All articles

Spain: temporary work agencies want to serve as employment agencies by 2012
Representatives from the temporary work sector think that the way has been paved to open the debate on one of their claims: serve as mediators for the recruitment of temporary and permanent jobs...
International: building up trade union and EWC networks in the building sector
The EFBWW (European Federation of Building and Wood Workers) and the Building and Wood workers' International (BWI) organized a meeting in Lisbon on June 11-14, 2008, with the union...
Germany: the “transfer company” concept seduces companies and unions and goes beyond social plans
Going from one job to another without being unemployed is the main idea behind German transfer companies. Besides, in addition to the management of social plans, these structure companies could...
Germany : the minimum wage will be maintained in the building sector
This compromise, valid for one year, contains the following provisions :
France: the law implementing the Directive on cross-border mergers was adopted
The bill on cross-border mergers was permanently ratified, on June 19, by the National Assembly. It transposes Directive 2005/56/EC on cross-border mergers, which notably contains provisions...
Italcementi: international framework agreement
The fifth largest cement producer in the world, the Italian group Italcementi (23.000 employees), signed an international framework agreement with the Building and Wood Workers International...
Czech Republic: mobilization against government reforms
In the Czech Republic, there has been increased strike activity these days. On June 9, teachers held a strike, claiming for higher salaries to compensate for inflation. For tomorrow, June 24, the...
Chile: historical 10.4% minimum wage increase
Chilean minimum wage will be one of the highest in Latin America after the agreement signed between the government and trade unions to raise income to $324. Economists say this increase, although...
Mexico : an agreement for sending skilled workers to Spain
The agreement, which came into force on June 12, was signed in the presence of the Prime Minister, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and of the Mexican President, Felipe Calderon, on a visit to Spain...
Great Britain: reform of the building sector
Shriti Vadera, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, launched, on June 12, 2008, the "Government Strategy for Sustainable Building", a series of measures to improve...
EU: the Court of Justice condemns Luxembourg for incorrect transposition of the directive on the posting of workers
In a recent judgment, the Court of Justice of the European Communities condemns Luxembourg for failure to correctly transpose the directive on the posting of workers, and especially for imposing...
Belgium: the participation of employees in the capital of firms extended to agency workers
On June 17, 2008, the Parliament adopted an amendment to the law "including different provisions" which extend the mechanism of employee profit sharing ("one-off profits related to the results")...
Germany: the conflict between the management and SAP staff representatives is growing acrimonious
Brought before industrial courts (see our dispatch No. 080448), the conflict on SAP's staff representation structures should go on. On June 12, 2008, the Dusseldorf court gave satisfaction to the...
Croatia: several social bills presented to Parliament in preparation for EU membership
On May 29, the Croatian government sent to parliament several bills to adjust national laws to EU standards and get Croatia ready to join the European Union. The bills are on employment agency...
France: bill to reform the 35-hour work week
The bill on social democracy (see our article No. 080512) adopted on June 18 by the Council of Ministers also contains provisions making regulations on working time more flexible by granting more...
Suez: agreement on social guarantees for Suez Group employees
Since all the prior requirements to the vote by Gaz de France and Suez's general assemblies on the merger were met, Suez's management and the social partners signed, on June 17, 2008, an agreement...
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...