All articles

Germany: trade union confederation DGB wants to strongly reduce manual workers’ salaries
Is the German trade confederation DGB -and its eight trade unions members, which employ about 11 000 employees- the best employer in Germany or « the worst of the capitalists »? Information...
Spain : incentives to increase the number of permanent employment contracts seem to work
According to the Employment Minister, 800 000 permanent employment contracts were signed in Spain since July 1st, 2006, thanks to various incentives proposed by the government. These figures...
Great Britain: an Internet portal dedicated to discriminations on grounds of age
The English law firm Lewis Silkin (ius laboris) has just created an Internet site dedicated to age discriminations. This tool gathers the bulk of British, Community and other Member States'...
The European social Agenda from November 20th till December 19th, 2006
We provide you with a weekly diary on the main events involving social Europe and institutional appointments. You can forward us your schedules of events to the following address...
EU : publication of the decision establishing a Community program for employment and social solidarity (PROGRESS)
This program, merging four existent programs, is intended to support various activities in the domains of employment, protection and social integration, working conditions, fight against...
EU: publication of council’s decision on reduced VAT rate for services with high labor intensity
This decision allows certain Member States to apply or maintain the reduced VAT rate until December 31st, 2010. The Council's decision implements the provisions of directive 2006/18 allowing a...
Great Britain: « National Skill Academies » to solve qualification problems
The government has approved the three first « National Skill Academies », a new professional training structure broadly inspired and financed by employers' confederations. They aim at solving...
EU : first findings of the Dublin Foundation’s fourth survey on working conditions
The report shows many positive evolutions in terms of health and safety, more high-skilled employment, more women with executive positions, and a majority of workers satisfied by their work-life...
Quebecor: trade union confederation Uni Europa Graphical points out the absence of information to European WC on ongoing restructurings
The European trade union confederation Uni Europa Graphical gathered, on November 14th, 2006, in Brussels, the Belgian, French, Spanish, Swedish and British unionists to discuss the situation of...
EU : Commission approves creation of European Gas Social Dialogue Committee
The 34th sectoral social dialogue committee has just been officially approved by the Commission. Social dialogue in the European Gas industry will be handled by the employers' federation Eurogas...
Belgium: beginning of social cooperation with the aim of a new cross-industry agreement
Started on Monday, November 13th, 2006, negotiations aimed at concluding a new cross-industry agreement (AIP) will have to succeed before Christmas. Employers and trade unions will notably have to...
EU : major trade union federations support Lithuanian union protests
Several European trade union federations expressed solidarity with Lithuanian trade unions and workers, who protested in Vilnius on November 10th against the government's plan to increase the...
Corus: agreement on job security for Dutch employees
Corus Nederland, the multinational Anglo-Dutch steel company, which employs 12 000 employees in the Netherlands, has accepted, on November 12th, 2006, most of trade unions' claims as part of the...
Great-Britain: the new law on discriminations on grounds of age
The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which came into force on 1 October 2006, promise to bring the most significant changes to UK employment law since the sex and race discrimination...
Germany : federal employment court limits employees’ rights in case of collective dismissal
Ruling on a complaint of six employees laid off by a subcontractor, the federal employment Court of Leipzig (Bundesarbeitsgericht - BAG), has abandoned the line followed during the last years...
The European social Agenda from November 13th till December 4th, 2006
We provide you with a weekly diary on the main events involving social Europe and institutional appointments. You can forward us your schedules of events to the following address...
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
Inditex European works council mobilises on value sharing
In a joint statement, 10 trade unions comprising the European works council of the Inditex clothing group are calling for rallies in Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, France, Italy and Germany...
6
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