22 July 2019
Thanks to its online surveys, the anonymous chat app for verified employees Blind, claim to be in touch with workers in the technical industry. On 15 July, it presented the results of a survey of 3,000 technical workers’ opinions on trade unions and unionism. 30% on average believed a trade union could be useful and the three most mentioned companies in this regard are Amazon, Oracle, and Microsoft.
12 July 2019
With the Global Climate Strike, founded following the movement propelled by the emblematic Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, having called for a global strike to protect the planet on 20 September, some employers are taking the lead on the matter, the Financial Times revealed in recent days. The British newspaper asked major employers what they plan to do when the day of the strike comes around. Patagonia, the US clothing brand, said that it always encourages its employees to campaign for the environment and even...
10 July 2019
Following months of tensions the major Labour Party affiliated trade unions have finally agreed on a common position over Brexit. They are calling for a referendum to be held over any deal (or indeed a no deal) between the EU and the Conservative government and they will use such an occasion to campaign for remaining in the EU.
8 July 2019
Seven independent trade unions have joined forces to promote greater diversity of opinion, amid the so-called ‘duopoly’ of the CCOO and UGT, the two leading forces that dominate the union landscape in Spain. They are calling for reforms to legislation that they believe “consolidates” the unfair balance of power in favour of the two largest unions.
8 July 2019
On Sunday 7 July, Germany’s largest lender Deutsche Bank announced a vast restructuring that seeks to make the group more profitable and streamlined, with some 18,000 job cuts planned by 2022, which accounts for around one fifth of the company’s current workforce. Deutsche Bank, which has been in an almost perpetual crisis since 2008, plans in particular to slash parts of its investment banking business. Traditionally a strong earner for the bank, this division has caused a fair share of problems in recent...
5 July 2019
Social partners from Germany’s banking sector, including both public and private banks, unveiled the result of their negotiations on the morning of Thursday 4 July. The new collective agreement, valid until June 2021, is to apply to close to 190,000 workers and includes a pay rise of 4%, which will take effect in two stages. In addition to the pay rise, the agreement includes a package of measures aimed at preparing workers for the digital transition. Furthermore, negotiations were opened on several topics,...
4 July 2019
According to a survey by the Munich-based research institution, the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, 8.5% of companies are now resorting to partial unemployment measures, making this the highest level since 2013. In 2018 only 2.6% of companies had resorted to such measures, while the percentage in 2017 was only 0.4%. Alongside this Ifo notes that the larger companies have been announcing job shrinkage programs. Deutsche Bank is expected to soon announce planned job cuts of between 10,000 and 20,000, and...
3 July 2019
On 26 June Belgium’s chemical sector social partners signed a sector protocol agreement, just weeks after the 2019-2020 AIP (cross-industry agreement) negotiations fell through (c.f. article No. 11099) and a royal decree was implemented setting the salary margin at 1.1%. The CSC (in French), CGSLB (in French), FGTB (in French), and the sector’s employers’ federation, Essenscia (in French), signed an agreement covering 90,000 employees and spanning two years from 01 July 2019. Planet Labor reviews the main...
3 July 2019
In a first for the global hotel group, and according to the minutes from the 28 June meeting between management at Marriott’s nine luxury hotels and the trade unions (Filcams-Cgil, Fisascat-Cisl et Uiltucs), the company stated having put strict policies in place both to anticipate and prevent sexual harassment as well as to stamp out behavior linked to sexual harassment, discrimination and human trafficking. Employees ‘have to be able to carry out their business in safety and without fear. To this effect and...
2 July 2019
ANIA, Italy’s insurance sector employers’ body that comprises the country’s main insurance companies, along with the relevant First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, FNA, SNFIA, and Uilca trade unions have recently signed a joint declaration on harassment and gender violence in the workplace. The document affirms the need to ‘promote a culture of respect for gender’. ‘All acts, and behavior, of both a physical and psychological nature,’ and involving harassment and gender violence ‘is unacceptable’. Measures...
