Labour relations

Jean-François Bourrée reviews the negotiations over as well as the content of the bank’s European agreement on the prevention of work-related stress that was signed on 10 January with the EWC...

20 January 2017

News update as of 19 January 2017

On the menu : Coca Cola Fuenlabrada (Madrid, Spain), legal outcome but no dispute, Wales against the Trade Union Act, Deustche Bank employees no longer allowed sending text messages , MasterCard...

18 January 2017

Italy: mixed report on the Jobs Act’s first two years

The Jobs Act (c.f. article No. 8763), Renzi’s government’s key measure, when implemented, was applauded by Europe’s institutions as one of Italy’s most anticipated reforms. Its aim was to...

18 January 2017

Spain: the Basque region’s social partners sign an agreement prioritizing regional social agreements over national collective negotiations

On 17 January, employers’ body Confebask together with the four main Basque region’s trade union bodies (ELA, LAB, CCOO, and UGT) secured a cross-industry agreement that dedicates a specific forum...

18 January 2017

China: strike action multiplies because of foreign companies’ workers’ fears over their potential transfer to Chinese companies

2016 was a year marked by a series of significant strike action in multinational companies because of workers being transferred to Chinese national companies. The mobilization efforts are an...

18 January 2017

Great Britain: Theresa May worries unions and employers by saying goodbye to the European single market

Theresa May’s shock announcement that the UK would be leaving the EU single market has raised significant worries and doubts for both unions and employers in spite of the fact that the PM’s much...

17 January 2017

Germany: the DGB wants social justice at the heart of the electoral campaign

At the start of what is to be an electoral year in Germany, punctuated initially by regional elections in Saarland, Schleswig Holstein, and North Rhine-Westphalia, and later in September by the...

16 January 2017

Sweden: differing views on the country’s economic situation are influencing the 2017 negotiations

Unions and employers bodies agree that Sweden needs more flexibility in order to attract investors. Yet is this common declaration enough to come to a real agreement? On 21 December 2016...

16 January 2017

Greece: companies increasingly relying on food coupons

Greece is struggling to emerge from the financial crisis and many companies are looking for ways to cut costs. Thus an increasing number of workers are being remunerated with a selection of...

16 January 2017

Brazil: more than 3 million labor claims in 2016

President Temer telegraphed his labor reform intentions via the goal of tackling the ‘claims industry’; a reference to the weight of legislation surrounding labor relationships that he holds to be...

13 January 2017

United States: 19 States raise the Minimum Wage in 2017

While the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25/hour since 2009 and the President elect’s administration’s intentions have still be made clear, minimum wage levels have been changing on the...

13 January 2017

Belgium: social partners secure a draft cross-industry agreement for the period 2017-2018

On the evening of 11/12 January Belgium’s social partners secured agreement over a draft cross-industry agreement (AIP) that sets a 1.1% wage margin for the next two years. Further negotiations...

12 January 2017

Italy: Constitutional Court rejects the referendum proposal over dismissals reform

On 11 January, Italy's Constitutional Court admitted two out of the three referenda that the central union body the Cgil had put forward, which aim to revise a number of the key measures in the...

12 January 2017

Italy: strike set for Friday 13 January in the textiles, fashion and footwear sectors

500,000 employees in the textiles-fashion, and leather-shoes sectors will on Friday 13 January stop work in a bid to renew their respective collective agreements that came to term on 31 March...

11 January 2017

Great Britain: mental health at work – a new priority for Theresa May

On 09 January, Theresa May, the UK Prime Minister, launched a major plan to both dispel the stigma surrounding mental health and to improve ‘mental health’, particularly within businesses. To this...

11 January 2017

France: new Renault three-year jobs agreement

Following in the steps of the CFE-CGC and the FO unions, on 09 January it was the turn of the CFDT to approve Renault’s three-year employment agreement which guarantees a certain level of business...

9 January 2017

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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”

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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

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

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

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

Italy: new collective agreement for mechanical engineering and metalworking sectors focuses on defending purchasing power

The deal struck on 22 November between Italy’s social partners in the mechanical engineering and metalworking sector brings an end to a long and contentious bargaining process. The agreement –...

25 November 2025