This working paper investigates the practical implementation of the European Works Council (EWC) Directive at company level. It explores the challenges faced by existing EWCs and provides examples of solutions identified and remaining issues from the point of view of both workers and management. In
This study provides information to allow for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the industrial cleaning sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective
Draft legislation based on a consultative document prepared by Luxembourg’s Ministry of Work and Employment, Social dialogue within companies (in French, 288Kb PDF) [1], is intended to reform social dialogue [2] within businesses in the country. The Luxembourg Government [3] has passed the draft of
Four months after the French Government [1] asked the social partners to begin negotiations over labour market reform, a national interprofessional agreement (in French, 317Kb PDF) [2] was signed on 11 January 2013. The social partners had been asked to conclude an agreement ‘to the fullest extent
The question of how to manage restructuring, particularly in the current difficult economic climate, has been taxing European Union decision-makers for some time. The European Commission has been looking at this problem since the first consultation to the EU-level social partners in January 2002
The suicides of two employees at French postal group La Poste [1] were widely reported [2] in the national media at the beginning of 2012. The suicides were blamed on an ‘oppressive’ work culture at the company. [1] http://www.laposte.com/Everything-about-La-Poste/Who-we-are/Facts-and-figures [2]
A plan to help revive the ailing car industry in France, backed with €60 million of government and industry money, was signed on 20 December 2012. The new car charter (in French, 211 Kb PDF) [1] covers car manufacturers and their suppliers from the metallurgical, plastics, rubber and textiles
Struggling steelmaking giant ArcelorMittal [1], which operates in 60 countries and employs around 260,000 people worldwide, had a difficult 2012 in Luxembourg where it employs 3,000 workers. Despite uncertainties surrounding the future of ArcelorMittal’s sites in Luxembourg, and after several months
On 2 February 2012, Luxembourg’s Minister of Social Security, Mars Di Bartolomeo, presented the government’s draft reform (in French, 905Kb PDF) [1] of the state pension system. According to the proposals, the burden of financing the pension system would be shared between the workers, employers and
The European Commission is calling on all Member States to address the problem of youth unemployment, which it says is costing the region billions of euros. On 5 December 2012, the Commission presented a package of measures in its initiative on a Youth Guarantee and a Quality Framework for
The future of the Sevelnord [1] car plant in northern France, a subsidiary of manufacturer PSA Peugeot-Citroën [2], was at risk on two fronts. Its output had reduced to 76,000 vehicles in 2012, compared with 150,000 in 2008, and Italian car maker Fiat [3] had decided to end its partnership with the
The deteriorating employment situation in France has prompted France’s Minister of Labour, Michel Sapin, to bring unions and business leaders together to discuss ways of reforming the country’s labour market.