News

Netherlands: employers demand layoff reform and mobility bonus for seniors
When presenting, on April 22nd, its view of the country’s future, the VNO-NCW announced that it wanted a new agreement with unions and the government that will come out of the legislative...
Lidl: the German discounter was sentenced for wrongly pretending that its foreign subcontractors respected “fair trade rules”
After making tongues wag because of its “antiunion” policy and because it spied on its employees, the German discounter is trying to restore its image among its clientele. Against all odds, it...
23 April 2010
Czech Republic: pension system declared unconstitutional for failing to guarantee reasonable material comfort for high wages
The case was decided on the basis of a petition of a physically handicapped person, who sued the Czech Republic for the amount of his pension, very low compared to his earnings. In the given case...
Denmark: workers to ratify the agreements renewing national collective agreements in the private sector
Containing all the agreements renewing the national collective agreements of the private sector signed this spring, as well as the provisions defined in these agreements for sectors that couldn’t...
Lithuania: towards even more flexible industrial relations
According to the information website alfa.lt, government representatives and the social partners reached an agreement on flexible working time on Wednesday, April 14th after several months of...
Areva: amendment to the European agreement on equal opportunities establishes social dialog as a pillar for its implementation
Basically, the agreement perpetuates the ODEO approach, born from the European project launched in 2008 by the signatories of the agreement to spread it, and partly funded by European budget lines...
EU: metal and mining union federations mobilize to save metal industries
Immediate State aid. The EMF and EMCEF want to use the European Commission looking at the compliance between European law and electricity prices in Germany and Italy to launch a debate at European...
Italy: internal crack after the 7th Congress of the Fisac, the CGIL’s banking and insurance federation
“Values in the heart, the future in the eyes.” This slogan set the tone for the 7th congress of the CGIL’s banking and insurance federation, Fisac, organized on April 14-16 in Rimini.
Norway: competitiveness and equal treatment at the center of wage negotiations in 2010
The Norwegian system is based on an old and long-established tradition of tripartite cooperation between the State and the social partners. Actually, they all agree on the quality of their...
Germany: the good governance committee wants to encourage businesses to increase the number of women within boards
Promote diversity. Created in September 2001 by the German Department of Justice, the committee on good government reviews, once a year and where appropriate, the “German Code of Corporate...
Italy: 5th national congress of the Flai-CGIL, the food federation, focuses on union unity
“The Flai-CGIL to defend and free rights” was the title of the 5th national congress of the Flai-CGIL. The federation, which negotiates 17 national collective agreements (affecting nearly 2...
Great Britain: the “winter of discontent” or the very apropos use of collective memory
The most recent outing of this phenomenon has been in the immediate run up to the general election in May 2010 when strikes and proposed strikes took place at British Airways, in the civil service...
Netherlands: lowest strike level since 1985
This is a historic fall, even more noticeable since social relations are tense because of the economic crisis that started at the end of 2008. A sign that unions, which represent a fourth of...
Germany: new postal services’ union (GNBZ) can’t bargain for collective agreements, Federal Labor Court says
Victory for Verdi. This decree puts an end to a long legal procedure Ver.di started after the creating, in 2007, of a rival union, the new postal services’ union (GNBZ). According to Ver.di, GNBZ...
Belgium: will Opel’s Antwerp site remain in the bosom of the auto industry?
Draft social plan. Even though they haven’t signed it yet, they have nevertheless agreed to present to Opel’s Antwerp staff the draft social plan negotiated with the management over the weekend...
Germany: coalition in power to prolong short-time working through March 2012
Keep unemployment from rising up. Determined to not jeopardize the government’s flagship measure against unemployment, Minister for Labor and Social Affairs Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) initially...
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...