Collective Bargaining

Quotas on the number of EU citizens that want to work in the country have come into effect for one year. Switzerland, which is not an EU member, says immigration has reached unacceptable levels. The number of foreigners stands at almost 25% of the population, many of them recent arrivals from EU countries where unemployment is at record levels. The country has made a series of deals with the EU on the free movement of people in return for access to European markets. The European Commission has warned that the quotas could jeopardise relations.
English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe ...

The Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) has presented the publication Making Migration Work (In Betere Banen). In the report several renowned researchers have analysed current European labour migration flows and the challenges these pose for employment and mobility in a globalising economy. The authors argue for a more considered and effective labour migration policy for the long term.
English: http://www.wrr.nl/en/actueel/agenda ...

The AIAS/ETUI-team that is responsible for the production of the monthly Collective Bargaining Newsletter has created an archive that functions as a database. The database contains all Collective Bargaining Newsletters published since February 2008 and can be searched using five main functions: search by key words, by countries, and by date, combined search and selection within search results. The search outcome is a chronological list of items starting with the most recent ones. Selections can be printed.
English: http://www.cbnarchive.eu/

After the announcement of 120 planned redundancies Mondi Neusiedler GmbH, a paper and packaging plant that currently employs almost 700 people in the district of Amstetten (Lower Austria), negotiations for a social plan will start soon. The negotiations with the works councillors will take several weeks. Further job reductions are also expected in subsidiaries in the Slovak Republic and Russia.
English: http://austriantimes.at/news/Business/2013-05-29 ...

The civil servant pension fund ABP, one of the biggest pension funds in the world, will have to cut pay-outs for a second time this year, the civil service fund said. ABP reduced pay-outs by 0.5% earlier in 2013. But with a current coverage ratio of 100% and a target of 104% by the end of 2013, further cuts cannot be ruled out, the fund said.
English: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/05/civil_service_pensioners ...

The transport trade union General Workers' Union has described the new Arriva work rosters set to enter into force at the end of May as `inhumane'. In a statement the GWU condemned Arriva accusing it of creating unnecessary hardship for Arriva employees whilst accusing it of issuing these rosters with no consultation. As a result the dispute has now been referred to the Director of Industrial Relations.
English: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-29 ...

Pointing at joint initiatives with Portugal and Spain the Journal Der Spiegel writes rather cynically that it seemed in recent days as though the entire German cabinet had discovered youth unemployment as its new pet issue. This qualification applies also to other European leaders. However, economists say that the youngest (15-24 age group) aren't the biggest losers of the crisis, and that other groups desperately need more help. `Age is the wrong criterium for evaluating who is worthy of assistance,' says Carlos Martin Urriza, head economist at Spain's trade union confederation CCOO. Those over 30 who have completed only the equivalent of a middle-school education are more likely to be unemployed, and for longer periods of time, than highly qualified workers under 30. But to train those over 30 is an expensive and long-term measure - politicians lack the endurance for that.
English: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/students-left-out-youth-unemployment ...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/05/28/eu-leaders-sound-alarm ...

Following several incidents involving aggression against ambulance personnel, medical trade union Podkrepa has demanded the government take action. Podkrepa has said that if no legislative solution is forthcoming by the 15 June, the workers will organise a protest against unsafe working conditions.
English: http://www.focus-fen.net/index ...

Post Office workers are to strike for the fifth time since Easter in protest against planned closures, which could affect up to 800 jobs across the country. The strike action will occur across 373 stores and could be observed by 4,000 staff, after union members voted nine to one in favour of strike action. Strike action has already been observed on 30 March, 19 April, 29 April and 7 May 2013. There is massive public opposition to the closure and franchise plans and Post Office management have had to admit that their figures on the trade unions' pay claim were wrong. Trade union CWU stated that talks have been held with no progress over major issues, leaving the unions with `little option' other than to serve notice for more strike action.
English: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk ...

The trade union CGT has called on electricity workers to strike on June 13 over fears jobs may be cut in the sector as a result of an on-going review of energy policy. The strike could likely result in production capacity cuts at nuclear plants.
English: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/world/story/french-union-calls ...