Germany: GDL union signs federal framework agreement for rail freight train drivers
Wages in line with the Deutsche Bahn’s.  “On March 16th, the GDL adopted with private freight rail companies, without a single strike, the federal framework agreement for train drivers...
Sweden: agreement only just reached in banking and finance
Long and stormy negotiations with the economic crisis in the background.  Opened in October 2010, the talks lasted and led to an extension of the previous agreement which should have expired on...
Spain: call-center unions call for 8 days of strike
The FeS-UGT and Comfia-CCOO unions blame the employers’ organization for using blackmail by agreeing to sign the new collective agreement only if unions accept a new layoff arrangement. Employers...
Great Britain: Unite union threatens Ford with strike
In early January 2010, Ford informed Unite that it intended to use the CPI (consumer price index) to calculate its inflation linked increases to its pension scheme payments, rather than the...
Norsk Hydro: new global framework agreement
The Norwegian energy group, which also operates in aluminum, Norsk Hydro, recently signed a framework agreement “for the development of good working relations” in the company.  The Norwegian State...
Eiffage: agreement renewing the EWC
Since it was created in 1998, the construction and public works company has deliberately been promoting union representation within its EWC and is used to working with the EFBWW, which has a...
Spain: home stretch for the debate on the collective bargaining reform
The prolongation of collective agreements reaching their deadline.  Employers wanted the removal of the automatic prolongation of collective agreements until the signature of the next agreement...
Portugal: merchandise carriers strike against fuel prices
Trial of strength.  The emergency meeting between the government and carriers which followed the announcement of the blockade didn’t lead to an agreement, since the most important claim on...
Alstom: interview of Patrick Dubert and Noël Huret, respectively HR manager and IR manager of the Group, on the European agreement on the anticipation of change
Patrick Dubert.  We feel there are three sides to this agreement.  First, the organization of dialogue on evolutions, preparing the future both at European and at national/local level.  Secondly...
Italy: social partners set guidelines for territorial agreements for the tax exemption of productivity wages
The Confindustria confederation for employers and the CGIL, Cisl and Uil for unions signed, on March 8th, a unitary agreement on the guidelines for local agreements granting businesses tax...
Luxembourg: renewal of banking collective agreement
Disagreements.  Debated since the end of October 2010, the collective agreement applying to Luxembourg’s banks is about to be concluded.  The social partners – ABBL for employers and LCGB, ALEBA...
France: “the debate on the competitiveness differential between France and Germany is simplistic and does not take account of non-price factors” (Eric Heyer)
Eric Heyer.  The competitiveness of an economy can be assessed based on factor which I would divide between price factors and non-price factors.  The latter are crucial and numerous.  There’s the...
Germany: first pay bargaining round in construction failed
5.9% wage increase.  Unsurprisingly, the IG BAU union and the two key employers’ organizations in the sector, the Central Union of Construction Firms (ZDB) and the Construction Employers’...
Germany: train drivers overwhelmingly vote for unlimited strike
“A clear sign.”  As in 2007-2008, the German rail sector could shortly (no date has been given yet) be paralyzed by a major conflict.  Over 92% of the GDL’s members within DB and 96% within the...
Great Britain: report gibes at vocational education and calls for a recast
Criticism.  This independent report on vocational training, commissioned by the Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove, was carried out by Alison Wolf, professor of Public Sector Management...
7 March 2011
EU: UNI Europa wants to boost EWCs in the trade industry
Fabrice Warneck.  Research shows that, in commerce as well as in other sectors, there isn’t really a problem with information, more with consultation.  Two out of three times, if there is...
7 March 2011
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
France: austerity measures proposed in social security financing bill for 2026
Limits on sick leave, the end of social security exemptions for apprentices, and the introduction of additional birth leave: the 2026 social security financing bill, presented to parliament on 14...
16 October 2025
2
Netherlands: ING cites AI as it plans to cut around 950 jobs
Dutch bank ING has informed the employment agency UWV that it may cut around 950 jobs by 31 December 2026. In its notification on 20 October, the lender said the planned reductions stem partly...
30 October 2025
3
United Kingdom largely retained within scope of EWCs despite Brexit, study shows
A study published this month by the Institute for Economic and Social Research, the French trade union research organisation, examined how the involvement of British representatives in European...
4
Romania: collective agreement extended to entire insurance sector
On 3 November, Romania’s National Tripartite Council for Social Dialogue approved the extension of the collective labour agreement signed on 23 May by the Confederation of Employers in the...
5
Italy: new collective agreement for managers in tertiary sector
On 5 November, the ManagerItalia union and the employers’ association Confcommercio renewed the collective agreement for managers in Italy’s tertiary, distribution and services...
6
Germany: legal battle at Tesla ahead of works council election
The Frankfurt/Oder labour court has postponed a mid-November hearing in the case between the IG Metall union and Michaela Schmitz, employee representative and head of the works council at the...