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EU: European social partners reach joint framework of action on youth employment
This text, negotiated by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the BusinessEurope, UEAPME and CEEP employers’ organizations, will be presented in Brussels on June 12.  Based on a joint...
4 June 2013
France: employment guarantee agreements rush?
When are employment guarantee agreements signed?  What’s in them?  And what about the promises made to the employees?  These agreements – alternatives to layoffs – will soon have a legal...
Portugal: UGT and CGTP call for general strike on June 27
The UGT has decided to join in on the general strike decided by the CGTP for June 27.  Support from the moderate union – which until now was the only one involved in dialogue with the government –...
Italy: Confindustria, Cgil, Cisl and Uil sign “historical” agreement on union representativeness and democracy
The agreement on union representativeness and democracy signed on May 31 by the three biggest union confederations and the primary employers’ organization defines the modalities for calculating...
3 June 2013
Belgium: should ArcelorMittal Liege be nationalized?
The rescue of the Walloon steel industry hogged the best of the weekend news after ArcelorMittal decided to postpone the nearly €32-billion investments it was planning for the cold-processing...
Poland: permanent adoption of the new anti-crisis act
On May 21, the government adopted the law on employment protection during economic slowdown (so-called ‘new anticrisis law’). The text mostly aims to prolong the short-time working support system...
3 June 2013
American retail brands come up with their own safety plan for textile subcontractors in Bangladesh
Walmart, Gap and a few other companies have decided to design their own program to monitor their subcontractors in Bangladesh.  Indeed, they’ve refused to sign the global agreement on building...
3 June 2013
Great Britain: government looks into appeal zero hours contracts
In an interview to People Management, Business Secretary Vince Cable announced that the government was reviewing zero hours contracts – a growing form of contracts with no minimum working time. ...
Germany: first report by Hans-Böckler foundation found wages should be up in numerous sectors in 2013
2013 collective bargaining is already well on its way.  In about 20 major sectors, the social partners have reached agreements, the outcome of which has been analyzed by the Institute of economic...
MSD speeds up development to move young talent into senior leadership positions
The Spanish subsidiary of MSD, a global healthcare leader known as Merck & Co., Inc. in the United States and Canada, enacted the “Internship Talent Program” in 2011 as part of its talent...
Denmark: Parliament approves bill transposing European temporary work directive
On May 30, after a third reading, the Parliament permanently adopted Act 209 which transposes the European temporary work directive into Danish law.  Unions were really waiting for this adoption...
31 May 2013
United States: Walmart under social pressure prior to its annual general meeting
Despite the fact that Walmart initiated actions with a view to improving its associates' scheduling in response to the strike action organised in the Autumn, including during the crucial Black...
France: reforms requested by Commission taste bitter
Following the publication of its recommendations to Member States for economic and social reform, the European Commission defended itself last Thursday from wanting to step onto national toes: Pia...
30 May 2013
Great-Britain : for the first time in a decade, unions grew according to the annual statistical report by the government department, Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
Membership for 2012 was 59,000 higher at 6.455 million workers compared to 2011. However, it is still considerably below the level of 2007 before the Global Financial Crisis when the figure stood...
Italy: the Fim (metalworkers’) congress approves the merger with Femca (chemistry, energy) to constitute a single Cisl trade union federation for industry
The 18th national congress of Fim, the metalworkers' trade union federation of Cisl, which took place in Lecce, 22-24 May with some 500 delegates in attendance, approved the merger with Femca, the...
EU: European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) says ‘new China’ is rising within the EU
If current austerity policies continue, the minimum wage will be at the level of the Shenzhen region in China.”  This is basically the conclusion made by the European trade union confederation and...
30 May 2013
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
Italy: new collective agreement for managers in tertiary sector
On 5 November, the ManagerItalia union and the employers’ association Confcommercio renewed the collective agreement for managers in Italy’s tertiary, distribution and services...