Luxembourg: an extra day’s holiday for employees in construction and civil engineering sector
After tough negotiations, the OGBL and LCGB trade unions and the employers’ organisations in Luxembourg’s construction and civil engineering sector finally reached an agreement on 20...
10 January 2025
Netherlands: 6% pay rise in the food retail sector
At the end of December, the social partners in the retail sector signed a new collective agreement valid retroactively from 1 July 2024 to 1 April 2026, i.e. for a period of 21 months. The...
8 January 2025
Germany: vast savings and job cuts plan agreed at Volkswagen but it is not a panacea
Following historic negotiations, the IG Metall trade union, the central works council and Volkswagen management agreed on Friday 20 December on major cost-cutting measures and significant...
China: gig economy delivery workers forced to take a rest
Two Chinese online sales platforms, Ele.me and Meituan, have just adopted draconian measures that alert or forcibly disconnect couriers who work excessively long hours, with the aim of preventing...
6 January 2025
France: social agreement struck at Renault amid crisis in automotive sector
On 19 December, carmaker Renault and the CFDT and CFE-CGC trade unions signed a new social agreement for the period 2025-2027. It covers skills, work organisation, social protection and non-wage...
Spain: agreement reached by government and unions to reduce working week to 37.5 hours
The agreement signed on 20 December by Spanish labour minister Yolanda Díaz and representatives of the CCOO and UGT unions provides for a reduction in the working week from the current 40 hours to...
20 December 2024
Romania: first-ever sectoral agreement for bank employees
The first sectoral agreement signed in Romania since 2011 came into force on 27 November 2024 with its publication in the official gazette. Signed in May, it was extended by the government in...
18 December 2024
Italy: the new logistics collective agreement modernises the sector
On 6 December, 24 employers' organisations in the freight transport, logistics and parcel shipping sectors and the trade unions Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl and Uiltrasporti signed a new national...
18 December 2024
Axa France launches social dialogue on artificial intelligence
In a statement of conclusions adopted jointly on 19 November 2024, the management of the insurance company Axa France IARD (34,000 employees for the group in France) and the social partners have...
13 December 2024
ILO praises effectiveness of social dialogue in protecting workers against inflation
On 11 December, the International Labour Organization (ILO) published its second report on social dialogue, this time focusing on the national and sectoral levels. The study shows that 87% of the...
12 December 2024
Italy: 7,500 new hires and stabilisation of precarious staff at Poste Italiane
The reorganisation of Poste Italiane, Italy’s largest company in terms of the number of employees (around 120,000), is taking shape through a series of agreements signed on 27 November with...
11 December 2024
France: Engie increases remote work allowance
While the agreement on remote work signed in 2021 by Engie SA allowed only one or two days of teleworking per week, the new version, signed on 28 November 2024 for a period of two years, raises...
10 December 2024
Germany: without an agreement before Christmas, strike action is scheduled for start of 2025 at Volskwagen
The fourth meeting between the German automaker's social partners took place on Monday 9 December against a backdrop of massive warning strikes. Although eagerly awaited, the meeting failed to...
Mexico: government eyes rights for platform workers
After the minimum wage, Mexico’s new president Claudia Sheinbaum, who came to power in early October, is now tackling digital platforms. A bill was submitted to the Chamber of...
6 December 2024
France: Cargill to grant menstrual leave to female staff
On 19 November, the French branch of the American food corporation Cargill (155,000 employees worldwide) and its trade unions signed an agreement on professional equality. It contains measures on...
5 December 2024
Spain: meal delivery platform Glovo to pay salaries to its riders
On 2 December, the food delivery platform Glovo announced its intention to sign contracts with workers who have hitherto performed deliveries on a self-employed basis. The company is thus bringing...
3 December 2024
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
France: construction sector turns to long-term partial activity scheme
Amid the ongoing economic crisis hitting France’s construction sector, social partners in the public works industry (350,000 employees) signed an agreement at the end of October enabling companies...
21 November 2025
6
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...