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Germany: the Council of Ministers adopts an “action program” to appeal to skilled workers
Following the joint proposition made by Wolfgang Schaüble - Home Secretary - and Olaf Scholz - Employment Minister - the Federal Council of Ministers adopted, on July 16, 2008, a series of...
Germany : the increase in “atypical” working hours reflects on the health of the staff concerned by demographic ageing
A study carried out by the Hans-Böckler union foundation shows that working time outside of "normal" working hours, that is to say shift or night work and work during the weekends, keeps...
Great Britain: agency workers employed for less than three months are now entitled to sick leaves
From October 27, 2008 onwards, all agency workers will be entitled to sick pay, whatever the length of their contract and their type of recruitment (direct or indirect). Since 2002, this category...
Netherlands: ING pays for its new recruits’ union dues
Since January 1, 2008, the Dutch financial group Internationale Nederlandse Groep (ING) pays for the union dues of its new employees – up to €180 a year. Therefore, the Christian union CNV saw the...
Germany: the IG Metall demands more than a 6.5% wage increase for 3.4 million employees
The collective agreement negotiated in 2007 for the 3.4 million employees in the electrotechnical metallurgy and automotive sectors will be over on October 30, 2008. The IG Metall is already...
EU: the European social partners expressed their point of view concerning the ongoing files
On Thursday, July 10, on the periphery of the informal meeting of the European labor ministers – the first social meeting organized by the French presidency of the EU – the European social...
Germany: last minute collective agreement for trade employees after 18 months of conflict
For a year and a half, Verdi, the services' union, has been bargaining with the trade federations of several German Lander to reach a collective agreement affecting 2.7 million employees. The...
Sweden: new anti-discrimination law
The Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) adopted, on July 4, 2008, a new anti-discrimination law which will come into force on January 1, 2009. It is an update and an overhaul of of the current...
Italy: Fiat to temporarily lay off thousands of employees in its Italian factories from August onwards
The car manufacturer Fiat sent to unions, on July 7, 2008, its decision to appeal to "social shock absorbers" in most of its Italian factories to compensate the 4-6 weeks of temporary cessation of...
EU: the CJEC states there can be direct discrimination in the absence of a victim
The Court of Justice of the European Communities gave a judgement on July 10, in a case where an employer said in a public statement that he would not recruit immigrants. According to the Court...
Denmark: unions and employers disagree on the establishment of a commission for equal pay between men and women
The LO confederation is having a hard time adopting a position with a view to establishing a commission for equal pay, which public service strikers requested last spring. But the government...
Germany: the IG Metall goes on the offensive a few months before the start of the electoral campaign
Whereas the pilot negotiations between the IG Metall union and employers concerning the funding of grdual retirement beyond 2009 are at a standstill, the IG Metall presented, on July 9, 2008, a...
Sweden: important reform of daily sickness allowances
For its 2008 budget, the Swedish center-right government set as a priority the fight against absenteeism on the grounds of sickness and early retirement for incapacity for work. In the Spring, it...
Scor: the joint committee of the reinsurer’s European companies wants to propose alternatives to the 200 job cuts announced by the management
Denis Kessler, CEO of the reinsurance company, announced 200 job cuts, taking by surprise European staff representatives, which are now getting ready to propose alternatives and suggestions about...
Dexia: the group will become a European Company
The board of the Franco-Belgian bank Dexia (35.200 employees), approved, on July 3, the plans the changes in the operational organization of Dexia presented by the Group's Management Board. The...
Germany: the revision of the EWC directive arouses controversy
Adopted on July 2, 2008 by the European Commission (see our dispatch No. 080553), the proposal for the revision of the EWC directive was heavily criticized in Germany. The German Confederation of...
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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
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...
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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...