News brief

Faber Castell: revised international framework agreement
s’ International (BWI), the IG Metall German union and the management of the German group Faber Castell revised the international framework agreement (IFA) of March 3, 2000 to improve the...
Germany: daily publishes the pay of major German union managers
‘ pay and bonuses is raging, Munich’s Suddeutsche Zeitung daily (February 18) decided to publish the salary of the main union leaders in the country. However, only the leaders of...
Austria: union concentration goes on with the creation of “pro.ge”, a “production union”
metalworkers’ union (GMTN), the chemistry union (GdC) and wood and building workers’ union (GBH), the “pro.ge” interunion alliance is going to become a full-fledged union...
EU: the first conciliation meeting on the revision of the working time directive failed
n the revision of the working time directive started on the evening of Wednesday February 18 between the European Parliament (EP) and the Council of EU Ministers, in the presence of the European...
General Motors Europe: toward the creation of an independent European structure?
restructuring plan of General Motors (GM) on the verge of bankruptcy, to the American government, the management of the European subsidiary, General Motors Europe, and the European Works Council...
Spain: the social partners denounce the void of the integral support plan for the automotive sector
zation regret the lack of content of a plan prepared by the Ministry of Industry without consulting the major role players of the auto sector. They think that this plan won’t help the sector...
Brazil: temporary extension of unemployment insurance
ided to temporarily extend unemployment insurance for workers dismissed in some sectors badly hit by the crisis. Those workers will receive unemployment benefits for seven months instead of five...
EU: the social partners of the textile, clothing, leather and footwear adopt their work program
ral social dialogue committees of the textile-clothing, leather and footwear sectors adopted their work programs for 2009. Anticipating industrial change is at the heart of the textile-clothing...
Portugal: parental leave reform encourages fathers share the leave with mothers
ree-law reforming parental leave. The new law translates a will to better divide the leave between the two parents and start turning maternity leave into parental leave. (Ref. 090176) Share leaves...
Bosch: the European trade union coordination group of the brakes division mobilizes to anticipate coming restructurings
of Bosch brakes division, affiliated with the European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF) organized, on Monday, February 16, a European day of action. This initiative was aimed at...
China: migrant workers, the great mystery
nese economy strong. Cheap workers who stop at nothing, they massively leave poor countryside and provinces in western China to fill in the ranks of southern and eastern factories. Today however...
Italy: controversy over joining the general strike organized by the iron and steel workers and civil service of the CGIL
ganized by the Fiom and the public service of the CGIL has received, according to the Fiom, an average 70% backing in the iron and steel industry. However, the employers’ association...
Italy: government and regions sign agreement on social dampers resources
the government and regions concluded an agreement on resources allocated to social dampers. It provides that, in 2009-10, 8 billion euro will be dedicated to “actions to support income and...
Germany: government to improve the protection of personal data after the elections
scandals at the Deutsche Telekom (see our dispatch No. 080428) and at the Deutsche Bahn (No. 090110), Wolfgang Schauble, CDU Federal Minister for Home Affairs, announced, on February 16, 2009, the...
Mexico: public aid for businesses appealing to partial unemployment
nced new measures to fight the crisis’ negative impact on employment: 2 billion pesos (100 million euro) to avoid layoffs in businesses choosing partial unemployment. This aid will only be...
Germany: the Bundesrat introduces minimum wage in six more sectors
the Bundesrat – the Federal Council – agreed, on February 13, 2009, to establish minimum wage in six sectors with about 1.2 million employees. This vote ends a very controversial...
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
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
2
Netherlands: ING cites AI as it plans to cut around 950 jobs
Dutch bank ING has informed the employment agency UWV that it may cut around 950 jobs by 31 December 2026. In its notification on 20 October, the lender said the planned reductions stem partly...
30 October 2025
3
EU: omnibus bill stalls in parliament
On 22 October, members of the European Parliament narrowly voted against a negotiating mandate that would have opened trilogue talks on the omnibus directive, which seeks to dilute the corporate...
23 October 2025
4
EU: Omnibus Directive clears key milestone in European Parliament
On 13 October, the European Parliament’s position on the Omnibus Directive was approved by its Committee on Legal Affairs by 17 votes to six. Regarding due diligence rules, the report...
13 October 2025
5
Belgium: social partners sign agreement on end-of-career schemes
Brought together in the National Labour Council (CNT), the Belgian social partners reached an agreement on 21 October on the end-of-career scheme, putting an end to several months of negotiations...
23 October 2025
6
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...