March 2002
- 28 Mar 2002
Austria: Industrial relations in posts and telecommunications examined<#PDF_LINK>Industrial relations in the Austrian posts and telecommunications sector have developed in a dynamic way since market liberalisation in 1998. For employers, this has involved the rise of competition between firms in a new market. From the viewpoint of trade unions, it has primarily meant establishing collective bargaining in a new sector. Overall, the privatisation of the former state telecommunications and postal services monopoly has led to a significant change in industrial relations.
- 28 Mar 2002
France: General practitioners dispute continues<#PDF_LINK>Disputes over general practitioners' consultation fees continued in France in March 2002. An agreement on new rates signed in January by the CNAMTS sickness insurance funds and one of the two general practitioners' associations was rejected by other association, which has continued to organise action, such as refusing to work on-call at night or at weekends. Furthermore, a minority of doctors are systematically charging fees in excess of the going rate. Meanwhile, the authorities are continuing to establish a new system of organising the relationship between the sickness insurance funds and doctors, and disputes in other parts of the health sector are still at serious levels.
- 28 Mar 2002
France: Temporary agency work abused in automobile industry<#PDF_LINK>Over 2001 and 2002, a number of industrial tribunal rulings have highlighted theabusiveuse of temporary agency work in the French automobile industry. The use of agency workers is widespread in this sector, and tribunals have found that in some cases this has exceeded the bounds of the law.
- 28 Mar 2002
EU Countries: Comparative overview of industrial relations in 2001<#PDF_LINK>This record provides a comparative overview of industrial relations developments across the European union and Norway in 2001.
- 28 Mar 2002
Italy: Uil congress held as government-union dispute intensifies<#PDF_LINK>Uil, one of Italy's three main trade union confederations, held its 13th national congress in March 2002 in Turin. The congress was dominated by the conflict between the unions and the government on the latter's proposals for reform of the labour market, the pension system and the tax system. Debate at the congress also highlighted the political divisions between the three union confederations.
- 28 Mar 2002
Finland: Debate on education and training policy guidelines<#PDF_LINK>In March 2002, a Finnish parliamentary working group on adult education and training submitted a proposal for raising education and skill levels. The SAK trade union confederation finds the proposal significant from the perspective of helping employees cope at work and improving employment opportunities. The TT employers' confederation has presented its own programme for raising the level ofknow-howin Finland.
- 28 Mar 2002
Sweden: Swedish unions welcome Telia-Sonera merger<#PDF_LINK>On 26 March 2002, the Swedish telecommunications company Telia announced a proposed merger with the Finnish Sonera, with Telia the senior partner in the operation. The proposed merged company would be the largest telecommunications operator in the Nordic countries and Baltic states. Trade union representatives at Telia immediately stated that they were in favour of the merger.
- 27 Mar 2002
Luxembourg: New pay agreement signed in public sector<#PDF_LINK>In March 2002, the Luxembourg government and the CGFP trade union confederation signed a three-year agreement for around 40,000 public sector workers, providing for an annual pay rise of 1.6% .
- 27 Mar 2002
Norway: Government wants more women on company boards<#PDF_LINK>The Norwegian government approved in March 2002 measures to increase the number of women on the boards of private and public companies. Within a year, at least 40% of the board members in state-owned enterprises must be women. A 40% quota will also be imposed by law in private companies in 2005, if this level of women's representation has not been achieved voluntarily by then.
- 27 Mar 2002
Norway: Nurses strike ends in compulsory arbitration<#PDF_LINK>On 5 March 2002, the Norwegian government announced that it would ask parliament to pass compulsory arbitration legislation to end a national strike by nurses. The strike, which had begun on 22 January, ended immediately.
- 27 Mar 2002
Italy: The crisis of the 'new economy' and industrial relations<#PDF_LINK>In the early months of 2002, various Italian internet and other new economybusinesses reacted to the crisis in the sector by threatening job losses or closures. As a consequence, workers approached the trade unions and resorted to innovative forms of action and communication. Are we therefore witnessing the birth of industrial relations in a sector to date largely based on the individual employment relationship?
- 26 Mar 2002
Belgium: Social security contributions, wages and labour market feature in run-up to central bargaining<#PDF_LINK>With negotiations over a new intersectoral agreement due later in the year, the debate in Belgium in spring 2002 has focused on social security contributions, the growth of wage costs and labour market participation. On the first point, the federal government has in recent years taken measures to reduce employers' social security contributions substantially. However, employers continue to complain about their competitive position, while trade unions believe that social security benefits are too low.
- 26 Mar 2002
Greece: Action over employment conditions in media sector<#PDF_LINK>Since the beginning of December 2001, there has been increased industrial relations tension in the Greek press and other mass media, resulting in two 24-hour national strikes in February and March 2002. Here we outline the main problems concerning employment conditions in the sector, trade union demands and the main provisions of a new enterprise-level agreement signed at the ALTER television channel in March 2002, which is seen as an example of good practice.
- 26 Mar 2002
France: French trade unions and the World Social Forum<#PDF_LINK>Many trade unionists took part in the second World Social Forum held in Porto Alegre, Brazil in January-February 2002 as an alternative to the World Economic Forum. French trade unions were widely represented and we review their involvement in this initiative.
- 26 Mar 2002
Finland: Controversy over large dividends for shareholders following pay cuts<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, a Finnish shipping company, Viking Line, decided to distribute large dividends to its shareholders, pointing to its improved results as justification. A central factor underlying these increased profits is a new, cheaper collective agreement, aimed at averting theoutflaggingof Finnish vessels. Furthermore, the government has granted subsidies to merchant shipping from the beginning of 2002. Viking Line employees and the Finnish Seafarers' Union have expressed outrage at the company's actions.
- 26 Mar 2002
Spain: Survey finds general satisfaction with work, but little autonomy and participation<#PDF_LINK>In early 2002, the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs published the results of its 2001 Survey of Quality of Life at Work (ECVT). The most outstanding findings are that the majority of employed persons tend to consider themselves satisfied with their work, though a similar proportion perceive major shortcomings with regard to issues such as integration, autonomy and participation. The results show considerable variations according to occupational category, sector, sex and age.
- 26 Mar 2002
Denmark: Increased flexibility for families 'may be a set-back for gender equality'<#PDF_LINK>Since coming to office in late 2001, Denmark's new Liberal-Conservative coalition government has taken a number of initiatives aimed at creating a higher degree of flexibility for families with small children. It has proposed promoting part-time work, extending maternity/childcare leave and paying families to look after their own children. However, equality researchers and some trade unions claim that these measures may turn out to be a set-back for gender equality.
- 26 Mar 2002
Denmark: Government tables proposals for labour market integration of immigrants<#PDF_LINK>In March 2002, the Danish government issued new proposals for improving the integration of immigrants and refugees, based on the view that the best way towards successful integration is through the labour market. Newly-arrived refugees and immigrants should be given practical work experience in enterprises as soon as possible and Danish language teaching should be provided at the workplace. Moreover, a special introductory starting wage should be paid when the people concerned start ordinary jobs. The social partners disagree with various parts of the proposal.
- 25 Mar 2002
Italy: Marco Biagi, government labour law consultant, murdered<#PDF_LINK>On 19 March 2002, Marco Biagi, an Italian labour law and industrial relations expert and government consultant, was murdered by terrorists. He was one of the group responsible for drafting the government's controversial White Paper on labour market reform. His murder brought condemnation and protests from all parties in Italian industrial relations.
- 25 Mar 2002
Ireland: 2001 Annual Review for Ireland<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Ireland.
- 25 Mar 2002
Germany: 2001 Annual Review for Germany<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Germany.
- 25 Mar 2002
Portugal: 2001 Annual Review for Portugal<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Portugal
- 25 Mar 2002
France: 2001 Annual Review for France<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in France.
- 25 Mar 2002
Finland: 2001 Annual Review for Finland<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Finland.
- 25 Mar 2002
Greece: 2001 Annual Review for Greece<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Greece.
- 25 Mar 2002
Denmark: 2001 Annual Review for Denmark<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Denmark.
- 21 Mar 2002
Sweden: 2001 Annual Review for Sweden<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Sweden.
- 21 Mar 2002
Austria: 2001 Annual Review for Austria<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Austria.
- 21 Mar 2002
Italy: 2001 Annual Review for Italy<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Italy.
- 21 Mar 2002
United Kingdom: 2001 Annual Review for the UK<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews the main industrial relations developments in the UK during 2001.
- 21 Mar 2002
Luxembourg: 2001 Annual Review for Luxembourg<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Luxembourg.
- 21 Mar 2002
Norway: 2001 Annual Review for Norway<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Norway.
- 21 Mar 2002
EU Level: 2001 Annual Review for the European Union level<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews the major social and employment policy events at European Union level during 2001.
- 20 Mar 2002
United Kingdom: Teachers awarded above-inflation pay increases<#PDF_LINK>In January 2002, a report by the School Teachers' Review Body recommended an increase of 3.5% in pay and allowances for teachers in England and Wales, effective from April 2002, together with changes enabling faster progression through the main pay scale.
- 20 Mar 2002
EU Level: Barcelona summit assesses labour market progress<#PDF_LINK>European heads of state and employment ministers met in Barcelona on 15–16 March 2002 for the annual spring European Council to discuss economic, social and environment issues. The Council praised the progress made by the EU employment strategy but noted that more needed to be done to achieve the targets set by the Lisbon and Stockholm Councils in 2000 and 2001, and outlined a number of priority actions
- 20 Mar 2002
EU Level: Commission issues labour market mobility action plan<#PDF_LINK>The European Commission issued in February 2002 an action plan designed to increase labour market mobility within the EU. In the plan, which builds on the recent recommendations of the high-level task force on skills and labour mobility, the Commission sets out action plans in the areas of improving occupational mobility, improving geographical mobility and improving access to information on employment around the EU.
- 19 Mar 2002
Ireland: Irish Congress of Trade Unions expels UK-based union<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions formally expelled the UK-based Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) for refusing to conform with a directive forbidding the recruitment of electricians in the Republic of Ireland. The expulsion coincided with a merger between AEEU and another UK-based union, Manufacturing Science Finance (MSF) , which has made matters more complex.
- 19 Mar 2002
Sweden: Legislation proposed on protection of personal integrity at work<#PDF_LINK>In March 2002, a commissioner appointed by the Swedish government submitted a proposal for a new law on the protection of personal integrity and privacy in working life. Under the proposal, the protection of the personal integrity of employees, job applicants and former employees would be strengthened in two main areas - the use of information technology, and medical examinations and drug tests. For example, there would be a general ban on employers reading employees' personal e-mail.
- 19 Mar 2002
Germany: Ver.di seeks to give prostitutes a voice<#PDF_LINK>In January 2002, the German Unified Service Sector Union (ver.di), announced a plan to help prostitutes to improve their living and working conditions. The union is seeking to help sex industry workers to take advantage of a new law which came into force at the beginning of 2002, which makes it easier for prostitutes to gain access to the social security system and to claim compensation in court. Ver.di has also started to recruit prostitutes in Dortmund and taken the initiative to set up a works council in a Hamburg brothel.
- 19 Mar 2002
United Kingdom: Restructuring and job cuts in the telecoms sector<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, substantial job cuts were announced by British Telecom and its now demerged mobile phone business, mm02, affecting employees in the UK and Germany. This feature examines the background to the job cuts and the wider restructuring currently taking place within the telecommunications sector across Europe.
- 19 Mar 2002
United Kingdom: Conference debates union renewal and links with Labour<#PDF_LINK>In March 2002, a conference held by the Unions 21 network debated the challenges facing the British trade union movement and asked how unions might act to win support and influence among workers, employers and the government. This feature looks at some of the key issues and debates that emerged during the conference.
- 17 Mar 2002
Norway: Suspense as 2002 bargaining round approaches<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) issued its demands for the spring bargaining round. The 2002 wage settlement will see all the current two-year national sectoral collective agreements renegotiated, and the outcome is awaited with some suspense, not least in the public sector, where a number of groups have warned of significant pay demands. Furthermore, employers are seeking a decentralisation of bargaining.
- 17 Mar 2002
Netherlands: Agreement follows strikes and mediation in childcare<#PDF_LINK>Following a series of one-day strikes, a new collective agreement for the Dutch childcare sector was concluded through a process of mediation in January 2002. This brought an end to a dispute which had seen a split among the trade unions and an unsuccessful effort by employers to prevent industrial action through recourse to the courts.
- 17 Mar 2002
Netherlands: New legislation enhances employment rights<#PDF_LINK>2001 saw a raft of new legislative measures in the Netherlands, aimed at improving employees' protection and rights. These included: new rights for fixed-term contract workers; a right to refuse Sunday working; new entitlements to leave for care purposes; and measures to combat discrimination on grounds of disability and age.
- 13 Mar 2002
Sweden: Merger moves among blue-collar unions<#PDF_LINK>In January 2002, the Swedish Municipal Workers' Union, the largest affiliate of the LO blue-collar trade union confederation, merged with the much smaller Agricultural Workers' Union. Several other mergers are under consideration among LO member unions. Three unions representing electricians, graphical workers and service and communication workers are moving towards a probable merger, while unions representing transport and commerce workers started examining the issue in late 2001.
- 13 Mar 2002
Sweden: Court finds against employer in right of association case<#PDF_LINK>In a ruling issued in January 2002, the Swedish Labour Court awarded damages against his employer to a worker at a paper plant owned by Klippan AB, who was also a trade union representative. The Court found that the company had wrongfully given the employee notice of dismissal. Among other issues, the Court had to judge whether there had been a violation of the employee's (and trade union's) right of association, and it found that such an infringement had occurred.
- 13 Mar 2002
Luxembourg: Gender pay gap narrows<#PDF_LINK>Official figures from Luxembourg's STATEC statistical service, issued in February 2002, indicate that the pay gap between men and women is narrowing fast.
- 13 Mar 2002
Netherlands: Variable pay under debate<#PDF_LINK>Variable pay schemes were in the news in the Netherlands in February 2002. Employers' representatives contested research findings published by KPMG Consulting, questioning the value of performance-related pay. Meanwhile, at Philips, management and the central works council are in dispute over the company's share-option scheme for managers.
- 13 Mar 2002
Sweden: Confederation of Swedish Enterprise agrees principles for managing directors' remuneration<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the board of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise adopted new principles for the remuneration of managing directors in companies listed on the Swedish stock exchange. This initiative partly resulted from a public controversy over the size of pay-offs made to two former managing directors of the ABB engineering group.
- 13 Mar 2002
Portugal: Parties' industrial relations and employment policies outlined<#PDF_LINK>A general election is to be held in Portugal on 17 March 2002. We highlight the contents of the main political parties' manifestoes in the area of employment and industrial relations.
- 13 Mar 2002
Norway: Government proposes relaxing overtime regulations<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Norwegian government made public proposals to relax current legislative provisions concerning overtime work, to exempt senior managers from the employment protection provisions of the Act on worker protection and the working environment, and to deregulate shop opening hours.
- 13 Mar 2002
Italy: Alitalia announces 2,600 redundancies<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Italian airline Alitalia initiated a statutory procedure which may result in 2,600 redundancies, after negotiations with trade unions on labour cost reductions failed. Management and unions now have until May to reach an agreement to reduce labour costs and prevent job losses, or the redundancies will be implemented.
- 13 Mar 2002
Italy: Government and unions reach agreement for public sector<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Italian government and trade unions reached a general framework accord on the forthcoming renewal of national collective agreements for public sector workers. The agreement meets most trade union demands. Average wage increases have been set at 5.56% for 2002-3 and it has been established that collective bargaining takes precedence over legislation in the regulation of employment conditions.
- 13 Mar 2002
Italy: Collective agreement signed for chemicals industry<#PDF_LINK>A new national collective agreement for the Italian chemicals sector was signed in February 2002. The deal provides for an annual working time reduction of eight hours, an average monthly wage increase of EUR 88 over 2002-3 and the establishment of a supplementary health insurance fund, as well as containing new provisions on training and health, safety and the environment. The employers' associations and trade unions were highly satisfied with the terms of the agreement and the collaborative atmosphere which resulted in the settlement being reached quickly.
- 13 Mar 2002
EU Countries: Labour costs - annual update 2001<#PDF_LINK>In this annual update, we review levels and trends in hourly labour costs across the European Union (plus Norway) over 1999-2001. We find that the national data is very patchy, especially in terms of the absolute level of labour costs, though data from Eurostat and other sources fill some of the gaps. Average economy-wide total hourly labour costs vary by a factor of four across the 16 countries, with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden having the highest costs and Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal the lowest. On average, direct pay makes up two-thirds to three-quarters of total labour costs (depending on the measure used), with employers' social security contributions the next most important element - however, the structure of labour costs varies very considerably between countries. There has been a clear upward trend in increases in hourly labour costs over recent years, with the average rate of increase rising from 3.3% in 1999 to 3.8% in 2000 and 4.3% in 2001. In manufacturing industry and financial intermediation, labour costs are generally higher than the whole-economy average.
- 12 Mar 2002
United Kingdom: Directive on temporary agency work could damage flexibility, warn CBI and government<#PDF_LINK>During February 2002, employers' groups and the UK government voiced concern over the reported contents of the European Commission's forthcoming proposal for an EU Directive regulating temporary agency work, warning that the Commission's plans could cut across UK practice and damage labour market flexibility.
- 12 Mar 2002
Norway: NHO and HSH consider merger<#PDF_LINK>A merger of Norway's two largest private sector industry and employers' confederations, the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) and the Federation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises (HSH), may result from deliberations initiated by the two organisations' governing bodies in February 2002. The aim is to have the new organisation formally established on 1 January 2003.
- 12 Mar 2002
Ireland: Take-up of unpaid parental leave reaches 20%<#PDF_LINK>A survey on parental leave published in early 2002 found that, of the 6.74% of the Irish workforce eligible for the statutory unpaid leave, 20% had used it, mostly women. Furthermore, about 2% of the total workforce had used paidforce majeureleave for urgent family reasons. The survey was carried out for a working group charged with reviewing Ireland's parental leave legislation.
- 12 Mar 2002
Ireland: Disability cases clarify cost issue for employers<#PDF_LINK>Two disability discrimination decisions by the Irish Equality Officer, issued in early 2002, have begun to clarify the extent to which employers are obliged to incur extra costs to accommodate people with disabilities.
- 11 Mar 2002
Spain: Social security bodies to be integrated<#PDF_LINK>In April 2002, the Spanish government is due to place before parliament regulations to create a new National Social Security Agency, which will bring together the main bodies currently responsible for managing the social security system, paying benefits, and organising social assistance.
- 11 Mar 2002
Germany: Collective agreements signed in tourism<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, new collective agreements were signed in the German tourism industry, providing for a 2.4% pay increase, a new pension scheme and ahardship clause. With tourism facing severe problems in the wake of the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the USA, the new agreements seek to help the industry through the current hard times.
- 11 Mar 2002
Spain: CEOE holds assembly<#PDF_LINK>At its assembly in February 2002, Spain's CEOE employers' confederation re-elected José María Cuevas for his sixth term as president. Mr Cuevas took advantage of the occasion to criticise severely decentralisation to the regions, which he believes has stirred up regional differences and increased public expenditure, and to call for new liberalising reforms of strategic sectors such as energy and telecommunications, as well as of industrial relations and social protection.
- 11 Mar 2002
France: Work resumes at BN after three-week strike<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, workers at the Biscuiterie Nantaise (BN) biscuits factory near Nantes in France returned to work following a three-week strike, without the issues in question being resolved. The strike - which followed various management and ownership changes at the company - related mainly to pay and early retirement.
- 11 Mar 2002
France: 35-hour week law challenged by Council of Europe Committee<#PDF_LINK>Following an action brought by the CFE-CGC trade union confederation, the Council of Europe's European Committee of Social Rights reportedly found in early 2002 that the working time scheme for managerial and professional staff, as laid down in France's 2000 law on the 35-hour week, is in violation of the European Social Charter.
- 11 Mar 2002
France: Four unions set up employee savings committee<#PDF_LINK>In January 2002, four French trade union confederations - CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC and CGT - set up an Inter-union Employee Savings Committee to deal with new legislation on employee savings schemes, which will be subject to negotiations at company and sector level. The CGT-FO union confederation is not participating in the committee, which will seek to to protect employees' savings and promote socially responsible investments.
- 11 Mar 2002
France: Disputes at IKEA<#PDF_LINK>Staff at an IKEA store in Paris took strike action in February 2002, calling forrespect for individuals and the reopening of a dialogue between trades unions and management, along with the reinstatement of six employees who were claimed to have beensacked with no justification. However, management is not planning to go back on its decisions to dismiss the six workers.
- 11 Mar 2002
Denmark: Deadlock in municipal/county bargaining<#PDF_LINK>In early 2002's bargaining over new collective agreements in the Danish public sector, a compromise deal was reached in the state sector. Traditionally, the state sector agreement is followed fairly closely by the municipal/county sector, but in 2002 this failed to occur and municipal/county bargaining became deadlocked in February. This situation is unprecedented in the history of Danish public sector bargaining. Disagreement on the economic framework for a recently introduced new wage system led the union side to leave the municipal/county negotiating table and, for the first time ever, negotiations have been transferred to the Official Conciliation Service.
- 09 Mar 2002
EU Countries: Pay developments - annual update 2001<#PDF_LINK>In this annual update, we review broad trends in pay across the European Union (plus Norway) in 2000 and 2001. We find that average collectively agreed nominal pay increases rose from around 3.2% in 2000 to 3.5% in 2001 - though with major variations between countries. The rate of increase has been rising steadily since 1999, suggesting that paymoderationmay have come under sustained pressure in some countries (this was especially the case in theeuro-zonein 2001). However, taking into account increases in prices and productivity, it seems that moderation has generally persisted, though it is lessening. In sectoral terms, increases in metalworking and banking were well ahead of those in local government in 2000, but local governmentcaught upin 2001.
- 09 Mar 2002
EU Countries: Working time developments - annual update 2001<#PDF_LINK>In this annual update, we review developments in the length of working time across the European Union (plus Norway) in 2000 and 2001. We find that average collectively agreed weekly working time remained relatively stable at around 38.2 hours. Major working time reductions were absent across the EU over 2000-1, with the notable exception of the introduction of the 35-hour week in France. Agreed weekly hours are between 37 and 39 hours in 13 of the countries examined. In sectoral terms, agreed weekly hours are highest in metalworking, followed by local government and banking. Collectively agreed paid annual leave entitlement averages nearly 26 days.
- 07 Mar 2002
Austria: Social partners demand measures to combat illicit work<#PDF_LINK>A recent scandal in Austria over illegal employment practices in road haulage triggered a nationwide debate in early 2002 on measures to combat illicit work. Estimates indicate that the informal economy grew almost twice as fast as the formal economy in 2001. While both trade unions and employers' organisations demand that the government take action against illicit work, they disagree on the appropriate measures to tackle the growing informal economy.
- 07 Mar 2002
Germany: Employment-promotion scheme in metalworking in danger of collapse<#PDF_LINK>In 1998, employers in the Lower-Saxony metalworking industry and the IG Metall trade union concluded a collective agreement which promoted employment by allowing employees to reduce their working hours, with unemployed people recruited to fill the working time vacated. The employees involved receive a bonus as partial compensation for their loss of income, from a fund set up for this purpose, financed jointly by employers and employees. However, in early 2002 the scheme is in danger of collapse, following a decision by the Ministry of Finance that the bonuses to employees cutting their working time are subject to taxation.
- 07 Mar 2002
Belgium: Government relaunches social dialogue<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Belgian federal government agreed 21 economic and social priorities to be achieved by the end of the current legislature in mid-2003. A number of these measures should be taken up in the social partners in negotiations over a new intersectoral agreement for 2003-4, and Prime Minister Guy Verhofstad has launched dialogue with the partners over these matters.
- 07 Mar 2002
Spain: Lear to close Spanish plant<#PDF_LINK>In early 2002, the US-owned multinational, Lear, unexpectedly announced the closure of its electrical components plant at Cervera in Spain, which has a workforce of 1,200. The move has brought protests and allegations that the correct procedures have not been followed.
- 07 Mar 2002
EU Level: Conference debates social dialogue in the hospitals sector<#PDF_LINK>The EU-level social partners in the hospitals sector held a joint conference in February 2002 on the future of the social dialogue in their sector. They looked at the possibility of working towards formal EU-level dialogue and examined the issue of freedom of movement, agreeing to set up a taskforce to look into this issue.