Labour relations

On 22 October, Vincenzo Boccia, president of Italy’s employers’ body, Confindustria put a proposal to unions to launch discussions on the potential for an ‘Industry Pact between factory...

26 October 2016

Sweden: a united union front reflecting lessons learnt during the 2016 negotiations

2017 will be a busy year with some 500 collective agreements open for negotiation. This time round however the 2016 dispersed individual approach will be shunned by the LO union confederation...

25 October 2016

Great Britain: companies to be ‘ranked’ according to a social mobility index

From 2017, the UK government will publish an index ranking companies in terms of their ability to employ talent from all backgrounds. Inclusion in this landmark index system will be entirely...

25 October 2016

Italy: collective negotiations deadlocked in several key sectors of Italian industry

In a number of sectors – clothing, leather and shoes, ceramics, energy and oil, insurance – employer groups and trade unions in Italy find themselves deadlocked in their attempts to reach national...

24 October 2016

HP: the US company is transferring its European representation management from the UK to Ireland as a means of avoiding any legal uncertainties over the legislation applying to its EWC

Planet Labor understands HP has informed the SNB, which is negotiating the agreement implementing the EWC (following the members' own denunciation of the previous agreement), of the transfer of...

20 October 2016

Australia: after a union report highlights low pay levels, the Airtasker outsourcing platform recommends pay rates in excess of the minimum wage

This popular web-based community marketplace for people and businesses to outsource tasks was singled out in a report by Unions NSW, which indicates that workers are receiving pay below the legal...

20 October 2016

Japan: in a bid to rebuild its image pub chain Watami allows a trade union to be set up

Watami, Japan’s major restaurant and pub chain is looking to rebuild its image damaged by cases of poor working conditions as well as several of work related deaths (karoshi). Going forward, the...

19 October 2016

Germany: rail union EVG wants to negotiate a collective agreement giving employees the freedom to choose between pay and additional time off

In Frankfurt on 17 October, a week after the GDL train drivers’ union started their negotiations with Germany’s rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) to renew their collective agreement, it was the turn...

18 October 2016

Spain: unions gain ground in the courts over their battle against multiservice companies

The Social Chamber of Spain’s National Court annulled 43 agreements that had been signed by multiservice companies on the grounds that they had not be properly negotiated with an appropriate...

17 October 2016

Norway: oil sector agreement unable to assuage rivalry between unions

Following three weeks of strikes, an agreement has been reached in the oil services industry. The parties to the deal are Industri Energi, the Norwegian union for employees in the energy sector...

17 October 2016

United States: Teamsters accept 25% salary cut for new Sikorsky recruits in order to keep the helicopter manufacturer in Connecticut

Members of the Teamsters union have just accepted a new salary agreement with the helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky. The deal, approved with a majority of 2104 in favour and 140 against, will be...

17 October 2016

Germany: 2016 working time report published

Germany’s federal agency, the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has published its ‘2016 report on working time’, which studied working time across the country including flexible...

11 October 2016

Germany: new trends occurring in German company agreements

The union foundation holds the largest company agreements archives. Its WSI policy research institute carries out an annual study of German works councils (> 4,500 WCs are questioned). Using...

10 October 2016

Italy: the welfare enterprise is gaining ground

Company collective agreements are increasingly including measures that cater for employees' welfare, in large part thanks to tax breaks put in place in 2016.

10 October 2016

IndustriALL Global Union 2nd Congress: the international industry union federation looks to act as a counterweight to global capitalism

Fighting Forward – A Luta Continua! During their addresses, delegates from the young international industry union federation’s second congress held in Rio de Janeiro (04 – 07 October)...

10 October 2016

Spain: unions are calling for a share of economic growth in the form of a 4% wage rise for 2017

Employers’ bodies and trade unions are preparing for the forthcoming rounds of negotiations that will determine the wage rise recommendations to be used during the 2017 sector and company...

7 October 2016

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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

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