epsucob@NEWS 1 October 2005

Italy - Health workers action

Health workers action Medical, veterinary, health and administrative workers are planning a sit-in at the Ministry of Health on 4 October and a 24-hour strike on 17 October in protest at the failure to implement their four-year general collective agreement from 2001. The unions are still waiting for this agreement to take effect so that they can begin to negotiate the pay agreement for the years 2004-2005. Read more at > FP-CGIL

Portugal - Public sector workers plan demonstration

Public service unions in the FCSFP federation are continuing to protest against government plans to reduce their employment rights and in particular increase the public sector retirement age. A national demonstration has been called for 14 October. Unions are also angry about government plans for water privatisation. Read more at > STAL

Portugal - Pay demand of 5.5% for 2006

Public administration unions in the FCSFP federation are calling for a 5.5% increase for 2006 and a minimum increase of €50 to help lower paid workers. The unions argue that workers in public administration have seen their purchasing power fall by 5% since 2000 as pay increases have fallen below inflation. Read more at > STAL

Germany - Talks start with regions as public sector agreement takes effect

Services union ver.di and the dbb civil service union have agreed to start talks with the regional government employers over a new collective agreement. The new 27-month agreement with the federal and local authorities comes into effect as of 1 October but the regional employers have so far refused to sign a new agreement. The main sticking point has been their demand for longer working hours. Read more at > verdi

Germany - Doctors’ union resumes negotiations

The Marburger Bund doctors’ union will resume negotiations with the regional government employers over a new collective agreement covering 22,000 doctors in university clinics. The most recent demonstration on 6 September in Stuttgart involved 5,000 doctors. Read more at > Marburger Bund

Belgium - Prison guards’ dispute

Prison guards in Antwerp resumed strike action last week in protest over staffing levels and overcrowding. They had been providing a minimum service but decided to move to strike action at the weekend with a return to minimum service on Monday. Other prisons in Belgium were hit by strike action earlier this year over staffing levels and overcrowding. Read more at > the VRT news service And at > Le Soir newspaper

France - No progress with public services minister

The CGT federation met with public services minister, Christian Jacob, on 21 September. However, he only wanted to discuss talks about the technical aspects of negotiations on social and statutory rights and salaries with a view to proper multilateral meetings from the middle of November. The CGT found this unacceptable and all the more urgent that the 4 October demonstrations were widely supported. Read more at > CGT

UK - Strike vote gets management to negotiate

A two-to-one vote for strike action by members of the PCS civil service union in Job Centres in London has brought managers back to the negotiating table. The union has complained about job cuts and deteriorating services and is calling for guarantees from management about staffing levels. Read more at > PCS

UK - Unions reject latest pension proposals

Unions in local government have rejected the government’s latest proposals to change the pension scheme as worse than earlier proposals that led to massive support for strike action. In order to avoid the strike, the government withdrew plans to end the 85 rule which allows local government workers to retire on a full pension at 60 if they have 25 years’ service. But now the government has come back with similar proposals and a plan to increase workers’ pension contributions. Read more at > UNISON

Denmark - Public service workers face more violence

A survey of members of the FTF salaried employees and civil service union found a near doubling of the percentage of workers facing violence at work. The situation was particularly bad for those working in social services with 46% reporting violent incidents and health (25%). Although the worst affected sector was not surprisingly the police force (53%). Read more at > EWCO

Latvia - Unions fight poverty with national action 1 October

Latvian trade unions have organised nationwide protests culminating in a national demonstration in Riga on 1 October. The unions are protesting that poverty levels remain high. They are urging the government to increase salaries, pension entitlements and health care coverage to reflect cost of living increases.