Wage Pressure & Labor Action: New Zealand’s MBIE workers (about 2,700) are stopping work over pay offers “well below inflation,” with unions saying immigration staff could be pushed into slower pay-band progress while living costs rise. Minimum Wage Fight: In the Philippines’ Metro Manila, the P85 daily minimum wage increase is set to proceed—Malacañang and the labor department say there’s no suspension—after calls to pause it over fears of price hikes and layoffs. EEOC Reporting Shake-Up: The U.S. EEOC has advanced a plan to scrap annual employer workforce diversity reporting by race and sex (EEO-1), moving it to public comment after sharp criticism. Job Market Signals: Malaysia’s MYFutureJobs platform still lists 96,700 active openings, with a large share in high-skilled and TVET roles. Skills-to-Jobs Gap: Australia’s trade shortages are persisting as apprenticeship starts fall and fewer young people expect to enter skilled trades—raising pressure on employers to hire and train. Public Sector Pay & Pensions: Thailand labor and enterprise groups petition against a proposed “Career-Average Revalued Earnings” pension formula that they say could cut retirement benefits. Hiring & Training Pipeline: Albany State University is launching eight fully online graduate certificate programs for Fall 2026, aiming at career-focused upskilling.