1. Most recent trends in collective bargaining
Leopoldo Tartaglia
CGIL, Italy

2. Signs of recovery in bargaining
*Steel sector in Germany: 3,6% wage increase over 1’ months and equal pay for agency workers (80% coverage rate)
Postponed wage increases brought forward from April to February (2,7%) again in many German companies
Germany: Paper workers: 2,5%
Ver.di demand for regional governments: 3%
FNV coordinated wage demand: 2% plus 1% to repair retirment issues and for training
Austria, metal: 2,3% effective wage increase/2,5% minimum wage increase

3. Continued moderation
Poland: Wage freeze proposed for 2011 (public sctor)
Slovenia: public sector wage freeze until 2012
Intention to abolish minimum pay obligation in public tendering (UK)
Intention not to implement planned minimum wage rise 2011 (PT)
Ireland: Minimum wage cut by 11,6%, sector level minimum wages also under review (‘abolishment’?)

4. Company agreements
Siemens Germany: job security until 2013 for workers, in return for having accepted cuts in the crisis
Ford Belgium: giving up on 2% wage increases in retunr for job security until 2020
Italian metal: Agreement to allow company agreements to deviate from sector agreement in case of ‘new investments’ or in case of ‘period of crisis’ (follows similar agreement in chemicals 2007)

5. Tackling wage competition because of posting of workers across the borders
Denmark: In construction and transport, employers ‘refrain’ from using foreign contractors not respecting Danish agreements. No agreement however on ‘supply chain liability’ in outsourcing.
Austria: Agreeement to monitor minimum pay rates in context of opening labour market in May 2011