Europe - Surveys - a reminder from EPSU and the ETUC
Don’t forget that EPSU is carrying out its annual survey of pay and conditions in the public services. Information from the survey will be included in an annual report on collective bargaining and social dialogue that will be presented to the Collective Bargaining conference in Brussels in December. The report has to be finished in time for translation and so responses to the survey are needed by the end of September. All contacts in EPSU’s epsucob@ collective bargaining network should have received a copy of the questionnaire. It is available in English, French, German, Spanish and Swedish. If you have not received a copy contact: rpond@epsu.org
The ETUC is also carrying out its annual survey of collective bargaining developments across all sectors. This year, at EPSU’s suggestion, the survey includes questions on low pay and minimum wages. The ETUC questionnaire is sent to union centres and so if you are in touch with people who deal with collective bargaining in your national centre please encourage them to complete and return the ETUC questionnaire.
UK - Union calls for better pay and training for healthcare assistants
Public services union UNISON is calling on the government to recognise the skills and potential skills of thousands of healthcare assistants across the UK. The union argues that many healthcare assistants are on the lowest pay rate because the health service is trying to cut costs rather than pay proper salaries. UNISON also says that healthcare assistants’ desire for training should be recognised as a way of boosting nursing numbers rather than relying on recruitment from many countries than cannot afford to lose trained healthworkers.
Read more at > UNISON
Europe - Overview of collective bargaining 2004-05
The annual review of collective bargaining across Europe has just been published by the WSI trade union institute in Germany. The assesses trends in pay increases against inflation and productivity growth in each country, following the ETUC’s collective bargaining guideline that pay increases should compensate for rising prices and a share of the increase in productivity. WSI says that pay increases have so far failed to keep up with rising productivity in 2005. It also notes that Germany is the only country experiencing a fall in real wages and suggests that this is having an impact on pay on some of its close neighbours, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria.
Read more at > WSI
UK - Prison Service fails to overturn equal pay judgement
The PCS civil service union has successfully pursued equal pay cases on behalf of over 2,500 administrative and managerial workers in the Prison Service. The union proved that a range of administrative and managerial jobs were of equal value to those of prison officers and prison governors but that in some cases the salaries of the mainly women administrative workers were up to £5,000 less than the mainly male prison officers. The case has been running since 1999 and this is the latest failed attempt by the Prison Service to stop the claim.
Read more at > PCS
Poland - Minimum wage formula and target
The Polish parliament has just agreed a new formula for increases in the national minimum wage. The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that it will rise in line with prices plus half the growth in GDP until it reaches 50% of the national average wage. The rate is currently around 210 euros and is the equivalent of 35% of the average wage.
Read more at > EIRO
Spain - Government and unions agree pay deal for 2006
At the end of July unions and government finalised the agreement covering the public administration for 2006. This will include a 3.1% pay rise, measures to reduce temporary employment and initial discussions on retirement.
Read more at > FSP-UGT
And at > FSAP-CCOO
Belgium - Gas and electricity pay increases
A pay increase of 1.78% backdated to January 2005 has been agreed in the gas and electricity sectors in Belgium according to the EIRO industrial relations observatory. A further increase of 0.4% will be implemented from October and in January 2006 the increase will be in line with the increase in prices.
Read more at > EIRO
Portugal - Union resolved to continue action
The STAL union has said it will consider further demonstrations and possible strike action from September if the government proves determined to push through the planned cuts in public spending which threaten public sector workers’ pay and conditions and retirement rights.
Read more at > STAL
Europe - Minimum wages across Europe
The EIRO industrial relations observatory has just published a detailed survey of minimum wages around Europe. This includes an overview of the current situation as well as individual country reports. The study covers countries, such as Italy, Germany and the Nordic countries that do not have statutory minimum wages but implement minimum rates through collective agreements. The report looks at current rates, and recent developments; beneficiaries; the existence of differentiated rates (eg for young workers); adjustment mechanisms; enforcement; the role and positions of governments and social partners; and current academic debates on the issue. The study will provide useful background material for the discussion on low pay and minimum wages at EPSU’s collective bargaining conference in Brussels in December. EPSU has prepared a draft document on low pay for the conference. This is currently in English but will be translated into nine other languages for the conference. If you would like to see a draft contact: rpond@epsu.org
Read more at > EIRO
For more on the conference go to > EPSU
Germany - Doctors’ strikes and demonstrations
The German doctors’ union, the Marburger Bund, has backed a week of action by doctors across the country with a national demonstration taking place on Friday 5 August. The union is campaigning over pay and long working hours.
Read more at > Marburger Bund
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