Great Britain: slight minimum wage increase in October 2009
1.2% increase. Hourly minimum wage will go from £5.73 (€6.48) to £5.80 (€6.56) for workers aged 22 and more; from £4.77 (€5.39) to £4.83 (€5.46) for those aged 18-21; and from £3.53 (€€3.99) to...
ABB: European appendix to the group’s social policy signed with the EWC
National freedom in the implementation. Daniela Schiermeier, member of the EWC, said: “Given the circumstances, we are satisfied with the agreement, since the key element is its implementation at...
Germany: 2.8% wage increase in 2008
Last year, in Germany, average wages increased more than prices (2.8% as opposed to 2.6%). wages supervised by collective agreements even increased of 3.6%, i.e. the biggest increase in ten years...
Italy: basic unions strike against the protocol on the single collective agreement in the rail sector and local public transportation
According to the SdL intercategoriale, CUB Trasporti and Cobas Lavoro Privato which have been joining forces since February 2009 (see our dispatch No. 090188), the national 24-hour strike...
Austria: the Austrian Post announces partial privatization of its activities and prepares for social conflict
ralization of the Austrian Post (Postgesetz) is at the stage of the consultation procedure, the management of the Österreischiche Post AG (OPAG) has just announced that it is going to...
TUI: renewal of the agreement on the TUI Europa Forum, the European staff representation structure
Composition. Employees of the companies concerned by the agreement are “divided up according to TUI’s branches.” Staff representatives are divided this way: “each country shall nominate one...
Fiat-Opel: Italian and German unions united against job cuts after a possible merger
Beginning of European coordination. The European trade unions created a “work group” and demanded “true negotiations because the possible reduction of the European structure must be done without...
Schering-Plough: EWC demands further consultation on the merger with Merck
The representatives’ letter only explicitly mentions the closure of the Bray site in Ireland and the subsequent transfer of production – “which is a transnational issue” – stresses the letter...
Spain: railway unions apprehensive about the decentralization of rail network management in Catalonian suburbs
ster of Transport and Infrastructures, José Blanco, concerning the transfer of the management of Catalonian suburban trains (Cercanias) to the region starting January 1, 2010, has provoked...
Italy: Fim-Cisl 17th national Congress adopts new guidelines on union strategy
Industrial relations. Convinced that participation strengthens union relations in the company, the Fim is banking on the development of equal organizations, “in addition to traditional social...
Belgium: metalworkers demonstrate against the agreement in metallic manufacturing
Main points of the agreement signed on April 28. What’s the main progress of this agreement? The CSC lists eight:
Germany: construction social partners ask a mediator to arbitrate their dispute
Towards a harmonization of wages in the west and in the east. The IG Bau’s second claim is that, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin wall, wages in eastern Germany be brought in line with those...
Biomet Europe: establishment of a European works council
Competence of the EWC on the “territory” only. The agreement specified that the EWC represents employees “insofar as activities are carried out within the Territory.” Besides, “the EWC shall be...
Italy: metallurgy as a testing ground for union opposition to the reform of the conventional system
No unitary platform for the renewal of the metallurgy CCN. Asking for a law on democratic rules for union representation and the validation of platforms and agreements by workers, the central...
Ireland: wage talks at a standstill
Questioning the national wage agreement in the private sector. On February 21, for the first time since the beginning of social partnership in Ireland, workers in the public and private sector...
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
Catherine Chavanier (CDC Habitat): “Social dialogue on AI facilitates its deployment”
In February, CDC Habitat (10,500 employees) signed a two-year framework agreement governing social dialogue on AI. Catherine Chavanier, HR Director of the subsidiary of CDC (Caisse des dépôts et...
2
France: La Poste to launch negotiations for an AI agreement
Following the lead of firms such as Axa, Syensqo globally, and more recently CDC Habitat, La Poste group management will open negotiations on an AI regulation agreement during the first half of...
3
France: bioMérieux’s new disability agreement pivots towards mental health
The news. On 6 January 2026, bioMérieux—an in vitro diagnostics specialist employing 4,400 people in France—signed a new four-year agreement “relating to the employment...
4
United Kingdom: launch of consultation on protection against detriment for industrial action
The British government launched a public consultation on 26 February regarding new protections for workers against "detriment" related to industrial action, scheduled to take effect in October...
12 March 2026
5
Germany: controversial collective bargaining compliance act adopted
On 26 February, the Bundestag approved the Tariftreuegesetz (collective bargaining compliance act), aimed at strengthening collective agreements and tackling social dumping by tying certain public...
26 February 2026
6
Germany: a wave of redundancy plans in the automotive sector
The latest financial results presented in early 2026 by major German car manufacturers show sharp declines. This collapse in profits has triggered the announcement or confirmation of massive job...
16 March 2026