News

Spain: public consultation launched to prepare upcoming bills regulating remote working and work through online platforms
On 6 June, Spain’s ministry of labour launched a consultation ahead of the drafting of two bills. The consultation forms part of preparatory work for legislation on new forms of work that are...
8 June 2020
France : agreement signed on employee protections and social measures amid recommencement of activity at EDF
The agreement, signed on 3 June with all the group's trade unions and the French energy group, addresses the challenges of relaunching business with a global approach. In addition to covering how...
5 June 2020
Portugal: simplified short time work scheme extended to end of July, with new arrangements to follow
Yesterday, on 4 June, the Portuguese government approved an economic and social stability plan that targets an economic recovery in the country. The plan provides support to the country’s...
5 June 2020
Germany: ‘internal crowd-working’ study and the implications for company structures
The Hans Böckler Trade Foundation (German Federation of Trade Unions - DGB) has presented its first study on the phenomenon of ‘internal crowd work’ and its implications for both work organization...
TOTAL: agreement signed establishing the European Works Council of the future European Company (SE)
On 15 April, the French energy producer and provider concluded an agreement on employee involvement in the future European Company (SE), the conversion into which was approved at the shareholders’...
3 June 2020
France: short time working new scheme will soon be implemented as a long-term measure, but must be accompanied by guarantees to maintain employment.
France’s National Assembly and Senate are close to the final adoption (by 10 June) of the emergency bill that contains new provisions for other urgent measures as well as for the United Kingdom’s...
3 June 2020
EU: EU Commission’s plan to ensure fair minimum wages for all takes another step forward
On 03 June, the European Commission launched the second-stage consultation of the European social partners- a pre-requisite for a European Commission social initiative - on the minimum wage. As...
3 June 2020
Mexico: an unclear and disparate resumption in economic activity
Since 01 June, driven by pressure from economic sectors as well as part of the population, Mexico is now committed to the ‘new normal’, as the government has called its program for the resumption...
3 June 2020
Great Britain: ‘test and trace’ scheme raising fears over an upsurge in employment disputes
Disguised dismissals, health fears and discrimination: acccording to labor law experts, the UK’s Coronovirus ‘test and trace’ scheme that went live on 28 May could lead to an upsurge in employee...
2 June 2020
Spain: decree establishing the minimum vital income (IMV) is published
The Decree-Law regulating the new Minimum Vital Income (Ingreso Mínimo Vital, IMV), which defines ‘the subjective right to receive a benefit of an economic nature that guarantees a minimum income...
2 June 2020
Sweden: an amendment to the short-time working scheme allows for a reduction in activity of up to 80%.
On 27 May, Parliament adopted the government's plan to augment the short-time working system (Korttidspermittering) by allowing up to an 80% reduction in working hours in May, June and July...
2 June 2020
United Kingdom: companies to start sharing the cost of job retention scheme, which is to finish at end of October
In an update on 29 May on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which the UK government put in place to combat the crisis sparked by the coronavirus emergency, it was announced that from the month...
1 June 2020
Spain: minimum income scheme to launch
Today, on 29 May, the Spanish government urgently approved a decree to create a guaranteed minimum income scheme that will come into force from June. The measure has been introduced to lighten the...
29 May 2020
Germany: broad alliance formed to limit the damage of the economic downturn on apprenticeships
The ensemble of social partners active at a national level across the German labour market have joined the 'alliance for apprenticeship and ongoing training', an initiative jointly initiated and...
29 May 2020
China: employment at heart of government’s priorities
At the closing of the double session of parliament on 28 May, and after delegates of the National People's Congress, the Chinese Parliament, almost unanimously approved the government's progress...
29 May 2020
Spain: the El Corte Inglés retail group is resuming business by facilitating functional and geographical mobility
The CCOO, Fagsa, Fetico, and UGT unions have reached an agreement with management for the El Corte Inglés group on the conditions for returning to work following the nationwide lockdown and the...
28 May 2020
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
Oliver Dietrich (IG Metall): “The advent of AI can be a means of deepening social partnership within companies”
In Germany, trade unions want to influence how AI is deployed in companies. Oliver Dietrich is an AI project manager at the regional office of the IG Metall trade union in North Rhine-Westphalia...
2
EU: social partners split over competitiveness and action on job quality
The European Trade Union Confederation and BusinessEurope have published their response to the consultation document on the European Commission's upcoming EU quality jobs initiative. The two...
4 February 2026
3
Germany: collective bargaining negotiations begin in chemical industry
Collective bargaining talks in Germany’s chemical and pharmaceutical industries are due to open this week, covering nearly 580,000 employees across around 1,700 companies. With the sector facing...
3 February 2026
4
Italy: new generational renewal agreement penned at UniCredit
The agreement signed on 30 December by UniCredit, Italy’s second-largest banking group, with the Fabi, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, Uilca and Unisin trade unions aims to continue generational...
5
France: social partner talks extend far beyond contractual terminations
After a false start on 3 December, French social partners resumed talks on 7 January 2026 on potential changes to the unemployment insurance agreement, including the rules governing compensation...
12 January 2026
6
EU: banking sector social partners commit to combating violence and harassment
On 15 January, the trade union federation UNI Europa Finance and three employers’ associations in the banking sector signed a joint statement on preventing violence and harassment in the...