News

Italy: basic unions strike against the protocol on the single collective agreement in the rail sector and local public transportation
According to the SdL intercategoriale, CUB Trasporti and Cobas Lavoro Privato which have been joining forces since February 2009 (see our dispatch No. 090188), the national 24-hour strike...
Estonia: the new law on labor contracts to come into force on July 1, 2009
A few limited improvements for employees. In addition to the more specific definition of the content of the labor contract, one can see that employees’ rights to a private life have been...
EU: new EWC directive published in the Official Journal
The revised EWC directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on May 16. The Member States have to transpose the new directive at the latest on June 5, 2011 and businesses...
TUI: renewal of the agreement on the TUI Europa Forum, the European staff representation structure
Composition. Employees of the companies concerned by the agreement are “divided up according to TUI’s branches.” Staff representatives are divided this way: “each country shall nominate one...
EU: social partners embattle to support the new European Social Deal
An expanded European recovery plan financed by the EU. The ETUC demands a European investment plan totaling an annual 1% of GDP in the areas of areas of renewable energies, social infrastructure...
Fiat-Opel: Italian and German unions united against job cuts after a possible merger
Beginning of European coordination. The European trade unions created a “work group” and demanded “true negotiations because the possible reduction of the European structure must be done without...
Germany: SEMs ignore challenges related to demographic change
Youth cult. Another disturbing fact: almost one in two businesses systematically rejects applications from people over 50. This “youth cult” is particularly present in SMEs with less than 50...
Schering-Plough: EWC demands further consultation on the merger with Merck
The representatives’ letter only explicitly mentions the closure of the Bray site in Ireland and the subsequent transfer of production – “which is a transnational issue” – stresses the letter...
Great Britain: the objectives set to improve skills by 2020 may not be achieved
Worsening competitiveness. Ten years before the deadline set by Lord Leitch in his report condemning the extremely low skill level in the UK (see our dispatch No. 061233), the Commission for...
Italy: Fim-Cisl 17th national Congress adopts new guidelines on union strategy
Industrial relations. Convinced that participation strengthens union relations in the company, the Fim is banking on the development of equal organizations, “in addition to traditional social...
Morocco: employers are advanced in terms of corporate social responsibility
Unions are hardly present. “In general, Moroccan unions are not well organized” confessed Mohamed Chaibi, Director General of Ciments Morocco, subsidiary of Italcementi. “Union membership is...
14 May 2009
Belgium: metalworkers demonstrate against the agreement in metallic manufacturing
Main points of the agreement signed on April 28. What’s the main progress of this agreement? The CSC lists eight:
Metro Group : the death of a worker in Bangladesh again raises the problem of the control of the respect of social standards by suppliers
The fartema Akter affair dates back to her death on December 7, 2008, but it was not until recently that on the initiative of the Clean Clothes Campaign that the circumstances were related in the...
13 May 2009
Germany: construction social partners ask a mediator to arbitrate their dispute
Towards a harmonization of wages in the west and in the east. The IG Bau’s second claim is that, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin wall, wages in eastern Germany be brought in line with those...
Biomet Europe: establishment of a European works council
Competence of the EWC on the “territory” only. The agreement specified that the EWC represents employees “insofar as activities are carried out within the Territory.” Besides, “the EWC shall be...
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
Pascale Rauline (Axa EWC): “European charter formalises ongoing and accelerated social dialogue on AI”
On 27 November, Axa and its European works council (EWC) signed a charter setting out principles governing the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and guaranteeing social dialogue on the...
2
Germany: crisis-hit industries cast shadow over 2026 bargaining cycle
In 2026, collective wage agreements for nearly 10 million employees in Germany are set to expire. With upcoming negotiations in crisis-hit 'pilot' sectors such as chemicals and metalworking, the...
2 December 2025
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Bulgaria: government approves bill to encourage sector-level collective bargaining
On 26 November, the Bulgarian government approved amendments to the labour code designed to reinforce the legal framework for sector-level collective bargaining. The reform aims to stimulate...
2 December 2025
4
EU: social partners in telecoms sign joint statement on AI
On 16 December, the social partners in Europe's telecommunications sector unveiled a joint statement on artificial intelligence. They propose an action plan for skills and commit to raising...
18 December 2025
5
Germany: Erwin Hymer Group’s innovative and award-winning AI agreement
Fed up with negotiating separate agreements for each new artificial intelligence (AI) tool, the social partners at Erwin Hymer Group (8,900 employees) have instead secured a broad, overarching...
12 December 2025
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France: Orange submits gender equality agreement – including AI provisions – for union approval
The three representative trade unions at Orange France have until 10 December to validate an agreement on gender equality, work–life balance and anti-discrimination measures. While the text...