Collective Bargaining

The central statistical office CBS presented data on the rise of poverty in recent years. The economic crisis initially had only a modest impact on the extent of poverty. It was not until 2011 that the poverty rate began to rise substantially, and the increase was even greater in 2012. Based on the low-income threshold, 664,000 households (9.4% of all households) were at risk of poverty in 2012. This represents a sharp increase compared with 2011 and 2010, when 575,000 (8.2%) and 514,000 (7.4%) households, respectively, had a low income. A total of 1.329 million persons were on a low income in 2012.
English: http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/themas/inkomen-bestedingen ... [close]

The National Council for Tripartite Cooperation (NTCT), made up of the government, the employers and the trade unions discussed amendments to the Labour Code concerning the regulation of internship contracts in order to put in place efficient tools against youth unemployment. The council also discussed proposals aiming to reduce administrative burden, including questions related to the termination of employment contracts, and several items related to the identification, investigation and registration of occupational accidents.
English: http://www.bta.bg/en ...
http://www.government.bg/cgi-bin ...

[close]

Only 2 employers in 4 years have been prosecuted for paying below the national minimum wage despite more than 300,000 people in the UK earning less, a report reveals. The revenue and customs institution HMRC has investigated 10,777 firms since 2009 for allegedly breaking the law on low pay, collecting œ15.8m in arrears payments and imposing œ2.1m in fines. However, only a couple of firms have been prosecuted, and despite ministers' repeated pledges, only one has ever been named and shamed. A report from the Centre for London and the Trust for London, Settle For Nothing Less, which uses unpublished data, says the figures point to a `systemic failure' in the way the national minimum wage is policed.
English: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/03/minimum-wage-poorly-policed
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25189755
Focus on the report Settle For Nothing Less: http://centreforlondon.org/wp-content ...

[close]

Members of the trade union confederation Akava are prepared to remain longer in working life than before. Akava has been examining attitudes towards retirement for some time. Surveys aimed at sounding out members as to where they stand on this issue have been carried out in 2007, 2010 and 2013. The planned age for retirement has been moving steadily upward among Akava members. Right now it stands at 63.9 years. There has been a 0.7 year trajectory since 2010. And from 2007 the increase has been 2.7 years. Among non-Akava members the planned retirement age was on average 63 years. Even though the readiness to work longer than before has been on the rise 65% of Akava members and 75% of other wage and salary earners are unwilling to accept that the minimum old-age retirement age should be raised to 65 years.
English: http://www.jokinen.kaapeli.fi/index.php/en/trade-union-news-from-finland/256-akava ...

[close]

In the first ten months of 2013, the labour inspection found 13,600 workers without proper labour contracts during its inspections. The inspection applied 15.3 million euro in fines. Employment without the proper paper work was concentrated in Bucharest, Bihor and Constanta county.
English: http://www.romania-insider.com/romanian-inspectors-find-over-13000-workers ...

[close]

Some observers question the sustainability of the jobs that are the result of a €70 million government plan for tackling youth unemployment. The government proudly presented that it had created 11,000 new jobs in less than a year and that the success of the projects will soon be reflected in jobless statistics, which should decrease by 7,000 among people younger than 29. But several analysts are less optimistic and note that the government youth employment stimulus projects are overpriced and ineffective.
English: http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/52231/3/youth_employment_stimulus ...

[close]

Some 100 employees of publicly owned chemical producer Oltchim went on strike after not receiving their salaries for 2.5 months. The company, which has been on the list for privatisation since last year, has been making large losses and is under judiciary administration. The workers said neither management nor the judiciary administration would talk to them over the unpaid wages.
English: http://www.romania-insider.com/employees-of-largest-romanian-chemical-producer ...

[close]

According to a survey by the Chamber of Commerce (HK CR) only 7% of the companies plan to cut salaries in 2014. Twice as many domestic companies, i.e. 16%, plan to double their salaries. 56% of companies with 250+ employees plan to raise salaries in 2014. Manufacturing industry is most optimistic in the applied sector classification, as 36% of companies plan to raise salaries.
English: http://eu.cianews.cz/english-news/comcham-16-of-firms-plan-to-raise-salaries ...

[close]

The Labour ministry has published updated ambiguous (un)employment figures. The nominal employment data show a growth of jobs whilst also unemployment increased. Major insolvencies (Alpine, Niedermeyer and retailer dayli) have had a strong impact on the unemployment situation. Unemployment amongst males increased more dramatically than amongst females. From the 301,898 unemployed people 165,558 were men (a plus of 12.6%) and 136,340 were women (a plus of 10.5%).The highest rise in unemployment was amongst people with a disability (a plus of 25.3%) and also people over 50 (a plus of 22.8%).
English: http://austriantimes.at/news/Business/2013-12-02 ...
German: http://www.bmask.gv.at/site/Startseite/Topnews/Hundstorfer_zu_Arbeitsmarkt ...

[close]

Postal workers organised a protest against the national mail company's privatisation. Portugal is privatising companies to reduce its debt as part of a 78 billion-euro bailout it received in 2011. The government hopes to raise more than 400 million euro from the sale of a 70% stake in postal service CTT-Correios de Portugal SA.
English: http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/2013/11/29/portuguese-postal-workers ...

[close]