Collective Bargaining

All of Statoil's offshore personnel are to be put on the scales pre helicopter flight boarding to prioritise safety. Weight is important in terms of the helicopter's centre of gravity (termed `weight and balance') and for calculating the fuel quantity. Unions SAFE and Industri Energi have expressed that putting new regulations in place is urgent.
English: http://www.aftenbladet.no/energi/aenergy/Statoil-safety-improvements ...

Three out of four Finns (76%) say that public transport belongs to the public services. Only one out of ten think the opposite. This is one of the findings of a public transport barometer commissioned by the JHL trade union. The opinion was divided on the outsourcing of public transport. It was supported by 34% and opposed by 37%. The highest percentage of those in favour of privatisation was among traditional right-wing party supporters and greens, lowest among those supporting left-wing parties and the populist right-wing party.
English: http://www.jhl.fi/portal/en/jhl_info ...

The global trade unions Public Services International and IndustriALL signed a Global Framework Agreement with the multinational enterprise Enel, which operates in more than 40 countries. The agreement is based on international principles of human and labour rights, and defines the guidelines for social dialogue as a way to deal with industrial relations.
English: http://www.world-psi.org/en/psi-signs-global-framework-agreement-improve ...
http://www.industriall-union.org/industriall-and-psi-reach-global-agreement-with-enel

In an effort to circumvent the working conditions that are the result of the bargaining procedures and methods as defined in an agreement between labour confederation LO and employers' confederation Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening a restaurant owner has signed an agreement with the independent trade union Krifa. Krifa, which is not a member of LO, is instead one of a number of independent unions that typically offer lower dues to members. LO trade union 3F has decided to make use of the general agreement that allows unions to organise strikes against businesses that do not sign collective bargaining agreements. 3F argues that if they cannot negotiate an agreement guaranteeing decent pay, its members could be assigned jobs with 10 or 20% lower wages.
English: http://cphpost.dk/business/union-accused-bullying-restaurant-owner

For the very first time the trade union Unia has succeeded to reach a deal on the introduction of minimum wages in the machinery, electrical equipment and metal industries. In the collective agreement minimum wages are agreed that will protect workers against social dumping. It is estimated that 10 to 20% of the workers will directly profit from the protection of this long-cherished demand. Other improvements include more paternal leave rights and a longer period for mandatory consultation in case of collective dismissal.
French: http://unia.ch/news_aktion_fr ...
German: http://unia.ch/news_aktionen ...

Randstad has announced it will be restructuring its activities in Belgium due to increased competition. The company intends to reduce its workforce by 165 people and has entered into formal discussions with workers' representatives on a social plan. The possible redundancies figure is almost identical to that which the recruitment firm warned of ahead of restructuring plans in its French operations in December 2012.
English: http://www.recruiter.co.uk/news/2013/06/redundancies-expected-with-randstad ...

Following agreements in the metal and electrical sectors, as reported in this newsletter, the minimum wage of agency workers in laundry services will be increased as well. The minimum wage for agency workers in the laundry services sector will increase to €8.25 in West Germany (currently €8.00) and €7.50 in East Germany (now €7.00). The agreement includes the ambition to reach equal minimum wages of €8.75 in both East and West Germany by 2016.
English: http://www.staffingindustry.com/eng/Research-Publications/Daily-News/Germany ...

Commerzbank has announced 5,200 jobs cuts, about 12% of its 45,000 full-time staff. Earlier on trade union ver.di said it estimated around 3,000 jobs cuts. At the end of 2012 and at the beginning of 2013, Commerzbank already decided on a reduction of 800 fulltime equivalents, primarily in the Non-Core Assets segment. A further reduction of 500 fulltime equivalents is planned abroad and in the German subsidiaries. The remaining job cuts of 3,900 fulltime equivalents have been approved by the Works Council of Commerzbank AG. Of these cuts around 1,800 full-time equivalents will be affected in the Private Clients Segment.
English: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/19/us-commerzbank-jobs ...
http://hereisthecity.com/2013/06/19/commerzbank-reaches-agreement-on-5200-job-cuts/

Average gross wages increased by 3.8% in 2012. The growth was faster in the private sector, 4.6% versus 3% for public sector wages, but in absolute figures public wages were considerably higher. Real earnings increased too, for the first time since the economic crisis. These added 0.5% across the economy and a faster 1.2% in the private sector.
English: http://balticbusinessnews.com/article/2013/6/20/real-earnings-up-in-lithuania-in-2012
http://www.stat.gov.lt/en/home/-/asset_publisher ...

Mediators called in in Cargolux dispute while workers march
June217, 2013
The trade unions OGBL and LCGB are to call in an external mediation body after no agreement was reached with the Cargolux management heads during negotiations on the collective agreement. Following the failure the unions said in a joint statement that they have called in the National Office for Conciliation, an independent mediation body, to help find a solution. The current collective agreement expires on September 1, after it was unilaterally rejected by Cargolux management in September 2012. Meanwhile, the unions organised a protest joined by thousands of people, to protest against Luxair anti-social policies.
English: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail ...
http://www.wort.lu/en/view/unions-call-in-mediators-over-cargolux-negotiations ...

Alcatel-Lucent, the network equipment maker that has struggled financially since its creation in 2006, is set to undergo another company-wide restructuring. The so-called `Shift Plan' will mean more job cuts for the company, which currently employs about 72,000 people. The management has not yet specified how many job cuts the plan might entail, and said discussions will start with the trade unions.
English: http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/alcatel-lucent-unveils-radical-restructuring ...