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
Austria: spring collective bargaining ends with pay rises from 2.65% to 3.05%
Led by Austria's two major trade unions PRO GE (industry) and GPA (private sector employees in all sectors), the 2025 spring negotiations were marked by more aggressive demands and, above all, a...
12 June 2025
Germany: Volkswagen creates new structures to accelerate job cuts
With at least 20,000 early departures already confirmed, Volkswagen's plan to reduce its German workforce appears to be on schedule. However, the extensive restructuring at Europe's leading car...
10 June 2025
Germany: IG Metall shelves four-day week demand
As the new government's stance in favour of greater flexibility and longer working hours for German workers fuels a growing debate, the IG Metall trade union has announced that it is shelving its...
28 May 2025
Germany: debate over working time reform gains momentum
The coalition agreement signed by Germany's conservative CDU/CSU and social democratic SPD parties provides for the abolition of the eight-hour working day in favour of a maximum weekly working...
26 May 2025
Germany: labour court hands down ruling on retention of stock option rights after resignation
The German Federal Labour Court (BAG) has decided that employees retain their rights to all options already exercised after resigning, in a ruling handed down on 19 March. Applicable retroactively...
15 May 2025
SAP significantly waters down diversity programme
In response to US President Donald Trump's executive order to abolish diversity policies, the German business software leader has announced that it is scrapping its target of 40% women in its...
Germany: four-day week niche and unpopular, German Economic Institute finds (study)
Between March and May 2024, the German Economic Institute (IW) surveyed human resources managers from 823 companies of all sizes and across all sectors on the topic of the four-day week with...
25 April 2025
Germany: future coalition wants to abolish due diligence law pending the European directive
The partners in the future German government (CDU/CSU and SPD) have agreed to repeal the national supply chain due diligence act (LkSG), as revealed in their coalition agreement presented on 9...
Germany: government programme of upcoming coalition gives prominence to labour matters
On 9 April, at the end of four weeks of negotiations, Germany's conservative (CDU and CSU) and social democratic (SPD) parties presented a government programme that sets out the guidelines for...
14 April 2025
Austria: gradual retirement remains under threat
Last week, Austrian social affairs minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) announced in the media that part-time working for seniors (Altersteilzeit), also known as “gradual retirement”...
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7 April 2025
Global trade union skills centre launched on due diligence obligations
On 19 March, the global union confederations UNI Global Union (services) and IndustriAll (industry/energy), together with the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the Friedrich Ebert...
Austria: spring collective bargaining for 155,000 industrial workers kicks off
Social partners in several important sectors of Austrian industry have commenced wage negotiations. Talks are taking place in an uncertain and tense climate, after two years of increases well...
2 April 2025
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