News

Poland : collective bargaining on a new work organization in FIAT-GM Powertain Poland
The pressure is rising at Fiat-GM in southern Poland. On February 28th, negotiations between trade unions and the management on the introduction of a new work organization failed. The social...
2 March 2006
PSA: a framework worldwide agreement on human rights
"A social engagement without borders", is the title of this worldwide agreement which must "formalize the group’ s commitments in favour of fundamental human rights". The prospect of a world...
2 March 2006
Hungary: Prime Minister not present for Suzuki car launch
The Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany wanted to protest against Suzuki management's bad social behaviour. His Finance minister replaced him, which goes against the tradition. (Ref. 06203)
2 March 2006
Spain: a bill to guarantee gender equality
The government must adopt, March 3, 2006, a bill to guarantee equality between men and women. It transposes in national law the Community directive on equal treatment between women and men as...
Euro-MP Stephen Hugues is pessimistic about the Working Time Directive and the Temporary Work Directive
In an interview published in the newsletter of the European Trade Union Confederation (n°5-Febuary 2005), the Euro-MP Stephen Hugues, co-chair of the European Parliament Trade Union Intergroup and...
2 March 2006
Unemployment rate stable in the Euro-zone and in the EU 25
According to Eurostat, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was at 8,3% in January 2006 in the Euro-zone. It is unchanged compared to December 2005 and has decreased compared to January 2OO5...
2 March 2006
Great-Britain: the working hours regulation has cost companies over 23,5 billion euros
British firms beard 50 billion pounds of accrued costs because of the working hours regulations that came into force in 1998, denounced the British Chamber of commerce (BCC) this week. (Ref. 06197)
Sweden : less sick leaves, but the result is more people on welfare
A report from the national agency of social affairs and health qualifies the results of the governmental policy aimed at lowering the number of sick leaves. The number of people who are recipients...
1 March 2006
Great-Britain : the impact of the free movement of workers from new EU countries is “broadly positive”
This study deals with the immigration from 8 (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia) of the 10 new member states , Cyprus and Malta were already...
1 March 2006
Germany : First warning strikes take place in the metal industry
Workers in the metal industry of Bade Württemberg went on strike for the first time this year, as a warning. German employees are allowed to organize short strikes, often a few hours a day, to...
1 March 2006
France: a new association of professionals is devoted to social measuring
How to count the number of employees at the international level? Which criteria should be chosen to measure the participation rate in vocational training activities in Europe? The Ipsoc...
1 March 2006
Slovakia : Employment agencies adopt a new «client-oriented approach»
Counseling services and financial aid for workers’ mobility will be improved. The cost of employment services provided by the government will increase by 100 million Crowns a year. (Réf. 06194)
Germany : electoral campaign for work councils is launched
On 28 February 2006, the minister for Work and Social Affairs, Franz Müntefering, launched the official campaign for the work councils elections (Betriebsratswahlen 2006) that will take place on...
1 March 2006
Germany: after 40 days of strike, an agreement is concluded at AEG
After several hours of negotiations and five weeks of strike, the trade union IG Metall and the management of AEG, a subsidiary of Electrolux, worked out an agreement to compensate the 1750...
France : no official position on open boundaries for now
Only 5 EU States will soon allow all EU citizens to work on their territory. France could adopt an in-between position. (Ref. 06190)
European Commission and Parliament want to make directive on workers’ posting more efficient
Checking is the major weak point. Deputies want more standardization. (Ref. 06189)
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
Italy: Enel signs agreement to manage the effects of AI on work
An agreement signed at the end of July by the electricity company Enel (31,000 employees) and the unions Filctem-Cgil, Flaei-Cisl, and Uiltec is pioneering in the Italian energy sector. It aims to...
7 September 2026
2
France: Bayer puts female health and inclusive parenthood at the centre of its equality policy
In a new agreement on gender equality highlighted by mind RH, Bayer commits to strengthening its parenthood policy. Furthermore, the company is anticipating pay transparency and introducing...
25 September 2026
3
France: final document on the work of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference
After six months of discussions between French social partners, the guarantors of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference submitted the conclusions of the discussions to the Prime Minister...
17 September 2026
4
Germany: Volkswagen cancels almost all collective bargaining agreements signed with IG Metall
The Volkswagen brand announced on 30 September that it is terminating 10 of its 13 internal collective bargaining agreements, effective 31 December 2026. The announcement, which the carmaker...
1 October 2026
5
Germany: working time dispute between Mercedes and the IG Metall Union
The news. At the beginning of September, Mercedes-Benz asked employee representatives and the IG Metall union to agree to an increase in the weekly working time from 35 to 40 hours, without any...
16 September 2026
6
Germany: major day of union action in the automotive industry ahead of collective bargaining
A few weeks before the start of collective bargaining in the German metalworking sector, the IG Metall trade union mobilised nearly 175,000 workers across more than 200 industrial sites on 21...
22 September 2026