Ireland: unions take to the street at the end of the month to reject the government’s austerity policy
The ICTU thinks Ireland doesn’t need the EU’s help.  “We still have up to 20 million until July 2011 and 25 million in sovereign wealth fund” explained an ICTU economist.  On this at least, unions...
Great Britain: first attempt at coordinated strike action isn’t a big hit
The three disputes constituting the first attempt at coordinated action are a) the pensions dispute at the BBC, b) the dispute over revising shift systems in the London fire brigade, and c) the...
Germany: new health reform causes the wrath of employers and trade unions
Towards the introduction of fixed contributions borne by the insured party only.  Passed after months of controversy, the “Act on Public Health Insurance Funding” (Gesetz zur Finanzierung der...
15 November 2010
Netherlands: introduction of the flexible work week with a prize thrown in
With this award, Hutten Catering is going to have free advice on human resources next year.  At Hutten Catering, flexitime isn’t simply for the 80 office clerks but also for cooks, delivery men...
Germany: the trend of early wage increases is growing
Bonus for employees worldwide.  When presenting the annual report this week, Siemens CEO Peter Löscher announced that the company’s profit would increase by 63% for the past year (September...
Germany: one in seven firms excessively uses its employees’ data
Offenses that are quite widespread.  In the introduction, the WSI reminds that, in recent years, Germany was disturbed by a series of spying scandals (Deutsche Telekom, Lidl), data monitoring...
10 November 2010
Areva: EWC calls for quick recapitalization
Worries.  At a press conference organized on Tuesday, November 9th, the representatives of Areva’s WC said they were worried about the delay in recapitalizing the French nuclear group.  “We might...
Italy: the Fiom-CGIL’s action plan for the coming months
Extraordinary unionization campaign.  In the heavy document adopted on November 8th, the national secretariat is responsible for organizing, among other initiatives: 
Belgium: cross-industry negotiations on a 5% available ‘wage cushion’ opened
In Belgium, multi-industry negotiations are held every two years (for the last agreement, see our dispatch No. 090012).  The definition of the norme salariale (wage standard – the maximum limit...
Germany: the Verdi union wants the legalization of “political strikes”
The right to strike is strictly supervised. In Germany, the right to strike is strictly supervised.  A 1955 decree rendered by the Federal Labor Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht) ruled that “political...
Portugal: Volkswagen Autoeuropa workers get the wage increases they asked for
The company agreement, which will officially be signed on November 15th, will be in force until the end of September 2012.  It meets one of the workers’ key claims, the 3.9% wage increase, a €500...
Germany: two simultaneous conciliation procedures in the rail sector
Employers are divided.  On October 26th, Transnet and GDBA launched warning strikes across the country to support their claims (see our dispatch No. 100725).  They want the signature of a...
Austria: 2.5% wage increase in metalworking
Austrian metal employers didn’t flag on the issue of working time. In mid-October, they unilaterally decided not to include this subject into the negotiations. Indeed, it isn’t mentioned in the...
Italy: new CGIL general secretary Susanna Camusso’s program banks on unity
“We’re proud that we elected a woman as the CGIL’s secretary” Morena Piccini, chairwoman of the CGIL’s patronage, the INCA, declared this morning at the Teatro Quirino in Rome, setting the tone...
Great Britain: job security agreement at Jaguar Land Rover
The agreement also provides for a two year pay deal for over 8,000 workers which see their pay increase by five per cent from 1 November 2010 followed by the retail price index (RPI) plus 0.5 per...
Germany: Alstom employees request job security at European level
Using flexibility.  Walkouts, demonstrations, general meetings of the staff… in 12 Alstom sites in Germany (Bammental, Berlin, Bexbach, Düsseldorf, Kassel, Mainz-Kastel, Mannheim, Mönchengladbach...
3 November 2010
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...