After the steel, metal and electronics sectors, textile and clothing industry as well as the wood and plastics sectors are now also introducing higher pay for agency workers in order to reach equal pay with direct hires. Staffing firms have reacted critically to the pay raises, warning they will lead to job losses. Many companies, however, have said they hope the wage increases will make agency work more attractive for higher educated workers.
English: http://www.staffingindustry.com/eng/content/view/full/72986
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The Estonian Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) announced that it would make employers a proposal to set the minimum wage next year at 320 euros a month or 1.90 euros an hour. The trade union wants to conclude a collective labour agreement with the Estonian Employers' Confederation (EEC). An increase of the minimum wage should also reduce the amount of unreported wages that forms nearly 10% in Estonia.
English: http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/markets_and_companies/?doc=65537
The network Fair Travelling (Schyst Resande) released a report made in two of the most popular destinations for Swedish tourists: Turkey and Thailand. The report reveals serious violations of international labour standards, national legislation and human rights in hotels used by three of the biggest tour operators in Sweden: Apollo (Kuoni), Fritidsresor (TUI Travel Pic) and Ving (Thomas Cook Group Pic). The violations include lack of written contracts, non-respect of working time and wage regulations, discrimination of pregnant workers, threats and union busting.
English: http://cms.iuf.org/?q=node/2072
Trade unions organising workers at Swedwood plants in Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Russia, and the United States convened in Warsaw to exchange and discuss strategies in outreaching to workers and engaging in social dialogue with their respective local Swedwood management. An important part of the meeting focused on how the other unions could effectively support the Polish union's efforts to organise the 9,000 workers at the 11 Swedwood plants in the midst of the efforts to negotiate a legally binding collective bargaining agreement. Key negotiating points for the union are wage increases, occupational safety and health, permanent unlimited employment contracts, and 30 minute breaks.
English: http://blogs.bwint.org/mnc/2012/11/06/trade-unions-representing ...
http://blogs.bwint.org/mnc/2012/11/04/bwi-holds-press-conference-to-support ...
The revision of the Labour Code has led to a basic document that governs employee-employer relations. However, the employers and opposition MPs attacked the changes, saying they are the opposite of what Slovakia's economy, currently affected by the economic crisis and suffering from high unemployment, needs. They argue that it will increase the costs of employment and slow the creation of new jobs.
English: http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/48105/3/revamped_labour_code_gets ...
The fate of France's oldest refinery will be decided this month, marked by a one-day strike that the government and the oil industry will be anxious to prevent from escalating into a disruptive movement similar to one in 2010. The plant's 500 workers and the trade unions have invested much hope in Dubai-based NetOil, which had to submit a new offer after its first failed to convince judges of its financial and technical strengths. A new rejection would be hard to swallow for the unions, who had secured a temporary reprocessing deal with former owner Shell and returned the plant to profit.
English: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/15302721/french-refinery-fate ...
In an extraordinary meeting of the works council the management of the Philips Lighting Turnhout plant announced a transfer of the production of LED-lighting to Asia. As a consequence 354 jobs will be cut. The unions criticized this decision: the plant is profitable and wages costs are low (4-6% of the total costs). Philips, maker of consumer electronics, medical equipment, and lighting systems, announced the first round of 4,500 job cuts in Europe in October 2011 and negotiations are still underway regarding a social plan for that plan. In September 2012 the central management in the Netherlands said another 2,200 jobs would be cut, mainly in the lighting units in Europe, but the company refused at that time to indicate where. After Eindhoven, Roosendaal, Lommel, Turnhout and Winschoten the Belgian and Dutch unions fear a `domino-effect' all over Europe.
English: http://in.reuters.com/finance/stocks/PHG.N/key-developments/article/2605679
Dutch: http://trends.knack.be/economie/nieuws/bedrijven/philips-vakbonden-laken ...
http://www.fnvbondgenoten.nl/nieuws/nieuwsarchief/2012/november ...
Focus on the social dialogue at Philips Lighting: http://tradeunionfreedom.fnvcompanymonitor.nl/perch/resources ...
Textiles manufacturer Texim announced that it will cease its resistance against organising in its plants. Fired activists from the Textile, Knitting and Garment Industry Workers' Union (TEKSIF) will be reinstated at higher wages and receive full salaries for the four months they organized picketing lines; workers choosing not to return will receive compensation packages. As a result of its activities since 2010 TEKSIF has now organised over half of the Texim workforce and can apply to the ministry for certification that will allow them to become official partners in collective bargaining. Texim produces clothes for Hugo Boss and Pierre Cardin.
English: http://www.industriall-union.org/victory-for-texim-workers-in-turkey
A case of a Nigerian cleaning woman has served to highlight the systemic symptoms of a deficient domestic workers employment system, geared towards protecting the employer and demeaning trafficking victims. According to a retired policeman who now works with the Cyprian Samaritans OFW Foundation Incorporation the call to the labour relations office provided a parody of a trial. After a domestic worker files a complaint against their employer, they have two choices until a final decision is made, go back to the employer they have accused to work, or sit and wait. They are not allowed to work elsewhere.
English: http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/mercy-flawed-system/20121104
Workers at an IKEA plant went on strike. Their press release listed serious issues such as wage inequality, excessive workload, unpaid wages and the firm's refusal to allow union representation.
English: http://libcom.org/blog/all-out-strike-clashes-ikea-plant-03112012