Collective Bargaining

Interviews by the Confederation of Industry and the Czech National Bank (CNB) indicate that industrial companies expect to be laying off thousands of people in 2013 and think they are unlikely to hire many new employees.
English: http://praguemonitor.com/2013/04/10/industrial-companiesto-scrap ...

The ministers of Industry and Trade and of Labour and Social Affairs have started talks with employers' organisations and trade unions to discuss a plan to tackle unemployment. Trade unions, who already announced they would campaign against the government (see January 2013 newsletter), are suspicious of the time of the plan just ahead of the 2014 general elections. The plan against unemployment contains subsidies to start-ups, businesses that employ people under thirty, lightening the bureaucratic burden on firms, investment in technical education and a raise in the minimum wage. Unemployment is currently at 8%.
English: http://praguemonitor.com/2013/04/10/tripartite-draft-plan-aimed ...

During the 9th ILO Regional European Meeting several participants formulated an urgent call for effective employment and social policies that can achieve growth and competitiveness with good jobs. Social dialogue and collective bargaining serve as effective tools to mitigate the impact of the crisis, but in many countries they have been weakened. The final declaration states that there is a need to create positive pathways to overcome negative economic, social and political consequences and restore trust.
English: http://www.ilo.org/global/meetings-and-events/regional-meetings ...

Ahead of his state of the nation speech, prime minister Juncker met with representatives of unions and employers separately. Both meetings were dominated by negative economic outlooks presented by the finance ministry earlier. While unions stressed the importance of holding on to the indexation of wages, employers insisted that letting go of the practice would strengthen the country's competitiveness. Both parties expressed worries over job losses, while employers added that the outsourcing of industries would lead to the further decrease in the availability of low skill jobs. A high level industry advisory board that was recently established does not include trade union representatives.
English: http://www.wort.lu/en/view/premier-meets-labour-unions-and-employers ...
http://www.wort.lu/en/view/luxembourg-union-demands-inclusion-on-new-industry-advisory ...
Focus on indexation of wages:
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2010/22/en/1/EF1022EN.pdf

Trade unions CGIL, CISL and UIL have called on the government to start collective negotiations in the public sector. The joint demand follows a report that public sector pay fell by 1.6% between 2010 and 2012, which adjusted for inflation implies a 7.2% wage cut.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/9431

Workers at on-shore supply bases of the country's many platforms have announced a strike. The unions are currently negotiating a wage agreement with the offshore contractors, in which little progress was being made. On the very last moment, unions accepted a wage offer of 3.4%, averting industrial action.
English: http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article1322371.ece
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/08/uk-norway-strike ...

Trade unions CFDT, CGC, FO and UNSA have called on Adecco workers to go on strike. Adecco recently made known the intention to change its compensation structure, which the unions fear will effectively lead to wage cuts for the workers. The unions furthermore speak up against the lack of social dialogue in the firm, whereas an Adecco spokesperson said the company had been trying to engage in constructive negotiations.
English: http://www.staffingindustry.com/eng/Research-Publications/Daily-News/France ...

In a document submitted to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the trade union Unite, which has 1.4 million members, is calling for a 24-hour general strike against austerity measures. The proposal will be discussed at a meeting of the TUC's general council on 24 April 2013. No strike date has yet been suggested.
English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22029895
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9977306/Millions-will-answer-call ...

Trade union UHM has brought working conditions at WasteServ to the attention of the Environment minister, who reacted abhorred about the lack of protective gear the workers receive. The minister asked to be further informed and vowed to "set things right". The employees of WasteServ work without any protection against the dead animals, rats and used sanitary products they come across every day.
English: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-04-08/news/environment-minister ...

IndustriALL and high-technology manufacturer, Safran Group, have signed a European Framework Agreement. The French multinational that specialises in Aerospace Propulsion, Aircraft Equipment, Defense and Security, has promised to invest in the integration of young people into its work force. IndustriALL confirms the goals is to provide 2,000 apprenticeships and traineeships per year over the next 3 years leading to the hiring of 6,000 young people over the same period.
English: http://www.industriall-europe.eu/news/list2.asp?stid=99