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Brazil: several metalworkers’ and mining unions accept wage reductions to save jobs
jobs, more and more unions sign agreements with businesses to reduce wages. The phenomenon, coming at a time when the government announced a 12% minimum wage increase, particularly concerns the...
Romania: Dacia-Renault temporarily closes gates again
Activity at the Mioveni plant will resume on February 9. During the closing period, in agreement with the 2008 agreement, employees receive 85% of their gross salary, fully paid by the company...
EU: the 27 open timid discussions on maternity leave
U27 opened, on Tuesday, February 3, discussions for the revision of the directive on the protection of pregnant women, the main measure being to extend the maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks...
Italy: Parliament permanently approves “anticrisis” act
Social dampers. The usual unemployment benefits for workers dismissed because of a crisis (or another element separate from the employer’s will) were brought from 65 up to 90 days, but depend on...
France: the social partners unanimously sign the national interprofessional agreement on vocational training
anizations involved in the negotiation process since September 2008 (CFTC, CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT-FO, CGT) as well as the Medef, CGPME and UPA for employers committed to sign the interprofessional...
Netherlands: working time reduction hardly extended
cial Affairs rejected half of the 90 requests for the extension of working time (Werktijdverkorting – WTV) sent by businesses after the first six weeks to which they were entitled. (Ref...
EU: the European Metalworkers’ Federation worried about exclusion clauses in national auto recovery plans
On November 24, 2008, EMF representatives already met with Gunter Verheugen within the framework of a meeting dedicated to the future of the automotive industry (see our dispatch No. 080926). The...
International: the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reports on nanotechnologies
ISO has just published new ISO/TR 12885:2008, Health and safety practices in occupational settings relevant to nanotechnologies, which focuses on the manufacture and use of engineered...
EU: report points to the major role of social dialogue to carry the Lisbon Strategy through
Diverse implementation of the Lisbon objectives through social dialogue. The European Commission thinks that social dialogue is a major tool for the implementation of the Lisbon objectives. It can...
Spain : interview of Ramon Jauregui, member of parliament (MP) and promoter of the national council for corporate social responsibility
Ramon Jauregui is the initiator and has been the leader over the last seven years of the debate on the issue of social responsibility and particularly with the creation of a parliamentary...
3 February 2009
EU: the European Trade Union Confederation revives the debate on posted workers
y factory (see our dispatch No. 090112) in Great Britain revived the debate on posted workers. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) called, on Monday, February 2, for the adoption of new...
Netherlands: more flexible procedures facilitate the entry of highly-skilled workers
ts entering the Netherlands come from India, the United States and China, respectively 3.000, 1.850 and 1.170 people since January 1, 2007. These foreigners met the Dutch immigration...
Great Britain: unions decry British worker discrimination
Union statements. Unions argue that this issue goes beyond standard application of the EU’s free movement of labor accords, which guarantees workers from the European Union member states access to...
China: government gives priority to employment against the crisis
Help young graduates find a job. The number of graduates has reached a new record with over 6 million graduates in June 2009. But they are increasingly faced with problems in finding a job. In...
2 February 2009
United States: President Obama’s first measures for working conditions and union rights
lated by the Bush administration, American unions’ influence and members have considerably decreased in the last eight years. A few months ago, they put their faith in Barack Obama, and...
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
EU: Commission launches consultation with social partners on quality jobs
On 4 December, the European Commission launched the first phase of consultation with social partners with a view to a European directive on jobs, which is scheduled for the end of 2026. It could...
4 December 2025
2
United Kingdom: government scraps plan to introduce ‘day one’ protection against unfair dismissal
The UK government announced on 27 November, in a statement, that it would not be introducing the right to challenge unfair dismissal (without cause) from the first day of employment in its...
3 December 2025
3
Poland: bill adopted to amend definition of psychological harassment
On 27 November, the Polish cabinet adopted a draft amendment to the labour code aimed at simplifying the definition of psychological harassment at work, or “mobbing” (Article 94 3)...
4 December 2025
4
EU: MEPs demand directive on algorithmic management
Members of the European Parliament have called for a directive on algorithmic management. Such legislation would introduce obligations for companies to inform employees, assess health and safety...
17 December 2025
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United Kingdom: Parliament finally passes Employment Rights Bill
The UK Labour government's flagship reform of employment rights was passed by both houses on 16 December after a turbulent parliamentary process. The bill introduces numerous changes to labour...
18 December 2025
6
France: minimum wage to rise by 1.18% on 1 January
On 12 December, the French government announced a 1.18% increase in the minimum wage, taking effect on 1 January 2026. The pay level will rise from €1,802 to €1,823 gross per month (for...
16 December 2025