News

Belgium: starting on January 1, 2013, businesses will have to implement a plan on senior employment
This obligation came with Labor Collective Agreement No. 104 negotiated on June 27 by the National Labor Council, the central social dialogue structure in Belgium, imposing the introduction of a...
Germany: researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute analyze the issue of female promotion in businesses in light of four typical corporate cultures
According to the qualitative study presented at the end of October by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), there is a major link between corporate culture and the...
26 November 2012
Spain: two union leaders explain their organization’s bargaining strategy in the auto industry
On November 21, Renault presented its industrial plan detailing its project to enhance activities in the Iberian peninsula. The carmaker plans to have a new model made at the Valladolid and...
Sweden: manufacturing unions call for minimum 2.8 percent wage increase for 2013
Industrifacken, the association of manufacturing unions made up of Sveriges Ingenjörer (the Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers), Unionen (the Trade Union for Professionals in the Private...
United States: Walmart in spotlight for opening on Thanksgiving night
Walmart, the global retail market leader, was forced to respond to the movement organized to denounce its social practices during the sales following Thanksgiving Day. The conflict, brought to the...
Great Britain: Virgin Media successfully derecognises CWU and BECTU
Virgin Media has won its battle to derecognise two unions within its operations. In a ballot conducted over a two week period, workers voted to derecognise the two sole recognised unions, the CWU...
SAS: the airline’s unions forced to accept major concessions
"We have almost completely transformed the company in record time. It is a first yet crucial step" rejoiced SAS CEO Rickard Gustafson at a press conference on November 19, announcing that the 8...
22 November 2012
Deutsche Post-DHL: unions lodge an appeal for violation of the OECD’s guidelines on multinational enterprises
On November 21, the UNI (services) and ITF (transport) international union federations brought a case to the German government alleging that company had committed a series of labor violations...
22 November 2012
Italy: new “Productivity Pact” formally adopted, but not by the CGIL
As expected, the "Productivity Pact" is the result of a separate agreement. Yesterday, in Rome, the government and the social partners, except for the CGIL, signed the agreement on "Guidelines for...
ThyssenKrupp Elevator: new European agreement signed with IndustriAll Europe introduces a system of idea management to improve health and safety
On November 14, IndustriAll Europe, manufacturing union, signed its first European agreement with a German company, namely ThyssenKrupp Elevator. This agreement confirms the key role played by...
EU: Parliament Employment Committee adopts report urging the Commission to adopt an initiative on socially responsible restructurings
Towards a European framework on restructurings.  If the Parliament adopts the resolution as planned on December 10-11, the European Commission will have to either adopt a proposal or explain its...
Italy: textile and footwear unions sign unitary platform renewing national collective agreement
On November 15, the Femca-Cisl, Filctem-CGIL and Uilta-Uil unions approved the unitary platform renewing the national collective agreement in textile, clothing and footwear (over 500,000...
Great Britain: round 2 of funding for corporate projects improving employees’ skills
Skills Minister Matthew Hancock announced on November 20 that businesses can now bid to receive part of the GBP 150 million (nearly EUR 187 million) government fund for the development of skills...
Portugal: social partners launch negotiations on the introduction of a duodecimal bonus system
The Portuguese government promised unions and employers a bargaining round for the application of the duodecimal system for bonuses given in the private sectors (i.e. over two years). The social...
Belgium: pay freeze in 2013 and 2014 without questioning the indexation on inflation
The government run by socialist Elio Di Rupo reached an agreement on the draft 2013 budget providing for a pay freeze in the country, which will not affect average and low wages and minimum wage...
Germany: Verdi starts another war against T-Mobile USA (Deutsche Telekom), accused of “psychological terror” against employees trying to join a union
The Verdi services union is going on the offensive again denouncing the "primary antiunion" attitude of T-Mobile USA's management since the company was created in 2001. Based on a recent internal...
20 November 2012
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
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...
2
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...
3
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...
4
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...
5
Denmark: introduction of a professional ID card for construction site workers
The news. On 3 September, the Danish Parliament adopted a bill introducing a mandatory professional ID card for people working on large construction sites. The card will include, among other...
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...