EU: social partners in chemicals industry commit to improving working conditions for migrant workers Transnational industrial relations Recommendations by the European Industry Federations to members of European Works Councils (EWCs), Works Councils in companies with a Societas Europaea status (SE-WCs), and Special Negotiating Bodies (SNBs) that were initially developed in March during the first wave of Covid-19 (c.f. article No.11804) were updated and published during the week 26 October in order to take account of the longer-term profile of the crisis as ‘travel restrictions would continue to prevent face-to-face SNB, EWC and SE-WC meetings for a considerable time to come.’ With recourse to remote formats (total or hybrid) being unavoidable, and indeed preferable to no meetings at all, the trade union federations have formulated a set of principles to frame these meetings so that they allow the members of these transnational bodies to exercise their ‘rights to be informed, consulted and to take part in company decisions which may impact jobs and workers’ income.’
First European health and safety agreement signed at Clariane Transnational industrial relations On 26 June, French retirement home group Clariane signed a health and safety agreement with its European Works Council and the European Federation of Public Service Unions. The agreement extends a protocol signed in 2021 and incorporates mental health into the text that serves as a framework for the group's national subsidiaries in Europe. Mathilde Tabary, the company's director of social relations, told mind RH about the challenges of implementing the agreement.
ArcelorMittal’s European Works Council protests company’s redundancy plan Transnational industrial relations The elected representatives of the European Works Council (EWC) of steel giant ArcelorMittal, which employs 48,500 people in Europe, gathered on 21 May in front of the company’s headquarters in Luxembourg.…
Confidentiel [mind RH news] Veolia strikes European agreement on diversity and inclusion Transnational industrial relations Veolia, the French multinational providing water, energy and waste recycling management services, is to sign a European framework agreement on diversity and inclusion with the European Federation of Public Service Unions. It will create a right to paid leave in cases of domestic violence and commits the group to LGBTQ+ rights. The agreement comes as Veolia adjusts to the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and comes at a time when large international companies are renouncing their policies in these areas under pressure from the Trump administration.
EU: construction industry social partners sign a joint declaration addressing labour shortage Transnational industrial relations On 05 March, the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) and the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW), published a joint declaration on the construction sector’s ongoing labour and skills shortages.…
EU: Pact for Social Dialogue signed Transnational industrial relations On 5 March, the main European trade union and employers’ organisations (ETUC, BusinessEurope, SMEUnited and SGI Europe) signed a Pact for Social Dialogue with the European Commission, in accordance with the promise of its president.…
EU: ETUC calls on judges to confirm validity of minimum wage directive Transnational industrial relations The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has published a counter-opinion to the conclusions of the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union, presented on 14 January 2025, which proposed the annulment of the directive on adequate minimum wages. The unions consider that the latter has committed an error of law. They are asking the Court of Justice of the EU to reject his opinion and to maintain the text in its entirety.
How EDF plans to implement global CSR agreement Transnational industrial relations French energy company EDF reached a new global agreement on corporate social responsibility at the end of January, covering the period 2025-2030. Signed unanimously by the trade unions, it covers issues surrounding the ecological and digital transitions, provides for a study on a living wage and strengthens the agreement's governance. Mind RH has spoken to the different parties to gauge their ambitions, at a time when CSR is being called into question, as well as the challenges of its deployment.
Safran establishes European social base for superior work-life balance Transnational industrial relations On 17 February, the management of Safran and the IndustriALL Europe trade union signed a European framework agreement for a better work-life balance. This text, applicable for a period of five years, establishes a common social base for its 60,000 employees in the European Union, Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom. Its objective is to build a supportive framework that facilitates parenthood and providing care to relatives.
United Kingdom: new CAC decision on videoconferencing in European Works Councils Transnational industrial relations On 23 December, the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) handed down a decision on the holding of videoconference meetings as part of the information and consultation process for European Works Councils governed by UK law.…
