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Italy: the CGIL union has a plan to get out of the crisis
“To get out of the crisis, we are going to need new rules, all the rules we failed to set over the past fifteen years. But we mostly need new values and a new liability ethic” declared Gugliemo...
Germany: DGB unions agree on the reform of their central organization
After several months of bargaining between the eight member unions of the German confederation of trade unions - DGB - an agreement was reached to reform the organization. The reform will spread...
Czech Republic: new obligations on employers resulting from the reform of sickness insurance
The health insurance reform will be complete on January 1, 2009. Pavel Jakab, lawyer at the Peterka & Partners law firm in Prague, is commenting for Planet Labor the impact of this reform on...
Germany: the IG Metall threatens employers to strike as of November 17
In spite of the ongoing debate over the methods of the union, which is asking for an 8% increase during a crisis, the IG Metall is holding on and presenting employers with an ultimatum. If no...
EU: the European Federation of Building and Wood Workers wants a directive providing for liability of general contractors
During a hearing at the European Parliament on November 5, 2008, the Chairman of the Standing Committee Building of the European Federation of Building and Wood Workers (EFBWW), John Kerstens...
European social agenda from November 13 to December 31, 2008
We offer an agenda of the main events concerning social Europe and institutional meetings. You can send your scheduled events to the following address: planetlabor@planetlabor.com (Ref. 080882)
Hungary: the crisis in the car industry will really be tangible in 2009
Hungary, which has been one of the flagship countries in car manufacturing since the 1990s, is devastated by the global financial crisis. In concrete terms, since October, there have been over a...
Germany: Arcandor employees will see their annual wages decrease of 7-12%
After two weeks of negotiation, the German group Arcandor AG, its works council and the services' union Ver.di agreed, on October 31, 2008, on the details of a cost of personnel reduction plan...
Spain: the government is planning to improve vocational training
Mercedes Cabrera, Minister for Education, and Celestino Corbacho, Employment Minister, announced a reform of vocational training for early 2009. The country's bad results in this domain forced the...
EU: the European Parliament’s Employment Commission unravels the compromise laboriously developed by the 27 Social Ministers
MEPs from the European Parliament's Commission on Employment and Social Affairs adopted, today, November 5, the report by Spanish MEP Alejandro Cercas on the draft revision of the working time...
Italy: appeal to partial unemployment in the metal sector is soaring
The worsening financial crisis, a slow global demand which holds exports back, a low demand on the internal market due to a skydiving buying power, are causing a strong increase in the appeal to...
Belgium: wage costs shouldn’t take more than 5.1% in 2009-10
The Central Economic Council published its report on available maximum margins for the evolution of wage costs. This document will now serve as a basis to bargain for the new 2009-10...
Germany: the country gets a national database on gender equality
Which are the most advanced regions in terms of equal treatment? Which are the least? Since November 4, 2008, the people concerned (citizens, local representatives, social partners and so on) can...
Club Med: the group is ready to sign a global framework agreement
The French tourism group Club Méditerranée should soon sign an international framework agreement with the International Union of Food Workers (IUF). In addition to the group's respect of...
China: the largest health system in the world rejects the free market
Beijing presented a wide plan to reform its health system with an ambitious goal: basic coverage for rural and urban population by 2020. The government presented its reform on the internet to...
Spain: the government announces measure to boost employment
On November 3, 2008, the head of the Spanish government, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, presented a series of initiatives to abate unemployment, gone from 7.5% to 11.3% in ten months. Recruitment...
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
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...