News

Italy: CGIL calls on Cisl and Uil to follow for a general strike
The CGIL says that over 100,000 people took part in the national demonstration in Rome on November 14 – with the tagline “Work and the Crisis: we demand answers” – to ask the government to adopt...
Portugal: rising protest against the new social security code
Adopted in July, published in the Official Journal in September and supposed to come into force on January 1, 2010, the new text replaces about 40 exceptions and special systems created in the 90s...
Germany: 2010 collective bargaining schedule
The schedule attached lists negotiations expected in 2010 and 2011 but we are only mentioning next year’s dates below.
Spain: unions come back to the negotiating table after employers promised to unfreeze sectoral agreements
Since negotiations were broken in July, the UGT and CCOO unions have been demanding, before they can return to the negotiating table, that employers unfreeze the 1,500 collective agreements it has...
Germany: employers may force employees to work on Sundays
In Germany, work on Sunday and national holidays is widely banned by the law on working time (Arbeitszeitgesetz). However, the latter contains many exceptions for a series of professional...
Company: EPSU European trade union adopts internal procedure for the negotiation of transnational agreements
The EPSU already signed European agreements but, until now, it managed negotiations on a case-by-case basis. But since this type of negotiation is increasing, the organization’s executive...
Brazil: sixth national employee walk focused on working time cuts
The demonstration on Wednesday, November 11 was the biggest of the six now traditional Working Class Walks (“Marcha de la Clase Trabalhadora”) organized since 2004. This year, the annual...
Great Britain: government rationalizes training and focuses on apprenticeship
Train high-skilled technicians. An economy which dropped by 5.2% over the last 12 months, unemployment affecting almost 2.5 million people: after the recession, the British government will have to...
Italy: two programs may be subject to a vote during the next CGIL Congress
CGIL divided in two. The obvious political disagreements of the organization conference of May 2008 (see our dispatch No. 080456) have spread within the largest union confederation in Italy. Thus...
Sweden: unions present claims for 2010 bargaining
Demanding union requests to boost the economic recovery. The LO (blue collars), TCO (executives and white collars), IF Metall (metalworking), Pappers (paper industry), Livsmedelsarbetarförbundet...
Germany: new minimum agreement in industrial cleaning waiting for employers’ decision
It’s the first time a sectoral minimum wage agreement is subject to the new procedures implemented by the liberal conservative government coalition. The latter gave employers’ representatives a...
Spain: social partners in favor of the introduction of short-time working based on the German system
The idea of replacing layoffs by working time cuts with wage compensation from the State was Ignacio Fernandez Toxo’s, leader of the Workers Commissions (CCOO). “Employees in ailing businesses...
Germany: Karstadt employees ready to major sacrifices to keep their job
Judicial settlement with conditions. Gathered for a decisive assembly on November 10 in Essen, the creditors unanimously voted in favor of continuation for Karstadt, subsidiary of the bankrupting...
Finland: after several suicides at Rautaruukki, unionists are talking about a Finnish France Telecom
Demanding reorganization. While no one is trying to explain these tragic events by a single cause, it seems that the recent reorganization of work rhythms seriously weakened employees. In the unit...
Romania: National Union Bloc fights against gender discrimination at work
Lower pay. 100,000 employees were interviewed in over 200 businesses and administrations in Romania. In the end, eloquent figures clearly show that women are discriminated against at work. The...
Great Britain: mental health guide
Good practices to reduce costs related to mental problems. Commissioned by the Department of Health to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the guide promotion mental...
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
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...
6
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