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Great Britain: Vestas and Linamar, two long conflicts, two different outcomes
In mid-July 2009, Vestas announced the closure of its two plants in the Isle of Wight, employing some 600 workers and citing the restrictive nature of planning laws in Britain as having choked off...
EU: European Commission points to working conditions in retail trade
A sector with a horizontal nature.  “Retail services act as a link between a multitude of upstream and downstream markets, making it a key player in the European economy” points out the document...
EU: guidelines to tackle third-party violence and harassment in education, private security and local authorities
Varied violence. Such type of violence and harassment can take different forms, according to the social partners: physical, psychological, verbal or sexual, originate from an individual or a...
Italy: tension is rising after Fiat announced the relocation of production in Serbia
Right and left wing protest from political and union forces followed the declarations, last week, of Fiat’s managing director, Sergio Marchionne, to the La Repubblica daily. Presenting his...
Great Britain: key novelties of the Equality Act in terms of labor law
Protected people. The act prohibits discrimination at work in terms of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex...
EU: the ETUC publishes its guide on the new EWC directive
This guide was developed by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to help employees' representatives "make the most of the new provisions in" Community Directive No. 2009/38 on EWCs. This...
Great Britain: employers have to remove health questionnaires from recruitment procedures
A widespread practice. A survey carried out by the Pannone law firm among over 100 human resources managers and senior managers found that 50% of them ask applicants to fill in a health...
France: three in four unions signed the recovery agreement at GM Strasbourg
Except the CGT, all unions signed, today, Friday, July 23, the recovery agreement approved by the employees last Monday within the framework of an internal referendum. Put up for sale by General...
Portugal: government allows large supermarkets to open on Sunday, putting an end to an exception to trade regulations
Opening. The Council of Portuguese Ministers decided to terminate the exception for opening hours of large supermarkets (200m2). The establishments concerned may open from 6am to midnight, like...
Great Britain: unions are choosing candidates for the leadership of the Labour Party
There are currently fifteen unions affiliated to the Labour Party, comprising some 3.5 million members. The unions are the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef)...
Great Britain: unions divided over the opening of talks with the government
The General Council is comprised of around thirty members of the affiliated unions, some of which have seats automatically because of their size (over 200,000 members) and others from the smaller...
Luxembourg: extraordinary leaves for personal reasons extended to employees with a Civil Solidarity Pact
In addition to annual paid leaves, Luxembourg law grants employees a series of special leaves called “extraordinary” leaves to better reconcile private and professional life (2 days for the birth...
Etex: construction material firm signs health and safety on the workplace Charter
Procedures. Present in many European countries, Etex is a Belgian company specialized in construction materials. In June, it adopted a charter to better protect its workers and the environment...
Italy: Fiom-CGIL central committee elects new national secretariat
Gathered in Rome on July 19-20, the central committee of the Fiom elected its new national secretariat. The latter is composed of Maurizio Landini – general secretary and signatory of the document...
Finland: unions and employers relatively happy with collective negotiations, in spite of the recession due to the financial crisis and many conflicts
Unions are satisfied. The SAK union confederation considered that, in spite of particularly complicated economic conditions, the outcome is quite positive. In the fall 2009, collectively-agreed...
Spain: unions object to the decree-law amending savings banks
Candido Mendez, UGT general  secretary, and Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, his counterpart at CCOO, rejected what they call the “penetration of banking services” into savings banks, in a process which...
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1
France: Medef puts forward proposals to improve management quality
On 31 August, Medef, French main employers' organisation, published a practical guide to managerial skills, which it considers to be a driver of economic performance for businesses. Concerned by...
2
AI: uneven integration but a global challenge for the world of work
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in business is profoundly transforming the world of work, and some occupations are now under threat. However, the full extent of its effects remains...
3
France: Ministry of Labour unveils plan to accelerate the rollout of AI
On 22 September, the French Ministry of Labour presented a plan named Impulsion IA 2027 aimed at accelerating the adoption of AI by companies and employees. It contains 12 measures applicable from...
4
Germany: AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt raises concerns over labour supply and workplace cohesion
The rise of Germany’s far-right AfD, which could soon gain influence over migration policy in Saxony-Anhalt and, following elections on September 20, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well, is...
5
Netherlands: towards a ban on housing cost deductions from migrant workers’ wages
The news. On September 10, Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Hans Vijlbrief (centre-left) sent a letter to the House of Representatives, stating that he intends to prohibit employers...
6
UE: Commission proposes measures to facilitate “fair” worker mobility across the Union
The info. On 15 September, the European Commission adopted a series of measures aimed at encouraging “fair” worker mobility within the EU. It wants to remove the administrative...