All articles

Netherlands: new amendment to the bill on pensions
n made a concession to the left-wing party in order to push the pension reform through: the lowest paid will still be able to retire at 65, instead of 67 after 2025, with no loss of earnings...
Corporate practices: ING DiBa, the German direct bank, is training apprentices over 50
A second chance for seniors.  “I am proud of myself.  I was able to prove that, unlike what people think, you can learn new things no matter how old you are.”  Christa Louis is one of the 20...
EU: working conditions and collective bargaining in 2010
hed on November 17, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin), analyzes the evolution of working conditions and industrial relations in Europe in 2010...
Netherlands: FNV disbanded
The FNV, 1.4 million members, no longer exists.  This federation, created in 1982 after the merger of two major protestant unions, is going to rise from its ashes with a new name, ‘De Nieuwe...
Italy: Council of Ministers agrees to the new government’s “austerity measures”
A decree to “save Italy.”  This is how Council President Mario Monti described it, explaining that this crisis could “jeopardize 60 years of sacrifices and 4 generations.”  The set of measures...
Denmark: new FAOS report analyzes changing union dynamics in the country
With traditional unions facing competition from low-cost unions (see our dispatches No.  110674 and 110123), the researchers are talking about an ‘organizing market’ to characterize the Danish...
5 December 2011
Netherlands: special team against fraud in temporary agencies
A special team, part of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, was set up on December 1 to monitor fraudulent temporary work agencies. (Ref. 110748)
Great Britain: seven companies in the construction industry to leave sectoral collective agreement to be free to establish their own working conditions
The seven contracting companies are Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES), NG Bailey Building Services, Crown House Technologies, Gratte Brothers, SPIE Matthew Hall, Shepherd Engineering...
Germany: unions and employers call on government to drop its plan to introduce a premium for stay at home mothers
Ideological battle.  When is a mother considered a ‘good mother’?  Is a mother who puts her child in daycare to go to work a bad mother, a “Rabenmutter” (unnatural mother) or, on the contrary, a...
2 December 2011
Spain: new president asks the social partners to negotiate proposals for a draft labor market reform by January 6
The future President, who will take up office on December 21, gave the social partners the roadmap for the coming labor market reform. He asked them to present a negotiated text by January 6...
Romania: the list of new sectors still has not been defined
Legal void.  Six months after the new Romanian Social Code came into force in July, the sectors planned in the text still haven’t been defined, to the great displeasure of union and employers’...
United States: draft labor deal between Boeing and the Machinists union paves the way for out-of-court settlement of the legal dispute over the South Carolina plant
End of the legal dispute.  Last April, the Machinists union turned to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which pressed charges against Boeing management for violating the right to strike...
United States: NLRB reforms union vote procedure
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB, federal agency in charge of monitoring compliance with union rights) approved, on Wednesday, November 30, the reform of the unionization procedure...
1 December 2011
Great Britain: two million civil servants strike against pension reform
High turnout.  British unions won a victory, claiming that two million civil servants went on strike on November 30 – government says 1.2.  According to the Department for Education, 62% of public...
Germany: 2.7 percent wage increase at RWE and beginning of talks on job cuts at EON
2.7 percent increase at RWE.  The agreement signed on November 29 by the IG BCE (chemistry) and Verdi (services) unions with RWE, second energy producer in Germany, still needs to be approved...
United States: American Airlines files for bankruptcy to cut wage costs
True, American Airlines isn’t doing well.  The group has lost over $11 billion since 2001.  The last financial report, published in October, points to $162M lost.  And forecasts for the end of...
30 November 2011
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
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
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
4
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
5
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
6
France: parliament approves suspension of pension reform
On 16 December, MPs in France's National Assembly voted definitively on the social security financing bill (PLFSS) for 2026. Several of the measures adopted are of relevance to human resources...
17 December 2025