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
Oliver Dietrich (IG Metall): “The advent of AI can be a means of deepening social partnership within companies”
In Germany, trade unions want to influence how AI is deployed in companies. Oliver Dietrich is an AI project manager at the regional office of the IG Metall trade union in North Rhine-Westphalia...
21 January 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: government seeks to facilitate immigration of skilled Indian workers
During a visit to India earlier this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed the strategic importance of attracting Indian workers to Germany, signing a series of cooperation agreements...
15 January 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
Latest articles by Thomas Schnee
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”...
- HR
- CSR
- News brief
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
Austria: educational leave suspended pending overhaul
On 24 March, the Austrian parliament voted to suspend educational leave as of 31 March 2025. Negotiations to redesign the scheme, which the government wants to be cheaper and more efficient, began...
1 April 2025
Germany: complaint filed against Edeka over lack of social and environmental due diligence in Guatemala
Two NGOs filed a complaint at the end of February against Edeka, one of Germany's leading retail chains (approximately 400,000 employees in 11,000 stores), with the country's Federal Office of...
Germany: IG Metall criticises Tesla for withholding pay in event of illness
In a statement published on 14 March, the IG Metall union once again criticised the management of the Tesla factory in Grünheide, this time regarding their practices on sick leave and wage...
19 March 2025
Deutsche Telekom to expand its ‘Growth Hub’ skills management platform globally
German telephone operator Deutsche Telekom is launching the global rollout in 2025 and 2026 of ‘Growth Hub’, its new AI skills and career management platform. For the group, the launch of this new...
10 March 2025
Austria: new government plans labour market adjustments
Austria's new coalition government took office on 3 March, after five months of negotiations. The coalition is made up of the country's conservative (ÖVP), social democratic (SPÖ) and liberal...
4 March 2025
Germany: BAFA sets out instructions for supply chain due diligence law
While a complaint was filed at the end of February by a group of Thai workers against Otto, the German retail giant, the Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) has just...
Germany: social partners autonomy bolstered vis-à-vis the labour courts (ruling)
In a landmark decision published on 19 February, the German Federal Constitutional Court (BVG) confirmed the annulment of two judgements handed down by the Federal Labour Court (BAG), dating from...
24 February 2025
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
EU: social partners split over competitiveness and action on job quality
The European Trade Union Confederation and BusinessEurope have published their response to the consultation document on the European Commission's upcoming EU quality jobs initiative. The two...
4 February 2026
2026 TRENDS — Social dialogue, a major challenge in the deployment of AI in companies
mind RH is analysing the trends that will shape 2026. Artificial intelligence is emerging as a force that goes far beyond efficiency gains and productivity improvements. It is reshaping tasks...
4 February 2026
The major trends of 2026
New regulations coming into force, economic uncertainty, evolving skills requirements… More than ever, the HR function will play a strategic role within organizations in 2026. mind HR...
3 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
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
France: Crédit Agricole to tighten remote work rules
Crédit Agricole is to adopt stricter rules on remote work from mid-March onwards. The rules will be tightened for employees, but the maximum number of days working remotely will remain unchanged.
29 January 2026
2
2026 TRENDS – Pay transparency becomes a reality for European companies
mind RH is taking a look at the trends that will shape 2026. Many countries remain behind schedule in transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, leaving companies in a state of uncertainty as...
27 January 2026
3
TRENDS IN 2026 — Reducing workplace absence at all costs: a major challenge for Europe
Workplace absence is on the rise across Europe, particularly among women, older employees and, since the Covid-19 pandemic, young people under the age of 30. Faced with this growing problem, some...
14 January 2026
4
Vincent Lecerf (Orange): “Equality and diversity are competitive advantages for us”
Following the signing of a new agreement on professional equality and diversity in December, the chief HR officer of French multinational telecommunications corporation Orange Group, Vincent...
13 January 2026
5
France: transposition of the pay transparency directive takes shape
The transposition of the European directive on pay transparency into French law is entering a decisive phase. The Minister of Labour, Jean-Pierre Farandou, wants to present the bill to Parliament...
21 January 2026
6
France: ‘bonus-malus’ system central to talks over short-term contracts
French social partners opened talks on 28 January 2026 on the regulation of short-term contracts, marking the start of a negotiating process set to continue with three further meetings in March...
29 January 2026