10-2007 epsucob@NEWS 23 May 2007

Germany - Telecom strike becomes crucial union fight

The ver.di services union is facing a major struggle with the German telecommunications company, Telekom, in a dispute which could have major implications for the trade union movement in Germany. The company announced plans to outsource 50,000 employees to three new companies. The workers affected would face a 9% cut in pay and a four-hour increase in the working week from 34 to 38 hours. Overall ver.di believes that workers will face an effective 40% cut in salaries. The company has refused is to negotiate a collective agreement covering the outsourced workers. Ver.di members voted 96.5% in favour of strike action. Read more at > ver.di (DE)

Europe - Positive elements in initial ruling on key European cases on collective action

The European Court of Justice’s senior advisor (Advocate General) has given his opinion that unions can take industrial action to defend their collective agreements in the face of attempts by foreign employers to avoid or undercut existing agreements. The opinion is not binding on the Court but is normally a good indication of the Court’s final decision. The case in this instance involved the Latvian construction company Laval which was using Latvian workers on a Swedish construction site in Vaxholm. The pay of the Latvian workers was below the rates set by the Swedish construction industry agreement and the building union, Byggnads, blockaded the site in protest. Although the Swedish courts upheld the union’s right to take action it referred the case to the European Court for clarification. The Advocate General also made a similar recommendation in a case involving the Viking Ferry company in Finland. Unions there took action in defence of pay and conditions when the company registered a ship in Estonia and wanted to replace the Finnish crew with Estonian workers on much lower rates of pay. While unions were positive about key elements of the rulings they will be looking at the opinions in more detail. Read more at > euobserver (EN) And at > ETF (EN)

Europe - ETUC plans offensive on pay

The ETUC’s Congress in Sevilla this week agreed a detailed strategy for the next four years and a specific statement on minimum wages, equality and collective bargaining. The ETUC will “Explore continually the scope for united campaigns at European level, led by the ETUC, for common standards on minimum pay and income, and for collective bargaining strategies.” It also calls for “Stronger efforts ...to reduce the gender pay gap using all collective bargaining and legal means.” Read more at > ETUC (EN/DE)

Spain - Firefighters demonstrate over right to early retirement

The CCOO, UGT and PUB union organisations have called a national demonstration of firefighters on 24 May in support of their demands for earlier retirement. The unions have been pushing for earlier retirement for over three years but have yet to secure agreement from the Ministry of Labour and department of social security. Following a meeting on 16 May the unions agreed to continue talks with the government but decided to mobilise for the national demonstration as well. Unions want the right to retire from the age of 55. Read more at > FSAP-CCOO (ES)

Ireland - Nurses consider deal on working time

The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and Psychiatric Nurses Association are to ballot their members over an offer to end the dispute over working time. The nurses have been offered a cut in hours from 39 to 37.5 as from 1 June 2008 and a commission will be set up to discuss the potential for further cuts to the 35-hour week demanded by the two unions. According to the INO health service management has acknowledged the legitimacy of the 35-hour demand. Read more at > INO (EN)

Italy - National strike planned as government goes back on pay deal

Public sector unions are planning a national strike and demonstration on 1 June in protest at the government’s failure to endorse the pay agreement for 2006-2007. The unions thought they had secured an agreement to an average pay increase of at least €101 a month but are now planning strike action to push the government into confirming that the budget will include funding for the pay increase. Read more at > FPCGIL (IT) And at > CSIL magazine (IT)

Lithuania - Concerns over pay boost civil service unions

Discontent over pay in the civil service has led to the setting up of new trade unions and an increase in membership of existing public sector unions, according to the EIRO industrial relations observatory. Civil servants are not covered by collective bargaining and salaries have been falling behind those in other sectors. Unions were also disappointed that a court ruling over pay determination went against them. Read more at > EIRO (EN)

UK - Unions consider co-ordinating action on pay and jobs

Public service unions PCS and UNISON are considering how they might co-ordinate action over pay and jobs in response to the government’s determination to stick to a 2% limit on public sector pay increases. The idea was endorsed at the PCS conference after a letter of solidarity from UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis had been read to delegates. Read more at > PCS (EN) And at > UNISON (EN)

Europe - Information on industrial relations and collective bargaining

The ETUI-REHS research institute has launched a new website that brings together information on industrial relations systems, collective bargaining, worker representation and European works councils. It also covers corporate governance issues and the European social dialogue. Read more at > worker-participation (EN)