Tapia, Maite

On 4 July 2007, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ [1]), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ [2]) and the German-based Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ) Media Group (WAZ Mediengruppe [3]) signed a Framework agreement on the defence and promotion of freedom of the press, quality journalism and good labour relations in companies of the WAZ Media Group [4]. The agreement was signed by the IFJ Secretary-General, Aidan White, and the WAZ Managing Director (MD), Bodo Hombach. This international framework agreement [5] is the first-ever such agreement to be signed in the media sector. [1] http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Language=EN [2] http://www.ifj-europe.org/ [3] http://www.waz-mediengruppe.de/ [4] http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=5097&Language=EN [5] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/international-framework-agreement

In May 2007, the International Labour Organization (ILO [1]) published the second Global Report on discrimination as part of the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work [2]. The report, entitled Equality at work: Tackling the challenges (1.7Mb PDF) [3], examines emerging issues in patterns of workplace discrimination and recent policy responses. [1] http://www.ilo.org [2] http://www.ilo.org/dyn/declaris/DECLARATIONWEB.static_jump?var_language=EN&var_pagename=DECLARATIONFOLLOWUP [3] http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---webdev/documents/publication/wcms_082607.pdf

The reinsurance company SCOR [1] is the first French group listed on the stock exchange to adopt the legal form of a European company [2] (/Societas Europea/, SE). SCOR has some 1,211 employees worldwide and operates in 18 countries. Its primary business is to offer insurance to insurance companies, thereby insuring the insurer. transform [1] http://www.scor.com/ [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/european-company

Since 2006, Suez [1], an international group operating in the field of water, waste and energy services, has been in negotiations with employee representatives on various issues concerning the group’s corporate social responsibility [2]. In February 2006, the Suez European Works Council [3] (EWC) used the occasion of the announced merger with the French company Gaz de France [4] to ask management to enter into negotiations on a range of issues, which were subsequently presented during an extraordinary meeting of the EWC in April 2006 (*FR0603039I* [5]). [1] http://www.suez.com/ [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/corporate-social-responsibility [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/european-works-councils [4] http://www.gazdefrance.com/EN/ [5] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/concerns-over-planned-gaz-de-francesuez-merger

At the start of each new EU presidency, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC [1]) presents a trade union memorandum (137kb PDF) [2] of demands for the duration of the Presidency. The memorandum identifies the most important challenges facing the incoming EU leadership and defines a list of priorities for action in the social and economic fields. [1] http://www.etuc.org/ [2] http://www.etuc.org/IMG/pdf/ETUCMemorandumPTpres-finalEN1.pdf

The transfer of an undertaking [1] refers to the transfer of a discrete economic entity to another party. The interests of employees in such a transfer are regulated by Directive 2001/23/EC [2] on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/transfer-of-an-undertaking [2] http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32001L0023:EN:HTML

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for Italy are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The future of the various European plants of General Motors (GM [1]) again looks very insecure. After the production cuts at the Ellesmere Port plant in the UK (UK0606019I [2]) and the closure of the Azambuja plant in Portugal (HU0607069I [3]), this time the Antwerp plant in northern Belgium is facing serious difficulties. The Antwerp plant, part of the Joint Delta Working Group (EU0610029I [4]), is one of the five Delta plants that have been affected in terms of future production of the Astra model. [1] http://www.gm.com/ [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/vauxhall-announces-job-losses-at-ellesmere-port-plant [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/workers-assembly-at-gm-opel-plant [4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/eu-level-initiatives-in-restructuring-processes-in-automotive-sector

Allianz, one of the largest financial services providers in Europe, with more than 160,000 employees in over 70 countries worldwide, adopted the legal form of a European company [1] (/Societas Europea/SE/) by merging with its Italian subsidiary RAS (EU0511203N [2]). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/european-company [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/allianz-to-become-european-company

Growing conflict has emerged within General Motors (GM [1]) about the future of the group’s European plants. The cessation of one shift at the Ellesmere Port plant in the UK (*UK0606019I* [2]) and the decision to close the Azambuja plant in Portugal (HU0607069I [3]) represent the most serious challenges faced to date by the company’s European Works Council [4], known as the European Employees’ Forum (EEF), and by its strategy of cross-border coordination. [1] http://www.gm.com/ [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/vauxhall-announces-job-losses-at-ellesmere-port-plant [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/workers-assembly-at-gm-opel-plant [4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/european-works-councils