Highlights of the outcomes from the 110th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) are featured in this edition, with a special focus on a resolution to add a safe and healthy working environment to the existing fundamental principles and rights at work was adopted. On other international matters, we examine the European Parliament deal concerning adequate minimum wages in the European Union (EU).
And, the World Employment Conference held in Brussels last 31 May stressed the importance, for all the social partners at national and international level, to bridge the gap between diverging employees’ and employers’ expectations, aiming to build a dynamic and inclusive post-pandemic employment ecosystem.
Social partners have also a key role in in preventing occupational accidents and diseases and in building a preventative safety and health culture at national level, according to the recent International Labour Organisation (ILO) report “Enhancing social dialogue towards a culture of safety and health”.
We report on the voluntary partnership agreement signed between Deliveoo and GMB Union on the working conditions of the self-employed riders, and the publication of the gender pay gap reporting regulations, setting out the detail of the reporting obligations for employers under the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 in Ireland.
In Netherlands, the Transparent and Predictable Employment Conditions Bill, implementing the European Union Directive 2019/1152 on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions, has been passed by the House of Representatives, while New Zealand adopted the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill, that offers a wider protection for whistleblowers, simplifies the procedure and clarifies the grounds where protected disclosures can be made.
In Uruguay, an Executive initiative to change the collective bargaining system in the private sector, following observations made by the ILO and aiming to adjust the national legislation with labour freedoms and international labour conventions ratified by Uruguay, is also one of the highlights on regulations for this issue.
In this edition we analyse some interesting Court decisions from different countries: in France on the validity of the parameters used in the determination of compensation for wrongful dismissal, in Germany on the burden of proof on the performance of overtime work, in China on the legitimacy of a dismissal for violation of a company directive issued in times of a health emergency, and in Singapore on the way employers must carry out and conclude investigations against employees.
Finally, we report the initiative in the banking sector where senior bankers will benefit from unlimited vacation time, while aiming at the well-being of their staff and to save costs for leave and unused holidays.