News brief

Germany: important wave of layoffs in the fall in several key economic sectors taking shape
short-time working measures, to the early consequences of anticrisis programs and to the will of the social partners to maintain employment for as long as possible, Germany hasn’t yet...
Fiat: global union network under the aegis of the International Metalworkers’ Federation
was launched during the meeting organized in June in Turin by the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF). “Intervention network” for current restructuring programs, it...
Netherlands: The Hague introduces more restrictive anticrisis short-time working
usinesses to reduce their employees’ working time was renewed. However, the new provisions set less generous provisions. The new system enters into force today, July 20. (Ref. 090744) The...
EU: new Committee on Employment and Social Affairs at the European Parliament
Employment and Social Affairs of the European Parliament be the same as the previous one: rather ready to criticize the European Commission’s inactivity and cause difficulties to the Council...
Germany: wage increases for 2009 will reach an average of 3% for 12 million employees
he Institute of Economic and Social Studies (WSI) of the Hans-Böckler foundation announced that collective agreements negotiated in 2009 will lead to average wage increases of 3%. Given the...
Company: Eurofound’s report on international and European framework agreements
framework agreements on industrial relations ? A report published on June 5, 2009 by the European foundation for the improvement of like and working conditions (Dublin) draws up the balance sheet...
Germany: businesses do not help their employees reconcile work and family life
, close to unions, and the German Youth Institute (Deutsches Jugendinstitut – DJI) published, on July 13, 2009, a study entitled “Unlimited Work – Unlimited Family” on work...
United States: greatness and decline of American unionism
American unions have been declining, their total size going from 35 to 12.4%. This can be explained by several external factors (political will to decrease their influence, industrial decline)...
France: MPs want to make progress on the definition of French-style flexicurity
Parliamentary mission in charge of clarifying the notion of French-style flexicurity, headed by UMP MP Pierre Morange, accelerated social partners’ hearings to render conclusions by the...
Denmark: seniors stay at work in spite of the crisis
niors stay at work in spite of the crisis. In the first quarter of 2009, the number of voluntary early retirements dropped of 6,900 units compared with the first quarter of 2008, whereas the...
Spain: Andalusian unions denounce frozen negotiations for the renewal of 80% of the region’s collective agreements
s, UGT and Workers’ Commissions (CCOO), are protesting against the attitude of employers’ organizations which refuse to bargain for the renewal of collective agreements, and against...
Estonia: more flexibility on the labor market on July 1
t step for Estonia, with the enforcement of the new law on the labor contract which introduces flexibility in layoff law. The next day, a 4.2% increase of unemployment insurance contributions was...
Germany: Commerzbank forgoes any layoffs by 2013
ing over the Dresdner Bank, the Commerzbank signed, on July 2, 2009, with its works council, an agreement defining the modalities for the integration of about 20,000 employees from the Dresdner...
Spain: government wants self-employed workers to enjoy unemployment insurance
e for independent workers prepared by the Minister of Labor gives them the possibility to have unemployment insurance. The benefits would last for six months maximum. Workers who want to enjoy it...
Austria: Parliament unanimously votes for the extension of short-time working
m duration of short-time working from 18 to 24 months on July 1, 2009. It is the key measure of the “package for the employment market” (Arbeitsmarkt-Paket II) which all the MPs...
Denmark: SAS airlines breaks off negotiations on a new wage cutting plan
an Airlines System (SAS) announced, on Monday, July 6, a halt to the negotiations on a new wage cut after the first one in January. Norwegian and Swedish unions accepted it provided that the 39...
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
Netherlands: new government seeks to “control” social costs
In his government policy statement to Parliament on 25 February, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced several measures designed to "control" social costs. Notably, he proposed raising the...
2
Spain: a bill to regulate internships
On 3 March, the Council of Ministers approved the bill on the “Status for persons undergoing non-professional practical training in companies”. The text limits the number of interns a company can...
3
Germany: launch of the “WE-Fair” alliance for binational training of skilled foreign workers
Germany continues to expand and diversify its initiatives to attract skilled foreign labour from outside the EU. In mid-March 2026, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development...
4
EU: co-legislators aim to pivot European Globalisation Adjustment Fund towards restructuring anticipation
On 25 February, the Council of the EU and the Parliament reached an agreement on the Commission’s proposed regulation to expand the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). Under the...
5
Block to slash workforce by nearly half
The news. In his latest shareholder letter, Jack Dorsey, CEO of payment service provider Block (formerly Square), announced plans to slash the company’s workforce “by nearly half, from...