Labour relations

With the next general election in May 2015 only eight months away, the last round of annual conferences of the main political parties has taken on an added importance as they begin to lay out...

2 October 2014

Sweden: the new prime minister wants to reform unemployment insurance and training, and to safeguard the labor market

Unions are delighted with the social-democrat parliamentary election win and the nomination of the former President of the IF Metall union as Prime Minister. Elected on September 14, the Prime...

2 October 2014

Denmark: overall union membership numbers rise but they still decline in some of the traditional unions

Gone are the days of declining union membership in Denmark. Over the past four years membership has risen from 67% to 69%. Union members continue to show a preference for joining “yellow” unions...

1 October 2014

Italy: Lavazza decides to do away with collective agreements operating at its principal place of business

Last week Lavazza announced it was looking to overhaul company agreements, in place since 1972, at its principal premises, the ‘historic’ Settimo Torinese factory. This is to make way for the new...

30 September 2014

International: the union federation IndustriALL has launched a new publication to help members confront precarious work

In response to the expansion of precarious work as one of the biggest threats facing unions, IndustriALL has launched a publication aimed at promoting collective negotiation as a tool in the fight...

29 September 2014

Sweden: agreement to include final year internships for students in the real estate sector

On September 4, 2014, the partners in the real estate sector agreed on a program of student cooperation: “studentmedarbetareavtal”. This initiative originates from Denmark where for a long time...

29 September 2014

South Africa: the extension of the metals industry wage agreement goes before the courts because of unresolved power plays among employers

A metal industry wage agreement was signed this summer after a one-month strike. The agreement will apply for the next 3 years, considered to be a very long period in this sector. The agreement ...

26 September 2014

Italy: the leader of Cisl, the country’s second largest union confederation, resigns early

On September 24, 2014, Raffaele Bonanni head of the Cisl union since 2006 submitted his resignation saying his decision was motivated by the need for internal renewal “necessary in these times of...

26 September 2014

Austria: collective-contract talks in the Metal sector kick off this autumn amid employers fundamental concerns

On September 25, 2014, collective wage negotiations started in the metal industry and will set the standard for Austria’s future wage trends. As has been the case for the past 2 years, each of the...

26 September 2014

Germany: Amazon turns a deaf ear to Verdi union demands despite renewed strike action

After 3 days of strikes (from Monday September 22 to Wednesday September 24) and for the first time hitting 5 separate Amazon facilities, the German services union Verdi sees the action as having...

25 September 2014

Portugal: the minimum wage that has been frozen since 2011 now rises by 20 euros to 505 euros

After intense negotiations, the social partners agreed a rise in the national minimum wage (SMN). As of October 1, 2014 it will go up from 485 euros to 505 euros per month. To ease the financial...

25 September 2014

Belgium: a shock campaign by the FGTB condemning the misuse of daily agency contracts

By announcing, to a fanfare of publicity the launch of a new daily contract recruitment agency, only to disclose that that the agency was in a fact a hoax, the FGTB had decided to organize a shock...

25 September 2014

Corporate Practice: how the German family run company VILSA-Brunnen helps its older staff take up, for the first time, professional vocational training

Can we go back to school after more than 20 years spent in a factory filling bottles. What are the benefits and challenges of such an approach for both the employee and the employer? During the...

24 September 2014

Great Britain: the dearth in qualified staff is a time bomb for companies

Employers in Britain are starting to feel the effects of a lack of skilled workers. For some years now the country has been tackling the problem of skills shortages. A recent government report...

24 September 2014

Denmark: the FTF confederation union launches the debate on the need for a legal minimum wage

While the unions were formerly opposed to even discussing the idea of a legal minimum wage in Denmark, last week the FTF, Denmark’s second largest union confederation, invited the social partners...

23 September 2014

Belgium: the federal government’s upcoming reforms are worrying the unions

On Tuesday September 23, 2014 the three central unions will demonstrate together to voice their concerns over proposed reforms by the new federal coalition government, that itself is in the...

22 September 2014

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France: Orange submits gender equality agreement – including AI provisions – for union approval

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”

Candice Guillot, group director of employee experience and HR performance at Talan (7,000 employees), outlines for mind RH her vision and strategy for introducing artificial intelligence at the...

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: telecommunications sector introduces new measures to navigate major transformation

The agreement reached between Asstel, the employers’ association for Italy’s telecommunications sector, and the SLC-Cgil, Fistel-Cisl and Uilcom unions centres on strengthening labour relations to...

27 November 2025