All articles

Germany: introducing universal minimum wage and equal pay in the temporary sector will be the core of union action in 2012
For universal minimum wage and equal pay in the temporary sector.  The first press conference organized by the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB), which traditionally marks the beginning...
Portugal: enforcement of the extraordinary extension of fixed-term contracts
Extraordinary measure.  Act 3/20122 temporarily amending the maximum duration of fixed-term contracts came into force on January 10.  The goal of the measure is to keep unemployment from getting...
Spain: unions and employers cannot agree on all labor market reform issues
The social partners had until January 6 (now January 10) to agree on a labor market reform (see our dispatch No.  110745).  When the deadline came, employers and unions sent Premier Mariano Rajoy...
Denmark: CSC computing company signs two collective agreements substantially reviewing working conditions
A “historical” defeat for the union.  The conflict between PROSA (FTF member) and CSC burst out in February 2011 when the multinational’s management did a lock-out to oppose the strike organized...
Germany: focus on the election of union representatives in metal firms
Union representatives and WC, two different roles.  There are many of them in businesses, working on a voluntary basis and usually ignored by the public: “Vertrauensleute” are unionists defending...
10 January 2012
Russia: battle over temporary work
Short union victory.  On may 20, 20, the Russian Duma adopted, in its first reading, the bill presented by union MPs M.V. Tarasenko and A.K. Isaev (from the traditional Federation of Independent...
EU: the Danish Presidency’s social program
Strike and social dumping.  Denmark is going to take over the European Commission’s initiatives as regards the reconciliation of the right to strike and economic freedoms (Monti II draft...
China: notes from the China Labour Bulletin
“Unity is strength: The Workers’ Movement in China 2009-2011.”  The report opens with the story of what happened on May 31, 2010 at the Nanhai Honda automotive components factory when about 200...
Italy: the Fiom is organizing to reconquer union rights at Fiat
Starting on January 1, 2012, Fiat lost union representation rights at Fiat following the separate agreement of December 13 (see our dispatch No.  110779), the Fiom no longer receives contributions...
Netherlands: pensioners are going to have to tighten their belt
Millions of pensioners are going to have to tighten their belt in 2013.  The cuts will amount to 2.5 percent in average and cannot exceed 7 percent in any case.  Indeed, the Dutch National Bank...
United States: NLRB paralysis avoided for now
On Tuesday, January 4, Barack Obama appointed three new members to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB, in charge of enforcing union rights).  Indeed, after Craig Becker’s term expired on...
EU: the European Commission’s expected social initiatives for 2012
Monti II and posting of workers.  To answer the concerns European trade unions have because of the ECJ’s Viking and Laval rulings (see our dispatches No.  071012 and 071034) which, even though...
Poland: negotiations get tougher for the follow-up of the “Anticrisis” Act
The Act of July 1, 2009 on lessening the consequences of the economic downturn (known as the “Anticrisis Act”) expired on December 31, 2011 (see our dispatches No.  090611 and 090555).  Thus...
Netherlands: annual leave regulations brought in line with European standards
Until now, Netherlands law provided that employees on sick leave for over six months could only ask for paid leave for the last six months of their illness, i.e. two weeks’ holiday.  These days...
Germany: even ‘liberal’ economists are calling for high wage increases in 2012
Increases to support German and European growth.  “In theory, unions are rights.  After several years of wage moderation, the time has come to up the level of wage claims.  I think they will know...
Poland: report on changes to social law in 2012
Provisions on maternity, paternity and adoption leave are immediately effective (i.e. they apply to ongoing leaves).
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