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India: three unsuccessful attempts to reform the country’s mandatory pension and unemployment fund EPF
Between March and May, the government announced three crucial reforms in the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) scheme; taxing 60% of EPF withdrawals, barring employees from full amount withdrawals...
26 May 2016
Belgium: social elections results show the CSC and FGTB maintaining their positions with progress being made by the liberal CGSLB
Today, 25 May, Labor Minister Kris Peeters, delivered the results of elections to 3,000 Works Councils (WCs) and 6,000 Committees for Prevention and Protection at the Workplace (CPPWs) that were...
Italy: positive start to negotiations over pensions and work
On 24 May, in a move to thaw the ice of two years of tensions, Giuliano Poletti, Italy’s labor Minister, received the unions to open talks over pensions and jobs whilst Prime Minister Matteo Renzi...
Germany: data protection, working time, and psychological risks are the main topics in company agreements negotiated with the WCs
The trade union backed Hans Böckler Foundation argues that if you want to see the future of the world of work then you need just to look into the content of the most recent company agreements...
Great Britain: seven out of ten labor disputes are settled without going to court
Two years after the introduction of the mandatory ‘Early Conciliation’ system, under which one of the parties in a dispute must contact Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) before...
e-learning course on European industrial relations now available
In partnership with Planet Labor the association Dialogues has launched an e-learning course on industrial relations systems in Europe. The course targets EWC members and managers and is now...
Norway: an agreement marks the hospitality sector’s determination to take on a different dimension
Started on 24 April, strike action in the hospitality sector finally came to a close with an agreement between the employers’ confederation, NHO, and employers in tourism (NHO Reiseliv) on the one...
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...
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
Italy: Enel signs agreement to manage the effects of AI on work
An agreement signed at the end of July by the electricity company Enel (31,000 employees) and the unions Filctem-Cgil, Flaei-Cisl, and Uiltec is pioneering in the Italian energy sector. It aims to...
7 September 2026
2
Italy: artificial Intelligence on the menu of Barilla’s new company agreement
Prior consultation with trade unions on innovations related to artificial intelligence, strengthened training, and progress on parenthood: these are the main new features of the agreement signed...
2 September 2026
3
France: final document on the work of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference
After six months of discussions between French social partners, the guarantors of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference submitted the conclusions of the discussions to the Prime Minister...
17 September 2026
4
Germany: working time dispute between Mercedes and the IG Metall Union
The news. At the beginning of September, Mercedes-Benz asked employee representatives and the IG Metall union to agree to an increase in the weekly working time from 35 to 40 hours, without any...
16 September 2026
5
France: Bayer puts female health and inclusive parenthood at the centre of its equality policy
In a new agreement on gender equality highlighted by mind RH, Bayer commits to strengthening its parenthood policy. Furthermore, the company is anticipating pay transparency and introducing...
25 September 2026
6
Germany: major day of union action in the automotive industry ahead of collective bargaining
A few weeks before the start of collective bargaining in the German metalworking sector, the IG Metall trade union mobilised nearly 175,000 workers across more than 200 industrial sites on 21...
22 September 2026