Evidence from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Spain reveals that social partners are closely involved in setting up national strategies to manage digital change in the world of work. Up to now, this has been a high-level affair and there are only a few collective agreements or
On 30 October 2013, partners in Germany’s Pact on Apprenticeships released the latest figures on newly concluded vocational training contracts. During the vocational guidance year 2012/2013, 482,400 newly concluded contracts were registered.
On 7 October 2013, German car manufacturer Daimler released a statement, Daimler sets out social principles for contractors (in German) [1]. In it, Daimler establishes minimum standards for working conditions, health protection and accommodation for employees. The company requires all its
The ‘Work: safe and fair’ (in German) [1] campaign is run by IG Metall, the dominant metalworkers’ union [2] in Germany [3] and a major trend-setter in national bargaining that represents both blue and white-collar workers, largely in the automotive industry. As part of its campaign, the union
On 15 May 2013, the employers’ association of the Bavarian Metal and Electrical Industry (VBM [1]) and the German Metalworkers’ Union (IG Metall [2]) concluded a pilot agreement in the sector. [1] http://www.baymevbm.de/baymevbm/Home/ [2] http://www.igmetall.de
Germany’s state health insurer BKK [1] published its latest annual report (in German) [2] in November 2012. The report includes comprehensive data on sickness leave taken by BKK’s 12 million members. Since the BKK membership represents 17.1% of all people with statutory health insurance in Germany
In a plenary session on 1 March 2013, the Federal Council of Germany, the Bundesrat [1], debated a draft law which proposes a national minimum wage (in German) [2] of €8.50 per hour. The council wants the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS [3]) to set up a commission for introducing
Over the past decade, the German Federal Government [1] has taken many steps to reform the country’s immigration laws brought in on 1 January 2005. Discussion over the aims of German immigration policy has continued, however, (*DE1205039I* [2], *DE1211019I* [3], *DE1107029I* [4]) and the new act has
On 29 November 2012, the Chair of the Board of the Federal Employment Agency (BA [1]), Frank Weise, said in a press release (in German) [2] that the German labour market was stable. In November, unemployment decreased by 2,000 on the previous month to around 2.57 million, leaving the German
The Pact on Apprenticeships was initially set up in 2004 to create more vocational training positions for young people (*DE0407105F* [1]). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/training-levy-law-avoided-by-pact
In summer 2012, the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin [1]) released the results of a new study (in German, 2.8Mb PDF) [2] on the number of women in managerial positions in German companies and government administrations. The 2012 report came out at the same time as the latest