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Italy: a job as prize in a supermarket contest
The Tigros supermarket chain (Lombardy) set the example with the first contest of this kind in three provinces (Varese, Verbania and Novara) in September 2009. For one month, it brought into play...
France: summary of the social partners’ work at cross-industry level
ations are still working on the social projects started in 2009. The key fieldworks of these negotiations, which are going to last until next spring, include employment, the modernization of...
Germany: IG-Metall wants to bargain for collective agreements two months early
“The current state of talks (editor’s note: with employers) is advanced enough so we can quickly start early collective bargaining with employers” said Jorg Hoffmann, leader of the IG-Metall in...
Spain: government presents draft labor market reform
After the controversy sparked off by the reform of the pension scheme and the government’s comings and goings around the issue of the possible extension of the duration of contributions (see our...
Sweden: Sandvik’s new company agreement provides for 500 leaves, including about 100 for demotivated or low-skilled workers
egotiated in June 2009 is nearing its end, Sandvik, world equipment leader, negotiated with unions indirect means to have 500 collaborators leave. One of the planned measures is to encourage...
Netherlands: Parliament criticizes plan to limit severance pay for high wages
This is an unusual situation: on February 3, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA, in power), rejected, in Parliament, a reform presented by one of its own Ministers, Piet Hein Donner. The Labor...
Estonia: applying European law will force employers to better pay third-country employees
In Estonia, citizens from the European Union (EU) and Switzerland don’t need a work permit to perform paid employment. All they have to do is declare their place of residence within three months...
Chile: new public agency to validate workers’ professional skills
The new public human resources agency, called “Chile Valora,” will examine Chilean workers’ skill level and give them certificates matching their professional category. The goal is to certify...
Spain: unions angered by the government’s tactlessness on the pension case
2009-13″ sent by the government to Brussels turned unions and people’s heads upside down. In this document, the government expressed its will to bring from 15 to 25 the number of years...
Germany: works councils will be elected from March 1 to May 31
Elections in every company with 5 or more employees. A works council may be elected in every establishment employing 5 or more workers, provided that the latter want it. If no worker takes the...
Italy: Intesa Sanpaolo signs group agreement on employment with exceptions to the CCN’s minimum rules
lo signed an agreement with banking unions on an employment program for the group. The Fisac-CGIL refused to sign the text which provides that, for four years, new employees’ wages will be...
Germany: Verdi union demands better working conditions for banking employees during next round of collective bargaining
Tremendous mental pressure, Ver.di says. Convinced that the financial crisis was partly caused by worsening working conditions in banks (high pressure, race for marketing goals, stress, leaves...
Slovenia: bill on minimum wage to take better account of increasing cost of living
The few weeks that preceded the adoption of the bill on January 21 and its transmission to the MPs on January 28 were characterized by a lot of controversy between the social partners and the...
Luxembourg: social partners renew transport collective agreement
The agreement applies to all professional firms of merchandise transport by road, moving, courier, express mail and logistics. Thus, it covers around 10,000 employees. Open one year ago, the...
International Paper: agreement establishing the EWC
This agreement, subject to British law, established a European Works Council where “central management will provide transnational information relating to its operations in the European Union (EU)...
EU: evolution of the employment market in telecoms by 2020
Major profit in a sector that employs less. In the introduction, the report notes that, in 2005, the sector’s added value amounted to €190.3 billion, €136 from the “big five,” i.e. the UK...
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1
Spain: already well on the way to pay transparency?
Spain is preparing for the implementation of its national law transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which will take effect on 7 June 2026. The legislation marks another step forward in...
5 November 2025
2
Italy: decree-law adopted to increase workplace safety
On 28 October, the Italian cabinet adopted a decree-law on health and safety at work, aimed at preventing and reducing accidents. The text addresses both the powers and actions of supervisory...
4 November 2025
3
Romania: parents of children with disabilities granted up to eight days of remote work per month
On 9 October, the Romanian parliament adopted a bill aiming to bolster support for parents of children with disabilities up to the age of 18. The legislation, which came into force on 12 October...
4
EU: Court of Justice largely upholds directive on adequate minimum wages
On 11 November, the Court of Justice of the European Union upheld most of the directive on adequate minimum wages, rejecting Denmark’s claim that it infringed on national sovereignty over wage...
12 November 2025
5
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...
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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