News

Germany: new health reform causes the wrath of employers and trade unions
Towards the introduction of fixed contributions borne by the insured party only.  Passed after months of controversy, the “Act on Public Health Insurance Funding” (Gesetz zur Finanzierung der...
15 November 2010
Italy: introduction of the draft reform turning the Statute of Workers into the Statute of Works
A “reform destined to impact up to the material constitution of the country.”  This is how Minister of Labor Maurizio Sacconi presented, in his letter to the social partners, on Thursday, November...
Germany:Verdi union claims for a 6% wage increase in insurance
Protect employees’ health better.  Gathered on November 10th in cologne, Verdi’s collective contract commission (Tarifkommission) laid down its requirements for the coming negotiations in...
Netherlands: introduction of the flexible work week with a prize thrown in
With this award, Hutten Catering is going to have free advice on human resources next year.  At Hutten Catering, flexitime isn’t simply for the 80 office clerks but also for cooks, delivery men...
Sweden: new policy to welcome immigrants and quicken their integration on the labor market
This policy has two key objectives: rationalize the responsibilities of the different roleplayers, such as the State, the Employment Agency (Arbetsförmedlingen), the Immigration Office...
Germany: the trend of early wage increases is growing
Bonus for employees worldwide.  When presenting the annual report this week, Siemens CEO Peter Löscher announced that the company’s profit would increase by 63% for the past year (September...
Denmark: businesses increasingly use an email policy
Key vehicle blurring the line between private and professional life, with 20% of employees that can’t help write or read work emails at home and 22% that “always or often” check their email on...
11 November 2010
Germany: one in seven firms excessively uses its employees’ data
Offenses that are quite widespread.  In the introduction, the WSI reminds that, in recent years, Germany was disturbed by a series of spying scandals (Deutsche Telekom, Lidl), data monitoring...
10 November 2010
Areva: EWC calls for quick recapitalization
Worries.  At a press conference organized on Tuesday, November 9th, the representatives of Areva’s WC said they were worried about the delay in recapitalizing the French nuclear group.  “We might...
France: the act reforming pensions was published in the Official Journal, without the measures reforming occupational medicine
Increased statutory retirement age.  Referred to by about 60 MPs and as many senators objecting to the constitutional validity of the two age measures in the law (see our dispatch No. 100768), the...
Italy: the Fiom-CGIL’s action plan for the coming months
Extraordinary unionization campaign.  In the heavy document adopted on November 8th, the national secretariat is responsible for organizing, among other initiatives: 
Belgium: cross-industry negotiations on a 5% available ‘wage cushion’ opened
In Belgium, multi-industry negotiations are held every two years (for the last agreement, see our dispatch No. 090012).  The definition of the norme salariale (wage standard – the maximum limit...
Romania: new strategy against illegal labor
Anonymous denunciation.  Soon, mailboxes will be placed in front over every labor inspectorate in Romania.  These mailboxes are aimed to receive denunciations of undeclared working situations. ...
Germany: the Verdi union wants the legalization of “political strikes”
The right to strike is strictly supervised. In Germany, the right to strike is strictly supervised.  A 1955 decree rendered by the Federal Labor Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht) ruled that “political...
Portugal: Volkswagen Autoeuropa workers get the wage increases they asked for
The company agreement, which will officially be signed on November 15th, will be in force until the end of September 2012.  It meets one of the workers’ key claims, the 3.9% wage increase, a €500...
Germany: two simultaneous conciliation procedures in the rail sector
Employers are divided.  On October 26th, Transnet and GDBA launched warning strikes across the country to support their claims (see our dispatch No. 100725).  They want the signature of a...
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: Cabinet adopts pay transparency bill
After several months of delay beyond the European deadline of 7 June 2026, French Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou finally presented the bill transposing the Pay Transparency Directive to the...
10 September 2026
2
Germany: IG Metall demands 5% pay rise amid severe pressure
Despite the crisis hitting the automotive industry, the leadership of the German trade union IG Metall announced on Wednesday 23 September that it would be asking for a 5% pay increase as well as...
23 September 2026
3
Spain: government revisits its draft decree on salary transparency
The Spanish Ministry of Labour has opened a consultation on the transposition of the European directive on salary transparency and the reduction of the gender pay gap. This decision follows a...
8 September 2026
4
EU: Commission proposes a list of worker-related criteria for public procurement
The news. On 9 September, the European Commission published a proposal for a regulation aimed at unifying European public procurement law, which accounts for 15% of European GDP. It is notably set...
17 September 2026
5
Spain: approval of decree on employees’ right to clear information on working conditions
The Spanish government validated, on September 8 in the Council of Ministers, the decree transposing the European directive on transparent and predictable working conditions. This text requires...
9 September 2026
6
France: bioMérieux strengthens its end-of-career support measures
The news. In vitro diagnostic specialist bioMérieux (4,400 employees in France) and unions CFDT, CFE-CGC, and CGT signed a new agreement on June 18, 2026, dedicated to end-of-career...
10 September 2026