All articles

EU: European Parliament adopts draft on single permit
Equal rights.  The text provides for a single procedure for the award of a permit for residence and work for third-country nationals legally arrived in Europe, even though the Member States will...
Germany: Federal Labor Court limits advantages negotiated for union members only
Preferential clauses are spreading.  The ruling issued by the Federal Labor Court (Case No. AZR 366/09) puts an end to a procedure which has been lasting for two years and concerns a crucial point...
25 March 2011
Brazil: unions satisfied with the outcome of 2010 collective bargaining
The study published by the interunion department of statistics and socioeconomic studies (DIEESE) analyzes the 700 wage negotiations, including collective agreements negotiated at sectoral level...
Alstom: unions worried about non-compliance with European framework agreement on the anticipation of change
Restructuring.  On March 22nd, the French group Alstom presented a restructuring program for its transport unit, providing for 1,380 job cuts in Germany, Spain and Italy.  “This program is...
United States: NLRB wants to toughen employers’ obligation to inform employees about their union rights
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which mediates conflicts between unions and businesses, is thinking about increasing the obligation to inform employees about their union rights.  The...
24 March 2011
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...
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
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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