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: what measures do the main parties standing in the federal elections envisage for the world of work?
Early parliamentary elections are to be held in Germany on 23 February. As such, mind RH is presenting a summary of the measures concerning the world of work proposed by the main parties already...
5 February 2025
Germany: debate rages on introducing one-day wait for sick pay and ditching electronic system
Amid a sharp rise in absenteeism in Germany since the pandemic, a debate has emerged on whether the country should abolish pay on the first day of sick leave. With this in mind, several employers'...
13 January 2025
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
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