News brief

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...
France: key measures of the interprofessional agreement on “managing the consequences of the economic crisis on employment”
rs agreed on a series of extraordinary measures – with short-time working as a centerpiece – aimed at downplaying the social impact of the crisis. (Ref. 090722) Improving short-time...
Netherlands: department store staff deprived of pay raise to save jobs
ment of the V&D Dutch department store individually asked its 11,500 employees to voluntarily give up the 3.3% pay raise provided for in the collective agreement, proposing that it be...
Great Britain: employers propose an alternative to layoffs by “pausing” employees
for six months maximum and give them twice the amount of unemployment benefits: this is the suggestion made by the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) on July 6, 2009. It is aimed at helping...
Italy: Constitutional Court annuls provision which allowed avoiding the reintegration of precarious workers
ndard”, the provision was introduced by the Berlusconi government in August 2008 to reduce the costs of disputes between former employees on a fixed-term contract and the Italian post. The...
British Airways: management to inform and consult EWC for national measures
on on June 30, the British airline’s staff and management representatives signed a declaration of principles on consultation and information for national restructuring measures. The...
Italy: collective agreements may be renewed via separate agreements
ns to renew national collective agreements (CCN), which follows the union break caused by the reform of the conventional system, started with the presentation of separate platforms in electricity...
Spain: government tries to complete agreement on the reform of the labor market with the social partners
inst the clock and trying to revive social dialog by organizing bilateral meetings with employers and unions. It proposed measures which should please both parties…without success. The...
Denmark: DA warns about the coming shortage of skilled workers because or retirement and early retirement
ansk Arbejdsgiverforening), the largest employers’ organization in the country, provides that, in 2020, 110,000 specialists will have left the Danish labor market and won’t have been...
EU: new age discrimination case presented to ECJ
on July 7, 2009, Advocate General Yves Bot asked the Court of Justice of the European Communities (ECJ) to declare that the provision of the German civil code, which provides that employment...
Business: is teleworking bad for productivity?
technologies, remote work and networks increasingly influence labor organization, Alex “Sandy” Pentland, Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) presented his...
7 July 2009
Sweden: government proposes simpler holiday act
ed a bill simplifying the holiday act and which should allow businesses, especially SMEs, the cut their staff management costs. This bill is part of a broader reform of labor law, launched by the...
Netherlands: energy social partners sign temporary collective agreement awaiting more visibility
loyers’ organizations in the energy sector concluded a new collective agreement for a temporary period of ten months because of the crisis. They are also waiting for the results of a study...
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
France: Medef puts forward proposals to improve management quality
On 31 August, Medef, French main employers' organisation, published a practical guide to managerial skills, which it considers to be a driver of economic performance for businesses. Concerned by...
2
AI: uneven integration but a global challenge for the world of work
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in business is profoundly transforming the world of work, and some occupations are now under threat. However, the full extent of its effects remains...
3
France: Ministry of Labour unveils plan to accelerate the rollout of AI
On 22 September, the French Ministry of Labour presented a plan named Impulsion IA 2027 aimed at accelerating the adoption of AI by companies and employees. It contains 12 measures applicable from...
4
Germany: AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt raises concerns over labour supply and workplace cohesion
The rise of Germany’s far-right AfD, which could soon gain influence over migration policy in Saxony-Anhalt and, following elections on September 20, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well, is...
5
Netherlands: towards a ban on housing cost deductions from migrant workers’ wages
The news. On September 10, Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Hans Vijlbrief (centre-left) sent a letter to the House of Representatives, stating that he intends to prohibit employers...
6
UE: Commission proposes measures to facilitate “fair” worker mobility across the Union
The info. On 15 September, the European Commission adopted a series of measures aimed at encouraging “fair” worker mobility within the EU. It wants to remove the administrative...