All articles

Netherlands: reform of unemployment benefits in the offing
or Economic Affairs announced that he wanted to further cut the duration of unemployment benefits, which was already reduced from five years to a maximum of three years and two months in 2005...
Sweden: working conditions and the reinsertion of sick employees, new claims for 2010
Reinsertion of sick employees. The theme of the reinsertion of employees after a sick leave as present in most unions’ claims for 2010 because most are afraid that businesses will lay their...
Poland: towards an amendment of the law on temporary work
zynski, President of the Republic, sent a bill to the Parliament concerning “the amendment of the law on the employment of temporary workers.” In reality, this bill is aimed at...
Germany: IG-Metall proposes the creation of a “sectoral fund” to fight against the heightened decrease in apprentices
mber of apprenticeship contracts in 2009, the IG-Metall is expecting another 10% drop for 2010. According to the union, this decrease is “jeopardizing the flagship of German vocational...
Slovakia: the law bringing labor law in compliance with European laws on atypical workers was permanently adopted
Assembly of the Slovakian Republic adopted an amendment to the Labor Code following the European Commission’s demands regarding the failure to transpose provisions on part-time work...
Denmark: negotiations for the collective agreement started in manufacturing
of the collective agreement in manufacturing started on January 6. Traditionally, the manufacturing agreement opens the season and has a pilot role for other negotiations. Unions demand stronger...
Great Britain: tougher stand against temporary work agencies that fail to apply minimum wage
Complex cases of abuses. The new team, called “Dynamic Response Team,” was created in January 2010 from within “Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs” – HMRC. It is going to work on the most...
Tools: overview of union claims in 2010 in some France’s neighboring countries
l year for collective bargaining. Caution is still necessary for employers, while for the trade unions, even though safeguarding employment remains a priority, it is important that employees...
Italy: provisions of the 2010 Finance Act affecting the labor world
Enforced on January 1, 2010, the Finance Act, approved by the Senate in December, is the last act of this kind in Italy. Starting next year, it will be replaced by a “stability act” centered on...
Sweden: Ericsson announces nearly 1,000 layoffs in its Gävle plant and opens talks with unions
n announced more layoffs, this time on the Gävle and Boras plants, following the leave program developed and implemented in 2009 for the Stockholm, Huldiksvall, Karlskrona and Lulea sites...
Great Britain: code of practice on time off for union representatives
code of practice on union representatives’ time off for union activities was enforced. This code, made by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), updates the initial 2003...
Germany: hardly launched, the new “ELENA” workers’ database sparks off controversy
e ever made in Germany was launched on January 1. In accordance with the “Law on the ELENA process” of March 28, 2009, all businesses have to give a central organization, once a month...
EU: report points to energy EWCs’ poor participation in CSR policies
ed out by the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the Social Development Agency (SDA) entitled “Learning and EWC practices in the European Energy Sector,” a study...
5 January 2010
Netherlands: TNT competitors win the legal battle against the ordinance on fair competition between operators
On January 5, the Hague Tribunal ruled that Frank Heemskerk, Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, wasn’t competent to force these private postal groups to recruit their workforce with a labor...
France: the withdrawal of the Medef’s food processors’ federation causes debate on employers’ structuring
Ania is the eighth Medef member federation with regards the contributions paid. It represents 21 professional federations and over 10,000 businesses, mostly small and medium-sized, as well as...
Austria: new law to “reconnect” social welfare with the labor market
Like other countries before, Austria decided to improve the fight against poverty by improving systems bring back the 270,000 beneficiaries of minimum insurance on the labor market. On December...
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1
Pascale Rauline (Axa EWC): “European charter formalises ongoing and accelerated social dialogue on AI”
On 27 November, Axa and its European works council (EWC) signed a charter setting out principles governing the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and guaranteeing social dialogue on the...
2
Germany: crisis-hit industries cast shadow over 2026 bargaining cycle
In 2026, collective wage agreements for nearly 10 million employees in Germany are set to expire. With upcoming negotiations in crisis-hit 'pilot' sectors such as chemicals and metalworking, the...
2 December 2025
3
Bulgaria: government approves bill to encourage sector-level collective bargaining
On 26 November, the Bulgarian government approved amendments to the labour code designed to reinforce the legal framework for sector-level collective bargaining. The reform aims to stimulate...
2 December 2025
4
EU: social partners in telecoms sign joint statement on AI
On 16 December, the social partners in Europe's telecommunications sector unveiled a joint statement on artificial intelligence. They propose an action plan for skills and commit to raising...
18 December 2025
5
Germany: Erwin Hymer Group’s innovative and award-winning AI agreement
Fed up with negotiating separate agreements for each new artificial intelligence (AI) tool, the social partners at Erwin Hymer Group (8,900 employees) have instead secured a broad, overarching...
12 December 2025
6
France: Orange submits gender equality agreement – including AI provisions – for union approval
The three representative trade unions at Orange France have until 10 December to validate an agreement on gender equality, work–life balance and anti-discrimination measures. While the text...