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July 1999

• 28 Jul 1999
  Austria: Mixed fortunes in transport disputes

  June and July 1999 saw the resolution of a dispute over the pay of Austrian lorry drivers, while a number of conflicts in Austrian-owned airlines continued to simmer.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Austria: Magna Charter vs works council

  During 1999, Austria's ÖGB trade union confederation and Magna, the Canadian-owned automotive components manufacturer, have been in conflict over the creation of works councils at the firm's operations. The trade union and politicians are caught between the company's proven ability to create jobs and a wish to maintain the Austrian industrial relations system.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Austria: Trade union membership declines

  In 1998, membership of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) fell by 1.2%. The decrease was less than in the previous year, and was most notable among men and private sector blue-collar workers.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Belgium: Forges de Clabecq: struggle against decline in steel production

  The fate of the Forges de Clabecqsteelworks was due to be settled in June 1997. As examined in this article, for several years, the trade union delegation at the company has presented itself as the only spokesperson of the true interests of the workforce and the population of Belgium as a whole. This attitude could be understood both as a form of mistrust of the union apparatus and the political parties, and also as a reassertion of rank-and-file union action.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Belgium: Dispute over creation of integrated police force

  The integrated police law adopted in December 1998, based on agreement between Belgium's main political parties, provides for the overhaul of the various law-and-order forces (the gendarmerie, criminal-investigation department and municipal police), establishing federal and local levels and defining a new unified statute for the entire force. Because of the importance of the issues at stake, the police reform has caused an unprecedented labour dispute during 1999 between police unions and the Interior Ministry, leading to a breakdown in negotiations and highlighting the complexity of police trade unionism in Belgium.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Belgium: One-day strike follows deadlock in banking talks

  July 1999 saw a one-day strike in Belgium's banking sector. The action reflected frustration over the deadlock in talks over a new national collective agreement for the industry. Trade unions view a national settlement, rather than separate company deals, as essential, given trends towards outsourcing and loss of employee status.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Belgium: Unions call for more work, a better quality of life and more democracy in Flanders

  A "rainbow" coalition government is being created in Belgium following the defeat of the Christian Democrat/Socialist coalition in general elections in June 1999. In a joint memorandum to those involved in the new coalition, the Flemish sections of the ACV/CSC and ABVV/FGTB trade union confederations have called for more work, a better quality of life and more democracy.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Germany: Interim report on 1999 collective bargaining round

  In July 1999, the WSI research institute presented an interim report on Germany's 1999 collective bargaining round. The study evaluates collective agreements concluded in the first half of 1999, affecting about two-thirds of all employees covered by an agreement. The average increase in wages and salaries will be around 3% in 1999, which is significantly higher than the average increase of only 1.8% in 1998.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Germany: Collective agreement on temporary agency work during EXPO 2000

  In June 1999, a bargaining cartel of six trade unions and the Adecco temporary employment agency signed a collective agreement to cover the agency employees who will be working at the EXPO 2000 world exhibition in Hanover, Germany.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Germany: Average income of manufacturing employees up 2.6% in 1998

  According to statistics released in July 1999 by the Federal Statistical Office, a full-time employee in German manufacturing earned an average of DEM 68,646 in 1998, which was 2.6% more than in the previous year.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Germany: New developments within national Alliance for Jobs

  In July 1999, the third round of top-level talks between leading representatives of the government, trade unions and employers' associations took place within the framework of Germany's "Alliance for Jobs". All parties adopted a joint statement which defines common views on topics such as tax policy, vocational training, collective bargaining policy and partial and early retirement. In addition, the social partners' peak organisations, DGB and BDA, presented a joint declaration setting out a number of principles for the future development of collective bargaining. The reactions to the Alliance's new documents among trade unions and employers' associations, however, showed that on some points the two sides still have significantly differing points of view.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Denmark: Employers propose reform of Danish model

  In June 1999, Denmark's largest single employers' association, the Confederation of Danish Industries (DI), made a proposal for changes to the Danish collective bargaining system in the light of the major private sector industrial dispute in 1998. DI wants the use of strikes and lock-outs to be very much the exception in the future, and seeks increased decentralisation of bargaining within simplified central sectoral framework agreements, such as that between DI and its trade union counterpart, CO-Industri. DI's aim is that all the provisions of sectoral agreements could be set aside through local agreements, prevailing only if the enterprise-level parties could not agree on anything else. CO-Industri met the proposal with scepticism.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Denmark: Danish unions out of step with European trade union movement?

  It appears that Danish trade union confederations are following a path which differs partly from that which was determined at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) congress in July 1999. The differences relate both to procedural and substantive issues. While many of the prominent union confederations in ETUC, notably from the UK and Germany, prefer to promote the interests of the employees by means of EU legislation, Danish unions prefer an agreement-based model. Furthermore, although a large majority in the ETUC is in favour of a 32-hour working week as a major employment-promoting demand, this is regarded as an obsolete demand in Denmark, which is currently experiencing almost a shortage of labour.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Denmark: Midwives approve agreement at third attempt

  In July 1999, at the third attempt and following four weeks of strike action, Danish midwives accepted a proposal for a new collective agreement. At the same time, a proposed agreement was struck for bioanalysts and, if this proposal is accepted by union members, the 1999 public sector bargaining round will be complete.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Denmark: Smaller LO member unions demand more influence

  Prior to the congress of the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) in autumn 1999, several smaller member unions are demanding more influence in the executive committee. Presently, only 13 of LO's 22 affiliated national unions are represented on the executive.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Denmark: Supreme Court rules in favour of closed-shop agreements

  In June 1999, Denmark's Supreme Court rejected claims that it should be illegal to conclude closed-shop agreements. This ruling was even clearer on the right to sign such agreements than the Court's judgment in a similar case earlier in 1999.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Continuing training system assessed

  In mid-1999, Spain's current system of continuing training for workers in employment had been operational for some six and a half years. Here, we examine its development, focusing on its joint management by the social partners and the impact that it has had on less qualified workers.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Equal pay for temporary agency workers

  On 1 July 1999, a reform of Spanish legislation on temporary employment agencies was passed. Among other provisions, this gives temporary agency workers the same pay as employees of the user companies in which they work, and has brought severe criticism from the sector's employers' association.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Reform of overtime is still pending

  A reform of the rules on overtime working has been pending in Spain since the social partners and the government made a commitment in this area in 1997. However, there has still been little progress, with the 1999 National Action Plan on employment, issued in May 1999, containing no measures to reduce and reorganise working time.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Government appeals against 35-hour week law in Navarre

  In late June 1999, the Spanish central government lodged an appeal with the Constitutional Court against the Navarre regional government's recent law on the 35-hour working week, because it considers that the tax benefits arising from it are unconstitutional.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Negotiations on agricultural unemployment benefit break down

  At the end of June 1999, trade unions broke off negotiations with the Spanish government on agricultural unemployment benefit and announced major mobilisations of workers in the agricultural sector.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Unions claim that government has failed to fulfil occupational risk commitments

  At a time when industrial accidents are an increasingly important problem in Spain, in June 1999 the CC.OO and UGT trade union confederations claimed that the government is failing to fulfil its commitments on the prevention of occupational risks.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: First two years of the agreement for employment stability assessed

  In summer 1999, at the half-way point of the Spanish social partners' four-year pact for employment stability, later endorsed by parliament, the parties have evaluated its results. After two years, employment - and especially stable employment - has increased significantly. However, there has been no substantial decrease in the level of temporary employment and contract turnover continues to increase.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: No trade union support for Spain's 1999 NAP

  The Spanish government's 1999 National Action Plan (NAP) for employment, in response to the EU Employment Guidelines, has been severely attacked by the trade unions. The unions criticise the content of the NAP, approved in May 1999, and the funds assigned to it, and claim that it appeared late and lacked social dialogue in its preparation.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Prison officers strike

  In July 1999, in an unusual event, Spanish prison officers went on strike to demand "better wages, an increase in staffing and more respect".

• 28 Jul 1999
  Spain: Protests end as agreement is reached at Telefónica

  In July 1999, after long-running protest actions, three trade unions - UGT, CC.OO and UTS - reached agreement with Telefónica, the Spanish telecommunications provider. The unions have agreed a redundancy procedure affecting 10,800 workers and a new collective agreement that guarantees the employment and working conditions of the rest of the employees.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Level: New Directive set to improve rights of fixed-term contract workers

  The adoption of a Directive implementing the the European social partners' framework agreement on the rights of workers on fixed-term contracts is pending in summer 1999. We take this opportunity to review some key features of the agreement and look at a recently study of regulation on fixed-term contracts in Europe.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Level: Ninth ETUC Congress calls for a European system of industrial relations

  The European Trade Union Confederation's ninth Statutory Congress took place in Helsinki between 29 June and 2 July 1999. The Congress emphasised the importance of the development of a European system of industrial relations and the greater coordination of economic and social policies in the European Union. A conference on gender mainstreaming, which took place on the eve of the Congress, recommended for adoption a new plan to promote equality in ETUC, which aims to increase the representation of women in collective bargaining and trade union decision-making bodies. Persistent pay inequalities are also targeted.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Level: Commission Communication urges coordinated modernisation of social security systems

  A European Commission Communication adopted in July 1999 argues that, in the light of EU Economic and Monetary Union, national social security systems should be reformed to meet the key objectives of: making social protection systems more conducive to job creation; dealing with the ageing population; combating social exclusion; and offering affordable healthcare for all citizens.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Level: Informal Social Affairs Council addresses problems of older workers

  An informal Labour and Social Affairs Council meeting was held under the Finnish Presidency on 8-10 July 1999. Ministers examined the problems facing older workers on the labour market and reviewed the 1999 National Action Plans for employment and proposals for the Employment Guidelines for 2000.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Level: Commission President presents new team

  In July 1999, the new President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, presented his proposed new team of Commissioners. The team selected reflects a desire for a fresh start after the allegations of irregularities which had beset the Commission, and a number of responsibilities have been redistributed. Anna Diamantopoulou, from Greece, has been entrusted with the employment and social affairs portfolio.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Finland: ETUC presents memorandum to the Finnish EU Presidency

  On 1 July 1999, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which was holding its congress in Helsinki, presented a memorandum to the Finnish EU Presidency, which started on the same day. The memorandum focuses largely on the need to coordinate economic and employment policy on the basis of the new "European employment pact". The Finnish Prime Minister, Paavo Lipponen, promised in a speech to the congress that Finland will develop the new "macroeconomic dialogue" during its Presidency.

• 28 Jul 1999
  France: Trade unions compare notes on the 35-hour working week

  On 7 July 1999, delegations from France's five main trade union confederations (CFE-CGC, CFDT, CFTC, CGT and CGT-FO) met to study the government's recent proposal for a second law on the 35-hour working week and compare points of view.

• 28 Jul 1999
  France: Increase in minimum wage in context of 35-hour week

  As is the case every year on the same date, the hourly rate of France's statutory minimum wage (SMIC) was increased on 1 July 1999. In light of the move to the statutory 35-hour working week on 1 January 2000, the government deviated from its practice of announcing a greater increase in the SMIC than that provided for by the legislation. The creation of of a wage supplement for those employees who have moved to the 35-hour week means that there will be two parallel monthly SMIC rates for some time.

• 28 Jul 1999
  France: Renegotiation of banking sector collective agreement

  The collective agreement for France's banking sector has to be renegotiated by 1 January 2000, following the decision in 1998 by the AFB employers' organisation to terminate the accord. In June 1999, AFB tabled a draft of a new agreement, which has been deemed unacceptable by all the trade unions involved.

• 28 Jul 1999
  France: Social partners adopt sickness insurance funding plan

  In July 1999, the joint employer-trade union administrative board of France's National Sickness Insurance Fund (CNAM) approved, by a large majority, a strategic reform plan. This package of measures is designed to reduce spending and improve the quality of healthcare. CNAM hopes that the government will give legislative effect to the plan.

• 28 Jul 1999
  France: Collective bargaining in 1998 reviewed

  In 1998's rather favourable economic climate, collective bargaining in France was dominated by the reduction of working time, according to the Ministry for Employment and Solidarity's annual bargaining report, published in June 1999. Other trends recorded included: intersectoral bargaining falling off to an extremely low point; a recovery in the amount of sector-level bargaining at the end of the year; and considerable growth in company-level bargaining.

• 28 Jul 1999
  France: 35-hour week agreement at RATP

  In July 1999, management and trade unions at the RATP Parisian public transport network reached an agreement on the means by which the company will move to the 35-hour working week.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Greece: Wages, competitiveness and unemployment analysed

  In June 1999, the Institute of Labour of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (INE-GSEE) published a study examining the prevalent orthodox thinking in Greece that increases in real wages reduce profitability, investments, employment and competitiveness. The study claims that this belief is not borne out by the statistical data for Greece.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Greece: GSEE rejects IMF wage cut proposal

  In June 1999, the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) expressed its total opposition to proposals from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce the wages of new entrants to the labour market and to cut labour costs.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Greece: Unions in favour of Tobin tax

  In June 1999, the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) and the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY) officially adopted a position in favour of applying a "Tobin tax" to short-term capital movements.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Greece: Collective redundancies rules to be harmonised with Community law

  A bill submitted by the Greek government in June 1999 will place further restrictions on collective redundancies by enterprises in the private sector, in line with Community law.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Greece: Substantial rise in unemployment - GSEE seeks emergency measures

  Following the publication of statistics indicating a sharp rise in unemployment in Greece, and government analyses of the connection between unemployment and the increased presence of immigrants, the GSEE trade union confederation has reiterated its positions on addressing rising unemployment and on dealing with economic immigrants.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Ireland: National Minimum Wage debate gathers pace

  The Irish government is committed to introducing a National Minimum Wage in April 2000. All that remains is for a final rate to be agreed. A rate of IEP 4.40 per hour has been proposed, based on a 1998 report from the National Minimum Wage Commission, and a June 1999 report by the Economic and Social Research Institute concludes that a NMW set at this rate would have little impact on wage costs and employment levels. The NMW debate is set to intensify over the second half of 1999 and its rate will be a central issue in negotiations on a possible successor to the currentPartnership 2000national agreement.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Ireland: Social partners launch major joint training initiative

  July 1999 saw the launch of a new "partnership" training initiative, jointly developed by the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), in conjunction with the National Centre for Partnership.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Ireland: ICTU conference sets scene for talks on new deal

  The last Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) conference of the millennium, held in July 1999, may have lacked some of the "bite" of its predecessors, but underneath the evident contentment engendered by a booming economy, it is clear that major challenges lie ahead, including the negotiation of a successor to Ireland's current national agreement, Partnership 2000.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Italy: New agreement signed in banking

  In July 1999, sectoral trade unions and employers' associations signed a new national collective agreement for Italy's banking industry. The main innovations in the deal concern the redefinition of the area covered by the agreement, the creation of a new "executive middle managers" category, the renewal of the industrial relations system, working time reduction and pay increases.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Italy: Cisl agrees restructuring

  In July 1999, the general council of Italy's Cisl trade union confederation decided on a major restructuring of its sectoral federations, which will reduce the number of affiliates from 36 to 11.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Italy: Italian and German woodworkers' unions to coordinate bargaining policies at European level

  In June 1999, a first agreement was signed between Italian (Fillea-Cgil, Filca-Cisl, Feneal-Uil) and German (GHK) trade unions representing wood and furniture workers. The agreement calls for the establishment of a European collective bargaining committee aimed at defining common bargaining objectives.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Italy: Unions divided on flexibility in reorganisation of Rome's environmental services

  In June 1999, an agreement was signed on the reorganisation of Rome's public environmental services company, Ama, leading to differences between the three main trade union confederations. Cisl and Uil disagree with Cgil on the way in which 2,200 people will be recruited by the newly-established company, Ama city.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Italy: Metalworking agreement renewed

  After eight months of difficult negotiations, on 8 June 1999, Fim-Cisl, Fiom-Cgil and Uilm-Uil, the metalworkers' unions belonging to the three main trade union confederations, and the employers' associations Federmeccanica and Assistal accepted a mediation proposal put forward by the Minister of Labour, aimed at concluding the renewal of the collective agreement for the Italian metalworking industry. During June and July, the procedure for approval of the agreement involved consultation of trade union members on the Ministry of Labour's proposal, and a referendum of all workers on the text of the agreement agreed by the parties in June. In both consultations, the majority of votes were cast in favour of the agreement, which opened the way for its definitive signing.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Italy: Debate on reform of collective bargaining

  In June 1999, the debate on Italy's collective bargaining system was revived by a call on the part of employers for greater flexibility and decentralisation. Trade unions, though with differing emphases, do not share this point of view and stress the importance of maintaining the current two-tier bargaining structure. Another issue at stake is the redefinition of bargaining units and the possible creation of new sectoral agreements, notably for those branches which are affected by privatisation and liberalisation processes.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Italy: Reform of national health service introduces changes in employment relations

  Under a national health service reform approved in June 1999, the role and work of Italian doctors is set to change. "Meritocracy" and training will become the key factors in career advancement, while a single job grade for senior doctors will be introduced, and doctors must choose whether or not to work exclusively in the public sector.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Netherlands: Trends in collective agreements reviewed

  A survey of the most important collective agreements signed in the Netherlands so far in 1999, published in June, finds moderate average pay increases of 2.7%. The number of agreements on training, flexible pension schemes and the accumulation time off has increased in recent years. While employers and, to a lesser extent, trade unions are in agreement on the issues to be addressed in negotiations during the coming year, both sides criticise aspects of the Netherlands' consultation and consensus-based system - the "polder model".

• 28 Jul 1999
  Netherlands: Commercial healthcare for sick employees given green light

  In late May 1999, the Dutch Minister of Health and State Secretary for Social Affairs adopted a standpoint on the issue of privatised healthcare and possible priority treatment for employees. Politicians have thus given the green light for offering employees specialised care on a commercial basis for work-related medical complaints. Private outpatient centres have long offered specialised care, treating problems such as stress and "burn-out".

• 28 Jul 1999
  Netherlands: Employment termination requests decline

  The total number of requests to terminate employment contracts declined in the Netherlands in 1998, according to the Annual Report on termination statistics, issued in summer 1999. However, the number of requests related to occupational disability has increased.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Netherlands: Proposed four-day working week for primary education under fire

  In late May 1999, the VOO parents' organisation proposed implementing a four-day working week in Dutch primary education as the only plausible way to reduce working time in the sector. The issue of how to cope with ongoing working time cuts at a time of teacher shortages has caused concern in parliament, while one parents' association has unsuccessfully challenged in the courts a school's decision to introduce a four-day week every other week.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Netherlands: Lower House intervenes to seek paid care leave

  Shortly before the 1999 summer recess, the Lower House of the Dutch parliament amended a government legislative proposal for unpaid care leave, proposing instead a paid arrangement. The proposed 10 days of care leave is aimed at enabling employees to take care of their ill children or other family members. The Lower House want the arrangement to be funded from the existing Unemployment Fund, which is financed by employer and employee contributions.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Norway: Moderate optimism on economy as wage growth moderates

  The Norwegian government's revised Budget for 1999, which was passed by parliament on 18 June 1999, made no major changes to economic policy. In the aftermath of the moderate 1999 wage settlement, the government has scaled down its wage growth estimates for 1999.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Norway: YS want closer cooperation among trade union confederations

  Norway's Confederation of Vocational Unions (YS) held its national conference in June 1999. The proposal to merge with the Confederation of Academic and Professional Associations (AF) in order to create a new trade union confederation received unanimous support at the conference, and it was also decided to seek closer cooperation with the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO).

• 28 Jul 1999
  Norway: Gender equality Ombudsman questions increase in minimum income requirement for sick pay

  In a letter to the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs sent on 29 June 1999, Norway's Ombudsman for Gender Equality argued that a recent legal adjustment raising the minimum income level required for entitlement to sick pay benefits, is a violation of the Act on equal status between the sexes. The Ombudsman's assessment does not mean a reversal of the legal changes, but that gender equality should be given special consideration in determining if the regulatory framework is to be re-evaluated.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Norway: Supreme Court rulings make transfers of employees in outsourcing more difficult

  Two Supreme Court rulings in June 1999 have upheld the right of employees in some cases to avoid being transferred to a new employer when an enterprise transfers support functions to another enterprise. Employees may choose to stay with their original employer, which in turn is obliged either to provide alternative work, or to resort to ordinary legal dismissals.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Norway: Norwegian SAS employees refuse to work extra overtime

  From 14 July 1999, Norwegian ground staff at the SAS airline have refused to work extra overtime in protest against the airline's plans to increase company earnings by means of outsourcing approximately 7,000 jobs in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Industrial action may be extended to cover all SAS ground staff in Norway

• 28 Jul 1999
  Portugal: Collective redundancies law amended

  Following legislation adopted in May 1999, Portugal's legal regime on collective redundancies has been adopted to bring it fully into line with the 1992 EU collective redundancies Directive. Furthermore, the law abolishes a previous rule that a worker who has accepted redundancy compensation cannot legally challenge the redundancy.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Portugal: The social partners and the regional employment networks

  A conference in June 1999 examined "regional employment networks" in Portugal. These networks have been growing in importance as means for implementing labour market policies, in line with the objectives of the National Action Plan for employment. The social partners have been involved in various ways, mostly at the strategic and economic level.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Sweden: Commissioner to examine rehabilitation of incapacitated employees

  In June 1999, the Swedish government appointed a special commissioner with the task of analysing the issue of rehabilitation of incapacitated employees.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Sweden: Trade unions open their doors to the self-employed

  More and more Swedish trade unions have been opening their doors to people running their own businesses during the 1990s. This new, more welcoming attitude towards accepting self-employed people as union members may be seen as a response to changes in the labour market.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Sweden: Managing directors positive about employee representatives on the board

  The majority of managing directors and chairs of the board in Swedish companies are positive about the presence of employee representatives on the board and find the cooperation useful. This is among the findings of a survey, published in July 1999, commissioned by two trade union confederations.

• 28 Jul 1999
  Sweden: Impartial chairs appointed for industry sector negotiations

  In June 1999, the social partners in Sweden's industry sector appointed eight impartial chairs to support them in the coming negotiations over a new collective agreement for the sector. The use of such chairs is laid down in a 1997 procedural agreement.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Countries: The Europeanisation of collective bargaining

  It seems inevitable that increasing economic integration and competition within Europe will have some influence on national collective bargaining. The aim of this comparative study is to provide an assessment, as of summer 1999, of the extent to which the processes and outcomes of bargaining in the 15 Member States of the EU, plus Norway, are developing a cross-border, European dimension. The study outlines the diverse processes, both implicit and explicit, which can be said to be leading towards a "Europeanisation" of collective bargaining. Developments across the 16 countries concerned are examined at intersectoral, sectoral and enterprise levels, with a special focus on metalworking and financial services, and the views of the social partners are summarised.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Countries: L'européanisation de la négociation collective

  Il y a lieu de penser que la concurrence et l'intégration économique croissantes au sein de l'Europe auront inévitablement des répercussions sur les négociations collectives nationales. La présente étude comparative a pour objet de dresser un bilan, arrêté à l'été 1999, de la portée de l'évolution vers une dimension transnationale, européenne des processus et résultats de négociations dans les 15 Etats membres de l'UE et de la Norvège. L'étude présente les divers processus, implicites ou explicites, qui peuvent être perçus comme tendant vers une "européanisation" de la négociation collective. Elle recense les développements observables dans l'ensemble des 16 pays concernés aux niveaux intersectoriel, sectoriel et de l'entreprise, en se concentrant tout particulièrement sur la métallurgie et les services financiers, et fournit une synthèse des opinions exprimées par les partenaires sociaux.

• 28 Jul 1999
  EU Countries: Die Europäisierung der Tarifverhandlungen

  Es scheint unausweichlich, daß nationale Tarifverhandlungen bis zu einem bestimmten Grad von der zunehmenden wirtschaftlichen Integration und dem stärkeren Wettbewerb in Europa beeinflußt werden. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Vergleichsstudie besteht darin, das Ausmaß, Stand Sommer 1999, abzuschätzen, in dem die Verfahren und die Ergebnisse der Tarifverhandlungen in den 15 Mitgliedstaaten der EU sowie in Norwegen eine grenzüberschreitende europäische Dimension annehmen. In der Studie werden die verschiedenen Entwicklungen direkter und indirekter Natur beschrieben, von denen man annehmen kann, daß sie zu einer "Europäisierung" der Tarifverhandlungen führen. So werden die Entwicklungen in den 16 betroffenen Ländern auf branchenüberschreitender, sektoraler und betrieblicher Ebene untersucht, wobei die metallverarbeitende Industrie und die Finanzdienstleistungen einen besonderen Schwerpunkt bilden. Daran schließt sich eine Zusammenfassung der Ansichten der Sozialpartner an.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: Differences over partnership widen

  A speech given in June 1999 by the president of the UK's CBI employers' confederation questioned the role of trade unions in "partnership" arrangements, prompting criticism from a number of union leaders.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: Government proposes changes to working time Regulations

  In July 1999, the UK government announced two proposed amendments to the Working Time Regulations 1998, intended to reduce the administration involved in implementing the Regulations. The proposals have been welcomed by employers' groups but criticised by trade unions.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: CBI review reaffirms pro-EMU policy

  Following an extensive consultation exercise, including an opinion survey of member companies, the July 1999 meeting of the national council of the Confederation of British Industry issued a policy statement confirming its support for the principle of UK membership of EU Economic and Monetary Union.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: Legal protection for whistleblowers takes effect

  The UK's Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 came into force in July 1999, giving legal protection to workers who are victimised by employers for "blowing the whistle" about wrongdoing at work.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: UK unions boycott Lufthansa over strike sackings

  In July 1999, as part of a long-running dispute over the dismissal of striking workers by airline catering company Skychefs, the UK's Trades Union Congress backed a union campaign to boycott the services of the German airline Lufthansa - Skychefs' parent company.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: Assessing the significance of partnership agreements

  In May 1999, the UK's Trades Union Congress organised a major conference to promote the spread of "partnership" agreements between management and trade unions. Stressing shared responsibility for business efficiency based on employment security and flexible working, these agreements represent, for their advocates, a modernisation of industrial relations. However, some of their critics argue that they reflect and exacerbate trade union weakness. This feature looks at how partnership agreements differ from previous industrial relations practice.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: Strikes in the UK: withering away?

  Official statistics on the incidence of labour disputes in 1998, published by the Office for National Statistics in June 1999, show that strike activity in the UK is at its lowest level since records began over a century ago. This feature highlights strike trends in the UK since the 1960s and assesses the explanations for the declining use of industrial action by trade unions.

• 28 Jul 1999
  United Kingdom: UK Government publishes proposals for implementing EWCs Directive

  The UK Government's long-awaited proposals for national implementation of the EU European Works Councils Directive were published at the beginning of July 1999. We outline the main features of the draft Regulations.