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November 2007

• 26 Nov 2007
  Hungary: Pay dispute at Budapest public transport company

  Tensions were heightened between trade unions and management at the Budapest Transport Company over a disagreement concerning wage increases. The negotiations took place against a backdrop of ongoing substantial financial losses at the company and a management plan to reorganise working time, combined with government tax increases and higher than expected inflation. The conflict ended with an agreement on additional pay increases for 2007–2008.

• 26 Nov 2007
  Hungary: Proposed reform of pension system to result in lower pensions

  From January 2008, the value of pensions is set to decrease compared with previous years. The allowance will be based on income earned from 1 January 1988 up to the time of retirement. Some future pensioners may receive 5% less than would have applied under the current rules; for others, the decrease may be as much as 15%. The government also plans to reform the disability pension system and to modify the official retirement age, limiting early retirement options.

• 26 Nov 2007
  Slovakia: Social partners agree to raise minimum wage

  After protracted differences, the social partners have agreed on a higher minimum wage in Slovakia. Subsequently, the government issued a decree increasing the gross monthly minimum wage from SKK 7,600 (€230) to SKK 8,100 (€245) as of 1 October 2007, despite the fact that the next increment was planned for 1 January 2008. Thus, the minimum wage has risen by 6.6% in 2007; however, its proportion in relation to the average nominal wage has declined.

• 26 Nov 2007
  Cyprus: Part-time bank employees to get equal treatment under new agreement

  Among the most recent developments regarding part-time employment in Cyprus was the signing of an agreement in April 2007 on the terms and conditions of employment for bank employees working part time. In a further development, amendments were made to the existing statutory framework implemented in May 2007. The purpose of the latter move is to exempt people who are employed ‘part time on a casual basis’ from the respective legislation.

• 19 Nov 2007
  EU Level: Landmark international framework agreement signed in media sector

  In July 2007, the International Federation of Journalists and Europe’s leading newspaper publisher, the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ) Media Group, signed the first-ever international framework agreement in the media sector. The agreement aims to protect the freedom of the press, as well as to promote quality standards in journalism and to secure fair working conditions for employees in the media.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Finland: Employers push for foreign labour recruitment drive

  The chief executive officer of the Confederation of Finnish Industries has stated that Finland needs thousands of new foreign workers a year. The Ministry of Labour will begin to lead the recruitment of foreign labour for Employment and Economic Development Centres in Finland using European structural funds.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Greece: Employers refute decision to acknowledge economically dependent workers

  A decision taken by the Mediation and Arbitration Service (OMED) earlier this year recommends that all economically dependent workers be included in the collective agreement for employees in the sector. The decision has sparked strong opposition from the employer organisation, the Association of Technical Companies of the Highest Classes, which has applied to the courts to have it annulled.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Greece: National committee for social inclusion of migrants established

  For the first time in Greece, a national committee for the social integration of migrants has been set up with the participation of the social partners. The committee’s mission is to make policy recommendations to the competent ministries, in order to combat discrimination and social exclusion of the country’s immigrant population. At its first meeting, debate arose in relation to the committee’s composition requiring a fair representation of all parties involved.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Norway: Union congress focuses on pensions and social dumping

  The Norwegian United Federation of Trade Unions held its national congress in October 2007. One of the main issiues was to formulate the union’s demands for discussion at the 2008 renegotiations of the agreement-based early retirement scheme. Also discussed at the meeting were issues such as social dumping, which is threatening wages and working conditions in certain sectors of the economy. A majority voted in favour of a Norwegian veto against the EU services directive.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Norway: Close trade union cooperation behind Statoil–Hydro merger

  In early October 2007, the two largest Norwegian oil companies, Statoil and Norsk Hydro, formally merged. The two companies have emphasised the importance of including employee organisations in the process, and the trade unions seem satisfied with the way the merger process has been carried out. The various trade unions represented in both companies have placed great emphasis on coordinating their demands and participation in the merger process.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Portugal: Labour reform to prioritise open-ended employment contracts

  In the context of the reform of active employment policies proposed by the Portuguese government, incentives will only be provided for open-ended employment contracts. This strategy underlines the objective of reducing the high level of fixed-term employment in Portugal. The proposal presented at the Standing Committee for Social Concertation was welcomed by the trade union confederations but faced stiff opposition from the employer confederations.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Sweden: Unions criticise proposal to cut unemployment and sickness benefits

  In its recently presented budget bill, the Swedish government continues to focus on combating exclusion from the labour market. Unemployment and sickness benefits will be reduced to encourage more people to make the transition into employment, thereby saving SEK 13.4 billion (€1.43 billion). The government is also cutting company and personal income taxes by SEK 14 billion (€1.5 billion). The social partners have given a mixed reaction to the proposals.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Austria: Parliament endorses more flexible childcare benefit scheme

  In October 2007, the Austrian parliament passed a draft amendment to the current childcare benefit scheme, in order to curb the scheme’s negative employment effects for women. The modified scheme provides for three options with respect to benefit payments and the period of benefit eligibility. While employer organisations welcomed the new regulations, trade unions would have preferred more flexibility in relation to the rules allowing for additional earnings.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Austria: Controversy over financial participation schemes

  The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, in line with the conservative People’s Party, wants to introduce financial participation schemes at company level aimed at partially replacing collectively agreed pay increases. However, the trade unions are strongly opposed to this initiative; therefore, this year’s collective bargaining round is not expected to result in large-scale wage flexibility schemes.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Bulgaria: Government to put employment policy focus on training

  The Minister of Labour and Social Policy recently announced that, in 2008, the Bulgarian government will change its labour market policy focus from subsidised employment to further qualification and vocational education. The announcement was made in the minister’s report on activities over the two-year period that she has been in power so far. The decision has been attributed to the low level of unemployment, which reached 6.9% in August 2007, and the low educational and professional level of those registered as unemployed.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Cyprus: New agreement signed in metalworking industry

  Following months of bargaining and mediation, in June 2007 a memorandum of agreement was finally signed to renew the collective agreements in the metalworking industry. The three renewed agreements provide for pay rises and increased contributions to the two sectoral funds for health insurance and welfare. The signatory employer organisations to the agreements, however, expressed their discontent with the provisions of the memorandum of agreement.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Estonia: Supreme Court bans dismissal of older workers in public sector

  On 1 October 2007, a decision by the Supreme Court declared invalid the articles of the Public Service Act that legally permitted the dismissal of public sector employees aged over 65 years, merely on the basis of their age. Similar articles of the Employment Contracts Act affecting private sector employees were changed more than a year ago.

• 19 Nov 2007
  EU Level: ETUC adopts Charter on gender mainstreaming in trade unions

  At its congress in Seville on 21–24 May 2007, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) adopted a Charter on ‘Gender mainstreaming in trade unions’. The charter is based on the findings of a survey on ‘Women in trade unions: bridging the gap’, which was published in the autumn of 2006 and presented at a conference held in Berlin in March 2007. The charter aims to enhance ETUC’s commitment to gender equality.

• 19 Nov 2007
  EU Level: European Court rules that parental leave can be deferred due to pregnancy

  In the case of Ms Kiiski versus the City of Tampere, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that a woman has the right to defer a period of parental leave already granted, in circumstances where she is again pregnant and entitled to maternity leave under Council Directive 92/85/EEC. The ECJ makes it clear that workers on parental leave remain in an employment relationship and that pregnant women do not need to be exposed to an occupational risk to gain entitlement to maternity leave.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Cyprus: Trade unions slam proposal to increase retirement age

  In September 2007, the social partners engaged in discussions on the future viability of the Social Insurance Fund. The government proposal to increase the official retirement age to 65 years appears to be the only obstacle to achieving an overall agreement between the social partners. The trade unions have rejected the notion of reducing pension amounts for those who choose to retire at 63 years; however, the unions recommend proceeding with the other proposals.

• 19 Nov 2007
  Cyprus: Industrial dispute at national airline over breach of employee consultation law

  In October 2007, the Local Authority Workers’ and Employees’ Trade Union and the Cyprus Airways Employees’ Trade Union submitted a request for mediation services in a labour dispute. The dispute concerns an ostensibly one-sided decision taken by Cyprus’s national airline, Cyprus Airways, to enter into an agreement with a private company in order to create a joint venture, offering ground and ramp-handling services at Larnaka and Pafos airports.

• 16 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Slovenia

  This is the Slovenian contribution to the comparative analytical report on Industrial relations in the postal sector.

• 16 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Luxembourg

  This is the contribution from Luxembourg to the comparative analytical overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 16 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Netherlands

  This is the Dutch contribution to the comparative analytical overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector.

• 16 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — France

  This is the French contribution to the comparative analytical overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector.

• 16 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Greece.

  The postal services sector in Greece has been faced with important developments since the mid-1990s. Of note among them are the gradual liberalisation of the market, the large number of enterprises active in the fast developing sector of courier services, and the entry of state-controlled Hellenic Post into new markets in order to deal with ever-increasing competition. It is indicative that Hellenic Post is now actively involved in courier services, in the use of its network to sell products for third parties and in the financial sector, via its collaboration with the Postal Savings Bank.

• 16 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Belgium

  This is the Belgian contribution to the comparative analytical overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 16 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Austria

  This is the Austrian contribution to the comparative analytical overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 15 Nov 2007
  EU Countries: Industrial relations in the EU, Japan, US and other global economies, 2005–2006

  This report gives an overview of the main industrial relations developments in the European Union, Japan and the US in 2005 and 2006. The findings are the result of an initiative by the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO), in the context of a research project started in 2000 to compare and ‘benchmark’ elements of industrial relations in these three major economic areas. The second part of the report investigates two elements of the social and economic environment which have recently gained greater relevance in the debate on the characteristics and impact of growing global competition: Temporary agency work (TAW) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While the study mainly covers the EU Member States, Japan and the US, it also includes data on emerging economies, notably Brazil, China and India.

• 15 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — UK

  This is the UK contribution to the comparative analytical report on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 15 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Portugal

  This is the Portuguese contribution to the comparative analytical overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 15 Nov 2007
  Final Questionnaire for EIRO comparative analytical report on industrial relations in the postal sector – case of Norway

  The Norwegian postal market and the main provider (Norway Post) has undergone substantial changes since the mid 1990s.This includes deregulation and increased competiton, substantial downsizing processes and the transfer of Norway Post from a traditional state utility till a modern market actor.

• 15 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector –Lithuania

  There is one large enterprise operating in the postal service sector, Lithuanian Post (LP), and numerous private sector companies. There is only one collective agreement signed by the LP in this sector and covering all LP’s employees, while no social dialogue is taking place in other companies; employees are not represented by labour councils or trade unions.

• 15 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Hungary

  This is the Hungarian contribution to the comparative analytical report on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Finland

  This is the Finnish contribution to the comparative analytical report on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Poland

  Poczta Polska, Poland’s national post authority, had its watershed year in 1991, which brought the separation of the postal and telecoms units of what had hereto been a state-owned monolith (the telecoms arm became Telekomunikacja Polska S.A.). PPUP Poczta Polska (the acronym stands for ‘state-owned utility’) employs almost 100,000 persons in over 8,000 branches around the country; it is the largest employer in Poland.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Romania

  So far, the postal services market in Romania has not been completely liberalised. Until 31 December 2008, the national public operator with an entirely state owned capital (the Romanian Post Company) reserves the right to distribute mail weighing up to 50 grams; the complete opening-up of the market is set for 2009. According to the latest study conducted by National Regulatory Authority for Communication and Information Technology in 2005, the postal services market in Romania accounted for 43,116 employees, of which 36,241 working with the Romanian Post Company and 6,835 employees (of which 5,529 full-time) in the private sector. The most powerful trade union in the sector is the Post and Communications Trade Union Federation, set up in 1991, with a steady membership of over 30,000 ever since. The main issues of collective bargaining are: working conditions worsened by the ban on hiring new employees and growing workload and higher wages (RO0702029I).

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Slovakia

  The postal sector in Slovakia was not privatised and restructured yet. The Slovak Post, the dominant company in the market, is a joint stock company with 100% ownership of the state. Branch offices of private multinational companies also operate there. However, their share in the market is around 10%. Terms and conditions of employment in the postal sector are regulated by the Labour Code. The collective bargaining, labour conflicts resolution, strikes and lockouts are regulated by the Act on collective bargaining. The employees of the Slovak Post are organised in trade unions, which bargain collectively. Branch offices of the private multinational companies are not member of any employers organisation. Their employees are not members of trade unions and collective bargaining does not take place in these organisations. Sectoral tripartism operates well in the postal sector.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Latvia

  Postal service sector in Latvia is represented by one state owned joint stock company Latvia Post and 39 private companies. The sector has not been involved in special privatisation and liberalisation processes. However, the property structure changes with new companies joining the sector, and restructuring occurs due to optimisation and modernisation of the processes. The sector is partly liberalised. New Postal law is being prepared that allows deeper liberalisation. Only Latvia Post is unionised and involved in the collective bargaining process. There is no information about unionisation level in private enterprises. Employers’ organisation does not exist in the sector. Collective bargaining and social dialogue is active only in Latvia Post. General sector level agreement does not exist.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Malta

  This report summarises the most important aspects of industrial relations in the postal sector. The sector is dominated by the public sector company Maltapost Ltd., the only company in which collective bargaining is carried out. Another 11 small private enterprises deliver courier services.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Ireland

  This study examines industrial relations in the Irish postal sector as of January 2007.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector —Italy

  The postal sector in Italy has been changing over the last 15 years. It has changed from a monopolised to a liberalized system. This changes have influenced many occupational and organisational aspects, not to mention the industrial relations in the sector.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Spain

  In Spain there is one large public company, Correos, which provides the traditional postal services. In the last few years many enterprises have been competing for the rest of the services. They have specialised according to the geographical coverage of the services: urban, national and international. There is an additional specialisation based on the services offered, since only some of the companies offer money transfers. Large legislative changes were introduced in the 1990s. The initiative for reform largely came from the European Union. The regulation of the postal services in Europe was done following the Green Book on the Single Market for Postal Services in Europe. The first Directive regulating this sector was passed on December 15, 1997, and dealt with the development of the single market and the improvement in the quality of the services (Otero, 2007). This directive promoted a partial liberalisation of the sector, which is scheduled for completion by 2009. Due to these initiatives, the postal services in Spain have rapidly changed from the former state monopoly to a liberalised market in which the state limited company Correos will have to compete fully by 2009. Correos was formerly part of the organic structure of a Ministry. The penetration of trade unions and the regulation of working conditions is therefore similar to that of agreements achieved in the public sector, even though it is now a state limited company. The first trade union elections took place in Correos y Telégrafos in 1978, even before the regulation of the civil service elections. At that time, UGT obtained the greatest support. Other trade unions that obtained support were CSUT, CCOO, Asociaciones Profesionales Independientes, Sindicato Libre y Unión Sindical Obrera (USO). Since then, UGT and CCOO have been the unions with the greatest support in Correos. Other minor unions have always been present, although they have varied over time. According to the unions, the last twenty years have been a period of industrial peace, with few mobilisations. The reason for the mobilisations in 1984, 1998 and 1999 was the liberalisation regulated by Law 24/1998 (Aguilar Pérez, 2002).

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Estonia

  Postal sector in Estonia is not a large one. In 2005 there were 32 companies registered to provide postal or courier services, the largest of them is a state-owned enterprise, Estonian Post. On average there were 5,235 employees in the sector in 2005, about 76% of them are employed in Estonian Post. There is only one collective agreement in the sector, covering only the Estonian Post employees (in 2005 there were 3,986 employees on average in the company).

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector - Germany

  The liberalisation process and the growing number of companies entering into the postal market have slowed the decline of sectoral employment that could have been expected as a result of technical progress and structural change. Moreover, industrial relations are highly decentralised.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Bulgaria

  This is the Bulgarian contribution to the Comparative overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Denmark

  This is the Danish contribution to the comparative anaytical overview on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Cyprus

  The following is the Cyprus national centre’s contribution to the EIRO comparative analytical report on industrial relations in the postal sector.

• 14 Nov 2007
  Industrial relations in the postal sector — Czech Republic

  This is the Czech contribution to the comparative analytical report on Industrial relations in the postal sector

• 12 Nov 2007
  Poland: Employers and politicicians take part in pre-election debate

  On 1 October 2007, representatives of political parties and members of the business community held an electoral debate on the economy at the office of the Business Centre Club, a nationally representative employer organisation. Candidates from seven parties attended; however, the then Prime Minister, Jarosław Kaczyński, was absent, leading some commentators to complain that his Law and Justice party was not paying sufficient attention to the social partners.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Norway: Positive impact of extended collective agreements on migrant workers

  Eastern European workers at onshore petroleum installations in Norway are paid in accordance with the minimum wage provided for by collective agreements. This is the main conclusion of a case study published by the Fafo Institute for Applied Social Science in October 2007. With regard to health and safety issues, the report indicates that safety is not given the same level of priority among eastern European workers as is the case for Norwegian citizens working at these sites.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Poland: Transport workers get company ownership following dispute

  Urban transport authority MPK Kielce has been in a collective dispute for almost two years. The reason for the dispute is that the investor and potential company owner, the French Veolia corporation, refused to honour the promises given to the workforce. Moreover, Veolia was expected to become the owner of the organisation in 2008 as part of a privatisation plan. The workers were unhappy at this prospect, and a long strike with dramatic turns of events ensued.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Poland: Automotive trade unions sign cooperation agreement

  Trade unions affiliated to the Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union ‘Solidarity’, which are active in seven automotive companies, recently signed a cooperation agreement. The trade unions are demanding higher wages as well as a change in certain employment terms for workers. Trade union activists take the view that cooperation agreements of this kind can strengthen the position of each individual union in their negotiations with employers.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Portugal: Labour inspection targets temporary work agencies and illegal work

  In May 2007, the Portuguese General Inspectorate of Labour (IGT) launched a large-scale operation to examine the activities of temporary work agencies. As a result, IGT cancelled the activity of 195 temporary work agencies, on the grounds that they did not comply with the law, and a further 60 agencies decided themselves to suspend or stop their activity. The IGT has also investigated the issue of illegal work, in cooperation with the police authorities.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Romania: Unions propose up to 60% increase in minimum wage

  The negotiations to review the minimum wage at national level started in September 2007, within the context of the national collective agreement for 2007–2010. While the trade union representatives at national level have requested a 35%–60% increase in the minimum wage, the employer confederations present their arguments for a more moderate minimum wage increase.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Belgium: Wage agreement signed in hotels and restaurant sector

  In September 2007, the social partners from the hotels and restaurants sector finally signed a wage agreement, following months of preliminary talks, difficult negotiations and several strike actions. The strong wage demands put forward by the trade unions, to make employment in the sector more attractive, met with fierce opposition from the employer organisation representing fast-food restaurants.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Bulgaria: Wage increase follows collective dispute at Stomana steel company

  In July 2007, the social partners represented at the Stomana steel manufacturer, which is part of the Greek Sidenor company, reached an agreement providing for a 15% wage increase for the next 18 months. The deal followed a collective dispute at the company; it also resulted in an increase in bonuses for observing health and safety regulations, as well as preventing accidents at work.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Germany: Minimum wages extended to workers in six sectors under Posted Workers Act

  In September 2007, the collective agreement on minimum wages in the electrical trades was declared as generally binding according to provisions under the Posted Workers Act. Together with this new agreement which covers some 300,000 employees, some 1.4 million workers in six sectors of the economy are now covered by minimum wages provided for under this act. Wages apply to all workers employed in the industries concerned regardless of their employer’s country of origin.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Spain: Social partners critical of new family support allowance

  The new family support allowance for each child born or adopted has been partially questioned by the social partners. Their objection relates to its seeming failure to tackle one of the most important problems relating to work–life balance in Spain, namely the lack of childcare facilities. The government hopes that the introduction of this new allowance will complement other mechanisms supporting work–life balance initiatives.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Finland: Nurses’ union rejects pay offer and calls for industrial action

  The Union of Health and Social Care Professionals has rejected the municipal employers’ pay and working conditions offer. The union is demanding a 24% increase to rectify what it sees as unreasonably low pay. This would amount to increments of between €400 and €600 in monthly pay over the two-and-a-half years that the contract would be in force. The union has announced that it will organise mass resignations from 19 November 2007.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Greece: Social partners offer support to fire-stricken areas

  The social partners have taken urgent action to support the populations of areas of the country devastated by the recent catastrophic fires, which caused incalculable damage to the social, economic and cultural climate of a major part of mainland Greece. One element of the social partners’ initiatives involves direct financial aid for the areas affected by the disaster, while another refers to policymaking in the long term.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Greece: Unions present economic and employment outlook for 2007

  In September 2007, the Institute of Labour (INE) of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) and the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY) published its annual report on the Greek economy and employment. The report examines key developments in the economy, along with industrial relations, social policy and employment. In particular, it underlines the importance of increasing the structural competitiveness of the Greek economy.

• 12 Nov 2007
  Lithuania: Growth of unionisation in large retail centres

  Up until now, employees have not organised themselves collectively in any of the large Lithuanian shopping centres such as ‘Iki’, ‘Rimi’ or ‘Maxima’. Despite reports of poor working conditions, trade unions had no power or means to influence the situation. However, in August 2007, cashiers of one particular shop went on a three-hour strike. This action attracted considerable attention, and signs of unionisation are now emerging among supermarket workers.

• 05 Nov 2007
  Cyprus: Unions slate Competition Commission for intervention in labour disputes

  In an entirely unanticipated move, the Commission for the Protection of Competition (EPA) attempted to intervene in two recent labour disputes involving important sectors of the economy – the banking and the energy supply sectors. EPA’s move met with strong opposition from the trade union movement. The latter claimed that EPA’s role is restricted solely to ensuring conditions of healthy competition and that industrial relations are regulated by law.

• 05 Nov 2007
  Czech Republic: Government stalls on adopting new Service Act

  The Czech government has resolved to withdraw the Service Act and replace it with new legislation. However, the trade unions are fundamentally opposed to this move. The Service Act was originally supposed to enter into force in 2004, but the effective date has been postponed three times, most recently to January 2009; the delay has been attributed to a lack of finances in the state budget.

• 05 Nov 2007
  Czech Republic: Trade unions oppose proposed pension reform

  Work on a draft act to amend Act No. 155/1995 Coll. on pension insurance and certain other acts continued in 2007. Both trade unions and employer organisations had the opportunity to make comments on the reform. The parliament is expected to complete a draft act by the end of the first half of 2008. If everything goes to plan for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the reform will take effect from 2009.

• 05 Nov 2007
  Germany: Social Democratic Party chair sparks debate on recent labour market reform

  Chair of the Social Democratic Party, Kurt Beck, recently put forward a reform proposal of key elements of the legislation on modern services in the labour market. The laws represent a core part of the ‘Agenda 2010’ reform programme initiated by the former socio-democratic chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Mr Beck’s proposal sparked debate within his own party and among the social partners as he seeks to undo certain past reforms.

• 05 Nov 2007
  Greece: Controversial changes in store for social insurance system

  With the conservatives having extended their lease on power following the elections, the issue of reforming the social insurance system has again been raised. The expert committee on the insurance system proposed several controversial changes relating to the retirement age and the method of calculating pensions. The opposition parties and trade unions have rejected these proposals, but the government will only make its position known when its plans are considered and voted on.

• 05 Nov 2007
  Belgium: Public sector professional unions cause a stir

  Trade unions or associations representing professionals in the public sector gained increased recognition over the summer months. The Association of River Pilots struck a deal with the government in late August 2007 following industrial action, partly to improve its involvement in social dialogue. Meanwhile, four trade unions have gained recognition within the Belgian State Security Service sector, including the independent Trade Union of Belgian Police.