The union outlook in France isn’t much different than the one here in the U.S. One of the country’s biggest unions, Confederation Generale du Travail (CGT), for example, used to be able to bring the country to a standstill when they rallied the troops. Now, their failure to change with the times is creating a discord between the union agenda and the younger generation. Millennials and members of the gig economy don’t appear to be buying what the unions are selling. Read more here. Meanwhile in Germany, more than half a million automotive and machinist workers have taken part in protests organized by IG Metall. They’re calling for a pay increase and fewer mandatory working hours. And when we say “fewer mandatory working hours,” we mean no more than 28. Per week.
We find bigger problems in India where a Hugo Boss supplier is being accused of forced labor; and millions of workers aren’t acknowledged as employees, but rather “volunteers.”
