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January 2000

• 28 Jan 2000
  Belgium: Social elections to be held in May 2000<#PDF_LINK>

  In May 2000, Belgium will organise its 13th set of "social elections" of employee representatives on works councils and health and safety committees. In a country where social dialogue retains a pivotal role, this poll is essentially an indicator of the relative strengths of the two main trade union confederations. Since 1975, the Christian-oriented CSC/ACV has been the stronger of the two overall, but with considerable regional and sectoral differences.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Belgium: New social Maribel scheme introduced<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, the Belgian federal parliament allocated increased funding for the "social Maribel" scheme, which seeks to promote employment in the non-profit sector through a reduction of employers' social security contributions. The "social Maribel" is the outcome of long years of negotiation between trade unions, employers in the non-profit sector and the federal government.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Belgium: Belgian social policy inspired by new active welfare state approach<#PDF_LINK>

  The current Belgian government is heavily influenced by the active welfare state model propounded by the Minister for social affairs and pensions, Frank Vandenbroucke - as evinced by measures such as late 1999's "Rosetta plan" on youth employment. We examine Mr Vandenbroucke's ideas on responding to the "crisis" of traditional welfare states, and their possible EU-wide significance, as set out in a speech in December 1999, and look at some criticisms of this approach.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Germany: Company rehabilitation agreement signed at Philipp Holzmann AG<#PDF_LINK>

  In November 1999, it became public that Germany's second-largest construction group, Philipp Holzmann AG, had immense debts which put the company on the brink of insolvency. As part of a comprehensive rescue package, the Holzmann group works council has agreed on an employees' contribution to the costs of the company's reorganisation. An initial agreement between the group works council and the Holzmann executive board, however, was sharply criticised by both the IG BAU construction workers' trade union and the construction employers' associations for contravening collective agreements. In January 2000, IG BAU and Holzmann management finally signed a "company rehabilitation agreement", under which all employees would work five additional hours per week for a period of 18 months without extra payments. Whether or not this agreement will come into force remains unclear, since the construction employers' associations have so far not supported it.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Germany: New company agreement signed at Jenoptik AG<#PDF_LINK>

  After more than 15 months of negotiations and disputes, the management of Jenoptik AG, the major east German technology firm, and the IG Metall and DAG trade unions signed a new company agreement in December 1999.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Germany: Alliance for Jobs adopts joint statement on employment-oriented bargaining policy<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999 and January 2000, Germany's tripartite "Alliance for Jobs" held new top-level talks which concentrated mainly on collective bargaining policy. In a joint statement, the Alliance concluded recommendations for the 2000 collective bargaining round. The subsequent announcement of the social partners' bargaining demands, however, has suggested that the Alliance's statement is based on an insubstantial compromise, while trade unions and employers' associations continue to have relatively opposed views on what constitutes an employment-oriented collective bargaining policy.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Germany: Unions oppose OECD collective bargaining proposals<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, the OECD presented its latest report on the situation of the German economy. Overall, the economy is assessed positively, especially with regard to the long-term viability of the federal government's budget, but the greatest obstacle to increased employment, growth and the attainment of environmental aims is considered to be a lack of labour market flexibility. According to the OECD, one step towards further flexibility would be to replace sectoral collective agreements with plant-level agreements. This demand met with strong resistance from the DGB trade union confederation.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Germany: New restructuring plans highlight problems of railway reform<#PDF_LINK>

  In a letter sent to employees in mid-January 2000, the chair of the board of Deutsche Bahn (DB) AG announced his plans for restructuring the German national railway company. Under the proposals, DB Reise & Touristik and DB Regio, the subsidiaries responsible for regional and long-distance passenger transport respectively, would be merged in order to establish a single subsidiary for passenger transport, which could improve cooperation between different lines. At the same time, the company is to be made ready for stock-market flotation in 2004, with priority given to the reduction of personnel costs. The GdED railworkers' trade union fears that this could lead to a loss of 70,000 jobs and that the range of public rail services will be reduced dramatically.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Germany: Court rules against linking award of public sector contracts to observance of collectively agreed wages<#PDF_LINK>

  Since 1995, the Berlin Senate has awarded public contracts in the road-building sector only to companies which declare that they pay wages according to the collectively agreed rates for Berlin. On 18 January 2000, Germany's Federal Supreme Court ruled against this practice, arguing that it infringes the law on both collective agreements and competition. The reactions of the social partners and legal experts to this decision differed considerably. The final judgment will be made by the Federal Constitutional Court and is likely to influence a recent proposal by the government to make the promotion of women's employment a condition in the award of public sector contracts.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Denmark: More time off and occupational pensions are main themes in bargaining<#PDF_LINK>

  In mid-January, Denmark's 2000 bargaining round in the area covered by the DA employers' confederation and LO trade union confederation was proceeding quietly, with more time off and occupational pensions the main themes. The unions' demands for a sixth week of annual leave does not seem to have alarmed employers, which have not stated any specific demands of their own, but rather expectations of a longer duration of collective agreements and more company-level working time flexibility. The industry sector has once again taken the leading role and has set 10 February as the deadline for an agreement.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Denmark: Danish model maintained by implementation of EU Directives through collective agreements<#PDF_LINK>

  In November 1999, the Danish Ministry of Labour received a formal letter of notice from the European Commission concerning Denmark's implementation of the 1993 working time Directive. The Commission questioned whether Denmark's implementation of the Directive through collective agreements provided all employees with the necessary guarantees. In response, the LO trade union confederation and the DA employers' confederation have concluded an "implementation agreement" on the Directive, effective from February 2000, which means that it now in practice covers all employees. Accordingly, the "Danish model" should be able to survive successfully.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Denmark: Industrial relations in shipbuilding in Denmark<#PDF_LINK>

  The once powerful Danish shipbuilding industry, which had thousands of employees and yards in all regions of the country, has witnessed a fatal decline in orders for new ships, and many shipbuilding yards have shut down over recent decades. This is mainly due to severe competition from South Korea, which Denmark, together with the other shipbuilding countries in the EU and the trade unions, accuses of unfair competition in form of state subsidies and unrealistically low prices. However, new modern industries are growing where shipbuilding once ruled, and Danish shipyards are being taken over by the windmill industry. This article reviews the situation at the beginning of 2000.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Denmark: Unlawful strike by bus drivers<#PDF_LINK>

  Denmark's exceptionally peaceful 2000 collective bargaining round had hardly been completed in February, when an unlawful industrial dispute broke out in the transport sector. Highly unusually, bus drivers across the country took strike action in protest against the SiD trade union. The drivers wished to express their discontent with the agreement concluded between SiD and the employers, and especially the working time rules which they considered a step backwards in relation to the previous agreement.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Spain: Bargaining brings changes in pay structures<#PDF_LINK>

  In 1999, Spanish collective bargaining brought important changes in the area of pay structures, according to the social partners. Employers highlight the move away from seniority supplements, while the trade unions stress the reintroduction of wage revision clauses linked to inflation, and these are set to be key issues in bargaining in 2000.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Spain: Strike ends at MSP coal mines<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, an agrement was reached to bring to an end a 65-day strike at the MSP private coal-mining company in León, Spain. The workers achieved some of their demands.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Spain: Agreement finally reached for savings banks<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, after 23 months of bargaining, the trade unions and employers' associations in the Spanish savings banks sector signed a new "transitional" collective agreement. Seniority supplements and inflation-linked wage revision clauses have been maintained, as have most existing working hours arrangements.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Spain: Lengthy conflict continues at RENFE<#PDF_LINK>

  Since late 1998, management and trade unions in Spain's national railway company (RENFE) have been involved in a dispute over a new collective agreement, which had not yet been resolved in January 2000. The social partners have different views on the future of the company and there are also divisions between the trade unions.

• 28 Jan 2000
  EU Level: Helsinki Council discusses employment, enlargement and institutional reform<#PDF_LINK>

  The Finnish Presidency of the EU culminated in the Helsinki European Council summit which was held on 10–11 December 1999. Discussions focused on employment creation, enlargement and reform of the EU institutions.

• 28 Jan 2000
  EU Level: Portuguese Presidency sets out employment priorities<#PDF_LINK>

  The Portuguese government has announced its priorities for its Presidency of the European Council during the first six months of 2000. Its employment and social affairs objectives include an extraordinary European Council on employment, economic reform and social cohesion, which aims to assess progress in this area and chart future policies. Other priorities include action to improve social inclusion and equality.

• 28 Jan 2000
  EU Level: ETUC adopts resolution on review of EWCs Directive<#PDF_LINK>

  The executive committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) adopted a resolution in December 1999, outlining the areas it would like to see included in a review of the European Works Councils Directive.

• 28 Jan 2000
  EU Level: ECJ rules that women should be allowed to join German army<#PDF_LINK>

  In a judgment given on 11 January 2000, the European Court of Justice ruled that German legislation barring women from employment involving the use of arms in the German army is contrary to the Community principle of equal treatment between men and women, although derogations concerning certain special combat units are possible.

• 28 Jan 2000
  EU Level: ETUC seeks action from Portuguese Presidency on a range of initiatives<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2000, the European Trade Union Confederation published its recommendations for action during the Portuguese Presidency of the European Council. It believes that the Presidency should be seeking to create full employment and wants to see progress on the draft Directive on national employee information and consultation rights. In addition, ETUC is keen for progress on the recently-announced Article 13 anti-discrimination package and action on a number of social affairs issues.

• 28 Jan 2000
  EU Level: Divergent views on future role of social dialogue<#PDF_LINK>

  Over much of 1999, there were indications of continuing differences between the European Trade Union Confederation and the European private sector employers' organisation UNICE over the agenda and role of the EU-level social dialogue process. This feature reviews the current state of the debate.

• 28 Jan 2000
  EU Level: Commission sets out proposals for IGC<#PDF_LINK>

  On 26 January 2000, the European Commission presented its opinion on the areas of institutional reform which will be covered by the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference. The Commission's suggestions concerning the extension of qualified majority voting would have a considerable impact on decision-making in the area of social policy. Other proposals cover the reform of the European Parliament, the Commission and the voting procedure in the Council of Ministers.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Finland: Metalworkers prepared to strike<#PDF_LINK>

  Negotiations in the metalworking sector, which is taking the lead in Finland's 2000 sectoral collective bargaining round, were temporarily suspended in mid-January due to disagreement about wages and trade union demands for an extra paid day off per year. The Finnish Metalworkers' Union has authorised the issuing of a strike threat if a satisfactory solution is not found.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Finland: Agreement in metalworking sets trend for bargaining round<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2000, a new one-year collective agreement was signed in the Finnish metalworking sector, which will increase labour costs by 3.1%. Similar pay agreements were subsequently concluded in other sectors such as construction and commerce.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Talks on 35-hour week in civil service<#PDF_LINK>

  Negotiations between the Ministry for the Civil Service and trade unions on the implementation of a 35-hour working week in the French civil service were finally due to commence in mid-January 2000. The government is hoping that a framework agreement covering the three sectors of the civil service (the state, regional and local government, and hospitals) can be signed quickly, but the unions are tying their endorsement of any agreement to a government commitment on jobs.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Slight increase in minimum benefits for uninsured unemployed<#PDF_LINK>

  French unemployed associations used the 1999-2000 Christmas and New Year period to demand an increase in minimum social security benefits, as they had done in 1997-8. The government responded by raising the three types of minimum benefits for unemployed people not covered by unemployment insurance by 2%. This was judged insufficient by the organisations concerned.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Elections of employee representatives in education sector<#PDF_LINK>

  Elections were held in December 1999 for employee representatives on joint committees in the French public education, teaching and vocational guidance sector. Coming one year after major industrial unrest in the public education system, the results of the elections were eagerly awaited. The FSU trade union federation, which is opposed to current education reforms, maintained its leading position.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Report launches new stage in pensions debate<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2000, France's Economic and Social Council adopted a report on the reform of the pensions system. The report takes a very different approach to that of the controversial earlier Charpin report, the other main contribution to the government's thinking on this issue. The majority of trade unions (except CFDT) are in favour of the new report, but employers voted against it. The government is due to announce the main lines of its reform proposals in February 2000.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: New agreement signed in banking<#PDF_LINK>

  On 10 January 2000, the Association of French Banks (AFB) and the trade unions signed a new collective agreement for the banking sector. Although the new agreement constitutes a step backwards from the previous one - which had been terminated by the employers - in some respects, it is still an advance on French labour law provisions. However, the deal does not address the fundamental issue of the implementation of the 35-hour working week.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Debate continues over a new social constitution and the future of the parity principle<#PDF_LINK>

  Since France's MEDEF employers' confederation unveiled its proposals for a "new social constitution" in November 1999, a full-scale debate has been taking place between the social partners, political leaders and intellectuals over the place and role of the social partners in public life. Between late December 1999 and late January 2000, this debate was marked by three major events.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Universal Healthcare Insurance introduced<#PDF_LINK>

  France's new system of Universal Health Insurance (CMU) came into effect in January 2000. This system provides totally free healthcare to those with incomes of not more than FRF 3,500 a month. Over and above the 6 million people directly affected by the new scheme, the CMU will have an impact on the way the whole French health system operates. Industrial relations implications include a new obligation on employers with a workforce of over 50 to negotiate on top-up health insurance cover with their employees.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Strikes hit the hospital sector<#PDF_LINK>

  All the trade unions in France's state-run hospital sector called a nationwide strike on 28 January 2000, demanding improved working conditions, more jobs and budget increases. This was the first time in 20 years that the unions in this sector had issued a joint strike call. The industrial action, the scale of which remains to be seen, had been expected and the issues behind the strike, linked to budgetary restrictions and organisational restructuring are not new.

• 28 Jan 2000
  France: Law on the 35-hour week is in force<#PDF_LINK>

  From 1 February 2000, France's statutory working week was reduced from 39 to 35 hours for all companies employing over 20 people, following the promulgation of the second "Aubry" law on 19 January 2000. Held up by the government as one of its flagship job-creation measures, the complicated new law attempts to fuse two imperatives - company modernisation (with the introduction of new forms of flexibility in working time) and appropriate protection for employees in this new context. The legislation has met with a mixed reaction from the social partners.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Greece: Work of expert committee on working time reduction reaches impasse<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, an "expert bargaining committee" set up by Greek trade unions and employers' organisations to investigate the potential for implementation of a 35-hour working week without loss of pay, held its final meeting. The committee's efforts to reach common conclusions proved unsuccessful.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Greece: EMU entry at a higher exchange rate will place greater pressure on the labour market<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2000, the Greek government announced that it will join the third stage of EMU in 2001 with a higher drachma-euro exchange rate than previously announced. This decision is seen by the financial markets and the government itself as a sign of strength of the Greek economy. Nevertheless, as the productivity of labour in Greece lags behind the European average, it is predicted that mounting pressure will be put on wages, and structural reform in the labour market will accelerate.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Ireland: 16% pay rise at Dunnes Stores seen as bid to retain staff<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2000, Dunnes Stores became the latest of Ireland's large multiple retailers to increase or "restructure" its wage rates to attract and retain staff, as well as preparing for the introduction of a statutory national minimum wage later in the year.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Ireland: Survey finds strong support for pay moderation and social partnership<#PDF_LINK>

  With the social partners engaged in negotiations on a successor to Ireland's three-year national programme,Partnership 2000, a survey of industrial relations practitioners conducted in November 1999 has identified pay moderation as the single most important feature of such agreements.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Ireland: Partnership agreements may point way forward<#PDF_LINK>

  A survey published in December 1999 found 68 local "partnership" agreements that had been concluded in line with chapter 9 ofPartnership 2000- Ireland's current three-year national pact. These deals commonly include the establishment of partnership bodies and agreement on major change, such as teamworking or the introduction of "world-class manufacturing", often in return for innovative pay mechanisms.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Italy: Flexible working time introduced at Zf Marine in Padova<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, Italian metalworkers' trade unions and the German-owned car component manufacturer, Zf Marine, located in Padova, signed an innovative agreement introducing extremely flexible working time, linked to productivity and market goals.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Italy: Confindustria supports referenda on labour market liberalisation<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2000, Italy's Confindustria employers' confederation declared itself in favour of a number of referenda on issues relating to liberalisation of the labour market.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Italy: Goodyear to close Latina plant<#PDF_LINK>

  The US multinational Goodyear has announced that, starting from February 2000, its Italian plant at Cisterna (Latina) will close and over 500 workers will thus be made redundant. The trade unions requested the suspension of the redundancy procedure and the opening of negotiations with the Ministry of Industry.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Italy: New tax rules aim to foster supplementary pensions<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, the Italian government issued a legislative decree aimed at promoting supplementary social security schemes. The decree permits a 12% tax deduction for contributions to such schemes and sets at 11% the taxation of earnings from occupational pension funds. The decree also provides for the possibility of using the end-of-service allowance (Tfr) to contribute to occupational pension funds.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Italy: Pilot project on continuing training presented in the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sector<#PDF_LINK>

  On 13 January 2000, sectoral employers' associations and trade unions jointly presented a pilot project for continuing training in the Italian chemicals and pharmaceuticals industry. This initiative, which is innovative in the Italian context, will involve 25 companies and around 1,000 workers. The main objective of the project is to enable companies and workers to adapt rapidly to change and to globalisation. The pilot project, which has been welcomed by the undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, may receive funding from the Ministry, and firms and workers will also contribute to its financing.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Italy: Employment-related provisions of budget law for 2000<#PDF_LINK>

  Italy's budget law for 2000 was approved in December 1999. The government's aim in the budget is to foster the growth of the Italian economy and to continue with the policy of redeeming the public debt. The law's provisions include a reduction of the tax burden and of labour costs, an expansion of temporary agency work, and an increase in social security contributions for freelance workers.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Luxembourg: Statutory holiday pay dispute resolved<#PDF_LINK>

  The industrial relations climate in Luxembourg in the second half of 1999 was soured by a fundamental disagreement over the issue of payment for work when a statutory holiday falls on a Sunday. Following the presentation in December 1999 of draft legislation by the Minister of Labour which supported the trade union line, the Employers' Liaison Committee backed down on the grounds that it wanted to show goodwill and re-establish social dialogue.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Luxembourg: Collective agreement signed for cleaning sector<#PDF_LINK>

  A three-year collective agreement in the Luxembourg cleaning sector, signed in December 1999, has introduced a three-month reference period for working time flexibility and guaranteed workers a working week of no more than five days.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Luxembourg: Legislation will regulate working time in hotels and catering<#PDF_LINK>

  With the social partners unable to agree on working time in Luxembourg's hotels and catering sector through collective agreement, the Minister of Labour announced in December 1999 that he will be introducing legislation on the issue over the next few years.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Luxembourg: CGFP and new government wish to re-establish real social dialogue<#PDF_LINK>

  With negotiations on a new agreement on terms and conditions of employment in the public sector getting underway in December 1999, the incoming minister for the public sector and the CGFP trade union confederation are seeking a return to "real social dialogue".

• 28 Jan 2000
  Luxembourg: Disagreement over early retirement in iron and steel<#PDF_LINK>

  At a meeting of Luxembourg's iron and steel sector employment supervisory committee in December 1999, fundamental disagreements were expressed concerning early retirement for employees born after 1945.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Netherlands: Violence against staff under debate on railways<#PDF_LINK>

  Increasing numbers of violent attacks against the staff of Dutch Railways have been a cause for concern among employees for some years. Following two high-profile assaults in December 1999 and January 2000 - the first of which sparked a wildcat strike - discussions between management and trade unions have resulted in an agreement on a series of anti-aggression measures.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Netherlands: Multinational reorganisation decisions increasingly removed from union and works council influence<#PDF_LINK>

  In late 1999, labour unrest hit three Dutch-based multinationals, Philips, Akzo Nobel and Corus, as a result of reorganisation decisions no longer being made in consultation with local trade unions and works councils. Decision-making had shifted to a higher level, rendering discussions between local management and employee representatives inconsequential. Such conflicts are seen as a break with the consensus-based Dutch" polder model", which places value on both employer and employee interests. Corporate policy now seems to place increasing weight on shareholder interests.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Norway: EU Directive on posted workers implemented<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, the Norwegian parliament approved a legislative proposal to transpose the 1996 EU Directive concerning the posting of workers. The implementation will mean only minor alterations to the present Norwegian legal framework.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Norway: Labour market stagnated in 1999<#PDF_LINK>

  1999 marked a turning point in the Norwegian labour market, the Director of Labour stated in December 1999, although the negative developments were not as significant as envisaged in 1998. Relatively stable employment levels and a continuing, but modest, growth in the overall unemployment rate are expected in 2000.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Norway: Moderate wage growth achieved in 1999<#PDF_LINK>

  The new report of Norway's Technical Calculating Committee on Income Settlements, published in January 2000, indicates that wage growth stood at 4.75% in 1999. This was achieved within the moderate framework set by the public committee that laid the basis for 1999's pay settlement, and wage growth was significantly lower than in 1998.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Norway: Crisis in Norwegian shipbuilding<#PDF_LINK>

  Since 1998 the Norwegian shipbuilding industry has witnessed dramatic reductions in orders and significant losses of income. The industry experienced a similar crisis in the 1970s and managed to survive increasing international competition and loss of market share by readjusting its production. We review the situation in early 2000.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Portugal: Economic and Social Council resumes tripartite dialogue<#PDF_LINK>

  Tripartite social dialogue in Portugal was relaunched in January 2000, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. There is to be no new overall pact to follow the 1996-9 Strategic Concertation Pact, but agreements will be sought on specific topics. Issues tied to incomes policy have deliberately been left out and agreements are to be more circumscribed than in the past, both in time and content.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Portugal: Industrial relations in the Portuguese shipbuilding industry<#PDF_LINK>

  In 2000, trade unions and employers in the Portuguese shipbuilding industry are trying out new strategies in response to the crisis the sector is experiencing. Strategies revolve around: internal organisational restructuring; changes in collective bargaining, such as decentralisation and new topics for negotiation; and recourse to new human resources practices, such as outsourcing.

• 28 Jan 2000
  Sweden: Commissioner investigates new system of individual skill development<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 1999, the Swedish government appointed a commissioner to examine and propose a new system for individual skill development. The proposal may involve a kind of "account" for skill-development funding that follows individuals throughout their working life, irrespective of changes in work and employment.

• 28 Jan 2000
  United Kingdom: UK implements European Works Councils Directive<#PDF_LINK>

  Regulations to implement the European Works Councils Directive in the UK came into force in January 2000. Following consultations on draft Regulations published in July 1999, the government made a number of changes to its original proposals.

• 28 Jan 2000
  United Kingdom: Uncertainty over anniversary uprating of national minimum wage<#PDF_LINK>

  In the run-up to the April 2000 first anniversary of the introduction of the national minimum wage in the UK, there is trade union disquiet at signals that government ministers have ruled out increasing its current rate in 2000.

• 28 Jan 2000
  United Kingdom: The impact of the 1998 Working Time Regulations<#PDF_LINK>

  UK employers have introduced a number of important changes to working time arrangements in recent years to improve performance and competitiveness, and the 1998 Working Time Regulations were widely seen as providing a further stimulus to major change. However, a major survey of employers conducted in the summer of 1999 shows that employers have so far focused on securing "flexibilities" to minimise the impact of the legislation. As a result, long-hours working remains common and there have been only limited signs of innovations such as annualised hours. Nevertheless, the implications of the legislation are likely to be much more significant in the medium to longer term.

• 28 Jan 2000
  United Kingdom: The impact of the 1998 Working Time Regulations<#PDF_LINK>

  UK employers have introduced a number of important changes to working time arrangements in recent years to improve performance and competitiveness, and the 1998 Working Time Regulations were widely seen as providing a further stimulus to major change. However, a major survey of employers conducted in the summer of 1999 shows that employers have so far focused on securing "flexibilities" to minimise the impact of the legislation. As a result, long-hours working remains common and there have been only limited signs of innovations such as annualised hours. Nevertheless, the implications of the legislation are likely to be much more significant in the medium to longer term.

• 28 Jan 2000
  United Kingdom: Evidence of further decline of the British shop steward?<#PDF_LINK>

  This feature highlights the key findings of the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey concerning the extent and role of workplace representatives in the UK. The survey shows that in most British workplaces there are no shop stewards or other type of employee representatives present, and that where they do exist they are seen as largely ineffective.