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Germany: 5.3% increase over 24 months in building and civil engineering
Wolfgang Clement, former Minister of Economic Affairs under Gerhard Schröder and mediator appointed by the social partners in building and civil engineering in early April, presented on Thursday...
Ireland: new government faces heavy social agenda
Collective bargaining.  The wind is turning for Irish trade unions.  The government coalition that came out of the February election is working on a legal framework strengthening the right to...
Netherlands: agreement in the light metal industry
Mobilization in preparation for a strike allowed unions to reach, on April 6th, an agreement in principle on the next collective agreement in the light metal industry (Metaal & Techniek) which...
EU: “European future should be based on a constructive trade unionism” – John Monks, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation
John Monks.  I have had enjoyable 8 years as general secretary of the ETUC and I have appreciated the privilege of doing this particular job. We have been in an era when workers have been more on...
13 April 2011
EU: European Commission plans legislative procedure to regulate the right to strike in case of conflicts with the freedom to provide services
The communication the European Commission adopted on April 13th defines 12 levers including funding for SMEs, intellectual property, the digital single market, public procurement, taxation on...
Italy: tourism social partners sign framework agreement on tax exemption for productivity wages
Federalberghi, Fipe, Fiavet, Faita, Confcommercio-Imprese per l’Italia and Federreti for employers and Filcams-CGIL, Fisascat-Cisl and Uiltucs-Uil for unions signed, on April 7th, a framework...
Finland: paper production white collars affiliated with Pro union go on strike
Paper production suspended.  The movement, which currently affects nearly 1,500 UPM employees, also affects the company’s headquarters in Helsinki, administrative and financial services, notably...
Portugal: social concern after asking the IMF and the European Stabilization Fund for help
Warning.  The CGTP warned against the consequences of outside intervention to support the Portuguese economy.  After an extraordinary meeting of the union confederation’s economic council, the...
Germany: German employers paid EUR 28 in social contributions for EUR 100 of gross salary in 2010
Labor cost slightly lower than in France.  The survey published by the German Federal Statistics Agency (Destatis) on April 11th is probably going to revive the debate between economists, at least...
Slovakia: key Labor Code reform in the offing
The bill takes account of the government’s program aiming to reduce unemployment and make the labor market more flexible, and of the notice by the European Commission for non-compliance of the...
Sweden: after consulting its members, Unionen announces priorities for coming negotiations
Expected results.  The survey was organized as a lighter version of the survey carried out before the 2010-2011 negotiations. At the time, the members were invited to answer two questions: how do...
Portugal: interview of Manuel Bravo, secretary for collective bargaining at the CGTP’s metalworkers’ federation, Fiequimetal
Manuel Bravo.  Indeed, the government recently resigned because of the austerity measures presented to the Portuguese population.  This austerity program was first discussed with Angela Merkel and...
Austria: Telekom Austria takes up internal and external interim
Last week, the President of Telekom Austria AG (TA AG), Walter Holtz, presented the new initiative of the former public monopoly, privatized in 1996 and listed on the stock market since 2000. ...
12 April 2011
EU: temporary social partners adopt work program 2011-2012
Competences.  Regarding European labor market policies, the social partners want to work on a joint contribution to the Europe 2020 Strategy – the new European strategy for growth and employment. ...
Spain: interview of Felipe Lopez, general secretary of the CCOO’s manufacturing federation
Felipe Lopez.  The manufacturing union federation of the CCOO is the key manufacturing federation in Spain.  It covers the iron and steel industrial, shipbuilding, defense, aerospace, information...
Italy: banking unions present unitary platform for the renewal of the sector’s collective agreement
On April 7th, banking unions (Dircredito, Fabi, Fiba-Cisl, Fisac-CGIL, Sinfub, Ugl and Uilca) launched the unitary platform for the renewal of the sector’s CCN.  They say they want to continue...
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1
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...