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EU: the EU’s future French presidency wants to “give a fresh impetus to social Europe”
After a meeting with French and European social partners, on February 19, Xavier Bertrand, the French Labor Minister, announced the broad lines of the social program of the EU's future French...
Italy : first meeting of social partners on the reform of the collective agreement model
“A good start” commented Guglielmo Epifani, CGIL general secretary at the informal meeting on February 18 with Confindustria. He announced that the real negotiation will start on February 21 with...
Italy: the Prodi government wants to adopt legislative decrees on occupational health and safety before Parliament is dissolved
Despite its downfall, the Prodi government continues developing legislative decrees for the "Testo Unico" on occupational health and safety which it was assigned through article 1 of the law 123...
Danske Bank Group: agreement for the creation of a European Works Council
The management of the banking group Danske Bank (24.000 employees) and the special negotiation body gathering staff representatives from 12 European countries reached an agreement, on December 10...
Spain: fewer deadly industrial accidents
The number of deadly industrial accidents decreased by 12.6% compared to 2006. According to the Ministry of Employment figures, 884 people died on their workplace last year, as opposed to 966 in...
Finland: employers and unions signed an agreement on stress at work
Finnish social partners presented, at the beginning of February 2008, a collective agreement which sets a general framework for local negotiations concerning the fight against stress on the...
Germany: unprecedented tax evasion revives debate on leading executives’ ethics
A few months only after a controversy on executives' wages, the German economic elite are again in the limelight. According to the online edition of the daily Spiegel (February 18), the...
19 February 2008
Great Britain: TUC dismantles preconceived ideas on agency workers to support bill on temporary work
Whereas the campaing launched several months ago in favor of the improvement of agency workers' rights is intensifying, the Trade Union Confederation just published a list of preconceived ideas on...
Italy: unions mobilized on the wage issue
The three unions launched, on Friday, February 15, the campaign on the "wage issue" (see our article No. 080022) with the catch phrase "fewer taxes, more wages and more pensions". The three...
Germany: reform bill for industrial accidents insurance
After years of debate, the government adopted, on February 13, 2008, a bill to modernize the industrial accidents-occupational disease insurance. However, less ambitious than anticipated, it does...
EU : dealings for negotiation on the revision of the directive on European works councils
The situation was clear. The near certainty that BusinessEurope will not agree to negotiate a revision of the directive on European EWC’s has led the European Commission to schedule in its agenda...
Germany: DGB says “anti-discrimination law” is starting to work
It is the second trial very covered by the media (after that of Lufthansa's pilots, see our article No. 061095) as part of the law "on equal treatment" which came into effect in August 2006. On...
Italy: new unitary pact between the three unions in the chemistry and energy sector
The executive bodies of the three union federations in the chemistry and energy sector (Filcem-Cgil, Femca-Cisl, Uilcem-Uil ) approved, on February 12, an "action unity pact" which plans new rules...
Italy: the Health Department and unions criticize Fiat
Giampaolo Patta, under-secretary for the Health Department, accused Fiat of violating Law 123 on relations with subcontractors in terms of occupational safety; the group refused to take part in...
France: administrators must get the European Commission’s statement of objections on a merger project
Through a decision rendered on January 29, 2008, the French Supreme Court's Commercial Chamber confirmed the decision rendered by the Paris Court of Appeal which enjoined the chairman of Gaz de...
Greece: general strike against pension reform
Unions from the public and private sector (respectively ADEDY and GSEE) launched, on February 13, a general 24-hour strike in protest against the pension reform which notably plans to cancel the...
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
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What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
EU: Omnibus Directive clears key milestone in European Parliament
On 13 October, the European Parliament’s position on the Omnibus Directive was approved by its Committee on Legal Affairs by 17 votes to six. Regarding due diligence rules, the report...
13 October 2025
2
mind RH analysis – Initial findings from CSRD social indicators
In 2025, for the first time, the universal registration documents of major European companies contain the sustainability reporting required by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive...
3
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
4
Italy: European pay transparency directive, a major step forward for businesses
Italy’s labour market continues to suffer from limited pay transparency and a persistent gender pay gap. The forthcoming implementation of the EU pay transparency directive — still awaiting...
5
Germany: EU pay transparency directive to force companies to ‘get tough’
Germany introduced a pay transparency law in 2017, meaning companies are already somewhat familiar with the issue. However, the broader scope and stricter requirements of the EU directive, the...
24 October 2025
6
Germany: ‘active retirement’ law adopted to encourage seniors to remain in the workforce
On 15 October, Germany’s cabinet approved draft legislation on ‘active retirement‘, which is expected to pass swiftly through Parliament. The bill would allow people who continue...