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A look back at 2024: addressing the skills shortage in every way possible
A whole range of levers were activated in 2024 to tackle the skills shortage currently affecting a large number of countries, from strengthening vocational training to keeping older people in work...
Canada: labour migration to be curbed in 2025
The measures announced by the government on 18 September to reduce labour immigration are coming into force. As of 1 January 2025, the spouses of foreign workers can only obtain a work permit if...
EU: Poland presents social programme for Council Presidency
Poland has set out the programme for its Presidency of the Council of the EU, which runs from 1 January to 30 June 2025. On the social front, the centrist government has announced legislative...
Germany: debate rages on introducing one-day wait for sick pay and ditching electronic system
Amid a sharp rise in absenteeism in Germany since the pandemic, a debate has emerged on whether the country should abolish pay on the first day of sick leave. With this in mind, several employers'...
13 January 2025
A look back at 2024: international social dialogue of growing importance to large companies
While 2023 was marked at European level by the failure to negotiate a framework agreement on telework, it was the strengthening of the directive on European works councils that was in the news in...
Luxembourg: an extra day’s holiday for employees in construction and civil engineering sector
After tough negotiations, the OGBL and LCGB trade unions and the employers’ organisations in Luxembourg’s construction and civil engineering sector finally reached an agreement on 20...
A look back at 2024: a shift towards AI regulation
With the adoption of a European regulation on artificial intelligence, a first step has been taken towards regulating AI in the world of work. This text, which will come into force definitively on...
France: trade unions push for social dialogue to promote proper use of AI
Convinced that employee representatives have a major role to play in the introduction of an artificial intelligence project within a company, so as to “establish and guarantee trust“...
A look back at 2024: not such a positive year for sustainability
Last year saw the definitive adoption of the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, completing an ambitious European regulatory framework on CSR. However, there is rising...
8 January 2025
Netherlands: 6% pay rise in the food retail sector
At the end of December, the social partners in the retail sector signed a new collective agreement valid retroactively from 1 July 2024 to 1 April 2026, i.e. for a period of 21 months. The...
Germany: vast savings and job cuts plan agreed at Volkswagen but it is not a panacea
Following historic negotiations, the IG Metall trade union, the central works council and Volkswagen management agreed on Friday 20 December on major cost-cutting measures and significant...
Netherlands: minimum wage rises by 2.7% on 1 January 2025
The gross statutory minimum wage in the Netherlands has been increased by 2.73% with effect from 1 January. The wage level rises from €13.68 to €14.06 an hour for full-time employees...
China: gig economy delivery workers forced to take a rest
Two Chinese online sales platforms, Ele.me and Meituan, have just adopted draconian measures that alert or forcibly disconnect couriers who work excessively long hours, with the aim of preventing...
6 January 2025
Argentina: minimum wage to rise gradually in 2025
In the absence of agreement within the National Council for Employment, Productivity, and the Adjustable Minimum Living Wage – a body comprising representatives of employers, trade unions...
France: social agreement struck at Renault amid crisis in automotive sector
On 19 December, carmaker Renault and the CFDT and CFE-CGC trade unions signed a new social agreement for the period 2025-2027. It covers skills, work organisation, social protection and non-wage...
Spain: agreement reached by government and unions to reduce working week to 37.5 hours
The agreement signed on 20 December by Spanish labour minister Yolanda Díaz and representatives of the CCOO and UGT unions provides for a reduction in the working week from the current 40 hours to...
20 December 2024
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
EU: Commission proposes loosening of AI regulations
On 19 November, the European Commission published a proposal for an omnibus regulation aimed at simplifying the AI Act in order to ‘ensure the swift, smooth and proportionate implementation’ of...
24 November 2025
2
EU: list of new CSRD reporting standards finalised
On 4 December, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) presented the revised list of reporting indicators under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which...
5 December 2025
3
EU: co-legislators strike agreement on Omnibus Directive
The European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached an agreement on the night of 8 December on the weakening of the directives on corporate sustainability reporting (CSRD) and corporate...
9 December 2025
4
EU: Parliament formally adopts omnibus, diluting due diligence rules
On 16 December, the European Parliament formally approved the omnibus package amending the EU corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence directives. Their application has been pushed...
16 December 2025
5
Italy: three executives from luxury goods group Tod’s investigated over worker exploitation
Italian authorities are once again turning their attention to working conditions in the luxury goods supply chain. On 20 November, the Milan public prosecutor charged three senior executives of...
28 November 2025
6
Fashion brands accused of violating trade union freedoms in Asia
On 27 November, Amnesty International released a report denouncing widespread violations of trade union freedoms in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka by both governments and suppliers to...
28 November 2025