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: introduction of the concept of partial incapacity for work
The news. On 10 July, the German Parliament definitively adopted the “Act to Stabilise Contribution Rates in the Statutory Health Insurance System”...
27 August 2026
Germany: AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt raises concerns over labour supply and workplace cohesion
The rise of Germany’s far-right AfD, which could soon gain influence over migration policy in Saxony-Anhalt and, following elections on September 20, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well, is...
15 September 2026
Germany: a “simplification” proposal for the Corporate Governance Code
In early August, the Government Commission presented proposals to reform the Deutscher Corporate Governance Kodex (DCGK), Germany’s Corporate Governance Code. The proposals are primarily aimed at...
Germany: a high-tension start to the social and political year
The German government must finalize its major reforms (pension funding, corporate competitiveness, and labor law) while the chancellor’s popularity hits an all-time low and three regional...
26 August 2026
Latest articles by Thomas Schnee
Germany: slight rise of the far-right in automotive works council elections
The renewal of German works councils, which takes place every four years, is currently underway across 9,500 companies from 1 March to 31 May 2026. Early partial results from the automotive sector...
15 April 2026
Germany: crisis and transformation wage agreement in the chemical sector
Following a two-day marathon negotiation in Bad Breisig (Western Germany), the social partners of the German chemical and pharmaceutical industries—the IG BCE trade union and the BAVC employers'...
27 March 2026
Germany: launch of the “WE-Fair” alliance for binational training of skilled foreign workers
Germany continues to expand and diversify its initiatives to attract skilled foreign labour from outside the EU. In mid-March 2026, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development...
26 March 2026
Germany: menopause issues finally gain corporate recognition
With 12 million women over 40 in the labour force, German companies and occupational health professionals are beginning to adopt support policies for those affected by menopause-related issues...
19 March 2026
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
Germany: a corporate group supports local political engagement via its “Democracy Charter”
Large corporations in the Hesse region, surrounding Frankfurt, are defending local democracy by enabling employees to volunteer in local public life through an initiative dubbed the "Democracy...
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
Germany: accelerated professional integration in sight for asylum seekers
Germany’s interior minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced plans to accelerate the professional integration of asylum seekers in Germany. “The best integration is the one that starts...
23 February 2026
Germany: standoff over national plan to boost collective bargaining
Under the EU Adequate Minimum Wages Directive, Germany is required to produce an action plan to boost collective bargaining coverage. That plan has stalled, however, after being blocked by the...
9 February 2026
Germany: collective bargaining negotiations begin in chemical industry
Collective bargaining talks in Germany’s chemical and pharmaceutical industries are due to open this week, covering nearly 580,000 employees across around 1,700 companies. With the sector facing...
3 February 2026
Germany: Chancellor prepares ground for working time law reform
Since mid-January 2026, senior figures in the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have reopened debate over Germany’s working time legislation. The party’s...
26 January 2026
Germany: chancellor takes aim at sick notes issued after remote consultation
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz courted controversy at an election rally last weekend after criticising what he described as an “excessively high” level of absenteeism, pointing to...
22 January 2026
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
EU: insurance sector social partners commit to addressing violence and harassment at work
The news. The trade union UNI Europa Finance and the employers’ federations Insurance Europe, Amice and Bipar signed an addendum to their 2022 joint declaration on diversity and inclusion on...
18 September 2026
Juliette Baudry (Boiron): “An intergenerational mechanism to better accommodate different life stages”
Since 1 September 2026, employees of the pharmaceutical group Boiron (1,700 employees in France) have benefited from a “key life moments account”. Resulting from an agreement signed last February...
18 September 2026
France: final document on the work of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference
After six months of discussions between French social partners, the guarantors of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference submitted the conclusions of the discussions to the Prime Minister...
17 September 2026
EU: Commission proposes a list of worker-related criteria for public procurement
The news. On 9 September, the European Commission published a proposal for a regulation aimed at unifying European public procurement law, which accounts for 15% of European GDP. It is notably set...
17 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...
24 August 2026
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
Germany: introduction of the concept of partial incapacity for work
The news. On 10 July, the German Parliament definitively adopted the “Act to Stabilise Contribution Rates in the Statutory Health Insurance System”...
27 August 2026