Italy: UniCredit fosters staff retraining and generational renewal National industrial relations A new plan to overhaul the Italian bank (32,381 employees), which has been approved by the unions, puts the emphasis on training: 600 employees will follow an innovative requalification programme designed to strengthen the skills needed to transform the banking sector and to retrain people in key positions. The plan also provides for 1,000 voluntary retirements and early retirements and 750 new hires, mainly to strengthen the sales network.
Germany: crisis at Volkswagen and warning strikes in metalworking industry National industrial relations Germany's metalworking and automotive sectors are going through a difficult time, with a series of major developments occuring concurrently. We learned on Monday that the management at Volkwagen is planning to close at least three sites, outsource departments, axe jobs and make substantial pay cuts. For their part, employees in the metalworking sector began the first warning strikes of the collective bargaining round overnight, after the employers' offers were deemed insufficient.
Inditex global agreement extended to due diligence and digitalisation Transnational industrial relations On 10 October, Inditex renewed its global agreement with UNI Global Union, covering 165,000 employees in 215 countries, and extended it to cover the digitalisation of retail and vigilance over working conditions in franchise operations.
Netherlands: employees in arduous jobs will still be able to take early retirement National industrial relations After weeks of strikes, the Dutch government and social partners reached an agreement on early retirement (RVU) on 18 November.…
Data Exclusif France: occupational sectors forced to adapt to transitions National industrial relations The latest statistics available on all France's occupational sectors (branches professionnelles), which mind RH has analysed for the third time, show persistent disparities in terms of pay, gender inequality and age pyramid. These issues, which are the subject of social dialogue at sector level, are also levers for improving their attractiveness.
Spain: new collective agreement for chemical industry strengthens protection for LGBTI employees National industrial relations After 10 months of negotiations, the Spanish chemical industry employers’ federation (Feique) and the CCOO trade union signed a preliminary deal for the 21st general agreement for the chemical industry on 17 October.…
Lidl and Kaufland unions unite in push for global agreement Transnational industrial relations The trade unions of the Lidl and Kaufland retail chains based in Europe and the United States are joining forces to push for a global agreement between the parent company,…
France: Cegid offers a four-day week to employees aged 61 and over National industrial relations From 11 October, employees of the software company aged 61 and over can request that their 35-hour working week be spread over four days – eight hours and 45 minutes a day.…
France: Panzani commits to easing ends of careers for senior employees National industrial relations The management of the Panzani food group and the CGT, CFE-CGC and FO trade unions signed a 2024-2026 agreement, published on 10 October,…
France: Safran commits to reaching 6% employment rate for people with disabilities by 2025 National industrial relations The management of the French aerospace group and the CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT and FO trade unions have renewed the agreement to promote the integration and retention in employment of people with disabilities for the period 2023 to 2025.…