News update as of January 9, 2018

On the menu: Spanish courts require companies to implement their equal pay plans for interim workers, German metals worker strike action is looming, Italy's Labor Ministry defines call center labor costs, Iceland looks towards a law for gender pay equality by 2022, Switzerland wants workers to share in the economic upturn and Endesa delivers a summary of its programme encouraging staff to find ways of improving the profitability of its oil, gas, and coal plants.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

Germany/serious strike action threat in metals sector. On 08 January and ahead of the third round of collective negotiations that are due to start on 11 January in Baden-Wurtemberg, the IG Metall union triggered a series of warning strikes that impacted 80 businesses and involved 15,000 employees in North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Wurtemberg, and the Berlin-Brandenberg-Saxony regions. Today January 9, nearly 60,000 employees from 180 companies were in strike throughout the country. Central to thi

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
France: Ministry of Labour unveils plan to accelerate the rollout of AI
On 22 September, the French Ministry of Labour presented a plan named Impulsion IA 2027 aimed at accelerating the adoption of AI by companies and employees. It contains 12 measures applicable from...
Germany: major day of union action in the automotive industry ahead of collective bargaining
A few weeks before the start of collective bargaining in the German metalworking sector, the IG Metall trade union mobilised nearly 175,000 workers across more than 200 industrial sites on 21...
22 September 2026
UK: clothing retailer Next allowed on appeal to pay warehouse workers more than store staff
The news. On 7 September 2026, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in favour of clothing chain Next, which pays warehouse staff more than store staff. At first instance, the Leeds tribunal had...
21 September 2026
Denmark: government seeks to temporarily maintain early retirement age at 64
The news. On 12 September, the Danish government confirmed that the age limit for early retirement (“tidlig pension”) will remain at 64 for individuals born between 1963 and 1965, for...
21 September 2026
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
Spain: government seeks to strengthen protection for employee whistleblowers
On 28 July, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved a draft bill aimed at providing legal protection to employees who report corruption or breaches of labour law, shielding them from potential...
27 August 2026
2
France: Cabinet adopts pay transparency bill
After several months of delay beyond the European deadline of 7 June 2026, French Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou finally presented the bill transposing the Pay Transparency Directive to the...
10 September 2026
3
Netherlands: Uber fined over 800 million euros for automated algorithmic decisions
The news. In a decision dated 17 August, the Dutch Data Protection Authority fined ride-hailing company Uber €825 million for automating decisions regarding driver account deactivations. The...
4
Italy: Crédit Agricole introduces a handbook on managerial behaviour
The document adopted in mid-July by Crédit Agricole Italia and the main banking trade unions goes beyond the proper use of meetings and emails. This six-point handbook aims to foster constructive...
3 September 2026
5
Spain: government revisits its draft decree on salary transparency
The Spanish Ministry of Labour has opened a consultation on the transposition of the European directive on salary transparency and the reduction of the gender pay gap. This decision follows a...
8 September 2026
6
Slovakia: 6% increase in the minimum wage from 1 January 2027
The news. As Slovakia’s social partners failed to reach an agreement during tripartite negotiations, Labour Minister Erik Tomas has decided to increase the minimum wage by 6% from 1 January...
1 September 2026