All articles

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...
France : transposition by the social partners of the European framework agreement on stress at work
The French social partners reached agreement on July 2. At present four unions (CGT, CFDT, FO and CFE-CGC) out of five reacted favorably specifying that they should normally sign it after...
Germany : some of Siemens’ works councils prevent staff advancement until further details concerning the restructuring plan
The leader of the Siemens European works council ( EWC) at Siemens, Walter Mönius, stated that Siemens employees and IG Metall were preparing strong resistance to the job suppression plan...
Bulgaria : a bill to improve the application of the labor code
Improve controls and reinforce sanctions. The bill stipulates that territorial administration of Social Security must notify to the labor inspectorate all employment contracts registered (an...
Spain: strike notice on July 12-15 at Renfe Operadora and Adif
Spanish unions are protesting against the partition of the freight transport from the rest of the Renfe Operadora railway, announced on June 24 by the head of State, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero...
EU: towards a renewed social agenda
On Wednesday, July 2, the European Commission adopted a communication on the new European Social Agenda, which will be on the agenda of the informal Council of the social Ministers on July 10-11...
Gaz de France: CSR agreement for the European companies of the group
On July 2, 2008, the European trade union federations (EPSU, EMF and EMCEF) and all the national trade unions represented within Gaz de France's EWC signed, together with the management, a CSR...
Portugal : postponement of the debate in parliament of the reform of the labor code
An unexpected postponement. The Portuguese government has settled the issue: the debate in the National Assembly will not take place before September (see article n° 080538). The announcement of...
Poland: unions’ way of appointing works council members declared unconstitutional
Seized by the Confederation of Polish employers, the Constitutional Court declared, on July 1, 2008, that the way works council members are appointed – with priority given to the company union –...
Spain: spectacular increase in criminal proceeding against employers failing to fulfill their prevention obligations
The public prosecution has brought 650 managers in court to answer for industrial accidents which happened in 2007. This represents an 86% increase compared to the previous year, and is the result...
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1
Netherlands: new government seeks to “control” social costs
In his government policy statement to Parliament on 25 February, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced several measures designed to "control" social costs. Notably, he proposed raising the...
2
Spain: a bill to regulate internships
On 3 March, the Council of Ministers approved the bill on the “Status for persons undergoing non-professional practical training in companies”. The text limits the number of interns a company can...
3
EU: co-legislators aim to pivot European Globalisation Adjustment Fund towards restructuring anticipation
On 25 February, the Council of the EU and the Parliament reached an agreement on the Commission’s proposed regulation to expand the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). Under the...
4
Block to slash workforce by nearly half
The news. In his latest shareholder letter, Jack Dorsey, CEO of payment service provider Block (formerly Square), announced plans to slash the company’s workforce “by nearly half, from...
5
Germany: launch of the “WE-Fair” alliance for binational training of skilled foreign workers
Germany continues to expand and diversify its initiatives to attract skilled foreign labour from outside the EU. In mid-March 2026, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development...