Collective Bargaining

The Employment Agency AMS predicts the unemployment rate to increase to 7.6% in 2014 making it the highest unemployment rate in 60 years. On average 360,723 people were unemployed in 2013 but there were also record numbers of people in employment according to the figures. According to AMS more people from neighbouring countries came to Austria in 2013 in the search for work.
English: http://austriantimes.at/news/Business/2014-01-03/50290/Highest_Unemployment ...
German: http://www.ams.at/ueber_ams/14169_28714.html

The EU petitions initiative for a EUR 400 minimum wage has led to firm debates. An employer spokesperson called it a political fiction and warned that the economy is not competitive and a minimum wage of BGN 800 will trigger a wave of unemployment. The trade union confederation Podkrepa stated that the introduction of the EU minimum wage will close the rich-poor gap.
English: http://www.novinite.com/articles/157201/Unconditional+Basic+Wage ...

In a public hearing the draft report of the European Parliament on the role and operations of the Troika was discussed. The report speaks about an unacceptable level of youth unemployment in the Member States under assistance programmes (Greece, Cyprus, Portugal and Ireland) and deplores that since 2008 the income distribution inequality has grown above average in the four countries and that cuts in social benefits and rising unemployment are raising poverty levels. The MEP's call for the involvement of social partners in the design and implementation of adjustment programmes, current and future.
English: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/econ ...

Every second Bulgarian worker in Cyprus is working extra hours; but only 16% get additional payment for the overtime work. According to the analysis in a survey carried out by the Institute for Social and Trade Union's Studies in cooperation with the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), the major problem workers have to cope with is the overtime work without additional payment.
English: http://www.focus-fen.net/index ...

Labour Court recommendations aimed at resolving a four-year dispute over pay were rejected by a ballot (a 163 to 107 majority) of SIPTU members. The trade union represents about 300 of the crane manufacturing plant's 670 workforce. The recommendations with a 2.5% pay increase, backdated to May 2012, were accepted by the management in December 2013. The management argued that the pay claim was not justified, but undertook to honour it, provided other cost-saving proposals were addressed in negotiations.
English: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/bruton-urges-all-parties-in-liebherr ...

In an effort to boost the influx of young workers the government has initiated a project that opens up the possibility for vocational schools to receive more money per student from the state for particular specialisations. The list of preferred specialisations includes trades like mining mechanics, bakers, shoemakers, printing press operators, polygraphists, fishermen, sheep breeders and butchers.
English: http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/52552/10/selected_vocational_schools_to_get ...

Although the recovery in industrial output strengthened in November and third quarter GDP showed slight growth on the previous three months, unemployment didn't drop, with the national jobless total now just under 600,000. The harsh economic fact is that whatever the good news on GDP, inflation, and industrial output, it will take time to convert into new jobs and lower unemployment. Just as employers cut overtime and temporary jobs when times get hard, they usually boost overtime but make do with the existing workforce when there are signs of an upturn.
English: http://www.radio.cz/en/section/business/czech-unemployment-rate-unlikely ...

An agreement between the Swedish Olympic Committee and national trade union centre LO, seeks to stop the violations of workers' rights and worker-exploitation which continue to plague Olympics, football World Cup and other such events. The agreement is intended to apply to companies that produce facilities, equipment, clothes and supply services for the Winter Olympic Games in Stockholm in 2022 to ensure respect for the International Labour Organisation's core labour standards which guarantee union organising and collective bargaining rights, non-discrimination and freedom from forced labour and child labour.
English: http://www.ituc-csi.org/swedish-2022-olympics-bid ...

Ferry operators SNCM and Compagnie M‚ridionale de Navigation resumed sailings between the mainland and Corsica after seafarers voted to end a nine-day strike. At a meeting with strike leaders the government promised to safeguard the future of SNCM. According to the trade unions of the sector, the main demands by the workers are now guaranteed by the Executive. One of those demands is the obligation of all ships that operate in the country to carry the French flag as their first insignia, with the purpose of achieving a significant number of jobs on board for local workers and to end the services with ships under foreign flags, on which all the personnel is from other countries, although they work within the French maritime space. Trade union leaders feared SNCM was heading into bankruptcy following indications that one of its main shareholders, utilities group Veolia, was no longer ready to support its fleet renewal plans.
English: http://www.fairplay.co.uk/login ...

It has finally been established that mercury is harmful to health and that it made dental nurses ill. This ruling by the Supreme Court might lead to a breakthrough for female-dominated workplaces. The Union of Municipal and General Employees (known as Fagforbundet) took on the case on behalf of a group of dental nurses. It won the case and was awarded costs.
English: http://www.world-psi.org/en/mercury-victims-win-supreme-court-case ...