Belgium: textile negotiations about to end

Index.  The key bone of contention was the index, pillar of the Belgian social system.  Fedustria, the sector’s employers’ organization, wanted to turn wage indexation into an increase for meal tickets.  Unions rejected this claim, fiercely defending the application of the index, applied on the payroll allowing for contributions to different social security schemes.  In the end, the mediation led, on May 13th, to an agreement on a new draft collective agreement which the social partners should sign by May 30th.  The text maintains automatic indexation.  It also mentions a 0.25% wage increase on September 1, 2012, which unions say is belated.
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fferent social security schemes. In the end, the mediation led, on May 13th, to an agreement on a new draft collective agreement which the social partners should sign by May 30th. The text maintains automatic indexation. It also mentions a 0.25% wage increase on September 1, 2012, which unions say is belated.

Early retirement. Regarding the end of the career, the future agreement provides for the extension of all early retirement agreements until December 31, 2012. Employers wanted to incre

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