorities arrested nine people in an early morning raid on Wednesday, including the administrators of Lima's Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen public hospital, according to prosecutor Reynaldo Abia.

The scam was uncovered after police received a complaint from the brother of a man suffering from COVID-19 who had been asked for 82,000 soles ($20,783) to obtain an intensive care (ICU) bed and treatment at the hospital, said Abia.

Health Minister Óscar Ugarte told reporters the scam warranted immediate repercussions. "This is totally reprehensible," he said. "We cannot be negotiating with people's lives."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/peru-set-to-name-castillo-as-president-as-rival-says-she-will-recognise-result-399132">Also read |&nbsp;Peru set to name Castillo as president as rival says she will recognise result</a>

Corruption scandals around virus care have already rattled the highest levels of power in&nbsp;Peru. Outrage over prior allegations that some top officials had been granted preferential "VIP" vaccinations prompted the country's health and foreign ministers to resign earlier this year.

The hospital involved in the more recent scandal, administered by the EsSalud social security system, provides free care. Patients must endure a long waiting list for the 80 ICU beds the hospital offers.

During the peak of the pandemic, many patients paid large sums of money to private clinics as the public system neared collapse. The number of available ICU beds has since soared to nearly 3,000 nationwide, compared to just hundreds available in March last year, but beds are still in high demand in the Andean nation.

Peru&nbsp;in late May tripled its official death count from the virus and leads the world in deaths per 100,000 inhabitants from the disease.

Peruvian police said on Wednesday they had dismantled an alleged criminal ring that had charged as much $21,000 per bed for seriously ill COVID-19 patients in a state-run hospital, aggravating care in a country hit by one of the world's deadliest outbreaks of the virus.

Peruvian police said on Wednesday they had dismantled an alleged criminal ring that had charged as much $21,000 per bed for seriously ill COVID-19 patients in a state-run hospital, aggravating care in a country hit by one of the world's deadliest outbreaks of the virus. Authorities arrested nine people in an early morning raid on Wednesday, including the administrators of Lima's Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen public hospital, according to prosecutor Reynaldo Abia. The scam was uncovered after police received a complaint from the brother of a man suffering from COVID-19 who had been asked for 82,000 soles ($20,783) to obtain an intensive care (ICU) bed and treatment at the hospital, said Abia. Health Minister Óscar Ugarte told reporters the scam warranted immediate repercussions. "This is totally reprehensible," he said. "We cannot be negotiating with people's lives." Also read | Peru set to name Castillo as president as rival says she will recognise result Corruption scandals around virus care have already rattled the highest levels of power in Peru. Outrage over prior allegations that some top officials had been granted preferential "VIP" vaccinations prompted the country's health and foreign ministers to resign earlier this year. The hospital involved in the more recent scandal, administered by the EsSalud social security system, provides free care. Patients must endure a long waiting list for the 80 ICU beds the hospital offers. During the peak of the pandemic, many patients paid large sums of money to private clinics as the public system neared collapse. The number of available ICU beds has since soared to nearly 3,000 nationwide, compared to just hundreds available in March last year, but beds are still in high demand in the Andean nation. Peru in late May tripled its official death count from the virus and leads the world in deaths per 100,000 inhabitants from the disease.

Peru arrests state hospital workers for charging COVID-19 patients $21,000 per bed

Hungary is ordering mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for all health workers, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday, following similar moves by France and a few other European countries.

"We are not in favour of coercion, with the exception of one area, where we have made a decision that vaccination will be mandatory for healthcare workers," said Orban in his weekly radio interview.&nbsp;

He did not say when the requirement would take effect.

France on Monday announced mandatory vaccinations for healthcare staff, retirement home workers and others working with vulnerable people from September in line with similar moves in Greece, Italy and Britain.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/plans-for-a-chinese-university-spark-outrage-in-hungary-397614">Also read |&nbsp;Plans for a Chinese university spark&nbsp;outrage in&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;</a>

In Hungary, more than 30,000 people infected with coronavirus have died, making the 9.8-million population central European country one of the hardest-hit EU member states, according to AFP data.&nbsp;

But the EU member carried out one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the 27-member bloc in part thanks to its use of the Chinese Sinopharm and Russian Sputnik V jabs.

The infection case numbers have dropped quickly since May while all coronavirus restrictions including mandatory mask-wearing indoors were lifted in early July.&nbsp;

Since June however the vaccination tempo has slowed. Orban said Friday that elderly people who have not taken the vaccine will be visited in person to offer them a jab.

A third shot will be made available to people four months past their second Covid jab from August 1.&nbsp;

Vaccinations will also be made available to those aged 12 and over in schools during the two days ahead of the start of the school year on September 1.

Hungary is ordering mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for all health workers, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday, following similar moves by France and a few other European countries.

Hungary is ordering mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for all health workers, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday, following similar moves by France and a few other European countries. "We are not in favour of coercion, with the exception of one area, where we have made a decision that vaccination will be mandatory for healthcare workers," said Orban in his weekly radio interview. He did not say when the requirement would take effect. France on Monday announced mandatory vaccinations for healthcare staff, retirement home workers and others working with vulnerable people from September in line with similar moves in Greece, Italy and Britain. Also read | Plans for a Chinese university spark outrage in Hungary In Hungary, more than 30,000 people infected with coronavirus have died, making the 9.8-million population central European country one of the hardest-hit EU member states, according to AFP data. But the EU member carried out one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the 27-member bloc in part thanks to its use of the Chinese Sinopharm and Russian Sputnik V jabs. The infection case numbers have dropped quickly since May while all coronavirus restrictions including mandatory mask-wearing indoors were lifted in early July. Since June however the vaccination tempo has slowed. Orban said Friday that elderly people who have not taken the vaccine will be visited in person to offer them a jab. A third shot will be made available to people four months past their second Covid jab from August 1. Vaccinations will also be made available to those aged 12 and over in schools during the two days ahead of the start of the school year on September 1.

Hungary makes COVID-19 jabs mandatory for health workers

Over a dozen workers were trapped in a flooded highway&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai for a second day as rescuers made slow but steady progress in trying to reach them, according to state media.

Early on Thursday, water suddenly leaked into the&nbsp;tunnel, which is being built under a reservoir, trapping 14 workers more than a kilometre from the entrance.

The leak has been sealed, but rescuers have not been able to contact the workers.

As of noon on Friday, rescuers were 395.3 metres (432 yards) into the Shijingshan&nbsp;tunnel, state media cited Zhuhai's vice mayor Zhang Yisheng as saying at a news conference.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/china-all-set-to-escape-global-economic-slump-288659">Also read |&nbsp;China all set to escape global economic slump</a>

Rescuers were still 764.4m from where the workers were trapped, Zhang said.

Rescue teams were pumping out water from the&nbsp;tunnel, and the reservoir is being drained, according to state media.

The accident was the second in the&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;since March when a collapsed wall killed two workers.

The&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;is part of a major expressway in Zhuhai in Guangdong province, linking the coastal city to a bridge to neighbouring Macau and Hong Kong.

Over a dozen workers were trapped in a flooded highway tunnel in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai for a second day as rescuers made slow but steady progress in trying to reach them, according to state media.

Over a dozen workers were trapped in a flooded highway tunnel in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai for a second day as rescuers made slow but steady progress in trying to reach them, according to state media. Early on Thursday, water suddenly leaked into the tunnel, which is being built under a reservoir, trapping 14 workers more than a kilometre from the entrance. The leak has been sealed, but rescuers have not been able to contact the workers. As of noon on Friday, rescuers were 395.3 metres (432 yards) into the Shijingshan tunnel, state media cited Zhuhai's vice mayor Zhang Yisheng as saying at a news conference. Also read | China all set to escape global economic slump Rescuers were still 764.4m from where the workers were trapped, Zhang said. Rescue teams were pumping out water from the tunnel, and the reservoir is being drained, according to state media. The accident was the second in the tunnel since March when a collapsed wall killed two workers. The tunnel is part of a major expressway in Zhuhai in Guangdong province, linking the coastal city to a bridge to neighbouring Macau and Hong Kong.

Chinese workers trapped in flooded highway tunnel for second day

workers

Workers, News on Workers, stories on Workers, articles on Workers, Workers stories at Wion, Workers news, Workers latest news