Public sector unions have launched a campaign and petition in opposition to government plans to cut jobs, pensions and pay. The government plans to cut 5,000 jobs in the period to 2011, around 15% of the workforce. It also wants to raise the retirement age to 65 and increase employee contributions. The level of annual pay increases is also under threat from government cutbacks.

GERMANY - strike action in regions

Unions at the French electricity and gas companies EDF and GDF took strike action on 12 May in protest at the companies’ failure to award pay increases to compensate for inflation. The companies’ latest offer is a 1.375% increase for 2005. This would be implemented in three phases. The first, 0.575% in February, was only to compensate for the increased employee contributions to mutual funds. There would then be a 0.3% increase in July and 0.5% in November. Unions were also protesting at the companies’ decision to follow government recommendations and make Monday 16 May, normally a public holiday, a working day.

The Swedish building workers’ union Byggnads is planning protests against another company that is refusing to bide by the industry collective agreement. The union had previously forced a Latvian company to pull out of a school building project after it refused to sign the collective agreement and paid its Latvian workers below the industry rate. This time the company is Swedish but employs Latvian workers.

Public services union GOED is warning that new healthcare and hospital legislation will undermine permanent jobs in the health service and lead to poorer conditions and wage dumping.

UK - UNISON signs deal to end two-tier workforce

Public services union UNISON has just signed a new national agreement with the private contractor Liberata covering 4,000 workers. The deal will mean an end to the two-tier workforce in the company and ensure that new employees will be on the same terms and conditions as the workers who have been transferred from the public sector.

NETHERLANDS - New agreement for hospital workers

ABVAKABO has agreed to a 0.6% pay increase for around 170,000 hospital workers from June. In addition they will get a lump sum worth 0.45% of annual pay. The agreement includes provisions for payments while off work due to incapacity. Salary is 100% in the first year and 70% in year two. Those participating in reintegration activities will get a full salary, while nobody with more than 35% work incapacity can be laid-off.

LATVIA - Pay rises and negotiations follow protests in health sector

The industrial relations observatory EIRO reports that protests by several groups of healthcare staff in 2004 have pushed the government to take action this year. Restructuring the heath service, substantial pay increases and negotiations with trade unions have marked a new approach to dealing with the problems in the sector. Medical workers’ pay is set to rise by 25% on 1 July this year followed by further increases in January and July 2006.

LITHUANIA - Large pay increase for health workers

According to the industrial relations observatory EIRO a strike by medical staff due for 17 May was called off as the government agreed to substantial pay increases and further pay increases over the next four years. Medical professionals were set to get a 28% from 1 May. Unions have effectively said that the planned strike action has been suspended until the autumn depending on whether the government meets its commitments.

SPAIN- All out strike in Ministry of Justice

The CCOO and CSIF union federations have called for an all-out strike in the Ministry of Justice in response to the Ministry’s failure to implement collective agreements. The decision follows six months of campaigning including three days of strike action.