Unilever: agreement signed with EWC on the ‘Future of Work’ to support retraining of workers and the development of employment models that are more compatible with their expectations
On Wednesday 5 March, the management at consumer goods group Unilever signed an agreement on the ‘future of work’ with its European Works Council. The deal sets out jointly-devised measures, to be...
12 March 2019
Siemens: an intelligent learning experience platform that helps employees acquire the competences they will need for tomorrow
What is the impact of digitalization on training and lifelong learning within businesses? How can we identify essential competences several years ahead? How can we learn to learn in the digital...
Germany: according to the WSI, flexible working modes are tending to cement traditional gender roles
A study by the Hans-Böckler WSI institute, published on 05 March, has shown that the uptake of flexible working modes  (teleworking, trust based working, mobile hours /Gleitzeit) is gender...
6 March 2019
Argentina: annual salary negotiations more fraught than ever
The backdrop for negotiations in Argentina this year consists of a recession, the pressure of inflation as well as uncertainty ahead of presidential elections in October 2019. While trade unions...
4 March 2019
Argentina: number of occupational illness and workplace accident disputes plummets
In Q3 2018, occupational illness and workplace accident disputes in Argentina plunged 42% compared with the same period in 2017 representing a record according to the study carried out by ART...
28 February 2019
Germany: Siemens launches its ‘Future fund’ with which employees can choose their own training
Europe’s largest industrial and electro-technical manufacturing company is also facing the changes being brought about by digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and energy transition. In...
Italy: an agreement to cover call centers
On 21 February, Italy’s employers’ body Asstel (Confindustria’s Telecom branch), together with the trade unions SLC-Cgil, Fistel-Cisl and Uilcom, signed a significant framework agreement that sets...
27 February 2019
Belgium: employers and unions agree upon a draft cross-industry agreement for period 2019-2020 (in brief)
Despite difficult negotiations that saw trade unions critical of the ‘too low’ 2019-2020 wage margin threshold calculated by the Central Economic Council at 0.8% (c.f. article No. 10968), twenty...
26 February 2019
Italy: time for money – the new trend in company agreements
At some Italian companies, agreements reached with trade unions include arrangements that ‘exchange’ time for money. For example, workers have been given the opportunity to convert part of their...
25 February 2019
Spain: Vodafone agreement over 1,000 job loss plan
Vodafone Spain is set to implement its plan to wield the redundancy axe. The relevant trade unions: CCOO, UGT, and STC, have agreed to a social plan that intends for the Vodafone Spain workforce...
25 February 2019
Italy: banking sector social partners commit to tackling sexual harassment and gender-based violence
During the week of February 11 2019, the banking sector social partners (the employers’ body the ABI -Associazione Bancaria Italiana and the trade union bodies, Fabi, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil...
21 February 2019
India: concept of minimum income now a discussion topic
Since January 2019 the small Himalayan State of Sikkim has become India’s first region to promise a universal minimum income. Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi also set the concept in motion...
21 February 2019
ENGIE: social forum held to renew focus on implementing European agreement to anticipate industry changes and safeguard employability
Back in 2016, the energy group ENGIE signed a European agreement with three union federations – IndustriALL Europe, EPSU (European Public Services Union) and the EFBW (European Federation of...
18 February 2019
USMCA replaces NAFTA: what changes for Mexico?
Parliamentarians in Canada and Mexico, who are eager to ratify the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, over which heated negotiations have unfolded over more than 13 months, must wait for their...
15 February 2019
United States: Amazon scraps plans to build New York HQ after pressure from local politicians (in brief)
Amazon will not build its second headquarters in New York City, the online retail giant has announced. The company had planned to build a complex in the Queens borough of the city, which would...
15 February 2019
Germany: pensioners are increasingly returning to the workplace
With BMW announcing the launch of its program to re-engage thousands of former staff members (c.f. article No. 11000), Bosch has just initiated in Japan its 8th national ‘support’ group comprising...
12 February 2019
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
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...
6
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