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Germany: renowned economists and research institutes belie the theory of a striking lack of skilled workers
A censored study?  Are German businesses facing a penalizing shortage in skilled workers or not?  Since this summer, businesses, employers’ organizations and some economists (see our dispatch No...
19 November 2010
Austria: government facilitates access to part-time early retirement in the midst of the pension scheme debate
Alongside the Finance Act for the 2011 budget, the Austrian government has decided to make a measure taken last year easier which was supposed to make access to part-time retirement harder.  While...
Netherlands: Dutch people are the European champions for time spent in transportation to go to work
Traffic jams have become a national issue, and an electoral argument for the last general election.  Twice a day (at 8 am and 5 pm), the country is paralyzed, notably the west, in Randstad, a...
18 November 2010
United States: interview of Lowell Turner, professor of Comparative Labor Relations at Cornell University on the French union movement
Lowell Turner. It was pretty exciting to see millions of people in the street. There is a push toward austerity budgeting across Europe and America. But, when governments try to take away...
GDF Suez: interview of Bernard Parmantier, industrial relations director of the group, on the global agreement on fundamental rights, social dialogue and sustainable development
n framework agreements, one on health and safety at work and one on GPEC (Jobs and Skills Management Planning), GDF Suez is going ahead with international bargaining. The group announced, on...
GDF Suez: signature of a global agreement on fundamental rights, social dialogue and sustainable development
Since GDF Suez is present in several sectors, the agreement was negotiated with one or two representatives from the ICEM, BWI and PSI and coordinated by Global Unions (an organization which makes...
Great Britain: new strategy for training and apprenticeship shows the start of the State financially disengaging
The David Cameron administration presented, on November 16th, its action plan for training and apprenticeship.  The strategy is entitled “Skills for Sustainable Growth.”  The document starts with...
17 November 2010
Germany: the government, satisfied with the evolution of the employment of people over 55, holds the course for retirement at 67
Good news from the government.  “Entering a labor world adapted to age” is how Ursula von der Leyen entitled the 2010 report on retirement insurance.  It’s the first time this report gave an...
Netherlands: threat of continuing strike at TNT Post
Harry Koostra, CEO of TNT Post, the former public post, mentioned on TV yesterday the possibility of renegotiating the collective agreement and finding “creative solutions” to limit the number of...
International: 3rd UNI Global Union Congress shows the will to “break through” on transnational bargaining and unionization
Different funding.  With the G20 summit in the background in Korea, the global union’s congress mostly worked on the global financial and economic crisis. UNI, which, alone, covers thirteen...
17 November 2010
Italy: unitary start for the developments of the platform for the renewal of the banking CCN
The key unions in the banking sector (Fabi, Fiba Cisl, Fisac CGIL, Silcea, Sinfub, UGL and Uilca) announced, on November 16th, the start of a unitary journey for the preparation of the claim...
Latvia: new rules clarify requirements in terms of training to health and safety issues at work
Recent survey data show that about 89% of employees in Latvia have been informed on work safety issues, as indicated by Māra Vīksne, representative of the Labour Department at the Latvian Ministry...
Sweden: to increase its size, the Unionen union launched a free membership campaign
Unionen, the first union to take this type of initiative. The objective of Unionen’s board is to get 600,000 members – i.e. an increase of about 100,000 members.  That’s why the idea came, during...
Italy: to reach the young, the CGIL is using the “social guerrilla”
The CGIL is innovating while preparing for the national demonstration in Rome on November 27th and trying to revitalize the confederation’s image, with initiatives that are more on the same wave...
Netherlands: strike at TNT Post to reduce the number of job cuts
A first in the Netherlands: the main opposition party, lead by Labor Party member Job Cohen, declared, on Monday, November 15th, support to the strike organized by TNT Post’s three unions.  Post...
Czech Republic: adoption of amendments to labour and social security laws
Written formalisation of the “agreement to perform work.” First, the law introduces an obligatory written form for agreements to perform work (dohoda o provedení práce). This form of employment...
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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...