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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...
Corporate practices: Daimler’s “production learning system” to fight against the impact of demographic ageing
Introduced in 2004 in the Mannheim factory, the "Produktion Lern System" allowed to quicken and dynamize training courses and processes on an industrial site faced with many experienced workers...
International: Latin-American unions criticize the “return” directive adopted by the EU
Public outrage on the American continent against the European directive concerning the return of illegal third-country nationals. Reactions are particularly bitter in Latin America: unions and...
Italy: the CISL shuts a training institute down for embezzlement
The IAL (Istituto addestramento lavoratori – the CISL's training institute) shut its Abruzzo (central Italy) regional structure, which is subject to an investigation on embezzlement. This scandal...
Germany: Siemens gives details about 16.750 job cuts
On Tuesday, July 8, Peter Löscher, CEO of Siemens, announced that his company intended to cut 16.750 jobs, 5.250 of which in Germany, by 2010. The plan mostly concerns the administrative and sales...
EU: the regulation on the law applicable to contractual obligations was published in the OJEC
Published in the European Journal of the European Communities on July 4, regulation 593/2008 integrates into Community Law the Rome I convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations...
EU: Commission report on the implementation of the European social partners’ agreement on telework
On Wednesday, July 2, the European Commission adopted a report on the implementation of the social partners' autonomous agreement on telework. It evaluates the positive measures in the application...
Luxembourg: draft regulation on minimum wage for highly-skilled third-country nationals
The Governing Council adopted, on July 4, 2008, a draft regulation defining the minimum income level for highly-skilled workers, pursuant to the bill on the free movement of people and...
Italy: Electrolux unions reassured by the recovery plans for the Scandicci site
On June 25, in Rome, trade unions examined the industrial plans of the two main companies interested in taking over the Scandicci plant (Florence), which Electrolux will close next year. They plan...
International: creation of a transatlantic union as an answer to global capitalism
Workers Uniting; this will be the name of the trade union born from the merger between the British union Unite and the American union United Steelworkers (USW). The new trans-Atlantic organization...
Poland: minimum wage increase for 2009
On July 2, the government suggested to the tripartite commission (social dialogue council) to bring minimum wage to 1.204 zlotys (about €363) in 2008, that is a 6.9% increase. Employers are...
Peru: workers strike for better share of income
The authorities have declared the third national strike in Peruvian mines this year was illegal. About 30.000 people went on a strike to ask for better wages and lower retirement age. But the...
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1
Spain: new terms and conditions for in-company training contracts
On 25 November, Spain's Council of Ministers approved a regulation on training contracts. This text defines the terms and conditions for hosting work-study students and interns doing professional...
2
France: sectors feel economic slowdown to differing degrees
The latest data on France’s occupational sectors (branches professionnelles), covering the year 2023, show how employment trends are shaping workplace dynamics. After a more favourable period for...
3
Germany: apprenticeship openings fall sharply in manufacturing and chemicals
From 1 January 2026, Dutch collective agreements for temporary employment agencies will alter the employment conditions of temp workers. Agencies will be required to pay these workers at least the...