Broughton, Andrea
Cross-sector social partners fail to agree on working time
23 tammikuu 2013
Employers and trade unions have been locked in negotiations for more than a
year over revision of the EU Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC [1]). The
EU-level cross-sector social partners representing the employers were
BusinessEurope [2], the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises (UEAPME [3]) and the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises
Providing Public Services (CEEP [4]). Trade unions were represented by the
European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC [5]), and negotiations began on 14
November 2011 (*EU1111051I* [6]).
[1] http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003L0088:EN:HTML
[2] http://www.businesseurope.eu/
[3] http://www.ueapme.com/
[4] http://www.ceep.eu/
[5] http://www.etuc.org/
[6] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/industrial-relations/social-partners-launch-review-of-working-time-directive
Ruling restricts paid leave for short-time workers
20 joulukuu 2012
The European Court of Justice (ECJ [1]) has ruled on a case brought after two
workers were dismissed, and then given extended employment contracts as
‘zero hours short-time workers’. This meant the employees did not have to
work, but could receive a financial allowance from Germany’s Federal
Employment Agency (BA [2]).
[1] http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/Jo2_7024/
[2] http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_426332/EN/Navigation/Startseite/Englisch-Nav.html
Industrial relations and working conditions developments in Europe 2011
10 joulukuu 2012
This annual review describes the developments in industrial relations and working conditions in 2011 in the EU Member States and Norway, at both national and EU level, with a focus on the economic situation and responses to it. The report describes the current economic situation in EU Member States and highlights relevant political and legislative developments in individual countries. It describes labour market trends in Europe and developments in career and employment security, health and well-being at work, skills development and work–life balance. It also examines changes in the organisation and role of social partners, developments in collective bargaining (at cross-sectoral, sectoral and company levels), working time, pay developments, social dialogue developments, industrial conflicts and company restructuring in 2011. At European level, the report summarises the main events over the course of 2011, charting trends in European social policy, employment legislation and social dialogue.
ERM report 2012 – After restructuring: labour markets, working conditions and life satisfaction
05 marraskuu 2012
The ERM Report 2012 focuses on the consequences of restructuring for employees. It examines which employees lost their job at the onset of the economic crisis, which of them found a new job and how both job loss and subsequent re-employment impacted on their overall life situation and satisfaction. It also looks at the impact on working conditions for employees who remain at the restructured firm. Both these studies, of those who lost their jobs and those who stayed at the restructured workplace, have never before been analysed by using common, EU-wide and representative, datasets. The report also provides an overview of recent restructuring using the ERM database. While restructuring cases reporting job loss have fallen since the peak of 2009, they still outnumber announcements of job gain. Several recent cases testify to serious problems in the once very promising alternative energy sector in Europe. The findings show that much of the recently announced job creation is in the hotels and retail sectors.
Deadline for working time negotiations extended
04 lokakuu 2012
Negotiations between the EU-level cross-sector social partners on the
revision of the Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC [1]) began on 14 November
2011 (EU1111051I [2]).
[1] http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003L0088:EN:HTML
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/industrial-relations/social-partners-launch-review-of-working-time-directive
Employment Council discusses opposition to regulation on collective action
05 syyskuu 2012
Ministers at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs
Council (EPSCO [1]) at a meeting on 21–22 June 2012 (231Kb PDF) [2] took
note of a progress report (135kb PDF) [3] on the new proposal on enforcement
of the posted workers [4] directive and a linked regulation on the right to
collective action, issued in March 2012 (EU1204011I [5]).
[1] http://www.consilium.europa.eu/policies/council-configurations/employment,-social-policy,-health-and-consumer-affairs?lang=en
[2] http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/lsa/131116.pdf
[3] http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/12/st10/st10571.en12.pdf
[4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/posted-workers
[5] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined/commission-proposes-new-rules-for-posted-workers
Paid leave rights of sick workers upheld
09 elokuu 2012
In judgment C-78/11 [1], the European Court of Justice (ECJ [2]) ruled on 21
June 2012 that if a worker is so ill that he or she is unable to work, and
that illness occurs during paid annual leave [3], the worker has the right to
claim further paid leave to make up for the missed days of holiday. The
ruling is the outcome of a case brought against Spain’s National
Association of Large Distribution Businesses (ANGED [4]) by a number of
unions led by the Federation of Trade Unions (FASGA [5]).
[1] http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=124190&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=109815
[2] http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies/court-justice/index_en.htm
[3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/annual-leave
[4] http://www.anged.es/
[5] http://www.fasga.com/
Joint declaration on impact of change in postal sector
17 heinäkuu 2012
The full opening up of Europe’s postal market took place on 1 January 2011
in 16 Member States, and will extend to the remaining 11 on 1 January 2013.
This process is being carried out under the EU’s third postal directive
(114Kb PDF) [1], and the region’s postal sector is now experiencing a
period of significant change as competitors enter the market.
[1] http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/doc/legislation/2008-06_en.pdf
Flexicurity: Actions at company level
03 heinäkuu 2012
The aim of flexicurity is to improve employment opportunities for workers, while at the same time increasing flexibility, enabling organisations to adapt their operations and employment levels to business needs. The past few years have, however, been particularly challenging for European labour markets: the recent financial crisis and recession have had an inevitable negative impact on EU labour markets and unemployment levels. This has called into question the effectiveness of the flexicurity strategy in terms of supporting vulnerable workers. Eurofound research in six EU Member States analysed company initiatives targeting young workers, older workers and women.
Commission launches Programme for Social Change and Innovation
07 kesäkuu 2012
The Commission launched a proposal for a Regulation on a Programme for Social
Change and Innovation (PSCI) [1] in February 2012 as a way of helping the EU
cope with pressing challenges such as high unemployment, poverty, social
exclusion and the ageing population.
[1] http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52011PC0609:EN:NOT