Protest against a reform which would have thousands of colleagues re-employed at regional subsidiaries for lower wages.
Strike postposed after progress in the negotiations on the airline's pension scheme. More progress awaited.
Employees of MyFerryLink are protesting against plans to sell two of their ferries to rival firm DFDS.
Trade union CGT wants to protest the planned ‘death’ of crude refining at La Mede.
Published data cover the effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in 2014.
The grievances are related to salary and the creation of permanent employment in all airports with workforce below 65%.
Employees will receive a one-off benefit of €450 to be added to their July salaries, while their total monthly wages will increase by €30 as of 2016.
Strike action threatened in a row over redundancy terms.
Court rules: voluntary overtime may have to be included in workers' holiday pay entitlements.
A planned cut to social contributions and tax reduction voted down by Chamber of Deputies.
Subway series of strikes against the looming privatisation of the network - motivated by concerns over pay and working conditions.
Industrial action against possible job losses, cuts to pensions, employment conditions, and reductions in services due to planned Privatization.
General Strike as workers who had a prominent role in a strike in May dismissed.
None of these temporary workers can make any plans, go on vacation, get sick, take out a mortgage or even think about accumulating enough Social Security contributions to have an adequate pension when they retire.
Pay decrease of 3.3% in nominal terms and of 3.0% in real terms.
Unemployment was the lowest since August 2009, although the actual number of unemployed individuals is slightly higher.
Low-skilled workers tend to work where competition is very heavily based on price and work is increasingly outsourced.
Next year's budget could be forced to lift the budget for around 3.5 million workers.
An intensified competition or substitution in certain layers of the labour market can be the consequence of wage differentials.
H&Ms pledge: workers at suppliers making its garments should be paid a ‘fair living wage’ by 2018.
Lowest-paid workers to get an increase of more than 1 percent, others 1%.
Trade unions resist proposed budget cuts; changing a progressive cut in teaching hours of teachers over 45 into an obligation to fill these hours with other duties, such as tutoring of pupils and mentoring of young teachers.
Members of the Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU) are becoming increasingly vocal about their disappointment over the terms of working hours and money.
The new deal provides for an 18.6% pay rise over the next three years and will be up for renegotiation in 2019.
Trade unions are not satisfied with the government’s commitment that work positions at CyTA are safe.
Against the government’s plans for five more years of austerity, protesters denounced public sector cuts.
Remuneration for executives rose an average of 18% between 2011 and 2014 at three-quarters of major companies.
Strike as reorganisation and redevelopment, presented by the ANSA management, unacceptable.
The sudden closure and unexpected job losses sparked large scale unrest and protests.
Trade unions and the employers’ organisations concluded a last minute agreement on pay and working conditions that covers union members of six unions.
Strike call as workers fed up with salaries and the lack of resources pumped into their industry.
Ryanair's Irish contracts avoid rules on wages, social benefits, and worker protections required by Danish laws.
Asylum workers strike as cuts are being implemented without consultation.
Slight upturn in labour compensation costs with labour productivity growth holding steady at 0.2%. Check out the report.
5% of the population were facing a severe financial situation because they have been at multiple risks of poverty or social exclusion.
The ratio of wages to productivity is going down while the ratio of CEO pay to worker pay has gone up.
Bosses earning 20 times the average salary.
Legal action against transport company Vos for exploiting its Romanian and Lithuanian drivers.
Preliminary data indicates that total hourly labour cost rose by 6.9%.
12 day strike over low pay, bad working conditions and redundancies at Newsquest.
Agreement reached at the firm will limit redundancies along with a voluntary retirement scheme.
Threat of strike over unpaid overtime, with claims of no payments for night shifts and holidays since December 2014.
About 18% of employed persons in the country receive their salaries undeclared.
Average monthly gross wages increase by 5.9% and average hourly gross wages by 7.2% as compared to 2013.
With a cut in income tax for low and middle income earners, the wage pact is meant to maintain the purchasing power of workers.
Purchasing Power Standards in Croatia in 2014 was as much as 41% below the EU average.
Data on month on month earnings decrease in nominal and real terms.
Government plans to break the monopoly of state operator NSB, allowing private companies to service train lines.
Collective agreement to raise the minimum wage to €8.94 from 1 July 2015 and to €9.10 from 1 January 2016.
The rate of increase compared with May 2014 was 2.0%.
Police, border police officers, firemen and prison guards protest against pension reform, bad working conditions.
Immediately after the start of the action, union negotiators were invited and a deal was closed.
Trade unionists are afraid any new deal will demand further painful cuts.
On the eve of the action, the publicly owned air traffic control company, negotiated a 70% minimum service requirement.
A new collective agreement which runs from 1 April 2015 to 1 January 2018, contains several pay increases and measures to promote standard employment.
Granite mechanics, who conduct maintenance of turbines and compressors, are paid €3 per hour while on call.
The mine workers are worried that an announced power price hike will increase production costs, resulting in a lack of funding.
HSBC to cut to 10% of its current employees globally.
Amendments to the Labour Code and legislation related to labour relations, state social insurance, employment and creation of jobs have been approved and will be submitted to the Parliament.
More than 18,000 jobs are performed by workers who live over the border in the Rhine Valley area near St. Gallen, in Vorarlberg and in the region around Lake Constance and commute to Liechtenstein every day.
The 16 hours strike was called in the end of May, after IKEA unilaterally renounced the collective labour agreement.
Protest against insecure labour contracts continue.
Employees at industrial companies create much more value than they cost; therefore not a problem for the industry that workers receive high wages.
Unemployment will be falling to record lows next year, which will lead to wage hikes. Wages have not much increased since the crisis.
Trade union Ver.di and VKA employers agree to enter an arbitration process.
The report states that 43% of leadership positions in the European federations are held by women.
Bill to tackle social fraud in the construction industry in which companies that work with fraudulent and dishonest subcontractors to be held responsible.
48 hour strike over pay and working hours by Nurses Union, representing about 40,000 nurses.
The strike, however, did not receive the anticipated broad support from other TAP employees and customers.
The agreement contains a 5% wage hike over the next 2.5 years and guarantees that no permanent jobs will disappear until 2019.
Trade unions and management are currently negotiating over the social plan, for which they will be afforded two weeks before the dispute moves to an official mediator.
Half of all unemployed are at risk of falling into poverty, and a third is at risk of falling into 'deep' poverty. The largest group among those living below the poverty line are pensioners.
The workers closed a collective agreement which guarantees everyone a 6% pay rise as well as a bonus wage on Ramadan and the sacrifice feasts.
The reform now raises this paid paternity leave to three months.
Call of indefinite strike at Madrid-Barajas Airport due to salary reduction, changes to shift patterns, holidays and leave.
Public service staff to be better off to the tune of €1,000 from 2016; trade unions yet to decide the deal.
Health service workers protest against changes to the 35-hour working week.
Unions are protesting over changes to the British Steel Pension Scheme which would increase the retirement age to 65.
Deal reached on a mutually balanced package of agreements with no forced dismissals.
Youth agreement on what collective bargaining agreements should look like in the future.
Government savings measures in the health care sector forces budget cuts and loss of 90 jobs.
Demands for higher wages, introduction of a wage scale, a ‘career model’, regular reconciliation and for work breaks to be factored into their hours.
Cuts announced by the Government: end to alternation leave, cutting index linked increase in pensions to half and cuts in child benefits, unemployment benefits, study grants and stopping adult education allowance.
Reduction in State's deprivation of tax revenue as the payment of ‘envelope wages’ decrease in 2014.
Trade union membership decreased in the last 5 years from 1.1 million to 845,000 members.
Fears that cuts introduced to the pension system will lead to higher poverty rates as seen.
While average wages and salaries kept increasing; growth rate has been slowing down as of the 1st quarter of 2015.
The average salary in Bulgaria greatly varies depending on the region and chases people away from the poor pay regions.
Strike on 28 May in protest at pay scales and premiums. More strikes expected.
Government mulls priority plans to toughen up trade union strike laws and calling for a 50% turnout threshold for any ballots on industrial action.
Workers not to face termination of contracts but instead receive monthly bonuses.
The strike for a minimum salary of at least ISK 300,000 (€2,032) per month; covering tourism, services, fisheries, air travel, academics and health care is near to an agreement.
ITUC criticises the unreasonable austerity and deregulatory reform demands of the IMF.
Workers to be employed by DHL delivery would continue to do the same work, but earn up to €3,500 less per year.
Key sticking points have been solved and GDL will now be able to have its own separate agreement.
Proposal of increasing monthly minimum wage from 390 euros to 448 euro by 2017 met with a higher demand.
Copenhagen Mayor bans using services from those who do not offer their employees proper salaries and working conditions.
Pay cuts, 20% job cuts likely at Bank of Cyprus.
Government decree which set the minimum wage in the country at BGN 360-380 overturned by Court.
Yearbook 2014 titled 'Living and working in Europe' summarises employment issues, workplace practices, sustainability and quality of life.
Day strike as Union asks Alitalia to confirm in writing that jobs won’t be lost.
Proposal to gradually increase the current retirement age of 63 years to 65.
Act aimed at streamlining wage-bargaining and preventing small, localised industrial disputes, from paralysing entire sectors, Unions see it as a ban on the right to strike.
Specialists most likely to leave their homeland are anesthesiologists, pathologists, surgeons and radiologists.
Staff protest against a rise in aggressive pickpockets by organised groups around Eiffel Tower.
The offer is believed to be a two-year deal, with an absolute pay rise for all members both years, and a pledge of no compulsory redundancies.
189 firms have already gone into bankruptcy.
Police officers protest asking a 3% pay increase.
Cross-border workers pour more money into the social contributions funds than they get out.
Reduction in the number of residents registered as living below the poverty line in April 2015.
Income inequality has reached record highs in most OECD countries and remains at even higher levels in many emerging economies.
Due to the protracted economic crisis, a growing number of people is entering a zone of absolute poverty.
Increasing evidence that employment protection legislation has no impact on unemployment rates.
Report on which policy combinations are most effective in delivering high employment and balanced incomes.
Unite reps wants all workers to be paid at least the Living Wage and persist for it.
Initiative aims to develop a shadow free economy.
Pilots working as either freelancers or under zero-hour contracts with little or no sick leave, create an unsafe situation for the flying public.
Workers have rejected the company’s 2% wage offer, as it falls behind the increased costs of living.
Wage pact settled foresees a 1% pay increase in 2015 and 1.5% in 2016 but not obligatory, hence trade unions express doubts.
Strike against the Jobs Act (labour reform), savage privatisations, continuous raising of the retirement age.
Data suggests no significant poverty alienation between 2012 and 2014.
Players union AFE called a strike after being excluded from negotiations, as well as arguing that smaller clubs and their players will not receive a fair share.
Initiative to raise the low minimum wage.
Mayor and councillors issue strike threat as clean-up awaits the waste dump of the former Juraj Dimitrov Chemical Plant (CHZJD) on the town outskirts.
Only 151 of the scheduled 491 buses on road as Carris bus drivers on strike over its planned privatisation.
Strike, 70 bus routes cancelled, after claims that the promised payments had not been made.
Oil services group Subsea 7, announces reduction in the global workforce by approximately 2,500.
Strike as the autonomy of the government's social inclusion agency withdrawn.
New collective agreement at Czech Airlines as the airline has cut wages by as much as 25%.
Eastern European Member States experienced a decline in wage inequality over the whole period, while other Member States saw increasing overall inequality levels.
Health care workers demand a sector-wide collective agreement.
Decentralised bargaining and private mediation in present Swedish social model.
Health care workers demand a living wage.
A pay-hike strike by Prosegur couriers leaves Berlin ATMs low on funds.
Dunnes Stores offers workers a 3% wage increase, but refuses to guarantee working hours.
Possible strike actions in June against Federal Government's proposed savings to the air traffic control authority 'Belgocontrol'.
Concerns that the law will promote company unions and effectively weaken position of nationwide unions.
Dacia to moderate wages, shed jobs and increase automation.
Strike as Pilots claim management has disrespected the guarantees from earlier agreements.
Protests to speak out against union bashing strategies.
Nationwide strike as workers protest against management’s unilateral decision to withdraw the collective agreement and implement large scale layoffs.
Some 4,000 school guards, cleaning ladies and civil servants have been re-hired.
Hospitality sector gets a 2.35% overall increase of the wages .
Unemployment staying stable at 2.4% of the workforce.
Fair pay demand by Health care staff.
Day care workers are asking for a higher pay.
Collective agreement negotiations found progress impeded by government and Correos representatives.
Romania’s labour costs: €4.8 per hour
Majority of jobs that have been created in recent years are low-skilled and short-term lasting for a period of just seven days, many of these in the hotel industry; adding to the insecure nature of the newly created posts.
New education law would effectively abolish collective bargaining.
Calls for more ‘real jobs’ instead of temporary contracts.
Midwives strike in a pay dispute, call for a 1% pay increase.
Government proposes to increase salaries and pensions this year; however the Fiscal Council opposes the idea.
Town halls employees strike to demand a 10% salary increase and meal tickets.
Pilots in 10-day strike from 1 May in an ongoing dispute on the privatisation process of TAP Portugal.
Statistics report an increase of 38% in the number of long-term unemployed persons in the 1st quarter of 2015.
A Work and Pay dispute between Malta Public Transport and the General Workers Union has been resolved amidst the threat if an industrial strike action.
Several strikes announced as workers demands concern wage increases and job-related education.
24-hour work stoppage, protest about their unsecure employment amid port privatisation plans.
Controversial and precarious work when a person is made self-employed only to work for the company as if it employed them.
From summer 2015, employees at Cleaning company DJM Bedrijfdiensten; under 21 will receive the normal minimum wage, not the lower minimum wage for youth.
Stabilization of the ‘chômage partiel’ programme, where companies can reduce labour costs by cutting hours, while employees are compensated by the State is seen.
Genuine renumeration expectations by employees in many sectors as firms feel the benefits of the recovery.
Restructuring and 5% staff cuts announced at Enterprise Estonia (EAS).
Labour inspectorate asked to apply tighter control on workers sent on ‘business trips’ amidst fear of ‘social dumping’.
Vattenfall announces 1000 layoffs despite first quarter 2015 profits of 515 million euros.
Fewer holidays, poor compensation for work resulting diseases, cost cutting at the expense of staff - are the main problems faced by employees.
Agreement made on fixed bonus payments and basic salary increases.
Pre-school teachers strike over low pay and the underpaid occupation, negotiations not led to a result.
No general strike in May as strike proposal was rejected by a two third majority.
Ballot for strike action over pay and working conditions on Docklands Light Railway.
Strike ends as special collective agreement signed.
The statistical office publishes wage data for the public sector in 2012 and 2013.
Binmen seek more guarantees against lay-offs and refuse to sign contracts with City Renovation, who won a tender for rubbish management: workers.
Strong performance by manufacturers has not resulted in improved wages. Wage rises could help increase domestic demand.
Dispute over zero-hour contracts and working conditions. Some workers dismissed for taking part in the one-day strike.
Staff in State-owned electricity utility ESB set to receive a 2% pay increase.
Employment Statistics: By end 2014 2.4% = unemployed.
Deutsche Bahn and trade union representatives are negotiating an agreement over wages.
Industrial action at Skoda resulted in a wage increase of 3.5%.
The Nokia acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent has made Finnish trade unions worried for jobs.
Strike ends after employer agreed on 10 April to the teachers’ demand for a collective agreement.
As of 1 July 2015, the minimum wage reaches 325 euros.
To advocate the human right to good health and point out the current situation in healthcare - an event with posters containing slogans were held.
Ferry workers declare 1 May a strike day as workers are awaiting several months of overdue salaries.
Coca-Cola Iberian Partners violated the right to strike during the consultation period by supplying products from other functioning plants.
Industrial action as workers demand better and extended protection against dismissal, plus a 5% pay increase.
Health ministryannounces steps intended to stop the drain of qualified staff, through financial stimulation and new job opportunities.
Fiat Chrysler announces an incentive system for employees tied to the group's productivity and profits.
New law made that leads to abolish trade union activity in the intelligence services.
200 job cuts at Maersk Oil unit to affect both permanent employees and workers.
Austerity, cuts in the public transport sector and the failure to top up wages and benefits in line with inflation resulted in a stand-still of the local transport system.
Collective agreements being concluded in several sectors.
Major Trade unions will commence an official ballot on 6 May for industrial action over Tata Steel's proposal to close the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS).
Amendment to the law on public procurement - to secure that agreements in public procurement are signed by subjects with clear ownership structure.
Walk-out action at Vopak. Dispute over terms of a new collective agreement, including pay and overtime allowances.
Jobs at 'Whirlpool in Italy’ to be safeguarded until 2018.
Partners in bargaining have the clear autonomy to decide on working conditions including compensation for partial closure during an industrial dispute.
ETUC will run a highly visible action on 28 April, focusing on the 100,000 people who die every year in the EU as a result of occupational cancers.
Radio France wants to cut jobs through a voluntary departure plan; the reform focuses on structural issues and job cuts.
No evidence that deregulatory labour market reforms have a positive impact in increasing economies’ growth potential.
Hunger threshold set to 533 euro, nearly double the national minimum wage of 316 euro. Civil servant wages, minimum wages and pensions criticised repeatedly as insufficient.
The union main demands are job security for at least 2 years in the new group and in units that are sold plus a few other basics...
Strike if the employers association continue to refuse to negotiate over a new collective agreement.
Call for a delay in the implementation of cuts to maternity and education allowances.
Too many higher education qualifications has resulted in many people ending up working in positions which do not correspond to their education and aspirations.
Trade unions and KLM have agreed on a new collective agreement with a guarantee that there will not be any mandatory redundancies until 2020.
3 major strikes (Air traffic controllers , Teachers, Radio broadcasters) coincided on 8 April to effectively cripple the country.
The group 'Heroes of the Sky', which unites pilots and cabin crew, says its aim is to reach a collective agreement for Ryanair workers.
Workers were working without contract or insurance at the firm that led the demolition of the Veronika hotel, which collapsed unexpectedly.
‘Green’ employment has increased to 5% of the total workforce to 185,122 workers (in 2013).
Reports that female employment levels are decreasing and that women’s wages feel 20% below men’s in 2013.
Strike at HSBC as collective agreement negotiations reported regress instead of progress.
Agreement to call for a new tender for a study on the privatisation of state-owned power utility.
Railways strike closed down 95% of train ticket offices on 6 April.
Undermining of collective agreement has led directly to an increase in employment outsourcing by companies under worse conditions.
The deal over a new collective agreement was reached in the face of looming industrial actions.
A strike by metal workers was banned through a 60 day suspension but unions report the ban is still in place.
Reports that asbestos-related cancers are missing from official reporting systems. The absence of recording also means that workers suffering from asbestos-related occupation cancer do not receive due compensation.
The Rosia Montana Gold Corporation cites unreasonable delays in the authorisation process as the reason for the redundancies.
Ver.di has asked for a reduction of working hours from 38.5 to 36 hours per week for the same monthly salary.
More than 1/3 of the population in five EU Member States (Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Spain) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
Protest after years of pay restraint has left loyal workers paid below the widely-recognised living wage, with new recruits starting on as little as £14,400 a year.
The decision of the health technicians to call an unlimited stoppage reflects deep discontent at worsening pay and conditions.
Protests against the government's social policies and discussion on how actively laid-off workers in early retirement should seek a new job.
The report reveals that the use of outsourcing is substantial and that flexible working time arrangements are on the increase.
Protest against precarious working conditions and deterioration of workers’ rights as the labour market has led to mass layoffs and pay cuts.
The public sector workers trade unions and public employers agreed on a two-stage pay rise of more than 4 percent for public sector workers.
Each teacher is due to receive about €900 in arrears and an indefinite contract after a continuous period of more than 2 years.
Workers at the Dunnes stores have voted in favour of industrial action as a result of an ongoing row with management at the chain over pay and conditions.
The workers were being treated to free ice cream at a time when they have been fighting for wage increases. The workers are annoyed and likely to soon go on strike.
A sector-wide collective agreement was concluded with a 2.8% wage rise over 17 months.
The strike is in protest against the outsourcing of jobs, reforms to production, cleaning services, and decision to fire one of its two orchestras.
4% of the workforce aged between 15 and 64 fall into the category of workers with zero-hours contracts.
Votes yielded 95 to 98% in favour of authorising EAC-affiliated trade unions to carry out strike action.
Agreement reached in the collective bargaining for workers in manufacturing industries with an average pay increase of 2.7 percent for the 175,000 workers.
Most unions are also pushing forward the free time option, a provision that was introduced in the collective agreements of 2013.
Nine in ten people on flexible contracts would rather have a permanent job. Four out of ten workers with a flexible contract say they have difficulty making ends meet.
Trade union UHM has called for the immediate attention to the 5 top concerns for Maltese workers.
927 employees will work reduced hours as against 692 in February, thereby an increase of state paid compensation.
The minimum monthly wage to raise to 325 euro.
400 workers asking for a social safeguard clause and maintenance of pay and contract conditions decided to go for a strike after the announcement by the heritage ministry of a reorganisation and privatisation.
Strikes in the banking sector after the talks on the renewal of their collective agreement broke down.
Some representatives called for the scrapping of Joint Labour Committees which set legally binding wage rates higher than the national minimum wage in other areas.
Legal complaint against construction giant Vinci for grave mistreatment of migrant workers and forced labour in Qatar with an average of 66 hours per week, and eight people to live in a room.
Protest against six 12-13 hour shifts a week for €500-€600 a month.
The disruption is a result of industrial action against austerity by the socialist public sector trade union, the ACOD.
Pilots in ongoing dispute with Lufthansa management over the early retirement package.
Epernay’s region record sales of €4.5 billion in 2014, while workers have no wage increases.
The only Danish hospital that has a unique training scheme and employed cleaning staff.
The report assesses the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the social policies that have been fundamental to the creation of the European Union.
Slovenske železnice (SŽ) plans to cut 740 jobs by the end of the year and spend 20 million euros on severance payments.
The leadership of trade union Unite is openly questioning the Tory plans that could push the legitimate democratic work of trade unions outside of the law.
Trade unions are outraged by the minute wage increase offer, and have announced an indefinite strike.
Blokker and the trade unions have reached an agreement on a social plan for employees who are dismissed.
Researchers found widely diverging results, varying from dynamic bargaining in some sectors to the near absence of any social dialogue in others.
The major wage cut would leave them €1385 worse off per year.
Warning letters as strikes called by UHM without GWU are technically illegal.
European Court of Justice decided member states must remove unjustified restrictions on the use of temporary agency work.
The museum intends to outsource 400 of its 600 jobs in order to increase flexibility.
The DCT Gdansk container terminal, has banned dock union organisers for demanding collective bargaining procedures.
Long discussions regarding the eventual wage moderation for the store’s employees.
The rally will be organised to protest insufficient funding, which this year is at just 3 percent of gross domestic product.
Strikes at Amazon Germany are going into their third year and continue to grow.
Reforms of the tax system: People with lower earnings will pay less income tax, with the initial income tax rate reduced from 36.5 percent to 25 percent.
As collective bargaining negotiations yielded a disappointing wage offer of 1.1% increase, workers at private waste management firms are organising warning strikes.
The collective agreements for the retail and metal have become binding.
Women earn 23% lower in Private sector and 17% lower in Public sector as compared to men.
LCGB (the Trade union) has now demanded written guarantees against outsourcing.
Due to a lack of orders; car tyre manufacturer Vidachim will lay off 150 workers within a week.
Calling for better working standards thousands of doctors participated in the strike, demanding urgent changes.
The workers are striking to demand higher wages, accumulation of tenure, the maintenance of the 35-hours working week.
Employees announced strike action after the plant’s export and trade licenses were suspended for four months but later the Sofia court suspended the withdrawal of the licenses.
Large scale union busting practices at Roma Plastic, the Gebze plant of the subsidiary of Egger Group. Unions members offered bonuses to leave the union.
Legal complaint against the application of the minimum wage of €8.50 per hour for all truckers using German roads. Germany did not exempt transit workers from its recently adopted minimum wage.
After marathon talks, the ten-day pilots' strike grounding Norwegian's Scandinavian flights has been resolved with concessions for secure jobs.
In order to maintain employment and wage levels, as well as decent working conditions; workers at IKEA are reinvigorating their trade union.
Agreement reached with Co-operative Employers Association that will see pay increase by 8.5% over the next 2 years.
In the city of Lisbon some 6,700 households and 18,273 citizens received support from the food bank Banco Alimentar during 2014.
The bulk of the employment being created requires quite a high level of education.
Cipa, one of three Italian firms serving as subcontractors on the massive expansion of Copenhagen’s Metro system, has been found guilty of underpaying its workers; must compensate employees with 22 million kroner.
The public television SRF surveyed the top Swiss Market Index (SMI) companies.
A potential strike is looming at Peugeot Trnava plant as no consensus reached on salary increases.
A railway strike has been called as reforms were put into place in January and are intended to tackle the rail sector's soaring debt.
Trade unions of teachers and students have called for a general strike in universities on March 24.
Ford has annulled the layoffs for 170 employees at its plant in Craiova, by reducing their work schedule.
The service trade union PAM has asked for an investigation of suspected job discrimination case whose wages were not enough to live on.
Negative effects of unemployment: Depression, anxiety, substance abuse and low self-esteem, etc... Psicología Solidaria aims to help these people.
The government said that a program to cut the number of employees in the public sector would most probably be adopted in April.
The 120,000 workers in the hospital sector have a new collective agreement.
Most collective bargaining agreements between unions and management ran out 1 March.
Research presented at a conference on balancing work and family life shows that 40% of the population supports the idea of working fewer hours for the same pay.
The average wage in the case of health workers is among the lowest.
Fewer workers are entering the labour market than leave, the number of taxpayers is shrinking, the proportion of dependents and the costs to society continues to increase.
650 Norwegian pilots are striking over concerns that Norwegian Air Norway will go bust, leaving the pilots with worse contracts under a new structure.
Women earned 'on average' 16.4% less than men in EU.
Workers started a strike at Yazaki. The reasons behind the strike are violations of the labour code.
The increase in female employment is mostly due to a rise in part-time work.
The country’s labour market system receives a clear endorsement from the population.
The Labour Cost Index (AKI) for the private sector in December 2014 was 116.6 for wage-earners and 118.3 for salaried employees.
Negotiators of the KOVO trade union and the bus transport association ZAD agreed on a guaranteed pay-rise of 2.5 percent in bus transport.
Credit cooperative BCC workers are on strike to protest a contract decision taken by the national association of credit unions Federcasse.
The average monthly net salary in the country is 5,716 kuna (745 euros).
Social Inspectorate carried out a total of 15,000 inspections in 2014 across various branches of industry. This Inspectorate has the right to control compliance with agreed pay and working conditions.
After state mediation between the management of Norwegian Air and the pilots trade unions broke down a strike started.
The government has published draft legislation aimed at establishing a commission on low pay. The forum will include trade unions, employers and representatives of civil society. It will have to discuss the meaning of a living wage ‘in a structured way’.
In the last quarter of 2014 the number of unemployed persons increased by 2,000 or 2.3% in comparison with the third quarter.
Since 2000, the average strike lasted for 2.05, while warning strike for 0.33 working days.
The conflicts are a result of SAS's decision last year to lay off 900 baggage handlers in order to force new negotiations on a local level. SAS plans to move around 140 cabin personnel to the Cimber brand, which would also entail putting the employees under a cheaper bargaining agreement.
The government has approved draft legislation to automatic wage indexation. Under this law wages and benefits that are linked to the retail price index will not be topped up by 2% as usually automatically happens when prices rise by 2%.
The article looks at developments in the minimum wage across Europe’s Member States. While minimum wages have often been frozen or seen only moderate increases during the years of crisis, the past two years have witnessed a cautious return in most Member States to growth in the minimum wage.
Protesting health workers set up camp in front of a hospital to demand the reinstatement of 98 workers dismissed for demanding higher wages and shorter working hours, and for joining Dev Sağlık-İş - the health union of the trade union confederation, DISK.
Trade union KOVO announced a strike alert of employees of bus companies over what they called a stand-off following bargain talks on pay increases.
The joint trade unions are ready to start a labour dispute at ThyssenKrupp’s Terni facility if the company continues its policy of marginalising the most vulnerable temporary workforce.
A state labour mediator decreed that a walkout had to be postponed for a couple of weeks to allow more time for contract talks. However, the seafarers union is furious at this move that will block a threatened strike by ship crews.
The trade union confederation TUC stated that zero-hours contracts sum up what has gone wrong in the modern workplace: anyone on such a contract has no guarantee of any work from one day to another.
According to an OECD Economic Survey continued reforms will promote a rapid and sustainable pace of convergence with upper-income countries while limiting the risk of repeated boom-and-bust cycles.
The Socialist Party in parliament has proposed to entirely change the 2012 Labour Code, which ‘leaves employees unprotected’.
Trade union IG Metall succeeded in securing a 3.4% pay rise in a deal with employers following warning strikes by more than 850,000 workers nationwide.
A strike was called by Lisbon underground workers to protest against ’terrible working conditions the workers have to suffer, particularly in the operating area’.
According to Statistics Estonia the average monthly gross wages and salaries, in the 4th quarter of 2014, were 1,039 euro, an increase by 5.3% compared to the 4th quarter of 2013.
EPSU and EFFAT Report: McDonald’s deliberately has avoided over €1 billion in corporate taxes in Europe over the five year period 2009-2013. The tax avoidance strategy essentially consisted of moving the European headquarters from the UK to Switzerland as well as using intra-group royalty payments and channelling them into a Luxembourg based subsidiary with a Swiss branch.
Public administration clerks organised a warning strike on 20 February, demanding higher wages and food vouchers. The country’s 29,000 public administration clerks earn between RON 900 and 1,900(€202-426) per month.
Trade unions and coal producer JSW have signed a deal on cost saving and wages. After an extended strike, JSW has reached an agreement with trade unions, which averts dreaded job losses but includes a pay freeze, a six day working week and the 2014 bonus to be paid in two installments.
An Amsterdam court denied department store V&D the right to unilaterally cut wages of trade union members. However, the court did not extend the same wage protection to the store’s non-unionised employees.
Aviator, which provides passenger and baggage handling services to airlines, has announced it will be laying off 100 employees. The job cuts follow news that Aviator’s largest client, low-cost airline Norwegian, will be switching to services provider Airpro at Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
The prison workers’ pay has not been resolved; due to the insufficient budget allocated for the prisons.
Data released by the Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) reveal that the gap between the old-age pensions of men and women does not show any tendency towards a reduction - about 20% lower than those of men.
The Hungarian Statistical Office reported that wages rose sharply in the end of 2014.
Trade union BTB has taken action in its ongoing efforts to confront app-based taxi system Uber over protecting standards for drivers and passengers. Although currently prohibited, Uber has been operating in Brussels.
Union (BFAWU) started a campaign to increase the minimum hourly wage to £10 per hour so that working people do not have to be supported with benefits’.
An OECD report adds that labour market reforms will improve Italy’s low productivity growth and will also help potentially high-growth, productive firms to overcome barriers to their development.
Hungarian media report that the Hungarian owned OTP bank will lay off 134 employees in Croatia. The layoffs are linked to a merger between the OTP bank and the Banco Populare.
Trade unions have expressed concerns about a rising number of employers requiring potential hires to perform an unpaid job trial before offering a formal employment contract. Job trials are only common in companies without collective bargaining agreements.
Spanish based wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa has signed a global framework agreement with representatives from CCOO Industry, MCA-UGT and FITAG-UGT. The agreement, which will apply to Gamesa’s subsidiaries across the world, contains clauses regarding workers’ representation and respect of workers’ rights.
Labour Minister Panos Skourletis said the new government intends to re-build collective bargaining and workers’ rights.
Workers at DSG group that maintains, repairs and overhauls military equipment, have overwhelmingly accepted a ‘significantly’ improved pay offer drawing to a close a long running dispute. The members of trade union Unite backed the revised pay offer of 1% plus a £1,250 bonus by 91% in a ballot.
The teachers are protesting against the lack of consultation regarding measures announced in the government’s law on work stability, which if adopted will change the structure of remuneration in education.
Lufthansa wants to abolish the early retirement scheme that allows pilots to retire at 60% of pay from the age of 55. The latest strike, which took place on 12/13 February, grounded 474 flights.
Workers at three Paris airports went on strike against the wage freeze imposed by their employer Aéroports de Paris, which runs the Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget airports.
Trade unions UNIA and SCIV have started organising work stoppages and protests in solidarity with 250 Tamoil workers who fear being laid off without a proper social plan.
Online job portal Profesia.sk released data showing visitors to the site anticipate an average salary of €850 per month. On average, men expect to earn €232 more than women do. General expectations are 10 per cent higher than five years ago.
After 3 months of strike, 4 teachers unions and the ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development have agreed on a collective agreement for teachers in primary and secondary education. The partners agreed to mitigate the 10% salary cut that teachers experiences through a solidarity support fund and the annual award.
Labour Force Survey data indicate that there were 177,700 employed persons on average in 2014, 52.2% of which were men and 47.8% women. In 2014 the real wage index has increased by 5.5%.
The economic outlook still is fragile. The elevated unemployment rate, reaching a peak in November 2014 (of 16.8%), negatively affects the outlook; high unemployment may undermine a sustained recovery.
The European Court of Justice has confirmed that, as regards minimum rates of pay, the terms and conditions of employment guaranteed to posted workers are to be defined by the law of the host Member State and/or, in the construction industry, by collective agreements which have been declared ‘universally applicable’ in the host Member State.
Retailer Dunnes claims it has the constitutional right not to negotiate with trade unions. In a letter to its staff the company accused the trade union Mandate of seeking to generate a dispute that does not exist with its employees with a view to securing negotiation rights.
An agreement between trade union Ver.di and the employers association has ensured a 13% wage increase for security workers.
Research reveals that retirement age of Flemish blue and white collar workers had increased to 59.6 years, coming from 58.3 years on average.
Recent changes have ensured that cross-border workers will be entitled to child care vouchers. Child vouchers are a benefit scheme in which workers contribute part of their wage to buy subsidies vouchers for child care facilities. 355,800 cross-border workers, comprising 44% of the country’s workforce, will be entitled to child vouchers.
The Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (LPK) has said that it will support the government proposal to raise the minimum wage per July 2015. The Government is planning to raise the minimum wage to €325 per month, starting from 1 July.
In an OECD-report it was noted that the country needs to take a range of measures to ensure long-term growth - in particular by reducing effective marginal income tax rates. Labour taxes include personal income tax and employee plus employer social security contributions. The report notes that taxation is particularly high for low income earners.
Workers at TV broadcaster Canal+ will walk off the job on 5 March, protesting against deteriorating working conditions. Canal+ has recently carried out a round of redundancies thereby increasing the pressure on employees to deliver the same results with fewer people.
The trade union confederation SGB/USS reports : The rapid rise in the franc’s value threatens worsen industrial relations. Workers are threatened with layoffs and outsourcing to pressure them into accepting wage cuts, payment in euros and longer working hours.
The social partners signed a document that represents a step towards the restoring of mutual trust. Due to unresolved issues - like the minimum wage which has been left out of the social pact - social peace among partners will be put on test in the coming period.
The average net salary was of 1,866 lei (419 euro) in December 2014, up by 123 lei (27 euro) or 7.1% compared to November 2014. The increases of the average net earnings were mainly due to occasional bonuses, including quarterly, annual or holiday bonuses.
Trade union UHM has called attention to the working conditions and high turnover rate in the Foundation for Educational Services, which provides a range of programmes and services to improve quality education.
Finmeccanica reported plans to cut at least 3,000 jobs from its current workforce of about 54,000 over the next two years in an effort to booth growth and profitability.
Siemens - the engineering firm that makes everything from trains to turbines - says it is cutting 7,800 jobs to streamline management and speed up decision-making, looking for one billion euros in savings by the end of 2016. In Germany, 3,300 posts will go.
Volvo, the world's second-largest maker of trucks, reported a fall in annual profits in 2014 and announced 1,000 redundancies in its construction equipment business.
Workers at money transport company Brink’s have been on strike several times over the past months because the company plans to sack 650 out of 1,000 staff after losing the contract to fill Rabobank and ABN Amro cashpoint machines.
The trade union of fire-workers has strongly criticized the planned job cuts at this service. Many positions are already vacant and people work with 1 or 2 fire-fighters at some places.
Trade union confederation TUC has calculated that two in five (40%) new fathers won’t qualify for new rights to shared parental leave. The TUC welcomes shared parental leave, but is concerned the scheme will have a very limited impact because of the rules around eligibility and low statutory pay.
United Steel-Work (Birleşik Metal-İş) Union submitted a request to the Council of State (Danıştay) for the ban of a strike by a cabinet decree. The trade union wants the ban order to be cancelled by the Council of State.
32.7% of the population were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. It was 2.4 percentage points less than in 2012. The number of persons facing severe material deprivation also decreased significantly, from 24% in 2012 to 19.2% in 2013.
With a statement that competitiveness gains secured during the crisis shouldn't be lost in the push to drive up wages, the Central Bank has directly interfered in the ongoing debate to improve wages for workers who took a hit during the recession.
The looming conflict with Ryanair enters a new phase as the trade unions have decided to file a case in the Danish Labour Court (Arbejdsretten) to determine whether Ryanair should operate under Irish or Danish rules when it begins flying out of its new Copenhagen base.
According to a recent report rising unemployment and high tax and social insurance contributions are causing an increasing number of people to abandon formal employment and work in ‘shadow economies’. The author, economist Friedrich Schneider, has argued in the past that rather than trying to deter the shadow economy governments should embrace the entrepreneurship it spawns and lower taxes.
The number of people registered as unemployed crept up in January as seasonal Christmas hires ended, to a total 4.53 million. The unemployment rate remains extremely high at close to 24%.
The government has decided to grant over €10 million to Cyprus Airways (CY) workers in a provident fund. The airline closed after the EU ordered it to return millions in illegal state aid.
In order to comply with the EU’s budgetary rules in the absence of debt restructuring, Portugal would have to implement significant cuts in education, health and social protection budgets, and tax increases over and above those that were implemented in the past four years.
The government has suspended the controls by state authorities to check whether foreign drivers are being paid the minimum wage of €8.50 an hour.
During the last 20 years inequality has increased between the low paid and the top of the income earners. Fiscal policy and other levies have contributed to a further rise of inequality instead of having a redistributing effect. The situation accelerated from the mid-1990s with an increase of 40% for the highest earners, whilst the lower paid were confronted with a reduction of 8% (and middle class with 12% reduction).
The Czech national carrier has lowered their staff's salaries by around 40%, introducing new cost-saving measures. According to the trade unions, the drop in wages is higher than it was previously agreed.
The protests organised by the three trade union confederations led to an intensification of the tripartite talks. The government agreed with the so-called ‘Group of Ten’, the main negotiators of trade unions and employer organisations, on a timeframe for talks.
The government has issued a Cabinet Decree to postpone the metal industry strike launched by IndustriALL affiliate Birlesik Metal-Is. The decree also covers 18 companies where the strike would start later.
The unemployment rate stood at 6.4% in December 2014, down 0.1 percentage points from the previous month and 0.6 percentage points from December 2013.
The two main trade unions at Spanish airport operator AENA called 27 strike days between February and August in protest at the partial privatisation of the firm.
The international trade union movement has repeatedly challenged Qatar Airways dictatorial treatment of its workers. As a result Barcelona football club is considering dropping its lucrative sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways.
After President Kiska vetoed an amendment to the Labour Code, which could make the conditions for temporary employment stricter, the parliament overrode this veto.
The government took a stand against the European Commission that had criticized recent measures for the labour market, including an increase in the national minimum wage. Suggestions in a commission report that they represented backtracking in the reforms undertaken over the past three-and-a-half years were rejected in a letter to the EC.
Bike producer Campagnolo has announced a relocation of a part of its production to Romania. As a result 68 out of 399 workers of the Vicenza plant will be dismissed.
Trade union IG Metall and employers in the metal sector have started negotiations for a new collective agreement. The first round of negotiations, which took place on 14 January in Bavaria, ended without results, as expected.
Ryanair laughed off criticism of its controversial labour practices, with commercial manager David O'Brien ridiculing the 'Danish model'. The manager expressed a total lack of interest in the issue.
800 members of the trade union of car maker Skoda Auto in central Bohemia decided that they are ready to go on strike against Skoda’s plan to transfer some professions to external companies.
Larnaca port workers organised a three-hour strike to protest the extension given to the consortium that was supposed to develop the area but cannot find the money to go ahead with the project.
The world's biggest producer of ball bearings SKF announced massive job cuts even though its net profits soared fivefold in 2014.
Some 2,000 miners and their families in Silesia called on the government’s decision to close four mines on 7 February. The miners insisted that the business could be profitable in restructured form.
The main trade unions organised a widespread political strike, to demonstrate their unhappiness over the government’s proposed changes in work rules. The union action disrupted public transport and daily life nationwide.
Zero-hours contracts should be outlawed. This is the wish expressed in a citizens’ initiative aimed at the parliament. If the initiative succeeds in collecting enough signatures, the parliament will debate and deliberate on the matter.
A trade union survey among 2.500 nursing workers has revealed that health care workers are increasingly dissatisfied with their working conditions. Respondents say they simply need more hands, along with better recognition for the important work they do.
Late December 2014 prison officers from all correctional facilities staged protests in front of their workplaces in expression of their discontent with the non-observation of the Ministry of the Interior Act. The demonstrations concerned the bad labour conditions and the unfulfilled engagements of the Ministry of Justice.
A report with key data on industries and construction published by Statistik Austria provides a retrospective overview relating to the development of these core sectors of the economy in 2013. Enterprises, establishments, employees, turnover, earnings, volumes of work and orders, production and indices are shown.
Against a backdrop of sluggish economic conditions and continued weak job creation, the European Commission’s Investment Plan proposed by President Juncker could provide a rapid economic stimulus that would foster Europe’s competitiveness at the same time as boosting much-needed employment creation.
The trade unions Unison, Unite, GMB and the Royal College of Midwives suspended strike action for the National Health Service members in England and Northern Ireland that was scheduled for 29 January. Suspension followed several meetings with Health Secretary Hunt to resolve disputes over pay.
The management of V&D, a large retailer owned by private equity company Sun Capital, has asked all staff to accept pay cuts of 6%, but without a job guarantee.
90% of unionised employees in the banking sector participated in a nationwide strike after the Italian Banking Association (ABI) refused to conclude a national collective agreement.
A legal dispute with low cost carrier Ryanair has entered into a new phase. The company will be forced to hand over a series of documents, including the labour contracts of pilots that fly from and to Brussels airport.
The government considers legislation to reform rules on worker representation after talks between trade unions and employers ended without agreement. Companies say red tape connected with worker representation is a brake on hiring and investment.
The Labour Court urged Unions (TEEU) and (CIF) to make ‘a sustained and final effort’ to reach a deal over the union’s €25m claim for bonus payments for members’ work.
The trade union confederation has urged the government to find solutions to the wave of redundancies that has recently hit the North East Estonian Ida-Virumaa county. Making thousands of people redundant is today not just a temporary economic setback of individual sectors but a major social security risk to the country as a whole.
The trade union confederation TUC has produced an online guide to help combat the exploitation of migrant workers. The guide, ‘Working in the UK’.
According to the Council of Europe the actual monthly minimum wage of €648.60 is not sufficient to ensure a decent standard of living.
In September 2014 a major conference was held under the joint auspices of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) under the heading Europe at a crossroads. Which way to quality jobs and prosperity?
Trade union UHM has expressed concern over recent internal movement of workers within energy company Enemalta that are occurring without any consultation.
Tesco, one of the largest employers in retail, announced that a new law stripping loss-making grocery stores of their operating permits after two consecutive years of trading in the red may result in an additional 33 store closures.
In an interview the president of the school teachers union explains what austerity has meant for the education sector. The reduction of the education budget to less than 2% of GDP has brought the country in the ranks of the worst countries in the world.
Deutsche Post is expanding its DHL parcel business, but new workers will have to accept lower wages than the group's other employees as the postal and logistics group tries to compete in a rapidly growing industry.
As part of an agreement with the global trade union IndustriALL, Total, which employs 100,000 workers in more than 130 countries guarantees employee rights across the company’s international operations.
As per statistical office published figures: Full-time employees in manufacturing had average monthly earnings of NOK 42 500 (or 4835 euro) as per 1 October 2014.
Dockers at the new Rotterdam Gateway (RWG) terminal initiated a protest over the lack of a collective bargaining agreement. Unlike other companies at the port, RWG refuses to negotiate a collective agreement with port workers.
The trade union of health and social care workers has decided to hold protests as a response to the insufficient state funding for healthcare.
During a manifestation organised by the public sector trade union KKDSZ a large crowd protested against the impoverishment of Hungarian culture and those employed in it.
The negotiators in the paper branch reached an agreement that guarantees the purchase power of the 9,500 workers in the sector. From 1 March 2015 the minimum wages increase with 2%, whilst the apprentice pay will increase with 3%.
According to the Economic Mirror the labour market situation continues to improve. The number of employed persons rose again in October 2014, being up 6,294 year-on-year in the first ten months.
The minister of transport and communications addressed the members of the European Commission in order to request for additional evaluation of the German law on minimal wages entering as of 1 January 2015.
The government is examining a joint wage rise and tax relief package for workers as part of a new social partnership deal with employers and trade unions.
Lufthansa management and cabin crew have agreed to mediation in their dispute over retirement benefits, as the risk of further costly labour strikes looms over the carrier. Lufthansa tries to cut costs to compete with low-cost carriers including Ryanair and easyJet as well as with Gulf carriers such as Emirates.
A dispute in the Maltepe University Hospital over working conditions, the use of subcontractors and poor pay has escalated and led to the dismissal of workers that started a unionisation campaign.
Police workers are set for their first-ever nationwide strike in response to 'mudslinging' by authorities after officers in Rome called in sick on New Year's Eve.
Anti-poverty NGO Oxfam formulated a demand for urgent action to narrow the gap between rich and poor. The Oxfam briefing report (based on the earlier report Even it Up: Time to end extreme inequality, October 2014) shows that the share of the world’s wealth owned by the best-off 1% has increased from 44% in 2009 to 48% in 2014, while the least well-off 80% currently own just 5.5%.
2014 saw a further increase in employment, with a particular leap in the public sector. Approximately 25,000 new full-time vacancies opened up. Experts expect another 20,000 new jobs created in 2015.
After the industrial conflict between the government and Portugal Airlines (TAP) workers culminated in threats of a Christmas strike, talks have been resumed. The government will maintain a 34% stake in the company and plans imposing a ban on mass layoffs as a condition of the sale.
Employers’ organisation UEL and the government have signed an agreement committing employers to hire 5,000 additional jobseekers, raising the expected number of hired jobseekers in the upcoming three years from 30,000 to 35,000.
Trade unions OGBL and LCGB have asked the national conciliation office to mediate in the negotiations of a collective agreement at Cargolux. After sluggish negotiations, Cargolux terminated the collective agreement that expired in December 2014, promising to ‘establish a timeframe for the next stages of the negotiation process’.
The Icelandic Airline Pilots Association (FIA) reached an agreement with Icelandair management over a new collective agreement. The agreement came about after a bitter dispute involving strikes and narrowly avoided complaints to the ILO.
Former staff of the defunct Cyprus Airways gathered in front of Parliament to demand full rights.
Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) announced early January that it would be dropping 38 trains from 16 January. In reaction to protests, public subsidies to the railways were restored and BDZ restored the cancelled trains.
The European Observatory OSE reveals in a paper that Southern European countries have been hit hardest and longest by the post-2008 economic crisis. The paper briefly reviews reform trends prior to and during the crisis.
One of the main findings of the 2014 Employment and Social Developments in Europe Review, is that countries providing high quality jobs and effective social protection and investing in human capital have proved to be more resilient to the economic crisis.
Trade unions at car manufacturer Dacia have announced they will be taking industrial action over stalled collective agreement negotiations. The unions have demanded a pay rise of RON 400 (€89), which is about 15% above current levels.
The government’s proposal to allow all retailers to open for business on Sunday has met massive opposition.
Sushi chain Letz Sushi, with 11 restaurants in Copenhagen and the surrounding area, has been fined 350,000 kroner for 16 counts of using illegal labour between December 2010 and February 2013.
Thousands of bus drivers in the Greater London area walked off the job to demand a single pay deal, similar to the one Tube drivers recently achieved.
The world's biggest producer of ball bearings SKF announced massive job cuts even though its net profits soared fivefold in 2014.
Due to the strong economic growth, an above-average growth in employment over the past decades and the small size of the country, an increasing input of labour from neighbouring countries is required.
Members of the Nurses and Midwives' Organisation (INMO) have voted to work-to-rule at Limerick university hospital and other Midwest region hospitals on 3 February because of overcrowding. The ballot resulted in 93% of nurses voting in favour of the action, which will see nurses refusing to perform administrative, clerical or non-clerical tasks.
Municipal employees’ union POE-OTA has threatened strike action on election day, which would disrupt the setting up and cleaning of voting stations as well as the guarding of election materials.
IT services provider Tieto has announced it intends to lay off 500 people due to restructuring. The management said that job cuts are necessary, since the work is increasingly automated.
The number of registered jobless increased in December 2014 and reached 27,597 people, which formed 4.3% of the working-age population.
Trade unions and Czech Airlines managements are discussing wage cuts to save the struggling carrier. Union representatives said the previous demand had been for a wage cut of a third of salaries, but that management was now asking for 40%.
Unions announced industrial action after Tesco management said it would be closing a second of its 200 stores in the country, resulting in over 100 job losses.
The government has proposed the introduction of a minimum pension. It will be allocated for everyone who has paid old-age pension insurance for at least 30 years and achieved the retirement age.
Over 1,500 public school teachers have turned in their resignations from examination boards in a protest against education cuts.
Trade union confederation TUC estimates that the number of workers not being paid the legal National Minimum Wage (NMW) in both the formal and grey economies is at least 250,000. Despite improvements to enforcing the statutory minimum wage, new ways of cheating and circumventing have emerged.
After long negotiations, trade union Lastik-Is has agreed with Brisa, a joint venture between Japanese Bridgestone and Turkish Sabanci Group, to put 600 workers on the company payroll.
A court in Den Bosch has decided that ten Hungarian lorry drivers who took legal action against a Dutch transport company for not paying them the same as Dutch workers should be paid according to the official Dutch pay and conditions agreement rather than the much lower Hungarian pay scale.
A recent ILO decision supports teachers’ unions who filed a complaint against the 2013 lockouts (reported in the April 2013 edition of this newsletter). Teachers protested in 2013 against increased teaching hours without more pay, as government and school boards were proposing.
The trade union confederation ZSSS presented its demands for 2015 and called for a shift away from austerity toward improving the standard of living for people.
In an in-depth article the impact of the increasingly widespread model of low-cost subsidiaries is analysed.
The statistical yearbook contains large sections on the evolution in different industries but provides also indicators on poverty. Section 7 and 8 are on earnings and employment.
The Government has announced it will declare 188 state companies bankrupt, which is expected to about 5,000 job losses.