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Germany: new controversy over the introduction of women on management boards
Ursula von der Leyen, the start of Angela Merkel’s administration, thinks that there is no doubt that a statutory quota of women is necessary.  Over the past decade, almost nothing has changed and...
Denmark: new collective agreement in computing
Improving training rights.  Employees may add to their training rights for up to three years but, in theory, they can’t use them during layoff notice.  As in the trade industry, “training...
MAN SE: new international framework agreement on fundamental rights at work
After becoming a European company in April 2009 (see our dispatch No.  090353), the MAN SE multinational company (€16.5 billion in sales in 2011), which has its headquarters in Munich, employees...
Netherlands: soaring precariousness on the labor market
insurance released figures, saying that they were “shocking,” showing that no more than 2,000 people signed a permanent contract in 2011, as opposed to 83,000 in 2010. Fixed-term...
Italy: new agreement at TNT Post introduces bank of hours to improve parental leave
New flexibility.  Yet, introducing the new organization of the mail and package delivery activity over five days (bringing the workday from 6.28 hours up to 7.44 hours in accordance with the...
Germany: Hans-Böckler foundation says increased competition in urban mass transportation intensified drivers’ workload
Communal transport companies are under pressure.  Carried out by consultant Hubert Resch for the Hans-Böckler foundation, the study, entitled “Intensification of drivers’ work following...
Lafarge: in Indonesia, management and BWI international union federation extend the framework agreement to subcontractors
Joint platform.  This platform, composed of employee and management representatives, will meet once a year to discuss working conditions on the Banda Aceh site.  The BWI says this is a first step...
EU: European Commission launches consultation on the adoption of quotas for women on boards
Only 24 of the largest companies in Europe have signed the commitment declaration launched by Commissioner Reding last year to have at least 30 percent of women on boards by 2015 and 40 percent by...
Denmark: construction, packaging and textile industries renew collective agreements
An agreement dividing the social partners was signed on March 1 to renew the collective agreements in the construction sector, so much so that they called separate press conferences to reveal the...
Romania: temporary work is soaring
Starting out sector.  Indeed, in 2009, Romania was the European country where temporary work had the lowest rate – only 12,000 people.  Temporary contracts were even quite rare since barely 1...
Finland: social partners to resume work on pensions since the 2005 did not have the expected impact
New measures needed because of the rise in life expectancy and the important level of early retirement.  In 2005, the social partners and the government agreed to bring retirement age up to 63 and...
EU: European social partners present their work program 2012-2014
In 2012-2014, the European social partners commit to take the following actions: 
5 March 2012
Germany: record bonuses continue in the auto industry
VW’s bonus should be over €10,000.  In early 2012, Daimler kicked off the round of exceptional bonuses, announcing that its 125,000 employees would receive €4,100 in profit-sharing for 2011. ...
France: social VAT and several measures simplifying labor law were adopted
Social VAT and apprenticeship bonus/penalty.  The amended Finance Act improves the dual training bonus/penalty system and introduces social VAT.  This measures aims to reduce wage costs on lower...
Romania: employment market situation is getting worse
Increased fragility.  According to the study on mobility, carried out among a sample of 4,500 people, 10 percent of employees lost their job in 2011, a proportion slightly higher than for the...
Germany: IZA institute says the removal of systems facilitating early retirement at 55 greatly helped increase seniors’ employment rate
r first report on “A Labor World Adapted to Age,” Ursula von der Leyen, German Employment Minister, said that Germany made “remarkable progress” in terms of seniors’...
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What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
EU: right and far right join forces in parliament to dismantle sustainability due diligence
On 13 November, the European Parliament approved the report by EPP MEP Jörgen Warborn on the proposed omnibus directive, clearing the way for trilogue negotiations. Backed by the far right, the...
13 November 2025
2
mind RH analysis – Initial findings from CSRD social indicators
In 2025, for the first time, the universal registration documents of major European companies contain the sustainability reporting required by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive...
3
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
4
Germany: EU pay transparency directive to force companies to ‘get tough’
Germany introduced a pay transparency law in 2017, meaning companies are already somewhat familiar with the issue. However, the broader scope and stricter requirements of the EU directive, the...
24 October 2025
5
EU: omnibus bill stalls in parliament
On 22 October, members of the European Parliament narrowly voted against a negotiating mandate that would have opened trilogue talks on the omnibus directive, which seeks to dilute the corporate...
23 October 2025
6
France: cabinet adopts suspension of pension reform
On 23 October, the French Council of Ministers approved an amendment to the social security financing bill (PLFSS), confirming the suspension of the 2023 pension reform until 2028. This measure...
24 October 2025