What has taken place during the second quarter of 2019 in the industrial relations and working conditions landscape in European countries? There is no need to look further: you can get up-to-date information as reported by our Network of Eurofound Correspondents who, on a quarterly basis, chart the latest developments in those fields of observation. What resolutions were passed by Parliament in Austria on labour and social policy matters? What are the criticisms from Belgium employers’organisations regarding the support service for freelancers that is launched by the largest trade union confederation? What developments have been finally reached in Cyprus in the construction industry?
At the very last moment of its term, the European Parliament adopted a position on the Mobility Package. But the European elections have made the whole process of adoption of new legislation far from being completed. This also applies to the reform of the rules for coordinating social security, since the work has been suspended by the current Parliament. It is now known that Bratislava will become the seat of the European Labour Authority. This update reports on the latest developments in working life in the European Union in the second quarter of 2019.
The ongoing decline of union density rates, a new form of employment to encourage labour market integration and SAS pilots going on strike are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Sweden in the second quarter of 2019.
The introduction of a four-day working week at US Steel Košice, higher wage supplements and changes to the constitution to limit the retirement age and protect the minimum wage are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Slovakia in the second quarter of 2019.
Labour force shortages, a plan to raise the retirement age reform and the widening of the gender pay gap are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Slovenia in the second quarter of 2019.
Strikes in the manufacturing, energy and transport sectors, and the introduction of a new pension law are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Romania in the second quarter of 2019.
The launch of a barometer to provide more information about the pay differences between men and women, and a proposed amendment to the Labour Code are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Portugal in the second quarter of 2019.
Agreement reached on a new national pension system after nine years of debate and a new package of laws to make the labour market more dynamic are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in the Netherlands in the second quarter of 2019.
Uncertainty over the time frame of the ongoing refurbishment at Mount Carmel Hospital, a dispute regarding the workload of teachers and the publication of a report about foreign workers in Malta are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Malta in the second quarter of 2019.
The suspension of the ongoing national teachers’ strike, the minimum wage level for 2020 and protests from workers in the judiciary sector are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Poland in the second quarter of 2019.
Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) examines both the objective circumstances of European citizens' lives and how they feel about those circumstances and their lives in general. This series consists of outputs from the EQLS 2003, the first edition of the survey.
Eurofound's European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) examines both the objective circumstances of European citizens' lives and how they feel about those circumstances and their lives in general. This series consists of outputs from the EQLS 2007, the second edition of the survey. The survey was first carried out in 2003.
Eurofound's European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) examines both the objective circumstances of European citizens' lives and how they feel about those circumstances and their lives in general. This series consists of outputs from the EQLS 2012, the third edition of the survey. The survey was first carried out in 2003.
Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) paints a wide-ranging picture of Europe at work across countries, occupations, sectors and age groups. This series consists of findings from the EWCS 2005, the fourth edition of the survey. The survey was first carried out in 1990.
Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) paints a wide-ranging picture of Europe at work across countries, occupations, sectors and age groups. This series consists of findings from the EWCS 2010, the fifth edition of the survey. The survey was first carried out in 1990.
This publication series explores scenarios for the future of manufacturing. The employment implications (number of jobs by sector, occupation, wage profile, and task content) under various possible scenarios are examined. The scenarios focus on various possible developments in global trade and energy policies and technological progress and run to 2030.
Given that compliance with lockdown measures is a first line of defence against COVID-19, maintaining trust in institutions is vital to ensure a coordinated, comprehensive and effective response to the pandemic. This report investigates developments in institutional and interpersonal trust across time, with a particular emphasis on the COVID-19 pandemic period and its impact. It examines the link between trust and discontent and investigates the effect of multidimensional inequalities as a driver of distrust.
This paper provides an analytical summary of state of the art academic and policy literature on the impact of climate change and policies to manage transitions to a carbon neutral economy on employment, working conditions, social dialogue and living conditions. It maps the key empirical findings around the impact of climate change and the green transitions on jobs, sectors, regions and countries in Europe, identifying the opportunities and risks that climate change policies bring to European labour markets.
Between 2021 and 2023 Eurofound is carrying out a pilot project on minimum wage on behalf of the European Commission. The question of how minimum wages and other forms of pay can be fixed for the self-employed is investigated as a part of this project through mapping national and sectoral approaches. Out of concern for the challenging conditions that the self-employed face, some Member States have established or are discussing establishing statutory forms of minimum pay for certain categories of self-employed.
The civil aviation sector has been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is one of the most severe crises the sector has ever experienced, giving rise to a number of significant challenges for companies and workers alike. This study will explore the role of social dialogue and collective bargaining in how the sector is adapting to the pandemic. What kinds of changes have been introduced, either through social dialogue or collective bargaining? Are the changes temporary or permanent?
Lockdown measures and the economic shift following the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widening of the gender divide between men and women, putting at risk some of the gender equality gains that had been made in previous years. This report analyses changes in the distribution of paid and unpaid work, along with care and domestic responsibilities, among men and women during the crisis. It also explores the impact of the pandemic on the well-being of women and men.
The report provides an overview of the scale of teleworking before and during the COVID-19 crisis and gives an indication of ‘teleworkability’ across sectors and occupations. Building on previous Eurofound research on remote work, the report investigates the way businesses introduced and supported teleworking during the pandemic, as well as the experience of workers who were working from home during the crisis. The report also looks at developments in regulations related to telework in Member States and provides a review of stakeholders’ positions.
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have varied across sectors, occupations and categories of worker (for instance, according to gender, age or employment status). Hours worked have declined the most in sectors such as accommodation services and food and beverage services, and in occupations heavily reliant on in-person interaction, such as sales work. At the same time, it’s in these sectors that labour shortages have become increasingly evident as labour markets have begun to normalise.
The COVID-19 crisis has increased inequality between social groups in health, housing, employment, income and well-being. While a small part of society was able to hold on to or increase its wealth, other groups such as women, young people, older people, people with disabilities, low- and middle-income earners and those with young children were acutely affected by the pandemic. Drawing on current research on how to best measure multidimensional inequality, this report highlights recent trends in inequality in the context of the COVID-19 crisis.
This report analyses the working lives of workers in Europe in 2021, when the continent was still in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines working conditions during that period and the association between job quality and work outcomes such as health and well-being, work–life balance, and financial security. The report also considers how the shifts in working life during the pandemic are likely to affect work in the future.
This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in European sectoral social dialogue taking place at cross-sectoral level. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation in the European sectoral social dialogue and their capacity to negotiate agreements. The aim of this Eurofound’s study on representativeness is to identify the relevant national and European social partner organisations at cross-sectoral level in the EU Member States.