News

EU: Parliament confirms that minimum rules on working time apply to self-employed
Yesterday, June 16th, the European Parliament’s plenary voted, for the second time around, against the European Commission’s proposal to bar self-employed workers from the Directive 2002/15 on the...
Spain: the government, politically isolated, adopted the draft labor market reform
No sacred union on the reform. The draft labor market reform is going on its tricky path. After the negotiation failed with the social partners, on June 10th, the government was hoping to rapidly...
Germany: Ver.di and IG-Metall consolidated their stance during WC elections
“Great success” for Ver.di. The first union to publish figures about the WC elections, which take place every four years at the same time, Verdi is quite satisfied with the outcome. “Participation...
HSBC: global action day against the bank
In Amsterdam, the international branch of the Federation of Netherlands Unions and Allies (FNV Bondgenoten) supported this action day and demonstrated in front of HSBC’s headquarters. To...
Italy: Fiom-CGIL rejects the agreement on Fiat-Pomigliano d’Arco’s restructuring plan which rams the industrial relations system
“A U-turn in Italian industrial relations.” This is how Labor Minister Maurizio Sacconi defined the separate agreement on Fiat’s restructuring plan for the Pomigliano d’Arco factory (Naples)...
United States: strike at Spirit Airlines
The last strike dates back to January 2006, at World Airways.  Some time before, in August 2005, Northwest Airlines mechanics stopped work to protest against a pay cut. This time, the 440 Spirit...
International: first talks about the creation of a large international industry union federation
Diversified sectors. Gathered in Germany last week, the IMF’s appointed a work group to evaluate the financial and structural conditions of a possible merger with the ICEM and ITGLWF. The...
Great Britain: government starts revising health and safety at work regulations
A Thatcher Minister in control. Lord Young, former secretary of State for Trade and Industry during the Thatcher administration, was appointed by David Cameron to review health and safety...
Germany: GDL union demands collective agreement for all train drivers
DB wages for all train drivers. Gerda Seibert, GDL spokeswoman, told Planet Labor that the union’s stance was based on a simple observation: train drivers attended the same training and perform...
Germany: businesses didn’t use the crisis to improve their employees’ training (survey)
In spite of an annual 1.1 million part-time jobseekers in 2009, as well as improved offer from the public authorities in the area of vocational training, German businesses didn’t use their excess...
EU: Uni Europa wants to improve social dialog in ICT
Standards. In terms of social dialog, Uni Europa’s political strategy focuses on the low level of collective bargaining in ICT. The trade union thinks that it is “vital” to ensure that businesses...
Spain: the government presents its draft decree on the labor market reform
The text presented on Friday, June 11th to the trade unions and employers isn’t final. It is the starting point where political groups can possibly debate to obtain the biggest consensus for the...
Denmark: TIB members vote yes to the merger between TIB and 3F
65.6% for the merger, 34.1% against – this is the outcome of the referendum on the merger between TIB and 3F (see our dispatch No. 100349), where only 30% of TIB members voted. In spite of this...
Sweden: because of increased industrial accidents, the construction sector gets new prevention resources
A subject that was no longer a priority as working conditions are getting harder. A survey published in 2009 and carried out by members from Byggnadsarbetareförbundet (Byggnads, construction...
Germany: the resounding cancelation of the layoff of a cashier sparked off a debate on layoff protection
“Emmely, the star of the day.” This is how political and union representatives welcomed Barbara E., better known under her nickname, Emmely, when she got out of the Federal Labor Court in Erfurt...
Spain: no agreement on labor market reform in spite of extended negotiations
The government’s proposals to reach a compromise. Talks went on after May 31st, the deadline set by the government for the social partners to agree on a consensual agreement for the labor market...
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
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...
4
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
5
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
6
France: bioMérieux’s new disability agreement pivots towards mental health
The news. On 6 January 2026, bioMérieux—an in vitro diagnostics specialist employing 4,400 people in France—signed a new four-year agreement “relating to the employment...