News brief

Italy: the CGIL mobilizes against the separate agreement on the reform of the conventional system
he largest union confederation in Italy unanimously approved a strategy to object to the January 22 separate agreement on the reform of the conventional system (see our dispatch No. 090080) signed...
Slovakia: government proposes measures to support labor market
agged up a labor market support plan which introduces three new benefits for Slovak maintaining employment despite production cuts. These benefits could be available from March 2009, under certain...
Belgium: the Minister of Labor proposes to open talks on extending partial unemployment to employees
the Minister of Employment, Joelle Micquet, questioned on February 5, 2009 about the need to extend partial unemployment – currently reserved to employees with the status of blue-collar...
Brazil: several metalworkers’ and mining unions accept wage reductions to save jobs
jobs, more and more unions sign agreements with businesses to reduce wages. The phenomenon, coming at a time when the government announced a 12% minimum wage increase, particularly concerns the...
EU: the 27 open timid discussions on maternity leave
U27 opened, on Tuesday, February 3, discussions for the revision of the directive on the protection of pregnant women, the main measure being to extend the maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks...
France: the social partners unanimously sign the national interprofessional agreement on vocational training
anizations involved in the negotiation process since September 2008 (CFTC, CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT-FO, CGT) as well as the Medef, CGPME and UPA for employers committed to sign the interprofessional...
Netherlands: working time reduction hardly extended
cial Affairs rejected half of the 90 requests for the extension of working time (Werktijdverkorting – WTV) sent by businesses after the first six weeks to which they were entitled. (Ref...
EU: the European Trade Union Confederation revives the debate on posted workers
y factory (see our dispatch No. 090112) in Great Britain revived the debate on posted workers. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) called, on Monday, February 2, for the adoption of new...
Netherlands: more flexible procedures facilitate the entry of highly-skilled workers
ts entering the Netherlands come from India, the United States and China, respectively 3.000, 1.850 and 1.170 people since January 1, 2007. These foreigners met the Dutch immigration...
United States: President Obama’s first measures for working conditions and union rights
lated by the Bush administration, American unions’ influence and members have considerably decreased in the last eight years. A few months ago, they put their faith in Barack Obama, and...
Luxembourg: linguistic leave to be enforced soon
anently adopted, on January 21, 2009, the law concerning the introduction of a linguistic leave to enable all employees, from all countries, provided they have been working for the same employer...
Luxembourg: new law amends partial unemployment
mber of Deputies adopted a law amending the partial unemployment system. This text, enforced on January 1, 2009, is aimed at improving this method for businesses, notably to make it more efficient...
Belgium: the federation of technology firms demands extension of partial unemployment to workers
nt position of the president of the Federation of Entreprises in Belgium (FEB) in favor of the extension of partial unemployment to “employees” and no longer reserved for...
Germany: Deutsche Bahn denies spying on 173.000 employees
of corruption at the Deutsche Bahn (German railway) admitted that his company hired a private investigator firm to control, undercover and with a preventive purpose, the “personal...
Poland: the social partners are divided on solutions to face the crisis
te meeting (unions, employers, government) the social partners endeavored to find a compromise on the solutions for confronting the economic crisis. The discussions broke down concerning the...
EU: the Parliament’s Employment Committee adopted the own-initiative report on the transposition of the directive on information and consultation
mmittee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted, on January 21, the own-initiative report on application of Directive 2002/14 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting...
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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
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France: austerity measures proposed in social security financing bill for 2026
Limits on sick leave, the end of social security exemptions for apprentices, and the introduction of additional birth leave: the 2026 social security financing bill, presented to parliament on 14...
16 October 2025
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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...
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Carrefour and UNI Global Union renew global agreement on promoting social dialogue and diversity
On 17 October, Carrefour, one of the world’s largest retailers, with nearly 500,000 employees worldwide, and global union federation UNI Global Union renewed their global agreement on...