News

EU: social partners of the electricity sector agree their work program for 2006-2007
Social dialogue committee draws partial assessment of 2005-2006 activities and puts many issues on the agenda for the next 12 months. (Ref. 061091)
Belgium : Confederation of Christian trade unions rips back-to-work plan for the unemployed
In October 2004, the national unemployment agency (Onem) launched the first meetings with the unemployed aimed at checking their behaviour as regards job hunting. For the second anniversary of...
EU: social partners of the chemical industry release joint position on REACH
EMCEF and ECEG ask European Parliament to ensure a balanced system, combining safety and workability. European MP's are currently examining the draft REACH regulation in second reading. (Ref...
EU : the European Parliament passes a report on the implementation of the directive on « cross-boarder posting »
Euro-deputies passed on October 6th a report on the implementation of the directive 96/71 on workers' posting. This report stresses the ineffectiveness of this text which is supposed to guarantee...
Italy: a reform should finally make supplementary pensions a reality in Italy
After years of missed takeoffs, supplementary pensions are finally set to take off in Italy. Indeed, starting January 1st 2007, employees of the Peninsula will have six months to decide what to do...
Germany: Christmas bonuses are getting more and more variable
According to a study conducted by the Hans-Böckler foundation, the "Christmas bonus" ( Weihnachtsgeld) or "thirteenth month of salary" which used to be commonplace in Germany, is more and more...
Germany: the decrease in unemployment insurance contributions next year could be stronger than envisaged
More and more politicians of the big alliance want a bigger cut in unemployment insurance contributions than previously envisaged. The contribution rate was supposed to decrease from 6.5 % to 4.5...
Great Britain: the mp3 player allows employees to isolate themselves in open space
A quarter of British workers isolate themselves in the office thanks to an mp3 music player, but the practice is not commonplace yet and has already been forbidden in one third of firms. (Ref...
EU : negotiations on the revision of the working time directive under pressure
The informal meeting on October 26 at which the Spanish, French, British, Polish, Portuguese, German and Italian labour ministers discussed the latest version of the compromise presented by the...
Two major global trade unions (ICFTU and WCL) unite to create the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), gathering 180 million members
The ICFTU and the WCL were dissolved in Vienna on October 31st. They will unite with non-affiliated trade unions, including the French CGT, to create the ITUC. The foundation congress will take...
France: discussions between trade unions and employers over labour market reform begins
Trade unions and employers, at the instigation of the latter, met on October 23rd to discuss the possible opening of negotiations over labor market reform. (Ref 061080)
Spain: Leroy Merlin forced to observe the weekly rest period of 48 successive hours
Leroy Merlin is required to apply the right to a weekly rest of 48 continuous hours for its employees. Other wholesale chains are also being challenged by judges for the same problem. (Ref. 061079)
Poland: trade union training courses to learn economics and finance
Brand new in Poland: during seventeen months, 1800 trade union activists will learn to read a balance sheet or will discover the secrets of management accounting. Starting this week, they will...
Germany : privatization of Deutsche Bahn now seems uncertain
Once more, the parties of the big coalition (CDU and SPD) failed to agree, during an important meeting on October 26th in Berlin, on how to privatize Deutsche Bahn AG. The following day, Transport...
Malta: government wants to change the mode of calculation of trade union enrolments
The Maltese government wants to reform the rules applying to trade unions as regards the determination of their enrolment. This comes after a controversy triggered by a trade union which had not...
Spain: HR directors have less and less influence on companies’ strategic decisions
HR directors are losing power when it comes to firms' management and strategic decisions, according to a study conducted by the ESADE institute in Barcelona. The study found that HR directors do...
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
EU: Council approves omnibus directive on sustainability
On 24 February, two months after the European Parliament, the Council of the EU adopted the omnibus package amending the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate...
24 February 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