News

Belgium: controversies around the “generosity” of Opel’s redundancy plan
With bonuses up to 144.000 euros and early retirement from 50 years old on, the social plan adopted on July 1, 2007 for the restructuring of Opel's Anvers site is criticized because it does not...
Belgium: a royal decree concerning the protection of workers against exposure to asbestos was published
A royal decree passed on June 8, 2007, amending the royal decree passed on March 16, 2006, concerning workers' protection against risks linked to exposure to asbestos, appeared in the Belgian...
EU: unions from the cement sector ask for an efficient enforcement of international framework agreements
During the first world conference on cement, organized on June 22 and 23, 2007 in Portugal by three trade union federations (the European Federation of Building and Wood Workers - EFBWW, the...
Mensch und Maschine Software SE: a German small business wants to protect itself against laws on joint management
An important small business specialized in software, the Mensch und Maschine Software AG (MuM) company adopted the status of European Company (EC) in December 2006. The main goal is to clarify...
Axa: the EWC wants to follow closely the social content of SNS Real’s resumption of activity in the Netherlands
During the plenary meeting of the Axa group's European works council, organized on June 13 in Berlin, staff representatives adopted a motion asking guarantees for the 1.000 employees concerned by...
Luxembourg: the government approved a draft regulation amending the status of railroad staff
The governmental Council which took place on July 6, 2007, approved a Grand-Duchy draft regulation amending the status of Luxembourgish railroad (CFL) staff. This text, which aims at improving...
Italy: to unions’ satisfaction, Michelin committed to an investment plan
On June 27, the Minister of Economic Development organized a determining meeting on the future of the French pneumatic group's Italian factories. On this occasion, Michelin Italy's manager, Joël...
Malta: an agreement liberalizing employment a bit more in ports was signed
After long negotiations which spread on three years, the Malta Dockers' Union, the maritime authority and the Minister of Trade and Competitiveness reached an agreement which links the improvement...
Suez : a European agreement on “Employment and Expertise Plan”
The management of the French group Suez signed, on July 3, 2007, three transnational collective agreements (see our dispatch 070580) one of them is about "Employment and Expertise Plan" (GPEC)...
Belgium: the posting of third country citizens as part of a provision of service is subject to conditions that are too restrictive
On June 27, the European Commission seized the court of justice against Belgium for the conditions imposed to community employers who, as part of transborder provision of service, want to post...
Spain: agreement on the closure of Delphi’s factory in Cadix
Unions, managers and the regional government reached, on Thursday, July 5, an agreement on the closure of the Puerto Real factory and the dismissal of its 1.600 employees. After 24 hours of almost...
Netherlands: towards a relaxing of the law on dismissals
The Dutch government concluded, on July 4, an amendment bill to the law on dismissals, demanded by employers and contested by trade unions. Access to unemployment compensation would be made easier...
Germany: a regional compromise ended a conflict in the building sector
Building social partners agreed, on the night of July 4, on regional changes to the collective agreement passed in May between the sectorial union IG BAU and the sector's two employers'...
Italy: 18.000 precarious workers from call centers “stabilized” in the first 4 months of 2007
The Slc Cgil, union of the CGIL's communication workers, broadcasted a report on the regularization of call centers - which employ about 250.000 people, mostly with precarious contracts -...
Lithuania: social benefits raises on 1st of July 2007
Minimum monthly wage has been raised by 16.7 % from 600 to 700 litas (from 174 to 203 euros), minimum hourly pay went up from 3.66 to 4.19 litas (from 1.06 to 1.21 euros). This will affect about...
France: negotiations on the modernization of the labour market started
Social partners started, on July 4, 2007, a negotiation on the securing of professional course, the employment contract and the unemployment insurance before starting, at the end of the year, the...
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
3
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
6
Italy: telecommunications sector introduces new measures to navigate major transformation
The agreement reached between Asstel, the employers’ association for Italy’s telecommunications sector, and the SLC-Cgil, Fistel-Cisl and Uilcom unions centres on strengthening labour relations to...
27 November 2025