All articles

Italy: right wing union Confederation, UGL, is celebrating its 60th birthday
“The UGL is moving with devotion and humility through small and large negotiations, never feeling inferior, with a high growth – 14.7% – in 2010.”  It is by pointing to this “extraordinary result...
Great Britain: deregulation and improving skills on the menu of the 2011 Budget
Deregulation of labor.  To support employers, draft regulations which would have cost them £350M a year are cancelled, including the possibility to lodge a complaint for double discrimination...
Germany: adoption of the bill on the recognition of foreign degrees to combat the shortage in skilled workers
Make Germany more attractive.  Schavan, who wrote the bill, was full praise of the outcome of intense and long dialogue with the social partners, different ministries and experts, opened as early...
Portugal: “temporary” agreement between the social partners on the program for the improvement of competitiveness and employment
“Heaven-sent agreement.”  The social partners were quite reluctant to the idea of signing an agreement with a government ‘on death row.’  The General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP)...
Belgium: textile social partners negotiate 2011-2012 collective agreements
Margin.  Talks opened on March 14th within equal committee No. 109, which covers the 20,000 people working in clothing.  It gathers sectoral representatives from the key unions in Belgium, CSC...
Denmark: government and opposition agree on 2012-2020 working environment strategy
The agreement on the strategy for the working environment 2020, signed yesterday, march 22nd, between the government, the social-democratic party, the Danish People’s Party and the radical left...
23 March 2011
Great Britain: government reforms health and safety regulations
Focus on rogue businesses.  Following Lord Young’s recommendations in October 2010 regarding simpler regulations for health and safety at work (see our dispatch No.  100733), which the Prime...
Sweden: after tough start for the “Brev 2010” cost cutting program, the management of the Swedish Post commits to review work organization
A program hard to implement.  The objective of the “Brev 2010” program is to lower personnel costs in the services of “Posten Meddelande” (message post) via the automation of the sorting system...
22 March 2011
Italy: two key organizations of senior managers join forces
The national federation of managers of manufacturing firms, Federmanager, and the national federation of managers, executives and professionals in trade, transportation, tourism, services and...
Portugal: difficult social dialogue on employment and competitiveness without the CGTP
Difficult social dialogue.  The CGTP left social talks on the program for employment and competitiveness launched by José Socrates’ socialist administration at the beginning of this year.  The...
Austria: “Act against social and wage dumping” passed in preparation for the opening of the labor market on May 1, 2011
An Act valid for all.  Austria decided to protect itself by law from the social and wage dumping move which could result in the expected arrival of workers from the Baltic countries, Poland...
France: administrative directive clarifies procedure for offering redeployment abroad within the framework of economic layoffs
Equal pay.  Until the Act of May 18, 2010, employers had to offer any redeployment opportunity within the group, abroad as well, for a similar position or, where appropriate and subject to the...
Brazil: DGB German union confederation to open office in Sao Paulo
The German DGB will open an office in Brazil in partnership with the Central Workers’ Union (Central Unica dos Trabalhadores, CUT) and the Social Observatory Institute (Instituto Observatorio...
21 March 2011
Germany: GDL union signs federal framework agreement for rail freight train drivers
Wages in line with the Deutsche Bahn’s.  “On March 16th, the GDL adopted with private freight rail companies, without a single strike, the federal framework agreement for train drivers...
EU: report clarifies future skills needs in electricity
Challenges.  The report reminds the double environmental and demographic challenge the electricity industry is faced with: on the one hand, the EU has committed to reduce its CO2 emissions; on the...
18 March 2011
Sweden: agreement only just reached in banking and finance
Long and stormy negotiations with the economic crisis in the background.  Opened in October 2010, the talks lasted and led to an extension of the previous agreement which should have expired on...
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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
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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
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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
EU: Parliament supports creation of 28th legal regime for innovative companies
On 11 December, the European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs approved their recommendations to the European Commission as part of its preparations for a 28th regime for companies, as...
12 December 2025
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