23 epsucob@NEWS 20 November 2006

Lithuania - Unions coordinate action over minimum wages and working hours

Lithuanian trade unions rallied together on 10 November to protest against low wages and long working hours. The three EPSU affiliates received a very encouraging turn out, and also were endorsed by numerous messages of support from fellow national unions and international trade union federations. They called on the Lithuanian Government to recognise that as part of the package of being a successful member of the European Union, they needed to enact policy that would bring the country into line with the living standards in other parts of the EU. In particular the Unions demanded that as a first step towards decent incomes for all, the Government should set a preliminary target for the minimum wage at 50 % of the average wage. Read more at > EPSU (EN) And at > EPSU (EN)

Austria - 2.35% pay increase in Austrian public sector

Negotiations over the 2007 pay increase for the Austrian public sector - at federal, regional and local level, were completed earlier this month and salaries and allowances will increase by 2.35% from 1 January 2007. This is above the current level of inflation (the latest figure is 1.4% in the year to September). The pay increase from 1 January 2006 was 2.7% and from 1 January 2005 2.3% which exactly matched the inflation figure for that year. The negotiated pay increase in 2004 at 1.85% was below inflation for that year (2.1%). Read more at > GdG (EN)

Italy - Unions organise demonstration against precarious employment

Public sector unions FP-CGIL, FPS-CSIL and UIL have come together to organise a national demonstration on 24 November. They are calling for quality public services and an end to precarious employment. The unions say the government should stop treating the public services and public employees just as cost centres and acknowledge their importance to the country’s stable development. Read more at > FP-CGIL (IT)

Belgium - Belgian unions find evidence to support their claims in national negotiations

A report from the National Economic Council has provided unions with useful data to support their position in forthcoming negotiations over the national agreement for 2007-2008. Company profitability has reached the levels last seen at the end of 1980s and export growth is strong. The union also note that employers are failing to maintain spending on training and research and development, with training expenditure down to 1.02% of the salary bill in 2006 when employers should be raising it to 1.9%. Read more at > FGTB (FR) Read more at > ABVV (NL)

Germany - Growing wage inequality

A new analysis from the Hans Böckler Foundation reveals how the gap between the lowest and highest paid has grown significantly in Germany since the mid-1990s and is now wider than in most other northern and west European countries. The report also notes that unemployment among unqualified workers has been increasing, undermining arguments that the spread of low wages will boost employment opportunities for the unskilled. The analysis points out that women and part-time workers are particularly likely to be in low-paying jobs. Read more at > Hans Böckler (DE)

Portugal - Widespread support for national strike

The two-day national strike in public administration against the government’s economic policies and attacks on public service workers was supported across a wide range of services. Workers in water supply, the fire service, primary schools, kindergarten and in general administration took part with 100% support from refuse collection workers in many areas. The unions are intent on maintaining their campaign with the next step a national demonstration on 25 November supported by the CGTP-IN federation. Read more at > STAL (PT) And at > STAL (PT)

Spain - Unions win pay supplement and improved work-life balance for workers

Following strike action the FSAP-CCOO and CSIF unions concluded a new agreement on 16 November covering workers in the special Madrid courts that deal with violence against women. An all out strike began on 6 November after the employers failed to respond to union demands over excessive working hours and a claim for a special payment to take account of the stressful working conditions. The dispute was settled with the employers offering a special €200 payment from 1 January and agreeing that work beyond the normal working hours would be purely voluntary. Read more at > FSAP-CCOO (ES)

Estonia - Health unions want 30% increase

The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that health unions in Estonia are seeking a 30% pay increase. Figures indicate that while doctors earn around 1.5 times the average wage and nurses earnings are about the same as average earnings, care workers earn only 50% of the average wage. Health workers also have to rely on unsocial hours payments to supplement their low basic salaries. The health sector is facing a major challenge to deal with a shortage of workers as many doctors and nurses emigrate to find better paid employment. Read more at > EIRO (EN)

Norway - Increased regulation to prevent social dumping

Regulatory authorities in Norway are getting more funding to help them monitor wages and working conditions in sectors employing migrant workers, according to the EIRO industrial relations observatory. There is already legislation requiring compliance with Norwegian pay and conditions for migrant workers and further legislation is planned to help maintain standards. In particular, proposed regulations could be introduced to ensure that contracting companies make sure that the companies they use as sub-contractors comply with collective agreements. Read more at > EIRO (EN)

UK - Harmonisation proposals at e.on UK rejected by unions

The five unions that organise in e.on UK (parent of the Powergen energy company) have rejected overwhelmingly management proposals for harmonisation of terms and conditions across the group. The unions argue that the new conditions are discriminatory and the majority votes against were over 80%. Meanwhile, UNISON has registered a major recruitment success at a Powergen call centre. Membership has risen by over 50% since the call centre was taken over by the company after being run by the Vertex outsourcing company. Read more at > UNISON (EN) And on recruitment at > UNISON (EN)

Europe - Book your place at EPSU’s collective bargaining conference

Over 100 delegates from 24 countries have already booked their place at this year’s collective bargaining conference in Brussels on 30 November and 1 December. There will be a chance to review the last 12 months’ developments in social dialogue and collective bargaining in the public services along with specific debates on young workers, older workers, migrant workers and work-life balance. Read more at > EPSU (12 languages)