News

Netherlands: as expected, the 36-hour week is going to end
The government should announce, on September 18, 2007, at the same time as its 2008 budget, the end of the 36-hour week, and a return to the 40-hour week. Maria van Hoeven, Minister of Economic...
Germany: vivid polemic around minimum wage in the postal sector
The branch minimum wage, set up on September 4, 2007 by the Ver.di union and the employers' organization AGV – which is controlled by the Deutsche Post (see our story 070722), was vividly...
Germany: the Hesse Land wants to forbid social dumping
Starting from 2008, the Hesse Land, led by conservatives, will only place public orders to companies which respect the wages set by secoral collective agreements in the building, industrial...
Great Britain: unions are asking employers who prevent their employees from surfing the net to be more tolerant
"Let your employees surf on Facebook or MySpace during their breaks”, is asking the trade union confederation TUC. Whereas 50% of employers prevent their staff from using social networking...
Luxembourg: details of the single status bill for blue-collar and white-collar workers
After long negotiations between social partners, the government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg presented to the Parliament, on August 3, the bill concerning the single status for blue-collar and...
Luxembourg : results of the enforcement of the smoking ban act
Smoking ban act came into effect on September 5, 2006 (see our dispatch n° 02826). The Luxembourg's Health Minister is drawing a positive assessment of its enforcement. Most companies chose to...
Suez: the European Consultative Committee wants to give its opinion on the plan to merge with GDF
The Steering Committee of the European Consultative Committee (ECC) of Suez met on Wednesday September 4 for the first time since the group's merger with GDF was announced. Staff representatives...
Netherlands: governmental pressure to limit CEOs’ earnings
Wouter Bos, the chancellor of the exchequer, asked, on September 4, 2007, private companies' boards of directors to introduce themselves limits to their CEOs' emoluments and leave bonuses. If...
Germany: social partners from the postal sector are getting a minimum wage
Started on August 31, negotiations only lasted a few days (see our story 070713). On September 4, 2007, the services union, Ver.di, and the postal services' employers' organization (AGV) announced...
Denmark : the government is launching a network of ten ambassadors to promote women’s access to management
The Danish government is multiplying initiatives to break the glass ceiling which stops women from reaching management jobs. The last one was the launching of a network with large companies'...
EU : the Gdansk shipyard’s restructuring is debated at the European level
The Gdansk shipyard, where the Solidarnosc movement was born in the 1980s, should be subject to an important production cut, on the demand of the GD competition of the European Commission. Facing...
Italy : the Court of Cassation rendered two judgment which specify the definition for moral harassment and the employers’ responsibility
The jurisprudence of the Italian Supreme Court in terms of moral harassment is even more important that there are no specific rules in that matter. Two recent decisions are contributing to this...
Great Britain: a campaign against bullying at work has been launched.
According to a study made by the Chartered Management Institute and by the association of fight against harassment at work, Andrea Adams Trust, the lack of managerial skills is the main factor...
Germany: changes at the head of IG Metall trade union
This is a small revolution. Starting from November, the largest German metalworkers union, IG Metall, should be run by two “reformists”. Berthold Huber, 57, currently IG Metall's number 2 and...
Germany: the Deutsche Post’s competitors created their own employers’ organization
To avoid the minimum wage from 9 to 10 euros wished by the Deutsche Post, the two contender companies, Pin Group AG and TNT AG created a new employers' organization, entitled "community of...
International: the ILO is guiding the legislator through the elaboration of standards on private employment agencies
The International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies (CIETT) congratulated itself on the ILO's publication of a guide on the regulation and the control of private employment agencies...
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
France: Yves Rocher convicted of breach of duty of vigilance for infringement of freedom of association
The specialised chamber of the Paris Judicial Court convicted Yves Rocher on 12 March for breaching its duty of vigilance. The group was sued by Turkish employees dismissed in 2018 by a subsidiary...
12 March 2026
2
2026 TRENDS – CSR: A strategic asset for European companies?
mind HR is looking ahead at the trends set to shape 2026. Sustainability policy remains in flux after a year of CSR rollbacks across Europe. Companies are calling for greater predictability and...
26 February 2026
3
Spain: business support package to tackle the economic impact of the Middle East conflict
The Spanish government approved a series of measures on 20 March to support companies facing rising energy prices. In return, these businesses are prohibited from making redundancies for economic...
23 March 2026
4
Germany: a corporate group supports local political engagement via its “Democracy Charter”
Large corporations in the Hesse region, surrounding Frankfurt, are defending local democracy by enabling employees to volunteer in local public life through an initiative dubbed the "Democracy...
11 March 2026
5
EU: Council adopts position on simplifying AI rules
The Council of the EU approved its position on 13 March regarding the “omnibus regulation” proposal, published last November by the Commission to simplify the AI Act. Confirming the...
20 March 2026
6
United States: Coca-Cola subsidiary sued by the administration over women-only event
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on 18 February that it is launching federal proceedings against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast for “sex-based...
6 March 2026