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October 1998

• 28 Oct 1998
  Austria: Draft legislation seeks to curb illicit work

  In autumn 1998, while the social partners were still negotiating the details, the Austrian government circulated draft legislation on combating illicit or "informal" work. It attempts to prevent "assistance amongst neighbours" from being turned into criminal activity but at the same time it substantially enhances the powers of the authorities and increases penalties.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Austria: New items appear on bargaining agenda

  The social partners in the Austrian manufacturing sector have addressed a broad range of issues in the 1998 bargaining round that are not traditionally included in their remit. The bargaining round has taken an important step towards delegating not only pay decisions to the sectoral and company levels but also aspects of working time, telework and pensions.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Austria: Pay round in manufacturing sectors completed

  The autumn 1998 pay round in the Austrian industrial manufacturing sector resulted in rises in actual gross hourly earnings of between 3.4% and 3.9% for the 250,000 employees in metalworking and between 1.8% and 2.8% for 50,000 white-collar workers in five other sectors. A "distribution option", whereby part of the increase can be allocated flexibly in return for a greater total pay increase, was also agreed.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Belgium: Fewer jobs lost at Monsanto thanks to shorter working week

  Within three years of October 1998, staff at Monsanto in Belgium will work just 33.6 hours a week. The shorter working week, coupled with an early retirement scheme for many employees, will dramatically reduce the consequences of a drastic restructuring of the company. The initial announcement referred to the loss of 328 jobs, but 128 jobs will be saved by the new measures - a result the trade unions have had to fight hard to achieve.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Belgium: Dispute over labour costs threatens intersectoral agreement

  In October 1998, business leaders unambiguously condemned as "irresponsible" the Belgian federal government's decision to postpone a further reduction in labour costs. The employers' organisations immediately responded to the decision by cancelling planned negotiations with the trade unions. They also threatened to retaliate by postponing investment in education and training.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Belgium: Boom in sabbatical leave applications in Belgium

  Almost 69,000 employees and civil servants in Belgium have voluntarily interrupted their career to devote themselves on a temporary basis to family responsibilities, such as caring for a child or a sick relative, or to study for additional qualifications. Sabbatical leave schemes are increasingly successful - the first eight months of 1998 saw another 8,000 people taking up such a scheme.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Belgium: Training brought centre stage in employment policy

  Awareness of the need for a highly-trained workforce has grown in Belgium over recent years, and training is therefore now becoming a major feature of employment policy. Investment in educational programmes has ranked highly amongst the subjects discussed during late 1998's intersectoral negotiations over a two-year national collective agreement. The Flemish government has launched a special scheme to promote in-company training, and national measures will soon be introduced to give workers employed in small businesses the right to more educational leave.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Belgium: Levi Strauss closures hit crisis-ridden Belgian textile industry

  Fears about the crisis in the Belgian textile industry, which have been mounting for some months, came to a painful head on 1 October 1998. Jeans manufacturer Levi Strauss announced the closure of three factories in Belgium - with the likely loss of 1,034 jobs - as well as one in France. Overcapacity and high employment costs are the key motives for this drastic decision.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Belgium: Confederation of Christian Trade Unions holds four-yearly congress

  The Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (ACV/CSC), Belgian's largest union organisation with about 1.6 million members, was due to hold its four-yearly congress in November 1998. This "union of value, with values", as it labels itself, will discuss the principles of "basic trade unionism", and intends to become a more representative, democratic and active union.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Germany: Results of the 1998 works council elections

  The results of Germany's 1998 works council elections clearly indicate the high level of employee acceptance of works councillors as their representatives, and of the "works constitution" system as a whole. Despite losses, the DGB remained by far the most influential of the trade union confederations, with 62% of works councillors and 73% of works council chairs affiliated to its member unions. However, the results also confirm the trend away from union towards non-union representation within works councils.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Germany: Collective agreement on telework signed at Deutsche Telekom

  In October 1998, the German postal workers' union, DPG, and the telecommunications companies, Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobil, signed a comprehensive collective agreement on telework. The agreement regulates general preconditions for telework, terms and conditions of employment, monitoring of performance and behaviour as well as trade union rights.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Germany: Agreement in eastern metalworking

  In September 1998, Gesamtmetall and IG Metall agreed on a number of provisions for the east German metalworking sector. West German wage agreements will be adopted with a delay of one month and western partial retirement provisions will be adopted in 1998. Existing "hardship clause" provisions will be extended, while the 38-hour working week will remain in place until the end of 2000.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Germany: New pact for jobs at Deutsche Bahn AG

  In October 1998, the bargaining parties in the German railway sector concluded a new agreement which guarantees that there will be no redundancies at Deutsche Bahn AG before the end of 2002.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Germany: Unions in Benelux and Germany favour close transnational coordination of bargaining policy in EMU

  In September 1998, Belgian, Dutch, German and Luxembourg trade unions adopted a joint declaration which states a strong need for close cross-border coordination of collective bargaining under EU Economic and Monetary Union. In order to prevent possible downward competition on wages and working conditions, the unions involved agreed on a set of joint bargaining guidelines. These state that unions should seek bargaining outcomes at least equivalent to "the sum total of the evolution of prices and the increase in labour productivity".

• 28 Oct 1998
  Germany: Trade unions call for a U-turn in pay policy in 1999

  In October 1998, several German trade unions called for a U-turn in pay policy in the forthcoming 1999 bargaining round. After several years of moderate wage increases, the unions are demanding an "end of modesty" to strengthen employees' purchasing power and thereby overcome the weakness of internal demand which is seen as a major cause of high unemployment in Germany. In contrast, employers' associations are asking the unions to continue with pay moderation, arguing that any growth in labour costs would have negative effects on the labour market.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Germany: General elections in Germany - how trade union members voted

  In September 1998, more than two-thirds of trade union members voted for a political change in Germany's general election, while only a quarter supported the governing coalition.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Denmark: Tripartite agreement reached on content of new labour market reform

  On 29 September 1998, the social partners and the government agreed on the content of Denmark's third labour market reform in recent years. While a number of unions are sceptical - and one has opted out of the deal - the agreement has been positively received by parliament.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Denmark: People taking voluntary early retirement call for more flexibility

  A survey from Denmark's LO trade union confederation, released in October 1998, indicates that one in 10 people who have taken voluntary early retirement regret their choice. Furthermore, nearly one-third of all those on voluntary early retirement would rather work while receiving partial early retirement benefit.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Denmark: White-collar workers want more training

  A survey conducted for FTF, the Danish white-collar workers' confederation, and published in August 1998, shows a very strong wish for further and supplementary training among its members, who regard training as part of their workplace culture.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Denmark: LO surveys shop stewards

  In September 1998, Denmark's LO trade union confederation presented the findings of a new survey of shop stewards. The survey reveals that cooperation is widespread in Danish workplaces, and it must be expected that shop stewards will become increasingly involved in financial and strategic decisions.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Disagreement between government and unions on unemployment cover

  Unemployment cover - that is, the number of eligible people who may claim unemployment benefit - is the cause of a serious controversy between the government and the trade unions in Spain. In the draft state Budget for 1999, released in autumn 1998, funds allocated for unemployment benefit have been cut by 9.5%. The government maintains that, because of the positive development of employment prospects in the economy, the amount allocated is sufficient. The unions, however, feel that this is in sharp contradiction with their demand to increase unemployment cover, a central topic in the negotiations between themselves and the government.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Tripartite employment plan signed in Galicia

  In July 1998, the employers' associations, trade unions and autonomous government of Galicia signed a set of "agreements on measures for growth and employment in Galicia 1998-2001", also known as the "Galician Employment Plan". This is the first example of such tripartite social concertation in this Spanish autonomous community.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Chemicals industry agreement on starting salaries of new workers

  In July 1998, trade unions and employers in the Spanish chemicals industry signed an agreement with the aim of defining the system for paying the sector's "agreed bonus" to newly recruited workers.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Incentives to reduce working time and create employment in Catalonia

  At the beginning of October 1998, a decree issued by the Catalonian regional government on incentives to create new jobs arising from the reorganisation and/or reduction of working time came into force. This fulfils one of the commitments in the "Pact for employment in Catalonia" signed by the administration and the regional social partners.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Massive strikes in mining sector after fatal accidents

  October 1998 was a tragic month for the mining industry in Spain: six miners died as a result of industrial accidents in the pits. Strikes called to protest at these fatal accidents and to demand greater safety measures received massive support.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Trends in trade union membership

  Trade union membership in Spain began to recover in the 1990s following a serious decline in the 1980s. Certain developments have encouraged greater membership amongst women, skilled workers and public employees, though it remains low amongst unemployed people and those in insecure jobs (mainly women and young people). The structure of membership has also undergone great changes, including the increasing importance of the public sector.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: State Budget criticised as electorally-oriented

  The Spanish state Budget for 1999, submitted in late September 1998, is characterised by greater public investment, lower personal income tax and lower interest rates. The trade unions have claimed that the Budget neglects long-term unemployed people and have criticised cuts in expenditure on health and education.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Social dialogue encounters problems

  The process of social dialogue in Spain has been encountering difficulties during the autumn of 1998, following the conclusion of important agreements in 1997 and early 1998. Tension focuses on the problem of employment and social protection, which are of prime importance for the trade unions.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Spain: Major dispute continues at Ford Almussafes

  In October 1998, talks over a new works agreement for the Ford plant in Valencia, Spain, have been deadlocked for 10 months. As a starting point for the negotiations, management is seeking an unconditional acceptance of an obligatory increase in working time. The workers have refused to accept this condition.

• 28 Oct 1998
  EU Level: Draft Employment Guidelines for 1999 emphasise continuity

  On 14 October 1998, the European Commission adopted its proposal for the 1999Employment Guidelines. These stress the need for continuity and consolidation and closely follow the 1998 Guidelines, but contain further emphasis on measures to help integrate people from ethnic minorities into the labour market, promote lifelong learning and promote the job-creation potential of the services sector. The Guidelines were informed by the 1998Employment Rates Reportand the draft 1998Joint Employment Report, which were published on the same day. The former charts the employment performance of the EU and the latter highlights the experience of the implementation of the 1998 National Action Plans on employment.

• 28 Oct 1998
  EU Level: Social partners in footwear sector extend charter on child labour to cover retail

  On 16 September 1998, the European-level social partners in the footwear industry signed a common accord to extend the coverage of their charter on child labour, initially formulated in March 1995, to cover footwear retailing as well as manufacture. The issue of child labour has been one of the key concerns of the social dialogue in this sector.

• 28 Oct 1998
  EU Level: ETUC urges action to stem tide of global economic crisis

  In October 1998, the executive committee of the European Trade Union Confederation adopted a statement on "Europe and the global crisis", calling upon European central banks and EU Member States to institute monetary and budgetary measures to counteract a global downturn. It is argued that inaction or an overcautious approach would prove more damaging for the global economy and employment.

• 28 Oct 1998
  EU Level: UNICE decides against negotiations on national information and consultation rights

  On 16 October 1998, a meeting of the UNICE council of presidents again rejected the opportunity to negotiate with ETUC and CEEP on national employee information and consultation rights, on the basis of the Maastricht social policy Agreement. The Commission will now propose Community legislation in this area.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Finland: Employment Contracts Act reform runs into difficulties

  A tripartite committee with the task of reforming Finland's Employment Contracts Act did not succeed in making a proposal to the Government in autumn 1998, despite several deadline extensions. One aspect of the reform that has aroused disagreement will now be dealt with by state officials, which may indicate a chink in the tripartite cooperation process.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Finland: Government bill extends flexibility provisions to unorganised employers

  In October 1998, the Finnish Government decided to present a bill on extending the provisions in "generally valid" collective agreements which allow flexibility - ie deviations from employment law - to cover employers who do not belong to employers' organisations. Trade unions consider this a serious attack on the prevailing policy of consensus and tripartite cooperation.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Finland: SAK seeks improvement of private services

  In October 1998, the SAK trade union confederation's delegation for private sector services proposed measures aimed at improving Finland's service sector and creating jobs. These measures include changes in the tax structure.

• 28 Oct 1998
  France: Redundancy programme agreed at Perrier

  In October 1998, after a year of disputes and discussion, management and trade unions at Perrier in France - part of the Nestlé group - reached agreement on a redundancy programme limiting the number of projected job losses.

• 28 Oct 1998
  France: Metalworking working time agreement will not be extended

  In October 1998, France's Minister of Employment and Solidarity indicated that she was refusing to extend to the whole sector a controversial agreement on the implementation of the 35-hour working week in the metalworking industry.

• 28 Oct 1998
  France: Unions and employers in the textile industry agree on the 35-hour week

  On 6 November 1998, all the trade unions in France's textiles industry were due to sign an agreement on the 35-hour working week, which was negotiated with UIT, the sector's employers' organisation.

• 28 Oct 1998
  France: Levi Strauss France trade unions join in European action

  The September 1998 announcement by the Levi Strauss group that it planned to close three plants in Belgium and one in France prompted reaction from European trade unions and protest by employees at the La Bassée factory in France. The French Minister for Employment and Solidarity stated that she rejected any talk of closure of La Bassée before every possible avenue to keep the plant open had been explored.

• 28 Oct 1998
  France: Working group reports on industrial relations implications of transition from franc to euro

  September 1998 saw the publication of a report on the impact of the introduction of the euro single currency on various aspects of industrial relations and other employment matters in France. The study, drawn up by a working group of employers, trade unions, social security organisations and the government, examines the transition period from 1999-2000, as well as the effect of the single currency on collective agreements and the functioning of works councils.

• 28 Oct 1998
  France: EDF-GDF agreement on part-time work annulled by the courts

  In September 1998, the Paris Court of Appeal annulled a collective agreement signed at the electricity and gas utilities, EDF-GDF in January 1997. This agreement, whose provisions included the widespread introduction of a 32-hour part-time working week in order to promote employment, had been opposed by two non-signatory unions, CGT and CGT-FO. The Court's ruling may have implications beyond the nationalised industries.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Greece: Health and safety issues in the public sector

  In September 1998, Greece's Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY) held a meeting on the subject of health and safety in the public sector, which highlighted a number of obstacles in the way of improvements.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Greece: GSEE sets out positions and proposals on the economy

  In September 1998, as the Greek government announced its economic and social objectives for the coming year, the GSEE trade union confederation presented its own positions and proposals on the economy.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Greece: Working conditions in Athens examined

  September 1998 saw the publication of a study "on living and working conditions of workers in Athens", conducted on behalf of the Athens Labour Centre. Its findings concern both health and safety conditions and the effects on workers of technological restructuring.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Greece: First agreement on the 35-hour week

  September 1998 saw Greece's first enterprise-level agreement introducing the 35-hour week without a reduction in pay, at the Hochtief building concern.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Greece: New clashes at Halivourgiki

  An attempt by management at Halivourgiki, Greece's largest steel mill, to change working hours led in October 1998 to new clashes with workers, following a dispute in 1997.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Greece: New company-level agreement at National Bank

  On 1 October 1998, a new company-level agreement was signed for the National Bank of Greece. The two-year agreement, signed by management and the SYETE National Bank workers' union, provides substantial economic benefits for workers.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Ireland: Ryanair dispute report charts course through troubled waters

  While it was mainly the actions of SIPTU members in other airport-based operations that led to the closedown of Dublin Airport on 7-8 March 1998, "primary responsibility" for the situation rested with both SIPTU and the management of the Ryanair airline. This was one of the main findings of the government-commissioned "Flynn/McCauley "report into the events surrounding the dispute between Ryanair and SIPTU, published in July 1998.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Ireland: Strong adherence to P2000 pay terms

  An independent analysis of 778 pay settlements, published in October 1998, shows that while there has been more pay drift than under earlier Irish national pay programmes, the overall level of adherence to the basic pay terms of the current Partnership 2000 agreement remains strong.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Ireland: Over 100 agreements registered under Working Time Act

  By the end of September 1998, a total of 109 collective agreements and notices had been registered with Ireland's Labour Court under the Working Time Act, which came into force on 1 March 1998, giving effect to the EU working time Directive. The agreements and notices allow variations from some of the Act's provisions.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Italy: New industrial relations system introduced at Ferrero

  In October 1998, trade unions and Ferrero, the Italian food-processing group, signed a major agreement which introduces new forms of participation, increases pay and fosters employment.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Italy: Multi-industry agreement signed on apprenticeship in the artisan sector

  In October 1998, the Italian associations for artisanal enterprises - Confartigianato, Cna, Claai, and Casa - signed a multi-industry agreement with the Cgil, Cisl and Uil trade unions, aimed at creating a single training model for artisan apprentices.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Italy: New organisation of production agreed at Cirio

  In September 1998, after long negotiations, the Cirio group, a growing Italian food sector multinational, and the Flai-Cgil, Fat-Cisl and Uila-Uil trade unions signed an agreement on a new organisational structure for the group's milk production sector.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Italy: Child labour: the Benetton case in Turkey

  On October 1998, an Italian newspaper alleged the exploitation of child labour in a Turkish plant working for the Benetton group. Italian trade unions, together with their Turkish counterparts, intervened and concluded an agreement which forbids the use of child labour in the Turkish textile plants working for the Benetton group.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Italy: Flexible job-creation agreement reached at Infostrada

  In September 1998, an agreement was signed by trade unions and Infostrada, an Italian company in the fixed-network telephone sector, on the recruitment of 1,300 people to work in customer-service call centres. Given the particular characteristics of the customer-care activity involved, and considering that this is the start-up phase of the call-centre service, the parties agreed to a high degree of flexibility in both the employment relationship and working time.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Italy: Company-level deal at Barilla introduces new working time arrangements

  An agreement signed in September 1998 at the Italian food group, Barilla, provides for the introduction of extra shifts on Sunday and for monitoring by trade unions of the use of overtime. Changes in work organisation are accompanied by greater priority on the development of qualifications and skills. The deal confirms the trend towards more participatory industrial relations in some companies.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Luxembourg: Trade union campaigning underway for important representative elections

  Luxembourg's "social elections" of employee representatives on various bodies are due to take place in November 1998. The polls may well result in the elimination of FEP, the sole trade union with nationally representative status only for private sector white-collar workers. Will this be an opportunity for one of the two organisations hoping to take over from FEP, or will the future see no more than two representative unions?

• 28 Oct 1998
  Netherlands: Works councils and their right of appeal - current trends

  Works councils in the Netherlands have had conspicuous success during 1998 in overturning the strategic business planning decisions of employers. Rulings have arguably, however, shown that the right of appeal of works councils does not present a fundamental attack on the policy-making freedom of the employer.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Netherlands: 1998 sees widespread labour disputes in the social services

  In the Netherlands, 1998 has seen widespread labour conflict across practically the whole of the social services sector - for example in hospitals, education and daycare centres and amongst home carers. After years of wage moderation and efficiency cutbacks, employees want to benefit from current levels of economic growth and receive recognition for the value of their work in the form of better pay and less work pressure.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Netherlands: Police union loses legal action over change in work-schedule regulations

  In mid-September 1998, a small Dutch police trade union (PVR) lost the summary legal proceedings that it had opened in an attempt to stop the introduction of new work schedules. The chief constable of the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region had imposed the standard national regulations as no agreement could be reached on amendments to the existing decentralised regulations.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Norway: National Wage Board rules on pay disputes in state and municipal sectors

  In September and October 1998, Norway's National Wage Board ruled on various labour disputes which had gone to compulsory arbitration. Two of the municipal sector trade unions affiliated to the AF confederation received partial support for their claims. Similar rulings were made in other parts of the state and municipal sector.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Norway: Trade union confederations join forces for the first time in a political strike

  Norway came to a halt for two hours on 15 October 1998, when the three main trade union confederations - LO, AF and YS - took strike action against the government's new budget proposals for 1999. The government is proposing several cost-saving measures, including cutting the number of statutory annual holidays by one day.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Norway: Government to review limitations on overtime work

  The Norwegian government's Budget for 1999 provides for the establishment of a joint committee to consider the various provisions in the Act on Worker Protection and the Working Environment. One matter which the committee will discuss is the extent to which the current shortage of labour in many sectors requires the easing of the Act's limitations on overtime work.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Norway: Norwegian Union of Municipal Employees conference focuses on privatisation

  The largest trade union in Norway, the Norwegian Union of Municipal Employees, held its national conference in October 1998. The central issue of the conference was the unions' strategy to halt the privatisation of municipal sector enterprises and the introduction of competitive tendering.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Norway: New NHO director general appointed

  Finn Bergesen jr has been appointed the new director general of the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO). He will start in his new job on 1 January 1999, but his administrative responsibilities do not take effect until after the 1999 intermediate wage settlements. The new appointee has broad experience in the public and private sectors.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Health and safety bills under discussion

  In autumn 1998, two draft health and safety bills are under consideration in Portugal. Their main aim is to provide for improved information and consultation on the issue, and to regulate the election of workplace health and safety representatives.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: New proposal seeks to regularise false self-employment

  In autumn 1998, a draft bill on "false self-employment" was submitted to the Portuguese social partners for discussion. It would regularise such situations by making it possible to turn them into fixed-term contracts and, from there, establishing the presumption of the existence of a permanent employment contract.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Creation of a Wage Guarantee Fund debated

  September and October 1998 saw a debate in Portugal over the creation of a Wage Guarantee Fund to protect employees when companies become insolvent. The conditions governing access, how the fund will be financed, and how it will function are the points that have been most discussed by the unions.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Portuguese and Spanish unions take joint action to regulate migrant labour

  Portuguese and Spanish unions have developed joint action to deal with the forms of subcontracting and poor working conditions that Portuguese workers face when they travel to Spain to work in agriculture. The unions' proposals seek to improve regulation of the labour market, inform workers of their rights, and provide social protection. The unions also want joint action on the part of the two governments, which is due to be discussed in November 1998.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Dispute over Grundig workers transferred to troubled company

  In October 1998, workers at OEM in Braga went on indefinite strike, seeking reintegration into Grundig, the firm which had transferred them to their current employer, which has run into difficulties. This is the latest dispute to hit the Portuguese electrical and electronics industries, where many jobs have been lost as multinational firms restructure.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Employer involvement proposed in developing labour legislation

  In autumn 1998, the Portuguese social partners have been discussing a draft bill on employer participation in the development of labour legislation, similar to the participation already enjoyed by workers' organisations. The unions see the proposals as either just a formal recognition of a practice that has been in existence for some time, or a strengthening of the employers' position in the socio-political balance of forces. The employers see the draft simply as the recognition of a right.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Extension of fixed-term contracts proposed

  In autumn 1998, the Portuguese government presented a preliminary draft bill to the social partners which will permit, during 1998 and 1999, an extension of the duration of fixed-term contracts.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Revision of statutory holiday system under discussion

  In 1998, the Portuguese Government presented for discussion a proposed revision of the statutory system of paid holidays. The social partners have taken their positions on this measure, which is based on a commitment made in the 1996-9 tripartite Strategic Concertation Pact.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: EMU and the future of bank employees

  Because of the technological changes it implies, EMU and the forthcoming euro single currency is beginning, in 1998, to have repercussions on the type of functions performed by employees in the Portuguese banking sector. Meanwhile, recent figures show a decrease in the size of the workforce, particularly affecting branch employees.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: EU decision alarms Portuguese textiles sector

  The textiles sector employs a large percentage of the Portuguese industrial labour force and faces competition in the international marketplace with countries whose labour standards are much lower. An October 1998 EU decision not to impose an anti-dumping tax on certain cotton products has caused alarm among employers and tarde unions in the industry.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Fiscal reform under discussion for 1999

  Portugal's draft national Budget for 1999, which was presented in October 1998, would bring changes in the taxation of employment-related income. Although ostensibly in line with the 1996-9 tripartite Strategic Concertation Pact, the current proposal is far from being accepted by all the social partners.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Portugal: Unions present wages policy proposals for 1999

  Over autumn 1998, Portuguese trade unions have been drawing up their pay policies and bargaining platforms for 1999, at the same time as the 1999 government Budget has been under discussion. The unions want workers to share in recent increases in productivity and are also demanding compensation for the wage moderation policies of recent years and for loses resulting from inflation above the predicted level for 1998. An approximation of Portuguese pay to European averages has also been raised as an issue.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Sweden: Study finds that a third of employees frequently attend work when sick

  One-third of the respondents in a study undertaken by the Swedish National Institute for Working Life and published in October 1998 stated that they frequently attended work before they had fully recovered from sickness. Such "sick-presence" is most common in the caring occupations and in jobs where employees feel that they must make up for most, or all, of the time and work lost.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Sweden: Committee proposes clarification of employers' responsibility for rehabilitation of employees

  Since 1992, Swedish employers have been responsible for the rehabilitation of employees who become incapacitated. However, for a number of reasons, many employers fail to meet their responsibilities. In August 1998, an official committee presented a report with proposals which were intended not only to clarify the statutory provisions, but also to ease the burden on employers.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Sweden: Tripartite talks on promoting skills development lead to agreement in principle

  On 3 September 1998, a tripartite working party on skills development in Swedish working life presented its report. It proposes that employers' organisations and trade unions should begin a campaign to stimulate local agreements on skills development, and that the state should contribute by giving employers a tax reduction. The government, however, is not yet ready to permit the necessary funding to implement the measures agreed in principle.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Sweden: Government forced to cooperate after election setback

  Sweden held general elections on 20 September 1998. The result was a setback for the Social Democrat government which now has to rely on two other parties to stay in power. The Government will focus on economic growth to combat the unemployment problem and promote cooperation between trade unions and employers' organisations to ensure stability and development.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Sweden: Collective agreement prohibiting engagement of contractors is not contrary to competition law

  A collective agreement which prohibits newspaper enterprises from engaging contractors instead of using their own employees for newspaper distribution is not contrary to Swedish competition law, according to a ruling from the Labour Court in September 1998.

• 28 Oct 1998
  Sweden: Pay settlement for air-traffic controllers ends flight delays

  A new pay settlement for Swedish air-traffic controllers was concluded in October 1998. The agreement, which provides for a pay increase of 11.6% spread over three years, was finalised following delays and cancellations of flights at Swedish airports.

• 28 Oct 1998
  United Kingdom: Partnership, flexibility and employment: The growth of job security agreements

  Over 1997-8, policymakers in Britain and Europe have been advocating industrial relations "partnership" as a means of reconciling labour flexibility with employment security. In the UK, "job security agreements" are becoming increasingly common between employers and trade unions as a means of introducing productivity-enhancing change without necessarily threatening jobs. In particular, this marks a new departure for the social partners in the manufacturing sectors, which have traditionally been characterised by more adversarial relationships. Question-marks remain, however, over how enduring such partnership agreements can be, and how widely and successfully they can be replicated.

• 28 Oct 1998
  United Kingdom: New working time Regulations take effect

  The Working Time Regulations 1998 came into force in the UK on 1 October amid fears that many employers are ill-prepared to cope with the complex new legal requirements. We highlight employer concerns and the scope for the flexible application of the working time limits by agreement with employees.

• 28 Oct 1998
  United Kingdom: Working time Directive implemented in the UK

  From October 1998, the EU working time Directive applies to workers in the UK. However, some question the effectiveness of the measures and indeed whether UK workers want protection from long hours

• 28 Oct 1998
  United Kingdom: Alcohol and drug misuse examined

  In October 1998, delegates at a conference on alcohol and drug misuse - jointly organised by trade unions and pressure/research groups - were informed of its huge costs to UK industry and of the possible directions for addressing the problems in the future.