All articles

EU: changes introduced by the draft regulation on the protection of private data in labor relations
Commission adopted a draft regulation on the protection of data which deeply reviews existing rules. Ariane Mole, Partner at the Bird & Bird law firm, has agreed to tell Planet Labor about the...
20 February 2012
Henkel: the German group banks on a work culture focused on performance, not the time spent in the office
An old tradition.  The group, which employs nearly 48,000 people in 125 countries, has been committed to families since… 1940! In the middle of the war, the company created its first corporate...
17 February 2012
Italy: intensifying movement against the new national banking collective agreement
Dissent over the agreement renewing the banking collective agreement signed on January 19 (see our dispatch No.  120046) is reaching “unprecedented levels” among signing unions and non-union...
EU: European Commission adopts White Paper on pensions
Possible reforms.  The European Commission still believes it is urgent, in spite of the reforms that have already come into force, to adapt pension schemes to demographic ageing and to its impact...
Germany: after one year waiting, the government coalition agrees on the draft law on the protection of employees’ private data
The agreement signed last week by the experts of the government coalition parties on the bill for the protection of employees’ private data is shortly going to put an end to a particularly long...
United States: Apple still under pressure because of working conditions at its Chinese suppliers
Even though Apple’s last report on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) among its suppliers, which includes a very thorough list of the said companies, was of unprecedented clarity for the...
16 February 2012
Italy: Confindustria employers’ organization kicks off the procedure for the election of its future President
On Monday, February 13, the Committee of the “Three Wise Men” (Luigi Attanasio, Antonio Bulgheroni and Catervo Cangiotti) officially launched the procedure for the succession of Emma Marcegaglia...
Germany: 2.7 percent wage increase for Vattenfall’s 15,000 employees
Initially, the wage committee of the three unions (IG BCE, IG-Metall and Verdi) was asking for a 6 percent wage increase, the extension of the job security agreement until 2018, and a new...
Denmark: agreement renewing the banking collective agreement
“These discussions were unusually long and complicated (…).  The economic situation in the sector and in society brought up pressure like I’ve never seen in all my years of conventional...
Spain: reactions to the decree-law reforming the labor market
Growing union mobilization.  Unions immediately openly rejected the labor reform the government adopted on February 10 (see our dispatch No.  120100) and called for protest demonstrations across...
Germany: demographic ageing at the heart of the coming collective negotiations in the chemical industry
6 percent wage increase.  IG BCE leader Michael Vassiliadis says that the high wage increase called for by his union is completely justified because of the flourishing economic situation in the...
Italy: historical verdict at Eternit’s super asbestos trial
For the first time, a multinational’s management is sentenced for an environmental disaster caused by its foreign subsidiaries.  The Court of Turin tried the former CEO of Eternit, Stephan...
Austria: energy sector avoids a strike and negotiates an increase up to 4.2 percent
The 21,000 employees in the energy sector won’t have to take their banners out to defned their wage increase.  While, on Monday, February 13, the preparations for two days of protest were in full...
Spain: new savings bank collective agreement sets framework for the expected restructurings in the sector
ACARL, the employers’ association of savings banks, and the sector’s majority unions (Comfia-CCOO, FeS-UGT, the Confederation of Independent Savings Bank Unions – CSICA, the Confederation of...
Greece: pay-related measures of the new austerity program
First, special measures on the definition of wages will prompt the payment of financial aid. 
Austria: call for strike after energy negotiations failed
Two days of protest.  Temperatures are going up and therefore risks of blackouts are decreasing just in time as the Pro-GE and GPA-dip unions, in charge of collective bargaining in the energy...
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EU: social partners in telecoms sign joint statement on AI
On 16 December, the social partners in Europe's telecommunications sector unveiled a joint statement on artificial intelligence. They propose an action plan for skills and commit to raising...
18 December 2025
2
Italy: collective agreement for rubber and plastics sector focuses on new skills
A month ahead of schedule, the Federazione Gomma Plastica employers' organisation and the Filctem-Cgil, Femca-Cisl and Uiltec trade unions have renewed the collective agreement for the rubber and...
5 January 2026
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France: social partner talks extend far beyond contractual terminations
After a false start on 3 December, French social partners resumed talks on 7 January 2026 on potential changes to the unemployment insurance agreement, including the rules governing compensation...
12 January 2026