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Estonia: the rapid rise in unemployment threatens the solvency of the compensation system
No coalition agreement to turn back on increased benefits. However, this measure doesn’t solve the entire problem. Indeed, the new law on labor contracts, set to enter into force on July 1, 2009...
Italy: the national assembly of the Basic Unitary Confederation (Cub) allows the transformation of the union
Seventeen years after its foundation, the Cub, the largest independent union in Italy (over 706,000 members) started its metamorphosis. The 400 delegates of the National Assembly, held in Riccone...
Netherlands: crisis strengthens the polder system
Introduction of partial unemployment. The quick introduction of a temporary working time reduction system (ATV, see our dispatch No. 081049) to deal with the most urgent matters, gave the social...
EU: the Twenty-Seven adopt two directives on legal and illegal immigration
Criteria to obtain the blue card. Introduced in late 2007, countries such as Germany, Austria and some eastern European countries (where workers are still bound to restrictions to enter the labor...
Germany: chemistry union appoints future chair
Call in favor of industrial SMEs. Hubertus Schmoldt, who is still the chair, used the appointment to criticize, in an unusually strong way, the Federal Government’s support to industrial SMEs as...
EU: European Central Bank to experience its first strike
Consultation yes, co management no. The IPSO’s decision was motivated by a decision of the board which, because of the economic crisis and of the need to save money, decided to reduce, as of June...
Germany: 4.6% wage increase in construction
Planet Labor, May 26, 2009, No. 090566 – www.planetlabor.com
Netherlands: crisis digs a hole in union coffers
Planet Labor, May 26, 2009, No. 090565 – www.planetlabor.com
Sweden: controversial draft bill on the protection of private life
Ban on gathering some personal information. The current law provides that employers may have access to the criminal records of applicants under certain circumstances. They can also get information...
EU: Brussels thinks about after 2010
Go on with structural reforms and more. Structural reforms are more topical than ever. The lack of credits is going to push businesses to look for flexibility elsewhere explained European...
Germany: big bosses fight for their remuneration
A bill which “assaults” the economy. Discussed since February 2009, the bill on managers’ income in Germany is about to go into Parliament. Because of the economic crisis and coming elections...
Italy: 16th Cisl Congress under the sign of workers participation
Worker participation. The Cisl advocates a new labor humanism based on “responsible ethics” and “participative union relations” for a “new and balanced relation between capital and labor, calling...
Great Britain: new wave of strikes to defend national/local preference for recruitment
This story is quite similar to the strike at the Lindsey refinery in February (see our dispatch No. 090140).
Chile: Parliament adopts the Equal Pay Act
Objective criteria to justify the pay gap. “Employers will have to respect the principle of equal remuneration between men and women performing the same job. Criteria such as aptitude, quality...
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1
Netherlands: new government seeks to “control” social costs
In his government policy statement to Parliament on 25 February, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced several measures designed to "control" social costs. Notably, he proposed raising the...
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Spain: a bill to regulate internships
On 3 March, the Council of Ministers approved the bill on the “Status for persons undergoing non-professional practical training in companies”. The text limits the number of interns a company can...
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Germany: launch of the “WE-Fair” alliance for binational training of skilled foreign workers
Germany continues to expand and diversify its initiatives to attract skilled foreign labour from outside the EU. In mid-March 2026, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development...
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EU: co-legislators aim to pivot European Globalisation Adjustment Fund towards restructuring anticipation
On 25 February, the Council of the EU and the Parliament reached an agreement on the Commission’s proposed regulation to expand the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). Under the...
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Block to slash workforce by nearly half
The news. In his latest shareholder letter, Jack Dorsey, CEO of payment service provider Block (formerly Square), announced plans to slash the company’s workforce “by nearly half, from...