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Aker ASA: international framework agreement
On October 28, 2009, the shipbuilding company Aker ASA (27.100 employees) signed an international framework agreement with the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) and its Norwegian...
Germany: the IG-Metall refuses employers’ offer of a 2.1% wage increase and is going to launch warning strikes next week
The IG-Metall qualified the first figured offer presented by employers yesterday, October 30, 2008, of "provocation". While the IG-Metall is asking for an 8% wage increase for the 3.6 million...
Germany: judges say the new postal services’ union (GNBZ) is influenced by employers and cannot bargain for collective agreements
The ruling rendered on October 30, 2008 by the Court of Cologne is a turning point in the conflict between Ver.di, the services' union, and its competitor, GNBZ, in the postal services sector...
International: American union busters are spreading to Europe
North-American anti-union cabinet councils, also known as union busters, are increasingly bringing their services to Europe, starting with Great Britain. The weekly journal of the Danish union LO...
Hungary: Saint-Gobain opens its first plasterboard production unit in the country
On Saturday, September 27, Saint-Gobain opened the first Hungarian plasterboard production unit in Halmajugra, a town located about 100 km (about 62 miles) from Budapest. This event shows "this...
Portugal: the redundancy of an HIV positive employee can be justified and non-discriminatory
The Portuguese legal scholars, physicians and NGOs have been protesting lately against a decision by the Portuguese Supreme Court which confirmed the redundancy of an HIV positive cook, claiming...
Italy: private investigators can legally investigate employees’ behavior if it seems illegal
Based on a consolidating jurisprudence, through still not unanimous, a recent decree by the Supreme Court allows using private investigators to investigate employees' illicit behavior if it harms...
EU: the EMF calls for a concerted approach to the crisis in the car industry
On the occasion of a conference organized by the CARS 21 group (Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st Century), Peter Scherrer, General Secretary of the European Metalworkers'...
Hungary: about fifty French companies sign a health charter
On September 25, in the premises of Chinoin Sanofi-Aventis, about fifty representatives from French companies, member of the Hungarian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFH) signed a...
29 October 2008
Alcatel-Lucent: 17 union organizations ask two former managers to give up their golden parachutes
In a press release published on October 29, 2008, 17 European and American union organizations of the Alcatel-Lucent group condemned the fact that they did not get an answer to the letter they...
Germany: to avoid mass layoffs, the federal government is going to extend legal short-time working (Kurzarbeit)
In companies such as equipment manufacturer Bosch, everything that can reduce working time is done to try and adjust production which avoiding layoffs. Whereas tens of thousands of permanent...
Great Britain: study on mental capital, notably at work
Initiated by the governmental think tank Foresight and sponsored by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, a study - carried out over two years and involving over 400 experts from...
Poland: evaluation of self-employment
What's the situation regarding draft legislation on self-employment? How do inspection units take care of the problem of "bogus" self-employed? This dispatch, suggested by one of our subscribers...
EU: the European Commission thinks private pension schemes have to develop and improve accessibility
Last week, the European Commissioner for Social Affairs, Vladimir Spidla called upon the Member States to "adapt European pension schemes to new demographic trends and to the new labor market to...
Hungary: Daimler decides to settle in Kecskemét to produce small Mercedes models
On October 27, Daimler signed a contract concerning the construction of a factory in Kecskemét. It is the first assembly plant for the Mercedes brand in an eastern European country. (Ref. 080832)
Belgium: a study on restructuring management ten years after the implementation of the “Renault” law
The Claeys & Engels law firm carried out a study on restructurings and social plans concerning 216 collective bargaining agreements concluded during 100 recent restructurings between 2006 and...
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1
EU: Omnibus Directive clears key milestone in European Parliament
On 13 October, the European Parliament’s position on the Omnibus Directive was approved by its Committee on Legal Affairs by 17 votes to six. Regarding due diligence rules, the report...
13 October 2025
2
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...
3
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
4
Italy: European pay transparency directive, a major step forward for businesses
Italy’s labour market continues to suffer from limited pay transparency and a persistent gender pay gap. The forthcoming implementation of the EU pay transparency directive — still awaiting...
5
Germany: EU pay transparency directive to force companies to ‘get tough’
Germany introduced a pay transparency law in 2017, meaning companies are already somewhat familiar with the issue. However, the broader scope and stricter requirements of the EU directive, the...
24 October 2025
6
France: government proposes suspending pension reform
French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu, reappointed on 10 October after resigning four days earlier, delivered his general policy speech to the National Assembly on 14 October. He announced the...
15 October 2025