Spain: one of employers’ main think tanks proposes structural reforms
Empresarios presented a document entitled “New Solutions to Create Jobs”. The text, developed by one of employers’ most influential think tanks, analyzes current shortcomings of...
Philips: small impact of the EWC on restructurings
) met at the end of last week. The management announced that the company is in a difficult situation, without giving any details as to the number of jobs threatened in Europe. The Forum’s 23...
Germany: the IG Metall announces a new bargaining strategy to allow employees to access businesses’ capital
ating, Detlef Wetzel, number 2 at the IG Metall, announced that there would be “no more wage gifts for businesses”. If the managers of ailing businesses want to cut wages, in exchange...
Spain: Seat employees vote wage freeze to save their jobs
Martorell factory, near Barcelona, accepted a wage freeze for 2009 via a referendum. Unilaterally proposed by the UGT union, the initiative was presented as a measure to support the factory, with...
Portugal: debate over measures against the crisis at the UGT’s 11th Congress
union, the General Workers’ Union (UGT) held its 11th Congress on March 20-21 in Lisbon. The watchword was: “Overcoming the crisis, a future under the sign of employment and...
Netherlands: bonuses to be banned in bailed out banks
Wouter Bos announced a total ban on bonuses for all groups bailed out by the State. This decision comes after ING decided to grant a welcome bonus to its new financial manager, Patrick Flynn. The...
Poland: collective action threatens the mining sector
Planet Labor, March 20, 2009, No. 090309 – www.planetlabor.com
Germany: 5.5%-8.6% wage increases at Deutsche Telekom
m and the Ver.di union accepted the propositions made by the mediator called in to settle the block in the negotiations which started in early 2009. The agreement is valid for 24 months and mostly...
Switzerland: skilled labor exchange hotline
Planet Labor, March 20, 2009, No. 090310 – www.planetlabor.com
Italy: first attempt to bring union unity back
he CGIL, Cisl and Uil unions met on March 16 – at the request of Gugliemo Epifani, CGIL leader – to launch a unitary approach on representation and union democracy. Notwithstanding a...
Germany: half of Siemens’ German employees take part in the new spinoff program
On March 14, 2009, Siemens confirmed that the spinoff program launched last fall was a big success for around 132.000 German workers of the firm. After the “slush funds scandal”, Siemens wants to...
France Telecom: final step for the creation of France Telecom’s global works council
on of a global works council (CGM) within France Telecom entered its final phase. A draft agreement could be presented for signature in the spring. (Ref. 090291) Additional information level. This...
Poland: unions and employers develop an “anticrisis action package”
ipartite Committee on March 13, unions and employers’ organizations presented an “anticrisis action package”, jointly developed. This document, divided in 13 points, proposes...
General Motors: European governments commit to cooperate to save the European branch of the American manufacturer
tween the American carmaker’s European staff representatives, who presented their conditions for the creation of an independent subsidiary for the group’s European activities, the...
Tesa: agreement on employee representation in the future European company
rmany of the European company status (SE), Tesa AG – one of the world leaders in adhesive tapes – is about to complete its transformation into an SE. In late 2008, the management of...
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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
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...
4
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...
5
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...
6
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...