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January 2002

• 31 Jan 2002
  Sweden: Government proposes reform of occupational injury insurance<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, the Swedish government presented a bill reforming the occupational injury insurance scheme. If adopted, the new provisions will make it easier to have occupational injury compensation claims accepted, and the handling of cases will be quicker. Furthermore, annuities for people permanently unable to work will be tied to the development of pay instead of prices.

• 31 Jan 2002
  France: Constitutional Council rejects key point of 'social modernisation' law<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, France's National Assembly passed the controversial social modernisationlaw, which includes measures making redundancies more onerous for employers. In January 2002, the Constitutional Council approved most of the new law, opening the way for its implementation soon. However, it rejected one key point: the proposed restrictive definition of the permissible grounds for redundancy.

• 31 Jan 2002
  Netherlands: SER reaches agreement on disability benefits<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2002, the Netherlands' tripartite Social and Economic Council reached an agreement on the problematic issue of employees who are unable to work on account of illness of disability. The aim is to decrease dramatically the number of employees receiving WAO disability benefit. The agreement coincides with a fundamental debate that has arisen on the pros and cons of the Dutch polder modelof consultation and consensus.

• 31 Jan 2002
  Italy: Agreement to address crisis at Alitalia<#PDF_LINK>

  Faced with the crisis in the world aviation industry, the Italian national airline, Alitalia, announced a major restructuring plan in November 2001, including large-scale workforce reductions. An agreement on the plan was reached between management, trade unions and the government in January 2001. Redundancies will mostly be avoided through early retirement and cuts in working time and pay, while the government will provide funding to relaunch Alitalia.

• 30 Jan 2002
  Luxembourg: Co-determination strengthened in iron and steel sector<#PDF_LINK>

  Arbed (Luxembourg), Usinor (France) and Aceralia (Spain) have merged to create the world's largest iron and steel producer, Arcelor. In January 2002, the Luxembourg government and social partners agreed that the Luxembourg state should remain an active shareholder in the new group, and that the model of co-determination and tripartism that marks Arbed should continue and be strengthened in Arcelor's Luxembourg operations.

• 30 Jan 2002
  Germany: Collective bargaining coverage continues to decline<#PDF_LINK>

  A study published in December 2001, based on establishment-level data for 2000, found that a declining share of German companies are covered by industry-wide collective agreements. Although there is still a significant number of companies which voluntarily apply the terms of collective agreements, without being legally bound by them, the speed of decline of bargaining coverage is increasing. While larger companies and their subsidiaries are more inclined to be covered, smaller, unincorporated and newly-established firms tend to fall outside industry-wide collective agreements.

• 30 Jan 2002
  France: 20 years of workplace health and safety committees examined<#PDF_LINK>

  France's Economic and Social Council published a study of the role and activities of workplace health and safety committees in November 2001, some 20 years after they were established as independent employee representative bodies responsible for preventing risks at the workplace. The study notably examines the coverage of the committees and assesses their impact.

• 30 Jan 2002
  EU Level: Commission seeks agreement onsocially intelligentrestructuring<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2002, the European Commission launched consultations with EU-level employers' and trade union organisations about how to anticipate and manage the social effects of corporate restructuring. The Commission would like to see agreements on this issue at cross-industry or sectoral level.

• 30 Jan 2002
  Norway: New union confederation established<#PDF_LINK>

  On 1 January 2002, a new trade union confederation, known as UHO, was established in Norway. The new confederation, made up of five mainly public sector unions for higher-qualified staff, will represent its 215,000 members in the 2002 collective bargaining round.

• 30 Jan 2002
  Finland: Occupational health and safety legislation under reform<#PDF_LINK>

  A new Occupational Healthcare Act came into force in Finland on 1 January 2002. It strengthens employee healthcare services in companies with the aim of enhancing the well-being of employees. Furthermore, in December 2001, a tripartite committee examining a reform of the Occupational Safety and Health Act issued its proposals. One of the aims of the new legislation and proposals is to address work-related stress, by reorganising conditions at the workplace so as to promotecopingat work.

• 30 Jan 2002
  United Kingdom: Government accepts recommendations of NHS pay review bodies<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, the UK government announced that it would accept the recommendations made by pay review bodies covering key groups of staff employed in the National Health Service (NHS). The staff concerned will receive a pay increase of at least 3.6% from April 2002, with significantly higher increases for certain groups.

• 30 Jan 2002
  EU Countries: Gender pay equity in Europe<#PDF_LINK>

  There are still significant wage differentials between women and men across the EU and Norway. This remaining pay gap is of increasing concern to policy-makers and women themselves at both national and European level. The issue is especially topical at present, in the light of the EU's European employment strategy and its focus on equal opportunities. This comparative study reviews: the general development of the pay gap in the EU and Norway; statutory measures to combat pay discrimination against women and improve their pay conditions; the relationship between the issue of pay equity and collective bargaining; the approach taken by the social partners; and the pay equity issue within EU Member States' National Action Plans for employment.

• 29 Jan 2002
  Austria: Early retirement for civil servants to cut public employment<#PDF_LINK>

  Despite protests from the opposition, in November 2001, Austria's coalition government obtained parliamentary approval for an early retirement scheme for federal civil servants . The aim of the scheme is to cut expenditure in the public administration by reducing the number of public employees by a total of 15,000 by the end of 2003.

• 29 Jan 2002
  Ireland: Latest strike trends examined<#PDF_LINK>

  Official data published by the Central Statistics Office at the end of 2001 indicates that levels of strike activity in Ireland continue to be historically low. This feature provides a review of recent strike trends.

• 29 Jan 2002
  Ireland: Impact of new 'right to bargain' union recognition provisions reviewed<#PDF_LINK>

  The issue of trade union recognition has attracted a great deal of controversy in Ireland in recent years, and this looks set to continue in 2002. New measures on recognition, which have been in place since May 2000, do not provide for statutory recognition. Rather, they can be termedright to bargainprovisions which, in some instances, may compel employers to accept that union members have a right to be represented over pay and conditions. The provisions retain an essentially voluntary approach to the issue, although a binding element of last resort applies when the lengthy voluntary procedures are exhausted. Although the measures are in their infancy, there are already signs that the unions are dissatisfied with their impact.

• 29 Jan 2002
  United Kingdom: Railways hit by strikes over pay<#PDF_LINK>

  Rail services in parts of England and Scotland were disrupted by strikes in January 2002 over pay comparisons with drivers made by other workers. More fundamentally, the disputes reflect a fragmented and privately-owned railway system. While the trade unions talk of a return to national bargaining as a way forward, the government has raised the prospect of compulsory arbitration.

• 29 Jan 2002
  United Kingdom: Government consults over legislation to combat age discrimination<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, the UK government launched consultations on legislative proposals to implement recent EU anti-discrimination Directives. Among other matters, legislation is required on the issue of age discrimination. So far the government has favoured a voluntary approach in this area, but evaluation of its code of practice on age diversity, introduced in June 1999, suggests it has had only limited impact. Legislation will be a complicated matter, however, hence the need for the full involvement of the social partners from the outset.

• 29 Jan 2002
  France: MEDEF makes proposals for social protection reform<#PDF_LINK>

  In November 2001, France's MEDEF employers' confederation issued proposals for the reform of the social protection system. They clearly reflect the organisation's desire to separate employment-related social protection from those aspects of welfare that have been extended to the whole population. MEDEF also proposes anew architecturefor sickness insurance. The overall trade union reaction to MEDEF's proposals was negative.

• 29 Jan 2002
  France: General practitioners take industrial action<#PDF_LINK>

  French general practitioners have been refusing to perform on-call duty since 15 November 2001. Their action is aimed at obtaining a major increase in the fees for consultations with patients. In negotiations between doctors' trade unions and the sickness insurance funds, which began in January 2002, the key issues are the size of any increase in fees, and whether this rise should be awarded across the board or targeted on specific care.

• 29 Jan 2002
  France: Research examines employee representation<#PDF_LINK>

  Late 2001 saw the publication by the Ministry of Employment of two studies of employee representation in French firms, based on widely-differing statistical sources. The Ministry published both the results of the 1999 works council elections and the findings of a survey of the existence of various employee representative structures in companies and workplaces. The two studies confirm that works councils are now a significant presence in the industrial relations landscape, and indicate a recovery in support for trade unions, particularly CFDT and CGT.

• 29 Jan 2002
  France: Pensions review group presents first report<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, the government-appointed Pensions Stewardship Council (COR) issued its first report on the future of French pensions, providing a detailed analysis of current schemes and possible future reforms. Without recommending a particular option, which it sees as the responsibility of politicians, the COR identifies a number of principles on which to base future decisions.

• 29 Jan 2002
  United Kingdom: Union recognition under new statutory procedure examined<#PDF_LINK>

  In June 2000, a new statutory procedure came into effect in the UK, whereby trade unions can seek recognition from employers for collective bargaining over pay, hours and holidays. This feature explores the use made of the procedure in the first 18 months and examines how the Central Arbitration Committee, the determining body under the procedure, has operated the statutory provisions.

• 24 Jan 2002
  Greece: GSEE sets out demands for new central agreement<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2002 the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) invited employers' organisations to open bargaining over a new National General Collective Agreement, and set out its main demands for the agreement.

• 24 Jan 2002
  EU Countries: La retraite progressive en Europe<#PDF_LINK>

  Dans la majorité des pays de l'Union européenne (ainsi qu'en Norvège), on a introduit des systèmes de retraite progressive qui permettent aux travailleurs approchant de l'âge de la retraite de réduire leurs horaires de travail et de recevoir un revenu d'appoint en compensation de la réduction de leur salaire. Comme, de plus en plus, on reconnaît l'importance de maintenir les travailleurs âgés dans l'emploi et de réduire le fardeau supporté par les régimes de pension (priorité encouragée par l'UE), on accorde une attention croissante à la retraite progressive. Dans la présente analyse comparative, nous étudions l'importance de la retraite progressive et son utilisation, sa réglementation par la législation et la négociation collective, les principales caractéristiques des systèmes existants, ainsi que son rôle et son importance dans le débat qui se déroule actuellement entre les gouvernements et les partenaires sociaux.

• 24 Jan 2002
  EU Countries: Gleitender Übergang in den Ruhestand in Europa<#PDF_LINK>

  In der Mehrzahl der Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Union (und in Norwegen) wurden Modelle für den gleitenden Übergang in den Ruhestand) eingeführt, die Arbeitnehmern, die auf das Ruhestandsalter zugehen, die Möglichkeit einer Arbeitszeitverkürzung bei gleichzeitigem Bezug einer zusätzlichen Leistung zum Ausgleich der Einkommenseinbußen geben. Da die Bedeutung einer längeren Erwerbstätigkeit älterer Arbeitnehmer sowie einer Reduzierung der Belastung der Rentenversicherungssysteme zunehmend anerkannt wird (was sich auch in der verstärkten Förderung durch die Europäische Union niederschlägt), rückt der gleitende Übergang in den Ruhestand zunehmend ins Blickfeld. Die vorliegende vergleichende Studie analysiert Verbreitung und Nutzung des gleitenden Übergangs in den Ruhestand, seine Regelung in Gesetzen und Tarifverträgen, die wichtigsten Merkmale der bestehenden Modelle sowie seine Rolle und Bedeutung im gegenwärtigen Dialog zwischen Regierungen und Sozialpartnern.

• 21 Jan 2002
  Netherlands: Dutch Railways board and managers resign<#PDF_LINK>

  January 2002 saw the resignation of the supervisory board and part of the management team (including the chief executive) at Dutch Railways (NS). The ostensible reason was a failure to achieve an agreed punctuality target, but the underlying factors included persistent poor relations with staff - NS experienced major industrial conflict in 2001 - and a tense relationship between the board and the Minister of Transport.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Spain: Social dialogue focuses on cost of dismissal<#PDF_LINK>

  Dialogue between the Spanish social partners focused in late 2001 on the long-running controversy over the cost of dismissal - which is regarded as high in Spain - and its relationship with the country's high level of temporary employment. Employers and trade unions have made proposals on reform in this area.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Finland: Social partners discuss taxation<#PDF_LINK>

  In January 2002, the Finnish social partners expressed their views on the country's taxation levels, in the light of work being carried out to prepare future government tax policy. According to the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers (TT), the Finnish taxation level is so high that many of its large member companies are considering moving their head offices to other countries. The trade unions, while recognising that it is important to employees that taxation should be moderate, nevertheless defend taxes as the financial basis for the welfare state.

• 18 Jan 2002
  France: Agreement on social dialogue in craft industry<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, employers' organisations and trade unions in the French craft industry concluded an agreement on developing social dialogue. It provides for extra resources for both sides to improve their representative structures. The deal has been criticised by employers' organisations outside the craft industry.

• 18 Jan 2002
  France: Agreements end protests by police officers and gendarmes<#PDF_LINK>

  The end of 2001 was marked by major unrest within France's national police force and Gendarmerie nationale, against a backdrop of debates on the issue of public safety. However, the actions ended after agreements were negotiated with the relevant ministries, providing additional pay and resources for both groups.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Spain: Iberia redundancies approved<#PDF_LINK>

  In the light of the crisis in the aviation industry following the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001, the Spanish airline Iberia has introduced a redundancy procedure - approved by the labour authorities in December - which affects over 2,500 workers at all levels.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Spain: Minimum wage increases by 2% in 2002<#PDF_LINK>

  At the end of 2001, the Spanish government increased the national minimum wage by 2% for 2002, in line with the forecast inflation rate. Trade unions had called for a higher increase, pointing out that the Spanish minimum wage is very low in EU terms.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Spain: Flexible retirement system comes into force<#PDF_LINK>

  A new flexible retirement system came into force in Spain on 1 January 2002, following the enactment of a tripartite agreement on pensions signed in April 2001. The aim is to extend working life beyond the legal retirement age of 65 and the real average retirement age of 62.5.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Italy: Fiat announces massive restructuring<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, the Italian-based Fiat group approved a restructuring plan aimed at addressing the difficult economic situation and the problems of its automobile division. The plan provides for an increase in share capital, the divestment of some activities and an industrial reorganisation programme, whereby Fiat will close or restructure 18 plants - two in Italy and 16 abroad. The plan foresees 6,000 redundancies.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Italy: Unions call strikes to oppose government reforms<#PDF_LINK>

  In late December 2001, Italy's three main trade union confederations - Cgil, Cisl and Uil - united in calling strikes in January 2002 to protest against reform laws on pensions, taxation and the labour market passed by the government.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Sweden: Employers and unions in industry form alliance for future<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, employers and trade unions in Swedish manufacturing industry launched an innovative alliance, known asFuture for Swedish Industry. The aim is to stimulate long-term investment in Swedish industry and to initiate and use 'spearhead' research.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Sweden: Merger of white-collar unions blocked<#PDF_LINK>

  The planned merger between four Swedish white-collar trade unions was broken off in December 2001, when a sufficiently large majority of the council of the Salaried Employees' Union (HTF) failed to support the move.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Sweden: New supplementary pension agreement for government employees<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, a new collective agreement was signed on supplementary pensions for the 220,000 employees in the Swedish government sector. The new pensions system gives employees greater control over where their pension contributions are invested.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Sweden: Unions report Sweden to ILO for breaching Conventions<#PDF_LINK>

  In November 2001, two Swedish trade union confederations (LO and TCO) reported Sweden to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), claiming that new legislation increasing the retirement age from 65 to 67 years was in breach of two ILO Conventions on collective bargaining and the right to organise. This is because it prevents collective agreements from obliging employees to retire before the age of 67.

• 18 Jan 2002
  Norway: Nurses in public hospitals issue strike warning<#PDF_LINK>

  The Norwegian Union of Registered Nurses has signalled its intention to take strike action in public hospitals from 22 January 2002 onwards. The union wants to see the wage level of its members raised considerably in connection with the transfer of public hospitals from the municipal sector to the state sector on 1 January 2002.

• 16 Jan 2002
  United Kingdom: Government proposes new anti-discrimination laws<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, UK ministers launched a consultation exercise on proposals for legislation against discrimination in the workplace on grounds of age, religion and sexual orientation, and amendments to current laws against race and disability discrimination. The new measures are intended to implement recent EU Directives.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Germany: New programme provides work permits for domestic staff<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, the German government enacted a decree which will offer limited employment permits to domestic staff from several central and eastern European countries. Following a so-calledgreen cardprogramme, which was introduced in March 2000 to attract foreign specialists to the German information technology industry, the new initiative seeks to help German families to provide home care for elderly relatives.

• 16 Jan 2002
  United Kingdom: Union and business leaders call for early decision on UK euro entry<#PDF_LINK>

  Coinciding with the introduction of euro notes and coins on 1 January 2002, the leaders of the UK's main trade union and employer organisations have warned the government against further delay in determining its stance on joining the European single currency.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Denmark: Trade union density falls<#PDF_LINK>

  According to a study published in January 2002, the total number of members of Danish trade unions has remained more or less unchanged since 1994, but the number of potential members has increased considerably, leading to a fall in union density of nearly three percentage points (from 84.6% to 81.7%). The member unions of the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) have been most seriously affected.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Ireland: Irish Times cuts staff to avert cash crisis<#PDF_LINK>

  A plan drawn up in late 2001 by management at the Irish daily newspaper, The Irish Times, calls for one-third of its workforce to be cut in a bid to stem projected losses of over IEP 17 million in 2002.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Germany: IG Metall and ver.di create joint bargaining committee at IBM<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, Germany's IG Metall metalworkers' trade union and Unified Service Sector Union (ver.di) signed an agreement creating a joint collective bargaining committee for the German operations of the US-based information technology multinational IBM. In future, new collective agreements at IBM should be negotiated jointly by both unions.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Austria: Continental to close Semperit tyre plant<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, the German-based tyre manufacturer Continental announced its intention to close its Semperit unit in Traiskirchen, Austria, by July 2002. The closure will put 1,300 people out of work. Austria's ÖGB trade union confederation and opposition Social Democratic Party have protested vehemently against the closure and demanded that the government take measures to maintain tyre production at the location.

• 16 Jan 2002
  United Kingdom: UK reaction to agreement on EU employee consultation Directive<#PDF_LINK>

  The main social partner organisations in the UK responded positively to the December 2001 agreement between the European Parliament and Council of Ministers on the final text of the EU Directive on national information and consultation rules.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Belgium: Innovative restructuring agreement at Belgacom<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, management and trade unions at the Belgian telecommunications operator Belgacom signed an agreement on the implementation of a new restructuring plan, affecting 3,000-4,000 employees. The agreement, which provides for a combination of retraining, working time reductions and voluntary redundancies, has been welcomed for its innovative measures.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Belgium: Single agreement in sight for large-scale retail<#PDF_LINK>

  In late 2001, the social partners in the Belgian large-scale retail sector were negotiating, for the first time, over a single collective agreement for the whole sector (which was formerly divided into three bargaining units). On 1 December, with no deal in sight, trade unions called a one-day national strike. However, conciliation then led to a draft agreement, which seems likely to satisfy the unions.

• 16 Jan 2002
  Denmark: SAS staff accept lower pay and shorter working hours to save jobs<#PDF_LINK>

  In early 2002, white-collar staff and pilots employed at the Scandinavian airline SAS have accepted a 5% reduction in pay and working time in order to maintain jobs at the crisis-affected company. Negotiations continue with other employee groups. Nevertheless, large-scale redundancies are still expected.

• 16 Jan 2002
  EU Level: Laeken Council endorses employment strategy and prepares for further Treaty reform<#PDF_LINK>

  The European Council held in Laeken in December 2001 under the outgoing Belgian EU Presidency discussed a number of employment-related topics, including progress towards the targets set by the Lisbon strategy. It also began the process of further Treaty reform.

• 16 Jan 2002
  EU Level: Spanish Presidency sets out priorities<#PDF_LINK>

  The Spanish Presidency of the EU runs from 1 January to 30 June 2002. The Presidency's priorities in the social and employment field include continuing the Lisbon and Luxembourg strategies, removing obstacles to employment and to mobility within the EU, and improving the quality of work.

• 16 Jan 2002
  EU Level: Global accord against child labour in chocolate and cocoa<#PDF_LINK>

  A new global agreement aimed at fighting child and forced labour was signed in November 2001 by the social partners in the chocolate and cocoa sector. The accord, one of the first of its kind, commits the signatory parties to cooperating to try to eradicate these practices.

• 16 Jan 2002
  EU Level: High-level skills and mobility task force makes recommendations<#PDF_LINK>

  A report issued in December 2001 by a European Commission-convened high-level task force on skills and mobility recommends far-reaching improvements to a range of skills and competences, in addition to the removal of a number of obstacles to labour mobility within the EU.

• 08 Jan 2002
  EU Countries: Arbeitsbeziehungen im Sektor der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie<#PDF_LINK>

  Der Sektor der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie (IKT) wächst, was die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung und die Beschäftigung betrifft, über die Arbeitsbeziehungen in diesem Sektor ist jedoch noch sehr wenig bekannt. In der vorliegenden Vergleichsstudie soll dieser Bereich näher beleuchtet und dabei die Auswirkungen und die Merkmale von Tarifverhandlungen in der IKT sowie die Rolle und die Mitgliedschaft in Gewerkschaften und Arbeitnehmerverbänden untersucht werden. Eines der wichtigsten Ergebnisse der Studie besagt, dass sich die Arbeitsbeziehungen in den drei Hauptsegmenten des Sektors – Hardware/Verarbeitung, Telekommunikation und Software/Dienstleistungen – deutlich unterscheiden. Während auf die ersten zwei Segmente eher traditionelle Muster in mehr oder weniger starker Ausprägung zutreffen, stellt der Bereich Software und Dienstleistungeneine eigene Weltdar – die in letzter Zeit auftretenden Probleme in derNeuen Wirtschaftkönnten dazu beitragen, dass sich die Arbeitsbeziehungen in diesem Bereich normalisieren.

• 07 Jan 2002
  Denmark: New government challenges trade union movement<#PDF_LINK>

  On 20 November 2001, a Liberal/Conservative coalition won the Danish general election. In the labour market and employment field, the new government plans a number of changes which will put pressure on the trade union movement - such as the establishment of a public unemployment insurance fund and the abolition of closed-shop agreements - but not, it appears, to an extent which jeopardises the Danish bargaining model. Commentators believe that there is nothing in the government's proposals which indicates that the trade union movement will be attacked in vital fields.

• 07 Jan 2002
  Finland: Non-permanent employment and fear of economic downturn cast shadow on work<#PDF_LINK>

  The Finnish Ministry of Labour published its yearly 'working life barometer' in December 2001. The results indicate that employees on fixed-term and temporary contracts are discriminated against more than other groups at the workplace. Employees' general attitude to changes in working life has also shifted towards scepticism, and they fear a recurrence of severe economic recession.

• 07 Jan 2002
  Finland: Dispute over pension calculation method unresolved<#PDF_LINK>

  In November 2001, the Finnish social partners, pension institutions and government agreed a series of pension and unemployment insurance reforms. The deal left the question of the basis for future pension calculation to be decided by further discussions, with the choice between basing the pension on a person's earnings in their last 10 years at work (as at present), or over their whole employment history. Following the agreement, the trade union confederations took opposing positions on this issue. AKAVA, representing professional staff, and STTK, representing white-collar workers, want to retain the current 10-year period, while the the blue-collar SAK (along with the employers) favours using the whole career as the basis.

• 07 Jan 2002
  EU Countries: Relations industrielles dans le secteur des technologies de l'information et des communications<#PDF_LINK>

  Le secteur des technologies de l'information et des communications (TIC) est en expansion en termes économiques et d'emploi, mais la nature des relations industrielles dans ce secteur reste une grande inconnue. La présente étude comparative cherche à lever une partie du voile en examinant quelques questions comme la mesure, l'étendue et les caractéristiques des négociations collectives dans les TIC, les affiliations et le rôle des organisations syndicales et patronales. Un constat fondamental est que les relations industrielles sont très différentes dans les trois segments principaux de ce secteur - le matériel/production, les télécommunications et les logiciels/services. Alors que dans les deux premiers segments on trouve des structures et des schémas plus traditionnels, à divers degrés, les logiciels et les services constituent tout particulièrement 'un monde à part'. Toutefois, les récents problèmes auxquels la 'nouvelle économie' se trouve confrontée vont peut-être provoquer un début de normalisation des relations industrielles.

• 07 Jan 2002
  EU Countries: Die Einbeziehung von Arbeitnehmern und Tarifverhandlungen bei der Umstrukturierung von Unternehmen<#PDF_LINK>

  Kontinuierliche und alle Bereiche umfassende Umstrukturierungen von Unternehmen sind zu einem festen Bestandteil der modernen Wirtschaft geworden. Ihre Auswirkungen werden sowohl von den Gewerkschaften als auch von vielen öffentlichen Stellen mit wachsender Sorge beobachtet, wie die jüngsten Initiativen der Europäischen Union zur besseren Bewältigung des industriellen Wandels belegen. In dieser Vergleichsstudie wird untersucht, in welchem Umfang Arbeitnehmer und Tarifverhandlungen in die Bewältigung und Umsetzung des Umstrukturierungsprozesses einbezogen werden. Zunächst werden Umfang und Art der Umstrukturierungen beschrieben, bevor die gesetzlichen und tarifvertraglich vereinbarten Bestimmungen zur Arbeitnehmermitwirkung dem Prozess und die Rolle von Tarifverhandlungen auf unterschiedlichen Ebenen untersucht werden.

• 07 Jan 2002
  EU Countries: La participation des salariés et des négociations collectives dans la restructuration d'entreprise<#PDF_LINK>

  La restructuration d'entreprise profonde et continue est une réalité de l'économie actuelle. Ses effets constituent également une source d'inquiétude croissante pour les syndicats et de nombreux pouvoirs publics, ainsi que l'ont montré de récentes initiatives de l'Union européenne visant à améliorer la gestion des mutations industrielles. Dans cette étude comparative, nous examinons dans quelle mesure les salariés et les négociations collectives participent à la gestion et répondent au processus de restructuration. Nous mettons en évidence l'ampleur et le caractère de la restructuration, avant de prendre en considération les dispositions légales ou réglementaires et définies dans le cadre des conventions collectives concernant la participation des salariés au processus et la manière dont les négociations collectives jouent un rôle à différents niveaux.

• 04 Jan 2002
  Sweden: Telework in practice – a matter of control and regulation<#PDF_LINK>

  In 2000, the Swedish National Energy Administration (STEM) introduced teleworking on a large scale, affecting a majority of its employees. A study of the STEM experience, published in November 2001, finds that telework has become established as aconventionalform of work through the development of rules and regulations within the organisation, which control the work of the employees concerned.

• 04 Jan 2002
  Austria: Collective agreement extension mechanisms and practices examined<#PDF_LINK>

  Austria has one of Europe's highest rates of collective bargaining coverage, with some 99% of relevant employees covered by a collective agreement. As examined in this feature, this is due not only to legal provisions for extending collective agreements to employers and employees not affiliated to the signatory organisations, but also, and more importantly, to the fact that membership of the Chamber of the Economy employer association is obligatory.

• 04 Jan 2002
  Italy: Report examines relationship between young people and work<#PDF_LINK>

  A survey carried out in November 2001 by Iref, a research centre linked to the Christian Association of Italian Workers (Acli), examines the aspirations of young Italians towards work. The majority of them seek an independent and flexible employment relationship, which is able to offer the same guarantees and protections as anormalopen-ended employment contract. Traditional differences in attitudes towards work between young people living in the North and the South of Italy are confirmed by the survey.

• 04 Jan 2002
  France: New anti-discrimination law adopted<#PDF_LINK>

  November 2001 saw the adoption in France of a new law to prevent discrimination at the workplace. The legislation adds new prohibited grounds of discrimination (including age and sexual orientation), adjusts the burden of proof in discrimination cases and makes it easier to bring court cases.

• 04 Jan 2002
  France: 2002 Social Security Funding Law adopted<#PDF_LINK>

  France's Social Security Funding Law for 2002 was adopted in December 2001. The law contains a number of significant provisions, such as a general rise in pensions and increased paternity leave. However, attempts to control healthcare expenditure are flagging, and the new legislation also fails to address important issues such as the future of the various pension schemes and the joint management of social security funds. These issues have been shelved pending the outcome of the presidential election in 2002.

• 04 Jan 2002
  Portugal: Motor manufacturer calls for new organisation of working time<#PDF_LINK>

  In December 2001, VW Autoeuropa, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, argued that a reorganisation of working time has become essential for the development of the automobile industry in Portugal. The company's call for greater flexibility has been supported by other motor manufacturers and reflects a wider debate on working time organisation and on investment by foreign-based multinationals.