All articles

Sweden: the failure of negotiations on a new national collective agreement is a missed opportunity for reforming the industrial relations system
loyers’ association Svenskt Naringsliv announced its decision to interrupt negotiations on the renewal of the industrial relations system founded in 1938. The social partners had vastly...
Italy: “short week” spreading South to face the crisis
tors (textile, agency…), solidarity contracts (CdS) are relatively rare in the metallurgy sector, which the Cassa Integrazione (CIG, see our dispatch No. 080932) is the preferred method to...
Lennox Europe: establishment of a European works council
ope (1.750 employees) and the special negotiating body, composed of French (CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, CGT, FO) and Spanish (CCOO, UGT) union organizations signed, on January 20, 2009, an agreement...
Spain: one of employers’ main think tanks proposes structural reforms
Empresarios presented a document entitled “New Solutions to Create Jobs”. The text, developed by one of employers’ most influential think tanks, analyzes current shortcomings of...
Philips: small impact of the EWC on restructurings
) met at the end of last week. The management announced that the company is in a difficult situation, without giving any details as to the number of jobs threatened in Europe. The Forum’s 23...
Great Britain: bill to increase redundancy compensation
ose its reputation of country where laying off isn’t expensive? A majority of Labor MPs and unions support a bill which would increase maximum layoff pay. The government is thinking and...
Germany: the IG Metall announces a new bargaining strategy to allow employees to access businesses’ capital
ating, Detlef Wetzel, number 2 at the IG Metall, announced that there would be “no more wage gifts for businesses”. If the managers of ailing businesses want to cut wages, in exchange...
Spain: Seat employees vote wage freeze to save their jobs
Martorell factory, near Barcelona, accepted a wage freeze for 2009 via a referendum. Unilaterally proposed by the UGT union, the initiative was presented as a measure to support the factory, with...
Belgium: the national employment services publishes its 2008 annual report
Compensation figures. The average number of people receiving benefits from the ONEM each month, directly or indirectly, is the same as last year. In more detail, the group of jobseekers receiving...
Portugal: debate over measures against the crisis at the UGT’s 11th Congress
union, the General Workers’ Union (UGT) held its 11th Congress on March 20-21 in Lisbon. The watchword was: “Overcoming the crisis, a future under the sign of employment and...
Romania: new parental leave benefits enforced
reform of the parental leave, enforced this month, replaces the all-inclusive benefit of 800 lei (about 250 euro) with a benefit amounting to 85% of the average income limited to 4.000 lei (around...
Netherlands: bonuses to be banned in bailed out banks
Wouter Bos announced a total ban on bonuses for all groups bailed out by the State. This decision comes after ING decided to grant a welcome bonus to its new financial manager, Patrick Flynn. The...
Netherlands: bill on severance pay to be reviewed
ament asked Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Piet Hein Donner to review his paper. Indeed, MPs and the State Council – which only gives consultative opinions – rejected his bill...
EU: the temporary sector wants to join the think tank on adjusting professional skills to the future labor market
deration representing temporary work agencies, Eurociett, published its contribution to the European Commission’s initiative: “New Skills for New Jobs”. Launched in December...
Denmark: 3F criticizes the government’s “labor package”
“We cannot stop bad weather, but quick and targeted action may lessen damages.” This is how Minister of Labor Claus Hjort Frederiksen presented, on March 19, its four initiatives to support...
Poland: collective action threatens the mining sector
Planet Labor, March 20, 2009, No. 090309 – www.planetlabor.com
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France: government submits draft on pay transparency
On 6 March, the French government sent social partners a draft bill to transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive. The text provides details on the implementation timetable, corporate...
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Sweden: government delays transposition of Pay Transparency Directive
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Italy: Deliveroo and Glovo targeted by justice over courier working conditions
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Denmark: government launches transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive
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Valérie Decaux (La Poste): “Our older workers policy is based on individualisation to move beyond age-related-stigmatisation”
La Poste Group (nearly 200,000 employees in France) unveiled its first senior employment agreement in late February. The text outlines measures for early retirement assistance, workplace...