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United States: uncertainty over the imminent NLRB freeze
Two weeks after the charges against Boeing, angering the Republicans (see our dispatches No.  110743 and 110655), Barack Obama appointed two members to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). ...
Greece: pay cuts in banking
In a letter to the Piraeus Bank staff, Director General Stravros Lekkakos presented his proposal.  The proportional pay cuts will be as follows:
15 December 2011
Randstad: adjusting the anticipation agreement establishing a EWC to the recast directive
Adaptation.  Signed in 1996, the agreement creating a European social dialogue structure was revised in 2009, during the transposition of the new EWC directive.  Since it is an anticipation...
Netherlands: limiting union power in the offing
The restructuring, planned for the summer 2012, of the country’s key trade union, the Federation of Netherlands Unions and Allies (FNV), is opening the possibility of limiting unions’ power. ...
15 December 2011
Corporate practices: Thales helps its employees change trades with the “Passerelles” approach
Employment expertise has been a part of Thales’ social practices for several years now.  In 2006, the social partners adopted an agreement on the anticipation of employment changes, professional...
15 December 2011
EU: adoption of the Single Permit Directive
Simplifying procedures.  The so-called Single Permit Directive will simplify migration procedures for third-country nationals who want to come and live in an EU Member State.  The third-country...
Italy: Fiat signs separate agreement for its new national collective agreement
The agreement signed yesterday is “a historical turn for our company and its workers” rejoiced Sergio Marchionne, Managing Director of Fiat S.p.A. and CEO of Fiat Industrial.  Valid for one year...
Romania: minimum wage up to RON 700 in 2012
Planned increase.  While the measure has yet to be ratified, the announcement is official.  Sulfina Barbu, Romanian Minister of Labor, confirmed that minimum wage would go from RON 670 currently...
Sodexo: new international framework agreement on fundamental rights at work
In this agreement, “Sodexo commits to see to it that all its employees can access the following fundamental rights, while conforming to the local legislation:
Germany: IG-Metall and Verdi union compete in industrial service provider companies
Outsourcing boom.  According to the IG-Metall, more and more businesses outsource a substantial part of their operations to cut costs, and not only non-strategic operations (catering, cleaning…). ...
Italy: first unitary strike for the Monti administration
After years of union division, the unitary strike against the government’s austerity program (see our dispatch No.  110750) called for by the CGIL, Cisl and Uil yesterday, December 12, was “fully...
Great Britain: Unite offers membership of 50p per week to appeal to activists involved in social movements
The move is also an attempt to provide an instance of the union movement having its own version of the ‘big society’, the idea promoted by Prime Minister, David Cameron, whereby many of the...
Corporate practices: secrets behind Scania’s ‘perfect’ age pyramid
Currently, Scania Group is one of the leaders in the manufacture of heavyweights, buses, vans, as well as industrial and marine engines.  It also offers and sells a wide range of maintenance...
12 December 2011
Sweden: unions are facing competition from private firms
How to offer union-like services without being a union.  Currently, there are two reasons why workers should join a union: their collective rights are defended and they get a multitude of other...
Denmark: large businesses and government are banking on CSR
The Commerce and Companies Agency (Erhvervs- og Selskabsstyrelsen) recently published an analysis on the impact of the “årsregnskabslov,” the law of December 16, 2008 which forces large businesses...
12 December 2011
EU: gas social partners officially ask the Commission to improve the social dimension of its future energy strategy
Initiatives.  “The recent proposals of the European Commission (…) do not take sufficient account of the profound changes in the energy industry and their impact on the companies, employment and...
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France: sectors feel economic slowdown to differing degrees
The latest data on France’s occupational sectors (branches professionnelles), covering the year 2023, show how employment trends are shaping workplace dynamics. After a more favourable period for...
2
Germany: apprenticeship openings fall sharply in manufacturing and chemicals
From 1 January 2026, Dutch collective agreements for temporary employment agencies will alter the employment conditions of temp workers. Agencies will be required to pay these workers at least the...