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: vast savings and job cuts plan agreed at Volkswagen but it is not a panacea
Following historic negotiations, the IG Metall trade union, the central works council and Volkswagen management agreed on Friday 20 December on major cost-cutting measures and significant...
7 January 2025
Germany: short-time working to be extended from 12 to 24 months in response to industrial job cuts
With almost 81,000 industrial jobs already lost in the first nine months of the year, announcements of further cuts in German industry are continuing apace. In addition to the aggressive and...
- HR
- Analysis
16 December 2024
Germany: without an agreement before Christmas, strike action is scheduled for start of 2025 at Volskwagen
The fourth meeting between the German automaker's social partners took place on Monday 9 December against a backdrop of massive warning strikes. Although eagerly awaited, the meeting failed to...
10 December 2024
Germany: decision of principle on calculation of overtime pay supplements for part-time workers
In a ruling published on 5 December, the Federal Labour Court (BAG) handed down a decision of principle establishing that part-time workers are entitled to the same overtime bonuses as their...
9 December 2024
Germany: cabinet adopts bill linking award of federal public contracts to compliance with collective agreements
On 27 November, Germany’s Federal Cabinet adopted a bill on the obligation to comply with industry-level collective agreements when awarding federal public contracts. The aim is to combat...
28 November 2024
Germany: Bosch cuts 5,500 jobs and reduces working hours and salaries for 10,000 employees
On 22 November, equipment manufacturer Bosch announced further cuts to its workforce. Around 5,500 positions in several business sectors are affected, including 3,800 in Germany. These cuts are in...
27 November 2024
Germany: Volkswagen heads for strike action as talks fail to achieve breakthrough
The third meeting between the IG Metall trade union, the central works council and Volkswagen management, which took place on 21 November, failed to produce an agreement, despite a proposal from...
22 November 2024
Germany: collapse of governing coalition sees several bills fall by the wayside
With Germany's coalition government losing its parliamentary majority, bills on areas including pension reform, regulation of the use of artificial intelligence in recruitment and the calculation...
19 November 2024
Germany: 5.1% pay rise over 25 months in metalworking industry
After two months of negotiations and several hundred walkouts across Germany, the social partners in the metalworking industry in two pilot regions (the coastal regions and Bavaria) have agreed on...
13 November 2024
Germany: 2025 to be a quieter year on the collective bargaining front
On 30 October, the Hans Böckler Trade Union Foundation’s Institute for Economic and Social Sciences (WSI) presented its timetable for the collective wage agreements to be negotiated by...
5 November 2024
Germany: crisis at Volkswagen and warning strikes in metalworking industry
Germany's metalworking and automotive sectors are going through a difficult time, with a series of major developments occuring concurrently. We learned on Monday that the management at Volkwagen...
29 October 2024
Germany: bill presented to protect employees against AI and surveillance
On 16 October, Germany's labour and interior ministries set out the broad outline of a bill to protect employees' personal data in the context of artificial intelligence (AI) use in the workplace...
22 October 2024
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
Spain: new terms and conditions for in-company training contracts
On 25 November, Spain's Council of Ministers approved a regulation on training contracts. This text defines the terms and conditions for hosting work-study students and interns doing professional...
1 December 2025
2
EU: Commission issues first recommendation on human capital as part of European Semester
In parallel with the European Semester adopted on 25 November, which proposes guidelines to member states on economic policies for the coming year, the European Commission has adopted an...
25 November 2025
3
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
4
Germany: apprenticeship openings fall sharply in manufacturing and chemicals
From 1 January 2026, Dutch collective agreements for temporary employment agencies will alter the employment conditions of temp workers. Agencies will be required to pay these workers at least the...
15 December 2025