News

France: national protocol aimed at companies issued for easing of lockdown
On 3 May, France’s labour ministry released a national protocol on the easing of lockdown aimed at businesses, which seeks to make sure activities can resume on 11 May, as planned, in a secure...
4 May 2020
Italy: banking sector social partners sign new protocol on reorganisation of work amid gradual lifting of lockdown
The new protocol, which entered into force on Monday 4 May, the date on which the easing of lockdown commenced in Italy (almost exclusively concerning production activities), redefines the...
4 May 2020
France: launch of the first eco-union body ‘Le Printemps Ecologique’ announced
In the face of environmental, social, economic and health challenges, this new union body, which announced its launch on 29 April, is seeking to "safeguard social achievements" and "put an...
30 April 2020
In the face of Covid-19, ENGIE accelerates implementation of the first pillars of its future social protection program
Faced with the ‘unprecedented consequences of the Covid-19 health crisis’, the energy company sought to accelerate the implementation of two of its ENGIE CARE minimum social protection programme...
29 April 2020
Brazil: automotive sector agreements mitigating production stoppage salary impact and preparing for business resumption in the face of weaker demand
Since the start of the health crisis, the automotive sector has been working on agreements to preserve employment and salaries in the medium term across Brazils’ vehicle and parts production...
29 April 2020
Argentina: agreement in industry and commerce sectors guarantees 75% of salary during business suspension period
On 27 April an agreement was signed in the industrial sector to maintain workers' salaries, in spite of the ongoing economic paralysis. The agreement is the result of discussions between the UIA...
29 April 2020
Spain: Telefónica agreement on a set of conditions for business resumption once lockdown conditions are relaxed
The CCOO and UGT trade unions have signed a protocol with Telefónica's management containing health and safety standards aimed at both securing employee protection for when the Covid-19 state of...
28 April 2020
Germany: vote on draft legislation to train employees for the ‘work of tomorrow’
On Thursday, 23 April, Germany’s Bundestag passed the ‘Bill for the Promotion of Vocational Training during Structural Transition and for the Development of Training Support,’ or more concisely...
28 April 2020
France: agreement at Valeo that relies on social dialogue to ensure the application of its safety protocol for the resumption of business activity
The agreement signed on April 16 between the French global automotive supplier and the CFE-CGC, FO and CFDT trade unions aims to ‘create the conditions necessary for the upcoming resumption of...
27 April 2020
Italy: social partners revise protocol to combat coronavirus in the workplace
Ahead of “phase two”, which see lockdown in Italy gradually eased from 4 May and will primarily concern production activities, the trade unions Cgil, Cisl and Uil and the employer organisation...
27 April 2020
Portugal: Volkswagen plant resumes operations under certain conditions
Autoeuropa, the Volkswagen plant in Palmela near Lisbon, is to get back up and running on 27 April. Only two production shifts are planned so that the constraints of the Covid-19 protection plan...
27 April 2020
France: Amazon loses appeal as court reaffirms central importance of social dialogue in risk prevention policies
On 24 April the appeals court in Versailles confirmed the ruling, passed 10 days earlier, which ordered Amazon France to limit work at its warehouses to operations related to essential product...
27 April 2020
EU: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work publishes guidelines for returns to work
Several European governments are currently planning a gradual lifting of the lockdown measures that were put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In its roadmap towards lifting the...
24 April 2020
Germany: IG Metall publishes practical guide with measures to prevent spread of Covid-19 in the workplace
As major automobile manufacturers in Germany gear up to boost production, the country’s metalworkers’ union has published a practical and detailed 30-page guide on how to ensure protection at...
24 April 2020
United Kingdom: more than one quarter of UK workers furloughed, says ONS
On 23 April, the UK government unveiled an analysis on the furloughing (temporary laying off) of workers amid the lockdown measures that have been put in place across the country. Entitled the...
24 April 2020
International: companies and trade unions join forces to act in support of manufacturers in textile industry struggling due to Covid-19 crisis
Clothing brands and retailers including Adidas, C&A, H&M Group, International Apparel Federation, Inditex, M&S, Primark, PVH Corporation, Ralph Lauren, Tchibo, VF Corporation, Under...
24 April 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
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