Labour news from Europe
Albania
FSPISH Congress Places Emphasis on International Solidarity 2009-11-30 [ICEM] ICEM Strengthens Connection with Trade Unions 2009-10-05 [ICEM]
Expropriation of Trade Unions’ Property Condemned 2009-08-24 [ICEM]
Andorra
ETUC Executive Committee supports its affiliate in Andorra 2008-03-06 [ETUC]
Armenia
Home, but not Alone: More “guest workers” remain in Armenia due to hard times in Russia 2009-07-01 [Armenia Now] Layoffs Carry Protest Potential 2009-02-07 [TOL]
Crisis abroad, no work at home 2008-12-26 [RFE]
Austria
Founding Congress Takes Place of New Manufacturing Union PRO.GE 2009-12-14 [ICEM] 'Stronger together. The Joint Congress of Austrian Metallurgical and Chemical Workers Trade Unions took place in Vienna' 2009-12-04 [MMWU site]
Post says it will outsource letter delivery 2009-05-29 [UNI]
Azerbaijan
Delegate selection campaign starts for 4th convention of Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation 2010-01-06 [ABC.AZ] Government, employers, trade unions to sign general collective treaty 2010-01-06 [News.AZ]
451 new unions enter into Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation over four years 2010-01-01 [Azerbaijan Business]
Belarus
Oppositionist registered with KGB for defence of workers’ rights 2010-02-03 [Charter 97] IFJ Protests against Legal Harassment of Belarus Association of Journalists. 2010-01-20 [IFJ]
Trade union federation suggests making fixed-term labor contracts optional 2009-12-10 [Naviny]
Belgium
UNI Europa Youth support Opel workers on the picket line 2010-02-02 [UNI] Belgian union files lawsuit against GM 2010-01-27 [FT.com]
Union leaders travel to axed Opel plant 2010-01-27 [Euro News]
Bosnia
Bulgaria
KNSB labor unions urge cabinet to support Kremikovtzi 2010-01-13 [Steel Guru] IFJ Calls for Probe in Murder of Journalist in Bulgaria 2010-01-08 [IFJ]
Govt ready to retrain Kremikovtzi steel mill employees - official 2009-11-27 [Sofia Echo]
Croatia
Bus company workers on strike 2009-12-28 [B92] ICEM releases Croatian versions of its Contract and Agency Labour Guides 2009-10-20 [ICEM]
Living standards fall to complicate Croatia reform 2009-08-23 [Reuters]
Cyprus
Unions want pay rises despite recession 2010-01-07 [Cyprus Mail] ‘When they call me a traitor, I feel more Cypriot’ 2009-12-26 [Cyprus Mail]
Call for dole period to be extended from six to nine months 2009-12-01 [Cyprus Mail]
Czech
Denmark
ITF assists seafarers abandoned in Danish port 2010-02-04 [ITF] Shop law changes challenge wages 2010-01-27 [Copenhagen Post]
ICEM: COP 15 Second Week Diary and Commentary, 12-18 December 2010-01-11 [ICEM]
Estonia
Finnish trade unions would keep Estonian builders away from renovation works 2009-10-15 [Baltic Business] Trade union: Ferry operator Tallink pockets holiday pays 2009-08-13 [Baltic Business]
Thousands of workers strike in Estonia 2009-06-17 [The Baltic Course]
Faroe
Finland
Mediation Efforts in Harbour Labour Dispute 2010-02-06 [YLE] Local Government Employees Approve Contract 2010-02-06 [YLE]
Great Place to Work Institute Finland selects best place to work 2010-02-06 [YLE]
France
Strike hits ArcelorMittal production 2010-02-08 [Steel Orbis] Total unions call refinery strike, supply block 2010-02-06 [Reuters]
Total Unions Call For French Refineries Strike From Feb 17 2010-02-06 [WSJ]
Georgia
Serious Violations of Workers’ Rights in the Name of Liberalisation, Despite GSP+ Benefits 2009-12-08 [ITUC] Unions pressure for labor law reform 2009-11-19 [EurasiaNet]
IFJ Endorses Joint Russian / Georgian Demand to End Media Restrictions 2009-11-10 [IFJ]
Germany
Public worker strikes drag on in wage dispute 2010-02-08 [The Local] 1 March Deadline for Global Labour University Courses 2010-02-08 [ICEM]
Global day of protest against union bans in Germany 2010-02-06 [FAU]
Gibraltar
'Workers taken for a ride' says union 2010-01-28 [Panorama] Gvt condemns Unite's approach to Moroccan question 2010-01-07 [Gibraltar Chronicle]
Gib trade unionist reaches top echelons of UK labour movement 2009-12-31 [Gibraltar Chronicle]
Greece
Country hit by strikes over ailing economy 2010-02-05 [Press TV] Unions launch strikes against deficit-cutting plan 2010-02-05 [The Earth Times]
PM stands firm as strikes called 2010-02-05 [Kathimerini]
Hungary
Police union newsletter promotes anti-Semitic conspiracy theories 2010-02-02 [Ha'aretz] BKV strike ends, unions win 2010-01-18 [Budapest Business Journal]
Airport strike not expected to cause disruptions on Monday 2010-01-18 [Caboodle]
Iceland
Labor Unions in Iceland Criticize Fishing Company 2009-03-17 [Icelandic Review] Openly gay former flight attendant and union organiser becomes PM 2009-01-29 [Associated Press]
Public Meeting Attendees Propose General Strike 2008-12-10 [Icelandic Review]
Ireland
FG finance spokesman asks Fianna Fáil TDs to reject pay U-turn 2010-02-08 [Irish Times] HSE 'expects' non-public sector pay cuts 2010-02-08 [Irish Times]
Staff cuts at special needs school 2010-02-08 [Irish Times]
Italy
Fiat refuses to budge on Sicily plant at talks 2010-02-05 [Reuters] Fiat workers strike against plant shutdown 2010-02-04 [AFP]
Fiat Union Workers Strike Over Plant Closure Plans 2010-02-03 [The Wall Street Journal]
Latvia
Unions and students protest budget cuts 2009-12-06 [Egypt and Beyond] UNI condemns new Latvian law on pensions, social benefits 2009-07-23 [UNI]
Teachers salaries to be cut 20 percent 2009-04-20 [The Baltic Times]
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Massive layoffs in Lithuania as nuke plants shut as condition of EU membership 2010-01-04 [RT] Spotlight with Sergejus Glovackas ( ITUC/PERC –Vilnius, Lithuania) 2009-12-10 [ITUC]
Spotlight with Sergejus Glovackas ( ITUC/PERC –Vilnius, Lithuania) 2009-11-27 [ITUC]
Luxembourg
Angry steelworkers storm ArcelorMittal meeting 2009-05-13 [Associated Press] Angry Steelworkers Mount Violent Protest At ArcelorMittal AGM 2009-05-13 [EasyBourse]
Rubber bullets fly as ArcelorMittal steel workers storm AGM 2009-05-13 [AFP]
Macedonia
Journalists Union To Stage Sunday Protest 2009-05-02 [Balkan Insight] Mavrovo workers to go on strike 2009-04-06 [Makfax]
Trade Union of Employees in Education in Macedonia opposes ethnic division in Struga school 2009-02-10 [Focus News Agency]
Malta
UHM orders industrial action at Gov schools 2010-02-08 [The Times] Carnival masks 2010-02-08 [uhm.org,mt]
UHM directives in state schools 2010-02-06 [The Times]
Moldova
Global crisis affecting Moldovan migrant workers 2008-12-09 [RFE] Review of teacher salaries urgently needed 2008-09-11 [EI]
Moldovan drivers win pay agreement in Lithuania 2008-08-21 [ITF]
Monaco
Workers go on strike 2009-04-17 [Euronews] Workers take to Monaco streets in rare protest 2009-04-17 [Reuters, via Ynet News]
General strike over job cuts 2009-04-16 [AP]
Netherlands
Strike Action Brings Akzo Nobel to Terms with Dutch Unions 2010-02-08 [ICEM] TNT and unions agree CLA and social plan 2010-02-02 [UNI]
Ministers demand mail firms employ more staff 2010-02-02 [UNI]
Norway
Nurses' strike over 2010-02-06 [The Post] Draka´s New Year resolut 2010-01-22 [EMF]
Rig workers snowbound at sea 2010-01-01 [Norway Post]
Poland
Tragedy at power plant in Gryfino 2010-02-01 [The News] Illegal workers from former Soviet Union face deportation 2010-02-01 [The News]
Unions commemorate 65th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation 2010-01-28 [Education International]
Portugal
TAP Pilots to Strike 2009-09-23 [Travel Agent] Air travellers in spared misery as strike called off 2009-08-29 [MSN]
TAP workers announce strike dates 2009-08-14 [The News]
Romania
Sebastian Oprescu: With its policies, the gov’t cuts off civil servants from its objectives 2010-01-01 [Financiarul] Bucharest Court rules subway workers’strike not legal 2009-11-19 [Roumanie]
Subway strike continues 2009-11-18 [The Times]
Russia
Worker injured in St. Petersburg rail blast 2010-02-03 [Moscow News] A raw deal for Russia’s casino workers 2010-02-03 [Moscow News]
One killed as ceiling collapses at Russia's largest coal mine 2010-01-24 [RIA-Novosti]
San Marino
Serbia
Serbian taxi drivers end strike 2009-12-20 [SETimes] Serbian taxi drivers launch strike 2009-12-18 [SETimes]
Railroad-blocking workers 2009-12-17 [B92]
Slovakia
Shop Opening Hours 2010-02-02 [UNI] 5th Congress of Chemical Workers 2009-12-14 [ICEM]
National Days of Mourning Following Mine Tragedy 2009-08-24 [ICEM]
Slovenia
Trade Union Says Competitiveness Should Not Be Main Goal 2010-02-02 [STA] Trade Unions Propose Changes to Labour Market 2010-01-25 [STA]
Unions Stepping up Pressure on Govt over Minimum Wage Raise 2010-01-14 [STA]
Spain
Gov't sticks to pension plan despite protest threat 2010-02-08 [Reuters] Labour reform plan gets tepid welcome 2010-02-08 [The China Post]
Air traffic controllers wages rolled back by government 2010-02-07 [The Gulf Times]
Sweden
Dagens Nyheter, Swedish daily newspaper slashes workforce 2010-02-05 [The Local] Stockholm mum charged over Polish 'slaves' 2010-02-01 [The Local]
Snow removal worker killed by train 2010-02-01 [The Local]
Switzerland
Union warnings on postal liberalisation being heard 2010-02-02 [UNI] CEO pay is out of control, UNI tells executives 2010-02-02 [UNI]
Geneva airport strike update: luggage finally headed home 2010-01-06 [Geneva Lunch]
Turkey
IBM Workers Unionize-No Rise in Salaries for 5 Years 2010-02-08 [Turk Internet] Union seeks conciliation as more Tekel workers accept article 4/C 2010-02-07 [Today's Zaman]
Workers to receive tax refunds following court decision 2010-02-07 [Today's Zaman]
Ukraine
Downsizing deals - 45000 workers laid off in 2009 in Ukraine 2010-01-15 [Steel Guru] Employees of Lviv-area mine hold warning strike 2009-12-26 [The Post]
Ukrainian trade unions criticize law on increase in social standards 2009-12-10 [Interfax]
UK
Focussing on bisexual trade unionists 2010-02-09 [TUC] GMB to Take Strike Ballot at British Gas This Week 2010-02-08 [ICEM]
‘Unions Make Work Safer’ Theme for 28 April, Now Official Day 2010-02-08 [ICEM]