EurWORK European Observatory of Working Life
Articles
EurWORK articles cover working life in Europe, in particular the fields of industrial relations and working conditions. The articles are based on quarterly reporting provided by the Network of Eurofound Correspondents.
- Topical updates summarise and update developments around selected topics, which are relevant across a number of Member States at the same time
- Spotlight reports cover in more depth country-level events, debates and changes in regulation related to working life, aiming to provide a balanced view of all parties’ positions
- Research in Focus articles report on important research findings (including surveys) from the national level, often, but not exclusively, in the area of working conditions
- In brief articles are short news items drawn from the correspondents' quarterly reports
- Country updates summarise developments at national level and are published 4 times a year
13895 items found
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New collective agreements in printing
On 6 February 1997, the Bundesverband Druck employers' association and the Industriegewerkschaft Medien trade union signed two new nationwide collective agreements for the 130,000 manual workers in the German printing industry. The first agreement covers the general developments of wages, and the second agreement is a renewal of the sector's general framework agreement on employment conditions [1] (Manteltarifvertrag). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/efemiredictionary/framework-agreement-on-employment-conditions -
Legislation increases national minimum wage
A recent decree-law issued by the Government has increased the national minimum wage from 1 January 1997. The monthly rates have risen by up to 5%. We review Portugal's minimum wage system and the reactions to, and implications of, the 1997 increase. -
Legal barriers to European-level collective bargaining
Judging from a recent exchange of letters between a Dutch trade unions and the Department of Justice, it would appear that cross-border cooperation between unions, let alone their international merger, is beset with legal difficulties. -
Future of the Post Office under debate
In February, the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) launched a consultative paper aimed at influencing the pre-election commitments of both the Conservative Party and Labour Party. The union, which is firmly against privatisation of the Post Office, has called for legislation to turn it into an independent corporation, with the level of dividends pegged at 40% of post-tax profits. The union feels that its proposals will have equal appeal to all political parties because of the weight of public opinion opposing privatisation. -
Bank service fees dispute averted
Recently-announced plans by banks to levy service charges on the accounts into which employees' salaries and wages are paid, have resulted in trade union protests and the dropping of the proposals.