Italy: Deutsche Bank and Unicredit sign agreements with unions on implementation of provisions on the protection of customers’ privacy to ban remote control of workers
Unicredit and then Deutsche Bank are the two latest firms that signed - both at the end of May - an agreement transposing the banking industry’s national framework agreement signed in April.  That...
Argentina: General Motors launches plan to suspend production but maintains its workers’ entire salary
A consequence of the crisis in the auto industry in Latin America, the American carmaker is thinking about suspending production for 1 day a week until December.  Workers won the trial of strength...
Great Britain: Unite tries to regain its health after the Ineos defeat by preparing a long dispute against SCA Logistics on the use of zero-hours contrcts
After a 2-day strike last month against the introduction of zero hour contracts, Unite members at SCA Logistics at Tilbury docks have begun an 11-day strike to continue their battle. The fear of...
Denmark: deal to keep a Danish Crown slaughter factory from closing by creating an investment firm where workers will send part of their salary
To rescue Danish Crown’s slaughterhouse in Rønne, on Bornholm island, an investment company will be created: for 5 years, employees will send 3.5 percent of their salary – an investment they can...
Spain: employers’ organizations are trying to lower collective agreements, even in sectors that are doing well
For 2 years, all collective agreements that are renegotiated lower the advantages provided for in the previous agreements.  The difficult ongoing negotiations for the collective agreement in the...
Germany: about only 50 percent of employees work in a company covered by a sectoral collective agreement
According to a survey released on June 2 by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), the erosion of the collective agreements system, which started in the mid-90s, continues in Germany.  In...
Germany: businesses are paying more and more attention to diversity
Round tables, short films, exhibitions, information stands, “cross-cultural” menus…  For the “Second German Diversity Day,” which took place on June 3 across the country, more than 300 businesses...
Manpower: Rachid Brihi, lawyer at the Grumbach et Associés law firm, tells us, “Uni Europa, CGT and Unite sue Manpower for obstruction of establishment of a European Works Council”
“We’ve pressed charges against Manpower France to demand the establishment of an EWC by virtue of the subsidiary provisions included in the French Labor Code,” Rachid Brihi, lawyer at the Grumbach...
Netherlands: for the third time in a row, cleaning workers mobilize to improve their collective agreements
The trade unions FNV Bondgenoten and CNV Vakmensen reached an agreement with the employers’ organisation OSB (Ondernemerorganisatie Schoonmaak en Bedrijfsdiensten - Employers organisation for...
Ukraine: the political crisis’ impact on the labor market
Ukraine, about to go bankrupt, needs to reform its economy in depth.  Growth will be negative in 2014 - 6.5 percent according to the latest forecasts released by the International Center for...
Portugal: government to launch social dialogue on reducing the duration of collective agreements and exception clauses in case of economic difficulties
The government would like to bring the duration of collective agreements from 5 down to 2 years.  Social dialogue is going to start on the subject.  Besides, the suspension of collective...
Netherlands: social plan disputed at Philip Morris
It is definitely one of the most significant plant closures in the country for these past few years.  On April 4, 2014, Philip Morris, the tobacco firm, announced the closing of its factory in...
Cambodia: facing unstable social situation, international clothing brands are lobbying the government into improving working conditions
International textile brands and firms are lobbying the Cambodian government into bringing stability back in the sector and ensure products are delivered whereas, since last December, workers have...
Spain: unions denounce penal offensive against the right to strike
The UGT and CCOO unions are mobilizing against the 49 proceedings started against 147 union officials who took part in picket lines.  They view this as concerted action from the public prosecution...
Brazil: union funding suspected of feeding the creation of ‘ghost’ unions
Brazilian union funding is being questioned after the Ministry of Labor cleared out several ghost unions at the end of February.  Hundreds of organizations are suspected of being created in order...
Spain: since the last labor market reform, unions’ conflict strategies in case of layoffs are increasingly risky
Unions are disarmed by the labor law reform.  That’s what comes out of the two social conflicts with the most media coverage these past few months.  One is between workers and management at...
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
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...
2
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
3
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
4
Italy: new generational renewal agreement penned at UniCredit
The agreement signed on 30 December by UniCredit, Italy’s second-largest banking group, with the Fabi, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, Uilca and Unisin trade unions aims to continue generational...
5
France: social partner talks extend far beyond contractual terminations
After a false start on 3 December, French social partners resumed talks on 7 January 2026 on potential changes to the unemployment insurance agreement, including the rules governing compensation...
12 January 2026
6
EU: banking sector social partners commit to combating violence and harassment
On 15 January, the trade union federation UNI Europa Finance and three employers’ associations in the banking sector signed a joint statement on preventing violence and harassment in the...