All articles

EU: European social partners agree to negotiate the review of the working time directive but disagree on the extent of the negotiation
A wide scope for the ETUC.  First to publicly speak about the project, thus causing a stir, the ETUC immediately announced that it envisioned a wide review of the working time directive in order...
Italy: metal unions sign unitary agreement with Electrolux on restructuring program in Italy
The agreement signed between the Swedish multinational and the Fim-Cisl, Fiom-CGIL and Uilm-Uil: 
31 March 2011
Germany: large businesses refuse the government’s proposal to increase the proportion of executive women
Mrs. von der Leyen and Mrs. Schröder tried putting on a brave face after a meeting which should have led to a change of direction regarding the integration of women into the management of German...
31 March 2011
Sweden: since temporary work is progressing, unions and temporary agencies are looking for ways to work together
A development which might frighten unions.  Over the last 2010 quarter, temporary work agencies’ sales had increased by 42%, reaching, for the first time, SEK 5bn (€560M) and there should be...
Germany: is bringing tariff unity back with a law not such a good idea?
Bring tariff unity back with a law.  A federal government spokesman announced that the next mediation meeting between the government coalition parties would look at the question of bringing tariff...
Great Britain: shop workers’ union alarmed about the categorization of shops as low-risk workplaces
Context.  In preparation for the simplification of health and safety regulations (see our dispatch No.  110189) and following a consultation organized by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)...
Romania: reforming welfare policy to encourage return to work
If the law is passed as such, welfare beneficiaries who refuse a job offer, a vocational training program (training or retraining) may see their welfare reduced or even completely removed.
Slovakia: permanent adoption of the law on maternity leave, equal treatment and EWCs
To avoid another reasoned opinion from the Court of Justice of the European Union for incomplete transposition of Directive 2002/71 on the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards...
Great Britain: British Airways employees vote to back strike action to protest against the management’s retaliation against the strike movement in 2010
The original dispute of 2009 concerned staffing levels and the unilateral imposition of change relating to this. However, those issues have been largely settled, with the new issues emerging of...
29 March 2011
Spain: limiting appeal to temporary work in high voltage electricity
According to CCOO’s manufacturing federation, “it would have been bad both for the interests of maintenance and assembly employees and for the interests of the businesses themselves if risky work...
Italy: executive committee of the Cisl’s metal federation, Fim, defines priorities for 2011
The national executive committee of the Fim-Cisl, gathered in Rome on March 23rd, almost unanimously approved (3 abstentions) its strategy for the coming months, asking its secretariat to draw up...
Netherlands: the fate of precarious workers at the center of ongoing negotiations for collective agreements
“Permanent contracts have to remain the rule.”  This is a priority for the FNV, the country’s key union Confederation, and its member federations stick to it: in all the collective agreements...
Great Britain: great turnout for TUC demonstration against government austerity policy
The turnout was considerably higher than the 100,000 the TUC had predicted in the weeks running up to the demonstration. The breadth of those participating was extensive from unions to pensioner...
Germany: Verdi union and Deutsche Telekom agree on increases ranging between 3.15 and 5.15%
The intervention of a mediator, four meetings in three months and several warning strikes were necessary for the social partners to agree on wage increase counting among the highest increases...
Romania: key novelties of the new Labor Code
 Costel Gilca.  The recent reform is the most important in labor law since 1989 and the fall of communism.  The current code, which will become null 30 days after the new law is published in the...
Germany: new Act against social dumping in temporary sector blamed for lacking in ambition and being unclear
General agreement on minimum wage in the temporary sector.  Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Minister of Employment and Social Affairs, openly rejoiced, on Thursday, March 24th, of the amendment to...
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1
Spain: government seeks to strengthen protection for employee whistleblowers
On 28 July, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved a draft bill aimed at providing legal protection to employees who report corruption or breaches of labour law, shielding them from potential...
27 August 2026
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France: Cabinet adopts pay transparency bill
After several months of delay beyond the European deadline of 7 June 2026, French Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou finally presented the bill transposing the Pay Transparency Directive to the...
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Germany: IG Metall demands 5% pay rise amid severe pressure
Despite the crisis hitting the automotive industry, the leadership of the German trade union IG Metall announced on Wednesday 23 September that it would be asking for a 5% pay increase as well as...
23 September 2026
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Italy: Crédit Agricole introduces a handbook on managerial behaviour
The document adopted in mid-July by Crédit Agricole Italia and the main banking trade unions goes beyond the proper use of meetings and emails. This six-point handbook aims to foster constructive...
3 September 2026
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Spain: government revisits its draft decree on salary transparency
The Spanish Ministry of Labour has opened a consultation on the transposition of the European directive on salary transparency and the reduction of the gender pay gap. This decision follows a...
8 September 2026
6
Slovakia: 6% increase in the minimum wage from 1 January 2027
The news. As Slovakia’s social partners failed to reach an agreement during tripartite negotiations, Labour Minister Erik Tomas has decided to increase the minimum wage by 6% from 1 January...
1 September 2026