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Spain: target 1.000 euros a month
The Spanish unions set as their objective, during the pending collective negotiations, that all employees receive 1.000 euros a month minimum. (Ref. 080673)
HP: European trade unions demand re-skilling as an alternative to redundancies
Gathered on September 8 by the Union Network International (UNI) and by the European Metalworkers' federation (EMF), the trade unions of HewlettPackard (HP) expressed concern about the social...
Italy: Alitalia’s unions reject the draft company agreement of the new CAI airline
Tough take off for the Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI,) supposed to take over Alitalia's assets (see our dispatch No. 080647.) The rescue plan which was presented to the company's unions plans the...
Netherlands: incentive to work from home two days a week
An agreement reached between the Social Partners and presented on September 8, 2008, encourages employees to work from home to reduce traffic jams. Besides, this agreement exempts companies from...
Great Britain: the government launches a consultation on improving and extending the right to flexible work
Last May, the government announced that it intended to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of children under the age of 16. It is now time for the consultation : how to inform...
Sweden: bonus to encourage fathers to share parental leave with mothers
Since July 1, 2008, a new law ("jämställdhetbonusen" or "equality bonus") came into force in order to encourage fathers to share parental leave with mothers. (Ref. 080668)
Spain: professional experience to be validated
The government plans on adopting, in the coming weeks, a decree on the validation of professional knowledge for people who don't have official qualifications. Workers over 21, without a degree but...
Germany: Lidl to pay heavy penalties for spying on employees
After the video surveillance scandal at Lidl, the different Lander's data protection authorities demand penalties amounting to several thousand Euros for the German discounter. Low-Saxony's...
Netherlands: Companies liable when working with uncertified temp agencies
The Minister of Social Affairs and the Justice Minister have submitted a legislative proposal to allow temps to demand payment from the company which appeal to an uncertified temporary employment...
Fiat: unions demand an international framework agreement
Italian metalworkers' unions - Fim-Cisl, Fiom-CGIL and Uilm -, the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) and the union representatives of Fiat's Italian, Polish, Serbian, Turkish and...
Brazil: thousands of workers on strike in the car industry
Wage negotiations with car manufacturers are stuck in several Brazilian regions. In the south, 8.500 workers came out on strike last week and Sao Paulo's plants - the country's largest...
Great Britain: TUC report shows workers are dissatisfied
Pay in line with the cost of living, less stress and reduced working hours : these are workers' main claims, according to a report published by the Trade Union Confederation TUC on September 1...
Belgium: amendment of the conventional prepension system
Two Royal Decrees issued on August 12, 2008 on conventional prepension were published in the Official Gazette (Moniteur Belge) on August 28, 2008. In keeping with the Generations Pact - the...
EU: first employers’ reactions against an extension of maternity leave
Revealed by a German daily, a first draft directive prepared by the services of the European Commissioner in charge of Employment and Social Affairs, to extend maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks...
Germany: after the agreement on gradual early retirement, the IG Metall demands a 7% wage increase minimum
After months of conflict and on the eve of the beginning of the wage negotiations for the 3.6 million employees of the sector, the Social Partners of the metal and electronics sectors reached an...
EU: the Parliament wants to bind employers to develop action plans to reduce the gender pay gap
On September 3, 2008, in a resolution adopted by a crushing majority (562 for, 65 against and 6 abstentions), the Parliament adopted the initiative report of the Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia Pérez...
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1
France: austerity measures proposed in social security financing bill for 2026
Limits on sick leave, the end of social security exemptions for apprentices, and the introduction of additional birth leave: the 2026 social security financing bill, presented to parliament on 14...
16 October 2025
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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
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Romania: collective agreement extended to entire insurance sector
On 3 November, Romania’s National Tripartite Council for Social Dialogue approved the extension of the collective labour agreement signed on 23 May by the Confederation of Employers in the...
4
United Kingdom largely retained within scope of EWCs despite Brexit, study shows
A study published this month by the Institute for Economic and Social Research, the French trade union research organisation, examined how the involvement of British representatives in European...
5
Italy: new collective agreement for managers in tertiary sector
On 5 November, the ManagerItalia union and the employers’ association Confcommercio renewed the collective agreement for managers in Italy’s tertiary, distribution and services...
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Germany: legal battle at Tesla ahead of works council election
The Frankfurt/Oder labour court has postponed a mid-November hearing in the case between the IG Metall union and Michaela Schmitz, employee representative and head of the works council at the...