News brief

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...
Italy: union alert on the crisis in the chemistry sector
edly threatened in the chemistry sector. Last week, the three Filcem-CGIL, Femca-Cisl and Uilcem-Uil unions raised the alarm on the crisis affecting the sector. Reminding its strategic value for...
Slovenia: round table on the crisis in the automotive industry
mber of Commerce and Industry organized a round table discussion on the crisis in the automotive industry and its impact on the Slovene economy. Although the representatives of the automotive...
Belgium: the 25.000 employees of Fortis fear for their job after shareholders rejected the recovery plan
ejected the group’s rescue plan, the staff representatives demanded an extraordinary works council meeting on February 12. The goal was to meet with the Belgian bank’s management and...
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.
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United Kingdom: government urged to legislate against forced labour
After consulting victims, businesses and NGOs, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) has published a report showing that the UK is lagging behind in the fight against forced labour. The...
13 January 2026
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EU: European Parliament calls for a directive on just transition
On 20 January, MEPs approved, with 420 votes in favour, an own-initiative report calling for a just transition directive. The text calls for the protection of workers to be guaranteed in the...
20 January 2026