All articles

Germany: vote on draft legislation to train employees for the ‘work of tomorrow’
On Thursday, 23 April, Germany’s Bundestag passed the ‘Bill for the Promotion of Vocational Training during Structural Transition and for the Development of Training Support,’ or more concisely...
28 April 2020
Germany: ‘Coronavirus’ measures added to draft vocational training legislation
Germany’s legislature is making additions to the text voted by the Bundestag on 23 April on the current health crisis. In order to ensure appropriate functioning of works councils and the...
28 April 2020
Spain: chemical industry social partners circulate their ‘recommendations for the protection of workers’ health in the face of Covid-19’
On 27 April, the employers’ organization, Feique, together with the Fica UGT and CCOO Industria trade unions presented a joint document (here) containing recommendations for protecting...
Belgium: a plan to exempt overtime hours in ‘crucial’ sectors from social security contribution payments
On 25 April, Belgium’s Council of Ministers approved a preliminary draft Royal Decree (which has yet to be submitted to the Council of State) that provides for financial support for workers...
28 April 2020
Hungary: agreements at Audi and Mercedes to mitigate the economic consequences of the production stoppage
On 23 April, a new agreement was concluded between the Audi manufacturer and the independent Audi Hungary trade union (AHFSZ) that seeks to mitigate the economic consequences of the Covid-19...
France: agreement at Valeo that relies on social dialogue to ensure the application of its safety protocol for the resumption of business activity
The agreement signed on April 16 between the French global automotive supplier and the CFE-CGC, FO and CFDT trade unions aims to ‘create the conditions necessary for the upcoming resumption of...
27 April 2020
United Kingdom: Trades Union Congress demands risk assessment at every company before return to work
With the UK set to be under lockdown until 7 May at the very least, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has begun to voice concern about the easing of the lockdown and is calling on the government to...
Italy: social partners revise protocol to combat coronavirus in the workplace
Ahead of “phase two”, which see lockdown in Italy gradually eased from 4 May and will primarily concern production activities, the trade unions Cgil, Cisl and Uil and the employer organisation...
27 April 2020
Portugal: Volkswagen plant resumes operations under certain conditions
Autoeuropa, the Volkswagen plant in Palmela near Lisbon, is to get back up and running on 27 April. Only two production shifts are planned so that the constraints of the Covid-19 protection plan...
27 April 2020
France: Amazon loses appeal as court reaffirms central importance of social dialogue in risk prevention policies
On 24 April the appeals court in Versailles confirmed the ruling, passed 10 days earlier, which ordered Amazon France to limit work at its warehouses to operations related to essential product...
27 April 2020
Germany: disagreement over creation of ‘right’ to work remotely
When presenting an array of plans to modernise the world of work last September, Germany’s minister of employment and social affairs Hubertus Heil (of the SPD) announced his intention to...
EU: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work publishes guidelines for returns to work
Several European governments are currently planning a gradual lifting of the lockdown measures that were put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In its roadmap towards lifting the...
24 April 2020
Germany: IG Metall publishes practical guide with measures to prevent spread of Covid-19 in the workplace
As major automobile manufacturers in Germany gear up to boost production, the country’s metalworkers’ union has published a practical and detailed 30-page guide on how to ensure protection at...
24 April 2020
United Kingdom: more than one quarter of UK workers furloughed, says ONS
On 23 April, the UK government unveiled an analysis on the furloughing (temporary laying off) of workers amid the lockdown measures that have been put in place across the country. Entitled the...
24 April 2020
International: companies and trade unions join forces to act in support of manufacturers in textile industry struggling due to Covid-19 crisis
Clothing brands and retailers including Adidas, C&A, H&M Group, International Apparel Federation, Inditex, M&S, Primark, PVH Corporation, Ralph Lauren, Tchibo, VF Corporation, Under...
24 April 2020
Belgium: social partners agree on recommendations for exiting lockdown conditions
On 22 April, the social partners that met as part of the Group of Ten (one of Belgium’s social consultation forums) agreed on the framework that will govern the relaunch of business in...
23 April 2020
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Pascale Rauline (Axa EWC): “European charter formalises ongoing and accelerated social dialogue on AI”
On 27 November, Axa and its European works council (EWC) signed a charter setting out principles governing the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and guaranteeing social dialogue on the...
2
Germany: crisis-hit industries cast shadow over 2026 bargaining cycle
In 2026, collective wage agreements for nearly 10 million employees in Germany are set to expire. With upcoming negotiations in crisis-hit 'pilot' sectors such as chemicals and metalworking, the...
2 December 2025
3
Bulgaria: government approves bill to encourage sector-level collective bargaining
On 26 November, the Bulgarian government approved amendments to the labour code designed to reinforce the legal framework for sector-level collective bargaining. The reform aims to stimulate...
2 December 2025
4
EU: social partners in telecoms sign joint statement on AI
On 16 December, the social partners in Europe's telecommunications sector unveiled a joint statement on artificial intelligence. They propose an action plan for skills and commit to raising...
18 December 2025
5
Germany: Erwin Hymer Group’s innovative and award-winning AI agreement
Fed up with negotiating separate agreements for each new artificial intelligence (AI) tool, the social partners at Erwin Hymer Group (8,900 employees) have instead secured a broad, overarching...
12 December 2025
6
France: Orange submits gender equality agreement – including AI provisions – for union approval
The three representative trade unions at Orange France have until 10 December to validate an agreement on gender equality, work–life balance and anti-discrimination measures. While the text...