Labour relations

Germany’s 550,000 chemicals employees will receive a 5.3% pay rise paid in two stages comprising first 3% then 2.3%. In exchange for the size of the rise the IG BCE union accepted spreading the...

24 June 2016

Portugal: retail sector adopts a new collective agreement

Since 16 June, Portugal’s major retailers has a new collective agreement where workers will enjoy a 2% wage rise as well as arrangements to be implemented that will allow for equivalences between...

24 June 2016

Italy: banking sector social partners negotiate a code of conduct

Following a series of scandals that have hit several of Italy’s banking institutions, negotiations commenced between the employers’ body ABI (Associazione Bancaria Italiana) and the sector’s...

23 June 2016

Germany: more and more businesses are looking for new ways to attract apprentices

Germany’s businesses are doing more and more to attract apprenticeship candidates in a bid to fill a growing shortage. Measures including in-house internships, closer ties with the secondary and...

23 June 2016

China: are changes in wages putting an end to cheap ‘Made-in-China’?

Thanks to a formerly cheap labor pool, crucial for building the ‘world factory’, China has become the world’s biggest manufacturing country making one fifth of the global manufacturing products...

22 June 2016

Bulgaria: a new collective agreement for the tourism sector

On May 26, 2016 a new collective agreement for the Tourism branch was signed by the Bulgarian Tourist Chamber (BTC), on behalf of employers, and three trade unions, the National Federation ‘Trade...

20 June 2016

Austria: social partners in the metals sector reach a landmark agreement over flexibility

On Wednesday 15 June in Vienna, Austria’s machinery and metal ware employers’ body the FMMI together with the PRO-GE (Industry) and GPA-dip (Private sector employees) unions presented an...

16 June 2016

Spain: CCOO union confederation wants to ‘rethink the union’

The CCOO union has started looking to its future. 350 people from both the union machine and the militant wings will come together on 21 June to examine the future of unionism as well as its much...

16 June 2016

United States : tourism business and unions mount an offensive against Airbnb

In the State of New York, hospitality unions together with real estate and tourism businesses are joining forces to lobby for an anti-Airbnb law. Two lobbying camps are behind a proposal for a...

16 June 2016

EU: interview with Luc Triangle, newly elected General Secretary of the European industrial union federation industriAll Europe

The second IndustriAll European Trade Union Congress took place in Madrid from 7 – 9 June 2016 (see article n°9721) and saw a new team head up the organization. Luc Triangle is the federation’s...

14 June 2016

EU: IndustriAll Europe union federation holds its second congress

IndustriAll Europe’s second congress took place between 07 and 09 June in Madrid and was held against a backdrop of a decline in Europe’s industry that is currently under pressure from EU...

14 June 2016

Great Britain: businesses divided as Brexit goes down to the line

With under ten days to go to the historic referendum on 23 June, when the British will vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the EU, more and more businesses are getting involved in the campaign. For example the...

14 June 2016

Germany: a law to narrow gender wage gaps is unjustified, affirms the IW employers institute

On 13 June while Germany’s Families Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) continues her battle within the coalition government to get her draft law on equal pay passed, the employer friendly IW (Cologne...

14 June 2016

China: controversy surrounding the announced reform of the law on employment contracts

A new cycle of economic reforms is being undertaken against a backdrop of a slowdown in the country’s economy and emerging criticism over high levels of protection being offered to workers. Eights...

13 June 2016

Austria: new Chancellor to introduce a new ‘machines’ tax in a bid to boost employment and businesses

On 17 May Austria’s newly appointed Chancellor, Christian Kern promised a ‘New Deal’ for the country with an ‘Agenda 2025’ for its employees and social partners. Although too soon to know all the...

10 June 2016

Great Britain: oil workers looking to strike over pay

The Unite, GMB, and RMT unions have called on hundreds of workers with the Wood Group oil services giant to vote over strike action in defense of their pay. The call indicates the extent to which...

10 June 2016

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The three representative trade unions at Orange France have until 10 December to validate an agreement on gender equality, work–life balance and anti-discrimination measures. While the text...

8 December 2025

mind RH analysis – Initial findings from CSRD social indicators

In 2025, for the first time, the universal registration documents of major European companies contain the sustainability reporting required by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive...

31 October 2025

Candice Guillot (Talan): “Our recruiters save just over 80 hours per year on administrative tasks thanks to AI”

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20 October 2025

France: generative AI and older workers central to BPCE’s skills management strategy

On 17 July 2025, BPCE and its trade unions signed a second agreement on jobs and career management within the banking group. The text places generative artificial intelligence at the core of its...

15 October 2025

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Pascale Rauline (Axa EWC): “European charter formalises ongoing and accelerated social dialogue on AI”

On 27 November, Axa and its European works council (EWC) signed a charter setting out principles governing the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and guaranteeing social dialogue on the...

3 December 2025

Germany: crisis-hit industries cast shadow over 2026 bargaining cycle

In 2026, collective wage agreements for nearly 10 million employees in Germany are set to expire. With upcoming negotiations in crisis-hit 'pilot' sectors such as chemicals and metalworking, the...

2 December 2025

Bulgaria: government approves bill to encourage sector-level collective bargaining

On 26 November, the Bulgarian government approved amendments to the labour code designed to reinforce the legal framework for sector-level collective bargaining. The reform aims to stimulate...

2 December 2025

EU: social partners in telecoms sign joint statement on AI

On 16 December, the social partners in Europe's telecommunications sector unveiled a joint statement on artificial intelligence. They propose an action plan for skills and commit to raising...

18 December 2025

Germany: Erwin Hymer Group’s innovative and award-winning AI agreement

Fed up with negotiating separate agreements for each new artificial intelligence (AI) tool, the social partners at Erwin Hymer Group (8,900 employees) have instead secured a broad, overarching...

12 December 2025

Italy: new collective agreement for mechanical engineering and metalworking sectors focuses on defending purchasing power

The deal struck on 22 November between Italy’s social partners in the mechanical engineering and metalworking sector brings an end to a long and contentious bargaining process. The agreement –...

25 November 2025