News

Great Britain: government and unions trying to compromise on agency workers
On February 25, the government met with unions to try and find a compromise on agency workers. Gordon Brown is stuck between unions and the Labor party, who pressure him and growingly support...
EU: dismissing employees because they attempt in vitro fertilization is discriminatory
According to the Court of Justice of the European Communities, an employee expecting an in vitro fertilization is not entitled to the protection against dismissal provided for pregnant women in...
Denmark : unions and employers propose joint solutions to fight labor shortage
“The shortage of skilled labor will be a great challenge for our society during many years. Business leaders and employees must therefore collaborate to find a compromise for adequate political...
Italy: renewal of the national collective agreement of the cement, lime and plaster industries
The Feneal-Uil, Filca-Cisl and Fillea-Cgil and the employers' federation Federmaco renewed, on February 19, the national collective agreement of the cement, lime and derivatives, plaster, mortar...
Great Britain: guide for managing conflict at work
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), a benchmark organization in terms of human resources, published a guide for managing conflict at work, aimed at managers. This tool...
Germany: Volkswagen’s former head of WC convicted
This is the heaviest jail term in VW's works council corruption scandal, which burst in July 2005. On February 22, 2008, the Braunschweig court sentenced Klaus Volkert, former head of VW's works...
Luxembourg: bill implementing the directive on the involvement of employees in a European Society
The governmental council adopted, on February 22, 2008, the bill to implement Directive 2003/72 of July 22, 2003 supplementing the Statute for a European Society with regard to the involvement of...
Rio Tinto Alcan: Alcan’s EWC wants a guarantee fund for restructurings
During a meeting of Alcan's EWC, on February 21, 2008, staff representatives received information from the new group's management after the merger with Rio Tinto (73.000 employees) concerning the...
Italy: unions complain about the meeting on Nokia Siemens Network’s future
After several deferments, the meeting on NSN's future in Italy, which gathered the Fim, Fiom and Uilm unions (national and local), the RSU (unitary trade union representation bodies) coordination...
Italy: negotiations on the reform of the conventional system started
On February 21, the employers' confederation Confindustria and the three union confederations Cgil, Cisl and Uil started negotiations on the reform of collective bargaining. Its main themes are...
EU: CJEC ruling on Wages Guarantee Funds’ compensation for dismissal agreed under extra-judicial conciliation procedures
The Court of Justice stated that a national legislation can exclude compensation granted for dismissal recognized by an extra judicial conciliation settlement from the wages guarantee fund in the...
Great Britain: guidance for employers on the avoidance of unlawful discrimination while seeking to prevent illegal working
Whereas the government is toughening the law on preventing illegal work, employers can find themselves in a delicate position : when gathering information on an applicant or when refusing to hire...
Netherlands: few women executives in listed companies
On 5% of women are present within the boards of companies listed on Euronext, Amsterdam's stock market. Out of the 122 companies closely examined by Mijntje Lückerath-Rovers, a researcher at the...
21 February 2008
Air France KLM: social and ethical charter signed
The chairs of the airline companies Air France and KLM, Air France KLM's European Works Council and the general secretary of the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) signed, on February...
EU: Euro-demonstration for fair pay
The purchasing power issue will be at the center of a European demonstration initiated by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) which will take place in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana...
Germany: negotiations for the introduction of a minimum wage in the surveillance sector failed
Following the footsteps of the building sector, industrial cleaning and postal services, the surveillance and safety sector also wanted to get a branch minimum wage. But the negotiations between...
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
EU: Commission launches consultation with social partners on quality jobs
On 4 December, the European Commission launched the first phase of consultation with social partners with a view to a European directive on jobs, which is scheduled for the end of 2026. It could...
4 December 2025
2
United Kingdom: government scraps plan to introduce ‘day one’ protection against unfair dismissal
The UK government announced on 27 November, in a statement, that it would not be introducing the right to challenge unfair dismissal (without cause) from the first day of employment in its...
3 December 2025
3
Poland: bill adopted to amend definition of psychological harassment
On 27 November, the Polish cabinet adopted a draft amendment to the labour code aimed at simplifying the definition of psychological harassment at work, or “mobbing” (Article 94 3)...
4 December 2025
4
EU: MEPs demand directive on algorithmic management
Members of the European Parliament have called for a directive on algorithmic management. Such legislation would introduce obligations for companies to inform employees, assess health and safety...
17 December 2025
5
Austria: European rules on wage transparency expected to cause a cultural shock
With the gender pay gap in Austria being the second largest in the European Union (18.3%), the Austrian government has promised to introduce a bill next spring to transpose the European directive...
27 November 2025
6
United Kingdom: Parliament finally passes Employment Rights Bill
The UK Labour government's flagship reform of employment rights was passed by both houses on 16 December after a turbulent parliamentary process. The bill introduces numerous changes to labour...
18 December 2025