Collective Bargaining

Christoph Leitl, president of the Economic Chamber Austria (WKO), and Erich Foglar, president of the trade union confederation ™GB, met with representatives of the French government, to discuss the Austrian model of youth education. Youth unemployment is unacceptably high in Europe, double the unemployment rate of adults. The dual vocational training is for many young people a model of success and it is a lived social partnership model that is constantly being developed and supported at all levels of social partnership.
English: http://vergemm.com/featured/wko-and-ogb-in-paris-educational-system-reduces ...

According to an INSEE study the austerity measures have a laming effect on the growth perspectives in the Eurozone. Restrictive budgetary policies put in place by European governments since the start of 2011 have put a strain on their economic activity, reducing Eurozone growth by 0.6 point in 2012. This negative impact results directly from cost-cutting measures and tax increases in each country as well as from external trade measures taken by countries' leading trading partners.
English: http://www.europolitics.info/economy-monetary-affairs ...
French: http://www.lefigaro.fr/conjoncture/2012/12/06 ...

The Volkswagen Group Board of Management, the European Group Works Council and the Volkswagen World Works Council and IndustriALL signed an agreement limiting temporary work at the plants of the Group, worldwide. In the Charter, signed in Munich, the signatories agreed among others a moderate use of temporary work at Volkswagen as a necessary tool of flexibility that should not exceed 5%, the put in place of the equal pay - equal treatment principle and the principle that temporary work is used solely to balance economic volatility and address particular tasks for which there is a temporary need of workforce.
English: http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en ...
http://www.industriall-union.org/volkswagen-limits-precarious-work-globally

The Leather and Shoe Workers' Union (Deri-Is) is facing systematic pressure and discrimination at DESA's leather factories. DESA, producing for many well-known brands such as Prada, Gucci, Debenhams, Whistless, Marks and Spencer, is one of the leading exporting companies in the leather sector with three factories in Istanbul, Duzce and Corlu employing around 2,000 workers. Since 2008, over 50 cases of unfair dismissals and mobbing were brought to the legal courts, and DESA has lost the majority of them and been described by the courts as anti-union. In a campaign IndustriALL Global and European Trade Union are calling for the right to freedom of association and an end to union busting.
English: http://www.industriall-union.org/union-busting-at-desa-in-turkey-soars

The National Institute of Statistics released a report that states that the first 9 months in 2012 were fruitful for the economy, with a 17.9% increase in investments. As much as €5.5 billion fuelled new building works, more than half of total investment. The Institute also updated its overview of monthly gross and net earnings (for the period 1991-2012).
English: http://www.insse.ro/cms/files/statistici/communicate ... http://www.insse.ro/cms/rw/pages/castiguri91-2012.en.do

Trade unions report that the gender pay gap in the industrial sector is narrowing, bringing women's wages up to 85.2% of men's. The gap has narrowed since 2002, when women in industry earned just 80.5% of men's wages.
English: http://www.artto.kaapeli.fi/unions/T2012/p48

Construction firms employing workers from EU countries will in future be responsible for making sure their subcontractors follow Swiss wage and employment laws or face penalties. After the Senate and the cabinet the change, which is meant to maintain fair competition across Swiss' borders under its free labour accord with the EU and prevent so-called `wage dumping' was approved by the House of Representatives by 104 votes to 82. The law holds contractors responsible for making sure that their workers from the European Economic Area who become employed in Switzerland earn the correct retirement, health insurance and other social benefits prescribed by Swiss law.
English: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Lawmakers_put_onus_on_building ...

Members of the trade union confederation DGB dressed in Santa Claus costumes held a placard with a number of €8.50 as a demanded minimum wage per hour prior to the opening of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)'s annual party meeting in Hanover, December 4, 2012. 1001 delegates elected party leader and Chancellor Merkel as top candidate for the 2013 general elections during the three day party convention.
English: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/demonstrating-members-germanys-union ...

As a part of on-going budget cuts, over 600 staff members are expected to be made redundant next year at the ministry of defence. The minister of defence said it is unclear whether the layoffs will concern civilian or military personnel but that they will most certainly be made from the civilian-administrative wing.
English: http://praguemonitor.com/2012/12/05/over-600-employees-leave-defence-ministry

Media report that national freight carrier CD cargo is standing ready to execute a far going restructuring plan, involving 2495 layoffs and sale of 87 redundant train engines and almost 5,000 wagons. Trade unions have not yet been consulted regarding the redundancies, but reacted that the firing of so many employees will lead to lower sales.
English: http://praguemonitor.com/2012/12/11/plan-rescue ...