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EU: austerity course maintained
Staying on track.  In the debate opposing southern and northern Europe, the German view of austerity as the way to economic recovery is still a must.  And this is confirmed in the conclusions of...
18 March 2013
Luxembourg: EWC Directive transposed
Luxembourg
10 December 2012
EU: new measures to stop the “unacceptable” levels of youth unemployment
Booming unemployment rate among young Europeans.  “High youth unemployment has dramatic consequences for our economies, our societies and above all for young people.  This is why we have to invest...
Great Britain: activists urge government to activate “caste protection” in Equality Act as soon as possible
A group of activists, infuriated with the government’s action in terms of the fight against caste discrimination is urging it to activate article 9 (5)a of the Equality Act, improving protection...
Mattel: China Labor Watch claims employees’ working conditions are getting worse at the toy manufacturer
“Investigators, who entered the factories as production workers or carried out interviews, revealed a long list of illegal and unfair labor treatment at (…)one directly-owned Mattel factory and...
5 December 2012
Indesit: EWC becomes global works council
Composition.  This new international social dialogue structure will be made up of 21 employee representatives – 8 from Italy, 4 from the UK, 4 from Poland, 3 from Russia, 1 from Turkey and 1 from...
Volkswagen: new “Temporary work Charter” will apply to all agency workers across the globe
which the IG-Metall said it was a milestone, Volkswagen, the German carmaker, is committing to reducing the level of temporary employment in the group and to gradually introducing equal pay...
Italy: Ilva or the problems that can arise between environmental and employment requirements
After the memorandum of understanding signed in July (see our dispatch No.  120491) and the adoption of a €336-million budget to clean up the site, the Ministry of the Environment created, on...
EU: presentation of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs’ own-initiative report on socially responsible restructuring and the anticipation of change
Recommendations on the content of the legislative initiative.  In the annex, the report adopted on November 19 by the Parliament’s Committee on Employment (see our dispatch No. 120683 for our...
Spain: Iberia unions call for 6-day strike against social plan providing for 4,500 job cuts
Unions are joining forces for the strike.  All unions representing workers in the company (UGT, CCOO, USO, Asetma, Sitcpla and CTA-vuelo – which represents ground staff and flight attendants)...
Austria: government announces further cuts to employers’ social contributions in the even of short-time working
“With these new measures, it should be easier for businesses to use short-time working, which will mean fewer layoffs.  For employees, businesses and the State, it is better to keep jobs in...
Great Britain: three-year pay deal in the engineering construction industry
Members of the Unite and GMB unions in the engineering construction industry have agreed to a 7.7% pay deal for three years, running from 2013 to 2015. The agreement covers between 50,000 and...
Belgium: preliminary draft bill allowing temporary work on grounds of integration and to limit successive day temporary work contracts
Council of Ministers approved an initial bill aiming to implement the agreement negotiated by the social partners at the National Labor Council (CNT) – the national social dialogue body in...
Austria: 3.4 percent increase for agency workers
On Tuesday, November 27, the social partners in the temporary work industry – the PRO-GE union and the representatives of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) agreed on a new collective...
Great Britain: unions are stepping up their campaigns to improve the wages and conditions of their members in contract cleaning by taking industrial action
Each dispute has been long running and marks a stepping up of the ante by the union. The strikes will be preceded by a national rally in London and followed by a mass lobby of Parliament and...
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1
EU: MEPs demand directive on algorithmic management
Members of the European Parliament have called for a directive on algorithmic management. Such legislation would introduce obligations for companies to inform employees, assess health and safety...
17 December 2025
2
France: minimum wage to rise by 1.18% on 1 January
On 12 December, the French government announced a 1.18% increase in the minimum wage, taking effect on 1 January 2026. The pay level will rise from €1,802 to €1,823 gross per month (for...
16 December 2025
3
Argentina: government unveils labour reform
Argentina's ultra-liberal president Javier Milei wants to "modernise labour" with a new reform that has been greeted with opposition from trade unions. Submitted to the Senate on 11 December, the...
6 January 2026
4
United Kingdom: Parliament finally passes Employment Rights Bill
The UK Labour government's flagship reform of employment rights was passed by both houses on 16 December after a turbulent parliamentary process. The bill introduces numerous changes to labour...
18 December 2025
5
Poland: reform introduces possibility of working for another employer while on sick leave
On 7 January, the President of Poland promulgated an amendment to the country’s social insurance act. The reform aims to clarify the activities permitted during sick leave, so that...
6
Spain: government wants 3.1% minimum wage hike
Spain's ministry of labour has informed the social partners of its intention to raise the minimum wage to €1,221 gross per month. This increase is expected to be approved by the Council of...
8 January 2026