Germany - Strike action pays off - regions return to negotiations
The long strike by sections of public sector workers across Germany has achieved an initial success in getting the regional employers back to the negotiating table. Talks are set to resume on 18 May but the union plans to keep up the pressure until then. Members are being encouraged to support continuing strike action and any other campaigning initiatives to ensure that their message gets across - no to longer working hours. EPSU and its Belgian affiliates organised a solidarity vigil on 17 May outside the Brussels offices of the Lower Saxony region. Hartmut Mollring, the region’s finance minister, is head of the regional employers’ negotiating team.
Read more at > ver.di
And at > EPSU
Switzerland - Pay campaign under way
The SGB Swiss union federation is running an intersectoral campaign for higher wages and equal pay. It has published a briefing document covering 12 key questions which looks at recent developments in pay - increasing inequality, stagnation of pay in comparison to other countries and, for the public services, a period of lower pay increases in comparison to those in the private sector. There will be a national day of action focussing on equal pay on 14 June and a national demonstration over pay in Bern on 23 September.
Read more at > SGB
Spain - National agreement to tackle temporary employment
The social partners in Spain have signed an agreement to tackle the increasing problem of temporary employment. The ETUC summarises the key points as: a contract becomes permanent if a worker has been on a fixed-term contract in the same enterprise and doing the same job for over 24 months; employer bonuses for four years when target groups (women, youngsters, longer-term unemployed) are offered an open-ended contract and precise definition of and action against illegal posting of workers between firms.
Read more at > ETUC (en)
Read more at > ETUC (fr)
Read more at > UGT (es)
Read more at > CCOO (es)
Greece - Unions continue national action
A general strike on 10 May was the latest stage in the Greek unions’ campaign against government proposals on privatisation, pension cuts and public sector pay and conditions. Both the GSEE general union federation and ADEDY civil servants’ union backed the strike. EPSU sent a message of solidarity.
Read more at > the ERT news website
And at > EPSU
Portugal - National strike on 19 May
The Portuguese public service federation, FNSFP, has called a national strike for 19 May along with a national demonstration in Lisbon. This is part of the continuing campaign by the unions in the federation to defend pay, public sector workers’ rights and quality public services.
Read more at > FNSFP
Italy - Unions claim successful strike in private healthcare
The one-day strike over new contracts in the private healthcare sector was a great success according to the trade unions with participation topping 80% and 90% in some regions. The unions were also pleased with the national demonstration in Rome which attracted 20,000 workers from the sector.
Read more at > FPCGIL
France - 24-hour strike by hospital doctors
Hospital doctors protested against changes to the arrangements for how they are appointed and to linking their pay to performance. The 24-hour stoppage took place from 18.30 on 11 May. The FO union is concerned about the implications of the new salary arrangements particularly with many hospitals in financial difficulty. They also see it as a step towards privatisation of public hospitals.
Read more at > FOSPS
Czech Republic - Public administration wage rises ahead of other sectors
The industrial relations observatory EIRO reports that salary increases in the Czech Republic slowed last year to 5.5% (3.5% in real terms), the lowest increase since the country was formed in 1992. This is at a time when economic growth is at historically high levels. Increases in the public sector, at 6.7%, were higher than the private sector’s 3.2% and public administration and defence recorded the highest increase of any sector at 8.9%.
Read more at > EIRO
Finland - Equality element of national agreement implemented
The two-and-a-half-year national pay agreement signed at the end of 2004 includes a provision for pay increases in 2006 to benefit the low paid and women workers in particular. On average rises for all workers should work out at 2.5% in 2005 and 2.1% in 2006. But higher increases for the low paid in 2005 and the 0.3% equality supplement for 2006 mean that over the course of the agreement workers in the cleaning sector, for example, should see pay rise by 5.1% while increases in the technology sector will be around 4.5%. EIRO also reports that around two-thirds of public sector workers are now covered by gender equality plans which are a requirement of legislation introduced in June 2005.
Read more at > EIRO
Europe - Survey examines extent and regulation of temporary agency work
The industrial relations observatory EIRO has published a report looking at the extent of temporary agency work throughout the European Union and the extent to which it is regulated through legislation or collective agreements. The survey found that temporary agency workers were used in the public sector mainly in Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK. In contrast, there were restrictions on their use in the public sector in Spain and Belgium while in France there is very little use of temporary agency workers in the public sector as cheaper forms of temporary labour are used. Temporary worker agencies are covered by collective agreements in the Netherlands and Denmark.
Read more at > EIRO
Netherlands - Pay settlement for museum workers
After a long-running dispute, around 1,900 workers are now covered by a new collective agreement running from 1 January 2005 to 1 April 2007. A lump sum payment worth 1.5% of annual pay was awarded for 2005 and the 2006 pay increase will be 1.5% with a further rise of 0.25%. There will be further talks over achieving a more flexible and balanced rostering of workers.
Read more at > ABVAKABO
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