News

EU: UNI-Europa Finance increases coordination for national bargaining and defines a procedure for transnational agreements
The economic context is driving the European sectoral union federation UNI-Europa Finance to improve its Strategy on Transnational Collective Bargaining at national level. For that purpose, it...
Netherlands: 164 businesses benefit from compensated working time reduction
At the end of December 2008, the government postponed of two weeks companies' deadline to request the ATV (working time reduction plan, see our dispatch No. 081049). Unions and employers wanted it...
France: a “label” awarded to businesses promoting diversity and preventing discrimination
Announced by the President of the Republic on December 17, 2008 during his speech on equal opportunities on the labor market, the “diversity label” is now operational, the commission in charge of...
BNP Paribas/Fortis: cooperation between the two groups’ EWCs and unions
Whereas the fate of the takeover of the Belgian bank Fortis by the French BNP Paribas banking group is hanging on the court rulings expected in Belgium, the two banks' EWCs keep meeting "so these...
Unicredit: the bank embarks on vocational training
The EWC and the management of the Unicredit group adopted, in mid-December a joint declaration on "training, learning and professional development". Training is set as a fundamental value for the...
EU: the European social partners assess the implementation of their agreement on work-related stress
Unlike the autonomous agreement on telework, the first of this kind, the agreement on stress didn’t come in a totally new legislative and regulatory framework at the national level. Thus, its...
Portugal: MPs to reexamine the new labor code after constitutional court ruling
The new labor code should have come into force on January 1, 2009, but it needs to be reexamined by MPs on January 21. This comes from a ruling by the constitutional court which rejected the...
Belgium: the social partners adopt the 2009-10 interprofessional agreement
On December 22, 2008, the Belgian social partners adopted the 2009-10 interprofessional agreement, in cooperation with the government, which reconciles unions' major claims concerning the growth...
EU: the Czech presidency presents its social priorities
The Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolanek and the Deputy Prime Minister, Alexandr Vondra presented, on January 6, 2009, at a press conference, the priorities and the program of the Czech EU...
EU: the Court of Justice to speak on the information and consultation procedure for workers undergoing restructuring
While the number and intensity of restructurings should soar in 2009, the Court of Justice of the European Communities was seized with two cases which should enhance workers' right to be informed...
Spain: the needed reform of employment services
The Spanish government is trying to reform the labor market to face the rapid unemployment increase - 42.7% in one year. The stakes include the modernization of employment services and the...
Mexico: 4.6% minimum wage increase after lobbying by companies trying to moderate remunerations to save jobs
Unions are expressing their discontent after this increased deemed limited, below the inflation increase curve. According to the commission in charge of arbitrating negotiations and defining...
EU: the European Commission evaluates its actions on restructurings
On December 16, 2008, the European Commission presented a report on restructurings in Europe. The document gives a detailed evaluation of actions carried out at the European level. With this...
Denmark: dialogue between management and employees reduces industrial accidents
A safety culture at work, which advocates day-to-day dialogue between representatives and employees, creates a more secure environment and fewer industrial accidents. This is the conclusion of the...
Netherlands: manager gets his golden parachute in court
Jan Peter Schmittmann, 52, former leader of the Dutch operations of the ABN Amro bank, obtained, on December 30, 2008, an €8-million leave bonus. His employer, the second largest bank in the...
Finland: Nokia creates a stir with a voluntary leave policy for its oldest employees
The Finnish group Nokia announced that its employees with over fifteen years of seniority may leave the company with one year's wages. This offer concerns 5.000 people around Helsinki and will...
5 January 2009
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
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...
3
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...
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