30 June 2020
Following the initial disruptive impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on production processes, and as a result of the safety measures that were adopted in line with Italy’s national protocol signed in March 2020, a number of multinational companies and trade union bodies have signed ‘Covid-Phase 2’ company agreements to facilitate a ‘return to normality.’
23 June 2020
Today, on 22 June, European social partners (BusinessEurope, CEEP and SMEunited on the employer side, and ETUC on the trade union side) signed a framework agreement on the digital transformation, which provides an “action-oriented framework to encourage, guide and assist employers, workers and their representatives in devising measures and actions aimed at reaping these opportunities and dealing with the challenges”.
15 June 2020
The collective performance agreement signed on 12 June by Derichebourg, the aeronautics subcontractor, and the majority union FO (not including the CFE-CGC or UNSA unions, which are also present at the company) has been the subject of extensive comment in the press, most likely because of its emblematic nature. The agreement is one of the first to be reached in a sector that has felt...
12 June 2020
“Supporting parenthood and the social and educational function of families, combating the low birth rate, promoting smooth, harmonious growth for children and investing in young people, as well as encouraging work-life balance for families and especially for women: these are the objectives of the Family Act, Italy’s draft family legislation, that the Council of Ministers adopted on 11 June. The act is quite broad in scope, ranging from a reform of parental leave (including an extension to paternity leave)...
12 June 2020
On 27 May, the banking sector employers body, the AFB*, signed a new ‘jobs and skills forward management planning’ agreement (GPEC-la gestion prévisionnelle de l’emploi et des compétences), with four trade unions bodies (CFDT, SNB/CFE-CGC, CFTC, and FO). In order to best manage ‘the unprecedented structural change due to the emergence of digital technologies, new constraints and regulations imposed by regulators, and changing consumption patterns’ by guaranteeing access to the necessary skills, the...
10 June 2020
Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, on 25 May and 7 years after the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement, the question of how such an action could have occurred continues to be asked, and the American press pointedly highlights corporatist unionism within the police that is both quick to support their members during disciplinary proceedings by using all means at their disposal, and to resist the necessary reforms.
9 June 2020
Inditex Group management together with the CCOO and UGT unions together have defined the general framework of conditions for reopening their stores, and which has served as a reference for negotiations with the various works councils for reopening the Zara, Lefties, Stradivarius, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Pull&Bear and Kiddy’s Class stores. In addition to preventative measures for employees, the framework outlines a temporary organization for working hours to ensure the gradual resumption of team...
8 June 2020
Following for calls from several trade union organisations for a review of the standards governing remote working, in order to draw lessons from this unprecedented period and improve the conditions for those who work remotely, employers have agreed to engage in discussions. The first meeting took place on 5 June (by videoconference) and resulted in a schedule for talks. Three new dates were set: 19 June, 2 July and 2 September. A fourth meeting is expected to take place in September. What are the prospects? There...
5 June 2020
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 leave should be managed, health and safety conditions, the adjustments to work organisation necessary for business to resume and employee recognition, the agreement devotes a section to the continuity of social dialogue and the resumption of training and mobility, sets out guarantees for work-study students, and...
3 June 2020
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’ meeting on 29 May. In continuing the process of European social dialogue that has grown over the last 20 years, the future SE company European Works Council will give greater involvement to the smaller countries (those employing less than 150 employees) and will also benefit from stronger resources for better...
