Unions call for negotiations over pay and jobs
The public sector federations FSC-CCOO and FSP-UGT along with the CSI-F federation have called on the government to open negotiations with the unions. The immediate issue to be resolved in repayment of the Christmas bonus. The unions say that the courts have supported the unions’ claim that cutting the payment was unconstitutional and they want to ensure the government deal with the question. They are also concerned about the impact of job cuts across the public sector and lack of consultation over proposals to reform local government. Read more at > FSC CCOO (ES) And at > FSP-UGT (ES)
Union cautious about negotiations with health ministry
The FSP-UGT public service federation has welcomed the announcement of a meeting of unions and the health ministry on 29 April. However, the union remains to be convinced about whether the health minister is prepared to open proper negotiations and believes that the meeting may simply be a way of meeting its formal commitment to negotiate. The FSP-UGT along with the FSC-CCOO and other unions announced they were taking legal action against the minister over the denial of the right to collective bargaining citing examples of changes being imposed without negotiation. Read more at > FSP-UGT (ES)
Culture workers demonstrate against cuts
Workers at the National Institute for Performing Arts and Music (INAEM) have organised a demonstration for 19 April in protest at cuts and changes to working conditions. The FSC-CCOO public services federation wants to make clear that it sees culture as a public service and the cuts threaten to restrict the enjoyment of the arts to the rich. The union is also protesting against unilateral changes to working conditions including annual leave and working time. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)
Confederations attack government’s pension plans
The UGT and CCOO trade union confederations have criticised the latest proposals on pensions from the government both because of the impact on workers and the fact that it flies in the face of the social and economic agreement negotiated in 2011. The reforms will mean cuts to early retirement and partial unemployment benefits. The unions argue that early retirement provisions are not about abuse of the system but are reserved only for older workers (61 or 63 years) with long careers (between 30 and 33 years), and whose pensions are reduced to take account of being paid early. Read more at > FSP-UGT (ES) And at > FSC-CCOO (ES)
Union reports reveal failure of labour reforms
Both the UGT and CCOO trade union confederations have produced reports revealing the failure of the government’s labour law reforms over the past year. The UGT points out that employment fell by 822000 in 2012 and, in fact, fell more sharply in 2012 than in 2009 in the depth of the crisis. The confederation argues that there is an urgent need to boost economic activity not reform labour law. The CCOO assessment attacks the reforms to collective bargaining and employment protection legislation which it says have created more conflict and disputes. Read more at > UGT (ES) And at > CCOO (ES)
Unions mobilise over jobs and services in justice ministry
The FSC-CCOO, FSP-UGT and the other unions in the Ministry of Justice have called for demonstrations on 20 February against the Ministry’s plans for cuts in jobs and other measures that will limit access to justice for many citizens. The unions have attacked plans to privatise parts of the service with a threat to 3500 jobs and for the failure of the Ministry to negotiate with the unions. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)
Central government workers face changes to pay and hours
Workers in national administration are facing further changes to their pay and hours with the government planning changes to sick pay, holiday arrangements and working time flexibility. Sick pay will be reduced when on short-term sickness with larger reductions for each subsequent case of sickness absence in each year. Some government offices may be closed completely for two weeks over the summer leaving employees no choice when to take their holiday and their will also be restrictions on working time flexibility so reversing measures that had increased employees’ work-life balance. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)
Four-day strike by health workers
Health unions in Madrid have agreed to four days of strike action on 26-27 November and 4-5 December in protest at plans by the regional government to cut over 1000 jobs. There will also be a demonstration in the city on 27 November. Meanwhile, as part of the protest members of the unions’ executive committees have locked themselves into the offices of the region’s ministry of health building. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES) And at > FSP-UGT (ES)
ILO to investigate attacks on trade union rights
The International Labour Organisation has confirmed that it will investigate the attacks on trade union and collective bargaining rights listed by public sector trade unions in a complaint submitted to the ILO at the end of October. The ILO will now write to the government asking for its response to the accusations. The unions also have time to submit more evidence to support their case. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)
Unions attack new redundancy rules in public sector
Union federations have attacked the introduction of new rules on collective redundancy that will affect 700,000 workers in public administration and around 140,000 workers in companies where the state owns 50% or more of the capital. The unions argue that it will make it much easier to implement large-scale redundancies and that public authorities will be more likely to make arbitrary decisions on cuts that will undermine the provision of public services. They also challenge the government for introducing such a measure when unemployment is at 25% and 117,000 public sector jobs were cut in the last quarter. The unions argue this is another major reasons for workers to support the general strike called for 14 November. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES) And at > FSP-UGT (ES)
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