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Belgium: unions mobilize against social policies and working time reforms
Today on 24 May the ‘united front’ of the FGTB, CSC and CGSLB unions organized both a demonstration in Brussels and strike action impacting the transport system, public services and several...
Spain: union division at Michelin in Basque city of Vitoria complicates implementation of the group’s new collective agreement
Due to the absence of agreement by the majority unions, Michelin’s new collective agreement will only come into force in a limited way at the group’s factory in Vitoria, at the heart of the Basque...
Hungary: agreement between auto parts maker Autoliv, an indicator of manpower shortage in auto sector
On 07 April, shortly after Audi (Gyor) struck its agreement (c.f. article No. 9608) Autoliv, Europe’s main seat-belt maker, signed an agreement securing a 10% wage rise for production workers.  ...
Russia: Eldorado project looks to attract young managerial staff into retailing
A dearth of young qualified professionals is affecting the country, despite the falloff in GDP. Not only is the research sector being impacted but so are both tourism and retailing. The Eldorado...
Italy: new national collective agreement signed for the banking sector
On 16 April, following a period of difficult negotiations that were punctuated by threats of the talks being called off completely, as well as work stoppages and strike action that had garnered...
Germany: Volkswagen workers secure a 4.8% wage rise as well as a new agreement on early retirement
In spite of the emissions scandal and massive financial penalties looming over the German automaker, the metals union IG Metall succeeded in securing a new ‘in house Volkswagen agreement’. In...
Austria: the slowdown in the pace of pay rises continues
The major collective agreements that have been renegotiated since the start of 2016 confirm a trend that started several years ago. Pay rises are getting increasingly smaller. At the start of the...
Helvetia: the Swiss insurance company has signed a minimum standards agreement with its EWC
On 2nd December 2015 , the group, which employs some 7,000 across Europe (including Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain), signed an agreement with its European Works Council...
South Korea: employees to sit on the management board of 15 public bodies in Seoul
Going forward, one or two employees will be designated as members of the management boards in fifteen public bodies*. Announced last week by the mayor of country’s capital, the proposal draws on...
Spain: judges demand majority unions to respect smaller unions’ rights
Has the domination by the two major union players, the UGT and the CCOO come to an end? This is what some believe, if a recent legal ruling is anything to go by. On 06 May, Spain’s National...
19 May 2016
Austria: parliament adopts a law against wage and social dumping
On Wednesday 18 May, Austria’s parliament adopted its first –law against social and wage dumping. For a long time Austria has been making provisions combatting lenient wage and social practices...
19 May 2016
Italy: final agreement for apprenticeships
On 18 May, Italy’s employers’ body, Confinindustria, together with the unions, Cgil, Cisl, and Uil signed a final agreement that sets rules over apprentice remuneration, which is a new provision...
Germany: the DGB launches the MB-ix index to assess the relationship between co-determination and company sustainability
On 12 and 13 May during a conference on the future of co-determination jointly organized by the Hans Böckler Foundation and the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, the Confederation of German Trade...
United States: new rules extending the requirement to pay overtime
Up until now workers earning more than $23,660 per year could not qualify for overtime pay. On 18 May new rules presented by the Labor Ministry raise this annual threshold to $47,476, affecting...
18 May 2016
Germany: wage agreement secured for 785,000 building and construction workers
As Wednesday 18 May dawned, and following long drawn-out negotiations, the German building and construction union, the IG BAU, announced that it had secured a wage agreement with the sector’s main...
Mexico: legal reform bill aims to give independence to the institutions tasked with dispute resolution and authorizing trade unions
In a bid to combat corruption and a lack of independence, the government will now have tribunals for federal and regional judiciary power administer labor justice. Specialized conciliation centers...
18 May 2016
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
France: Decathlon introduces a ‘duty to respect others’ right to disconnect’
A right-to-disconnect agreement was signed in late September for the French arm of the Decathlon sports retail group. It sets out a "duty to respect others’ right to disconnect" and provides...
14 November 2025
2
Netherlands: ING cites AI as it plans to cut around 950 jobs
Dutch bank ING has informed the employment agency UWV that it may cut around 950 jobs by 31 December 2026. In its notification on 20 October, the lender said the planned reductions stem partly...
30 October 2025
3
France: construction sector turns to long-term partial activity scheme
Amid the ongoing economic crisis hitting France’s construction sector, social partners in the public works industry (350,000 employees) signed an agreement at the end of October enabling companies...
21 November 2025
4
United Kingdom largely retained within scope of EWCs despite Brexit, study shows
A study published this month by the Institute for Economic and Social Research, the French trade union research organisation, examined how the involvement of British representatives in European...
5
Romania: collective agreement extended to entire insurance sector
On 3 November, Romania’s National Tripartite Council for Social Dialogue approved the extension of the collective labour agreement signed on 23 May by the Confederation of Employers in the...
6
Ireland: 2026-2030 action plan launched to promote collective bargaining
Irish employment minister Peter Burke announced on 5 November the launch of the Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining 2026–2030. Developed jointly with the Irish Congress of Trade...