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Germany: the evaluation report of the labour market reform was submitted to the government
During the last cabinet meeting of 2006, the government took note, on December 20th 2006, without giving a judgement, of the final report of evaluation of the laws reforming the labour market...
Germany: 2007 will be an important year for wage negotiations
In 2007, important collective agreements will be renegotiated in the main branches of German industry: metalworking industry, chemical, printing works, but also wholesale and retail trade. Given...
Volkswagen: agreement on early retirements at Forest plant
After three days of negotiations, the trade unions and management of Volkswagen Forest reached, on December 20th, an agreement concerning the payment of the anticipated retirements (pre-pensions)...
21 December 2006
Great Britain: debate on positive discrimination reopened
The future president of the Commission for equality and humans rights, which will begin functioning in 2007, has called for a legislative change to allow positive discrimination, in order to fight...
Lithuania: governmental initiatives in favour of the professional integration of disabled people
The Lithuanian government is currently working on amendments to the law on social enterprises, employing a certain rate of disabled people, in order to facilitate their integration. (Ref. 061288)
Spain: assessment of the huge plan against precariousness
Over one million permanent employment contracts have been signed since July 1st, announces the Ministry of Labour, that is to say an increase of 57 % compared to 2005. (Ref. 061285)
Spain: voluntary departure plan at Renault Spain
The management of Renault Spain is trying to attenuate the shock of its job-shedding plan by proposing 1000 voluntary departures. (Ref. 061281)
EU: labour costs increase by 2.6% over one year
Total hourly labour costs in the UE25 increased by 2.6% in the third quarter 2006, down from 2.8% in the previous quarter, indicated on December 14th 2006, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the...
EU: employment in the EU increases by 0.3% in the third quarter 2006
The number of people working in the EU25 grew by 0.3% (612 000 people), seasonally adjusted, in the third quarter 2006, according to provisional estimates published on December 14th 2006 and based...
Germany: companies begin to promote diversity
After the French and Belgian companies (see story n° 0672), it is now German companies' turn to promote diversity. DaimlerChrysler, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche British Petrol and Deutsche Telekom have...
20 December 2006
Spain: a report stigmatizes the rigidity of the labour market
The Spanish labour market is the most rigid in the European Union, according to a joint study of the Adecco group and the Business School IESE, located in Barcelona. (Ref. 061277)
Germany: companies are increasingly sensitive to family issues
According to a study of the IW research institute of Cologne, presented on December 19 in Berlin, German companies are offering more and more possibilities to their employees to reconcile family...
Great Britain: companies must contribute to their employees’ physical health
Employers must get involved in their employees' health and fight against the sedentary and couchy practices of office life, according to the national Institute of health (NICE), a public health...
Belgium: report 2006 of the higher Council of employment
In its annual report, the higher Council of employment (CSE) insists in particular on the continuation of efforts for the least qualified people. Made public on last 15 December, this report says...
Great Britain: long-term job seekers targeted by the government
The government wants to toughen the conditions of compensation for the 900 000 unemployed people, whereas the country is experiencing important labour shortages and is calling upon hundreds of...
Schneider Electric: a negotiation on the anticipative management of restructurings
The French industrial group Schneider Electric has just launched a negotiation with the European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) on the anticipative management of restructurings to accompany the...
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
Catherine Chavanier (CDC Habitat): “Social dialogue on AI facilitates its deployment”
In February, CDC Habitat (10,500 employees) signed a two-year framework agreement governing social dialogue on AI. Catherine Chavanier, HR Director of the subsidiary of CDC (Caisse des dépôts et...
2
France: La Poste to launch negotiations for an AI agreement
Following the lead of firms such as Axa, Syensqo globally, and more recently CDC Habitat, La Poste group management will open negotiations on an AI regulation agreement during the first half of...
3
United Kingdom: launch of consultation on protection against detriment for industrial action
The British government launched a public consultation on 26 February regarding new protections for workers against "detriment" related to industrial action, scheduled to take effect in October...
12 March 2026
4
France: bioMérieux’s new disability agreement pivots towards mental health
The news. On 6 January 2026, bioMérieux—an in vitro diagnostics specialist employing 4,400 people in France—signed a new four-year agreement “relating to the employment...
5
Germany: controversial collective bargaining compliance act adopted
On 26 February, the Bundestag approved the Tariftreuegesetz (collective bargaining compliance act), aimed at strengthening collective agreements and tackling social dumping by tying certain public...
26 February 2026
6
Germany: a wave of redundancy plans in the automotive sector
The latest financial results presented in early 2026 by major German car manufacturers show sharp declines. This collapse in profits has triggered the announcement or confirmation of massive job...
16 March 2026