The government has proposed a directive for the payment of a 325 euro December bonus for the unemployed. Those who are confirmed as having sought employment from November 20 to December 3 are eligible. The unemployment rate in November 2013 was 4.2%, relatively unchanged to November 2012. According to Statistics Iceland, 3,900 men and 3,700 women were without a job in November.
English: http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news//Extra_for_the_Unemployed ...
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IndustriALL and chemical group Solvay signed a social and environmental responsibility agreement, committing the company and its subcontractors to ILO international social standards and the UN Global Compact. The agreement includes two annual assessment missions by IndustriALL, Solvay and local trade union representatives to inspect safety policies and the application of the agreement. UNI Property Services, the Swedish Transport Workers' Union and Loomis AB signed a global agreement too, committing the company to the UN Guiding Principles on Human Rights, ILO Core Conventions and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The agreement ensures freedom of association and collective bargaining in all Loomis AB subsidiaries.
English: http://www.industriall-union.org/industriall-global-union-signs-worldwide ...
After nearly a year of negotiations, reported in this newsletter, the talks between steel giant ArcelorMittal and trade unions have ended without an agreement. Trade unions OBGL and LCGB rejected proposals by ArcelorMittal, which included a three-year freeze on wages, a restructuring of career advancement and the abolition of nine days of annual leave. A last-minute offer of financial compensation for the lost days of annual leave could not save the process and trade unions have made known that they will ballot their members over industrial action. Votes are expected to be held before the end of the year, paving the way for strikes in January.
English: http://www.wort.lu/en/view/unions-reject-arcelormittal-proposals ...
The New York Times describes how many European countries - especially those in southern Europe that have been tormented by the financial crisis - have been furiously dismantling workplace protections in a bid to reduce the cost of labour. The journal signals that the austerity policy has radically changed the nature of Europe's society with widening inequality and an unheralded erosion of worker protection that is likely to have a big and lasting impact on Europe's labour relations.
English: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/business/economy/the-americanization ...
http://dianeravitch.net/2013/12/14/crushing-labor-unions-and-the-middle-class ...
Workers at the Galician Stolt Sea Farm went on strike over management's refusal to negotiate a new collective agreement. A union representative said the company is seeking to take advantage of recent labour law reforms, outlined in the July newsletter, which limits the extension of collective agreements. The workers fear that if they do nothing, the company will let the collective agreement expire and reduce annual wages by 3,000 to 5,000 euro.
English: http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews ...
Over 2,400 Berlin teachers went on strike on 4 December, which was the 16th strike since November 2012. The strikes are the result of the Berlin senate's refusal to negotiate a collective agreement, despite the labour court having appointed them as the responsible bargaining party. Teachers are asking for classification schemes for contract teachers in line with tenure teachers and measures on age-appropriate working conditions.
English: http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/news_details/2802
The minister of social security has announced that six billion euro will be allocated to increasing youth employment between 2014 and 2020. The scheme will start offering employment guarantees from 2014. The main aim is to ensure that all young people under 25 get a good-quality, concrete offer, including job, apprenticeship, traineeship, within four months of them leaving formal education or becoming unemployed.
English: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/59486/unemployed-youth ...
The European trade union movement protested against `social dumping' and unfair competition during the meeting of the EU employment ministers, a meeting with on the agenda how to enforce the application of the posting rules. Improvement of the legal position of so-called posted workers is a long-time demand from the union side. Posted workers often work for lower wages and working conditions and the existing rules are often not respected. The unions call for the regulation of outsourcing and want to hold accountable the entire supply chain.
English: http://www.equaltimes.org/news/social-europe-buried-as-eu-ministers-amend ...
The Bank of Portugal has released its winter economic outlook, forecasting a growth of both employment and wages in the private sector. The bank expects the economy to pick up due to increased foreign demand. The government has welcomed the report as positive, whereas opposition parties have reacted sceptically. The bank warns that the private sector employment growth will not offset the public sector decline.
English: http://theportugalnews.com/news/more-jobs-and-more-pay/30129
The Central Economic Council that has the task of submitting to the government and/or Parliament formal opinions on issues relating to the national economy and to issue twice per year a report and an opinion on the competitiveness of Belgian enterprises has predicted that the pay gap with the three biggest neighbours will fall to +3.8% during 2014. Normally these predictions serve as a basis for determining the so-called `wage norm', or the percentage that private sector wages are allowed to rise. In 2013, the wage norm has not been applied, as an agreement between management and unions across the private sector did not allow for wage increases above the rate of inflation.
English: http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Economy ...
Focus on the Central Economic Council: http://www.ccecrb.fgov.be/txt/en/2011182_1.pdf
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/BELGIUM ...