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Netherlands: the next government is going to be hard to form
As 88% of votes were counted, on the morning of Thursday, June 10th, Mark Rutte’s liberals had 32 seats – only one over the socialists led by Job Cohen, former mayor of Amsterdam. The...
Netherlands: FNV explains why its supports the pension reform to its members
The agreement signed on June 4th in The Hague about the pension reform between employers and unions (see our dispatch No. 100454), five days to the legislative elections, angered the FNV’s...
EU: recommendations to improve EWC participation in electricity businesses regarding CSR
Project. This report is in line with the project carried out by the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), together with the Social Development Agency (SDA) entitled “EWCs – Learning...
Great Britain: projected freeze on social welfare and amendment of social laws
Freeze social welfare? Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron mentioned new severity measures to cut the country’s ₤156bn deficit. “You have to address the massive welfare bills” he notably...
Russia: safety at work discussed at the Duma following an accident in a coal mine in Siberia
Inventory. The Rostat agency found that, in 2009, 9,500 people lost their life or became disabled after industrial accidents in Russia. Several unions denounce employers’ attempts to save on...
Germany: majority unions and employers demand a law to limit the influence of small corporatist unions
Avoid endless strikes. The principle of “tariff unity” (“one company, one collective agreement”) which prevents competition between conflicting collective agreements for a single group of...
EU: Council of Ministers calls for greater national efforts on the “New Skills for New Jobs” strategy
Objective. At national level, the conclusions adopted yesterday, June 7th call on the Member States to invest into skills, financially or not, at all levels: businesses, individuals, young...
Denmark: unions mobilized against unemployment insurance reform
The government’s parties (Det Konservative Folkeparti and Venstre) and the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti) signed, on may 25th, an “agreement for the recovery of the Danish economy” aimed...
EU: joint statement from the European social partners on the Europe 2020 strategy
In the statement presented last Friday, the social partners point to the new economic, social and financial context born from the 2008 crisis. They point out that Europe’s delay in the recovery...
Great Britain: TUC calls on government to regulate drug testing in the workplace
More tests. In the new guide for union representatives in charge of safety, the TUC reminds that anyone working under the influence of drugs – prescribed or illegal – which have an impact on...
Netherlands: employers and unions push to increase retirement age
The agreement signed on June 4th should allow the future coalition to adopt a final act rapidly, and recommends increasing basic public pension (AOW) to 66 in 2020 and 67 in 2025, following a...
Austria: Austrian rail at the center of a political tussle about possible staff cuttings and partial privatization
Cut sites or staff? As soon as he takes his post, on Monday, June 07, 2010, Christian Kern, new leader of the Austrian railway, will have to face several complicated tasks. The crisis and the drop...
Greece: China invests following privatizations
Privatizations. The list of privatizations is jumbled: 39% of the ELTA Post, 23% of the Thessalonian Water Utility, 10% of the Athens Water Utility, at different levels, the OPAP games company...
EU: the “skills and qualifications” passport in the hotel and catering business is lacking funds
Visibility. The conference organized on May 26-27 finally ended the long process jointly launched in 1996 by the Hotrec, the sector’s European employers’ organization and the Effat, its union...
Great Britain: picture of British unionism
Thus, the number of members fell from 6.878 million in 2008 to 6.715 million in 2009, continuing the fall from the previous high of 7.115 million in 2003. The number of members fell continuously...
Italy: two new unitary agreements for the renewal of CCNs in textile and heat and sound proofing
The textile CCN. On May 21st, the Filctem, Femca Cisl and Uilta-Uil signed, with the Sistema Moda Italia (SMI), a unitary agreement for the renewal of the CCN in textile and clothing, which...
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1
mind RH analysis – Initial findings from CSRD social indicators
In 2025, for the first time, the universal registration documents of major European companies contain the sustainability reporting required by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive...
2
EU: right and far right join forces in parliament to dismantle sustainability due diligence
On 13 November, the European Parliament approved the report by EPP MEP Jörgen Warborn on the proposed omnibus directive, clearing the way for trilogue negotiations. Backed by the far right, the...
13 November 2025
3
Netherlands: ING cites AI as it plans to cut around 950 jobs
Dutch bank ING has informed the employment agency UWV that it may cut around 950 jobs by 31 December 2026. In its notification on 20 October, the lender said the planned reductions stem partly...
30 October 2025
4
Germany: EU pay transparency directive to force companies to ‘get tough’
Germany introduced a pay transparency law in 2017, meaning companies are already somewhat familiar with the issue. However, the broader scope and stricter requirements of the EU directive, the...
24 October 2025
5
EU: omnibus bill stalls in parliament
On 22 October, members of the European Parliament narrowly voted against a negotiating mandate that would have opened trilogue talks on the omnibus directive, which seeks to dilute the corporate...
23 October 2025
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Germany: ‘active retirement’ law adopted to encourage seniors to remain in the workforce
On 15 October, Germany’s cabinet approved draft legislation on ‘active retirement‘, which is expected to pass swiftly through Parliament. The bill would allow people who continue...