epsucob@NEWS 1 November 2005

UK - Unions win pension agreement

Public sector unions in the UK have won an important concession from the government over the protection of pension rights. Existing members of public sector pension schemes will retain their right to retire at 60 on a full pension but all new employees will face a pension age of 65. The agreement covers all the main schemes apart from local government where negotiations continue. Read more at > UNISON Read more at > PCS Read more at > GMB

Belgium - General strike backed by all three union federations

Unions in Belgium continue to protest against government plans to end early retirement provisions. Following the general strike called by the ABVV-FGTB socialist federation on 7 October, all three federations came together to back a general strike on 28 October with an estimated 100,000 demonstrating in Brussels. Read more at > the VRT news website

Sweden - Swedish-Latvian anti-social dumping agreement

In the light of the recent controversy over attempts by a Latvian building company to undercut the Swedish collective agreement in the construction sector (the Vaxholm case), the two main union federations have come together to resist social dumping. The co-operation agreement says the federations will step up their work together and encourage improved links between their member organisations. Read more at > LO In the meantime Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevey has appeared before the European Parliament to explain his comments on the issue and support for the Latvian company in the case. Read European Parliament briefing at > EPSU The background to the case can be read at > EPSU

France - Prime minister fails to respond to public service unions

Prime minister Dominique de Villepin chose to announce further plans for privatisation and the creation of a “modern” state rather than respond to union demands for a proper social dialogue. Privatisation of EDF, the motorways and Paris airport are all on the agenda but not negotiations with the unions. Following the national demonstration on 4 October the CGT federation is now calling for two days of action on 9 and 10 November. This will again involve both private and public sectors with demands for pay increases and pay negotiations involving public service unions. Read more at > FO And at > CFDT And at > CGT

Portugal - Public administration workers continue protests

Following a 40,000-strong demonstration in Lisbon on 20 October, union protests against government attacks on public administration pay and conditions will continue with another day of action on 10 November, including demonstrations in Lisbon and Porto. Read more at > STAL

Netherlands - Job cuts and early retirement background to public sector agreement

The industrial relations observatory EIRO reports on the cutbacks to public sector jobs and changes to retirement provision that formed that background to this year’s public sector negotiations. There are fears that if job cuts continued on their current trends service quality will be undermined while there is also concern that the public services are failing to recruit younger workers. Read more at > EIRO

Europe - Metalworkers co-ordinate common demand on training

The European Metalworkers’ Federation is running a co-ordinated collective bargaining campaign focussing on the right to training. The campaign was launched at the Federation’s fifth collective bargaining conference in Rome on 11 and 12 October. EMF affiliates will put the demand for an individual right to training on their collective bargaining agenda and the campaign will be closely monitored over the next couple of years. The EMF conference also reaffirmed the need to more co-ordination to resist social dumping and underlined the importance of building its eucoba collective bargaining network. Read more at > EMF

UK - EDF Energy vote for industrial action

Workers at EDF Energy in the UK have voted by an overwhelming majority for industrial action short of a strike. They are protesting against a pay offer that is below inflation and already six months overdue. The workers, members of the Prospect trade union, will work their contracted hours only and there will be a general withdrawal of goodwill and co-operation. Read more at > EDF

Germany - Health workers bargaining success

Services union ver.di, representing health workers at university hospitals, has managed to win concessions from employers over hours and special payments. In line with trends in the rest of the public sector the employers had demanded a 40-hour week and cuts to Christmas and holiday pay. The final agreement involves a change in hours according to age. Those under 40 will work 39 hours (up 30 minutes) while those aged 40-55 will remain on 38.5 hours. Workers over 55 will get a 30-minute cut to 38 hours. The agreement also involves a lump sum payment for 2005 in addition to those offered for 2006 and 2007 and retention of Christmas and holiday pay, although at lower rates. Read more at > ver.di

EU - Anti-discrimination website

The European Commission’s Directorate of Employment and Social Affairs has launched a new anti-discrimination website. The site provides information about EU law on all kinds of discrimination at work except gender discrimination. Read more at > Employment and Social Affairs