Human Times

European Edition

20th October 2026

THE HOT STORY

VW plans to freeze salaries until 2030, works council says

Worker representatives at Volkswagen say the carmaker has told its human resources managers worldwide to plan for no pay increases through 2030. Germany’s largest industrial union, IG Metall, is pushing for a 5% pay increase. The company’s European and Global Works Council said the approach by management was "absurd" and it anticipated robust resistance. "At Volkswagen, pay development is decided at the negotiating table, not by decree from the executive boardroom," a spokesperson for the union said. No pay rises could mean a loss of income of around ⁠10% for those affected, due to inflation, according to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which first ⁠reported the news.

Bloomberg

Reuters

HIRING

Stellantis plans to hire hundreds more engineers

Carmaker Stellantis plans to recruit hundreds more engineers in Europe and the United States, in a hiring plan that contrasts with competitors, including Volkswagen and Renault, who have been reducing their workforces, including engineers. “This year we will hire multiple hundreds additional engineers in the different locations throughout Europe and United States,” chief engineering and technology officer Ned Curic said at the Paris car show. “It’s so critical for us that engineering stays and happens in Europe,” he added.

Bloomberg

Major UK retailers scale back Christmas hiring

Britain’s largest retailers are reducing seasonal recruitment ahead of Christmas as rising employment costs, inflation and pressure on household budgets weigh on the sector. John Lewis Partnership plans to recruit 10,400 temporary workers, down 3,300 from 2025, while Sainsbury’s is cutting seasonal vacancies by 1,500 and Tesco expects to hire 28,000 staff, 500 fewer than last year. Currys plans to maintain recruitment at approximately 1,200 positions. According to Indeed, seasonal job postings were 43% below 2018 levels as of 2 October, highlighting a challenging employment market amid concerns over youth unemployment and increasing business costs.

Bloomberg

LEGAL

Former chair of Monte dei Paschi accused of role in executive’s death

Giuseppe Mussari, the former chair of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, has been accused by an Italian parliamentary committee of ordering an act of intimidation that led to the death of David Rossi, the bank’s communications chief, in 2013. Rossi plunged from a window at the bank’s headquarters and died. A new forensic assessment has concluded that he was physically assaulted by at least two people before the fall.

Financial Times

The Daily Telegraph

New York Post

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Government wants employers to fund Danish lessons

The Danish government has proposed that employers fund Danish lessons for foreign workers before their arrival in Denmark. Kaare Dybvad Bek, the Social Democratic finance spokesperson, said during the Folketing's debate on the 2027 budget bill: "It provides a saving of 100 million DKK, but first and foremost it sends a clear signal that people who come to the country to work must speak Danish." More foreign workers have entered the country's restaurant and service industries in recent years, and this has led to more customers being served in English rather than Danish, he said.

Copenhagen Post

STRATEGY

Espoo to cut 140 jobs over three years

The City of Espoo in Finland has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 140 employees over the next three years. The decision follows unsuccessful negotiations with staff representatives. Initially, 80 redundancies will occur, with an additional 60 positions phased out by 2029, primarily due to retirements. Mayor Kai Mykkänen (NCP) defended the cuts, citing the city's growing debt despite current financial surpluses. The restructuring aims to save around €10m annually.

YLE Uutiset

TECHNOLOGY

Anthropic turns to lawyers to help AI agents strike deals

Anthropic is engaging with legal firms to understand negotiation practices as it develops AI agents capable of independent negotiation. These agents could negotiate prices, resolve disputes, and secure better salaries.

Financial Times

RISK

UK households stock supplies against infrastructure disruption

More UK households are keeping three days' worth of food and water at home amid concerns about extreme weather, cyber attacks and disruption to essential services and supply chains. The government's 'Prepare' campaign encourages people to stock up on food and bottled water in case of emergencies. Its annual National Risk Register assesses potential threats, including severe storms, food contamination by pathogens such as listeria, and emerging infectious disease outbreaks. These risks are classified as having a 5-25% chance of occurring and moderate potential severity.

The Times

LEADERSHIP

Lindt brings back former boss as steep price rises hit demand for its chocolate

Swiss chocolate maker Lindt has appointed former chief executive Dieter Weisskopf as interim CEO, replacing Adalbert Lechner, as the group seeks to restore growth following weakening demand and steep price increases. Lindt has raised prices by 40% since 2022, while sales volumes have grown just 2%, prompting the company to cut its full-year sales growth guidance from 4%–6% to 0%–2% in September. With shares down more than 25% this year and western European sales falling 10% in the four weeks to September 6th. Mr Weisskopf will focus on reviving the European business, strengthening brand investment and improving profitability, ahead of an expected permanent CEO appointment in the second quarter of 2027.

Financial Times

Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

Italian restaurant chain to pay $3m to settle sexual misconduct lawsuit

Il Fornaio, a California-based Italian restaurant chain, has agreed to pay $3m to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) over allegations of sexual harassment affecting at least 100 female employees, many of whom were teenagers. The lawsuit had said that the company fostered a sexually hostile work environment, with reports of groping and retaliation against those who complained. "Sexual harassment continues to be a widespread issue in the restaurant industry," said Beatriz B. Andre, acting regional attorney for the EEOC's Los Angeles District. The settlement includes three years of workplace reforms, including reinstating a dedicated human resources function (the company had eliminated its Human Resources Department), and hiring an external monitor to ensure compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Il Fornaio denied wrongdoing, saying that the settlement is not an admission of liability but a means to avoid the costs of litigation.

Los Angeles Times

NAB to axe 2,500 jobs in overhaul

National Australia Bank will eliminate 2,500 jobs as part of its strategy to simplify operations. This represents approximately 6% of its workforce and will occur during the 2026-27 financial year. At least 1,500 positions are expected to be cut by the end of 2026. The cuts follow a comprehensive review of the bank's workforce. "Our ambition and strategy remain unchanged. We will improve productivity, risk outcomes and execution to be a simpler and more efficient bank," said NAB chief executive Andrew Irvine.

Reuters

OTHER

Smaller babies perform more poorly as teens, study claims

Researchers from the University of Warwick in the UK have said that babies born smaller than expected at full term often perform worse academically as teenagers. The study tracked over 92,000 children from birth to adolescence, and found that lower birth weight correlated with reduced scores in mathematics and reading. Prof Dieter Wolke said: "Being small for their stage of pregnancy may indicate adverse effects on the brain that affect learning." Smaller babies may face challenges, but supportive parenting and educational environments can mitigate these effects, said Prof Siobhan Quenby. The findings were published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

BBC News

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