EIROnlineThe European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) is a monitoring instrument offering news and analysis on European industrial relations. Its aim is to collect, analyse and disseminate high-quality and up-to-date information on key developments in industrial relations in Europe. It aims primarily to serve the needs of national and European level organisations of the social partners, governmental organisations and EU institutions.European social partners consulted on measures to improve worklife balance- February 27, 2007 The European Commission has been consulting with the European social partners on measures aimed at reconciling professional, private and family life. While the employer organisations regard EU legislation in this field as adequate and sufficient, the trade unions have requested more comprehensive actions to improve the reconciliation of professional, private and family life.http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2007/01/articles/eu0701079i.html European Court ruling on collective redundancies threshold- February 26, 2007 Employers are obliged to inform and consult workers when proposing collective dismissals for redundancy. In a ruling delivered on 18 January 2007, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) held it contrary to EU law for a state to exclude certain workers from the calculation of collective redundancy thresholds, even in cases where the objective is to encourage the employment of younger workers or if the exclusion is only temporary. The ECJ ruling concerned a 2005 amendment introduced into French...http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2007/01/articles/eu0701099i.html Role of collective bargaining in the public services sector- February 19, 2007 At its social dialogue and collective bargaining conference at the end of November 2006, the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) discussed key issues in relation to collective bargaining at both European and national levels. The conference continues to play a role in EPSUs ongoing efforts to build its collective bargaining network and to coordinate policy on a number of key areas, such as young workers, migrant workers and older workers.http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2007/01/articles/eu0701069i.html European Parliament adopts services directive- February 19, 2007 The European Parliament adopted the services directive at second reading in November 2006. The vote put an end to a longstanding controversy, particularly with regard to the industrial relations impact of the directive. The key contentious issue the country of origin principle was replaced and EU labour law is not affected by the directive. Furthermore, services of general interest and other sensitive services are excluded from the application of the directive.http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2006/12/articles/eu0612039i.html Deadlock in progress on revision of working time directive- February 12, 2007 An extraordinary meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council once again failed in its attempt to reach agreement on the controversial revision of the working time directive. The key issue behind the current deadlock is the so-called opt-out clause in relation to the maximum 48-hour week.http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2006/12/articles/eu0612019i.html European framework agreement on equal opportunities signed at Areva- February 5, 2007 In November 2006, the European Metalworkers Federation announced that it had concluded a European framework agreement on equal opportunities with the management of the Areva Group. The agreement expresses the commitment of the signatories to improve standards of equal opportunities for men and women, and to the professional integration of disabled people within all the structures of the Areva Group in Europe.http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2007/01/articles/eu0701039i.html |