GDF Suez: interview of Bernard Parmantier, industrial relations director of the group, on the global agreement on fundamental rights, social dialogue and sustainable development
n framework agreements, one on health and safety at work and one on GPEC (Jobs and Skills Management Planning), GDF Suez is going ahead with international bargaining. The group announced, on...
GDF Suez: signature of a global agreement on fundamental rights, social dialogue and sustainable development
Since GDF Suez is present in several sectors, the agreement was negotiated with one or two representatives from the ICEM, BWI and PSI and coordinated by Global Unions (an organization which makes...
Great Britain: new strategy for training and apprenticeship shows the start of the State financially disengaging
The David Cameron administration presented, on November 16th, its action plan for training and apprenticeship.  The strategy is entitled “Skills for Sustainable Growth.”  The document starts with...
17 November 2010
Netherlands: threat of continuing strike at TNT Post
Harry Koostra, CEO of TNT Post, the former public post, mentioned on TV yesterday the possibility of renegotiating the collective agreement and finding “creative solutions” to limit the number of...
International: 3rd UNI Global Union Congress shows the will to “break through” on transnational bargaining and unionization
Different funding.  With the G20 summit in the background in Korea, the global union’s congress mostly worked on the global financial and economic crisis. UNI, which, alone, covers thirteen...
17 November 2010
Italy: unitary start for the developments of the platform for the renewal of the banking CCN
The key unions in the banking sector (Fabi, Fiba Cisl, Fisac CGIL, Silcea, Sinfub, UGL and Uilca) announced, on November 16th, the start of a unitary journey for the preparation of the claim...
Sweden: to increase its size, the Unionen union launched a free membership campaign
Unionen, the first union to take this type of initiative. The objective of Unionen’s board is to get 600,000 members – i.e. an increase of about 100,000 members.  That’s why the idea came, during...
Italy: to reach the young, the CGIL is using the “social guerrilla”
The CGIL is innovating while preparing for the national demonstration in Rome on November 27th and trying to revitalize the confederation’s image, with initiatives that are more on the same wave...
Netherlands: strike at TNT Post to reduce the number of job cuts
A first in the Netherlands: the main opposition party, lead by Labor Party member Job Cohen, declared, on Monday, November 15th, support to the strike organized by TNT Post’s three unions.  Post...
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...
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: Bayer puts female health and inclusive parenthood at the centre of its equality policy
In a new agreement on gender equality highlighted by mind RH, Bayer commits to strengthening its parenthood policy. Furthermore, the company is anticipating pay transparency and introducing...
25 September 2026
2
Germany: Volkswagen cancels almost all collective bargaining agreements signed with IG Metall
The Volkswagen brand announced on 30 September that it is terminating 10 of its 13 internal collective bargaining agreements, effective 31 December 2026. The announcement, which the carmaker...
1 October 2026
3
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
4
Germany: Employers’ representatives seek to limit the rights of works councils
The Employers' Federation of German Employers' Associations (Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände - BDA) published a report at the end of September in which it proposes a...
5
Germany: working time dispute between Mercedes and the IG Metall Union
The news. At the beginning of September, Mercedes-Benz asked employee representatives and the IG Metall union to agree to an increase in the weekly working time from 35 to 40 hours, without any...
16 September 2026
6
Germany: major day of union action in the automotive industry ahead of collective bargaining
A few weeks before the start of collective bargaining in the German metalworking sector, the IG Metall trade union mobilised nearly 175,000 workers across more than 200 industrial sites on 21...
22 September 2026