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March 2006

• 14 Mar 2006
  Germany: Gender wage gap for women

  In December 2005 the Institute for Economic and Social Research (WSI) published its report, Economic and social situation of women 2005. Containing 60,000 up-to-date facts and figures, the report focuses on the economic and social situation of women in Germany. It looks at such issues as education, employment, income, social security and working time. Based on official statistics and recent academic studies, the report places its findings in a European perspective. While opportunities for German women still lag behind those available for men, the nature of gender inequality has changed over the years. Young women, on average, now attain higher educational levels in school than their male counterparts. However, the gender wage gap in Germany is one of the biggest in the European Union. Furthermore, the percentage of women who work in marginal part-time jobs has increased over the period of study from 6% to 13%.

• 14 Mar 2006
  France: Renewal of unemployment insurance agreement

  The three-year UNEDIC agreement setting out the rules governing the unemployment insurance joint management system is in the process being renewed. As was the case in 1993, only three of the five representative unions are expected to sign the agreement. The representative employer organisations have all endorsed the deal. The agreement contains the minimum stipulations but fails to address all the fundamental issues facing the unemployment insurance scheme.

• 14 Mar 2006
  Romania: New strategy promoted for social services

  In December, the Romanian government approved the National Strategy for the Development of Social Services and an action plan for its implementation, to bring the services in line with EU policy and practice. In the light of the profound changes that Romanian society has undergone over the past 15, the main aim of the strategy is to encourage solidarity with the most vulnerable groups in the population, by sharing responsibilities at regional and local level.

• 14 Mar 2006
  Estonia: Corporate social responsibility breaks new ground

  Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not yet discussed as widely as it could be in Estonia. However, awareness of the phenomenon is slowly gaining ground and more systematic approaches to it are being introduced. Estonia’s entry into the European Union is expected to lead to the greater promotion of CSR in Estonia.

• 14 Mar 2006
  Finland: More mergers likely for employer and union associations

  In October 2005, the executive committee of EK, the central employer organisation, approved plans to cut the number of its member associations by up to a third, from 43 to between 12 and 15, within three to five years. Trade unions affiliated to SAK, the blue-collar union confederation, are set to respond to these changes by further consolidating their operations.

• 14 Mar 2006
  Poland: Restructuring in the electrical energy industry

  Electrical energy is a key sector of the economy in every country. In Poland, the industry has been affected by restructuring activities over the past few years. Restructuring has been progressing at an unsteady pace: times of turbulent change are followed by periods of relative calm. One of the most obvious consequences of restructuring is employment downsizing. This article examines the years 2003 to 2005, which were characterised by debates over liberalisation and consolidation of the sector. The course that privatisation may take in the future also emerged as a vital issue.

• 14 Mar 2006
  Latvia: Accidents at work linked to minimal industrial relations in the construction industry

  Construction in Latvia is a fast-paced, evolving industry with a high labour force demand, particularly for blue-collar jobs. In a bid to cut production costs, employers are hiring employees without an employment contract and often circumvent work safety requirements. Employees accept such conditions because they can command higher wages. Efforts to establish trade unions that would protect employees' interests in construction companies are proving difficult. The high numbers of accidents and deaths in the construction sector is a direct consequence of the minimal level of industrial relations.

• 14 Mar 2006
  Spain: National dependent care system to come on stream in early 2007

  In late 2005, the draft bill aimed at establishing a national dependent care system was approved. The system, which will establish a publicly funded care service for dependent persons, is expected to come into operation from 2007 onwards. The bill also attempts to address domestic inequalities that affect some socially disadvantaged groups, including women, on the Spanish labour market. Furthermore, the new law could potentially lead to employment creation and stimulate public and private investment. Already, it has generated substantial expectations regarding its potential contribution to the Spanish economy.

• 14 Mar 2006
  Italy: Disputes at Electrolux and Candy over relocation plans

  In late December 2005 and early January 2006, disputes came to a head at two of the largest groups manufacturing domestic appliances in Italy - Electrolux and Candy. In both cases, the cause of the grievance among workers and trade unions was the management’s decision to relocate production of some plants abroad, with consequent job losses. The plants affected by the decision were those at Donara in the province of Bergamo for the Candy Group, while for Electrolux the plants were those at Porcia (Pordenone) in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Scandicci, close to Florence. However, the outcomes of the disputes were entirely different. In the case of the Donara plant, the protest by the workforce against Candy’s decision did not prevent the plant’s closure; in the case of the Electrolux plants, joint action by the unions and the local authorities led to agreements with Electrolux on relaunching the Porcia plant and avoiding the closure of the one at Scandicci.

• 11 Mar 2006
  Austria: Controversy over effectiveness of new household service cheque

  Since the beginning of 2006, private household workers in Austria can be paid for their services with a household service cheque(including some social insurance contributions) instead of in cash. The government sees the new scheme as an innovative and effective means to increase legal activity rates in a problematic segment of the labour market. However, both organised labour and several NGOs engaged in social services have criticised the new scheme as inappropriate, in particular with respect to social protection of the (mostly female and foreign) workers concerned and their legal integration into the normal labour market.

• 02 Mar 2006
  Latvia: Single payment system created for employees of state institutions

  In December 2005, the Latvian government adopted regulations setting up a single payment system for all public sector workers. These regulations must be observed in all institutions funded from the state budget. Before 2006, the payment procedures for public sector workers were governed by 21 separate laws and regulations, and the system was seen as opaque, permitting wide divergences in wages and the payment of various supplements and bonuses. Implementation of the new wage system will begin on 1 July 2006 and will take five years to complete. The State Civil Service Board has warned that there could be a weakening of administrative control in state institutions.

• 02 Mar 2006
  Italy: New collective agreement signed in metalworking

  After almost 13 months of negotiations, on 19 January 2006 a deal was reached on the pay-related part of the sectoral collective agreement for the Italian metalworking industry. The agreement provides for average pay increases of 6%, regulates apprenticeship contracts and extends to the whole sector aspects of working time flexibility that previously applied only in certain specific cases. With around 1.5 million workers, metalworking - despite its current recession - is a key sector of the Italian economy and its collective agreement has always provided a lead for industrial relations in other sectors. The new deal may thus have a significant influence on both agreement renewals in other sectors (especially as regards apprenticeship contracts) and current negotiations on reforming the Italian bargaining system.

• 02 Mar 2006
  Italy: Industrial action hits Alitalia

  Early 2006 witnessed strikes and other industrial action at Alitalia, the Italian national airline. The main issue is that trade unions claim that management has unilaterally changed plans to restructure and relaunch the airline set out in an agreement signed in September 2004. Management responds that it is only speeding up the agreed reforms. The dispute has also involved the Italian government, which is supposed to guarantee that the 2004 agreement is implemented.

• 01 Mar 2006
  Hungary: Draft laws on national and sectoral social dialogue submitted to parliament

  In February 2006, the Hungarian government submitted to parliament bills on the tripartite National Interest Reconciliation Council, the sectoral social dialogue committees and other aspects of social dialogue. The drafts, which have been endorsed by the social partners, give the operation of the various forums a legal basis and lay down criteria for trade union and employers' organisations to participate in the dialogue.

• 01 Mar 2006
  Cyprus: Unions seek social dialogue on modernisation of industrial relations

  In February 2006, Cyprus's main trade union organisations - the Democratic Labour Federation of Cyprus (DEOK), Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) and Cyprus Workers' Confederation (SEK) - asked the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance to launch a social dialogue on modernisation of the country's system of industrial relations. This article presents details of the unions' proposals.

• 01 Mar 2006
  Denmark: Tripartite committee issues report on continuing training

  In February 2006, an official committee made up of representatives from ministries and social partner organisations published an extensive report on Denmark's current programmes and measures in the field of further and continuing training. The report contains a joint recommendation to expand the scope and coverage of adult and vocational training in the coming years, in particular in relation to vulnerable groups on the labour market.

• 01 Mar 2006
  Greece: Enterprise-level Collective Agreement Introduces Longer Opening Hours at EUROBANK S.A.

  In mid-January 2006 an enterprise-level collective labour agreement was signed at EURO BANK S.A., in which management and employees agreed to longer opening hours in two branches. The signing of this agreement provoked the strong opposition of the Greek Federation of Bank Employee Unions (OTOE).