Netherlands: the future government’s social program
The new labor-liberal government formed after the legislative election of September 12 presented, on October 29, a coalition agreement which contains major social measures, including cuts to...
Austria: despite every indication, collective negotiations in the metal industry should keep growing apart
Five of the six separate bargaining rounds that recently took place in the Austrian metal industry have had the same outcome: wage increases between 3 and 3.4 percent depending on the position in...
Italy: separate agreement with employers to renew the national collective agreement in the food industry
On October 27, the trade unions in the food industry (Fai-Cisl, Flai-CGIL and Uila-Uil) signed the agreement renewing the national collective agreement for the food industry 2012-2015, which...
30 October 2012
Germany: MAN, the heavy truck manufacturer, puts 15,000 staff on “forced vacation” for a week
Affected by the economic crisis, the largest truck manufacturer in Europe, MAN, stopped production for one week on October 29 for two German sites, in Munich and Salzgitter. This measure should...
30 October 2012
Spain: how small Spanish organizations are fostering equal opportunities in the workplace
Equal opportunity plans are voluntary for companies or entities with less than 250 employees, according to Law 3/2007 of 22 March 2007. In 2012, 21 percent of all companies awarded the label...
26 October 2012
Italy: new association of insurance and credit professionals within the CGIL
IL, the new organization representing self-employed insurances and banking professionals was officially created on October 25. It aims to better protect self-employed professionals, who the union...
Great Britain: Morrisons launches university training for managers
While logistics are becoming increasingly complicated in retail trade, the Morrisons supermarket chain is offering its sales supervisors a degree in management and logistics. (Ref. 120636)
Spain: BBVA signs agreement on staffing cuts demanded by Brussels after the banking group took over the Unnim Banc savings banks group
The BBVA bank and the trade unions announced that they signed a draft agreement which should lead to a 40 percent staffing cut at the Unnim Banc savings bank. This is to comply with Brussels'...
Netherlands: negotiations are stuck in the rubber plastic industry
The plastic and rubber industry, which employs 3,500 people, has not had a collective agreement since July. Negotiations are stuck on the issue of pensions and unions are starting to protest...
Total: new amendment to the EWC agreement
On October, 8, the oil group signed, with three European trade union organizations (FECCIA, FECER and IndustriAll) and the representative French trade union organizations for the group, a new...
Transnational bargaining: 1st IndustriALL thematic conference focuses on standardizing procedures for bargaining and implementing international framework agreements
union leaders and experts on IFAs from 30 countries met in Frankfurt, up invitation of IG-Metall for the first thematic conference held by the new international manufacturing federation...
Netherlands: understanding what is happening to the Dutch Labor Federation, FNV
The FNV, the country's key union federation, has been going through a crisis for a year. Federations rebelling, others leaving, one of the key stakeholders of the polder system is currently...
Sweden: LO confederation proposes new method for calculating wage increases
LO (landsorganisationen), the Swedish Trade Union Confederation which gathers 14 federations, has presented its claims for the 2013 bargaining session. In order to reconcile competitiveness for...
Italy: conflict in telecom industry over the renewal of the sector’s national collective agreement
Announcing a turnout "beyond all expectations" for the strike on Friday, October 19, telecom unions warned the Asstel employers' organization that the renewal of the national collective agreement...
Austria: up to 3.4 percent wage increase in the metal industry
On Friday, October 15, the Pro.GE (manufacturing) and GPA-djp (private sector) unions and the FMMI which, with 1,200 businesses and 120,000 employees, is the largest employers' organization...
France: employers and unions give birth to Generation Contracts
rtners reached a tentative agreement on Generation Contracts. These contracts aim to encourage the permanent recruitment of young people while maintaining seniors active. Indeed, these two...
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
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...
2
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
3
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
4
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
5
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
6
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...