The government stated it `will do everything to safeguard the jobs of Whirlpool in Italy' until 2018. It is pressing the US giant on earlier commitments to that effect made when it took over Indesit. The industry ministry spoke about `strong opposition to aspects' of Whirlpool-Indesit's plans that according to the trade unions might involve 1,350 job cuts, including 1,200 factory jobs and 150 in research centres. As Whirlpool bought control of the home-appliance maker Indesit a deal was signed with the trade unions as well as with local and central governments that aimed at avoiding 1,425 lay-offs and ensuring 83 million euros worth of investments.
English: http://www.gazzettadelsud.it/news/english/137810/Guidi-says-govt-committed-to-no .
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The Federal Labour Court (BAG) confirmed that trade unions have the right to negotiate advantages exclusively for their members. The court had to examine a case of payment of employee benefits specifically negotiated by IG Metall for its members during talks over a social plan. Three years ago the IG Metall agreed with the Nokia Siemens Network (NSN) on the continuation of the work at a plant in Munich. Part of the plan was a compensation pay for all NSN-workers that had joined the union before March 2012. A non-unionised worker was demanding similar advantages. According to the court the partners in bargaining have the clear autonomy to decide on working conditions including provisions that can be seen as transitional provisions or as compensation for partial closure during an industrial dispute.
English: http://www.bakermckenzie.com/nl/news/Baker--McKenzie-successfully-defends .
German: http://www.dialog.igmetall.de/artikel/datum/2015/04/16/nsn-bag-bestaetigt ...
Trade unions GMB, Community, Unite and UCATT will give an official notice that they will commence an official ballot on 6 May for industrial action over Tata Steel's proposal to close the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS). Tata Steel Europe management has not taken up the offer to re-enter discussions about the pension scheme. The unions are continuing to take legal advice and making preparations to ensure that the ballot meets all legal requirements and cannot be challenged by Tata. As of December 2014, the British Steel Pension Scheme had 143,000 members, with 17,004 making up employee members and 91,264 making up pensioner members. As of November 2014, the assets of the scheme were valued at around £13.6 billion and continue to increase.
English: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/apr/16/uk-unions-threaten-joint-strike .
The government adopted an amendment to the law on public procurement, which should prevent shell companies from doing business with public authorities. The reason for submitting the draft law is the effort to secure that the agreements in public procurement are signed by subjects with clear ownership structure, revealed to the natural people. The identification of the final beneficiaries is important for increasing transparency, preventing the conflict of interests and fighting corruption in public competitions. However, observers think the law will be toothless.
English: http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20056920/dennik-n-law-against-shell-companies-is-empty .
The trade unions at the oil storage company Vopak stated that 650 workers walked out for two hours. Vopak's management is enmeshed in a dispute with its workers over terms of a new collective agreement, including pay and overtime allowances. The action was the second of its kind in the past thirteen years, according to a representative of the FNV trade union. The walk out involved staff at seven terminals working shifts, including Vopak terminals in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Vlissingen. The demands also involve the negotiations of a social plan with guaranties related to future dismissals.
English: http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/energy-commodities/workers-plan-limited-strike .
Trade unions and the government were nearing an agreement on the future of Radio France after a 28-day strike that exemplified the challenges of loosening up labour legislation. Broadcasts resumed, after a strike that started 19 March (see our March Newsletter), and staff met to discuss next steps. Four of five unions voted to return to work after progress on a compromise reform plan. The company wants to cut jobs through a voluntary departure plan; the reform focuses on structural issues and job cuts, but management is not talking about cutting benefits.
English: http://www.timesunion.com/news/world/article/Protracted-French-radio-strike .
Researchers of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) did not find evidence that deregulatory labour market reforms have a positive impact in increasing economies' growth potential. In the preparations for the April 2015 edition of its World Economic Output (WEO) report, released in full on 14 April, this conclusion was drawn. The finding is included in an analysis based on data from sixteen G20 countries that attempts to explain a predicted slowing in potential output growth in advanced and emerging market economies. Labour market deregulation has featured prominently in IMF loan conditions and policy advice for many countries, most notoriously so in several EU crisis countries.
English: http://www.equaltimes.org/new-imf-research-no-evidence-that ...
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft .
In a recent study the public workers trade union (Kamu-Sen) set the hunger threshold to 533 euro, nearly double the national minimum wage of 316 euro. Although the country has experienced significant growth over the past decade, millions live under the poverty line and the country is among the worst of the Organisation for Cooperation and Economic Development (OECD) member states regarding income inequality. Civil servant wages, minimum wages and pensions have been criticised repeatedly by the trade unions as insufficient, particularly in 2014 as inflation outpaced wage and pension increases.
English: http://www.todayszaman.com/business_hunger-threshold-nearly-double .
Trade unions in agriculture have announced that banana workers on the Canary islands will go on strike if the employers association continue to refuse to negotiate over a new collective agreement. According to the unions, the Association of Banana Producers of the Canaries (Asproccan) and the Regional Group of Canary Banana Growers Cooperatives (Coplaca) want to make use of the new law which cancels collective agreements if they expire without a replacement. Some 12,000 banana workers are employed on the Canary islands, where they earn an average €900 per month.
English: http://www.freshfruitportal.com/2015/04/13/spain-banana-workers-ready-to-strike .
The international and European trade union federations BWI, IndustriAll and EFBWW mobilised workers during a Holcim Annual general meeting in Hallenstadion in Zurich. Shareholders were met with a union manifestation outside the meeting hall. The unions spoke about workers' concerns and demands, which remain neglected in the mega-merger between the two cement world leaders Holcim and Lafarge. The union demands are job security for at least 2 years in the new group and in units that are sold, observance of information and consultation procedures, negotiations on a new EWC and a new Global Framework Agreement, social dialogue at all levels.
English: http://www.bwint.org/default.asp?Index .
http://www.industriall-union.org/unions-bring-workers-demands-to-holcim-shareholders .