February 2004
- 27 Feb 2004
Germany: Government issues annual economic report<#PDF_LINK>According to the annual economic report for 2004 published by the German government in January 2004, the chances of economic recovery have improved compared with 2003. The report is a statutory response to the annual report by the independent Council of Economic Advisors, which is presented to the government each November. The government argues that its Agenda 2010labour market and economic reforms constitute a basis for sustainable growth. In the report, the government, amongst other points, states its position with regard to collective bargaining policy.
- 27 Feb 2004
Germany: Effects of equal opportunities agreement assessed<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the German government and central business and employers' associations published a first assessment of an agreement they concluded in July 2001 to promote equal opportunities between men and women in the private sector. In the 2001 agreement, the business and employers' associations recommended that their members implement firm-level equal opportunity and family-friendly initiatives. All signatory parties believe that the agreement has had positive effects.
- 27 Feb 2004
Germany: 2003 collective bargaining round examined<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the WSI research institute presented its annual report on Germany's 2003 collective bargaining round. The study evaluates collective agreements concluded in 2003, affecting some 8.9 million employees, or about 44% of all those covered by a collective agreement. Another 9 million employees received pay increases in 2003 which had already been agreed in 2002. The average increase in wages and salaries was 2.5% in 2003, which was somewhat lower than the 2.7% increase of the previous year.
- 25 Feb 2004
EU Countries: Das Konzept der Jahresarbeitszeit in Europa<#PDF_LINK>Das Konzept der Arbeitszeit auf Jahresbasisoder der Jahresarbeitszeitermöglichen eine Berechnung und Planung der Arbeitszeit (und der Vergütung) eines Arbeitnehmers über den Zeitraum von einem Jahr (oder über einen längeren Zeitraum als eine Woche, wenn eine weitgefasste Definition verwendet wird). Dieses Mittel wird zur Durchsetzung flexibler Arbeitszeiten eingesetzt, die in einer Reihe europäischer Länder in den letzten Jahren zunehmend populär und auch von der EU in ihrer Politik und in ihren Empfehlungen gefördert wurden. In dieser Vergleichsstudie, die sich mit den Mitgliedstaaten der EU und mit Norwegen befasst, werden folgende Aspekte untersucht: die durch Gesetzgebung und Tarifvereinbarungen auferlegten gesetzlichen Rahmenbedingungen für die Jahresarbeitszeit, der Einsatz und die Verbreitung solcher Konzepte, die Auswirkungen der Jahresarbeitszeit in der Praxis, Ansichten und Strategien der Sozialpartner sowie die Aussichten für die Zukunft.
- 24 Feb 2004
EU Countries: Industrial relations in the EU, Japan and USA, 2002<#PDF_LINK>This overview compares a number of key aspects of industrial relations in the EU, Japan and USA, focusing particularly on developments in 2002.
- 24 Feb 2004
EU Level: Commission consults on review of working time Directive<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the European Commission issued a Communication on the re-examination of the 1993 EU working time Directive in which it invites comments from interested parties on the Directive’s reference periods for calculating average working time, the possibility of allowing individuals to opt out from the maximum 48-hour week, recent ECJ case law regarding on-call working, and measures to improve work-life balance. The European Parliament gave its response in February 2004, stating that the opt-out should be phased out.
- 24 Feb 2004
EU Level: Joint employment report assesses labour market performance<#PDF_LINK>The latest draft joint employment report, issued by the European Commission in January 2004, sets out the progress made by EU Member States in fulfilling the targets set by the European employment strategy and at the 2000 Lisbon European Council. It finds that there is a danger that these targets will not be met, despite progress in a number of areas, and sets out priorities for 2004.
- 23 Feb 2004
Austria: Electrical sector agrees first common pay system for blue- and white-collar workers<#PDF_LINK>In December 2003, a collective agreement was signed in the Austrian electrical and electronics sector providing for a common pay system for blue- and white-collar workers, which is seen as a milestone in terms of pay harmonisation for the two groups. It breaks with the tradition in all sectors of the economy of separate bargaining for blue- and white-collar workers, which has resulted in different pay grading schemes to the detriment of the former, since the classification of blue-collar workers' jobs has become increasingly inflexible and unrelated to the work actually performed. Moreover, the new agreement provides for an innovative pay increment scheme and for a proportion of the agreed pay increase to be distributed flexibly among employees at establishment level.
- 23 Feb 2004
Ireland: Falling union density 'generating individual claims overload'<#PDF_LINK>Participants at a conference in Dublin in January 2004 were told that a weakening of collective forms of employment regulation in Ireland, and a parallel individualisationof employment relations, is leading to an overload in the number of individual employees pursuing legal claims over employment rights. The result, it is claimed, is that established dispute resolution agencies are coming under strain, with alternative forms of dispute resolution required.
- 23 Feb 2004
United Kingdom: Union learning representatives profiled<#PDF_LINK>Statutory rights for union learning representativescame into force in the UK in April 2003. This feature reviews the latest evidence on the spread, activities and impact of this new kind of workplace representative.
- 23 Feb 2004
United Kingdom: Gender pay gap examined<#PDF_LINK>The gap between the average hourly earnings of men and women working full time in Great Britain narrowed in 2003, to 18%, continuing the trend of the last 20 years. This feature explores the different measures of the gender pay gap and the impact of policies designed to reduce expressions of gender inequality more broadly.
- 23 Feb 2004
United Kingdom: Employers and unions comment on draft UK consultation law<#PDF_LINK>This feature highlights the main points made by the TUC, CBI and other leading organisations in their November/December 2003 submissions to the UK government in response to the draft Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations.
- 16 Feb 2004
Cyprus: Ombudsman finds age-based discrimination at CYTA<#PDF_LINK>In November 2003, the national Ombudsman found that a decision by the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) to exclude three candidates from a recruitment procedure because they were over the age of 35 constituted direct discrimination on the basis of age, and should be re-examined.
- 16 Feb 2004
Cyprus: SEK proposes legally binding collective agreements<#PDF_LINK>In November 2003, the Cyprus Workers' Confederation (SEK) called for the contents of collective agreements to be made legally binding. Agreements are currently voluntary in nature and SEK believes that this will cause problems after Cyprus joins the EU in May 2004.
- 16 Feb 2004
Austria: Small growth in sickness absence in 2003<#PDF_LINK>Preliminary data for 2003, issued in January 2004, indicate a slight increase in sickness absence among Austrian employees, following some years of decline. The causes are not yet clear, and the issue is one of some disagreement between the social partners.
- 13 Feb 2004
Malta: Gender equality issues examined<#PDF_LINK>Recent years have seen significant efforts by the Maltese government to advance gender equality at work, such as the adoption of the Equality for Men and Women Act in 2003 and the creation of a National Commission for the Promotion of Equality for Men and Women in 2004. The social partners agree that men and women should be treated equally, and have undertaken various initiatives in this field, though gender equality does not figure very prominently in collective bargaining. Despite these developments, in practice equality for women at work and in the labour market is yet to be achieved.
- 13 Feb 2004
Slovakia: 2003 National Action Plan on employment examined<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the background and content of Slovakia's 2003 National Action Plan on employment, which represents the latest stage of the country's implementation of the EU's European employment strategy prior to accession in May 2004.
- 13 Feb 2004
Slovakia: Regulation of dismissals examined<#PDF_LINK>With dismissals increasingly frequent in Slovakia in recent years in the context of economic restructuring, this article examines their regulation. It looks at individual dismissal, collective redundancies and special provisions applying in the civil and public services. The law in this area has been changed, most recently in 2003, to reflect changing labour market conditions.
- 12 Feb 2004
Hungary: Collective bargaining trends in 2002-3<#PDF_LINK>According to a report on collective bargaining from the Hungarian Ministry of Employment and Labour, the proportion of employees covered by collective agreements fell by 5 percentage points from 2001 to 2002. In terms of the content of bargaining, many agreements concluded in 2002 included new provisions on flexible working hours, including the annualisation of working time. The scope of wage agreements further narrowed, especially in relation to enterprise-level minimum wages and wage rates. On the other hand, according to the MSZOSZ trade union confederation, enterprise-level wage agreements for 2003, where they were reached, were generally in line with a national tripartite recommendation on pay increases.
- 12 Feb 2004
Hungary: New working time regulations for healthcare workers<#PDF_LINK>New legislation on the working time of healthcare employees comes into force in Hungary on 1 May 2004 (the date it joins the EU). Among other issues, the law regulates maximum working time and the complicated issue of on-call service in the healthcare sector. The reaction of organisations representing healthcare employees to the new rules has been somewhat muted.
- 12 Feb 2004
Greece: GSEE issues demands for new National General Collective Agreement<#PDF_LINK>In December 2003, the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) invited employers' organisations to open bargaining on a new National General Collective Agreement to be signed in 2004. Its main demands include an 8% increase in minimum pay and working time reductions.
- 12 Feb 2004
Germany: Study examines income of top managers<#PDF_LINK>According to a study published in December 2003, the average annual income of management board members at Germany’s 30 leading companies was EUR 1.25 million in the 2002 financial year, an increases of 7.5% on 2001. Trade unions are calling for regular public monitoring of top management compensation.
- 12 Feb 2004
Hungary: Social partners may have greater input in parliament<#PDF_LINK>Following an initiative from the MGYOSZ employers' confederation in January 2004, it appears that the Hungarian social partners are likely to be granted the opportunity to have a regular say in parliamentary committee meetings and plenary sessions.
- 10 Feb 2004
Romania: Company-funded student grants proposed<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, a Romanian governmental body proposed a law which would introduce the possibility of privately-funded grants or scholarships for university students. Companies, for example, could fund scholarships in return for students agreeing to work for them after graduation. The aim of the proposal is to address calls for increased grants made by students during protests in autumn 2003.
- 10 Feb 2004
Denmark: Restructuring results in major redundancies in Northern Jutland<#PDF_LINK>Within the space of a week in January 2004, three large companies in Denmark's Northern Jutland region announced plant closures or restructuring, with 1,300 employees to be made redundant as a result. The job losses will have a significant impact on employment in the region and leave the labour market authorities and other parties involved with a major problem in finding new jobs or retraining for the redundant workers.
- 10 Feb 2004
Sweden: All LO unions to make work environment demands<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the blue-collar Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) decided that all its member trade unions should submit a uniform set of demands for an improved work environment in the 2004 sectoral collective bargaining round .
- 10 Feb 2004
EU Countries: L’annualisation du temps de travail en Europe<#PDF_LINK>Les régimes dits d’annualisation du temps de travailou d’horaires annualiséspermettent de calculer et de planifier le temps de travail (et le salaire) des salariés sur une période d’un an (ou toute autre période supérieure à une semaine, en adoptant une définition plus large). Ils visent à améliorer la flexibilité du temps de travail qui s’est révélée de plus en plus populaire dans un certain nombre de pays européens au cours de ces dernières années, et qui a été soutenue par la politique et les recommandations européennes. Cette étude comparative qui porte sur les États membres de l'UE et la Norvège, étudie le cadre réglementaire de l’annualisation du temps de travail établi tant par la loi que par les conventions collectives, la couverture et l’étendue de ces régimes, l’impact des horaires annualisés dans la pratique, les opinions et les stratégies des partenaires sociaux et les perspectives futures.
- 10 Feb 2004
Finland: Public sector trade unions plan merger<#PDF_LINK>Six Finnish public sector trade unions have decided to merge to form a single organisation with 250,000 members at the beginning of 2006, with the aim of achieving greater bargaining power. The merger is part of a wider trend towards consolidation among both trade unions and employers' organisations.
- 10 Feb 2004
Belgium: Jobs losses as Sobelair declared bankrupt<#PDF_LINK>Sobelair, a Belgian charter airline, was declared bankrupt in January 2004, two years after the failure of the national airline, Sabena, of which it had been a subsidiary. Administrators are attempting to find a serious candidate to take over Sobelair as a going concern, but its 480 employees have been made redundant.
- 10 Feb 2004
Italy: Workforce reduction agreement reached at ExxonMobil<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, trade unions and management at the Italian subsidiaries of the US-based ExxonMobil oil group signed an agreement on workforce reductions. The deal reduces substantially the number of redundancies earlier proposed by management, provides support to redundant workers and offers financial incentives to workers who leave the company voluntarily.
- 10 Feb 2004
Germany: Head of Federal Employment Service departs<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, Florian Gerster, the head of Germany’s Federal Employment Service, stepped down, following allegations of irregularities. Nevertheless, the government said that it would continue with the fundamental reforms of the agency started by Mr Gerster.
- 10 Feb 2004
Germany: Joint metalworking pensions fund hailed as a success<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the social partners in the German metalworking and electrical industry presented positive evaluations of the MetallRentesectoral occupational pension fund that they jointly established in 2001. Some 100,000 employees and 5,500 companies are now involved in the scheme, which has been named Europe's best industry-wide pension fund by a specialist magazine.
- 10 Feb 2004
Germany: Latest employment figures published<#PDF_LINK>January 2004 saw the publication of preliminary official figures on employment developments in Germany in 2003. While the number of people in employment fell by 1%, the number of hours worked per person in employment increased slightly. Women increased their share of total employment to 46% from 45.6%.
- 10 Feb 2004
Spain: Unions call for major increase in minimum wage<#PDF_LINK>In December 2003, Spanish trade unions called for the national minimum wage to be increased from EUR 526 to EUR 660 per month. They point out that: minimum wage recipients have suffered a loss in purchasing power in recent years, the minimum wage is only 40% of the average wage; and Spain's is the second-lowest statutory minimum wage in the EU.
- 10 Feb 2004
Denmark: SAS call centre employees accept wage cuts<#PDF_LINK>In order to secure their jobs, about 200 employees at the SAS airline's call centre in Denmark accepted a 10% cut in their basic pay in January 2004. The alternative was a relocation of the call centre to the Baltic countries. Trade union representatives and other parties have called the wage cut part of a vicious spiral.
- 10 Feb 2004
Estonia: Government presents labour and social policy plans<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the Estonian government discussed its work plan for the year ahead. In the area of labour and social policy, it is planned to implement or amend a number of important items of employment legislation, ratify several ILO Conventions, launch improvements to the education and training system, and match labour supply and demand more closely.
- 10 Feb 2004
Bulgaria: Job losses to follow BTC privatisation<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, an agreement was signed on the privatisation of the Bulgarian Telecommunication Company (BTC). The new owner plans to cut the company's 25,000-strong workforce by at least 20% over two years, leading to protests from trade unions.
- 10 Feb 2004
France: Entertainment workers continue protests over unemployment benefit changes<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, workers in the French entertainment industry continued their protests over a reform of the special unemployment insurance scheme for workers employed sporadically on fixed-term contracts in the sector. The changes came into effect at the beginning of the year, after the controversial June 2003 agreement instituting the reform was amended by the signatories in November 2003 and then enacted by the government.
- 10 Feb 2004
France: Decision clarifies rules on use of temporary agency workers in automobile industry<#PDF_LINK>In two decisions made in January 2004, the highest court in France (the Cour de Cassation) ruled that temporary agency workers should be used by automobile and aeronautical companies only in exceptional circumstances brought about by a temporary increase in workload.
- 10 Feb 2004
France: Industrial action hits SNCF<#PDF_LINK>After poor financial results in 2003, France's SNCF national rail company presented a draft budget for 2004 which provides for a pay rise of only 1% and 3,500 job losses. The plans are opposed by a number of trade unions, which called a strike in protest on 21 January 2004.
- 10 Feb 2004
France: Industrial action in protest at hospital reform initiative<#PDF_LINK>On 22 January 2004, a number of trade unions representing doctors and other staff called a day of strike action in opposition to a government initiative to reform France's state-run hospitals system, and in protest against shortages of resources. However, participation in the strike was low, and other hospital workers' unions have given their support to the initiative.
- 10 Feb 2004
France: Workplace elections held in public hospitals<#PDF_LINK>In November 2003, workplace elections of employee representatives were held in France's public hospitals. The vote confirmed the dominance of the CGT trade union, while CFDT recorded a sizeable loss of support and CGT-FO a slight drop. In response to hospital reforms planned by the government, the hospital workers' unions have split into two coalitions with different stances
- 10 Feb 2004
Latvia: Government seeks to combat undeclared work<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the Latvian Ministry of Welfare issued guidelines on the elimination of undeclared employment, and is preparing an action plan on the issue, covering 2005-9. Undeclared work of various kinds is a relatively widespread problem, and the issue has gained prominence as Latvia's EU membership approaches.
- 09 Feb 2004
Austria: New government presents policy<#PDF_LINK>After four month of negotiations, a new centre-right coalition government took office in Austria in February 2000, despite severe international criticism. The government has presented its coalition agreement, which will have significant effects on economic and social policy.
- 09 Feb 2004
Slovakia: Gender pay gap widens<#PDF_LINK>Pay inequality between men and women is increasing in Slovakia. While in 1996 women's gross average monthly pay was 74.5% of that of men, by 2002 this had fallen below 72%. Wage differentials are greater at higher income levels. A larger proportion of women than men are clustered in the lower wage brackets. Recently, efforts by the social partners and government to address this problem have been stepped up.
- 09 Feb 2004
Hungary: Works councils examined<#PDF_LINK>Works councils were introduced in Hungary by the 1992 Labour Code. This article reviews the introduction of works councils, the most recent empirical studies on their operation and the ongoing political debate.
- 09 Feb 2004
EU Level: ECJ rules on occupational pensions for transsexuals<#PDF_LINK>The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in January 2004 that national legislation which denies transsexuals the right to marry is contrary to Community law if the effect of this is to deprive them of any entitlement to a survivor’s pension. The ECJ has referred the case back to national courts in the UK for them to determine whether Community law can be relied on in such a case.
- 09 Feb 2004
Ireland: New template for public sector employment security?<#PDF_LINK>Efforts made in early 2004 by the Minister for Transport to avert industrial action in the state-owned airport authority, Aer Rianta, may have wider implications for job security across Ireland’s state sector.
- 09 Feb 2004
Ireland: Public servants cleared for benchmarking awards<#PDF_LINK>Payment of half of all benchmarkingpay awards due to the vast majority of Ireland’s public servants went ahead on 1 January 2004, following favourable rulings from a number of performance verification groups.
- 09 Feb 2004
United Kingdom: Pay dispute at Land Rover<#PDF_LINK>UK trade unions representing employees of car maker Land Rover have organised escalating levels of industrial action over a pay dispute, including a 24-hour strike held in January 2004.
- 09 Feb 2004
United Kingdom: Government introduces standard commencement dates for employment law changes<#PDF_LINK>From 2004, domestic employment law changes in the UK will be implemented on two set dates each year - 6 April and 1 October. The move is in response to recommendations by the Better Regulation Taskforce and is intended to be of particular benefit to small businesses.
- 09 Feb 2004
Malta: Unions concerned about employment situation<#PDF_LINK>Increasing unemployment prompted Malta's main trade unions to hold talks with the Prime Minister in January 2004. The General Workers’ Union (GWU) organised a rally to protest against unemployment and made several proposals to the government, while the Union of United Workers (UHM) and the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions (CMTU) emphasised the role of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development in redressing the economic and unemployment situation.
- 09 Feb 2004
EU Level: Informal social affairs Council held<#PDF_LINK>An informal EU employment and social affairs Council took place on 15-16 January 2004. The meeting discussed a range of issues, including how to encourage people to move off benefits and into work and how to improve investment in human resources.
- 04 Feb 2004
Romania: Important industrial relations laws adopted<#PDF_LINK>2003 was a very busy year in terms of industrial relations-related legislation in Romania. As well as a new Labour Code, the year saw new or amended legislation on trade unions, the tripartite Economic and Social Council, the tripartite National Adult Training Board and taxation. This article reviews the main new provisions.
- 04 Feb 2004
Slovenia: Collective agreement register and archive proposed<#PDF_LINK>In 2003, a project under the EU's PHARE programme, aimed at improving social dialogue in Slovenia, recommended the establishment of a state register and archive of collective agreements. The idea is that this would enable a much clear picture to be obtained of the situation and development of collective bargaining, with a variety of benefits ensuing.
- 04 Feb 2004
Romania: Social partners criticise 2004 state budget<#PDF_LINK>Romania's state budget for 2004 was adopted in late November 2003. Despite the fact that social assistance expenditure will rise to 10.8% of GDP, the budget came under criticism from the social partners. Their criticisms focused on the unchanged tax burden, a perceived lack of incentives for economic development and the persistent low wages.
- 04 Feb 2004
Bulgaria: 2004 state budget adopted<#PDF_LINK>Bulgaria's state budget for 2004 was adopted in December 2003. The key objectives are to maintain macroeconomic stability, create conditions for sustainable economic growth and improve living standards. The social partners were consulted on a number of aspects of the budget.
- 04 Feb 2004
Greece: Conflict over Olympic Airways restructuring<#PDF_LINK>In December 2003, the largely state-owned Greek airline, Olympic Airways, was restructured and preparations started for its privatisation. A new company, Olympic Airlines, has been split off and has taken over the former Olympic Airways group's flight operations. New conditions of employment are being imposed in the new company, and this has caused major discontent among cabin staff, who have been taking strike action in protest.
- 03 Feb 2004
Romania: Industrial relations and the new Constitution<#PDF_LINK>In October 2003, a revised Romanian Constitution was approved in a national referendum. Some of the new constitutional provisions relate to important industrial relations and employment matters. A number of trade union confederations expressed discontent about a perceived lack of public consultation over the changes and about the way the referendum was organised.
- 03 Feb 2004
Sweden: Government sets out new measures to cut sickness absence<#PDF_LINK>In December 2003, the Swedish government issued a declaration of intent on new measures to improve health at work and cut sickness absence rates. Among other measures, it plans to increase employers' responsibility in this area, with a new system of co-financing of sickness costs, and calls on the social partners to conclude new collective agreements on the work environment.
- 03 Feb 2004
Romania: Minimum wage issue threatens 'social stability pact' prospects<#PDF_LINK>In October 2003, the Romanian government issued proposals for a tripartite social stability pact, covering 2004. By the end of 2003, after several rounds of negotiations, the chances of the trade unions signing such a pact seemed slim, mainly because of a government decision to set a minimum wage rate far below that demanded by the unions.
- 03 Feb 2004
Spain: Impact of immigration on employment and pay examined<#PDF_LINK>Spain has been witnessing increased immigration in recent years, and the trend is set to continue in future. Two studies published in 2003 shed some light on the employment situation of immigrant workers and their impact on pay and conditions. Notably, immigrant workers are employed in a relatively narrow range of sectors, and real pay levels have been falling in these industries since the mid-1990s. Trade unions attribute this to the increased employment of immigrants on poor employment conditions and are calling for regulatory action and the application of the conditions laid down in the collective agreements.
- 03 Feb 2004
France: Have the French lost their work ethic ?<#PDF_LINK>During 2003, the question of whether French people have become disenchanted with work achieved a degree of prominence, with the government and some parliamentary representatives of the ruling conservative UMP party stating on several occasions that public policies should value work more than leisure. A report from the consultative Economic and Social Council has taken a different stance on the topic of the value of work.
- 02 Feb 2004
Cyprus: Equal opportunities and industrial relations<#PDF_LINK>This article examines the situation in Cyprus, as at early 2004, with regard to women's position in the labour market, the legislative framework for gender equality, and collective bargaining on this issue. Women have a lower employment rate than men and a higher unemployment rate, and are more likely to work part time or on a temporary basis, while their average pay is lower than men's. Specific legislation on workplace gender equality has been introduced only recently, and bargaining does not appear to deal with equality matters.
- 02 Feb 2004
Estonia: Gender Equality Act not yet adopted<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, Estonia has not yet adopted its Gender Equality Act, after more than three years of discussions over the draft legislation. The background is a labour market which is still quite heavily segregated by gender, and a persistent (if diminishing) pay gap between women and men. Current legislation is widely seen as inadequate to deal with this continuing workplace inequality.
- 02 Feb 2004
Bulgaria: Dispute-resolution mechanisms introduced<#PDF_LINK>2003 saw the establishment of the National Institute for Reconciliation and Arbitration, Bulgaria's first institution for the out-of-court resolution of collective labour disputes. The new Institute provides mediation and arbitration, and is seen as filling a major gap in the country's industrial relations system.
- 02 Feb 2004
Belgium: 'Service vouchers' scheme reformed<#PDF_LINK>From 1 January 2004, Belgium's service vouchersscheme - which subsidises the employment of people to carry out household tasks - has been reformed, following a decision at the tripartite national conference for employmentin late 2003. The changes aim to create 25,000 jobs and to combat undeclared employment in this area. The reform was a contentious issue within the coalition government and has brought mixed reactions from the social partners.
- 02 Feb 2004
Belgium: <#PDF_LINK> - 02 Feb 2004
France: Social partners respond to bargaining reform plans<#PDF_LINK>In January 2004, the French parliament is debating a draft law on reforming the rules governing collective bargaining, submitted by the government. The proposals include giving company-level collective agreements precedence over sectoral agreements in many circumstances. Employers' organisations have largely welcomed the reform, but the trade unions are all opposed, though not always for the same reasons.