Thomas Schnee
Correspondent in GermanyAs a Berlin correspondent for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business and labour market. My areas of interest include co-determination, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.
Expertise
As a correspondent in Berlin for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business world and labour market. My areas of interest include co-management, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.
Most read articles by Thomas Schnee
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
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
Austria: European rules on wage transparency expected to cause a cultural shock
With the gender pay gap in Austria being the second largest in the European Union (18.3%), the Austrian government has promised to introduce a bill next spring to transpose the European directive...
27 November 2025
Germany: far-right-aligned ‘union’ sets sights on Volkswagen works councils
At next spring’s German works council elections, Zentrum – the 'alternative' union aligned with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party – will seek to strengthen its foothold in major...
9 December 2025
Latest articles by Thomas Schnee
Germany: Berlin wants to introduce a one-year leave period for further education and training
Germany is preparing to introduce a system of continuing education for employees that has at its centre a one-year training leave opportunity, during which time the employee’s salary will be...
18 January 2023
Germany: judgment makes it easier to keep unused paid leave
In a potentially landmark ruling, issued on 20 December 2022, the German Federal Labour Court (BAG) decided that employees remain entitled to unused paid leave for an indefinite period, if their...
16 January 2023
Germany: court ruling will make it easier to terminate older workers employment contracts
In early December 2022, Germany’s Federal Labour Court ruled that when assessing the social criteria for determining the order in which employment contract terminations are made, how close an...
12 January 2023
Germany: bill adopted to promote a more inclusive labour market
At the end of 2022, the German government adopted a bill that sets out to foster a more inclusive labour market. The objective is to bring more people with disabilities into the primary labour...
Germany: Deutsche Bahn pays €150 bonus to staff proposing energy saving ideas
Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway operator and a huge consumer of electricity, revealed on Wednesday 14 December that its search for good ideas to reduce energy waste, launched in...
16 December 2022
Germany: Continental urged to communicate better with its employees over the theft of its data
After a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of 40 terabytes of data from the German automotive supplier Continental (54,000 German employees), it has taken four months and significant pressure...
15 December 2022
Germany: Chancellor Scholz looking to halt early retirement
One phrase uttered by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reignited the debate on pensions and the reforms being prepared for 2023. “We need to increase the share of those who can actually...
- HR
- News brief
13 December 2022
Germany: Berlin rolls out its new migration policy
Faced with a severe shortage of skilled labour, Germany is rolling out a massive programme to activate and seek skilled workers. In order to make up for its shortages, the country has to hire...
- HR
- News
1 December 2022
Germany: real wages are falling as sectors gear up for 2023 wage negotiations
It is too early to know whether salary increases negotiated in autumn 2022 in the major Chemicals and Metals sectors (+6.5%, +8.5% respectively over two years plus €3,000 each) will help to...
29 November 2022
Germany: growing shortage of tech and science experts (study)
The renowned German Economic Institute (IW) in Cologne has published its annual study on the situation for so-called “MINT” – mathematics, information technology, natural...
28 November 2022
Germany: 8.5% pay rise and €3,000 “anti-inflation” bonus in metal sector
The social partners in the metal industry of the German state of Baden-Württemberg have struck an agreement on a two-part wage increase of 8.5% and a one-off tax-free bonus of €3,000, to take...
18 November 2022
Austria: 7.44% pay rise in metal industry
The social partners in the largest branch of Austria’s metal industry – the business organisation Metaltechnology Austria (FMTI) and the PRO-GE and GPA trade unions – have struck...
7 November 2022
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
France: sectors feel economic slowdown to differing degrees
The latest data on France’s occupational sectors (branches professionnelles), covering the year 2023, show how employment trends are shaping workplace dynamics. After a more favourable period for...
19 December 2025
United Kingdom: Parliament finally passes Employment Rights Bill
The UK Labour government's flagship reform of employment rights was passed by both houses on 16 December after a turbulent parliamentary process. The bill introduces numerous changes to labour...
18 December 2025
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
EU: MEPs demand directive on algorithmic management
Members of the European Parliament have called for a directive on algorithmic management. Such legislation would introduce obligations for companies to inform employees, assess health and safety...
17 December 2025
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...
3 December 2025
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
France: construction sector turns to long-term partial activity scheme
Amid the ongoing economic crisis hitting France’s construction sector, social partners in the public works industry (350,000 employees) signed an agreement at the end of October enabling companies...
21 November 2025
6
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...
24 November 2025