Labour relations

Trade unions and management of the main logistics centre of Spanish clothing giant Inditex, which owns Zara, have struck an agreement on how the site’s operations will be curtailed during the...

3 April 2020

France: crisis agreement struck at Renault includes solidarity mechanism to boost compensation during short-time working and prepares for resumption of activity

The CFE-CGC, CFDT and FO unions announced yesterday, on 1 April, that they are to sign a contract “of solidarity and for the future”, which guarantees 100% remuneration for employees placed on...

2 April 2020

Enel: trade unions and management set up a solidarity hours bank for employees who cannot telework

An agreement signed on 27 March to manage work over the next two months ‘equitably distributes the burden of significantly reduced work without increasing the burden on people’, underlined the...

1 April 2020

EU: the European Trade Union Confederation is calling on companies to refrain from shareholder dividend payments during the coronavirus pandemic

‘Trade unions are calling on banks and big business to do their bit to overcome the economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis by suspending dividends payments and share buybacks,’ declared...

31 March 2020

France: Airbus agreement for making up unworked hours during its production suspension period

On 20 March the Airbus Group signed an agreement that was supplemented on 26 March with an addendum treating unworked time (hours and days) due to the coronavirus pandemic. The addendum sets out a...

31 March 2020

Germany: crisis agreements struck at Deutsche Telekom and ThyssenKrupp

Two new ‘crisis’ agreements, which were negotiated by video-conference, were announced last week at two major German companies in diverse sectors and differing economic conditions...

30 March 2020

Germany: chemical industry social partners strike crisis agreement

Social partners in Germany’s chemical industry, the IG BCE union and the employer confederation BAVC, this week unveiled a ‘crisis agreement’ that will apply until the end of the year. This...

27 March 2020

France: agreement reached at Thales to manage the continuation of business, as well as its decline, amid the ongoing health crisis

Signed on 26 March by all the representative trade union organisations within at Thales (the CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC and CGT), the purpose of the agreement at the aerospace group is “to govern the...

27 March 2020

France: trade union call for shareholder solidarity support during the Covid-19 pandemic

On 25 March the CFDT trade union called for companies to abstain from paying dividends this a year that is beset by the negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. ‘While the Covid-19 health...

26 March 2020

Italy: new agreement to protect banking sector employees with branch offices only open for scheduled customer appointments

On 24 March Italy’s banking sector employers and trade union bodies together signed a new agreement that includes the anti-coronavirus protocol from the preceding week (c.f. article No. 11732)...

25 March 2020

EU: IndustriALL Europe launches a debate on the definition for ‘essential production activities’

Europe’s industry trade union federation, IndustriALL Europe, has called for ‘stricter definitions of essential production in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries and for workers' rights to...

24 March 2020

Italy: protecting workers in the transport-logistics sectors as well as those involved in home deliveries

While the halting of all non-essential activities that was decided between 21 and 22 March has provoked the ire of the trade unions for being too lax and which may prompt these union towards...

24 March 2020

Germany: crisis agreement struck in metals sector

Social partners in Germany’s metals sector announced on Friday 20 March their decision to suspend negotiations over the renewal of a branch agreement which was due to be agreed in principle in...

23 March 2020

France: agreement reached to ensure production activity continues at STMicroelectronics

The majority agreement signed on 18 March with two of the three trade unions (CFDT and CFE-CGC) at the semiconductor manufacturing company temporarily adapts business activity in the context of...

20 March 2020

Spain: Inditex group to cover for one month the cost of employees having to stop work

The Inditex group, which owns fashion retailers such as Zara, has announced to unions and employee representatives that it will not, at present, activate the extraordinary short-time working...

20 March 2020

Italy: banking sector employers pitted against trade unions over bank branch closures

On 16 March 2020 Italy’s banking sector social partners signed a protocol document to combat the coronavirus and protect both workers and customers. While the sector’s trade unions were calling...

18 March 2020

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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

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

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

Inditex European works council mobilises on value sharing

In a joint statement, 10 trade unions comprising the European works council of the Inditex clothing group are calling for rallies in Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, France, Italy and Germany...

24 November 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