Italy: the Fiom’s central council confirms the general strike in the metallurgy sector on February 13
Gathered in Rome on January 13, the central council of the Fiom, the largest metalworkers’ union in Italy, approved four resolutions, including opposition to the government’s proposition to...
Germany: statutory minimum wage for six new sectors
Outside talks at the summit between Angela Merkel and her democrat social partners, bargaining for the details of a historical revival program (see our dispatch No. 090037), the parties of the...
Germany: railroaders and public employees open collective bargaining for 2009
The first collective negotiations for 2009 started with wage claims up to 8% for railroaders and employees from local public administrations. In spite of the downturn and the disastrous economic...
General Motors Europe: agreement with the EWC to reduce working time and avoid collective redundancies
While the German auto sector has been multiplying appeal to partial unemployment, the Opel car manufacturer, German subsidiary of general motors Europe, is in turn about to reduce working time. GM...
Italy: in Milan, unions and local authorities create a fund to help workers in danger of social exclusion
The Milan city hall and the CGIL, Cisl and Uil unions presented to the press, on January 12, 2009, the Fondazione per il Welfare Ambrosiano. The creation of this foundation was proposed by...
Poland: creation of a Confederation of Metalworkers’ Unions
On January 7, 2009, the representatives of three metalworkers' unions (the Federation of foundry unions, the union of electro mechanic industry, the Federation of "Metalworkers'" unions) approved...
Germany: Gesamtmetall wants the government to give more support to “employment pacts” signed in businesses
The tariff agreement on job security (Tarifvertrag Beschäftigungssicherung) in force in the metallurgy and electronics sector, enabling companies facing a dropping demand to reduce working time...
Spain: interview of Francisco Aranda, leader of the Association of Large Temporary Employment Agencies (AGETT)
are getting ready to bargain for a reform of public employment services and will mention, in this respect, the extension of temporary work agencies’ competences (see our dispatch No...
BNP Paribas/Fortis: cooperation between the two groups’ EWCs and unions
Whereas the fate of the takeover of the Belgian bank Fortis by the French BNP Paribas banking group is hanging on the court rulings expected in Belgium, the two banks' EWCs keep meeting "so these...
Unicredit: the bank embarks on vocational training
The EWC and the management of the Unicredit group adopted, in mid-December a joint declaration on "training, learning and professional development". Training is set as a fundamental value for the...
Belgium: the social partners adopt the 2009-10 interprofessional agreement
On December 22, 2008, the Belgian social partners adopted the 2009-10 interprofessional agreement, in cooperation with the government, which reconciles unions' major claims concerning the growth...
Mexico: 4.6% minimum wage increase after lobbying by companies trying to moderate remunerations to save jobs
Unions are expressing their discontent after this increased deemed limited, below the inflation increase curve. According to the commission in charge of arbitrating negotiations and defining...
Netherlands: manager gets his golden parachute in court
Jan Peter Schmittmann, 52, former leader of the Dutch operations of the ABN Amro bank, obtained, on December 30, 2008, an €8-million leave bonus. His employer, the second largest bank in the...
G4S: international framework agreement
The body of the agreement states that employees “have the right to organize unions in a free and fair atmosphere.” The local management is invited to facilitate union members’ access to G4S’...
Argentina: collective bargaining increased of nearly 40% in one year
The numerous social conflicts led to a major increase in collective bargaining during the third quarter of 2008. It increased of 37% compared to the same period in 2007. Most concern wage...
Czech Republic: national railway reaches collective agreement for 2009
The management of the Czech Republic's largest employer, Ceske Drahy (Czech Railways) signed a company level collective agreement for 2009 with participating trade unions in mid-December, after...
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
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
4
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...
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