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June 1998

• 28 Jun 1998
  Austria: Trade union reorganisation in Austria: negotiating the obstacles

  The 14 trade unions that make up the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) have been required since 1995 to reorganise themselves into three units, based on manufacturing, services and public services respectively. They are proceeding cautiously. Instead of mergers they have been entering alliances, and only in spring 1998 has the reform process picked up momentum.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Austria: Works councils oppose electronic surveillance

  The issue of automatic collection and processing of data on individual employees is comprehensively covered under Austrian law. However, employees and works councils apparently make less than comprehensive use of the law, often owing to lack of expertise.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Austria: All to play for with sectoral agreement in football

  In June 1998, football players in Austria started negotiating a collective agreement with clubs. This puts them at the forefront of industrial relations in sport, though there are some difficult issues to be resolved. Much of the inspiration comes from the Dutch model.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Austria: Prominent trade union leader questions wage restraint

  In June 1998, Fritz Verzetnitsch, the president of Austria's ÖGB trade union confederation and of the European Trade Union Confederation, appeared to all intents and purposes to declare wage restraint a failure: unemployment levels in the EU do not vindicate the experiment.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Austria: Unrest continues in postal services

  In June 1998, renewed threats of industrial action were issued in Austrian postal services, where a dispute over staffing levels has broken out again. The first 10 days of July seemed the likely time for the dispute to come to a head.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Belgium: Confusion reigns over working time reduction

  An experiment carried out recently by Uniroyal, the tyre firm, highlights the uncertainties involved in Belgian company agreements on the reduction of working time. After a two-week strike, the workers agreed in June 1998 to give up the 32-hour week, paid as 35 hours, introduced at the beginning of the year, for a 35-hour week still paid as 35. This situation reveals the lack of clarity in the legislation over the definition of full- and part-time employment status.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Belgium: Print union calls on employers to refuse orders from extreme right

  At its congress in June 1998, Belgium's Setca-Livre print workers' union called on the industry's employers to refuse orders from racist and xenophobic parties.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Belgium: Unions launch environmental campaign in Walloon companies

  The two principal Belgian trade union confederations launched a campaign in mid-1998 to raise awareness about environmental protection in companies in Wallonia.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Belgium: Mergers in banking cause serious concerns about employment

  Recent restructuring through the integration and merger of banks into larger groups has caused Belgian trade union leaders and observers of the sector over 1997-8 to analyse the consequences for employees. It has become increasingly obvious that significant cuts in staff numbers are to be expected and that those who remain in the sector will be working under conditions of increased mobility and flexibility.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Belgium: Wildcat strike breaks out at Volkswagen Belgium

  June 1998 saw a spontaneous strike by workers at the Belgian Volkswagen assembly plant. The incident marked a further step in what can be described as a tense industrial relations climate at the plant.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: DGB quits Employment Alliance for eastern Germany: a chronology of failure

  In May 1998, the DGB trade union confederation quit the Employment Alliance for eastern Germany. Nevertheless, DGB and the Social Democrats are demanding a national-level employment alliance for the period after the general elections in September 1998. This feature summarises chronologically the development of the Employment Alliance for the east, as well as the latest proposals for a new national alliance.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: Ostmetall and Christian Metalworkers' Union conclude innovative package of agreements

  In May 1998, Ostmetall, the eastern German metalworking employers' association, and the Christian metalworkers' union, CGM, concluded a package of collective agreements known as "Phönix".

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: First collective agreement at Otelo telecom company

  In June 1998, a first framework agreement on employment conditions was signed by trade unions and management at the German telecommunications company Otelo.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: Report assesses co-determination and recommends modernisation

  In May 1998 the "Commission on co-determination" published its final report, which gives a broad evaluation of existing co-determination practices in Germany. Co-determination is seen as a major pillar of German industrial relations, which supports the development of a cooperative and employee-oriented company culture and thereby creates an important factor in the high level of competitiveness of German companies. In recent years, however, the number of employees in companies with co-determination structures has been declining. Therefore, the Commission sees a need for a continuous improvement of co-determination practices and elaborates various recommendations for modernisation.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: German social partners react to UK Presidency's proposal for European Company Statute

  In April 1998, German employers' associations and trade unions published their standpoints on the recent proposals made by the UK Presidency of the European Union on the worker involvement provisions of the draft European Company Statute. The social partners' statements, as always, displayed diverging points of view on the form and scope of worker involvement in the European Company.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: Differences persist in holidays and holiday bonuses in 1998

  In 1998, significant differences persist in collectively agreed holiday bonuses between various sectors, as well as between western and eastern Germany, according to research by the Institute for Economics and Social Science.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: Preliminary results of the 1998 works council elections

  A large majority of the works councillors elected in around 33,000 German companies in spring 1998 are members of trade unions affiliated to the DGB confederation.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Germany: Volkswagen sets up a world group council

  In May 1998, the Volkswagen group board and its European Works Council agreed the foundation of a "world group council", which will include employee representatives from Volkswagen subsidiaries all over the world.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Denmark: Improved conditions for families with small children top the agenda

  In June 1998, the Danish Government issued a package of policies that contains a range of initiatives to improve conditions for families with small children. The package was well received by the social partners, and will be discussed in forthcoming tripartite talks.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Denmark: Employers rejoin Danish health and safety system

  In June 1998, the employers' "opt-out" from the Danish tripartite health and safety system ended after one year. The new Minister of Labour came to an understanding with employers on the balance of power between the Ministry and the social partners, and has given employers a three-year transitional period on the introduction of new workforce-size thresholds for safety representatives.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Denmark: New centre promotes social cohesion and responsible companies

  "The Copenhagen Centre" is a new initiative from Denmark's Ministry of Social Affairs, launched in 1998. The new Centre has the task of promoting social cohesion and responsibility in Danish and foreign-owned companies.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Denmark: Road-haulage employers seek to abolish closed-shop agreement

  In mid-1998, a closed-shop agreement with the SiD trade union was proving an obstacle on the road towards merger for two employers' organisations in the Danish road transport sector.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Denmark: Trade union cartel faces unknown future

  In June 1998, the withdrawal of a large number of members from Denmark's second-largest trade union cartel threw into question the tasks and competencies of such cartels.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Spain: Crash plan against industrial accidents launched

  In May 1998, the UGT and CC.OO trade union confederations published a "crash plan on industrial accidents". This proposal will be debated by the National Commission on Health and Safety at Work, which will draw up a plan aimed at reducing the high industrial accident rate in Spain.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Spain: National meeting of union delegates asserts unity of action

  On 16 June 1998, Spain's UGT and CC.OO trade union confederations held a national meeting of union delegates under the sloganFor employment and solidarity. The unions' aim was to mobilise their members and reinforce their position in negotiations with the employers and the Government.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Spain: Economic restructuring underlies crisis in textile and clothing employers' association

  The employers' association in the Spanish textiles and clothing sector is undergoing a process of reorganisation in 1998, triggered by the refusal of the association's component subsectors to re-elect a chair from the traditionally important clothing industry. Clothing employers are considering separating from their textiles counterparts.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Spain: Initial assessment of the 1997 labour reform

  Over a year after April 1997's major reform of the labour market in Spain, the Government and employers believe that progress is being made towards creating employment. The trade unions, on the other hand, stress what they see as the inadequacies of the reform and the continuing insecurity of employment. Another round of negotiations on further reform began in June 1998, but the unions have called for demonstrations by workers.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Spain: Major restructuring plan at Telefónica in Spain

  Some of the unions at the Spanish telecommunications company, Telefónica, have called demonstrations in protest against the company's restructuring plan, though it received the support of CCOO and UTS. There appears to be a crisis in the unity of action between CCOO and UGT.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Spain: Protest strike over privatisation of ENATCAR

  On 6 June 1998, a decree law was published privatising the Spanish road passenger transport company, ENATCAR. The trade unions responded with protest demonstrations and strikes.

• 28 Jun 1998
  EU Level: Cardiff summit debates next steps in employment strategy

  The European Council meeting which took place under the UK Presidency in Cardiff on 15-16 June 1998 predictably focused on the issues of Economic and Monetary Union and employment, drawing on the Member States' recently submitted National Action Plans for employment. This feature presents the Presidency conclusions and the expectations of the social partners of the summit, as well as some initial reactions.

• 28 Jun 1998
  EU Level: The European social dialogue - impasse or new opportunities?

  In May 1998, the European Commission published a Communication on Adapting and promoting the social dialogue at Community level, proposing a number of modifications to the current operation of the European intersectoral and sectoral social dialogue processes. The future development of the social dialogue, particularly at intersectoral level, was also the subject of debate at a "mini-summit" called by the Commission in early June 1998, which produced relatively little concrete progress.

• 28 Jun 1998
  EU Level: Commission adopts Annual Report on equal opportunities

  In May 1998, the European Commission adopted the secondAnnual Report on equal opportunities for women and men in the European Union. The report charts the developments in equal opportunities trends and policies across the Member States of the European Union.

• 28 Jun 1998
  EU Level: Commission issues maritime employment protection proposals

  At the end of April 1998, the European Commission launched two legislative proposals promoting the harmonisation of working conditions in the European maritime sector, in order to counter situations of unfair competition associated with the employment of workers who are not covered by minimum levels of social protection.

• 28 Jun 1998
  EU Level: Commission recommends adoption of homeworking Convention

  In May 1998, the European Commission called on all EU Member States to ratify the ILO Convention on homeworking, in order to improve the working conditions of these workers.

• 28 Jun 1998
  EU Level: NAPs and business transfers Directive among Council agenda items

  Meeting on 3-4 June 1998, EU Labour and Social Affairs Ministers - plus, on the second day, their colleagues from education ministries - discussed the National Action Plans for employment, in preparation for the Cardiff summit. The Council also reached political agreement on changes to the Directive on transfers of undertakings and on a Directive aimed at safeguarding the supplementary pension rights of workers moving within the EU.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Finland: Labour market reform facing stiff opposition

  In the search for a remedy for Finland's long-running mass unemployment, in mid-1998 the opposition Centre Party proposed a labour market reform with its ideological roots in the UK Labour Party. Trade unions are trying to resist the reform at an early stage, fearing that it will undermine the general validity of collective agreements, which is held sacred amongst the Finnish labour movement.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Finland: Solution reached in Leonia redundancies dispute

  An industrial dispute over "rationalisation" plans at Finland's Leonia bank was called off in June 1998, when the parties reached a solution which should halve result the planned number of forthcoming redundancies.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Finland: Social partners publish joint report on working time

  In June 1998, Finland's social partners published a joint report on working time. The report makes no statement on the issue of cutting working hours.

• 28 Jun 1998
  France: 35-hour working week law adopted

  France's new working time law was passed by Parliament in May 1998, and validated by the Constitutional Council in June. It sets the length of the statutory working week at 35 hours as of 1 January 2000 in companies employing more than 20 people, and from 1 January 2002 for smaller firms. Some provisions come into effect immediately after the law's promulgation. This new legislation has brought in radical modifications to French employment law, and both employers and trade unions are already engaged in its implementation.

• 28 Jun 1998
  France: Air France pilots strike

  On Wednesday 10 June 1998, a few hours before the kick-off of the World Cup finals, Air France management and its striking pilots reached agreement, ending industrial action which had begun on 1 June.

• 28 Jun 1998
  France: Eurocopter lands on a 35-hour week

  While France's CNPF employers' confederation has been vociferously opposing the law - adopted in May 1998 - implementing the 35-hour working week in 2000, large companies have been negotiating agreements trading off "working time" for "flexibility". These agreements will be implemented prior to the legislation coming into force, in return for substantial benefits for the employers. Eurocopter France is a "pioneer" in the metalworking industry. Could the agreement it signed with four unions on 31 March 1998 set a standard?

• 28 Jun 1998
  France: Law against exclusion progresses

  A framework bill on fighting all forms of social exclusion - which includes provisions on job creation - was passed by France's National Assembly in May 1998, with Senate approval planned for July. This article outlines the main changes to the draft legislation since it was passed at cabinet level in March 1998.

• 28 Jun 1998
  France: State debt to supplementary pension agencies under examination

  In June 1998, France's Minister for Employment and Solidarity, Martine Aubry requested an evaluation of the amount of money owed by the state to supplementary pension agencies.

• 28 Jun 1998
  France: AGF, Allianz and Athéna set up combined dialogue structure

  In May 1998, the French managements of AGF, Allianz and Athéna agreed with trade unions to set up a social dialogue group. The goal of this extra-statutory employee representative institution is to prepare the way for the merger of these three insurance companies, and it will not replace existing official representative structures.

• 28 Jun 1998
  France: Court rules on works council consultation

  In May 1998, France's supreme court of appeal confirmed that works councils must be consulted before any modification of working or employment conditions, even when these are the result of a company agreement.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Greece: Social dialogue focuses on social security

  Following one year of work, the first stage of Greece's social dialogue process on the issue of social security concluded at the end of May 1998. We examine the conclusions drawn so far and present a brief evaluation of these findings by the General Confederation of Greek Labour (GSEE).

• 28 Jun 1998
  Greece: Developments in banking industrial relations

  Greece's upcoming integration in EU Economic and Monetary Union has made timely the question of a radical reorganisation of the banking sector. All sides recognise the need for such reorganisation, but disagree on the direction, type and content of the necessary reforms. This issue has been highlighted in May-June 1998 by the controversy surrounding the sell-off of Ionian Bank.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Greece: First strike by foreign workers in Greece

  May-June 1998 saw the first specific strike by foreign workers in Greece. The dispute, involving Albanian and Romanian agricultural workers, lasted five days and had a positive outcome.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Greece: Supreme Court decision on collective dismissals of strikers

  On 12 June 1998, Greece's Supreme Court issued a decision permitting selective and collective dismissals of strikers participating in a strike which has been declared illegal by the courts.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Greece: Strife between workers and management at OSE

  Employees of Greece's Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) came out on strike on 19 June 1998, demanding withdrawal of the draft labour regulations submitted by OSE management to the Panhellenic Federation of Railway Workers (POS).

• 28 Jun 1998
  Greece: Post office dispute close to resolution

  In late June 1998, the end appeared to be in sight in a dispute between Hellenic Posts workers and management, sparked by the latter's alleged unilateral violation of agreements with the postal workers' trade union.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Greece: Long-running strike at Ionian Bank ends

  For the time being at least, there is quiet on the battlefront between the Greek Government and Ionian Bank employees, following the decision in June 1998 by the Ionian Bank's Employees Union to suspend its long-running strike.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Ireland: Crucial case on trade union recognition and balloting

  In May 1998, in a key trade union recognition case, the Supreme Court upheld an appeal by Ireland's largest union against Nolan Transport, which had been awarded an estimated IEP 1.3 million in damages and costs against the union in 1994. The case is likely to to have an impact on the wider issue of union recognition and individual rights to independent representation, as well as requiring trade unions to ensure that balloting is independently monitored.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Ireland: Bill to implement parental leave Directive

  Legislation aimed at giving effect in Ireland to the EU parental leave Directive was published in early June 1998 in the form of the Parental Leave Bill, and is set to come into force in December.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Ireland: Wildcat action by craftworkers ends

  May-June 1998 saw unofficial "wildcat" industrial action by health board and local authority craftworkers in Ireland, over pay relativity with their private sector counterparts. However, a nationwide strike was averted when trade unions recommended a settlement.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: First national collective agreement signed for temporary work agencies

  In May 1998, the Italian Association of Temporary Work Agencies and trade unions signed a first national collective agreement covering temporary work agencies.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: Agreement signed for Fiat Melfi subcontractors

  In May 1998, a collective agreement was signed for 22 companies linked to the Fiat-Sata plant in Melfi, southern Italy. This is the first such joint agreement for a firm's subcontractors.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: Workers demonstrate against Government's employment policy

  In June 1998, 300,000 workers demonstrated in Rome against the Italian Government's perceived delay in tackling the unemployment problem in the South. The demonstration was organised by the main trade union organisations, and the mayors of the most important cities of Southern Italy also took part.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: Telework introduced in the public administration

  In June 1998, following a vote in the Senate, teleworking may now be introduced in Italy's public administration.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: Cisl relaunches trade union unity initiative

  Over May-June 1998, Italy's Cisl trade union confederation was engaged in a major debate which ended in the relaunch of an initiative aimed at achieving union unity.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: Recent developments in supplementary pension schemes

  In June 1998, more than one year on from the first experiences in supplementary occupational pension schemes, it was possible to carry out a first assessment of the development of pension funds in Italy.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: Employee representation in the public administration simplified by reform

  Negotiations over the renewal of Italy's public administration national collective agreements are underway in mid-1998. The talks are the first occasion on which new regulations on trade union representativeness in the sector have been applied. The rules have helped considerably in simplifying the composition of worker representation at the negotiating table. This article reviews the selective effects of the new rules, using a new source of data.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: National agreement signed for the chemicals industry

  A new national collective agreement for the Italian chemicals industry was signed in June 1998. The most innovative aspects of the deal concern working hours: flexibility has been increased and an "hours bank" introduced. The Confindustria employers' confederation has been critical, insisting that the chemicals agreement should not be used as a model for other sectors.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Italy: Pay trends in Italy since the July 1993 agreement

  Italy's tripartite central agreement of 23 July 1993 laid the basis for the structural reduction of inflation and eventual entry into EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Following the agreement, wage increases were initially lower than the inflation rate, and dependent workers' share of the national income diminished considerably. However, this trend petered out in 1996, prior to Italy rejoining the European Monetary System, which was a precondition for EMU membership. Over 1996-8, the system of income distribution seems to have stabilised, and the conditions now seem to be in place to boost policies for employment and in support of the production system, which were envisaged by the 1993 agreement but to date have been pursued somewhat halfheartedly.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Luxembourg: Breakdown of conciliation talks on civil service pensions

  A referendum conducted in May 1998 by Luxembourg's civil service trade unions rejected by a three-quarters majority a conciliator's proposals for resolving the long-running civil service pensions dispute. The dispute-resolution procedure now provides for mediation before the President of the Council of State.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Luxembourg: New legislation introduces dependency insurance

  In May 1998, Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies adopted a law that will bring into being a "dependency insurance" scheme designed to give support to people who can no longer carry out "activities of daily living" on their own. This new legislation has been given a warm welcome, but the funding, and particularly the employers' contribution, is still controversial.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Luxembourg: Representative unions protest over banks' social plans

  In April 1998, Luxembourg's Minister of Labour decided that legislation providing that only nationally representative trade unions may sign collective agreements applies equally to social plans accompanying redundancy programmes.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Luxembourg: First collective agreements for temporary agency staff

  The conclusion in May 1998 of two collective agreements covering temporary agency workers and the permanent direct staff of temporary work agencies marked the final stage in the introduction of this "atypical" form of employment into Luxembourg.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Netherlands: Tight labour market challenges Dutch consultation system

  In the spring of 1998, the tripartite advisory Social and Economic Council submitted a report to the Dutch Government about medium- to long-term socio-economic policy. It warned that increasing pressure on the labour market may constitute the most important challenge to the Dutch consultation system over the next five years. However, the Council was unable to reach consensus on budgetary policy or on a strategy to fight poverty.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Netherlands: Labour Foundation agrees privatisation of social security

  In June 1998, the bipartite Labour Foundation agreed a plan to reorganise the Dutch social security system. The agreement marks a breakthrough: for the first time in 50 years, the social partners have come to terms with major reforms of the social security system. The plan differs on a fundamental point from the cabinet proposal in this area presented in March 1998, as it seeks to privatise fully the administration of social security.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Netherlands: Strikes in welfare sector in support of pay demands

  Strikes broke out in the Dutch welfare sector throughout the first half of June 1998 in support of trade union demands in bargaining over a new collective agreement. As in other sectors, wage demands and workloads are the most important issues in negotiations. The employers' final offer - a 5.4% pay rise spread over two years - has been rejected.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Netherlands: Gender bias found in healthcare job evaluations

  The job evaluation system in Dutch healthcare discriminates against female employees. This finding, published in May 1998 by the Committee for Equal Treatment was the final ruling in a lawsuit filed in 1993 by a nurses' trade union. The union is now demanding that nursing staff be reclassified in a higher wage category.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Netherlands: Wildcat strikes and collective agreements in public transport

  Once again, public transport in the Netherlands was subjected to a series of "wildcat" strikes in June 1998. Nevertheless, collective bargaining for Dutch Railways and the regional transport system have both resulted in new two-year collective agreements.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Norway: New pay agreements concluded for most public sector employees

  By June 1998, a majority of the bargaining parties in Norway's state and municipal sector had reached agreement on new pay agreements for the period 1998-2000. The settlements are estimated to give an annual growth in pay of 5.7% in the state sector and 6.1% in the municipal sector.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Norway: Transport sector strike ends

  The strike in the Norwegian transport sector came to an end on 10 June 1998, with the parties agreeing on new collective agreements. It is regarded as a good settlement by the trade unions involved.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Norway: New working time schedules agreed in brewing

  Provisions on the daily period within which normal working hours may be worked have been introduced in the new collective agreement for the Norwegian brewery sector, signed in the spring 1998 bargaining round. These rules had been demanded by trade unions after Coca-Cola Norway AS concluded a company-level agreement which allowed normal working hours to be worked between 06.00 and 21.00.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Norway: Strikes in the public sector

  Several strikes during the 1998 bargaining round in the Norwegian public sector were settled by compulsory arbitration in June. Trade unions claim that such third-party intervention undermines their right to strike and jeopardises the organisation of unions involved in a strike.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Portugal: Part-time work legislation debated

  A process of social dialogue over legislation on part-time employment in Portugal led to the presentation of a new preliminary draft bill in mid-1998. This feature presents the main features of the new proposals and the positions of the social partners.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Portugal: Lay-off scheme to be revised

  In April 1998, preliminary draft legislation was presented to revise Portugal's system regulating the "suspension or reduction of workers' services" (lay-offs and short-time working).

• 28 Jun 1998
  Portugal: Pay dispute at Petrogal

  Over May-June 1998, a pay dispute resulted in a number of strikes at Petrogal, the Portuguese petrochemicals company.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Portugal: Restructuring at Viana shipyards

  A restructuring plan for theViana do Casteloshipyard in Northern Portugal has met with opposition from workers, including strikes in May and June 1998.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Sweden: 1998 bargaining brings moderate pay increases, flexible working time rules and declarations on skill development

  Sweden's 1998 central bargaining round resulted in agreements of three years' duration in both the private and the public sector. The resulting increases in pay average around 3% per year, taking account of expected wage drift. Almost all agreements contain new provisions on both the length and organisation of working time, while many contain provisions for skill development.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Sweden: Employers' responsibility for preventing sexual harassment strengthened

  With effect from 1 July 1998, Sweden's Act on Equality between Men and Women has been tightened up. The employer's responsibility for preventing sexual harassment at the workplace is made clearer and a definition of the concept of sexual harassment is now laid down in the Act.

• 28 Jun 1998
  Sweden: Painters strike over point of principle

  On 16 June 1998, painters employed by large property owners in Sweden embarked on strike action which might well last for a considerable time. The issues at stake in the conflict are complex and concern a matter of principle rather than pay.

• 28 Jun 1998
  United Kingdom: Government unveils proposals for a fairer workplace

  In its long-awaited Fairness at workwhite paper published in May 1998, the UK's Labour Government has put forward a package of proposals for new individual, collective and "family-friendly" employment rights. We review the key elements of the white paper and its reception by employers and trade unions.

• 28 Jun 1998
  United Kingdom: Government announces National Minimum Wage

  June 1998 saw the publication of the report of the UK's Low Pay Commission on the level of the forthcoming National Minimum Wage.

• 28 Jun 1998
  United Kingdom: Rail and Underground workers vote for industrial action

  In June 1998, several groups of members of the RMT trade union voted for industrial action on the London Underground and the national rail network, with the aim of protecting job security and conditions of employment.

• 28 Jun 1998
  United Kingdom: Latest New Deal statistics released

  In late May 1998, the UK Government released the latest statistics on progress under its various "New Deal" programmes for unemployed people.

• 28 Jun 1998
  United Kingdom: TUC report highlights membership problems in services

  A June 1998 report from the TUC trade union confederation highlights the latest trends in union membership in the UK, including a low level of membership among "new" jobs in the service sector.