News

Germany: government wants to introduce “flexible quotas” to increase the number of women on companies’ boards
The French example.  For once, France is an example for Germany since it signed, in January, the introduction of a statutory and mandatory quota of 40% of women by 2017 (20% in 2014) at the head...
Belgium: FGTB and CGSBL reject cross-industry agreement 2011-2012
Refusal.  After consulting its members, the FGTB refused to sign the draft cross-industry agreement 2011-2012 the social partners concluded in mid-January (see our dispatch No.  110040).  On...
Italy: social partners in “logistics, transportation and goods delivering” industry renew CCN with a unitary agreement
On the night of January 26th, Aite, Aiti, Ansep-Unitam, Assoespressi, Assologistica, Federspedi, Fedit, Fisi, Federlavoro, Legacoop servizi, Produzione e servizi di lavoro-AGCI, Anita, CNA-Fita...
Romania: fierce negotiations on the new Labor Code
Lingering negotiations.  On Wednesday, February 2nd, a new meeting took place between union representatives, Labor Minister Ioan Botis and Premier Emil Boc but it didn’t achieve the negotiations...
Hungary: new regulations concerning full-time job combined with parental benefit
Mothers or fathers are entitled to parental leave until the child reaches the age of three. Over this period they are also entitled to parental benefit from the Hungarian Government, which amount...
Morocco: youth social exclusion is destabilizing Morocco as much as other North African countries
High youth unemployment and precarious employment make a cocktail for social uneasiness.  In 2008, the unemployment rate for the 20-29 age group was 30% in Tunisia, 21.5% in Algeria and 17.6% in...
3 February 2011
Denmark: government presents bill on pension reform
Increase the workforce by nearly 70,000 people in 2020 while “improving” government finances by nearly DKK 18bn (€2.414bn) in the same year.  This is the double objective targeted by the...
Great Britain: TUC develops work program to coordinate affiliates’ industrial action against the government’s policy
Last September, at its annual congress the TUC committed itself to coordinate the resistance of its affiliates’ members’ action against the government cuts (see our dispatch No.  100656). This...
Spain: government, employers and unions sign “grand social pact”
Exercise of shared responsibility.  Bringing this pact into the tradition of social dialogue which, since the transition to democracy, has been “one of the elements that helped permanently...
Spain: government and social partners sign ace plan on the employment of young people and long-term jobseekers
The plan provides for incentives to part-time recruitment for the ailing public, like young people under 30 and long-term jobseekers who have been searching for a job for over a year.  This...
EU: difficult implementation of the new EWC directive in the temporary industry
The temporary industry is a very challenging sector for unions because it is inherently poorly organized.  In Germany alone, only 1% of the sector’s workers belong to a trade union.  Therefore...
Sweden: manufacturing unions united again before fall negotiations
On January 14, 2011, the trade unions informed that they agreed on a joint bargaining agenda, since the agreement negotiated by Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer expires on September 30, 2011 (see...
Luxembourg: legal framework for all time savings accounts soon
It is true that, in practice, this system has been existing for years, notably in banking.  In addition, the law of May 13, 2008 on the single status already introduced this notion into positive...
EU: European Commission publishes guide for the procurement of socially responsible contracts
In its document, the Commission reminds that public authorities are major consumers, spending some 17 % of the EU’s GDP, i.e. half the GDP of Germany.  Hence the need to make them major...
31 January 2011
Spain: agreement between the social partners to unfreeze the reform of collective bargaining
According to the document signed on the night of the 26th, the new system will help “rationalize and better articulate collective agreements” and encourage negotiations at company level. The...
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
Catherine Chavanier (CDC Habitat): “Social dialogue on AI facilitates its deployment”
In February, CDC Habitat (10,500 employees) signed a two-year framework agreement governing social dialogue on AI. Catherine Chavanier, HR Director of the subsidiary of CDC (Caisse des dépôts et...
2
Greece: hospitality sector signs first collective agreement aligned with National Social Pact
The hospitality sector (125,000 employees), one of Greece’s largest industries after retail, signed a new two-year collective agreement on 17 March. The text, effective from 1 April 2026...
3
Germany: a wave of redundancy plans in the automotive sector
The latest financial results presented in early 2026 by major German car manufacturers show sharp declines. This collapse in profits has triggered the announcement or confirmation of massive job...
16 March 2026
4
France: La Poste to launch negotiations for an AI agreement
Following the lead of firms such as Axa, Syensqo globally, and more recently CDC Habitat, La Poste group management will open negotiations on an AI regulation agreement during the first half of...
5
France: Club Med includes “multiculturalism” in its professional equality agreement
In December 2025, Club Med and the CFTC, Unsa, and FO trade unions signed an agreement on professional equality and working conditions. It introduces measures addressing AI, pay transparency, and...
23 March 2026
6
Germany: crisis and transformation wage agreement in the chemical sector
Following a two-day marathon negotiation in Bad Breisig (Western Germany), the social partners of the German chemical and pharmaceutical industries—the IG BCE trade union and the BAVC employers'...
27 March 2026