News

Great Britain: a bill against discrimination on grounds of age is in preparation
Great Britain does not yet have a legal device to fight against discrimination on grounds of age. After having tried several "soft law" measures on the subject, the government wants to take...
Funds to help employees harmed by globalization
The European Council of December 15 and 16, 2005, decided to set up a European adjustment fund for globalization, provided with 500 million euros. It will help employees who have lost their job...
Volkswagen: early retirement at 58.5 years old will remain possible
Employees of the German car manufacturer Volkswagen will take profit of a new agreement which will enable them to cease their activity at 58 and a half years old. (Ref. 06116)
France: thousands demonstrate against a new flexible job contract for youngsters
Around 300.000 people –mostly young- took to the streets in France on February 7th to protest against a draft law creating a very flexible job contract for people under 26 years old. The so-called...
Germany: negotiations fail again at AEG
Negotiations between the trade union IG Metall and the management of AEG, a subsidiary of Electrolux, have failed again. The two sides did not manage, on Wednesday February 8, to agree on the...
European Commission says free movement of workers since the 2004 enlargement had a positive impact
The European Commission published, February 8, 2006, its report on the effects of the flow of workers from Central and Eastern Europe to the labour markets of the fifteen old Member States. The...
Germany: strike worsens in public services
For the first time in fourteen years, a major social conflict has touched the German public sector. After Bade Württemberg (Ref. 06101), Saar is now affected by the strike. (Ref. 06111)
EU Commission is finalizing its reform on the coordination of social security systems
On January 31, 2006, the Commission adopted the draft application regulation which must define the details of implementation for regulation 883/2004 on the coordination of social security...
CJEC due to rule on a residence condition for the granting of an unemployment allowance
According to the prosecuting attorney of the CJEC, the obligation of residence on Belgian territory imposed to unemployed Belgians over 50 years old for the granting of an unemployment benefit, is...
Great Britain : new TUPE regulations are still eagerly-awaited
On April 6, 2006, the revised Transfer of Undertakings-Protection of Employment regulations (TUPE) are due to come in effect. However, the government has not yet submitted a bill to Parliament...
Council adopts legislation on driving and resting time for professional drivers
Following the European Parliament’s vote in favour of the legislation on lorry drivers’ driving and resting time (Ref. 0693), the Council adopted, on 2 February 2006, by written procedure, the two...
Germany: wage negotiations begin in the metal industry
The German employers’ federation of the metal industry (Gesamtmetall) and the IG Metall trade union launched, on February 7, 2006, wage negotiations in this area which employs some 3,4 million...
Metal industry will play the game of European social dialogue
After having stared at one another for many years, European social partners of the Metal, Engineering and Technology-based industries, the CEEMET for employers and the European Metalworkers’...
Spain: the preliminary draft law on gender equality is submitted to social partners
On February 6, 2006, the government submitted its preliminary draft law for gender equality to social partners. Employers’ organizations and trade unions were gathered for their last scheduled...
Italy: a decree on training for security protagonists in the workplace
Last January 26, the "Permanent Conference between the State, Regions and the autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano" which regulates the relationship between the State and local communities...
Hungary : information help-desks for the unemployed
With its program called "100 steps", the government aimed to improve the access to information for the unemployed who are looking for a job. (Ref. 06103)
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
EDF bans alcohol on all its sites
From 1 January 2026, French energy giant EDF (180,000 employees) will prohibit alcohol consumption at all internal and external corporate events, from social gatherings to seminars. The policy...
26 November 2025
3
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
4
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
5
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
6
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